Chapter 295

Chapter 295: Enemies and Allies, Lonely Death, the Song in Memory

In mid-air,

Chen Yining stood there lost, her thorny flame spear turning into whirling petals, fading into sparks that scattered in the sunlight.

Under the bright blue sky, the sun still shone cheerfully. The ruins of buildings on the street were silent, only the gray sea of fire rustled in the wind, like discarded scraps flying, slowly dimming and extinguishing.

Lin Baor was dead.

Liang Xiaoxiao bravely fought against the disaster beast, paying the price of becoming a devil in the process.

Chen Yining’s mind went blank, unable to accept this cruel reality. Just yesterday, they had stepped onto the stage of Sakura Idol’s long-awaited dojo, creating a dazzling show in front of thousands of cheering fans, laughing and singing together.

Such a future was worth looking forward to.

Even though her thoughts were often on Little Shuzhu, she truly cared about the team she had put together herself.

Ruan Wutong was too straightforward, showing all her feelings on her face, but she meant no harm and was very sincere to others.

Liang Xiaoxiao came from a unique family background and was tied down by a corrupt company, yet she did not wallow in self-pity. She climbed from Grade D to her current strength, putting in countless hours of hard work.

Lin Baor came from an average family and was a pretty girl who would be considered the pure school beauty. She had a gentle temperament and was well-behaved, the kind of child parents would praise as a good example.

Chen Yining still remembered the sights from their recent travels. They visited the famous Skytree and admired the renowned Meiji Shrine. After training, the idols would often go out together to enjoy the local cuisine.

They took travel photos, recorded vlogs, had little arguments, trained and ate together, had pillow fights, whispered secrets at night, and went to a firework festival where they wore yukatas, capturing joyful moments in the brightly lit city.

Chen Yining began to enjoy the atmosphere of being in the team. She even started wanting to truly take on the responsibilities of a leader, correcting some of her teammates’ tempers so they could go further together.

Ruan Wutong was a bit silly and innocent. She spoke without much social awareness. Although she was not easily tricked, if she became famous, she might fall into traps and suffer misfortunes.

Lin Baor’s temper was too gentle, and she lacked strong opinions, making her easy to lead. She needed to be taught to stand strong and make her own decisions.

Liang Xiaoxiao always smiled in front of the camera, and her smile had a simple and lovely charm. However, in private, she felt too oppressed and heavy, and if it continued like this, she would eventually break down.

So, she secretly used her savings and connections with the Yunlan Group to learn about the other party’s past and present. She had already sent someone to negotiate the transfer, trying to bring Liang Xiaoxiao over.

Chen Yining was naive and romantic, neither greedy nor stingy. She was like a rose carefully nurtured in a greenhouse and cherished the chance that she had built with her own hands.

The girl hoped everyone would slowly become better and stronger, and then compete with that powerful team from the country, winning victory and debuting successfully with her current team.

But the scene before her already revealed the ending.

"Baor, and Xiaoxiao, is there really no hope for them?"

Chen Yining did not dare to look at Liang Xiaoxiao’s gradually twisted and distorted body, nor could she bear to see the person in the other’s hands, a figure in a white dress stained with blood, as light and empty as a dandelion.

The girl’s eyes were filled with sad and unwilling tears. She sniffed, held back her expression, pressed her lips together, and forced herself to continue looking at the tragic scene, as if she wanted to carve it into her heart. She could not help but ask:

"Didn’t you say that the power of a magical girl comes from her heart, and that anything can be done if you just wish for it?"

Esther said softly:

"Accept the truth; even magic cannot do everything."

"The medical team was already on their way when you set off."

"But it’s too late; Lin Baor’s calf was crushed by a bite, causing severe bleeding until her heart stopped. Ninety percent of her skin was corroded by acid, and the only reason her body still had life was because of the disaster aura infection, which tried to twist her flesh."

"In this case, even if you learned advanced healing magic at the last minute, you wouldn’t be able to save her."

After the super AI spoke, she glanced at Liang Xiaoxiao’s increasingly uncontrollable form, feeling confused. Through satellites and nearby monitoring devices, she almost saw the entire process of the other going berserk.

That is a result that even the database could not calculate.

