Xia Lan was naturally unaware of the conversation between Luo Xiao and Uncle Xue.
After returning along the corridor to the station entrance, Grandma was still chatting endlessly with that old close friend of hers, while Bai Jia was fiddling with her phone, playing a MOBA game Xia Lan did not recognize.
In her magical girl state, the physiological boosts from her normal form were undoubtedly an unbannable super cheat for an ordinary video game.
Far surpassing normal human reactions, hand speed, and judgment, Bai Jia dominated the game, while muttering to her teammates.
“I’m not cheating.”
“It’s all thanks to my talent and hard work.”
Xia Lan gently sat down beside Bai Jia and watched her quietly.
“Oh, Sister Nurgle.”
Bai Jia looked at Xia Lan and said, “You’re back.”
“Where’s Luo Xiao?”
“He went to the bathroom and told me to come back first.”
In Bai Jia’s eyes, Xia Lan, as a senior magical girl, was more reliable than herself, so calling her sister seemed only natural.
But when those words reached Xia Lan’s ears, especially now, just after talking with Uncle Xue, being called sister by someone who should have been her biological brother gave her a strange feeling in her heart.
It was like a calm lake, a small boat drifting across it, when a gentle breeze suddenly blew, making the boat send long ripples across the lake’s surface.
Xia Lan pressed her lips together and gazed deeply at Bai Jia’s face.
“Bai Jia.”
“What is it?”
“If someone suddenly jumped out right now and said he was your biological younger brother, how would you react?”
Bai Jia was stunned for a moment, put down her phone, and looked at Xia Lan in confusion.
“Why are you asking this now?”
“Just asking casually.”
Xia Lan tilted her head.
“Anyway, what would you do?”
“Hmm, a younger brother.”
Bai Jia fell into thought.
“I can’t imagine it, that kind of scene.”
“If someone like that really did suddenly jump out, I’d probably be startled.”
“It would be nice if it were a biological younger sister.”
“I like little sister characters the most.”
“Are younger sisters more acceptable than younger brothers?”
“After all, younger brothers always give off the feeling that they’ll cause trouble, but younger sisters feel cute.”
A goblin-like smile appeared on Bai Jia’s face.
“If I had a cute little sister who shyly called me onii-chan, I’d accept being a magical girl for the rest of my life!”
For some reason, Bai Jia felt that Xia Lan’s mouth was twitching slightly, and there was a trace of speechlessness in her eyes.
Looking at the frivolous Bai Jia before her, Xia Lan fell into deep hesitation.
Should she really acknowledge kinship with her?
It felt unnecessary.
Things had changed, and people had changed.
Her older brother already had his own life.
Even if she did not say it, it would not affect their future relationship.
But when she thought of Uncle Xue, Xia Lan sighed.
After pondering for a while, she decided to change the subject first.
“I remember you can’t transform back, right?”
Hearing this, Bai Jia put down the game in her hands.
It happened that this round was already at the settlement screen.
“That’s right.”
“Shaliya said that because the body experienced a Code No. 1 crisis, the system activated the first clause of the magical girl protocol, and her authority was raised to 80%.”
“Then, she no longer allowed me to cancel my transformation.”
“Her authority is so high that canceling my transformation requires both of us to agree, and the same goes for transforming.”
Code No. 1 crisis.
Xia Lan raised an eyebrow.
She naturally knew that artificial magical girls’ AI systems all contained a protocol, and all magical girl AI actions had to be carried out according to this protocol.
But Xia Lan was indeed not very clear on the specific contents of the protocol.
First, every magical girl’s AI protocol was different.
Depending on the specific situation, the protocol’s contents could be worlds apart.
Furthermore, Xia Lan did not have this protocol.
Because Liu Hua Jie was not an AI in essence, and Xia Lan’s modification process was also very special.
But now, Bai Jia’s AI had raised its authority because the protocol was triggered, and it would not allow Bai Jia to cancel her transformation.
“Have you asked Shaliya about the situation?”
“I asked, but Shaliya didn’t tell me.”
