Why are the magical girls in your area male?

If I had her power, wouldn't I be able to easily defeat the Goblin King on the second floor of the Tower of Delusion?

[Experience +10000!]

The system's experience acquisition prompt brought Yuan Qing back to his senses from the shock.

Woqu?

Wow, you can get experience points for this too?

A level 45 Shadow Beast, if defeated alone, would definitely give more than 1 experience points.

But for Yuan Qing, who was just coasting through the game and won, getting 1 experience points is already quite a good thing!

Post-match summary: Red Sparrow got MVP! Rating 13.0. Gensei got 3.0, a total free win!

Volume 1: Chapter 74 Anomaly Countermeasures Committee (Bonus Chapter 1)

Red Sparrow looked around to make sure there were no lurking shadow beasts, then greeted everyone with a relaxed expression:

"Thank you all for your hard work, Black-crowned Night Heron and Blue Sandpiper. You did a great job and held on until the reinforcements arrived."

"Water Kite, your response was also very timely. Thanks to you, the healer, we're all standing here unharmed."

As she spoke, she suddenly paused, turned her gaze to Yuan Qing, and then said with a smile:

"And our newest colleague, your role is also indispensable. Thank you."

Yuan Qing, somewhat unable to contain himself, chuckled self-deprecatingly: "It can't be ignored, it's like the 'decorative' function of a telephone pole, right? Senior, if you're not going to praise it, don't force it, I'm a little overwhelmed."

"Senior Red Sparrow is not wrong. If a few Shadow Beasts suddenly attack while Water Kite is healing, I may not be able to handle them by myself."

Night Heron smiled at Yuan Qing, "Thank you for your help, newbie."

The magical girl codenamed Blue Sandpiper also smiled and expressed her gratitude to Yuan Qing.

“Since you all say so, then I’ll accept it without hesitation,” Yuan Qing said, straightening his chest without any shame. “That’s right, thanks to me, you are all able to stand here safely!”

Please, you'd like to contribute some thank-you money. Ten or eight tables, or even half a table would be fine!

"..."

The smiles on everyone's faces froze for a second.

Shui Yuan's lips twitched slightly, and black lines seemed to appear on her forehead.

Are you a clown hired by the monkey?

No, buddy, I was just being polite with you, how could you be so shameless?

I've never seen anyone as shameless as you.

"Hahahaha!"

Red Sparrow laughed heartily and slapped Yuan Qing on the shoulder, almost shattering his shoulder blade:

"You little rascal, you really know how to take advantage of kindness. Fine, I'll treat you to a nice meal when we get back, consider it a welcome party hosted by your senior!"

"Then I won't stand on ceremony! Arigato Khosemasi! Kimura... cough, you're so generous, Senior Red Sparrow!"

"No need for thanks. Just don't get distracted in civics class from now on, or I'll have to put in even more effort."

"..."

So you were really targeting me by repeatedly calling on me to answer questions in your civics class these past two days?

"Alright, alright, let's head back to the association. Lately, it seems like C-rank and B-rank Lord Shadow Beasts are appearing more and more frequently. We need to be careful on the way back..."

Before Red Sparrow could finish speaking, her pretty face suddenly froze, and she frowned.

At the same time, Yuan Qing also keenly sensed that something was amiss.

The two of them turned to look at each other.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

A clear, steady, metallic sound of footsteps suddenly came from the shadows of the ruins.

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, but carried a faint sense of cold oppression, instantly shattering the relaxed atmosphere of the magical girls who had survived the ordeal.

Upon hearing the sound, the other three magical girls' expressions changed, and they also looked in the direction of the sound.

Five figures slowly emerged from behind a collapsed ruin.

They were all dressed in well-tailored, pure black uniforms, simple and neat in style, without any superfluous decorations, except for a light gold badge on the left chest, which resembled the Japanese national emblem.

The design features a sixteen-petaled, eight-layered chrysanthemum pattern, with an additional magatama (comma-shaped ornament) in the center.

This is the logo of the Abnormalities Countermeasures Committee.

The leader was tall and imposing, with a cold and stern face and sharp, hawk-like eyes that seemed to pierce through people's hearts.

With his hands behind his back, he walked with a steady gait, exuding an aura of authority that suggested he had long held a high position and was beyond question.

The energy fluctuations emanating from his body were calm and restrained, like deep-sea currents, exuding a strong sense of oppression.

Grade A!

Yuan Qing instantly determined the other party's level.

Even without accessing his attribute data, he could sense that the opponent's strength was probably no less than that of Red Sparrow.

The five people appeared like ghosts, silent and stealthy, clearly having been lurking nearby for some time.

The smile on Red Sparrow's face vanished instantly, her eyes narrowed slightly, and a cold glint flashed in them.

Even the embers at the tip of the spear on her shoulder jerked suddenly, as if sensing their owner's emotions.

The kites, night herons, and blue sandpipers all tensed up, instinctively standing behind the cardinals, their eyes filled with vigilance and wariness.

The black-clad leader's gaze, like a cold searchlight, slowly swept across the battlefield.

A massive crater, burning ruins, magical girls with various expressions, and...

And Yuan Qing, standing behind the Red Sparrow, looking out of place among the colorful girls around him.

His gaze lingered on Yuan Qing, as if scrutinizing him to see if he was a fugitive.

Several seconds later, it moved away again and landed on the lead cardinal.

Good evening, Ms. Redbird.

