Love, Gun, Cupid

"Yeah yeah."

An awkward atmosphere hung between the two. Lin Jiade nodded and said, "It's a very pretty cat. I've delivered the things. I'll be going now."

"Okay, drive carefully. I'll transfer the fare to you."

Lin Jiade glanced at Ms. Yang a few more times, which made her lower her head shyly. He didn't notice anything unusual about her, so he left.

Lin Jiade got into the car and said dejectedly, "Although it was just an ordinary black cat, which relieved me, Teacher Yang's attitude was very strange. But I can't do anything to her. Am I overthinking it?"

"No, keep your skepticism, Lin Jiade. The theme of witchcraft is cunning and mystery. The most skillful charlatan can even impersonate your closest person without you noticing."

Lin Jiade looked at Jianlan, whose face was hidden in the darkness, with only a corner of her three-strand braid illuminated by the streetlight.

"If you care that much, you can legally investigate Teacher Yang once you officially receive the orders from me."

Jianlan laughed, "I could see from afar that you were actually able to trick Teacher Yang into opening the door willingly. Didn't you notice that her body temperature was rising when she was talking to you?"

It would be embarrassing if I knew. Who would have thought that this little pervert, Ms. Yang, would use me as her sexual fantasy object?

Lin Jiade felt shy but also thought that Teacher Yang had good taste. With his physical abilities, he could complete the difficult moves that Teacher Yang had imagined. As for ordinary men, they should just go to sleep.

This shows just how outrageous the fantasies of male and female virgins about the opposite sex are.

"I really hope that Teacher Yang won't get involved in this," he murmured.

At the same time, Teacher Yang murmured, "I really hope Lin Jiade won't get involved in this."

She was holding a black cat in her arms, and there was another one sitting opposite her. Lin Jiade saw the black cat in her arms, which was a cat that Teacher Yang's family already kept. The real disaster happened to be away from home and escaped Lin Jiade's search.

"You know, he acted so abruptly today, insisting on barging into my house when my parents weren't home, all under the pretense of checking on the cat. Could it be... that he has a crush on me?"

Teacher Yang said, "His girlfriend is older than him, which proves that's his taste. He knows I definitely won't accept an illicit relationship, but he loves me, so he made up a lame excuse to come and see me."

The black cat calmly said, "I think he came for me."

"why?"

It's hard to say why the black cat was spying on Lin Jiade at school. It was discovered by Lin Jiade's companions. It had promised Yang Xuemeng, that foolish woman, that it wouldn't go looking for trouble with Lin Jiade, but Lin Jiade had always been a nuisance, and it had to deal with him.

Therefore, it vaguely stated, "Because he may also possess magical powers."

"You mean he can use magic too?"

"Yes, it's very possible that he broke into your house to search for my existence, and his motive was because he loves you."

"?"

"Think about it, he was so anxious to find me because I was in danger and he was worried about your safety. Based on your impression of him, he had several ways to get you to welcome him into your home, but he didn't. He chose the one that made you most suspicious, which proves that he lost his composure in his haste."

Ms. Yang did not believe the monster's words, but she admitted that the monster's words were very attractive to her, who was thirsting for sex. Starting from a certain day in October last year, Lin Jiade became the embodiment of her desires. She was not sure whether her own desires shaped the Lin Jiade in her dreams, or whether the Lin Jiade in her dreams awakened her desires.

At first, she comforted herself by saying that it was just her fantasy, and that as long as it wasn't in public, it wouldn't be a violation of morality. But gradually, her desire for Lin Jiade grew stronger, and the Lin Jiade in her fantasy eventually influenced her attitude towards Lin Jiade in reality.

“I don’t believe it, but we agreed that you couldn’t hurt him,” Teacher Yang said. “I kept my promise and hid your existence, and you have to keep your promise too.”

The black cat chuckled inwardly at Yang Xuemeng's sigh. How ridiculous that a human like her would try to reason with a monster.