It was unexpected that Liang Xiaoxiao could turn the light of the lighthouse into magic, let alone use it to control the disaster aura, achieving balance and perfectly mastering the terrifying power of the disaster beast.

A single ray of Chu Yuanqing’s light has such great power; could her murderous intent toward Disaster be deeply ingrained?

This is simply…

Just like pure white.

Esther silenced her thoughts and coldly said:

"Your other teammate is more like a Disaster Shell than the Disaster Shell itself, and even crazier than the followers who have transplanted disaster beast organs; the fact that she can stay rational is a commendable awareness."

"Chen Yining, if you do not want Lin Baor’s body to be torn apart soon, you should prepare in advance to reclaim her and execute Liang Xiaoxiao."

Chen Yining’s eyes were red; she could not accept such a cruel pronouncement and fiercely replied:

"What are you joking about? Did I not choose to become a magical girl to prevent this kind of tragedy? If I attack Xiaoxiao here, what reason will I have to fight?"

Esther spoke calmly, answering:

"I understand how you feel, but if you let Liang Xiaoxiao continue to go out of control and crush Lin Baor’s remains, aren’t you trampling on her awakening?"

"Chen Yining, while your friend has not fully turned into a monster, try to intervene and give her the last respect as a human. That is your duty as the leader."

The Original Witch’s whispers were rational and cold, carrying the numbness of too many tragedies. Her humanity was so thin it was almost gone, allowing her to only speak this correct answer.

Chen Yining could not agree, yet could not argue. She had just stepped into the world of magical girls and was facing many harsh choices that even older heroes had not encountered.

And as this leader wavered, filled with sorrow and confusion,

Liang Xiaoxiao’s form had already distorted severely; she had transformed into a towering creature, a terrifying monster that blended the features of dragons and insects, with grayish white scales shifting.

The gray sea of fire, mixing with the white light and disaster aura, burned again and began to deepen in color, turning into a very ominous black mist, signaling the gradual downfall of the other side.

The fading light of the savior is slowly dimming. It was always an ethereal source without roots. If it weren’t for a container like the "Cocoon of the Heart" that had nurtured it for so long, it wouldn’t have such a magical effect at all.

On the other hand, the host’s will, awareness, fighting spirit, and killing intent are like kindling, causing it to burn fiercely and act as the source to fight against the disaster aura.

When her awareness grows faint, her fighting spirit wanes, and the white light lacks fuel, it naturally cannot continue, creating a terrible cycle.

Esther said softly:

"Haven’t you made up your mind yet? It will be too late."

Chen Yining looked down in silence, her palms shimmering with magic; a rose-red color extended and intertwined to form a flame spear made of thorns.

The colors in the girl’s eyes were vibrant. The magic of the "Cocoon of the Heart" surged and flowed, and as her emotions continued to rise, she spoke seriously with determination:

"I have made up my mind. I want to save her."

The super AI showed no interest in such childish talk. It commented:

"Her stubbornness is meaningless; she has changed so much that most of her soul and body will surely be consumed by the disaster aura, just like late-stage cancer. It’s a miracle she can still think clearly; eventually, she will turn into a monster."

"Moreover, she might suddenly grow to a Grade D or even Grade C danger level, and then more people around will be affected."

Chen Yining angrily interrupted:

"Isn’t that your duty? I’m just a newly transformed magical girl; I can’t handle all these complicated matters."

"All I know is that if I don’t even try and give up on saving Xiaoxiao, I will definitely regret it for the rest of my life."

The girl took a deep breath and looked directly at the frightening figure not far away, stubbornly saying:

"So, whether you call me selfish or foolish, if I don’t try, I will never feel at ease."

Esther was speechless but used to it.

So-called magical girls are just a bunch of individuals who do whatever they want.

It could be said that those who cannot make a firm decision and face themselves cannot become magical girls in the first place.

From this perspective, Chen Yining’s determination and courage deserve praise.

But the harsh truth is that the objective facts will not change because of this.

On the street, a fallen vending machine was corroded and swallowed by ominous fog.

Liang Xiaoxiao, like a moment of clarity, regained her original senses just as the white light was about to fade away. The pitch-black whites of her eyes were terrifying, and her spiral-patterned gray-white pupils were filled with an unearthly feeling.

