Chapter 85 – Holding Hands for the First Time

The people in the lobby complained out loud, but the moment they saw the fully armed Guard Corps outside, their bodies were honest enough to line up without a fuss.

At the front of the line, members of the Guard Corps were holding special devices that looked like temperature guns, checking everyone one by one.

And it wasn’t just this initial screening. They also had to draw blood and leave behind blood samples.

Lin Xi panicked.

She was confident she could pass the initial screening. After all, not long ago, she had gone in and out through the Countermeasures Bureau’s inspection gate.

But leaving a blood sample was a whole different problem.

Once they took it back to a lab and ran tests on it, there was a good chance she would be exposed.

Lin Xi looked around.

This commercial building was definitely surrounded by members of the Guard Corps.

Unless she could fly…

Put on a hat, a mask, and sunglasses, then force her way out???

No.

Xia Xun had come downstairs!

Had she dealt with that evil Maid that quickly?

Or had she let the other party escape?

With Xia Xun here, forcing her way out was absolutely impossible.

Then… should she try the soft approach???

Lin Xi immediately came up with an idea. She could only shamelessly take advantage of her friendship with Xia Xun.

“Hey! Xia Xun!”

Lin Xi stepped out of the line and waved at Xia Xun.

Xia Xun, who had been saying something to Guard Captain Tian Hongguang, immediately noticed Lin Xi in the crowd.

“Lin Xi?!”

“You got trapped here too?”

“Yeah.” Lin Xi nodded repeatedly. “A strange giant bird suddenly appeared in the sky, so I did what everyone else did and ran into the nearest commercial building to take shelter.”

“I killed that big bird. Unfortunately, the other one got away.” Xia Xun noticed that Lin Xi looked terrible. “Are you okay?”

Lin Xi’s face looked terrible because she had just learned that that hateful Maid had escaped.

For all she knew, that woman might come looking for trouble with her again…

“I… I feel a little dizzy and nauseous…” Lin Xi pretended to be weak. She could only shamelessly trick Xia Xun into sympathizing with her so she could muddle through.

“Huh?!” Xia Xun said. “I’ll take you to the hospital right now!”

Xia Xun really was so considerate… Lin Xi was deeply moved, and at the same time ashamed of herself for lying to a friend.

Then… she would invite Xia Xun to her home for a meal another day to express her thanks and make up for it.

“Thank you. Sorry for the trouble.”

Just as Lin Xi was about to slip past the cordon, a tall figure blocked her path.

“Hello. Please line up properly. You may only leave after completing the inspection,” the Guard Captain said meticulously.

Seeing this, Xia Xun said to Tian Hongguang, “Captain Tian, there’s no need to inspect her or draw blood. She’s my friend. She’s one hundred percent fine.”

Tian Hongguang didn’t seem to buy Xia Xun’s explanation. “Miss Xia Xun, please follow the rules.”

Xia Xun’s expression darkened. “She’s my friend. Does Captain Tian think even my friend might have a problem?”

“I’ve spent so much time with Lin Xi. If she were a Dark Realm monster, I would have known long ago.”

Lin Xi: “…”

Actually, Lin Xi didn’t understand why Xia Xun couldn’t sense that she was really a witch.

Could it be because of the Cuddle System???

Thinking about it, that made sense. If cuddling with Xia Xun exposed her identity as a witch, then she wouldn’t have any chance to cuddle in the first place.

Tian Hongguang’s expression still did not change. “Please follow the rules.”

“We can arrange for Miss Lin Xi to undergo the inspection and have her blood sample drawn first.”

Xia Xun’s expression turned very ugly. “If you don’t trust her, then you don’t trust me.”

“I trust you,” Tian Hongguang said stiffly. “You are a Magical Girl. She is not.”

“She’s my best friend!” Xia Xun raised her voice.

Huh???!!! …Lin Xi was stunned.

When did I become Xia Xun’s best friend???

She had always thought she was just the most ordinary kind of friend among Xia Xun’s countless friends.

