Chapter 23: The Diligence of Day and Night Is My Greatest Ace

The cripple climbed up from the ground, his eyes, previously clouded with a hint of bewilderment, gradually sharpening into a look of fierce cruelty.

There was no need to be afraid, no need to cower. He was different now.

As long as there was rage, as long as there was hatred, the seed would grant him power!

"Aaaaaah!"

The cripple roared. The seed on his forehead expanded once more, sprouting buds that crawled forward, eventually covering his brow entirely!

He charged again!

"Jiang Si!"

His roar had shifted, sounding more like the guttural growl of a beast.

He threw a violent punch!

The terrifying force of the blow was such that even Jiang Si chose not to face it head-on, opting instead to tilt slightly to the side, narrowly evading the strike.

The fist slammed into the brick wall behind him, punching a massive hole through the sturdy structure. Yet, the cripple felt no pain at all.

Pulling his fist from the wall, the cripple turned to face the figure who had haunted his nightmares countless times, feeling a surge of exhilaration. "You dodged! You dodged, didn't you? Jiang Si, are you afraid? I’ve caught up to you! This is what it means to be different!"

Jiang Si looked at the seed and felt a twinge of disappointment. "It seems I can't count on you to become a Calamity Beast."

The cripple heard the words, but with power surging through his entire body, he no longer cared.

He wanted to smash the boy before him into pieces—pulverize him!

Power poured forth as if it had no limit. When the cripple threw his next punch, the raw force of it startled even him.

With his current strength, he might even be able to overturn the whole world!

The rush of power made his thoughts drift; he imagined himself crushing those high-and-mighty Magical Girls beneath his feet as well...

The high-octane emotion set his blood boiling, right up until his opponent, neither dodging nor parrying, threw a punch of his own.

The fists collided. A terrifying shockwave erupted, sending dust billowing outward in all directions!

The sleeves on both their arms were shredded by the horrific force. Debris scattered, and the cripple was forced back several steps.

His entire right arm trembled. The fist that hadn't felt a shred of pain while punching through a wall was now spasming uncontrollably. The sharp, searing agony brutally crushed his previous state of euphoria.

That cold, terrifying sensation returned, intertwined with the throbbing pain in his right hand.

"Damn it..."

He looked up at the boy walking slowly toward him. His eyes were bloodshot, and the sprouts from the seed on his forehead had burrowed into his cheeks, covering nearly half his face in a grotesque, terrifying mask. "Go to hell!"

He launched a sharp, high roundhouse kick straight at the other's neck!

However, this time, Jiang Si neither dodged nor moved to block. He let the terrifying kick land squarely on his neck.

Remaining unmoved, Jiang Si looked at the cripple, expressionless. "And then?"

The tone of utter disdain reignited the cripple’s rage. The seed on his face grew wildly, tearing through a portion of his skin. Blood sprayed as a chunk of his face hung raw!

He pressed harder, trying to force Jiang Si’s head down, but the boy merely delivered a light kick to his left calf.

A crisp sound of bone snapping echoed in the air. The leg pressing against Jiang Si’s neck instantly retracted. The cripple stumbled, trying to retreat, but Jiang Si followed up with another kick, shattering his right leg as well.

The man collapsed to his knees before Jiang Si.

Jiang Si was slightly shorter than him, as his physical development had been less than ideal due to the intense training he had undergone since childhood.

Yet, as the cripple knelt, looking up at him, the boy seemed so tall that he couldn't even make out his face.

Monster...

Before the thought could fully form, Jiang Si grabbed him by the hair and yanked him upward. Looking at the cripple's face, shredded by the seed, he pressed his hand against the growth on the man's forehead.

"Just because you obtained a bit of external power, you thought you were different. You didn't even understand how to use that power; you relied on rage and malice, thinking you could defeat me. But you couldn't even manage to become a Calamity Beast. You are, truly, utterly useless."

He abruptly ripped the seed out by the root, tearing away half the man's facial skin in the process. The cripple let out a shrill, piercing scream, collapsing to the ground to clutch his ruined face.

Jiang Si looked at the Grief Seed, which had been drained of its magic and rendered completely useless, and crushed it between his fingers.

It disintegrated into dust, and as he opened his hand, the remnants scattered in the wind.

"A mere Grief Seed—how could it ever compare to decades of my hard work and sweat?"

To think that with such flimsy external power, fueled by pathetic, fragile rage and violence, one could surpass the strength and experience he had painstakingly accumulated day and night.

Living in a dream.

Controlled by external forces and emotions, unaware that in this world, only hard work never lies to you.

Thinking that one could defeat him through rage and borrowed power was like believing one could solve a complex calculus problem without any foundation, simply by being extremely angry.

***

Lacking any basic, correct understanding of the world.

However, a Grief Seed, cursed magic.

Was this the work of the Witch Society?

