The moment the collar was fastened, she already felt herself sway.
She had originally planned to simply collapse, feigning helplessness before Zhou Huanan. But this collar… this collar truly could restrict her magic.
“Ugh…”
How could this be?
Magical Girl Grey Moon absolutely couldn’t allow it. Yet, she had instantly lost most of her power. What little remained was barely enough for her to fly.
If that power vanished, she would have to charge forward and push him away. ‘Remember, girls can be very dangerous!’
Since it wasn’t merely a decorative leather accessory, but a device that suppressed a Magical Girl’s power, she wanted to cry!
With so little power remaining, even the weakest monsters would prove a struggle in combat. Even slightly stronger monsters would be insurmountable.
The mere thought of such a future made Grey Moon’s heart sink.
****
Less than half a day later, Grey Moon’s own Banjao channel, which she followed, would feature a video titled ‘Defiled Magical Girl Grey Moon.’
In this video, the pure Magical Girl would be depicted, her small feet, clad in torn white stockings, tied to a flagpole, serving as a banner. This display would become the evil organization’s most effective advertisement.
Just as Grey Moon envisioned such a future, she would instantly trigger a ‘defeat CG.’ Her arrogant stance would transform into a free, synchronized update within the game, broadcast for all to see.
Realizing her own fragility, Grey Moon instinctively wanted to retreat, to yield.
But how could Magical Girl Grey Moon ever back down in front of a male? How could she expect Zhou Huanan to retreat in her presence?
And so, Magical Girl Grey Moon summoned her usual, high-cold facade, staring intently at Zhou Huanan’s face.
She watched as he removed his black glove and extended his hand toward her.
Grey Moon’s first reaction was to instinctively pull her neck back.
However, in her line of sight, Zhou Huanan’s large hand slowly, steadily approached, rather than swaying erratically. It came closer and closer.
As Grey Moon’s body began to adapt to the presence of a hand nearby, it no longer felt strange or frightening.
Zhou Huanan, as if fulfilling her unspoken wish, drew closer.
‘How handsome he looks when he’s serious like this!’
Grey Moon’s first thought was to shrink her neck, but then she realized Zhou Huanan wasn’t rushing to touch her face as she’d feared.
Instead, his touch was gentle, settling on her cheek.
Feeling the warmth of Zhou Huanan’s fingers, a wave of profound happiness bloomed within her heart.
Grey Moon instinctively wanted to smile, yet she was Magical Girl Grey Moon, a heroine of justice who never smiled casually.
And so, she lowered her head, attempting to conceal her expression.
But Zhou Huanan gave her no opportunity to escape.
“Mmm~”
Her chin was gently pinched and lifted by his thumb and forefinger. Grey Moon, unable to escape, was forced to meet Zhou Huanan’s gaze.
Never before had she felt his gaze so loving. Her lips were casually touched by his finger.
Grey Moon looked at him, at his serious expression, like a researcher examining their findings. ‘His gaze is so earnest, it’s almost scientific.’
‘What I want to say, compressed, is that Zhou Huanan looks incredibly handsome when he’s serious.’
“Open your mouth.”
Perhaps it was the collar’s effect, or perhaps it was her subconscious, but Grey Moon felt she should obey the command of the person before her.
The moment she opened her mouth, she felt a short, thick foreign object. Grey Moon realized, belatedly, that it was a finger that had entered her mouth, leaving her unable to close it.
Thinking of the unsightly state she must be in before the person she liked, Grey Moon wanted to cry, yet she was laughing.
He was laughing too.
It wasn’t an aggressive laugh, but the kind, gentle smile of an older brother next door, softly comforting you.
How could he display such a ‘cheating’ expression?
The desire in her heart was so abundant it felt as though it would shatter the windows of her soul, her eyes condensing into tears that welled at the corners.
Grey Moon licked the finger she had offered, as if it were the most precious pearl, a stick wrapped in coarse cloth. If Grey Moon were a cat, it would be a catnip stick.
Her clever, girlish mind was now reduced to the two primal instincts of sucking and rubbing her face.
Actually, Grey Moon wanted to bite down on that finger, to hold it, so she could continue to experience this feeling.
