Chapter 17: Dangerous Enemies (

As the two left the highway, the Disaster Strategy Bureau and the police began to arrive one after another.

Shion cast a distant glance at the crowded scene.

Having secured the Magic Crystals, the two had departed from the highway and were now observing the situation from a hillside with a good vantage point within the city.

"Don't we need to clean up the magical traces?"

"Don't worry, Susan is on it."

Dongjun sat beside her, her fingers flying across her phone screen with incredible speed. "You don't need to worry about her professional competence; she's one of the most outstanding among the outer disciples. It's not just the Disaster Strategy Bureau; she has connections in other departments as well."

"What are you sending?"

Dongjun immediately handed her phone over.

The phone was pink, adorned with a teardrop pendant, and the interface was garishly colorful. Although she appeared quite mature in her daily life and held significant prestige within the Qingyun Sect, she was, in essence, a high school girl at heart who loved all sorts of flashy accessories.

The decorations stuck to the phone screen were so cluttered that Shion found it difficult to figure out how to operate it. Dongjun stepped in to help her tap a chat application. "How did you exit? It seems you accidentally touched something. It's here."

The chat app was something Dongjun had specifically commissioned her own company to develop; it was said that the servers were located overseas to prevent monitoring by the Disaster Strategy Bureau.

*Qingyun Sect Internal Work Group (No Chitchat Allowed).*

Dongjun: "@All members, attention disciples. The Witch Society has beaten us to the punch and snatched three Miracle Seeds from the Disaster Strategy Bureau. The Miracle Seeds are a primary objective for the Sect Master. Please elevate the reconnaissance of the Witch Society's movements to top priority."

*Shion's Number One Fan: "Received."*

*Sect Workaholic: "Received."*

*Wanting a Vacation: "Received."*

...

*Rose: "Can obtaining the Miracle Seeds replace your position, Dongjun?"*

Looking at the long list of "Received" below, Shion naturally spotted the most conspicuous one. "Who is Rose?"

"That red magical girl from before," Dongjun said with a sigh. "The one who was captured by the Witch Society. You rescued her when you were clearing out a small Witch Society branch. Ever since, she's been trying to take my place in the sect to become your right hand."

"Oh, I forgot."

For Shion, her primary motivation was hunting Disaster Beasts to obtain Magic Crystals. Occasionally, she would encounter people allied with the beasts and kill them as well; she never paid much attention to whether they belonged to the Witch Society or not.

"However, her abilities are very well-suited for reconnaissance. She'll probably try to claim credit again this time. Aside from a promotion, she wants nothing except to be closer to you. It's quite a headache."

Despite her words, Dongjun's expression didn't show annoyance; instead, she wore a relaxed smile. "But she's incredibly useful. As long as it's framed as your requirement, she's more proactive than anyone. Unlike Qinghua, who slacks off every day while asking for a raise..."

Shion cared little for the internal affairs of the sect; as long as things aided her cultivation, everything else was irrelevant.

She scrolled through the chat history and found that, indeed, there was almost no conversation outside of work.

"Do you want to send a message too?"

"Not interested."

"Just a little encouragement," Dongjun said, admiring Shion's face. No matter how many times she saw it, she was always struck by her beauty. "Everyone in the sect respects you. If you could offer some encouragement or mobilization, they would certainly work harder on their missions."

After a moment's thought, Shion decided it wouldn't hurt. However, just as she was about to type, the phone shut down.

Stunned, Shion instinctively shook the phone in her hands. "Is it out of battery?"

"Uh, it probably leaked power on the way here again." Dongjun retrieved the phone with a wry smile and pulled another phone from her small bag.

Shion inadvertently caught a glimpse of about a dozen similar phones inside...

*Is this the extravagance of the wealthy?*

"You know my ability—it lowers the temperature of the surrounding air. Even after transforming, my body temperature remains very low. If the phone leaks power, the low temperature makes the battery drain even faster..."

*So she bought a dozen of them? That's a rather blunt way to solve the problem.*

Shion took the newly powered-on phone, only to find that the chat group seemed a bit... off.

*"Speculations on Shion's Measurements and Clothing Coordination..."*

Something was definitely wrong. Shion checked the group name: *Shion Fan Club Tea Party.*

"What kind of group is this?"

"Ah! Wrong one, wrong one!" Dongjun frantically snatched the phone back and exited the group. "That's a group the disciples created themselves; it has nothing to do with me. I was worried they might be disrespectful to you, so I used an alt account to sneak in and see what they were talking about..."

*So every phone has a different number.*

As for the group she just saw, Shion didn't care much. The Magical Girl Idol Project was a mainstream trend, so having fans was normal. She didn't have a strong sense of identity regarding the "Shion" persona, so she felt nothing about people discussing her.

