Deep within the third level of the Banjao Base, Zhou Huanan arrived. He swiped his ID card at a temporary scanner, revealing a small table and matching stool placed before the elevator doors specifically for him. His card successfully registered.
Approaching the table, Zhou Huanan spotted the familiar cognitive interference device, a cherished piece of his old equipment. A wave of inexplicable emotion washed over him as he reunited with it.
He fastened the device, activated it, and instantly felt as though everything had returned to normal. With a sigh of contentment, he casually settled into the chair behind the table.
Though the table itself was a temporary setup, lacking the accoutrements of a seasoned veteran like a water cup, a worn desk lamp, or a small electric fan, Zhou Huanan already felt he had bypassed fifty years of arduous struggle.
He had gloriously secured the exceedingly leisurely position of ‘gatekeeper grandpa’ within Banjao. On the table lay a hastily compiled onboarding manual—a necessity, given that this role had never existed before.
Embracing his new duties with a serious demeanor, Zhou Huanan picked up the manual. He quickly realized that most of the responsibilities were, if not identical, then at least strikingly similar to those of a residential compound’s security guard.
The sole distinction lay in the final two thin pages.
These pages detailed the protocol for a Magical Girl intrusion:
1. Ensure the Beta 0.13 cognitive interference device remains worn and active at all times.
2. Provided condition one is met, do not interfere with the Magical Girl’s intrusion. Avoid startling the snake.
3. Shadow the Magical Girl as she plunders treasures. Once she enters the final, empty large room, press the large red button by the door to contain her within.
4. Notify Dr. Zhuge of the containment’s success or failure.
“Heh.” Zhou Huanan scoffed after reading. He doubted a Magical Girl could even infiltrate the base, but even if one did, such a playful procedure couldn’t possibly capture them.
‘Oh, come on~’
Zhou Huanan shook his head, intending to pass the time by browsing his phone during work hours. However, upon pulling out his device, he discovered there was no signal on the third level of the base.
He had wanted to check if Liu Li had replied to his messages, but that was now impossible. While still concerned for Liu Li, he knew that if he didn’t work, he would be the one facing dire consequences.
Besides, the base would enter lockdown after eleven o’clock, giving him ample time to reply to Liu Li before she went to bed. Even if Liu Li misunderstood him, his message would clear up all her doubts.
With this thought, Zhou Huanan’s urgency waned. Yet, sitting idly was incredibly boring. He resolved to download novels or movies onto his phone beforehand in the future.
Dressed in a standard combat uniform, Zhou Huanan lowered his head, idly inspecting the table.
“Ah~”
As if unearthing a treasure, he joyfully discovered that Dr. Zhuge had thoughtfully provided a newspaper for him to pass the time.
“Cough, cough~”
Clearing his throat, he fully embraced the role of a gatekeeper grandpa. Zhou Huanan leaned back, propping the front legs of his chair, and brazenly stretched his legs onto the table.
He slapped the newspaper open, pretending to read. Noticing the date in the bottom-left corner—ten years past its prime—Zhou Huanan clicked his tongue, muttering, ‘This is the exact vibe.’
He felt he was only missing a pair of reading glasses to complete the picture. Yet, as Zhou Huanan was savoring the decade-old ‘news,’ the elevator before him chimed.
Someone was coming down.
Zhou Huanan assumed it was Dr. Zhuge. He was about to complain to her, hoping she’d upgrade his entertainment from a newspaper to the latest NS2 gaming console. But then he looked up.
Magical Girl Grey Moon.
‘Oh…’
‘Hm!?’
‘Magical Girl Grey Moon???’
Zhou Huanan’s eyes widened. Her expression remained as aloof and silent as ever. He had just seen her in his dream yesterday, and now, here she was again, though this time Magical Girl Grey Moon was properly dressed as she stepped out of the elevator.
In his dream, Grey Moon had been so docile, so easily tamed. Yet, the Grey Moon before him, despite having the exact same face, exuded an utterly different aura—that of a lofty, unapproachable beauty, radiating the ethereal pressure of a true powerhouse.
It left Zhou Huanan breathless. Dreams and reality truly were vastly different.
Zhou Huanan, who had been striking a cool, arrogant pose, watched in despair as Magical Girl Grey Moon approached. The newspaper in his hand sagged backward, and he himself seemed to turn to stone.
“A-Aieeeee!!”
“Magical Girl Grey Moon, Magical Girl Grey Moon, why???”
Zhou Huanan trembled, instinctively raising his hands to surrender. ‘Surrender, meow,’ he thought, but then he was astonished to find that Magical Girl Grey Moon didn’t even glance at him, walking straight into the depths of the base.
“Oh~”
It was then that Zhou Huanan remembered he was wearing the cognitive interference device. Magical Girl Grey Moon couldn’t see or hear him. ‘Thank goodness,’ he thought, relieved to be alive.
He then grew curious about Magical Girl Grey Moon, who was now heading deeper into the base. Instead of immediately notifying Dr. Zhuge, he decided to follow behind the girl and see what she intended to do.
****
After Magical Girl Grey Moon had thoroughly ransacked every door in the Banjao Base, she finally discovered a downward elevator. Convinced that the best treasures lay hidden in the deepest levels, she descended directly to the third floor.
Stepping out of the elevator, Grey Moon naturally noticed the table abruptly placed by the doors, but she saw no one. However, given that the large plaza she first entered had also been deserted, the absence of security in this smaller area didn’t surprise her.
Her high heels clicked as she passed through the first door. The room beyond contained a large cultivation tank, but it held only a few grotesque monsters, sparsely floating in a green liquid.