“Recently she’s been saying much less, and sometimes even when I call her, I get no response.”
Bai Jia sighed and pretended to be aggrieved.
“Sigh, ever since she got to take charge, she’s gradually ignored me.”
“What a heartless woman.”
“I’m like an incompetent husband who’s been abandoned, with my lifeblood taken away…”
Ignoring Bai Jia’s bizarre remarks, Xia Lan frowned tightly.
The AI had stopped speaking.
Was it because it did not want to pay attention to its master, or was it…
“Liu Hua Jie, help me probe it.”
[Okay.]
In an instant, Xia Lan’s slender hand gripped Bai Jia’s shoulder.
Before Bai Jia could react, pale green ripples like transparent mist swept across Bai Jia’s body, like a rippling lake, especially focusing on the forehead area of the brain.
“Whoa, Sister Nurgle, what’s wrong?”
“Wait a moment.”
Hearing Liu Hua Jie’s report in her mind, Xia Lan’s expression gradually turned grave.
So that was how it was.
According to the probe, a very small part of Bai Jia’s brain was abnormal.
Strange energy was wriggling like slime.
That energy was also Se Nie’s power, but it was purer and stronger.
[In other words, my old friend is showing signs of waking up.]
Liu Hua’s tone was full of gravity.
As expected, was the stimulation from that night too great after all?
It had actually caused the real “Shaliya” to show signs of waking.
No wonder Shaliya barely spoke anymore.
She had been working overtime.
Maintaining the magical girl state in normal form was probably also to provide full power to Shaliya’s AI system.
“Liu Hua Jie, is there any solution?”
[That Shaliya is not an easy person.]
[If she awakens, Bai Jia might not get any benefit from it.]
Liu Hua pondered.
[For now, making Bai Jia fight less and desire less is better than anything.]
[Even if we use Na Gou’s power, it would only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.]
[The key still depends on Bai Jia herself.]
[Whether her heart is strong enough to handle it, especially since Se Nie is centered on desire.]
Xia Lan nodded gravely.
“Um, what exactly is wrong?”
“Bai Jia…”
Xia Lan considered her wording.
“Have you often been feeling sexually unsatisfied lately?”
“Huh?”
Bai Jia was stunned by this sentence.
The normally refined and gentle Magical Girl Nurgle suddenly bursting out with such outrageous words made Bai Jia’s mind freeze for a moment.
“S-S-Sister Nurgle, what are you saying?!”
Bai Jia’s face was flushed red.
“I’ve been very self-disciplined lately.”
“I see.”
Seeing Bai Jia’s embarrassment, Xia Lan thought for a moment and decided it was better not to tell Bai Jia for now.
It was not because she thought that if she knew, it might lead to a bad situation or anything like that.
Something this important, Bai Jia herself had to know.
It was just that Xia Lan felt that at least for this trip, she should let Bai Jia be free of mental burdens and enjoy going out to have fun with everyone.
“So why did Sister Nurgle suddenly say something like that?”
“I simply thought your complexion was off.”
“It must be caused by lack of restraint.”
“Later at night, I’m going to check on you.”
“I’m innocent!”
“What are you two making a fuss about?”
Just as Xia Lan and Bai Jia were talking, a familiar voice came over.
Turning her head, she saw Luo Xiao walking toward the two of them.
His little eyes darted between them, as if pondering something.
His face was full of helplessness, but he still wore a cheerful smile.
It’s Luo Xiao.
It seems Uncle Xue’s talk with him has ended.
At that moment, from the corner of her eye, she suddenly saw.
Under the sunlight not far away, that familiar figure, Uncle Xue, was standing at the station hall entrance, gazing at this side from afar.
Uncle Xue’s gaze shifted between her and Bai Jia, lingering especially long on Bai Jia.
His thin body was like a pillar growing from the ground, and his dry trench coat looked incredibly thin under the sunlight.
Xia Lan did not know if it was an illusion, but she seemed to see a gratified smile rise on Uncle Xue’s face.
It was also at this moment that Xia Lan realized Uncle Xue truly seemed to have grown old.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.