Inside the archives, Ling Ru and Dr. Otto’s conversation unfolded in an atmosphere that, while outwardly harmonious, was in fact rife with tension and subtle probing.
“Your Royal Highness,”
Dr. Otto’s fingertips traced across a virtual data panel, which displayed intricate energy flow diagrams.
“The final phase of the plan requires you, as the ‘Key,’ to establish an unprecedented deep binding with the ‘Crown of Reason.’ At that time, the ‘Black Sun’ will pour boundless magic into you, and the Crown of Reason’s global computational and coordination capabilities will guide this power to stably encompass the entire world.”
“This will not only eradicate the persistent ailment of magical imbalance but also usher in a completely new era for civilization.”
His voice resonated with the distinct fervor of a scientific zealot.
Within Ling Ru’s heart, a tempest raged—global coverage?!
Such a feat implied the absolute termination and monopolization of magic.
Yet, on the surface, she painstakingly mimicked Qi Yue’an’s expression when presented with a grand scheme: a blend of slight bewilderment and earnest, hopeful comprehension, as she nodded gently.
“If it truly can be like this, then indeed… it is a future worth anticipating.”
Satisfied, Dr. Otto retracted the data panel, imparted a few technical details regarding the stability of the energy channels, and then turned to leave.
The moment the door closed, Ling Ru swiftly retrieved a miniature recording pen from her person, confirming its faint red light flickered, indicating a successful recording.
Holding her breath, she moved to the ventilation grille in the corner of the wall.
With a barely perceptible wisp of magic coiling around her fingertips, she deftly vibrated the grille’s latches open, then silently slid the recording pen deep into the dark pipe.
No sooner had she restored the grille than the archive door was pushed open once more.
Su Qiao stood in the doorway, a hint of barely perceptible sharpness glinting in her golden eyes.
“Your Royal Highness, intruders have been detected within the base, causing a minor disturbance.”
“Li Yan and I are going to handle it, but to ensure your safety, please remain here for the time being.”
Ling Ru knew instantly that the Sirius Squad and others had begun their operation outside.
On her face, she maintained Qi Yue’an’s characteristic demeanor of obedience and composure.
“Very well, I appreciate your efforts.”
Su Qiao exchanged a glance with Li Yan, who was waiting outside the door, before they hurried away.
Ling Ru wasted no time, spinning around to weave rapidly through the dense rows of archive shelves, much like a lithe cat stalking its prey.
Soon, a weighty archive folder, labeled ‘Genesis and Black Sun: Origins and Architecture,’ captured her attention.
Upon opening its yellowed pages, the date inscribed within made her pupils contract slightly: ‘Plan Officially Initiated: October 27, 2023.’
Even earlier drafts could be traced back further, and the ‘Man’erd Brick,’ revered as a cornerstone, was initially conceived merely as an ‘inefficient magic-to-thermal energy conversion unit.’
It was deemed incapable of effectively stripping away the ‘anomalous properties’ within magic, serving only as an auxiliary power source for individual weapons.
Another highly encrypted archive revealed the very foundation of Lixing Palace:
[…The Demon Lord personally led his forces, leveling the underground laboratory entrenched here.]
[By virtue of his immense power, he uprooted the entire land and its ruins, incorporating them into the Demonic Domain, thus officially initiating Lixing Palace and the ‘Black Sun’ project…]
She also discovered several ancient archive folders of strikingly different styles; their paper was brittle, and their identification system diverged sharply from Lixing Palace’s.
They appeared like forgotten tombstones, chronicling even older secrets:
Codename 001: Crown of Reason
[DATA REDACTED]
Codename 002: Sands of Time
[ACCESS DENIED]
Codename 003: Chalice of Void
Nature unknown, high probability of existence
Codename 004: Flower of Life
Nature unknown, high probability of existence
Codename 005: Feather of Death
Ling Ru’s spirits immediately lifted; her fingertips brushed lightly over the ‘Feather of Death’ label as she began to read intently.
[Initially discovered in 1999 within the Qianmu Delta… manifests the concept of ‘stripping away’… living organisms upon contact exhibit accelerated aging… energy (including electrical energy) and the characteristics of other anomalous entities also dissipate… material unanalyzable, indestructible, edges razor-sharp at a fundamental level, requiring the highest level of protection for handling…]
[Date: November 11, 1999]
[Experiment Log 1: Contact with Subject D-732… immediately triggered an extreme fear response… compared to the control group, the subject rapidly exhibited mental lethargy and continuous convulsions… subject died due to operator D-class personnel error… record invalidated.]
