Damn it! Qian Mian cursed. “Those people explicitly stated that accursed demoness wasn’t in Yan’an City! Is this apparition before me some kind of phantom?”
The starlight, however, offered Qian Mian little time for contemplation. In mere moments, every single puppet vanished, consumed by its brilliant glow.
As the encroaching starlight drew ever nearer, Qian Mian couldn’t help but unleash a string of curses. His own power was far from negligible; he possessed the full capability to contend with any typical S-grade opponent. Furthermore, his ever-shifting combat techniques meant that most S-grades were simply no match for him. Alas, he had encountered an adversary utterly beyond defeat.
….
With Qian Mian’s demise, the oppressive darkness that had cloaked the top floor slowly began to dissipate. The late afternoon’s golden rays now streamed freely into the vast structure, its ceiling no longer intact.
“Tsk, only one paltry bag of magic cores from this entire endeavor? What a colossal loss!” Aya Tone grumbled, tucking away her staff. She had truly aimed for a massive haul, taking her part-time work seriously. Now, all her grand plans had evaporated. Just one bag… and when she mentally calculated the worth…
Her eyes surreptitiously peeked into the storage pouch. ‘Hmm… only a few hundred… million?’
“What the hell?!” Aya Tone’s eyes bulged. She could scarcely believe that the contents of her hand were entirely A-grade magic cores.
This revelation only soured her already less-than-stellar mood. A single bag of A-grade magic cores in her grasp… But what about the others? There had been three full bags! What did three bags signify? A fortune exceeding a hundred million! She had been on the precipice of becoming a billionaire…
‘o(╥﹏╥)o It’s gone… everything’s gone… Damn Qian Mian, why be so clever? And my own stupid hands, couldn’t I have used a slightly weaker attack? Oh, wait, I didn’t use magic. Couldn’t I have just done a few light taps? My heart aches with regret; if only I could turn back time!!!’
Hm?
Suddenly, a shiver traced Aya Tone’s spine as she lay sprawled on the ground, consumed by her lament. She instinctively spun around, the wellspring of tears on her face abruptly ceasing. Liu Yanyun, who had been ‘unconscious’ moments before, was now standing directly behind her, her gaze fixed with unnerving intensity.
“Cough!” Aya Tone rose from the ground with an air of studied nonchalance. As a public figure, she was keenly aware that being caught in such an undignified state was, to say the least, mortifying.
“Hello there. You didn’t happen to see anything just now, did you? Understood?”
Liu Yanyun nodded mechanically, her mind reeling. She was utterly at a loss for how to articulate the profound shock that reverberated within her. Yet, hot on the heels of that shock came a bone-chilling dread. She had stumbled upon this powerful individual’s secret, and in this desolate, uninhabited place, would she be silenced? Even if she perished here, no one would ever know. Her superiors might simply assume she had died in the line of duty, sending commendations to her family. After all, the Director was well aware of her undercover operation within the cult. But…
“Gulp.”
“Are you alright?” Aya Tone asked, her concern palpable at Liu Yanyun’s visibly distressed state. She had, after all, sacrificed a hundred million to rescue her; this woman absolutely could not come to harm.
“N-no, I’m fine!”
“You certainly don’t appear fine,” Aya Tone retorted, observing Liu Yanyun’s pallid face despite her protestations. Pressing closer, Aya Tone tilted her head back and issued a direct command: “Squat!” ‘Standing so tall, does she want to pick a fight?’
“Yes!” Liu Yanyun’s body stiffened, and she promptly, almost docilely, squatted down. Her eyes downcast, her heart thrumming with fear, she nonetheless stole furtive glances. This guilty, evasive demeanor thoroughly amused Aya Tone.
Aya Tone extended a hand and rested it gently on Liu Yanyun’s head, her ceremonial attire shimmering and fading away. A soft, soothing wave of magic enveloped Liu Yanyun. In mere moments, all her superficial wounds had completely healed, and even the dark, bruised handprint on her neck vanished without a trace, revealing her flawless, fair skin. “There,” Aya Tone announced, clapping her hands together lightly. The healing was complete.