But did Zhou Huanan possess mind-reading abilities, or something similar?
Just as Grey Moon had this thought, he withdrew his finger. Her mouth felt empty, and the red pupils of the maiden threatened to overflow with tears, like a loli whose candy had been snatched away.
If she were treated like a loli, how many innocent bystanders would be harmed? It would be too unfair to the world not to offer her the universe.
Because who knew what chaos that would wreak?
Zhou Huanan merely tapped her nose, telling her not to be too greedy, as if her adorable power was actually terrifyingly seductive, spontaneously fulfilling Grey Moon’s every desire.
At this point, the petite, pure white Magical Girl, who could have been the queen of the world, willingly became a red-eyed, obedient loli before Zhou Huanan.
Even with her small face flushed and her nose running, her body aching, she dared not voice her further desires.
Grey Moon gave an almost imperceptible nod, indicating she would be good.
Then, looking at Zhou Huanan’s gentle smile, she felt a profound sense of security.
He squatted down and said a series of words that put her at ease: “I just wanted to tell you that you don’t need to be so wary around me.”
“Smile a little, okay?”
‘Smile a little?’ Magical Girl Grey Moon was emotionless.
If anyone else had said that, Grey Moon would probably have delivered her pre-rehearsed lines. But recalling the unsightly state she had already displayed before him, she hesitated.
Yet, Zhou Huanan was looking at her with such a gentle smile. He had squatted down to meet her gaze, no longer obscuring the light, making her feel safe.
“Mhm…”
Grey Moon responded with a nasal hum, attempting to force a smile. Though she felt it might be ugly, seeing Zhou Huanan’s stunned expression, she figured she had succeeded.
This made Grey Moon so happy that she couldn’t help but want to tease him.
“Heh~”
Grey Moon hooked her small index finger and scraped it against his nose.
She watched as he almost stumbled backward, even more shocked.
“What~ Hahahaha… So silly~”
Grey Moon laughed even more joyfully. Only then did she feel a little shy and restrain her smile.
But the open feeling, truly unprecedented, made Grey Moon incredibly happy. A faint smile still lingered at the corner of her lips.
Magical Girl Grey Moon’s smile was, in Zhou Huanan’s eyes, the second most beautiful smile he had ever seen in the world.
Magical Girl Grey Moon’s smile was so beautiful. Magical Girl Grey Moon returned to her usual demeanor, but a slight curl remained at the corner of her lips.
The girl before him had drawn closer. He let out a sigh, ‘Ah, so this is what a formerly high-cold Magical Girl is like.’
He watched her, still exuding that high-cold aura, but upon closer inspection, he could see the slight upward curve of her lips.
Zhou Huanan knew that he and the girl had closed the distance between them. However, he had miscalculated the distance, which later led to him paying a huge ‘seed’ price. Of course, that was a story for later.
Currently, Magical Girl Grey Moon, with most of her power suppressed by the collar, couldn’t perform the actions she desired, such as directly pouncing on the man.
“Don’t… stare like that.”
“Sorry, I just wanted to say that Magical Girls are not cute when they are usually like that, are they?”
Grey Moon, truly deserving of her ‘true heroine’ reaction, directly posed the question without realizing it.
Zhou Huanan ignored Grey Moon’s timid question and took her small hand, leading her out as if it were a given.
If Grey Moon were an ‘original’ girl, she would undoubtedly express her dissatisfaction with Zhou Huanan’s disregard for her question.
She would surely chatter incessantly with sharp remarks along the way, making Zhou Huanan’s head ache, only to feel victorious and let him off the hook.
But Grey Moon wasn’t. Her original soul was male, so her body’s subconscious reaction was merely to ask a question. The answer itself wasn’t important.
What was most important now was that Zhou Huanan was holding her hand. Not grabbing her wrist, not hooking fingers, but truly holding hands.
Though a bit regretful that it wasn’t the ‘real deal,’ it was still what Grey Moon had always dreamed of.
Grey Moon’s heart was heated to a restless state by his body’s warmth, wanting to do something. But since her powers seemed useless now, and she couldn’t do much anyway, Grey Moon simply let go.
