“What boy are you talking about? I don’t understand a thing, eheh!”
Bai Zhiqiu playfully stuck out his tongue, feigning complete ignorance.
Observing Bai Zhiqiu’s deliberate act of feigned ignorance, Yan Qingzhu remained unfazed.
Instead, a knowing smile played upon her lips as she remarked thoughtfully:
“If you don’t understand, that’s easily remedied.
Once we arrive at the Jiangnan Province Magical Girl Headquarters, you’ll have plenty of time to ponder it.
I’m quite certain Chief Jasmine will be delighted to meet a little witch like you.
However, I can’t promise what might transpire once you’re there~”
“Ah! I suddenly remember now! Let me just try to recall what exactly happened!”
Upon hearing Yan Qingzhu’s words, Bai Zhiqiu swiftly recanted.
Should he truly end up at headquarters, in Jasmine’s clutches, he was certain to face dire consequences.
After all, he had brazenly stolen a Radiant Moon-tier magical beast that Jasmine had painstakingly defeated, even daring to drain several large gulps from it while she was utterly exhausted.
Rumor had it that Jasmine had been secretly pursuing him ever since.
For now, his only recourse was to stall for as much time as he could… until the charge was complete…
“So you’ve remembered, have you? Then speak.
If you dare to deceive me, hmph hmph~”
With that, Yan Qingzhu flexed her wrists, her threatening intent abundantly clear.
Dare to lie to her, and a beating was sure to follow.
“How could I ever dare! Not at all!”
Bai Zhiqiu offered a placating smile, utterly disinclined to endure another blow.
“Honestly, I simply spotted a rather lovely pendant at a street stall and decided to buy it.
Then, one evening, while I was idly fiddling with it, I accidentally pricked my finger, and that’s when I transformed.
I’ve told you everything, truly! And besides, I contributed significantly when the [Blood Emperor] invaded Nandou earlier~ So, Sister Qingzhu~ please, just release me~”
Having finished his plea, Bai Zhiqiu deliberately rubbed against Yan Qingzhu, feigning a spoiled child’s affection.
‘As long as the green mountains endure, there will always be firewood! For my freedom, I can truly abandon my principles for now! Wuwuwu! Damned magical girls, one day I’ll make every single one of you meow incessantly!’
Yan Qingzhu, however, remained oblivious to Bai Zhiqiu’s internal theatrics.
Still, she recognized that his current docility was a mere facade; once unbound, there was no telling how mischievous this little witch would become.
Yet, her immediate priority was to ascertain why *he*, a boy, possessed the ability to transform into a magical girl.
As for the pendant, it was almost certainly Higanbana’s [Coordinate].
“Certainly, you may go.
But first, before I release you, allow me to see your pendant.”
“That… that might be a little inconvenient…”
Bai Zhiqiu’s face clouded with an awkward expression.
It wasn’t that the pendant was forbidden to be touched by others; rather, its present placement was undeniably quite awkward.
“What could possibly be inconvenient?
Just tell me where it is; I merely wish to see it.
I’m not taking it from you.
Or perhaps you genuinely desire to return to headquarters and experience the magical girls’ ‘education in love’? Hmm? My dear little witch~”
As Bai Zhiqiu continued to equivocate, Yan Qingzhu fixed her gaze upon his eyes, causing him to feel an intangible, crushing pressure descend upon his very being.
“It’s simply not easy to retrieve.
Perhaps if you released my hands, I could get it for you?”
“There’s no need.
I’ll simply retrieve it myself.”
“That might not be… ideal…”
Observing Bai Zhiqiu’s continued hesitation, Yan Qingzhu delivered her final ultimatum.
Two paths now lay before Bai Zhiqiu: either he obediently revealed the pendant’s location, or she would ‘educate’ him thoroughly, extract the information, and then send him to headquarters for their ‘education in love.’
Upon hearing the second option proposed by Yan Qingzhu, the cowlick on Bai Zhiqiu’s head sprang upright in sheer terror.
‘Wouldn’t choosing the second path still mean surrendering it? And having to go to headquarters? To dare choose the second path would be nothing short of suicidal foolishness.’