She just thought they were quite idle—likely because their workload wasn't heavy enough and the competition within the Qingyun Sect wasn't fierce enough...

Only after Dongjun switched groups did she hand the phone back. Shion didn't bother reading much; she used her small hands to laboriously type "Keep it up!" and sent it. However, since the account was Dongjun's alt, no one responded.

She handed it back to Dongjun and continued, "Regarding this Witch Society operation, have you received any news?"

Dongjun, meanwhile, explained in the group that the "Keep it up!" had been sent by Shion using her own account.

Once the group became active again, Dongjun nodded with satisfaction, put her phone away, and replied, "The Witch Society's movements are hard to track. Disciples who infiltrate often fail to provide timely intelligence, but we have confirmed a few points."

"First, members of the Witch Society have already infiltrated the Disaster Strategy Bureau, specifically in positions that can access the Miracle Seeds. The Bureau's recruitment is extremely strict; if there were any issues with their identity, they would never pass the interview. Therefore, their mole is likely like Susan—someone who joined the Bureau with a clean record and was later turned by the Witch Society."

Dongjun held up a second finger. "Second, they have the ability to create B-class Disaster Beasts. We have always known the Witch Society can create beasts, but we weren't sure of the specific grade. Now that we know they can produce B-class beasts, it is crucial that we capture their leaders as soon as possible to seize this capability. The Qingyun Sect is in desperate need of B-class Lament Seeds."

Hearing this, Shion's expression shifted slightly.

The ability to mass-produce B-class Lament Seeds was a prospect that was undeniably tempting. Although the method for a Magical Girl to advance in rank was somewhat abstract and mostly related to mental fortitude and willpower, it was common knowledge that quantitative changes lead to qualitative ones. As long as one had enough magical power, advancement was merely a matter of time. Power itself brought about strong will and a resilient spirit.

"Unfortunately, we don't know where the Witch Society has hidden the three Miracle Seeds. The B-class Disaster Beast that broke out this time was merely a distraction. I suspect the actual members have already left with the seeds."

Dongjun tilted her head back slightly, her chin raised with a hint of pride. "They dared to steal from our Qingyun Sect; we will make them regret it!"

Shion looked up at Dongjun's expression. "Then I'll leave it to you. Susan mentioned that Hyacinth is very likely a member turned by the Witch Society. Keep an eye on her movements and report to me immediately."

"No problem."

As Shion spoke, she prepared to undo her transformation, but Dongjun quickly grabbed her wrist. "Wait."

"What is it?" Shion looked around. "There's no one around, right?"

*Let me look at you a little longer...*

Dongjun couldn't bring herself to say that. After a moment's thought, she said, "No one. I just wanted to say a new nail salon opened on South Street. They have a promotion recently. Do you want to go together?"

Shion looked at her as if she were an idiot. "I am a man."

"Just do it in your Magical Girl form; it won't disappear after transforming." Dongjun showed off her own blue manicure. "See? Pretty, right? But I've set my eyes on another set and want to change."

The light blue looked delicate, like ice flowers; it was indeed quite beautiful. However, the Sect Master of Qingyun Sect simply shook her head. "I don't do manicures."

"It's fine, just come with me. You can just look; you don't have to do it. You can go later if you're interested."

"No. I have class this afternoon."

"You've skipped so many classes already... Fine, you can go after class."

"I haven't finished today's training plan either. Find someone else."

Watching Jiang Si undo her transformation and walk away on her own, Dongjun stomped her foot behind her.

"Stubborn blockhead!"

...

Inside a pitch-black room, a crystal flickered with a cold, white light.

Having removed her glasses, she caressed the crystal, and dark magical energy flowed from her hands into it. After a moment, several figures dressed in black robes appeared within the crystal.

The gatherings of the Witch Society were always this dark and pathetic.

"Did you get the Miracle Seeds?"

"We have them, but we can't send them out for now. The Disaster Strategy Bureau is watching very closely."

"Can't send them out?"

A tall woman on the left revealed a distorted face, her scars twisting like maggots. She roared in a raspy voice, "We lost a B-class Disaster Beast! And a core member! After paying such a high price, you tell me you can't send them out? What use are you?"

"Cuckoo!"

The member in the middle, who clearly held a higher status, rebuked her. "No one could have predicted the Qingyun Sect would strike at a time like this. Moreover, two of their high-ranking officials, Dongjun and Shion, have arrived. It has nothing to do with Oleander; anyone going would have faced the same result."

Though the woman on the left looked unwilling, she fell silent.