She let him lead her wherever he wanted. As long as he held her hand, that was enough.
The two walked through the corridor and entered an elevator.
In Zhou Huanan’s eyes, this was, at most, like playing a simple game with a casual lover. He was constantly draining Zhou Huanan’s emotions.
Little did he know that everyone would surely think this was the precursor to an energy ball.
Zhou Huanan felt that showing off here was indeed more reassuring than showing off out there. It was as if the world contained only her and him, and no one else.
Perhaps for Zhou Huanan, this scene with the girl, knowing she was actually a girl who needed protection, was enough.
Since he had intentionally peeled away the girl’s disguise, he naturally couldn’t ignore her.
However, this simple act of holding hands also caused the accumulated affection in Grey Moon’s heart to overflow.
One could say that if the collar hadn’t suppressed Grey Moon’s power, Zhou Huanan would have already been prepared for the ‘white-haired pure girl,’ who would have ‘sevened’ him over and over, then ‘fourteened’ him over and over, just like other men.
But that was only after he realized Grey Moon had revealed her true self.
Now, Magical Girl Grey Moon was still being held captive by her shyness. Her desired actions were impossible.
Of course, all of this was for later.
Now, Magical Girl Grey Moon, with most of her power suppressed by the collar, couldn’t directly pounce on the man.
“Don’t… stare like that.”
“Sorry, I just wanted to say that Magical Girls are not cute when they are usually like that, are they?”
Grey Moon, truly deserving of her ‘true heroine’ reaction, directly posed the question without realizing it.
Zhou Huanan ignored Grey Moon’s timid question and took her small hand, leading her out as if it were a given.
If Grey Moon were an ‘original’ girl, she would undoubtedly express her dissatisfaction with Zhou Huanan’s disregard for her question.
She would surely chatter incessantly with sharp remarks along the way, making Zhou Huanan’s head ache, only to feel victorious and let him off the hook.
But Grey Moon wasn’t. Her original soul was male, so her body’s subconscious reaction was merely to ask a question. The answer itself wasn’t important.
What was most important now was that Zhou Huanan was holding her hand. Not grabbing her wrist, not hooking fingers, but truly holding hands.
Though a bit regretful that it wasn’t the ‘real deal,’ it was still what Grey Moon had always dreamed of.
Grey Moon’s heart was heated to a restless state by his body’s warmth, wanting to do something. But since her powers seemed useless now, and she couldn’t do much anyway, Grey Moon simply let go.
She let him lead her wherever he wanted. As long as he held her hand, that was enough.
The two walked through the corridor and entered an elevator.
In Zhou Huanan’s eyes, this was, at most, like playing a simple game with a casual lover. He was constantly draining Zhou Huanan’s emotions.
Little did he know that everyone would surely think this was the precursor to an energy ball.
Zhou Huanan felt that showing off here was indeed more reassuring than showing off out there. It was as if the world contained only her and him, and no one else.
Perhaps for Zhou Huanan, this scene with the girl, knowing she was actually a girl who needed protection, was enough.
Since he had intentionally peeled away the girl’s disguise, he naturally couldn’t ignore her.
However, this simple act of holding hands also caused the accumulated affection in Grey Moon’s heart to overflow.
One could say that if the collar hadn’t suppressed Grey Moon’s power, Zhou Huanan would have already been prepared for the ‘white-haired pure girl,’ who would have ‘sevened’ him over and over, then ‘fourteened’ him over and over, just like other men.
But that was only after he realized Grey Moon had revealed her true self.
Now, Magical Girl Grey Moon was still being held captive by her shyness. Her desired actions were impossible.
Of course, all of this was for later.
Currently, Magical Girl Grey Moon, with most of her power suppressed by the collar, couldn’t directly pounce on the man.
“Don’t… stare like that.”
“Sorry, I just wanted to say that Magical Girls are not cute when they are usually like that, are they?”
Grey Moon, truly deserving of her ‘true heroine’ reaction, directly posed the question without realizing it.
Zhou Huanan ignored Grey Moon’s timid question and took her small hand, leading her out as if it were a given.
