The Mischievous Friend and the Canceled Transformation

“First,”

Liu Yu raised her index finger, declaring, “I’m not taking classes here, nor am I a student, and I certainly don’t need to skip any lessons. Got it?”

“Understood, sir, perfectly understood.”

Wu Liyun nodded earnestly.

“However,”

Stretching out her words, Liu Yu raised a second finger. “I happen to have a friend who occasionally requires some free time to take on part-time work outside…”

“Right, right, I get it.”

“I haven’t even finished speaking, what exactly do you ‘get’?”

Liu Yu snapped back, a hint of annoyance in her voice. She continued, “Just make sure you give him your full cooperation. Understood?”

“Understood, understood.”

Wu Liyun’s expression shifted. “Might I then inquire about the name of this friend of yours?”

“It’s… it’s…”

Liu Yu paused, then mumbled incoherently before darting away. Moments later, a figure burst from around the corner.

“I-I-I’m Liu Ling! I’m Liu Yu’s friend, and from now on, I’m your direct superior. You are to follow my orders without question!”

“Understood!”

“Idiot, you’re too loud.”

****

****

How utterly boring.

Liu Yu yawned, swinging the longsword in her hand.

After concluding her interaction with Wu Liyun, she had secretly snuck back into the classroom. Compared to the boisterous atmosphere earlier, the students now seemed remarkably quiet.

The reason, naturally, was the group of ‘important figures’ chatting together; after all, even the most stubborn delinquents wouldn’t be foolish enough to cause trouble right in front of the principal.

However, this also thwarted Liu Yu’s plan to slack off. The tedious and dull training made her long to lie down and sleep on the spot, but with several people showing no signs of leaving, her hopes were stillborn.

“Liu Yu.”

A tap on her shoulder made her turn, revealing the ever-clinging Miss Villy, whose expression was grave, as if she had encountered a difficult problem.

“Wu… Do you know why Wu Liyun is here?”

“He said he’s here to be a teacher, in the combat department no less. Now we can openly skip classes!”

The little fool’s expression was overjoyed, her face beaming with longing for freedom.

“You told him your identity?”

“How could I!” Liu Yu retorted. “I only introduced him to Liu Ling, the student.”

Tsk, another troublemaker had invaded her peaceful campus life.

Villy exasperatedly tapped Liu Yu’s head, then, ignoring Liu Yu’s disgruntled gaze, stated gravely, “I suspect your brain is filled with water, and I’m using an ancient method to cure you.”

Liu Yu understood. “You dare call me brainless? Go die!”

“Ah, so painful, ah~”

The playful jabs landed without much force, and Villy, feigning pain with a few cries, made Liu Yu retract her fists contentedly.

“Just this once, don’t let it happen again.”

As class drew to a close, the two girls exited the classroom door one after another, only to be intercepted by an unexpected individual.

“Senior Hoshino, is there something else you need?”

“Spit it out.”

Liu Yu nervously hid behind Villy, dreading that the guy had discovered her true identity and had come specifically to settle scores.

“Uh… Is Liu Ling displeased with me in some way?”

“Don’t mind her; she’s just a hedgehog.”

‘Prickly on the outside, soft on the inside.’

“Is that so?”

Feeling the fierce glare, Hoshino’s scalp tingled. He cleared his throat and stated solemnly, “First, I want to apologize for what happened today.”

“Mm, I accept your apology.”

Liu Yu magnanimously accepted Hoshino’s apology.

Hoshino’s face stiffened, and he continued, “There’s also another matter. I’m here to invite Villy to join my club.”

Villy asked, “A club with Xiang Wu in it?”

“Xiang Wu is just an exception; most people in the club are quite friendly.”

Hoshino offered an awkward smile. Xiang Wu’s unbridled actions had indeed affected their club’s reputation. To bolster his confidence, he decided to present a significant incentive:

“Our club is composed of students from the combat department, and it boasts many experienced senior powerhouses who can offer guidance and spar. Most importantly, we have some connections with the Greywind Research Institute.”

“Greywind? The origin of Armaments? I didn’t expect you to have ties there.”

“Exactly. Our previous president was from Greywind and had some connections there. Thanks to her, the club receives annual slots for customized armaments. Villy, you must know the importance of these slots, right?”

“I don’t know!”

Liu Yu’s confidently ignorant remark made a twitch appear at the corner of Hoshino’s mouth. He patiently explained:

“As everyone knows, the armaments distributed by the school’s Supervisory Bureau are all standardized. While this approach allows for rapid widespread adoption, it also means they aren’t suitable for everyone.”

“Greywind’s adjustments, however, are a specialized service tailored to individuals. You understand this, at least, don’t you?”