[Experiment Log 2: Repeated contact procedure with Subject D-735… similar reaction observed… a sudden 7.2-magnitude tectonic earthquake occurred outside the base… cultivation chamber fell and was damaged… record invalidated.]
The consecutive logs indicated that this belonged to an ancient organization named ‘Prometheus.’
All creatures that directly contacted the ‘Feather of Death,’ regardless of the isolation or protection measures employed, invariably died within 24 hours due to various ‘coincidences.’
She quickly flipped through the pages, and a title caught her eye:
[Experiment Log 31: Introduction of Anomalous Item Codename 179 – ‘Endless Cup.’]
Ling Ru immediately located the separate archive for the ‘Endless Cup’:
[Initially discovered in 1989 in the [DATA EXPUNGED] town… appears as an ordinary white ceramic mug… its internal space exhibits anomalous topology, capable of infinitely containing liquid substances, with different liquids automatically stratifying… unable to contain solids exceeding 3.5 on the Mohs scale… it consistently appears ‘overflowing’ until the liquid volume falls below its apparent capacity…]
Beneath the archive, a handwritten note, clearly of newer ink, stated:
[Suspected derivative of Codename 003 Chalice of Void.]
Just as Ling Ru prepared to delve deeper into Experiment Log 31, eager to discover what would transpire when the ‘Endless Cup’ encountered the ‘Feather of Death,’ a faint ‘click’ echoed from the archive door lock.
The door swung open, and the instant Ling Ru recognized the newcomer, her pupils constricted: it was none other than the Demon Lord, Lin Xiao.
‘Why had he suddenly arrived?’
‘Ling Ru instinctively used her body to shield the ancient archives she had been perusing, her mind racing to devise a counter-strategy.’
However, Lin Xiao’s reaction completely defied her expectations.
His face bore none of his usual indifference or scrutiny; instead, it was radiant with a doting smile, and he advanced directly towards her with light, quick steps.
“Yue’an,” he called softly.
‘This overly intimate address made Ling Ru’s heart clench violently; she had a nagging sense that something was amiss.’
‘Nevertheless, she steeled herself, maintaining her facade without a flicker of outward reaction, instead adopting an obedient posture.’
“Oh, you’re here?”
“Why are you hiding here alone? Are you nervous about tomorrow’s wedding?”
He extended a hand with utmost naturalness, gently stroking the top of her head, his movements practiced and affectionate.
Ling Ru suppressed the urge to recoil, meticulously mimicking every detail: her fingers subtly curled, her eyelashes instinctively lowered, and she painstakingly waked a blush onto her cheeks.
“Xiao, I’m afraid I won’t do well.”
“It’s alright; you just need to follow the procedure then, there’s no need for you to do anything extra.”
A smile played on his lips, appearing profoundly meaningful, as if he knew something, yet he quickly regained his composure, his tone filled with concern.
“Has the previous magical turmoil been completely cleared? Is your resonance with the Crown of Reason stable?”
His gaze seemed gentle, yet for some inexplicable reason, her legs felt slightly weak.
She felt as though she was being watched by many pairs of eyes, one of which was filled with an unsettling coldness.
‘She knew she had to find a way to prove herself now.’
Ling Ru immediately raised her right hand, and a cluster of pure, vibrant violet Jealousy Flames ignited in her palm, their dancing movements identical to how Qi Yue’an typically manifested them.
“Yes, it’s mostly stable now, and the Crown of Reason… has also responded to me.”
She meticulously controlled every minute fluctuation of her magic, while Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow, as if he had discovered something intriguing.
“Excellent.”
The investigative glint in Lin Xiao’s eyes faded, transforming into an expression of utter satisfaction and tenderness as he slowly closed the distance between them.
“Don’t overexert yourself; you can access the information here anytime, and if you need anything at all, tell me immediately.”
He spoke intimately, then suddenly grasped her hand, drawing his body closer.
‘She was startled, her body stiffening for a moment, sensing something observing her with a fleeting, icy gaze.’
“Yue’an? You still seem very nervous. Are you alright? Perhaps I should stay with you for a while.”
Confronted by his overly fervent demeanor, Ling Ru exerted herself to perfectly mimic Qi Yue’an’s likely response, her outward appearance flawless.
“Xiao, I’m fine, I just feel… a little melancholic.”
She adopted a slightly conflicted expression, trying every trick to get through the situation, yet Lin Xiao appeared utterly devoid of suspicion.
“It’s alright, Yue’an, this is just the beginning; one day, we will have a real wedding, and after that, we will be together forever.”
