One stop

“Choose—will you seek transcendence beyond the Great Dao, or remain a woman true to her desires? Big Sis, pick one.”

As Luo You spoke, she sent Liyun a photo of a bloodstained whip.

The message was clear—this whip bears your blood.

The mere sight of it made phantom pain stab through Liyun’s thighs, sharp and tearing.

“J-just one thing…” Liyun whispered nervously.

“Xingyue was only reassigned to Huahai City because she rejoined active duty, that’s all. I just came here to investigate Herrera. Nothing more.”

“So Xingyue’s in Huahai now? Why isn’t the First Seat stationed at the Realm Pass?”

“Ah… Remember that dragon-class dimensional beast people online were saying almost breached the defenses? Xingyue’s here to prepare for any sudden threats inland. That’s it! Enough, Youyou, stop asking.”

“I know plenty already,” Luo You thought with satisfaction.

Still, she decided she’d pry again tomorrow—this time as Herrera, wringing the truth straight out of a half-broken, half-delirious Liyun.

If her story matched, I’ll reward her body.

If her story’s off, I’ll reward her spirit.

“Big Sis is such a good girl. Tomorrow, I’ll even give you a little fan-service moment.”

“Eh? Eh? N-no need, really. Ehehe…”

“That’s all for today. I’m sleeping.”

She ended the call, though unease still lingered.

What about Xue?

Quickly, Luo You dialed her.

“Yoooou!” Xue’s chirpy voice came through.

“What ‘Yo’! Tell me, you haven’t been sneaking out lately, have you?”

“Nope!”

“Nothing unusual happening?”

Since absorbing the essence of that Plunder-Light dimensional beast, Xue’s changes were obvious.

For one, she had grown hyperactive, bouncing everywhere until Luo You had to beat her back into line.

And beyond that… the best way Luo You could describe it was that she finally felt substantial.

Like a ball—before, she was like kicking a half-flat soccer ball that couldn’t rebound right. Now she was a springy basketball. Tactile. Real.

“No problems!” Xue chimed loudly.

“Good. Keep it that way.”

“Oh, but I started dreaming lately!”

“…What do you mean? You didn’t dream before?”

“Nope. But now I do. Last night I kept seeing this big shadow that followed me everywhere.”

“Did it attack?”

“No, just clung to me. I hated it.”

“Fine. Stay home. Tomorrow I’ll check on you.”

“Okayyy!”

“Oh, and last night I dreamed of you, You! You were surrounded by a dozen magical girls, knees on the ground, clothes torn, barking like a dog and begging for mercy!”

Luo You’s face darkened black.

This brat… one of these days I’ll wring you dry.

“Such lovely dreams you have. Don’t you dare have them again,” she snapped before hanging up.

Sleep. That was all she needed.

Sometime later, she heard her bedroom door nudging open.

Soft slippered footsteps padded across the floor.

Hm? Aunt?

She blinked drowsily awake.

After the way she stormed the hosiery shop yesterday, it wouldn’t be strange if she came for a midnight raid.

Come on, Auntie… warm me tonight.

Deliberately, she lay still, feigning sleep, eager to see what her aunt would do once she thought her helpless.

She felt it—

The presence by her bed.

Climbing onto the mattress.

Slipping under her blanket.

An arm sliding around her waist.

A body pressing close, soft flesh sticking shamelessly against her—

Huh? Something… stiff?

Luo You leapt up like a live rocket, tumbling out of bed, glaring in shock as she flipped on the lamp.

The warm glow revealed not Ji Yue—

but Luo Zining, pouting at her.

In this gentle light she almost looked… adorable. But to Luo You, used to that brat’s constant sharp tongue, it was only pure horror.

“What are you doing here?!”

“What are you doing, Dad, in the middle of the night?” they both demanded at once.

Patting her chest, Luo You gasped, “I thought it was a rat!”

“You’re just jumpy.” Zining settled herself, lying on her side, propping her chin, patting the bed. “Come on, Dad. Get back in already.”

Luo You froze.

This strange déjà vu… come to my bowl already?

“Why are you in my bed?” she barked.

“So what? Your bed’s huge—three meters wide. Wasting it alone. Mine’s barely two-fifty.”