Jiang Si looked at the cripple, who had passed out from the pain. After losing the Grief Seed, not only would he lose his power, but he would also lose his memories of this period; whether he would even survive was a question in itself.

But that had nothing to do with him.

Why would the Witch Society come after him? Had they discovered he was Ziyuan?

Or were they simply targeting Koko, and trying to use him as leverage?

The Witch Society did this often—targeting the relatives of Magical Girls to threaten them.

If that were the case, it was actually advantageous for Jiang Si.

The Witch Society had been elusive for years, always difficult to track. If they were coming to him voluntarily, it was exactly what he wanted...

It wasn't just about the Miracle Seed they had stolen; their power to create Calamity Beasts and their application of Grief Seeds were things Jiang Si coveted deeply.

As someone determined to walk the Great Path, Jiang Si's goals were not limited to the "Full Bloom" of a Magical Girl.

That was the limit for Magical Girls, not his ultimate goal. After all, "Full Bloom" could not achieve the eternal proof or reverse the causality of the world.

To go further, he needed the power of the Calamity Beasts.

Only when Yin and Yang are unified can one reach the Great Path.

Outside, the sound of sirens approached. Jiang Si grabbed his schoolbag and slipped away.

He had no time to waste at the police station. His training for the day wasn't finished yet, and after a real combat encounter, it was the perfect time to continue.

He pulled his phone from his bag, intending to contact Bingtang to discuss the Witch Society.

The possibility of his identity being leaked still existed, and he had to make sure Bingtang was alerted.

***

Li Yi had been called to the office to help a teacher after school, causing her to miss the commotion at the school gate.

She had thought it would be fine to be a little late, but by the time she finished listening to the teacher's rambling and got out, the students who had been watching were gone, and Jiang Si had already left with the cripple.

Perhaps she should have ignored the teacher.

Feeling a twinge of annoyance, she asked around and discovered that the two had gone to the alleyway where delinquents usually met to fight.

She also heard the embarrassing news that Teacher Zhang Song had been slapped by a delinquent, his glasses knocked right off his face.

She felt a sense of schadenfreude, thinking he deserved it—who told him to be so fierce to the students? Once outside school, no one would cater to him.

However, when she arrived at the scene, she was shocked by the devastation: brick walls shattered everywhere, and the cripple lying unconscious on the ground, still clutching the side of his face where the skin had been ripped away.

Lingering traces of polluted magic remained in the crater on his forehead.

As the captain of the Magical Girl Combat Squad, Li Yi immediately realized that a Grief Seed must have been implanted in the man's forehead...

The method of inserting a Grief Seed into a human body to boost power was a unique ability of the Witch Society.

Before she could think further, the police arrived at the scene, and she followed them to the station as a matter of course.

Her mind was a jumble on the way there.

Was it really Jiang Si who had beaten the cripple like that?

She knew Koko's brother was formidable, his physical fitness exceptional—likely having broken human limits after being affected by magic.

But to beat a human who was utilizing a Grief Seed? That was too exaggerated, wasn't it?

There were no other traces of magic at the scene, meaning no Magical Girl or Calamity Beast had intervened. Jiang Si possessed no magic himself; he had relied solely on his own flesh and blood to defeat a monster reinforced by polluted magic...

No, the real monster was likely Jiang Si himself.

Upon arriving at the police station, she was taken to a reception room.

It was clean, with only a table and two chairs, but the window was left open, allowing her to see police officers walking back and forth outside, which kept it from feeling too stifling.

Before long, a girl in a police uniform walked in.

She wore a police cap and looked sharp and capable. She was in her early twenties with a pleasant face. The most distinctive feature was her pupils, which were a faint, golden yellow.

As soon as they met, she gave a crisp salute. "Good day, Captain."

Li Yi sighed helplessly and waved a hand. "No need for salutes out here, Yueji."

In reality, Yueji was much older than she appeared. After graduating from university, she had been transferred to the Beihai Police Station by the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau. Now, through her own hard work and a little help from the Bureau, she had climbed to the position of Deputy Chief.

After all, the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau had to deal with a massive number of Calamity Beasts, as well as the Witch Society and illegal organizations like the Qingyun Sect; the connections and resources of the local police were essential.

The Disaster Countermeasures Bureau claimed to be an official organization, but in reality, its funding and support from various departments were extremely limited.

Many things had to be handled by the Bureau itself.

The police response to Calamity Beasts and illegal organizations was always slow. Once Yueji was placed inside, many things became much easier.

Just like now—without Yueji, dealing with the police and explaining her status as a member of the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau without revealing her identity as a Magical Girl would have been a massive headache.

With Yueji there, things were simple; Li Yi only had to deal with her.

"My seniority is far behind yours."