The black cat certainly cannot harm Ms. Yang; harming her would mean the black cat's self-destruction. But apart from that, everything it promised is invalid.

So tonight, the black cat begins its operation.

Jianlan drove Lin Jiade home. After 9 p.m., traffic on some roads in Fuxing City decreased dramatically, even to the point of being deserted. Black Cat seized the opportunity, darting out from the shadows of the car and pouncing on Lin Jiade in the passenger seat.

Gladiolus reacted quickly, activating the makeshift shield installed on the vehicle. However, the black cat's body passed through the shield like water, without any hindrance.

Lin Jiade pulled out his revolver and fired continuously. The bullets disappeared into the monster's body without a sound. Jianlan also quickly chanted a spell to counter the witchcraft, trying to drive the monster away.

She succeeded; the ring-shaped runes bound the black cat to the car window. The next spell was already cast, about to push the black cat out of the window. Outside the window, Gladiolus was multitasking, with a spell powerful enough to kill the black cat waiting for her.

What a powerful sorcerer!

The black cat realized it had kicked a hornet's nest; in the blink of an eye, it would have to fight for its survival. Then, a wicked idea came to it. It deliberately disassembled its body to dodge the next spell from the sword orchid, allowing part of its body to pounce on Lin Jiade.

Even Lin Jiade's activated shield couldn't stop the infiltration of the witchcraft. Between the black cat's torn body, the air began to distort. Jianlan reached out, but she was a step too slow. Lin Jiade was sucked in completely and disappeared without a trace along with the black cat.

Jianlan stared at the empty passenger seat, her eyes reflecting a cold light. After a few seconds of hesitation, she dialed Jasmine's number in a panicked and sorrowful voice, saying, "We were attacked on the way. Lin Jiade was devoured by a mysterious enemy. I'm looking for him. Don't worry, I'll let you know if there's any progress!"

Lin Jiade walked through a long, dark tunnel. If it weren't for the tunnel's actual boundaries, he would have thought he was standing still. However, perhaps he was also going in circles.

He held the celestial weapon in his hand, the solid feel of the hilt giving him a sense of security. When his phone timed 2 hours and 47 minutes, showing 11:37, he spotted a light ahead of the tunnel. Stepping out, the familiar scenery of Sannam Dongdo University came into view.

Chapter Twelve: Magical Girl?

Lin Jiade looked up, and the bright moonlight illuminated the earth. Everything in his eyes was very familiar... except for the unusual silence.

He tried to make a phone call, but a fleeting figure caught in the corner of his eye made him look up and see a woman who looked like she was cosplaying riding a magic wand and flying by. The white thighs peeking out from under her skirt almost blinded him.

He didn't know who this colleague was, but it wouldn't hurt to say hello. However, when the other person saw him, they ran away as fast as they could, as if they had seen a ghost.

Having finally encountered a fellow traveler, Lin Jiade refused to let go of any possible clues. Moreover, the other party ran away upon seeing him, so there was a 70% chance that he couldn't defeat him... After all, anyone stronger than him would directly attack him upon encountering him.

So he jumped over the fence and chased after him, shouting as he ran, "Stop! I mean you no harm!"

But the woman simply pulled up her wand and flew higher. Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, a sword suddenly appeared in her field of vision below, right in front of her.

"what!"

She screamed in fright, turned around with her wand, and crashed into the window, the shattered glass creating a shimmering rain behind her.

She landed, raised her wand, and Lin Jiade flew into the classroom. The five-pointed star on the tip of her wand shone brightly, and after three seconds of charging, a golden torrent shot out from the tip of the wand and pointed at Lin Jiade.

Lin Jiade switched from sword to human form, landed, and felt the torrent of energy pierce through the wall. He stood up and glanced out of the corner of his eye, discovering that the attack had pierced through several classrooms, allowing him to see directly into the dark courtyard.