If Grey Moon were an ‘original’ girl, she would undoubtedly express her dissatisfaction with Zhou Huanan’s disregard for her question.
She would surely chatter incessantly with sharp remarks along the way, making Zhou Huanan’s head ache, only to feel victorious and let him off the hook.
But Grey Moon isn’t. Her original soul is male, so her body’s subconscious reaction was merely to ask a question. The answer itself wasn’t important.
What was most important now was that Zhou Huanan was holding her hand. Not grabbing her wrist, not hooking fingers, but truly holding hands.
Though a bit regretful that it wasn’t the ‘real deal,’ it was still what Grey Moon had always dreamed of.
Grey Moon’s heart was heated to a restless state by his body’s warmth, wanting to do something. But since her powers seemed useless now, and she couldn’t do much anyway, Grey Moon simply let go.
She let him lead her wherever he wanted. As long as he held her hand, that was enough.
The two walked through the corridor and entered an elevator.
In Zhou Huanan’s eyes, this was, at most, like playing a simple game with a casual lover. He was constantly draining Zhou Huanan’s emotions.
Little did he know that everyone would surely think this was the precursor to an energy ball.
Zhou Huanan felt that showing off here was indeed more reassuring than showing off out there. It was as if the world contained only her and him, and no one else.
Perhaps for Zhou Huanan, this scene with the girl, knowing she was actually a girl who needed protection, was enough.
Since he had intentionally peeled away the girl’s disguise, he naturally couldn’t ignore her.
However, this simple act of holding hands also caused the accumulated affection in Grey Moon’s heart to overflow.
One could say that if the collar hadn’t suppressed Grey Moon’s power, Zhou Huanan would have already been prepared for the ‘white-haired pure girl,’ who would have ‘sevened’ him over and over, then ‘fourteened’ him over and over, just like other men.
But that was only after he realized Grey Moon had revealed her true self.
Now, Magical Girl Grey Moon was still being held captive by her shyness. Her desired actions were impossible.
Of course, all of this was for later.
Currently, Magical Girl Grey Moon, with most of her power suppressed by the collar, couldn’t directly pounce on the man.
“Don’t… stare like that.”
“Sorry, I just wanted to say that Magical Girls are not cute when they are usually like that, are they?”
Grey Moon, truly deserving of her ‘true heroine’ reaction, directly posed the question without realizing it.
Zhou Huanan ignored Grey Moon’s timid question and took her small hand, leading her out as if it were a given.
If Grey Moon were an ‘original’ girl, she would undoubtedly express her dissatisfaction with Zhou Huanan’s disregard for her question.
She would surely chatter incessantly with sharp remarks along the way, making Zhou Huanan’s head ache, only to feel victorious and let him off the hook.
But Grey Moon isn’t. Her original soul is male, so her body’s subconscious reaction was merely to ask a question. The answer itself wasn’t important.
What was most important now was that Zhou Huanan was holding her hand. Not grabbing her wrist, not hooking fingers, but truly holding hands.
Though a bit regretful that it wasn’t the ‘real deal,’ it was still what Grey Moon had always dreamed of.
Grey Moon’s heart was heated to a restless state by his body’s warmth, wanting to do something. But since her powers seemed useless now, and she couldn’t do much anyway, Grey Moon simply let go.
She let him lead her wherever he wanted. As long as he held her hand, that was enough.
The two walked through the corridor and entered an elevator.
In Zhou Huanan’s eyes, this was, at most, like playing a simple game with a casual lover. He was constantly draining Zhou Huanan’s emotions.
Little did he know that everyone would surely think this was the precursor to an energy ball.
Zhou Huanan felt that showing off here was indeed more reassuring than showing off out there. It was as if the world contained only her and him, and no one else.
Perhaps for Zhou Huanan, this scene with the girl, knowing she was actually a girl who needed protection, was enough.
Since he had intentionally peeled away the girl’s disguise, he naturally couldn’t ignore her.
However, this simple act of holding hands also caused the accumulated affection in Grey Moon’s heart to overflow.
