“Two individuals detected, suspected to be ‘Demon King’ Lin Xiao and ‘Demon Queen’ Qi Yue’an, with the latter possibly unconscious!”
Enormous searchlight beams pierced the hall, illuminating a gaping hole blasted into the wall.
Amidst the deafening roar and swirling dust, several low-tier Magical Girls, armed and ready, alongside a few third-tier elite units, stormed inside.
It was clear they had meticulously prepared for this assault.
“Do not act rashly!”
“Form up, proceed with caution, and do not launch an attack prematurely!”
The leading girl barked her orders, her seemingly ordinary brown-black eyes, which nonetheless pulsed with an almost divine power, emanating an unparalleled spiritual corruption.
Recognizing this familiar aura, Lin Xiao’s heart sank.
Through countless past encounters, he had faced many formidable adversaries.
The most challenging among them was, first, a fully matured Xiyin, and second, this very Magical Girl Chief, Chen Ling.
Though she was the Night Watch’s ace and one of the global emergency organization’s most potent members, she disdained administrative duties.
Instead, she consistently undertook crucial missions personally, earning a reputation as the most diligent among high-tier Magical Girls.
Even Lin Xiao, in his complete form, felt considerable pressure when confronting her.
‘I must ensure she gets out safely…’
Having made up his mind, Lin Xiao used his last shred of power to shield himself, making his appearance remain unfathomably profound.
Concurrently, he strained to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Although we’ve temporarily breached their defenses and fortunately reached this point, the internal space of the Dawn Star Palace is non-linear.”
“If they realize our presence, we’ll be surrounded on all sides.”
The crisp voice of another operative chimed in.
She scanned her surroundings, noting the temporary absence of other individuals.
“However, there’s no one around right now.”
“If we can conclude this swiftly, withdrawing might not be impossible.”
“Capturing or eliminating their leader would undoubtedly send the Dawn Star Palace’s morale plummeting, Ling, what are your thoughts?”
Beside Chen Ling, Liu Xin held a longbow that blended both technological sophistication and arcane fantasy.
The pure magic coursing through it signified she was no ordinary combatant.
“Our primary mission is to rescue any potential survivors.”
“We’ve already located Ling Ru and Bai Zhi, but there’s no trace of the others yet.”
“Regarding ‘Demon King’ Lin Xiao, our objective is to ascertain his movements and status as much as possible; avoid direct confrontation.”
“Should any issues arise, I will cover your retreat.”
Chen Ling’s voice remained calm and resolute, devoid of any fear or tension.
Just as they formed their battle array outside, poised for combat, a steady, unhurried set of footsteps echoed through the space.
Chen Ling watched as Lin Xiao, seemingly unscathed, emerged calmly, cradling Qi Yue’an.
He had completely lifted the environmental seal of the area.
Liu Xin’s pupils constricted after her invisible magical radar probed the interior.
All three third-tier Magical Girls who participated in the operation were dead.
Coupled with the missing Xiyin and the still-unconscious Ling Ru, it became glaringly obvious that he had successfully triumphed in that ambush.
Chen Ling, of course, understood everything.
Noticing the large hole in the chest of Qi Yue’an’s clothes, it was evident that the ultimate weapon, the Nail of Judgment, launched via those coordinates, had missed him.
She subtly channeled her magic, ready to either cover her comrades’ retreat or seize an opportunity for a counterattack.
“Have you found your way here again, you GERO rats?”
He stood imperiously on the platform, his crimson eyes gazing down disdainfully at the Magical Girls below.
“What exactly is your objective?”
“Constructing such a device and drawing the world’s attention here at such a cost, you have already violated international conventions.”
Chen Ling challenged him, showing not a hint of fear before the legendary Demon Lord.
A blade of obsidian manifested in her hand, its unseen pressure momentarily surpassing that of Lin Xiao, who was, in truth, at the end of his tether.
“International conventions?”
“Those are merely impositions of your own making, naturally different from you inflexible, sneaky individuals.”
“Our purpose is to forge a future where humanity will no longer be threatened by anomalies and will instead attain unprecedented well-being.”
He held Qi Yue’an’s body gently, as if she were a priceless, unique treasure.
“But you… you crashed my wedding, brazenly ignited a world war, attacked our kin, and even dared to use a weapon to assassinate my An…”
“What punishment do such actions deserve?”
His voice was glacial, imbued with an undeniable, genuine fury.
Their attention finally refocused on Qi Yue’an.
Her aura now was starkly different from their last encounter.
The pristine white wedding gown contrasted sharply with the gruesome tear in it.
She remained motionless, her eyes still tightly closed, the magnificent Crown of Reason adorning her head.
She resembled a saint returned from rebirth, emanating a peculiar, profound sanctity.
Yet, concurrently, her current state was profoundly strange.
Her life force was so dim it bordered on death, yet her body pulsed with an immense, surging energy.
A peculiar, engraved mark adorned her freshly regenerated lower abdomen.
Liu Xin’s face registered confusion, but within Chen Ling, alarm bells were clanging furiously.
Liu Xin had not experienced the dark era before the establishment of the Dawn Star Palace.
Chen Ling, however, had witnessed it firsthand.
On one occasion, she had infiltrated an evil Demonkin organization, where she encountered a Magical Girl who had been held captive for a long time.
That girl had been branded with similar markings, seemingly derived from some lost technology.
This technique compelled unconditional obedience to a master and required intimate ‘irrigation’ to sustain life.
The captive bore numerous signs of being ‘publicly used’; even after being rescued and returned to the organization, her mind never recovered.