"Is that so? It looks like the battle is about to escalate."

Lin Jiade ran, his first step landing on the lectern. He leaped up, and the lectern shattered behind him. He gripped the celestial weapon in his hand and brought it down, the swift blow smashing through the woman and the floor beneath her.

Lin Jiade failed to break through the opponent's shield, but the woman dressed as a magical girl showed a pained expression. Looking at her face, Lin Jiade suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.

His distraction gave his opponent an opportunity. The woman raised her wand, and the blackboard was torn off the wall and flew toward the back of Lin Jiade's head. Lin Jiade stood up and split the threat behind him in two, but his opponent slid away from his feet and escaped through the window.

Lin Jiade transformed into a sword and chased after her through the window, but the energy reaction above told him that the woman was right above him.

The woman waved her wand, and a shower of heart-shaped bubbles slammed Lin Jiade from the air into the ground, along with a tree. Lin Jiade, now back in human form, got up and glanced at the unfortunate tree—a popular spot for school couples to confess their love. That night, Sannam Dongdo University lost a romantic tradition.

All of this is thanks to the shameless woman who dressed as a little girl.

Anger flared in Lin Jiade's heart and clung to his sword. If the previous exchange was just a mere scratch, then now he was going to get serious.

His opponent didn't linger in the fight, maneuvering his wand toward the rooftop. Just as Lin Jiade was about to give chase, a chilling sensation crept up his spine.

He turned around and saw white mist rising from the streets outside the campus. Shadows spread across the ground, hatching into monsters of various shapes. After detaching from the shadows, they immediately flew towards the school, only to be swept away by golden streams of light.

Lin Jiade looked up at the rooftop, where a magical girl stood alone, wand raised, facing the endless darkness. It was somewhat comical that an adult was dressed as a magical girl from a children's cartoon, but her courage was admirable.

Between monsters and humans, Lin Jiade naturally helped the humans. This time, he went up the stairs to the rooftop. The magical girl looked back at him and said loudly, "We'll talk about our business later, but at least don't cause trouble before four in the morning. If these monsters enter the holy land, they will slaughter everything that is still alive in the entire city!"

Not the one in front of you, but the one you live with during the day!

After hearing this, Lin Jiade immediately dialed the number. No matter what, it was always the right thing to call in some powerful thugs for help. However, he was met with a series of dial tones; he was out of service.

Combined with the city's irrational silence, Lin Jiade realized that there was a subtle discrepancy between the Fuxing City he perceived and the Fuxing City in reality. If what the woman in front of him said was true, once certain conditions were met, the monsters below would invade the Fuxing City he lived in and kill the living beings in the Fuxing City he knew by common sense.

Lin Jiade had no ranged attacks, so he went to the woman's side to act as her bodyguard, and... killed her with a single sword strike when she attempted to do something bad to the city.

He couldn't possibly try to negotiate with the monster in the shadows, nor could he completely trust the opponent who had just been exchanging blows. Unexpectedly, the magical girl beside him seemed to have a cheat code activated, relentlessly firing beams to sweep away the monsters. For a full four hours, she didn't let any monsters set foot in the school buildings.

This energy is comparable to the energy reserves of a high-level magic researcher. Lin Jiade thought to himself, she has such magical reserves, yet her attack just now was like scraping me. Is she being soft-hearted, or is she severely biased in her specialization, or is she storing energy in some kind of way?

At four in the morning, the last wave of monsters was defeated. As darkness receded from the land, the crisis was over. Lin Jiade faced the magical girl, his eyes wary, but the tip of his sword pointed towards the ground.

"The crisis is over. In a little while, you'll be back in Fuxing City, the city you know. So, I'll go first..."

“Wait,” Lin Jiade interrupted, “I wandered into this place by mistake. Please explain what’s going on here, and why there’s a city called Fuxing that I don’t recognize?”

