Late at night, after finishing her daily live stream, Su Tianqing sat at her desk, flipping through the secret codex, her fox eyes fixed on the task page, feeling quite a headache about the current situation.
Task Refresh
Critical Event: Magic Girl Rejuvenation Plan
Reward: secret codex Shop Hidden Page Unlocked
The task description was very simple, so simple that it only had one line:
Prevent the Magic Girls from falling into a depressed state
“This is bad… this situation…” Villain Fox Fox muttered to herself.
She was a villain; Su Tianqing’s self-positioning was always clear.
Being the leader of an evil organization in a hero-centric story was a job that severely tested one's psychological endurance.
Not only did she have to pick on the protagonists, but she also had to watch them unleash their full power, and she would often be half-dead with anger from her arrogant subordinates.
Although she wasn't the leader of an evil organization, nor did she have arrogant subordinates, and currently hadn't seen any protagonists unleash their full power, she still felt very tired.
“Being a villain is so hard.”
Fox Fox sighed with emotion.
Ben Hu is the one who's most tired, okay!
Evil organizations only need to destroy the world, but a villain Magic Girl has much more to consider.
She couldn't let the heroes lose too badly, nor could she lose too disgracefully herself, and she still had to consider her companions’ feelings…
“Fortunately, Catcat Rabbitrabbit are quite obedient,” Su Tianqing whispered.
Not long ago, in today’s troublemaking task, her two villain companions performed a perfect solo defense task—
Hellcat solo-defended Hyacinth, and Cheshire Rabbit solo-cut Iris.
The effect was excellent, almost too excellent.
It even made the secret codex anxious enough to issue a critical task, using a hidden reward to urge her to appease the Magic Girls.
But in the end, wasn't it just because the three of them were too weak! Su Tianqing thought with certainty.
A Hellcat brimming with magic, combined with herself, was already enough to put Hyacinth and the others in a tough fight, not to mention now there was also a Cheshire Rabbit.
“This can’t go on,” Golden Fox thought, crossing her arms over her chest.
Today's troublemaking exposed the extremely unbalanced combat power situation.
But fortunately, she had already issued a declaration of war, inviting Hyacinth and the other two to battle every day, which was also, to some extent, to prevent them from becoming depressed again like before.
She couldn't just summon Monsters and slack off like before! Ben Hu, the villain, must get herself together!
Starting tomorrow, she would personally train the Magic Girls!
After making up her mind, Su Tianqing looked at the next task.
In addition to the critical event, the secret codex had also prepared a whole new task chain:
Task Chain: 1. Understanding the Magic Girls' Combat Power
Assess the Magic Girls’ combat power level and adjust strategies in a timely manner
Reward: 1000 divine code stone, obtained
See, isn't this task in line with Ben Hu’s actions today?
Did it predict that Ben Hu would encounter this predicament today?
Su Tianqing didn't pay too much attention to these things, shifting her focus to the second task in the chain:
Task Chain: 2. Magic Girl Special Training
The Magic Girls’ combat power urgently needs to be improved, otherwise villain activities cannot continue
Enable one Magic Girl to gain a new form, 0 / 1
Reward: 1000 divine code stone, unlock secret codex Shop Page Four
Hmm…
Seeing the words “new form,” Su Tianqing immediately closed the secret codex, turned off her desk lamp, and burrowed into her quilt.
She didn't care anymore! Ben Hu was exhausted today, she would think about these things tomorrow!
Good night, world!
…
Meanwhile, at Huatianli Community.
Nan Xiaofeng walked back to her bedroom from the bathroom, looking at the girl leaning against the headboard, staring blankly at her phone screen.
Hua Ling, her classmate and fellow Magic Girl.
She was injured today, and although Nightingale had healed her with healing magic, Nan Xiaofeng was a bit worried about letting her go home alone, so she had Hua Ling stay at her place.
Just like when they first met.
“Get some rest early, Hua Ling.”
“I… I’ll watch one more section, then I’ll sleep.”