She perished just half a month later from the depletion of her life force.
Subsequently, similar technologies were unanimously declared taboo by the Global Emergency Organization.
However, the mark on Qi Yue’an, while similar, was far more intricate and complete than anything Chen Ling had seen before.
At this moment, Qi Yue’an bore both the most noble and sacred super-relic, yet was simultaneously branded with the most humiliating and lowly mark.
For a fleeting moment, Chen Ling was overwhelmed by a profound sense of absurdity.
“Demon King Lin Xiao…”
Rare anger laced her tone.
Through her previous undercover interactions and from Ling Ru, who was practically her apprentice, she had a clear understanding of Qi Yue’an’s personality.
Before, she had simply considered it Qi Yue’an’s own choice, a mere difference in stance.
Now, however, it seemed… that girl, who was always sorrowful and bewildered, yet always offered the most sincere trust—a girl even someone like Lin Xiao could love, a girl generally not disliked by anyone—had been cruelly betrayed.
Intense spiritual corruption diffused from around her, her rage casting aside all excessive caution.
The opponent’s sudden, inexplicable fury caught Lin Xiao off guard.
Before his eyes, a momentary illusion shimmered like a swaying wind chime.
The opponent’s crisp, combat-uniformed figure seemed, for an instant, to transform into a silhouette draped in a white gown, with long silver hair, adorned with green leaves and white roses.
That ethereal figure resembled an unspeakable ancient deity.
He felt his mind on the verge of collapsing from the sheer overload of information after only a fleeting glimpse.
For a moment, Lin Xiao couldn’t discern if this was a hallucination caused by her distorted cognitive abilities, or if the person before him had inadvertently drawn a momentary glance from a powerful entity beyond the starry sky.
Regardless, he knew that in his current state, facing her, he would likely be utterly defenseless.
He wouldn’t even be able to determine his own location, much less her distance or direction.
“Mission change: Everyone, focus all efforts on encircling and eliminating Demon King Lin Xiao.”
“Stop his insidious plot to indirectly seize complete control of the Crown of Reason.”
She communicated this to headquarters and her nearby comrades.
Then, she slowly approached, crushing several personal items in her hand.
Numerous miniature teleportation portals materialized, aimed at their location.
Behind them, in several underground bases thousands of miles away, the strategic weapon, the Nail of Judgment, was poised for launch.
He had made so many difficult choices, traveled such a long road, and finally managed to bring her back, only for it to culminate in such an absurd outcome.
He sighed, knowing his disguise was undoubtedly compromised.
He could only gently place her on the ground, preparing to raise his hands in surrender, confident that in this situation, they wouldn’t harm Qi Yue’an.
However, the very instant he bent down, Qi Yue’an’s tightly closed eyes suddenly parted into a sliver.
Subtly, she peered in the direction of the teleportation portals, her pupils shifting from their usual silver to a brilliant golden, before closing once more.
The Magical Girls present had already formed a lethal encirclement.
As they began to tighten their cordon, just as Chen Ling was about to approach within three meters of him, a one-meter radius teleportation array abruptly materialized beneath her and Lin Xiao’s feet.
Their figures vanished in the precise moment the opponents’ guard faltered.
Bewildered, Lin Xiao then saw Qi Yue’an holding his hand, her face adorned with that cherished, nostalgic smile from the past.
Together, they plummeted through the zero-gravity spatial channel, her long hair swaying as they traversed it.
Her expression was neither emotionless indifference nor the frenzy of extreme passion, but rather the serene tranquility of moonlight.
Her eyes met Lin Xiao’s directly, her soft, small hand gripping his without release, as if capable of leading him away from all sorrow.
“Xiao, I’m back.”
She embraced Lin Xiao, pressing his face tightly against her chest.
For the first time, he felt a tangible sense of security from another person, as if he had just woken from a terrifying nightmare into reality.
As the spatial channel reached its terminus, the sensation of weightlessness abruptly vanished, replaced by the plummeting freefall of gravity.
A biting cold wind instantly enveloped them, howling past their ears.
Countless crystalline snowflakes flew upwards, contrary to their downward trajectory.
As far as the eye could see, there was a vast, unified expanse of white sky and a boundless, silver-draped land.
They were plummeting from thousands of meters high, descending toward this pristine, snowy world.
Here, there was no clamor or chaotic magic of the Dawn Star Palace, no sorrowful freezing rain of Ancheng.
Only an endless, silent snowfield, and the real, tightly embracing presence of each other.
Lin Xiao’s body trembled slightly.
Qi Yue’an felt a warm, damp sensation against her chest.
She said nothing, merely holding him tighter, falling with him in this freefall.
On her face, a smile bloomed, imbued with boundless pity and profound relief, like the pure, gentle moonlight breaking through dark clouds.
She gently stroked the black hair of the one in her embrace, her voice melting into the wind, yet flowing clearly into his heart:
“Xiao, after all you’ve been through… you must be so tired, and your heart must be very heavy, mustn’t it?”
Her embrace was warm, as if it shielded them from all the cold and sorrow of the outside world.
“Now… everything is alright.”
“I will always be with you.”
She whispered into his ear, making the most solemn vow,
“So, let us escape together, to a place where there is no sorrow.”
Qi Yue’an spoke softly, and in Lin Xiao’s unwilling embrace, she tenderly caressed his face.
His eyes reflected the girl’s image, her long hair and the frost-laden snow drifting upwards together.
His tears, along with his lingering worries, anxiety, sorrow, and even despair, all dissipated into the distant sky.