The small girl on the right let out a crisp laugh. "Jackal was killed while trying to negotiate a partnership with the Qingyun Sect. I think everyone understands now. There is no option for cooperation with them. They are incredibly arrogant—even more so than the Disaster Strategy Bureau."

The woman on the left nodded with a softened expression. "True. If the profit is sufficient, the Disaster Strategy Bureau is willing to cooperate with us." She then added, "The important thing is, how were they able to reach Jackal? Fusing with a Disaster Beast grants two abilities: magical pollution and magical sensing. Even if they couldn't win a fight, Jackal should have been able to escape."

"What if that Shion was herself contaminated by a Disaster Beast?"

"Nonsense! How could a Magical Girl maintain that form if she were contaminated? We've conducted so many experiments..."

"Silence." The leader in the center finally interrupted the bickering. "Now is not the time to discuss this. Whether the Qingyun Sect has the means to deal with us is something we can discuss later. Right now, the Miracle Seeds are what matter. Oleander, I need to know when you can deliver the seeds."

Pressing her hands against the crystal, Oleander finally spoke. "In about three days. The Disaster Strategy Bureau's vigilance will last for three days. Once Susan relaxes her guard, we will have the chance to take the seeds out."

"Three days? That's a bit long. Won't there be any complications?"

"I've temporarily placed the Miracle Seeds back in the security room. They won't suspect that the seeds are actually still in the security room."

"As expected, you are clever." After the captain offered a word of praise, he asked worriedly, "You mentioned earlier that there might be a mole from the Qingyun Sect in the Bureau. Have you found them? Compared to the Bureau, the people from the Qingyun Sect are more dangerous."

"Not yet. Currently, the Bureau only has one newcomer, Jiang Keke, whose background is very clean. The Qingyun Sect wouldn't plant a Magical Girl at a time like this; it would be too conspicuous. As for the others, they are all old acquaintances who joined the Bureau long ago. It's difficult to confirm."

"Understood." The captain gave a sinister laugh. "Just like you—no one would have guessed you would join our Witch Society."

Oleander did not confirm or deny, merely rubbing the crystal.

Just as she was about to end the conversation, she suddenly remembered something. "By the way, I forgot to report one thing. When Jiang Keke came today, she brought her brother along. Her brother... seems a bit strange."

"What about him?"

Although the other two members had lost interest, the captain asked as a formality. "Is there anything special about him?"

"When they were at the platform, he jumped six meters in a single bound." Oleander thought for a moment and added, "He almost fell from the clouds, too. Susan suspected he might be a member of our Witch Society."

"Generally speaking, relatives with a blood connection to a Magical Girl can withstand absorbing a portion of her magical power. Some gifted individuals use this to enhance their physical attributes." The captain rubbed his chin. "You should be well aware of this. But falling from the clouds suggests he wasn't receiving magic from his sister, but was instead contaminated by the magic of a Disaster Beast."

"He said he just encountered a Disaster Beast on the way."

"Do you believe that?" The captain sneered. "No one knows the state of magical pollution better than us. But more than just pollution, he might be becoming a vessel for the birth of a Disaster Beast, which is why his magic is contaminated."

When negative emotions reach a certain intensity, they nourish Disaster Beasts. And the birth of a Disaster Beast requires not just emotion and magic, but a physical vessel. Generally, animals are used as vessels—cats, bats, dogs, anything—and occasionally plants. The form of the beast is influenced by the vessel, so most take animal shapes.

However, when negative emotions are intense enough, some people become the vessel themselves. Though rare, once they give birth to a beast, they become incredibly powerful. Every time a human becomes a vessel, it results in a massive catastrophe.

Since learning this from the Witch Society, Oleander couldn' even help but marvel that even the Disaster Strategy Bureau didn't understand Disaster Beasts as well as they did. They understood them too well; it even made her suspect that the original source of Disaster Beasts might have come from the Witch Society.

"Oh? So you're saying the new Magical Girl's brother is highly likely to turn into a Disaster Beast?" The woman on the left finally showed interest. "Turning a Magical Girl's relative into a beast would be wonderful! I can't wait to see the look on those pretentious little girls' faces when they break down!"

"Then I'll leave this to you, Cuckoo. Go and capture him."

The captain smiled coldly. "Even if he can't turn into a beast, he can be used to blackmail and control this new Magical Girl. While she is still young and naive, we might even be able to get her to join our Witch Society."

"Leave it to me!"

Oleander's lips moved, but she ultimately said nothing. She let out a sigh of pity for Jiang Keke and turned off the crystal.

The room fell into total darkness.

Then, someone suddenly opened the door and turned on the light, instantly brightening the room.

"Sis, why didn't you turn on the light?"

"It's more atmospheric. And it saves electricity."

...

(End of Chapter)