One could say that if the collar hadn’t suppressed Grey Moon’s power, Zhou Huanan would have already been prepared for the ‘white-haired pure girl,’ who would have ‘sevened’ him over and over, then ‘fourteened’ him over and over, just like other men.
But that was only after he realized Grey Moon had revealed her true self.
Now, Magical Girl Grey Moon was still being held captive by her shyness. Her desired actions were impossible.
Of course, all of this was for later.
Currently, Magical Girl Grey Moon, with most of her power suppressed by the collar, couldn’t directly pounce on the man.
“Don’t… stare like that.”
“Sorry, I just wanted to say that Magical Girls are not cute when they are usually like that, are they?”
Grey Moon, truly deserving of her ‘true heroine’ reaction, directly posed the question without realizing it.
Zhou Huanan ignored Grey Moon’s timid question and took her small hand, leading her out as if it were a given.
If Grey Moon were an ‘original’ girl, she would undoubtedly express her dissatisfaction with Zhou Huanan’s disregard for her question.
She would surely chatter incessantly with sharp remarks along the way, making Zhou Huanan’s head ache, only to feel victorious and let him off the hook.
But Grey Moon isn’t. Her original soul is male, so her body’s subconscious reaction was merely to ask a question. The answer itself wasn’t important.
What was most important now was that Zhou Huanan was holding her hand. Not grabbing her wrist, not hooking fingers, but truly holding hands.
Though a bit regretful that it wasn’t the ‘real deal,’ it was still what Grey Moon had always dreamed of.
Grey Moon’s heart was heated to a restless state by his body’s warmth, wanting to do something. But since her powers seemed useless now, and she couldn’t do much anyway, Grey Moon simply let go.
She let him lead her wherever he wanted. As long as he held her hand, that was enough.
The two walked through the corridor and entered an elevator.
In Zhou Huanan’s eyes, this was, at most, like playing a simple game with a casual lover. He was constantly draining Zhou Huanan’s emotions.
Little did he know that everyone would surely think this was the precursor to an energy ball.
Zhou Huanan felt that showing off here was indeed more reassuring than showing off out there. It was as if the world contained only her and him, and no one else.
Perhaps for Zhou Huanan, this scene with the girl, knowing she was actually a girl who needed protection, was enough.
Since he had intentionally peeled away the girl’s disguise, he naturally couldn’t ignore her.
However, this simple act of holding hands also caused the accumulated affection in Grey Moon’s heart to overflow.
One could say that if the collar hadn’t suppressed Grey Moon’s power, Zhou Huanan would have already been prepared for the ‘white-haired pure girl,’ who would have ‘sevened’ him over and over, then ‘fourteened’ him over and over, just like other men.
But that was only after he realized Grey Moon had revealed her true self.
Now, Magical Girl Grey Moon was still being held captive by her shyness. Her desired actions were impossible.
Of course, all of this was for later.
Currently, Magical Girl Grey Moon, with most of her power suppressed by the collar, couldn’t directly pounce on the man.
“Don’t… stare like that.”
“Sorry, I just wanted to say that Magical Girls are not cute when they are usually like that, are they?”
Grey Moon, truly deserving of her ‘true heroine’ reaction, directly posed the question without realizing it.
Zhou Huanan ignored Grey Moon’s timid question and took her small hand, leading her out as if it were a given.
If Grey Moon were an ‘original’ girl, she would undoubtedly express her dissatisfaction with Zhou Huanan’s disregard for her question.
She would surely chatter incessantly with sharp remarks along the way, making Zhou Huanan’s head ache, only to feel victorious and let him off the hook.
But Grey Moon isn’t. Her original soul is male, so her body’s subconscious reaction was merely to ask a question. The answer itself wasn’t important.
What was most important now was that Zhou Huanan was holding her hand. Not grabbing her wrist, not hooking fingers, but truly holding hands.
Though a bit regretful that it wasn’t the ‘real deal,’ it was still what Grey Moon had always dreamed of.
Grey Moon’s heart was heated to a restless state by his body’s warmth, wanting to do something. But since her powers seemed useless now, and she couldn’t do much anyway, Grey Moon simply let go.
She let him lead her wherever he wanted. As long as he held her hand, that was enough.