The girl looked with those eyes at a person lying on gray scales, surrounded by sharp claws and bone spines, someone who could not speak like a flower’s stamen. She used a chain made of scales to pull a broken sandal from the ground and placed it next to the severed limb, as if piecing together a broken puzzle.

But the two severed limbs and the other sandal could no longer be found.

Liang Xiaoxiao’s heart suddenly twisted in pain, and the agony within her soul was drowned in intense sorrow, washing away much of her numbness. Tears streamed down her inhuman eyes, dripping onto the dried bloodstains.

Bright red and blinding.

The joyful laughter was like pear blossoms reflected in spring water, gentle yet illusory, as if separated by a layer of glass; touching them would cut the skin, leaving a flow of bright red and a sharp pain.

"I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have let you go out, Baor."

Liang Xiaoxiao’s control over her body was fading more and more, and her awareness thinned like a lack of oxygen. She felt the warm light gradually pull away; soon, this bloody armor would completely engulf her, giving birth to a new monster.

Liang Xiaoxiao coughed violently; numerous changes began to eat away at her body, like pieces of withered plants, and blood overflowed from her lips, spilling onto her sandals.

The girl wearily closed her eyes, curled her lips into a smile, and dreamily spoke her last words:

"Teppanyaki, let’s go eat there together next time."

The world darkened, her heavy body began to feel light, the disaster aura that was devouring her soul grew gentler, and her past memories and experiences faded away, making all the sad things seem more distant.

Dreams, the future, friendship, and the love she longed for.

These unattainable things no longer mattered in the end.

Death, like a hazy light, drowned her, peeling away the young pains, the loneliness of the past, the fine despair, and the tears that had flowed… returning them to the void of emptiness.

And before everything turned into nothingness,

In the corner of memories, someone played the piano and sang in the light:

"Edelweiss, edelweiss."

"Every morning you greet me."

"Small and white."

"Clean and bright."

"You look happy to meet me."

The voice that once gave her salvation, at the moment Death reached for her arm, crossed the years, gently held her hand, illuminated the endless abyss, and kindled the light that was about to go out.

Splash, splash.

The sound of flames spreading, like the tide filling the shore, swallowed the chaotic disaster aura and began to weave the shape of a cocoon, almost creating the pure white "Cocoon of the Heart."

In an instant, in the real world, the twisted flesh wrapping around the body sensed that its host was being robbed, and instinctively urged them to reconstruct into a thick gray-white disaster aura, flowing back deep into the soul to join the weaving process of the cocoon and seize control.

This development showed on the outside as a monster the size of a building quickly crumbled, peeling away layer by layer, gradually revealing a slender and graceful form.

The girl’s skin-tight scales faded like mist, leaving her almost completely naked standing there, her darkened whites of the eyes returning to normal, and her spiral-shaped pupils reversing back to their usual state.

Only near the tailbone, the engraved disaster aura patterns told the story of the previous transformation.

Lin Baor fell during the process but was caught by a pure white light; she floated in mid-air, as if blessed by a miracle, receiving gentle protection.

Liang Xiaoxiao looked at the chaotic yet wonderful "Cocoon of the Heart," instinctively aware of many things, but before she could experience the taste of rebirth, she noticed Lin Baor being lifted by the white light.

The girl suddenly realized something; she clumsily controlled the white light and gently embraced Lin Baor, feeling both panic and joy as she thought about using this light to heal her injuries.

Amazingly, the person whose skin was rotting, whose limbs were broken, and whose blood was almost gone was slowly healing in the light.

Liang Xiaoxiao, in a daze, heard the faint beating of a heart. She quickly tried to absorb the disaster aura from the person’s body and even their soul.

Although she did not know what these things were, since they were related to such a monster, they certainly were not friendly.

Liang Xiaoxiao understood this well, so she carefully used the struggle for balance in her body to gently pull the disaster aura away from Lin Baor.

Normally, this would be difficult for the Countermeasures Bureau to achieve.

But under the condition that the enemy and ally were the same, this step became the easiest to accomplish.

Chen Yining looked at this scene in surprise. She didn’t know why a miracle was happening, only that there was a chance to save her teammate. Ignoring Esther, she quickly flew over to help.

