Magical Girl Heavy Dependence

Chapter 54, Persuasion

As the subway slowly pulled into the station, Zhong Ai gripped the handrail with one hand, her body swaying slightly with inertia.

The train doors slid open with a few beeps, and the surging crowd instantly engulfed the petite young woman. Weary office workers packed the carriage like sardines, and the surroundings were filled with noisy conversations and heavy breathing.

In the crowd, only the swaying rings could be seen swinging alone from side to side, while the people standing there had disappeared.

Magical Girl Azure quietly appeared on the crowded platform.

Passersby ignored her, continuing to look down at their phones or dragging their heavy steps as they walked. Only when they got close to her did they unconsciously move their feet to the side.

The girl, wearing pure white boots, parted the crowd to create a wide and long road, just like parting the sea.

A pale blue shadow was reflected on the polished marble floor, its face indistinct, and it slowly opened its mouth.

"The target is 'Demon Soul Eater'. For the past three months, he has been using the extensive subway network in Yincheng to steal the memories of passersby in the subway through magic, and then using the information he has obtained to commit online fraud, intimidation, and extortion."

"The Magical Girl Association has increased the bounty on him three times, but due to his covert operations, they have still not been able to capture him."

The blue-haired magical girl lowered her eyes slightly and simply uttered two words: "Understood."

"Remember to capture them alive."

A shadow serves as a reminder.

Cang Qing turned his head and glanced indifferently at the figure who was speaking through his shadow. He didn't ask what the other party wanted a live demon for, but simply nodded.

She continued walking forward.

The subway was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder, a diverse mix filling almost every inch of space—sneaky, sleepy, looking around nervously, tense… Who could be the demon she was looking for? What would the other person look like? Where would they appear from?

An invisible magic emanated from her like ripples on water, allowing her to carefully discern the complex and intricate information within the subway station.

Suddenly, she drew her sword.

Without the slightest hesitation, the sword-shaped magic wand in his hand instantly transformed into a dazzling blue streak of light, passing through the narrowest gap in the crowd and pointing at a man dressed as a college student who was checking tickets at the gate dozens of meters away.

Ding--!

The streak of light pierced the man's back, but instead of the sound of flesh tearing apart, it produced a crisp sound of striking hard metal, sparks flying everywhere.

The man turned around abruptly, and without hesitation, immediately turned around and ran wildly in the opposite direction.

At the same time, more than ten clones split off from his body, changing their clothes and appearances in a very short time, transforming into more than a dozen completely different passersby, attempting to blend into the crowd.

Cang Qing did not pursue, remaining firmly in place. Her slender fingers gripped the hilt of her wand tightly, and she took a shallow breath.

"A fleeting glimpse of beauty..."

The blue streak of light suspended in mid-air suddenly accelerated, instantly weaving a continuous band of light in the air before disappearing in a flash.

The passersby, who had been under a spell of suggestion, didn't even have time to notice the change in the brightness of the light before it was all over.

thump.

The demon, who had been running away frantically, fell heavily to the ground and slid a long way.

Cang Qing could have killed him with a single blow, but because of his employer's request, he missed the vital point, leaving the opponent with the strength to struggle and writhe.

"call……"

She slowly sheathed her sword, hung her sword-shaped wand at her side, and walked through the crowd toward the other person's location.

"Slap, slap, slap."

Amidst the noise of the subway station, applause suddenly erupted, causing Cang Qing's nerves to tense instantly, and he turned around to draw his sword. But upon recognizing the person who had approached, he immediately relaxed.

She rolled her eyes and ignored the person.

"Did I scare you?"

Cheng Chen, with one hand in his pocket, followed closely behind her. "Was that a self-created spell? It was based on the 'Wandering Star' lineage of magic that comes with the wand, and it incorporated a kind of perception misalignment similar to suggestion magic. Just now, he was running in all directions, and because the attacks also came from all directions, your sword was actually waiting for him on the path he was bound to take when he was running away."

Cang Qing didn't reply. She went to the fallen demon and used her magic to condense a rope at her fingertips, preparing to tie him up.

However, the instant the tip of the rope touched the demon's body, the severely wounded and dying demon on the ground, along with the pool of glaring blood, vanished without a trace.

"Unfortunately, that demon is also proficient in this type of magic. From the beginning, his reaction was deception, and his true form most likely remained where he was." Cheng Chen quietly watched this scene. "By the time you let your guard down, he will probably have already blended into the crowd and escaped."

