The 30-Year-Old Magical Girl - Chapter 21

Chen Xi had always considered herself an intelligent and rational person.

She often took pride in her logical thinking.

But today…

She wasn’t nearly as composed as she believed.

From the moment she woke up, an inexplicable restlessness had lingered in her heart.

After absentmindedly sitting at her desk for more than an hour, she finally managed to organize her thoughts.

…You Dong is hiding something from me.

And who’s to say that entire affair wasn’t a carefully arranged setup?

She wanted to confront him directly.

Unfortunately…

Everything she had was merely a woman’s intuition.

Not evidence.

The only tangible clue she possessed…

Was the phone number that had anonymously informed her about You Dong’s “affair.”

A corporate phone number.

Registered under the very company where You Dong worked.

That connection bothered her so much that she simply couldn’t ignore it.

Fine.

She would start investigating from that phone number.

That was the plan.

Yet somehow…

Without realizing it…

She found herself standing outside You Dong’s office building.

It was eleven in the morning.

Normally, You Dong would come downstairs for lunch in another forty to fifty minutes.

…So what now?

Should I really go confront him?

Honestly…

She didn’t want to.

She wasn’t even sure what role she was supposed to play anymore.

The heartbroken ex-girlfriend seeking justice?

Or merely someone searching for the truth?

Either way…

She felt pathetic.

Like some clingy woman who couldn’t let go.

No.

She had no intention of meeting You Dong today.

Since it was still before lunch break, very few people were entering or leaving the building.

The security guard sat inside the booth, completely absorbed in his phone.

No one paid her any attention.

Just as Chen Xi turned around, intending to leave…

She suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure through the iron fence.

It was…

You Dong.

Her heartbeat instantly sped up.

Even though there was no way he could possibly see her from where he was…

She instinctively ducked inside her car like a guilty thief, hurriedly closing the door.

At that moment…

She silently thanked herself for borrowing her mother’s car today.

Strange…

It’s still working hours.

Why is he heading toward the parking lot?

Is he leaving work early?

While she was wondering about it…

She watched the familiar Clover slowly drive out through the company’s side entrance.

Its turn signal blinked patiently as it waited to merge into traffic.

Without the slightest hesitation…

Chen Xi started her own engine.

Then quietly followed behind.

According to Lao Lin…

The newly discovered Aberration had appeared inside an office building.

It was still during working hours.

Before anyone realized what was happening…

One employee had already been killed.

Another had been seriously injured.

Even worse…

The hurried evacuation triggered a stampede.

More than a dozen additional people were injured in the chaos.

By the time Raging Flame arrived…

The entire office building had already been evacuated.

“Raging Flame.”

“The Commander is already on the way.”

“Your job is simple.”

“Keep the Aberration here.”

“Don’t let it escape somewhere else.”

“Understood.”

Raging Flame took a slow breath.

Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her greatsword.

The empty office building stretched endlessly before her.

A silent forest made of steel and reinforced concrete.

The moment she stepped inside…

It felt as though she’d entered an entirely different world.

Danger.

The unknown.

Along with them…

A strange excitement that sharpened every one of her senses.

Her heartbeat.

Her fingertips.

Even the hairs on her arms stood slightly on end.

“…Nervous again?”

“It’s understandable.”

“After all, very few magical girls start out fighting alone like you.”

“No teammates.”

“Just yourself.”

“And your sword.”

Lao Lin had shrunk himself to roughly the size of a soda can.

He now sat quietly on Raging Flame’s shoulder.

“But don’t worry.”

“I’m here.”

“I’ll guide you.”

“You just focus on fighting.”

“Stay calm.”

What Lao Lin didn’t know…

Was that You Xi’s nervousness wasn’t caused solely by today’s mission.

The events from that morning…

Still lingered vividly in her mind.

Making it difficult to fully concentrate.

Don’t bring your real-life emotions onto the battlefield.

At that moment…

Violet Lightning’s words echoed inside her mind.

Don’t bring your real-life emotions into battle.

Don’t bring your real-life emotions into battle.

Don’t bring your real-life emotions into battle…

She repeated the sentence silently.

Again.

And again.

Slowly…

She exhaled.

The hesitation in her eyes gradually disappeared.

Seeing her heartbeat stabilize…

Lao Lin finally nodded with satisfaction.

“It’s on the third floor.”

“How do you know?”

“Basic magical perception.”

“Low-level Aberrations either can’t, or simply don’t know how to conceal their magical signatures.”

“To me…”

“They’re practically glowing.”

“Oh…”

“I think I get it.”

Although judging from her expression…

She clearly only half understood.

“…Can I learn that too?”

“You will.”

“But not now.”

“We don’t have time.”

Together…

The girl and the cat climbed the stairs.

Soon…

They reached the third floor.

“There…”

At the far end of the corridor…

Beyond the corner near the escalator…

Raging Flame finally saw it.

A creature…

Half human.

Half monster.

Its overall shape resembled a human.

Yet both of its arms had become long, sickle-like bone blades.

Its head curved into a crescent shape…

Looking less like a living creature…

And more like some grotesque alien lifeform.

C-Rank Aberration—

Shadow Hunter.

Its blade-like limbs were sharp enough to slice through human bones as effortlessly as cutting tofu.

The instant You Xi noticed it…

The Shadow Hunter noticed her as well.

Its crescent-shaped head slowly tilted.

Its insect-like mandibles rubbed together.

Shhk… Shhk… Shhk…

The dry scraping sound echoed eerily through the empty office floor.

Tiny, beady eyes rolled inside their sockets.

It carefully observed Raging Flame.

Calculating.

Searching…

For the perfect angle to kill its prey.

“The dangerous thing about this Aberration is—”

Lao Lin had barely begun explaining…

When the Shadow Hunter suddenly moved.

No…

It vanished.

Its tall, eerie body seemed to dissolve directly into thin air.

The entire process took less than a second.

Raging Flame hadn’t even realized what had happened.

“Upper left!”

“Raise your sword!”

Lao Lin’s urgent shout exploded beside her ear.