The magical girl ignored him, and Lin Jiade raised his sword. The former sighed, "We are not enemies."

"But we're not friends either."

The woman waved her staff, unleashing a series of heart-shaped bubbles that instantly engulfed Lin Jiade's figure. The next second, a sword flew out from a gap in the bubbles and transformed back into human form in mid-air.

The celestial weapon burned fiercely in Lin Jiade's hands, and crimson slash marks appeared on the magical girl's shield. Lin Jiade punched through the shield, grabbed the hand holding the magic wand, lifted her high, pressed her against the railing, and used his leg to hold her knee.

"Staying up late is bad for your skin. If you want to go home and sleep early, then finish everything..."

The wind at four in the morning swept through the space between them, ruffling the woman's bangs. Lin Jiade felt that the face was becoming more and more familiar. Finally, the answer came to him. He let go of her hand, staggered back, and watched blankly as the woman rode away quickly on her magic wand.

Just then, Jianlan called. Lin Jiade answered and said, "I'm on the school rooftop, I'm fine... no, maybe I am. Jianlan, I just found out that one of my classmates... is cosplaying as a magical girl."

Chapter Thirteen: The Gate to a New World (7→6)

Just as Old Mu said, soon after, the clamor entered Lin Jiade's senses, and the whole city seemed like an awakening baby, uttering its first cry before the light.

Lin Jiade put down the phone and saw that the damage he had caused in his battle with Lao Mu had been restored to its original state, and there were no monster remains found on the playground, as if what he had experienced in the early morning was just an illusion.

Shortly after, Jianlan arrived by car and said, "I've been looking for you all night. Everyone was very worried about you."

"Where exactly am I..."

“I didn’t know. These things never appeared in the records. I thought the Special Tactics and Rescue Services Group was in charge of all matters involving superhumans in Reconstruction City, but now it seems there’s much more to it than meets the eye.”

"You want to get involved?" Lin Jiade asked.

"Who hates power? The Kapok story tells us that we must build a protective umbrella for ourselves, and the best umbrella is local power."

Seeing Lin Jiade looking drowsy, Jianlan smiled and said, "I'll take care of these things. You go back and let everyone know you're safe, then go and get some rest."

Lin Jiade nodded. Besides Teacher Yang and the black cat, there's now the fact that his classmate who plays football with him can turn into a magical girl. Old Mu is 20 years old this year. Even if he turns into a woman, he's already past the age of being called a girl, and he still has a boyfriend. So what should we call him?

A magical woman? A magical young woman? A magical girl? A witch?

Lost in thought, Lin Jiade fell asleep. Jianlan glanced at the car air freshener with satisfaction, and then she saw Dujuan's figure in the rearview mirror.

"He didn't find anything, did he?" Du Juan asked.

“He discovered that besides his classmates being the guardians of the Holy Land, the rest… humph.” Jianlan glanced at Lin Jiade. “I never expected that Fuxing City would have a Holy Land.”

Du Juan explained, "The Holy Land is just what you humans call it. Its essence is the place where celestial observers fell, and for some reason, the fallen celestial observers still exert a special influence."

According to the agreement reached between the Celestial Realm and the Empire, the Empire has the right to manage and explore the Holy Land, but the Empire's national policy is to maintain the status quo, so it has not specifically developed the Holy Land.

Jianlan said, "The extraordinary beings who manage the Holy Land are the guardians of the Holy Land. I just didn't expect that the guardians of the Holy Land in Fuxing City would be cosplaying as magical girls, and one of them is even gender-swapped..."

I want to govern the Holy Land and become the complete ruler of the City of Revival, while you want to explore the Holy Land; these guardians are our common obstacle.

Du Juan smiled and said, "That guardian who is acquainted with Lin Jiade might be a good breakthrough point. Let's wait and see, Korobochka."

“My name is Jianlan,” the woman said earnestly. “Korobochka? He’s nothing but a dead soul.”