‘But must he truly surrender it so meekly…’
Noticing Bai Zhiqiu’s lingering indecision, Yan Qingzhu added, “Remember, you possess no right to refuse.”
“No right to refuse…” Bai Zhiqiu murmured softly.
“But, I refuse!”
“What I, Bai Zhiqiu, enjoy most is telling ‘NO’ to those who believe they’re in control of the situation!”
“It appears you prefer to refuse the polite offer only to suffer the penalty!”
With that declaration, Yan Qingzhu began her search, though the process itself proved to be somewhat… unconventional.
“Bastard! Let go of me! Why are you pulling at my skirt!”
“Are you out of your mind? Who keeps pockets inside their panties!”
……
“Haha… stop tickling me… it’s really ticklish…”
“I confess! I confess! It’s in my… it’s in my… my… shoe! *pant* *pant*…”
Only upon hearing Bai Zhiqiu disclose the pendant’s hiding spot did Yan Qingzhu cease her torment.
“See? If you’d just been cooperative earlier, none of this would have happened…”
“Mm… mm…”
Bai Zhiqiu lay sprawled on the ground, his clothes in disarray, eyes vacant, and breath coming in ragged gasps, presenting the picture of someone utterly ‘played out.’
Yan Qingzhu knelt, taking hold of Bai Zhiqiu’s leg.
She slipped off the small leather shoe from his foot, then cradled the petite foot, clad in white silk, within her hands.
Its soft, delicate texture was nothing short of exquisite.
‘To think that the universally adored magical girl was actually a boy in disguise.
If her colleagues ever discovered this, they would undoubtedly be utterly stunned…’
Yan Qingzhu mused silently to herself.
Lost in her thoughts, Yan Qingzhu found herself unable to resist giving Bai Zhiqiu’s small foot a gentle squeeze.
“Don’t… don’t touch there… be gentle…”
Even as Bai Zhiqiu let out sounds that could easily be misinterpreted, Yan Qingzhu successfully located the pendant.
It had to be admitted, tucking the pendant away inside a shoe was certainly an unexpected choice.
“Is this your [Coordinate]?”
Yan Qingzhu lifted the pendant, and in the ethereal glow of the moonlight, she discerned the [Coordinate]’s complete form.
A dark crimson Higanbana was intricately set upon a portal of pure black, and beneath the moonlight, it shimmered with a faint, chilling white luminescence.
Upon closer inspection, one could almost perceive the infernal flower gently swaying and expanding, emanating a subtle, ethereal glow.
“Hey, you—”
Yan Qingzhu’s gaze shot upwards, only to see magical energy rapidly converging around Bai Zhiqiu.
The shadow of Higanbana flickered within his eyes, and a crimson magical array materialized beneath his feet, resonating with the pendant in her hand.
‘She had been tricked!’
Yan Qingzhu attempted to disrupt Bai Zhiqiu’s spellcasting, only to discover her efforts were utterly futile.
“Hahaha! You trash magical girl! Did you honestly believe I was merely indulging your antics by stalling for so long?
Did you truly think I’d embark on a hunt utterly unprepared?
You pathetic magical girl!
When I seize the opportunity, I’ll tear through your headquarters and force every single magical girl to grovel and meow for me!”
“Farewell, you pathetic Sister Yan Qingzhu~ We shall never meet again~ *cough*—Pah!”
Bai Zhiqiu laughed brazenly at Yan Qingzhu, an unspeakable exhilaration bubbling within him as he observed her indignant expression.
“Are you angry? Do you regret it? Then go on and wallow in your regret! Hahaha!”
“Connect the ancient Higanbana, a bridge spanning time and space.
—Yin-Yang Ferry!”
As his words faded, a crimson light surged skyward, completely engulfing Bai Zhiqiu.
Once the crimson glow receded, the little witch was nowhere to be found, and even the pendant in Yan Qingzhu’s hand had vanished alongside him.
“But little witch… do you truly believe you can escape?
When we next meet, I shall ensure you receive a most thorough welcome~”
Yan Qingzhu offered a soft, knowing smile.
She then retrieved her mobile phone from within her clothes.
“Please investigate a boy named Bai Zhiqiu for me… as quickly as possible…”