Tian Hongguang still refused to let Lin Xi step past the cordon.

Xia Xun was truly angry now. For Lin Xi’s sake, she couldn’t be bothered to maintain any magical beauty girl image.

“If you don’t trust her, then you don’t trust me.”

“Just you wait. I’m calling your superior right now.”

Xia Xun did exactly what she said. She pulled out her phone and contacted the Chief Captain of the Guard Corps directly.

After the call connected, she handed the phone to Tian Hongguang.

“Your superior wants to talk to you.”

Tian Hongguang took the phone with a dark expression, and Lin Xi heard a burst of loud scolding from the other end.

After the call ended, Tian Hongguang returned the phone to Xia Xun.

“Lin Xi, let’s go. I’m taking you to the hospital right now.” Xia Xun thought everything had been settled.

But Tian Hongguang still stood in Lin Xi’s way.

Xia Xun froze. “Are you planning to disobey your superior’s orders?”

Tian Hongguang said coldly, “Even if I get fired, she has to follow procedure today. She can only leave after the scan and blood draw.”

Xia Xun: “…”

“I see how it is. You’re actually just targeting me, aren’t you?”

“Did I offend you somehow?”

“The moment I got the call from your Guard Corps, I came over as fast as I could.”

Tian Hongguang shook his head. “You didn’t offend me, and I’m very grateful that you came.”

“But even if you’re a Magical Girl, you can’t violate the Guard Corps’ safety regulations.”

Xia Xun laughed from sheer anger. “You’re bringing up safety regulations with me? Fine. I’ll make sure you don’t get to be this Guard Captain anymore.”

What infuriated her was that he didn’t trust her, a Magical Girl. What infuriated her even more was that he was delaying her from taking Lin Xi to the hospital.

Xia Xun tried contacting Tian Hongguang’s superior again, but this time, the call wouldn’t go through.

“Oh, great. So you’re all ganging up to target me and make things difficult for my friend, is that it?”

Xia Xun looked ready to flip the whole table over. She tore open the cordon, took Lin Xi by the hand, and walked straight out.

Tian Hongguang moved to stop them, only to find that his feet wouldn’t budge.

A bone-chilling cold seeped up through the soles of his shoes.

Xia Xun had frozen him in place.

Tian Hongguang raised his hand, intending to order his subordinates to stop Xia Xun and Lin Xi.

“I suggest you don’t blow this out of proportion,” Xia Xun said. “When the time comes, the only ones who’ll end up embarrassed will be your Guard Corps.”

“Think carefully. Will the general public stand with you? Or with me?”

If Xia Xun and the Guard Corps clashed in public, there was no doubt that the overwhelming majority of people would choose to support the Magical Girl.

The people on Commercial Street had just been saved by Xia Xun. They would only think the Guard Corps was useless against Dark Realm monsters, yet somehow very skilled at making things hard for their own people.

Tian Hongguang hesitated for a long time, unable to give the order. He didn’t want to put the Guard Corps at the center of a storm of public outrage either.

“Miss Xia Xun, you’d better be able to guarantee there’s nothing wrong with her.”

“Does that even need to be said?” Xia Xun held Lin Xi’s hand tightly. “If there were something wrong with her, wouldn’t that mean there was something wrong with me too?”

Tian Hongguang had no choice but to give up and let them leave.

“Thank you, Xia Xun. Thank you for trusting me…” Lin Xi’s feelings were complicated.

Xia Xun said, “That stubborn Captain is awful. I’m going to keep filing complaints about him.”

“Like I said, Lin Xi, if you were a Dark Realm monster, I would have known the first time I held your hand.”

“Um, Xia Xun,” Lin Xi said, “I think this is the first time we’ve held hands.”

“Eh???!!!” Xia Xun suddenly blushed. Only then did she realize that this was the first time she and Lin Xi had held hands.

Lin Xi’s hand was warm and soft. The sensation in her palm made Xia Xun’s face turn even redder.