Cooperation (1)

If she had to admit it, Mo Li did dislike You Xi.

But that dislike was nothing more than the typical high school girl rivalry—mixed with jealousy, competition, and the recent conflicts between them.

You Xi had hit her. She’d be suspended, hated by teachers and classmates, scolded by her parents… In Mo Li’s mind, that was the worst punishment possible.

But now? This had escalated to the police station? That was something she’d never imagined.

…Seriously? The police station?

Besides cops, only criminals went to places like that.

She disliked You Xi, sure. But did it have to go this far? You Xi deserved punishment—but was this too harsh?

Lost in thought, Mo Li felt a strange unease creeping in.

“—Idiot! Move!”

A shout snapped Huangxing back to reality.

In that instant, she saw a fish-like aberration with human limbs, lunging at her with a bone spear raised.

By the time she registered the danger, the creature was already mid-lunge.

—Too late?

Even though magic had already gathered in her hand, forming an arrow—her mind knew clearly: she wouldn’t nock the bow in time. The spear would pierce her first.

She was going to die? How?

Shock and fear flashed through her—just as a wide, flame-wreathed greatsword crashed into her field of vision.

—Boom!

The attacking fish monster was smacked aside by the flat of the blade, slamming into the wall with a sickening crunch, splattering into a grotesque pulp. The brutal, bloody scene made Huangxing nauseous—yet, strangely, also a little exhilarated.

“What were you spacing out for? That was dangerous, you know!”

After collecting the magic crystal from the remains, Raging Flame glared at Huangxing.

“I just saved your life, you know. Don’t forget that. I’m definitely keeping score.”

“W-what’s it to you?!”

Snapping out of her daze, Huangxing immediately shot back.

“If we’re counting, didn’t I save you last night?”

“Fair point. Then we’re even. No debts.”

Raging Flame accepted it without hesitation.

“Huangxing, were you lost in thought? Why did you hesitate like that?” Tidal asked, having observed the fight.

“I’m sorry, Senior. I zoned out for a second.”

Huangxing offered an apologetic smile and gave a small bow to the senior who stood a head shorter than her.

“It won’t happen again. I promise.”

Seeing how sincerely respectful Huangxing was, Tidal couldn’t scold her. But Raging Flame, witnessing the preferential treatment, instantly bristled.

“You didn’t even say thank you after I saved you… suck-up.”

“Who’s a suck-up? Can’t I show respect without your permission?”

“…Enough.”

Seeing the two about to bicker again, Tidal stepped in.

“The mission isn’t over. Don’t waste energy on pointless arguments. Cough… cough…”

“Senior, are you okay?”

Both girls asked in unison.

“I’m fine.” Tidal glanced around, making up an excuse on the spot. “The air down here is just… a bit stuffy. It’s getting to me.”

They were deep in the city’s vast underground network—the sewer system.

Recently, the Special Operations Bureau had received reports of D-rank Fish Men forming gangs and claiming territory down here. This posed a serious threat to maintenance workers who came to inspect pipes and repair equipment.

Before sending in magical girls, the Bureau had launched several raids. At the cost of several agents’ lives, the Fish Men army had been shattered—only scattered stragglers remained. Now, the three magical girls were here to clean up the remnants.

The city’s sewers were the largest artificial maze on the planet. Without professional gear, anyone would get lost in the endless gray walls and branching tunnels.

The trio flew in formation, drifting through one identical pipe after another. Every so often, Tidal would pause, using magic sense to scan for enemies.

This cycle of moving, searching, and eliminating had gone on for over three hours. It was now 10 p.m. Tidal decided it was time to wrap up.

Tonight, they’d eliminated several D-rank aberrations and collected their magic crystals. According to Lao Lin, unused crystals could be exchanged with the Special Operations Bureau for real-world “benefits”—one of the perks of being a magical girl.

“Senior, it’s so stinky here…”

Huangxing’s complaint broke Tidal’s train of thought.

“My sense of smell’s going numb. Hope this doesn’t affect me in real life,” Raging Flame added, lifelessly.

It wasn’t just the two pampered teenage girls. Even Tidal, a salaryman used to industrial odors and chemical fumes, was starting to feel it.

“Let’s finish off the last one and head out,” Tidal decided.

As she spoke, she began gathering magic particles in her hand.

Blue particles—like tiny fireflies—swirled and circled, gradually forming a ring of light.

With a flick of her finger, the ring expanded outward in rippling waves.

After a few minutes of silence, magic particles began returning. Eventually, the dispersed energy reformed into the same blue ring, landing back in her palm.

Tidal gently crushed the ring, absorbing the information it carried.

“Here.”

She led them into a narrow passage.

This magic-sense technique was something she’d learned while slacking off at work that afternoon. She’d been worried it wouldn’t work in practice—but it had gone surprisingly smoothly.

Lao Lin had said her magical girl aptitude was unbelievably high. Looks like he wasn’t just flattering her.

But why was she so talented? Why was her soul weapon a first-generation magic wand? These mysteries remained unsolved—and she had no time to investigate.

Soon, the sound of rushing water grew louder.

The passage opened into a shared chamber—connecting multiple tunnels. No longer cramped, it was a vast space, the size of several classrooms, filled with electrical equipment and control panels.

The moment they entered, a whoosh cut through the air—a bone spear shot straight at Tidal’s face.

She didn’t flinch. The spear halted mere centimeters from her nose.

Closer inspection revealed it wasn’t blocked—it was being shredded. From tip to base, it was being systematically pulverized into fine dust, vanishing into the air.

Tidal had compressed high-density magic particles into a protective barrier around her. It was extremely wasteful, but undeniably effective. This invisible shield had effortlessly neutralized the ambush.

“There they are!”

Huangxing pointed to the open area below.

A particularly large Fish Man stood there, glaring at them with pure hostility.