Chapter 126 – Who Is Number Two?

“Xinning, did you find what you were looking for?” Lin Xi asked with concern.

Zhao Xinning had come prepared. She took a bracelet out of her pocket.

“Yeah, I found it. I left it in the guest room.”

“That’s good.” Lin Xi had thought Zhao Xinning might have discovered signs of Thor and the others.

It seemed she had worried for nothing…

The two happily finished breakfast, then headed off to school hand in hand.

After they left, Thor and the other two emerged from the bedroom.

“Why is Master so close to that girl named Zhao Xinning?” Thor grumbled, displeased.

“I guess you could call them childhood friends,” Qin Ling said.

Both she and Lu Yi knew just how much Lin Xi cared about Zhao Xinning.

The last time they went to rob a bank together, they had been just about to make their move when a single phone call from Zhao Xinning summoned Lin Xi away.

After hearing the two of them recount what had happened, Thor could not help growing worried.

“Could Master be in love with Zhao Xinning?”

“No,” Lu Yi said. “I should be the one Lin Xi likes.”

“Huh?!” Thor’s eyes widened.

Qin Ling: “???”

Qin Ling often felt as though she and Lu Yi were on completely different wavelengths. Right now, for instance, she was utterly baffled.

“Lu Yi, don’t talk nonsense.”

Lu Yi explained with a perfectly serious expression, “Lin Xi once said that Neko are the best and that she loves Neko more than anything. Doesn’t that mean she loves me the most?”

“She hasn’t confessed to me yet, but if she does, and she promises to make me delicious food and be my ‘Sleeping Pill,’ I’ll definitely accept her confession.”

Thor: “…”

Qin Ling: “…”

They both knew that Lin Xi’s fondness for Neko was not that kind of fondness.

Neither of them could be bothered to explain it to this somewhat ditzy Neko.

Thor declared, “So Zhao Xinning is the person Master is closest to? That makes Zhao Xinning my greatest threat!”

“Threat?” Qin Ling asked. “What are you planning to do? Don’t even think about hurting Zhao Xinning. Lin Xi would definitely kill you for that.”

“I know. I would never do anything that stupid,” Thor said. “I’ll take even better care of Master until I become number one in her heart.”

Qin Ling frowned. “What’s gotten into you two? Why are both of you so determined to get closer to Lin Xi???”

Thor and Lu Yi silently turned to look at Qin Ling without saying a word.

Qin Ling: “…”

She had also stayed the night, so it seemed she was in no position to criticize them…

“Uh, for now, we can be sure that Zhao Xinning ranks first in Lin Xi’s heart, while Shi Yu is dead last.”

“As for number two, I think it’s probably me.”

“After all, Lin Xi is my fan, and I even came here to teach her how to play guitar.”

“It’s definitely not Qin Ling,” Lu Yi said. “Lin Xi loves Neko so much that I must be number two.”

Thor cut in, “I may have joined late, but I am absolutely Loyal Orange! Number two can only be me!”

The argument over who ranked second in Lin Xi’s heart showed no sign of ending.

Then Qin Ling brought it to an abrupt close with a single remark.

“I’m afraid it isn’t any of us. Number two is most likely Magical Girl Xia Xun.”

“Lin Xi and Xia Xun have always been close.”

The mere mention of Xia Xun made Thor furious.

Xia Xun had nearly killed her with the Ice Sword.

Once her injuries healed, Thor had originally planned to seek Xia Xun out and settle the score.

She had only lost last time because Xia Xun and Misaka Shirai had joined forces against her.

In a one-on-one fight against Xia Xun, Thor was confident she could win.

But Lin Xi had forbidden it.

Since Master would not allow it, Thor had no choice but to abandon her revenge.

“Qin Ling has a point…” Thor considered it for a moment. If Master did not care about Xia Xun, why would she have stopped Thor from taking revenge?

“But Master is a witch, and Xia Xun is a Magical Girl. They’re supposed to be mortal enemies.”

“That’s what makes it exciting,” Qin Ling said. “Don’t let Lin Xi’s usual timid demeanor fool you. She’s bolder than anyone.”

“Bold? … You mean horny enough to defy the heavens???” Thor sighed in amazement. “The current yuri situation is seriously chaotic…”

…

Lin Xi sneezed twice in a row.

“Those three aren’t talking about me behind my back, are they???”

She rubbed her nose and hurried up the stairs.

Not long after reaching her classroom, she received a message from Xia Xun.

Xia Xun wanted to meet her on the rooftop. She had something to say.

Xia Xun rarely sought Lin Xi out at school. She was too busy and hardly even spent any time on campus.

Could something important have happened for her to make contact so suddenly? With that in mind, Lin Xi didn’t delay for a second and immediately headed upstairs.

When she reached the rooftop, the sunlight was warm, the morning breeze was gentle, and Xia Xun was beautiful.

“Xia Xun, what did you need to see me about so urgently?” Lin Xi asked directly.

Without warning, Xia Xun bent into a full ninety-degree bow.

“Lin Xi, I’m sorry!”

Lin Xi: “???”

“Wait, what? You’ve never done anything to me that you need to apologize for.”

Xia Xun said, “Senior Chu Wenmu went and caused trouble for you again yesterday because of me, didn’t she?”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already given her a proper talking-to.”

“Oh, that.” Lin Xi told Xia Xun to straighten up. “You really don’t need to apologize. As long as you’ve cleared things up with Senior Chu Wenmu, it’s fine.”

“You’re way too sweet-” Xia Xun threw her arms around Lin Xi.

Lin Xi: “…”

Why did it feel as if Xia Xun had somehow grown even closer to her???

Her original strategy of “maintaining a safe distance from the Magical Girl” was becoming more impossible to follow by the day???

“Lin Xi, I genuinely don’t mind you having a fan club,” Xia Xun said. “Someone as outstanding as you deserves to have hordes of fans following you.”

“I’ve decided. I’m joining your fan club!”

“Don’t!” Lin Xi cried out. “Noooo-“

“Huh?! Why? Am I not qualified? Am I not even qualified to be your fan?”

“That’s not it, Xia Xun. I just don’t want even you becoming unhinged!”

“Unhinged??? What do you mean???”

“I mean… please, whatever you do, don’t join my fan club. Promise me. This is the one thing I’ll ask of you for the rest of my life!”

Seeing how serious Lin Xi was, Xia Xun could only nod and agree.

She had been worried that Chu Wenmu’s decision to cause trouble for Lin Xi again would create a rift between them.

The facts proved that she had been overthinking things.

Lin Xi was simply too kind.

There was probably no one in the entire world gentler than Lin Xi…

“Um, class is about to start.” Lin Xi subtly hinted that Xia Xun could let go now. “Let’s head back down together.”

“No, it’s fine.” Xia Xun released her. “I’ve already taken leave, so I’m not going back to class.”

“Why? Did monsters invade from the Dark Realm again? If so, you need to be careful.”

“It’s not a Dark Realm monster invasion. It’s about the Jinrui Bank robbers,” Xia Xun said. “Those robbers carried out a second bank robbery, and one of them was either killed or wounded.”

“They left behind blood and muscle tissue belonging to one of the robbers. The Guard Corps has finished analyzing the samples.”

“I’m going over there with Captain to take a look.”

Lin Xi: “…”

Shi Yu’s blood and muscle tissue were synthetic materials.

Was there a chance the Guard Corps could follow that trail and track her down???