The leader in black spoke, his voice low and calm, "You did well. Rank B high-risk boss Shadow Beast, Rock Earth Dragon, confirmed for capture."

Red Sparrow raised an eyebrow but didn't reply.

She carried the gun, looking at the other person with a lazy expression and undisguised impatience in her eyes, as if to tell the other person, "Spit it out if you have something to say."

The leader in black seemed unconcerned about Red Sparrow's attitude; his gaze returned to Yuan Qing, his tone remaining calm and indifferent.

"However, this young man doesn't seem to be on our current list of Tarot Association members, nor is he a registered Awakened individual on our Anomaly Countermeasures Committee..."

"Ms. Red Sparrow, could you please explain why this 'stranger' is here? And why is he participating in the Tarot Association's extermination mission?"

His words were cold and indifferent, like bullets, mercilessly aimed at Redbird.

This condescending tone clearly indicates that the conversation was not intended for friendly negotiations with the Cardinal.

Shuiyuan and the others also looked grim, and couldn't help but look at Hongque with concern.

But the cardinal remained unmoved.

She chuckled dismissively, as if she'd heard a joke, tilted her head slightly, and asked in an extremely languid tone, rather slowly and deliberately:

"Explanation? Whom does our Tarot Association recruit, who do we take on missions, and when do we need to report to your Anomaly Countermeasures Committee?"

She paused, then her voice suddenly rose, and the cold smile on her face deepened:

"Captain Black Eyes, the Tarot Association and the Countermeasures Committee are partners, not subordinates or servants of yours. Please understand your position. Thank you."

Cardinal's final "thank you" was almost squeezed out between his teeth, carrying a clear warning.

These words immediately caused the atmosphere between the two sides to plummet to freezing point.

Red Sparrow's sharp retort caused the other party's calm expression to change for the first time.

The black-clad leader, known as Captain Black Eyes, frowned, his eyes sharp as knives, and a chilling sense of pressure emanated from him.

The four black-clad team members behind him also tensed up instinctively, each placing their hands on the weapons at their waists.

Seeing this, the magical girls on Red Sparrow's side also became alert.

Water Kite and Night Heron instinctively stepped forward to protect Yuan Qing behind them.

Although they both voted against it initially, Yuanqing is now a member of the Tarot Association, whether they like it or not, and they naturally have an obligation to protect the newcomer.

Volume 1: Chapter 75 Dude, I'm Not Nantong (Bonus Chapter 2)

The atmosphere became quite tense.

Yuan Qing had only ever seen such a tense scene in movies and anime.

I never imagined that I would one day be "fortunate" enough to experience such a grand event.

He remained outwardly calm, but in reality, he had already hidden his hands behind his back, ready to fight at any moment.

Although he had no grudge against these guys, he had at least joined the association and even managed to collect gold coins from lolis.

As the saying goes, "If you eat the emperor's food, you must be loyal to him," so you still have to show some attitude.

Yuan Qing fixed his wary gaze firmly on the guy called "Black Eyes".

Name: Kurome Ryuji, Level: 51 (A)

It's level 51, only 4 levels lower than the Red Sparrow.

Although this stern-faced man was putting on an act, he did have some substance to his character.

The group of followers behind him were all B-level members, ranging from level 30 to 40.

In comparison, only the cardinal can hold its own on my side; the black-crowned night heron and the water kite are both B-grade, while I and the blue sandpiper are probably only C-grade.

If the two sides were to fight, they would definitely be at a disadvantage.

But all that talk is probably just a show.

Since the official stance of the association and the countermeasures committee is that they are cooperating deeply, they must maintain a harmonious relationship on the surface.

Even if it's just for show, you have to put on an act.

Therefore, this standoff was never going to escalate into a real fight from the very beginning.

Sure enough, a moment later, Ryuji Kurome was the first to concede.

He nodded and said coldly to Red Sparrow, "You're right, Ms. Red Sparrow. My attitude was problematic, and I apologize."

However, since both sides have signed an agreement for in-depth cooperation, I still hope that the association can strictly fulfill the contents of the agreement.

Recruiting and expanding the ranks of Awakened members requires mutual notification; this is clearly stated in black and white in the agreement.

"Don't worry, I understand what you mean, but there's always a delay in communication. Our new employees' 'onboarding process' isn't completely finished yet."

The cardinal's tone softened, and he gave a lukewarm smile, adding:

"Once his procedures are completed, our chairman will personally call the cabinet to explain this matter to you."

"...I'm glad we were able to reach an agreement."

Ryuji Kurome nodded, and the team members behind him immediately relaxed.

He turned to leave, but Red Sparrow quickly called him back, smiling as she asked, "Don't rush off, Captain Black Eyes. I need your help with something."

"what's up?"

"The association's 'special funds' for this month have been delayed for a week and haven't arrived yet. Please go back and help us urge them to write a report to the cabinet."

Or if all else fails, why not call the Prime Minister? We agreed that the association's annual budget, like the countermeasures committee's, would be allocated under the Cabinet Office's 'Special Technology Development Fund'.

Even though our young president comes from a wealthy family and has Lady Tiangong's concerts to "supplement the household expenses," she still can't afford to maintain such a large magic academy, right?

"..."

Ryuji Kurome was silent for a few seconds, then nodded solemnly: "Your request is very reasonable, and I will report it to the Cabinet for you."

After saying that, he left with a group of his underlings without looking back.