If there had been many, Magical Girl Grey Moon wouldn’t have hesitated to crush them in their infancy. But for a mere handful of insignificant creatures, Grey Moon had no desire to soil her clothes. She moved to the second room.
This was the treasure vault Grey Moon had been searching for. Along the narrow glass corridor, rare and precious artifacts lined both sides. Grey Moon had barely taken two steps before she spotted what she desired.
The Magma Demon’s Core.
“Heh~”
The young Magical Girl shattered the glass with her elbow and retrieved the Magma Demon’s Core. Its substantial weight even brought a smile to Magical Girl Grey Moon’s face.
She could feel the endless stream of magic emanating from it. Finally, she had found the treasure she wanted. With this, she would have the confidence to confess to him.
Ordinarily, Magical Girl Grey Moon should have turned and left at this point. However, the corridor stretched on, with tempting treasures lining both sides.
“Mmm…”
Magical Girl Grey Moon secretly bit the glove on her knuckles. ‘No one can see me anyway,’ she thought, struggling with her inner conflict.
‘When a Magical Girl reclaims Banjao’s stolen goods, how can that be considered theft or robbery?’
No one could resist a ‘zero-dollar shopping’ spree with no moral risks! Having convinced herself, Magical Girl Grey Moon continued her cheerful advance. She smashed open displays for any treasure that caught her interest, humming a ‘zero-dollar shopping’ tune in her mind and chest.
Indeed, shopping could always improve one’s mood. Even more so the ultimate form of shopping: the legendary ‘zero-dollar shopping’ spree.
Zhou Huanan, stealthily trailing behind Grey Moon, watched with interest as Magical Girl Grey Moon hummed to herself. He mused that Grey Moon possessed such a cute, unknown side.
He then observed Magical Girl Grey Moon, clutching a pile of treasures, heading towards the deepest room on the third floor. Zhou Huanan froze, thinking, ‘No way.’ He followed her inside.
Magical Girl Grey Moon curiously gazed around the enormous, empty room, finding nothing within. She walked to the center, wondering if there were any hidden treasures or mechanisms nearby.
Zhou Huanan watched the innocent, lost-looking Magical Girl, then glanced at the conspicuous red button by the door. He raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips.
‘So, it really *can* be this easy.’
Zhou Huanan opened his mouth, shaking his head. With a remarkably leisurely air, he leaned his weight onto the button. The machines in the room rapidly whirred, and a massive dimming glass wall crashed down from the ceiling, trapping Magical Girl Grey Moon inside.
“Eh, eh, eh!? What’s happening??”
****
At the very moment Magical Girl Grey Moon was caught after her joyful ‘zero-dollar shopping’ spree, Magical Girl Glimmering Yellow successfully arrived at the room where Magical Girl Violet was being kept.
Pushing open the door, a captivating fragrance wafted out. It seemed Violet’s living quarters were not only a place of rest but also her place of ‘work.’
Violet, who had been lying on the bed playing with a dreamcatcher, quickly knelt on the large bed upon hearing someone enter, preparing to receive today’s guest. However, she saw only another Magical Girl walk in.
She tilted her head in confusion. “Um, Big Sister, are you here to rescue Violet, or were you also caught by Banjao?”
“Violet…”
Glimmering Yellow took two steps forward, seeing Violet seemingly unharmed. But when she saw Violet’s full appearance, particularly the ‘s*ave’ character tattooed in ink on what should have been a pure Magical Girl’s face, her eyes couldn’t help but show a pang of heartache.
Glimmering Yellow softly called her name again. The tone was familiar to Violet, but she couldn’t quite place it. With childlike innocence, she looked at Glimmering Yellow.
“Um, did I know you before, Big Sister? Violet has forgotten a lot of things lately, I’m sorry.”
Glimmering Yellow said nothing. She simply approached Violet as she had in the past, reaching out to gently stroke Violet’s head. Violet purred contentedly under the familiar touch.
Forgotten memories, spurred by physical sensation, began to resurface. Gradually, Violet’s gaze softened, growing familiar and warm. She became so excited that she almost fell off the bed trying to embrace Glimmering Yellow.
Thankfully, Glimmering Yellow was quick to catch her. “Big Sister Golden Tulip!!”
Violet recognized the person before her. Magical Girl Glimmering Yellow responded with a gentle affirmation. As her thoughts shifted, Magical Girl Glimmering Yellow’s ceremonial attire began to change.
The overly ornate, elaborate European gown transformed into a more casual, practical long dress. Delicate white gauze peeked from the seams of the goose-yellow skirt, resembling a blooming flower. Glimmering Yellow’s eye color also changed, becoming a more commanding pure gold.
Yet, her eyes crinkled in a smile, and the corners of her otherwise placid mouth turned upward as she embraced Magical Girl Violet. Magical Girl Glimmering Yellow’s true identity was Golden Tulip, the captain of Genesis Gold.
“Captain, why are you suddenly here?”
“Are you here to rescue Violet? But, but you can’t.”
Magical Girl Violet raised her neck. A discordant black leather collar adorned her slender throat—not merely a decorative accessory for guests, but Banjao’s latest creation designed to restrict a Magical Girl’s abilities.
“As long as Violet wears this, I can’t escape. And I shouldn’t escape, or Big Sister will be in danger. Big Sister, she was actually worried about you just a few days ago…”
“Alright, alright,” Golden Tulip interjected, her eyes dimming. She placed a finger over Violet’s small mouth, silencing her. She gazed at the innocent, unknowing Violet.
Golden Tulip felt that telling her this truth would be a cruel act. Yet, it concerned her own sister. Violet had the right to know.
“Black Iris, she’s already dead.”