“Oh~”

Liu Yu nodded, understanding little, yet her hand reached for Villy’s waist, incessantly kneading.

“I… I’ll consider it.”

Villy had initially intended to agree on the spot, but under a certain someone’s pestering, did she change her mind at the last minute? After exchanging contact information with Hoshino, she dragged Liu Yu into a patch of shadow and proceeded to roughly knead the younger girl’s face.

“Tell me, what’s your reason for this mischief?”

“I just have a bad feeling about that effeminate man. He might seem impressive on the surface, but who knows how twisted he is underneath. Inviting you so enthusiastically, he’s probably planning to do all sorts of things to you.”

“…What on earth are you thinking? Senior Hoshino sees my talent and is making an investment. Besides, clubs are officially registered; they’re not some den of dragons and tigers.”

“So, you’re really going?” Liu Yu asked.

“Of course! Such opportunities are rare and hard to come by. Not seizing them when they appear would be a criminal waste.”

Liu Yu pouted in dissatisfaction. “Do you want ‘power’ that badly?”

This was an undeniable fact.

Ever since the Bloodkin incident, Villy had been relentlessly searching for ways to grow stronger. First, she dragged Liu Yu into enrolling in the Combat Department, then she wanted to get involved in the Supervisory Bureau’s Bloodkin Transformation, and now she even wanted to run off with that man to Greywind.

At this rate, her prized toy would fly away!

So, feigning maturity, she remarked, “Blindly pursuing power can lead to corruption, you know.”

“What about you, then?” Villy asked, exasperated.

“Can I be compared to you? I was born with divine strength!”

“Besides,”

Liu Yu confidently patted her chest. “As long as I’m alive, be it natural disasters or Blackblood, I can keep you safe and sound. So rest assured, even if you were a weak woman with no power whatsoever, I wouldn’t despise you for being clumsy and inept.”

‘Anyone unfamiliar with her personality might have mistaken her words for a ‘confession.’ Yet, Miss Liu Yu still hadn’t grasped that a relationship built on one-sided effort could never last.’

Villy secretly delighted, yet her expression remained impassive, as she posed a question: “Then can you protect me for a lifetime?”

“Don’t rush to answer. Think carefully. Not for a day or two, nor for a year or two, but from now until the day I die. Can you truly protect me for my entire life?”

‘Of course I can.’

Liu Yu wanted to answer that way, but strangely, the words wouldn’t come out. Finally, under Villy’s gaze, her face flushed crimson, and she retorted, “Go wherever you want. It’s none of my business anyway.”

“Alright, alright, stop acting up.”

Soothing the frazzled kitten, Villy calmly stated, “I promise you, as long as I become a Bloodkin, I won’t join Senior Hoshino’s club. How does that sound?”

“No! Neither is allowed!”

“Then there’s no other way. I’ll just have to do both.”

“Get lost! Don’t let me see you again!”

Despite her cruel words, she didn’t refuse when Villy took her hand, allowing herself to be led forward.

It felt like… she had forgotten something.

Never mind, they were just trivial matters anyway.

****

****

“What did you say?!”

“My apologies, we only just received the notification ourselves…”

“Who issued the order?”

“It was… the Director. He issued the order personally.”

Dongchuan’s current Director, named Chen, hailed from the inner territories. He was one of the technical personnel dispatched by the Association to provide support back then, and also the root cause of the conflict between the Council and the Supervisory Bureau.

As an outsider in the eyes of the locals, yet able to stand out among numerous candidates, this alone was enough to prove his reputation and cunning.

He was past his fifties, his head full of white hair, and his aged cheeks were etched with wrinkles. Yet, his eyes were not dulled in the slightest by the passage of time; they remained bright and resolute.

When Yao Jing pushed open the door, the old Director was seated upright in his chair, intently watching… an idol concert on the large screen!?

“Ah, Little Yao, you’re here.”

Showing no sign of panic at having his hobby discovered by an outsider, the old Director paused the program on the screen and turned his chair to face Yao Jing. His austere demeanor gave no hint of such a… youthful hobby in private.

Yao Jing frowned. “That’s ‘Celestial Melody,’ isn’t it? Her voice seems to possess a magical charm, capable of making people forget their worries.”

“Oh~ Little Yao, you’ve heard of her too? My feelings, however, are quite different from yours.”

The old Director took a sip of water and continued, “I imagine you specifically sought me out this time regarding *that* matter, correct?”

“Precisely.”

Yao Jing sat opposite the old Director, demanding, his face grim, “Why was the Bloodkin Transformation unilaterally canceled? Was it not unanimously approved during the meeting?”