Cang Qing was somewhat discouraged, but he immediately cheered up, turned around, and strode over to him.

After the girl transformed, she was only half a head shorter than Cheng Chen, and could meet his gaze with just a slight tilt of her head.

"When did you arrive, brother?"

"It probably started when you were talking to that person in the shadows."

Cheng Chen raised his hand, gesturing for her to follow.

Cang Qing hesitated for a moment, but still obediently followed behind.

The two took the escalator out of the station, leaving the somewhat stuffy subway station and arriving at a bustling intersection.

The demon Soul Eater, who had just escaped, was cowering under a telephone pole, clutching his head and trembling all over. He didn't react at all when the two approached, only muttering things like "Don't kill me" and "I was wrong" as he begged for mercy.

Meow~

With a sweet meow, a fluffy white shadow darted into the green belt and disappeared with a rustling sound.

Cheng Chen slightly turned half his body to make way for her.

Just as Cang Qing took a step toward his prey, a jarring cell phone ringtone rang out at that inconvenient moment.

The girl froze abruptly, skillfully pulling out her phone from inside the layers of her skirt. She glanced at the caller ID on the screen, her expression changing slightly.

The blue magical light faded from her body, and she transformed back into the girl in the school uniform and black-rimmed glasses.

"Hello, Dad."

"Where are you?" Zhong Wenge asked in a low voice over the phone. "Teacher Zhang just called to tell me that you haven't arrived at the theater troupe yet."

"Traffic jam..."

"Traffic jam?" Zhong Wenge interrupted her coldly, "Last time you got home after curfew, you used the same excuse."

Zhong Ai was silent for a moment, then apologized: "I'm sorry."

"Get to the theater troupe within half an hour. Teacher Zhang will help me supervise you. You must be home before 7 p.m. I'll be waiting for you there. Don't be late," Zhong Wenge commanded in an unquestionable tone.

In stark contrast to his previous warm and welcoming attitude towards his prized student Cheng Chen, Zhong Wenge was now cold and ruthless, as if he were a completely different person.

Cheng Chen moved closer and took the phone from her palm.

Wake up the screen, switch from voice to video, and two seconds later, his calm and smiling face appears confidently in the front camera.

Zhong Wenge on the other side of the screen was stunned for a moment, then his eyes widened.

"Xiao Deng? What's wrong...?"

"Your daughter is with me now."

Cheng Chen interrupted Lao Deng with a smile, and moved the camera to frame Zhong Ai, who was standing aside with a bewildered expression, into the frame along with himself.

Zhong Ai could only follow his movements and awkwardly wave at the camera.

"How could you...?"

"I'd like to trouble you, Lao Deng, to ask for leave for her at the theater troupe. Also, you'll be alone tonight. I'll take her home safely later."

Cheng Chen said this as if it were the most natural thing in the world, almost as if he was about to order Lao Deng to cook two more dishes for him.

Zhong Wenge remained silent, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Cheng Chen underwent an extremely complex change in an instant, as if this person had suddenly transformed from his proud and accomplished student into a blond-haired man riding a ghost fire.

In the end, all the words could be summed up in one sentence: "Then... please be careful."

Cheng Chen hung up.

She waved the phone in her hand, handed it back to the stunned girl in front of her, and raised an eyebrow with a smile: "All done."

"…Thanks."

Zhong Ai twisted her hands together.

"I won't force you to cooperate with me, nor do I want to interfere too much in your affairs," Cheng Chen said calmly, his smile fading. "However, the biggest obstacle you face right now isn't the demons, the monsters, or any other enemies, but your father, right?"

"He has always been very strict with you. Even though you are an adult, there are curfews. He forces you to study, forces you to participate in competitions, interferes with your work, and you have to report your whereabouts to him regularly, whether you are going out with friends or doing private business. He also interferes with your interpersonal relationships... And if you resist even the slightest bit, he will get angry and furious."

Zhong Ai pursed her lips and remained silent.

"No matter how much you love the identity of 'Magical Girl Azure,' as long as your father doesn't let go, you'll always be stuck in the same situation as before." Cheng Chen held up a finger and shook it. "But I can help you."

"As long as you say you're with me, he won't nag you a single more word. You can do whatever you want, whether it's flying around Yincheng all day as a vigilante or taking on bounties to hunt down demonic beasts, it's all up to you. In exchange, you only need to spare a little time each week to participate in business activities arranged by the company."

Cheng Chen shoved the phone into her hand.

"It's just a mutually beneficial collaboration. Think it over carefully."

……