He finished speaking softly and exited, and only once the door had fully closed did Ling Ru dare to let her taut shoulders relax.
‘Lin Xiao’s attitude just now had made her feel an inexplicable awkwardness, but more than that, what truly weighed on her heart was the blatant affection—the natural, unquestioning affection—he held for Qi Yue’an.’
‘This proved their relationship had progressed even further than she had imagined.’
Just as she was about to steady her breathing and suppress these fleeting thoughts, the ventilation grille above her head silently slid open, and a figure clad in red and black descended as quietly as a falling leaf.
“Ling Ru, the plan has changed.”
Qi Yue’an’s pace of speech was slightly quickened, and her gaze swept over her with sharp intensity.
“The chaos outside has exceeded expectations, and the Night Watchers’ communication channels are being jammed.”
“You are to take all the acquired data and assist Chen Ling and the others in their evacuation, ensuring the intelligence is delivered back to the surface.”
“As for Dr. Otto… I have a bad feeling about him; he might already be suspicious, so I will switch back to confront him.”
Her tone carried an unquestionable resolve.
‘A flicker of doubt crossed Ling Ru’s mind; she felt as though she had overlooked something, but the situation was urgent.’
She immediately nodded, “Understood, Yue… Sister An’an, please be careful!”
She swiftly tucked the miniature camera and several carbon copies of critical archives into a special compartment, readjusted her expression, and then slipped into the ventilation duct above.
Qi Yue’an watched Ling Ru’s retreating figure, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, but she quickly sighed, her expression settling into a quiet contemplation.
She toyed with the Crown of Reason in her hand, lost in thought.
A moment later, the archive door was pushed open once more; Dr. Otto had returned.
His gaze landed precisely on Qi Yue’an, who sat poised and composed in a chair, her leg casually crossed.
“How did it go?”
“Everything went smoothly, Your Royal Highness.”
****
The perspective now shifted to Xiyin and her companions.
On their circuitous route towards the industrial district, they unexpectedly encountered Li Yan, who was on a mission to clear the area.
“Miss Xingxing, and the two of you.”
Li Yan blocked the pathway ahead, his face devoid of its usual roguish smile, replaced instead by the stern, unyielding demeanor of a Lixing Palace executive.
“Uninvited guests have infiltrated the base, and to prevent accidental harm, the Demon Lord has issued an order: all guests are to immediately return to the surface reception area.”
“No one is permitted to leave without authorization before the wedding ceremony officially begins tomorrow.”
A Level 3 Demonic being’s oppressive aura emanated from him, and his tone was decisive and unyielding.
Xiyin clenched her fist, exchanging glances with Bai Jin and Bai Zhi beside her.
Bai Jin pursed her lips but remained silent; Bai Zhi, however, gently shook her head, indicating that forcing their way through was certainly not the best strategy.
Xiyin took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the agitation churning within her.
“Lead the way.”
However, early the next morning, a bombshell announcement spread throughout the ‘protected’ reception center via Lixing Palace’s official broadcast system:
[URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Yesterday, the industrial district was violently infiltrated by a large number of unidentified armed magical girls, suspected to belong to the Global Emergency Organization. They brazenly destroyed our vital facilities and abducted the Demon Queen. We have now successfully rescued the Demon Queen and captured the ringleader, who identifies herself as Youguangyu. To ensure overall stability, Lixing Palace is implementing a full lockdown and investigation, but the wedding ceremony will proceed as scheduled. All guests are requested to wait patiently.]
She read the message, her heart seizing with alarm.
She knew Youguangyu was Qi Yue’an’s disguised identity; had the operation been completely exposed?
Yet, why had they, as accomplices, not been implicated at all?
Xiyin rubbed her somewhat dizzy head and found the hidden communication terminal in the corner of the room.
On it, a message from several hours prior was prominently displayed:
[Demon Queen Qi Yue’an is absolutely untrustworthy! This entire situation is a trap meticulously planned by her and the Demon Lord. However, our special operations agent, codenamed ‘Tanuki,’ has successfully transmitted crucial intelligence. All members, at all costs, attack the core of the ‘Black Sun’ device to delay its activation! Repeat, reinforcements are en route, and we will launch a full assault on the wedding day. This battle concerns the survival of the world!]
Her heart trembled upon seeing such a message.
Such critical information should have activated her alert mechanism, yet she had only just now belatedly woken up.
Looking around, she noticed her other companions had also just awakened.
A terrible premonition arose within her.
She saw Li Yan and others returning from outside; they looked travel-worn, but the tension of yesterday had vanished.
“Miss Xingxing, it’s time to go to the wedding.”