“Nonsense! Where’s Auntie? Why is it you instead?!”

“Hmph, do you think I wanted this? Auntie and Jiemeng took over my room! I had no choice!” Zining crossed her arms arrogantly.

“Eh…”

“‘Eh’ what? You should thank me! Auntie wanted to bunk with you, you know. If I hadn’t stopped her, you’d be in bed with her right now!”

Luo You’s eyes bulged.

You… you unfilial wretch! What a perfect chance you just ruined!

Her chest burned.

Tonight, she doubted she would sleep.

Why?

Because she was just that pissed.

“You really dislike me that much?” Zining stared at her coldly.

“…N-no. Just not used to it.”

Helplessly, Luo You crawled back in.

Fine. Think of it as fatherly duty. Just making up for the childhood she missed. My daughter’s first shared bed.

Zining was happy though. She curled up, humming softly, as though a little puppy had found warmth at last.

She didn’t dare wrap her arms around him yet—but for her, this was enough.

“Dad… you didn’t shower, did you?”

“Ah, I forgot. I’ll shower now—”

“No need. It’s fine.”

They spoke no more that night.

Morning.

“…Surprisingly comfortable,” Luo You muttered, yawning as she sat up, hair messy.

Turning her gaze, she studied Zining’s sleeping face.

Cute, she admitted grudgingly. She must’ve gotten plenty of confessions in class. A white moonlight to many.

Body wasn’t bad either. A true teenage bloom, only flatter in the chest. With Divine Particles one day… she might truly shine.

“Girls really do change growing up,” Luo You mused.

But then—her fingers brushed something in the sheets.

A hand. In her stocking.

Slap!

“You brat, wake up! You put your hand in my stockings?!”

“Eh? Wha—?” Zining bolted upright, half-drooling, bewildered.

“Get up. I’ve got errands. You prepare for school.”

Of course, she had no real errands—her appointment with Liyun wasn’t until noon.

So… she’d fill the time by harassing Auntie instead.

Lucky for her, Jiemeng wasn’t home. No doubt she’d gone to meet Liyun.

“Auntie!”

“Stop calling me that!”

Ji Yue grabbed her face to shut up her yapping.

Now, the chance had come to confront that infuriating brat alone. She hoisted her and threw her roughly onto the couch.

“You better take responsibility! All thanks to you I had to agree to something humiliating!”

Eyes blazing, Ji Yue leaned over her.

“Responsibility for what? I don’t even know what you’re talking about~~” Luo You feigned innocence.

“You—!”

Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!

Her hand came down again and again across her backside, making Luo You squeal—yet strangely, her cries slipped into sultriness.

“Talk! Have you met a woman named Herrera?!”

“Huh? Some… what?”

Smack smack smack smack!

“Her! Have you seen Herrera?!”

“Wh-what, Lera?”

Smacksmacksmacksmacksmacksmacksmacksmack!

A torrential storm of spanks.

“Stop! Stop, I get it! Herrera, right?! I’ve seen her! I swear I’ve seen her!” Luo You finally yelped, unable to take more.

Ji Yue’s eyes sharpened. “Truly?”

“Yeah! A weirdly showy woman in sexy ankle socks and a mask, right? I met her just a few days ago! We even… had a friendly little chat.”

“A… friendly chat?” Ji Yue’s face locked—what kind of “chat”?

Her mind raced with suspicion. They wouldn’t have… they wouldn’t have already—

“What did you do with her?!”

“Nothing! She just showed me some fun things,” Luo You replied innocently.

“Just that?”

“Oh, she also left me a message for you. Said—‘be careful.’ Auntie, what did you do to offend her?”

“Nothing!” Ji Yue bit down furiously.

A single taunt delivered by this clueless “niece” cut deeper than any direct threat from Herrera herself.

That witch wasn’t joking anymore. She was serious.

“She also gave me this.” Luo You skipped off, returning with a slender anklet in her hands.

“What’s this for, I wonder?”

Ji Yue’s face drained pale.

“That—That’s—!”

Because every magical girl defiled by Herrera left with a ‘gift.’

A keepsake.

Proof of “deep exchange.”