“Th-thank you…” Having her head stroked so tenderly caused a deep blush to spread across Liu Yanyun’s delicate features. She had, after all, witnessed this powerful individual’s true form—that of a young man. So now… was she experiencing an intimate moment with a complete stranger, a boy? ‘Ugh!!! Snap out of it, you idiot!’ Liu Yanyun delivered a sharp slap to her own face, the crisp sound echoing with startling clarity in the quiet surroundings.
Aya Tone paused, a look of profound bewilderment in her eyes as she gazed down at Liu Yanyun.
“I… I’m terribly sorry, sir. I was merely distracted just now,” Liu Yanyun stammered, her cheeks burning so fiercely she wished the earth would swallow her whole.
“Ah, it’s quite alright,” Aya Tone replied, a flicker of surprise crossing her features. She conceded that she had been startled. Yet, she quickly reminded herself that she was currently speaking as an S-grade, and her imposing aura could not be relinquished! “There’s no need for such apprehension,” she murmured, attempting to deepen her voice. However, no matter how she tried to alter it, her words still emerged in a soft, saccharine loli tone. “You are quite intriguing.”
Liu Yanyun froze for a beat, then lifted her gaze, her eyes locking with Aya Tone’s captivating pupils. Those large, expressive eyes seemed to possess a peculiar magic, causing her heart to quicken its beat involuntarily.
“Am… am I intriguing?” Liu Yanyun stuttered, her voice barely a whisper.
“Indeed.”
“But… where exactly am I intriguing?”
“….” Aya Tone was instantly rendered speechless. ‘How am I supposed to know that?’ Anime protagonists always uttered such lines, so she had merely followed suit. ‘Come on, brain, work with me!’
“Cough. Why, everything about you,” she declared, deciding that if she couldn’t pinpoint specifics, a blanket statement would suffice.
*Thump! Thump!*
Liu Yanyun’s naturally fair cheeks instantly became suffused with a deep, intoxicating blush, her shy demeanor reminiscent of a steam engine. Her cheeks grew searing hot, as if visible vapors were rising from them. She lowered her head slightly, her long eyelashes fluttering like the delicate wings of a butterfly. Her hands unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes, and her breathing grew shallow and rapid. The crimson tide spread from her cheeks down to her neck, even her ears glowing a vibrant red.
Aya Tone paused, momentarily taken aback, before swiftly delivering a sharp rap to Liu Yanyun’s head. ‘This state… she’d seen it before!’ For a period, the lecherous old men in the guild had exhibited precisely this behavior. She had nearly been dragged into an inescapable abyss back then, saved only by her swift escape. ‘Hmph, and look what happened to them.’
“I…” Liu Yanyun felt a sudden, sharp pain at the back of her skull, and her body pitched uncontrollably forward, ultimately colliding with a hard metal plate.
Aya Tone caught the now genuinely unconscious Liu Yanyun, silently murmuring an apology. ‘The past trauma was too profound; my body reacted before my mind could process.’ Still, Liu Yanyun shouldn’t expect any compensation! ‘No money, no life!’ At best, she would take her to the police station later; that would be the utmost she could do.
****
Destiny Apartments.
After listening to the entire convoluted tale, Fire Finch let out an unladylike snort, then erupted into a fit of uninhibited laughter. She couldn’t help but offer a silent prayer for the poor woman who had been unceremoniously knocked unconscious. ‘To encounter such an utterly clueless man, you truly are a victim of misfortune. The woman was merely shy, yet you, you immediately branded her a pervert. Unbelievable.’
Aya Tone: “…”
“What exactly are you finding so amusing?”
After a prolonged moment, Fire Finch slowly managed to compose herself, her laughter subsiding.
“You needn’t concern yourself with the victim’s family; I will handle everything,” she assured Aya Tone.
“Are you certain you don’t need to… adjust your approach?” Fire Finch asked, an unconcealed flicker of worry in her eyes.
“Adjust what? It’s not as if I haven’t killed someone before. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
“No…” Fire Finch offered a wry, bitter smile. ‘Indeed… In the treacherous instances, the dangers aren’t solely confined to the monstrous inhabitants. At times, fellow humans pose an even greater, more insidious threat. Compared to those creatures, a companion’s strike can be far more venomous. If you don’t fall, they won’t find peace.’
“Oh, right, President,” Aya Tone interjected brightly, “Could you help me calculate the value of this, then simply transfer the funds directly to my account?”
Fire Finch: “???”