Esther looked up at the Miracle Wall hidden in the dome, like a mirage, and her heart surged with emotion as she stabilized from this chaotic state.

Is this… a gift from you?

The super AI guessed a lot and quickly stopped her thoughts, moving the data body next to the two of them. She did not ask any questions or say any nonsense, but directly taught Chen Yining the basic healing spell to help save lives.

Liang Xiaoxiao had no time to think about when the captain became a magical girl; she just kept her pure and passionate spirit, making a sincere wish in her heart.

Although she did not know why, the light coming from Chu Yuanqing seemed to grow stronger after doing this. The reason she was able to revive earlier was because she remembered the song "Edelweiss" sung by the other person, which gave her a shining gift.

Soon, the scars and marks of decay on Lin Baor’s surface began to fade away as if time were flowing backward, but the large amount of blood lost inside and the part of her lower leg that was bitten off were hard to fix.

Esther stated objectively:

"If this continues, she will still die."

"And if she wakes up any slower, due to the disaster aura infection, she might become a vegetable."

After saying this, the super AI quickly provided a solution:

"Liang Xiaoxiao, your blood type is exactly the same as Lin Baor’s. Your healing ability should be strong now. If you want her to live, you need to give her a blood transfusion right away."

"As for the severed limb, you can use your own flesh and bones to reshape it, and attach it back to her now."

Chen Yining was confused by this simple and rough suggestion, but without a better solution, she could only swallow her doubts and wait for Liang Xiaoxiao’s decision.

Liang Xiaoxiao hesitated a bit. It wasn’t that she couldn’t decide to give blood; it was that after several distortions and disasters, her own blood and flesh could no longer be considered normal. How could she give that to Baor?

Esther seemed to see through this, and she spoke frankly:

"Do you think that once the disaster aura is completely drained, Lin Baor can return to normal?"

"For humans, the disaster aura is an unremovable disease. If it’s a milder case, it might just mean weakness, but in severe cases, it leads to paralysis. In her situation, even if we save her now, she will still face organ failure and death."

"That’s why we need your blood, your bones, your flesh."

"As long as part of her body belongs to you, with your special condition now, there will be a way to keep her healthy."

The more Chen Yining listened, the more it felt wrong. Why did this relationship seem even closer than marriage?

Liang Xiaoxiao did not think much. After her worries disappeared, she no longer hesitated. With a thought, her arm was covered in gray and white scales, and sharp blades curved to separate the artery in her wrist, letting a lot of bright red blood fall.

Chen Yining hurriedly used her magic to catch it. She pushed aside her chaotic thoughts and nervously began to use magic to give blood.

Liang Xiaoxiao followed along and started to roughly recreate Lin Baor’s original leg shape and arch under Esther’s guidance. After that, she made a sincere wish and left everything to the white light for refinement.

Meanwhile, the medical team arrived one after another to assist with the surgery. With the help of magical tools from the Countermeasures Bureau, they completed this miraculous emergency treatment after an hour.

Under the sunlight.

Lin Baor lay on a stretcher. She opened her eyes in confusion and did not see the blue sky above, but her friend beside her with hair tinged with gray and white.

How strange, it feels like I have slept for a very long time.

The girl’s memory should have been blurry, but the blood inside her seemed to connect to something, replaying the events of the tram attack in her dreams, even experiencing the emotions and sensations from the other person’s perspective.

So… did Xiaoxiao have such a hard time?

Moreover, she has already been regarded as an important friend by the other person.

Lin Baor chewed on this fact and felt a mix of shyness and happiness; even the captain turning into a magical girl and the existence of monsters in the world seemed less important.

The girl somehow understood Miss Choreographer’s deep affection for always being by the captain’s side.

True friends must have this kind of reliance on each other, right? The reason I don’t understand is that I don’t have such a close friend.

Lin Baor pondered the new lesson she had learned, patting the brand-new, soft white dress. She quietly got up, instinctively curled her foot arch and toes, and felt a sense of relief when she didn’t notice the phantom pain.

Then,

The girl reached out and touched Liang Xiaoxiao’s head. She looked at the adorable, sleepy face and replied with a smile:

"Teppanyaki, let’s go eat together."