The two walked through the corridor and entered an elevator.
Zhou Huanan arrived upstairs, only then remembering he had forgotten to take off his battle suit. He quickly removed it in front of Grey Moon.
Grey Moon’s eyes widened in surprise, her small mouth slightly agape, peeking through the gaps in her fingers.
She discovered that he was wearing regular clothes underneath. ‘Was it designed like this all along?’
Grey Moon grumbled in dissatisfaction, punching at the air with small fists. Zhou Huanan, slightly puzzled by her discontent, merely assumed she was still acting like a spoiled child.
Once again, she became compliant, following wherever Zhou Huanan led.
After Grey Moon picked up the tablet again, she recalled her first time.
Zhou Huanan had simply said, “It’s fine, little star.”
‘It seems that’s how it is then.’
Zhou Huanan had almost managed to calm her down. The two, hand-in-hand, arrived on the street.
Luckily, it was late, around three or four in the morning, and there weren’t many people on the streets. Otherwise, the sight of Magical Girl Grey Moon, being led by the hand by a man, would have been world-shattering news.
Magical Girl Grey Moon’s extreme fans would probably go to any lengths, and the C-city armed police would likely have to deploy en masse just to maintain order.
But it was precisely at this moment that Zhou Huanan realized a problem.
Where was he supposed to take Grey Moon? Let Grey Moon go home by herself?
This little loli had clearly recognized him and showed no signs of letting go. And how could he explain it?
Although he knew Grey Moon was powerful, the collar did restrict her power. Since Zhou Huanan had made her wear it, he had to provide her with some protection.
Leaving a girl alone in the middle of the night was simply improper. The highly responsible Zhou Huanan couldn’t do such a thing.
However, taking her home was out of the question. Who knew what kind of trouble Mu Xi would stir up if she saw Grey Moon at his place?
So, Zhou Huanan, still wandering, stopped in front of a love hotel.
Zhou Huanan, merely standing there, lingering, felt he was already paying a considerable price in courage. But he had no other choice, did he?
Zhou Huanan casually wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. This place was still open late, and it was close by, so it wouldn’t cause a commotion. It was the only love hotel nearby, invested in by Banjao, that required registration.
Zhou Huanan turned to look at Magical Girl Grey Moon. She didn’t seem to realize where she had been brought, still maintaining a pure, obedient expression.
A sense of immorality surged up Zhou Huanan’s back. ‘Taking such a “beautiful,” such a “young” girl to a love hotel?’
‘How would I explain it if the police came? It would definitely be a case for immediate arrest.’
‘Don’t panic, don’t worry,’ Zhou Huanan forced himself to calm down. ‘After all, I don’t intend to touch little Grey Moon. I’m just finding a temporary place to stay for the night, and I’ll let her go home tomorrow morning.’
‘That’s right, I have nothing to be nervous about.’
‘So, should *I* be the one who’s nervous?’
Every move Zhou Huanan made was under Magical Girl Grey Moon’s gaze. As they stood before the love hotel, her crimson eyes calmly watched him, as if he were a ‘shrimp-head man’ [TL Note: A derogatory term for a pervert].
‘He won’t do anything to me. He’s a ghost!’
Grey Moon, while internally grumbling about Zhou Huanan, still gazed at the pink signboard of the hotel with sparkling eyes.
‘That… that’s a regular hotel. No! That’s… that’s a sacred place where you can enter the adult world with the person you like!!’
Grey Moon’s heart pounded with excitement. Although a good deal of girlish shyness still lingered within her, this small amount of shame and desire was easily overcome.
‘Oh dear~ I was forcibly brought here by Zhou Huanan, you see. I had no choice~ I’m just an innocent, pure Magical Girl, I don’t understand what this place is~’ she could tell herself, playing the role of a ‘green tea b*tch,’ whimpering pitifully.
In short, Grey Moon had too many reasons not to expose Zhou Huanan’s careful self-deception. And compared to all those completely unimportant excuses and self-deceptions, there was an even more crucial factor.
A certain vital organ within Grey Moon’s flat stomach was already twisting with an unbearable ache. Little Grey Moon was practically drooling with hunger.