Chapter 19: Witch sister, your eyes are so alluring!

Lin Qingya rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was hallucinating.

That inexplicable sense of closeness tugged at her heart like invisible threads.

Gazing at the purple-black figure toying with her teammates, her heart stirred with an unfamiliar, forbidden flutter.

The feeling grew stronger, leaving her disoriented, momentarily forgetting her mission to defeat the witch.

No, no, no!

Lin Qingya slapped her cheeks hard, trying to snap herself out of it.

What was she thinking?!

She was a devoted girl, her heart wholly belonging to Little Sister Bai—forever loyal to her alone!

How could she feel close to a witch, an enemy she was meeting for the first time?!

It must be an illusion!

Yes, it had to be this evil witch’s special ability, something that could manipulate minds!

How despicable!

With this reasoning, Lin Qingya justified her momentary lapse.

She refocused on the battlefield.

Weire, Linglan, and Xinlu were running out of magic, visibly exhausted.

Their attacks slowed, their power waning, sweat dripping from their foreheads as they panted heavily.

In contrast, the witch remained unruffled, not a hair out of place.

Boom!

Weire unleashed one final “Love Bomb,” a pink energy blast slicing through the night sky, only to be effortlessly blocked by the witch’s thin purple barrier, not even causing a ripple.

“Huff… huff… damn it…”

Weire’s wand drooped as she half-knelt in the air, completely spent.

Linglan and Xinlu weren’t faring much better, their attacks halted, barely maintaining flight as they warily faced the witch.

The scene had reached a stalemate.

The purple-black witch, arms crossed, looked down at the three exhausted magical girls, a mocking smile on her lips.

“That’s it?”

Her cold scoff dripped with unmasked disappointment.

Just two words, low on harm but high on insult.

In her mind: How are these weaklings my Qingya’s teammates? They’re dragging down her level.

The taunt nearly made Weire spit blood in fury. She gritted her teeth, wanting to retort, but lacked the strength to even stand.

No more waiting!

Watching from the shadows, Lin Qingya knew she had to act.

No matter what, they were her teammates, now in mortal danger. She couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

Moreover, Bai Wanting’s hypnotic command to “protect herself” urged her to end this quickly.

The best approach? Knock out the witch, finish the fight, and get home fast!

Lin Qingya took a deep breath, pushing her Phase Shift stealth to its limit, erasing her presence and form completely.

Like a silent specter, she floated up, stealthily approaching the witch from behind.

Bai Wanting, engrossed in toying with the struggling magical girls, was oblivious that her beloved darling was about to strike from behind.

The distance closed rapidly.

Thirty meters, twenty, ten…

Now!

Lin Qingya materialized behind the witch, her white magical girl dress arcing gracefully in the night breeze.

Channeling all her strength into her right fist, a radiant white magical glow pulsed at its core. She aimed for the witch’s head with her strongest blow!

But the instant she appeared, Bai Wanting sensed that soul-deep, familiar presence.

Qingya?!

Why is she here?!

Shock and delight flooded Bai Wanting’s heart. She spun around at lightning speed.

Just as Lin Qingya’s rock-shattering fist was about to connect with her face—

Their eyes met for the first time, up close.

Time seemed to freeze.

When Lin Qingya’s gaze locked onto those violet eyes, her heart skipped a beat.

Those eyes… they could steal souls.

Deep, otherworldly, their violet depths held a mysterious starry sky, exuding a charm tailored just for her.

So familiar…

These eyes…

Why… why did they feel so much like Little Sister Bai’s when she looked at her…

That inexplicable flutter in her heart swelled infinitely.

All her strength, her resolve, her killing intent—it all drained away in that fleeting glance.

Her unstoppable fist softened, landing on the witch’s chest with a gentle tap.

Thump.

More like a playful nudge than an attack.

Little fist pummeling your chest! Hmph!

“Huh?”

“What the?!”

From afar, the exhausted Weire, Linglan, and Xinlu gaped in shock.

From their view, Baixue had descended like a divine warrior, landing a perfect sneak attack and striking the invincible witch!

Baixue… so strong!

She was the first to land a real hit on this monster!

“Be… be careful, Little Baixue!”

Weire, snapping back first, mustered a sliver of strength to shout a warning.

Without thinking, she transformed into a streak of pink light, rushing to protect her brave cat-eared teammate.

The shout pulled Lin Qingya partway out of those mesmerizing violet eyes.

She yanked her hand back like she’d been shocked, floating back to a safe distance.

Nervously, she looked at the witch, but the witch didn’t attack—just gazed at her.

That impossibly beautiful face wore a smile.

A gentle, indulgent, slightly helpless smile.

What… what was this…

Such a strong sense of déjà vu…

As Lin Qingya sank back into confusion, a pink figure darted in front of her.

It was Weire.

Arms spread like a protective mother hen, she shielded Lin Qingya, blocking the witch’s meaningful gaze.

This ignited Bai Wanting’s fury.

You wretched pest!

Who do you think you are, standing between me and my Qingya?

You lot were useless in a fight, but now you’re all eager to play third wheel?

Daring to interrupt my moment with my Qingya?

You’re asking for death!

The smile vanished from Bai Wanting’s face, replaced by icy killing intent.

She snapped her fingers lightly.

Snap.

In an instant, countless purple-black tendrils erupted from the ground, surging from the shadows of the ruins like predatory snakes, binding all the magical girls in a flash!

“Ahh!”

“What is this?!”

Weire, Linglan, and Xinlu had no time to react before the slick, unyielding tendrils wrapped them tightly, rendering them immobile.

Only Lin Qingya instinctively activated her Phase Shift as the tendrils struck!

The purple-black tendrils passed harmlessly through her translucent form, unable to bind her.

But before she could breathe a sigh of relief—

A soft, seductive voice, laced with absolute command, whispered in her ear.

“No using your powers, be good~”

Lin Qingya’s heart trembled. Her body reacted faster than her mind.

It was a soul-deep, conditioned obedience, forged through repeated hypnosis.

Without thinking, she deactivated her Phase Shift.

Her body flickered back to solid form.

Before she could process why she’d obey an “enemy” so readily—

The tendrils that had passed through her snapped back, coiling tightly!

“Mm!”

Lin Qingya let out a short yelp.

Her wrists, ankles, waist, and even neck were instantly bound by the cold, slick tendrils.

They stretched her limbs gently but firmly, pinning her in a humiliating “X” shape, suspended before Bai Wanting…