Chapter 31: Haki Spring

“It’s too sudden! Couldn’t you warn me before spraying? And such a big spray!”

Wen Yaquan awkwardly grabbed paper from the table, wiping her white coat.

“No, explain first!” Jiang Lingwei wiped her mouth, hands slamming the table, teeth gritted. “What the hell are ‘genetic factors’? I don’t get it.”

“Genetic factors are genes—internal units determining an organism’s traits—”

“Translate, damn it! What are these genetic factors?!”

“Okay, okay, calm down.” Wen Yaquan raised her hands in surrender, halting her science lecture. “I’m just speaking as a scientist. No other meaning.”

“No other meaning?” Jiang Lingwei crossed her arms. “I’m a pure magical girl with a strong will! How could I use dark magic or have… genetic factors like that?”

“Well…” Wen Yaquan scratched the table, hesitating. “We’re on the same page. I don’t mean you. Have you considered… the man’s side?”

“The man?”

Jiang Lingwei nearly blurted, I am, but caught herself.

“What?!”

Pornographic plots from old books flooded her mind, a hammer to her brain.

Her vision spun, and she slumped into the chair, mind blank.

“Little Aurora? You okay?” Wen Yaquan asked.

“I… I still…” Jiang Lingwei’s face paled. Her head tilted. “Ugh—”

“Wait, I’ve got a bag!” Wen Yaquan scrambled.

“Gross! I don’t wanna hear it!” Jiang Lingwei wiped her mouth with Wen Yaquan’s towel, covering her face, rejecting reality.

“Listen,” Wen Yaquan patted her shoulder. “I said it’s possible.”

“Wah, wah, wah! I don’t want that possibility!”

“Like my daughter as a kid. Where’s your strong will? Acting like a naughty child now?”

“I am a child! I don’t want to be a magical girl mom, fighting darkness, or glorious missions!”

“You’re giving up that much?”

After minutes, Jiang Lingwei emerged from her daze, face stern. “I’ve decided.”

“What?”

“Why not blow up one street at a time?”

“Didn’t you just lecture me days ago?” Wen Yaquan groaned. “I dismantled the explosives, moved them, and now you want to blow stuff up? Hold on, I’ll get them back.”

“No, no, I’m kidding!” Jiang Lingwei stopped her as she grabbed her phone. “You’re so intense.”

She almost forgot Wen Yaquan was a real loose cannon.

“What’s coming will come… I don’t care anymore…” Jiang Lingwei slumped back.

“Rationally, ruling out other possibilities, this is the most likely,” Wen Yaquan said, typing on her computer.

She turned the screen. “Here’s a list of magical girls in major cities, their abilities, and current research.”

Pointing, she added, “Nothing like that. Not even close.”

“Some magical girls use emotions like anger, with destructive outbursts, maybe losing control.”

“But that’s still light magic, not dark. So, I need to confirm again.”

She moved the mouse, looking up. “You sure it’s dark magic?”

“…I’m sure.”

“That quick? I thought you’d hesitate.”

“After fighting those things so long, how could I not know?” Jiang Lingwei shook her head, smiling bitterly. “It was days ago for me. The old fairy warned us about magic fluctuations—dark garbage planning a big move.”

“We just realized it might be the final battle.”

She pointed around the room, then outside. “Here, there, we ate together, dreamed of normal lives, made battle plans, prepped for the end.”

“How could I mistake it? How could I…”

Her hands clenched on the table. “If I hadn’t known she was my daughter, also fighting darkness as a magical girl, Sister Quan, I nearly attacked her.”

“…”

Wen Yaquan went quiet, then whispered, “Sorry.”

“I got caught up in research, forgot your feelings.”

“No need.” Jiang Lingwei waved it off. “That’s just you.”

“Mhm.”

Skipping more apologies, Wen Yaquan continued, “Back to it. If it’s dark magic, I’m thinking genetics. There’s barely any research on magical girls’ kids.”

“Why?”

Wen Yaquan stared, speechless.

“Did I say something dumb?”

“Sigh.” Wen Yaquan shook her head. “As expected, Little Aurora, you’re no genius.”

“Huh?!”

“Think. How long since the ‘first generation’ society knows?”

“Ten years?”

“Exactly. If they had kids right after the Dark Disaster, they’d be nine at most. Contracted magical girls start at fifteen. Where’s the data on their kids?”

“True.” Jiang Lingwei scratched her head. “So it might not be hereditary?”

“Not quite.” Wen Yaquan shook her head. “Normally, a magical girl using dark magic would explode—their contracted light magic clashes with it.”

“But your daughter? Her magic and spirit clothes shift forms, keeping combat strength.”

“Only one explanation: she had this ‘talent’ before her contract.”

She glanced at the screen. “Sadly, even this internal network has no ‘first generation’ data. We might’ve found clues.”

“This is the internal network?” Jiang Lingwei eyed the magical girl avatars, like a 2D game card pool.

As a fan of magical girl works, she was intrigued.

Then it hit her. “Wait, you’re accessing an internal network?”

“My account.” Wen Yaquan pulled a dusty badge from a drawer, its high rank baffling Jiang Lingwei. “I built this system. I quit, but hacking back in’s easy.”

She poked Jiang Lingwei’s chest, smirking. “Your rank shouldn’t dare scorn me. You call me Sister Quan here, but outside?”

Jiang Lingwei swatted her hand, deadpan. “Haki Springs.”

“Quick learner!” Wen Yaquan laughed.

Ding-ling-ling~

Lin Yu stepped into Yaoguang Coffee, petting Hei Dou.

She trudged upstairs, expecting her mom’s anime marathon.

At the third-floor door, key in hand, she froze.

Voices.

Her mom, excited: “Come on! Let’s see if you’re developing normally!”

“No way!”

“Be good! (Shock) Put this on!”

“No! Sister Quan, no spicy stuff! Sister Quan, don’t…”

Lin Yu: “????”

Her key hovered, hand frozen.