Hua Ling replied blankly, her gaze still fixed on her phone screen.
She was like a student who had flunked an exam and stayed up until midnight studying.
“There’s no need to be so serious, we have special training tomorrow, don’t we? And you’re injured.”
Nan Xiaofeng said helplessly.
She knew what Hua Ling was watching—a Magic Girl special training plan that Bai Ling had copied for her earlier, produced by the Star Realm Library.
Seeing that Hua Ling still intended to finish the video, Nan Xiaofeng sighed helplessly, rolled over, and lay down on the bed.
Then she glanced at the training video on Hua Ling’s screen and said softly:
“It’s not your fault today, Hua Ling. That Cheshire Rabbit’s invisibility magic was very advanced and really countered you.”
“I know, but I also have a big problem.”
Hua Ling nodded gently.
“I didn’t immediately distance myself from Cheshire Rabbit. Instead, I thought that with Nightingale helping, my magic shield should be able to withstand her attacks.”
“I just didn’t expect…”
Hua Ling felt that she would dream of being smashed in the face by a pink Rabbit’s big hammer tonight.
After a pause, Nan Xiaofeng glanced at the video content on Hua Ling’s screen again.
A wheat-skinned Magic Girl was demonstrating how to efficiently cast a magic cannon, while also showing the technique of adding a magic shield simultaneously with the magic cannon cast.
“…Speaking of which,”
After staring at the screen for a while, Nan Xiaofeng spoke up, saying,
“How is Mu Yao? Is she alright?”
“Mu Yao…”
The two looked at each other and fell silent.
In today’s battle with Xin Yuehu and her two companions, Lin Muyao—or rather, Nightingale—fully demonstrated her excellent support and spellcasting abilities.
If it weren't for Mu Yao, Nan Xiaofeng and Hua Ling felt that the two of them would have been half-beaten to death by Catcat Rabbitrabbit today.
“Although Mu Yao is new, she seems quite talented,” Nan Xiaofeng nodded and said.
Hua Ling bit her lip lightly, her face devoid of much expression, but she still felt a bit unwilling in her heart.
Although she hadn't been a Magic Girl much longer than Lin Muyao, compared to Mu Yao's growth rate, she always felt like she was being left behind.
“Forget it, don’t worry about it so much. Let’s just listen to Bai Ling’s advice during our special training tomorrow!”
“I’m going to sleep. Hua Ling, you should also rest early.”
Having said that, Nan Xiaofeng burrowed into her quilt, rolled over, and buried her head to sleep.
Hua Ling looked at the back of the girl’s head beside her, then glanced at the video that had already jumped to the next section, and sighed silently.
She wasn't watching the training plan Bai Ling had gotten from the Star Realm; instead, she was watching a teaching course produced by the Rong City Hero Association.
It was compiled and filmed by the still-serving Magic Girl, Mai Sui, specifically to help new firepower-type Magic Girls like Hua Ling.
The course was divided into two sections: the first discussed techniques for casting defensive and mobility magic, and the second focused on firepower enhancement.
Looking at the colorful and diverse firepower magic demonstrated by the wheat-skinned Magic Girl on the screen, Hua Ling deeply felt her own immaturity as a Magic Girl.
To become a Magic Girl who could stand on her own, to continue protecting Tianqing Jie and the others, she still had to continue training.
“Then I’ll sleep too. Good night.”
“Mm, good night.”
Nan Xiaofeng’s muffled voice came from under the covers. Hua Ling turned off her phone screen and burrowed into her quilt.
But just as the girl was about to fall asleep, a faint scent of gardenias suddenly wafted from her pillow.
Hua Ling’s eyes snapped open, and she looked at the golden-striped sock on the edge of the bed.
Ah… what was that…?
Hua Ling looked back at the back of Nan Xiaofeng’s head, as if she had made up her mind, and reached out to pinch the sock.
The fabric was delicate, retaining the scent of gardenias and Star Realm Magic.
“…”
Tonight, the sound of the waves at Rong City Water Pavilion Port was exceptionally clear.