Hearing Li Yi's grumbling, Yueji smiled gently, took off her cap, and sat down opposite her. "Captain, don't sell yourself short. Seniority is useless; what matters is ability and talent. You are the Magical Girl Hyacinth trusts the most; one day, you will surely surpass her."

"Ah, I hope so."

Thinking of the previous purple-haired Magical Girl, Li Yi felt a bit down, but she quickly gathered her spirits and asked, "How is that cripple?"

"Both legs broken. The wound on his forehead has been confirmed; it’s definitely the mark of an implanted Grief Seed. The residual polluted magic is extremely potent, and his face has been largely permeated by it. Forcibly removing the Grief Seed actually prevented the magic from spreading further. He’s managed to keep his life, but whether he survives depends on how tough he is."

Li Yi nodded. "Just as I thought. This technique has to be the work of the Witch Society."

"Exactly. I wonder what the Witch Society is suddenly planning. After being silent for so long, are they finally making a move again?" Picking up the teapot on the table, she poured two cups of hot water. Yueji’s pupils filled with disgust. "I don't know what their goal is this time, but it’s a good thing you found him early, Captain, before the danger could spread."

"No, I didn't solve it."

Li Yi hesitated, but then admitted honestly, "It was Koko's brother, Jiang Si. They had a conflict, and they met to fight. When I arrived, I found the cripple already beaten like that."

Yueji stared in disbelief, then immediately shook her head. "Impossible."

"There were no other magic traces at the scene, and there were witnesses. Only the two of them were in that alley."

Slapping the table, the police officer and Magical Girl member looked grave. "How could that be? Captain, you should know how dangerous someone polluted by magic to that extent is. They are practically half a Calamity Beast! Even a fledgling Magical Girl might struggle with that without experience."

"I know." Li Yi looked helpless. "I know it sounds incredible, but Jiang Si's physical fitness is far beyond normal because he was affected by his sister's magic. Back at the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, he could jump six meters high... Perhaps he used all his strength to defeat the cripple. He might be badly hurt; I need to go visit him later."

"Koko's brother."

Yueji quickly caught the key point. "Koko is the new Magical Girl you found, right?"

"Yes, it's her. I took her to the Bureau to register."

"Then it's not a coincidence. Maybe Koko placed some magic on him."

*Ugh, that seems unlikely, given their relationship.*

Li Yi muttered to herself, while Yueji continued, "Come to think of it, when she went to register at the Bureau, it just happened to be when the Miracle Seed was stolen, and the Witch Society released the Calamity Beast they had been hiding there."

Taking a sip of water, Yueji's expression turned somber. "It's a bit too coincidental."

"Are you suggesting Koko is involved with the Witch Society? I was right there when she transformed for the first time."

"That's not what I meant." The girl shook her head. "I mean, the Witch Society might be targeting her. They caused trouble exactly when she went to the Bureau, and it just so happens that someone controlled by the Witch Society found her brother."

Li Yi realized the implication. "They want to capture Koko?"

"As the only Magical Girl to appear in BH City who hasn't been taken by the Qingyun Sect," Yueji whispered, "the Witch Society might be even more desperate than we are. They are likely determined to have Koko. You need to be careful, Captain."

After a moment of silence, Li Yi took a deep breath.

In truth, she hadn't dared to mention that Koko seemed to know Ziyuan, the leader of the Qingyun Sect.

After the fight with Ziyuan that left her unconscious, Koko had confessed to her upon waking that it was Ziyuan who had taught her how to transform and use her magic, which was why Koko considered Ziyuan her teacher.

Koko had joined the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau hoping to become strong enough to meet Ziyuan again and become friends with her.

While the idea of a new Magical Girl wanting to be friends with the leader of the Bureau's enemy organization was unconventional, Li Yi didn't think it was necessarily a bad thing.

If they could truly establish a friendship, maybe they could dismantle the Qingyun Sect from within.

So, she had helped Koko keep this secret. As long as she kept an eye on Koko, there wouldn't be any danger.

Moreover, she always felt that someone willing to help a new Magical Girl might not be such a bad person after all.

Of course, this was something she could never tell Yueji. If Yueji knew, she would be furious.

After all, the former captain Yueji respected most, Hyacinth, had been forced into retirement almost entirely by Ziyuan...

Li Yi put down her cup and said in a low voice, "You must keep a close watch on the Witch Society's movements at the police station. If you find anything, report it immediately. We need to deal with them as soon as possible. After all, the Miracle Seed is still in their hands; we must get it back."

To Li Yi's order, Yueji replied with immediate gravity, "Understood."

"As for Koko and her brother, I'll handle that myself. You don't need to worry about it."

With that, Li Yi stood up. "Help me process the paperwork. I'm going to notify Koko so she doesn't get caught off guard and suffer at the hands of the Witch Society. Phone... never mind, I'll go to her house directly and see how Jiang Si is doing while I'm at it."