Chapter 35: The Tram Incident

Mr. Lin Yun, an employee of the Strange Strategies Bureau, though already a gifted individual compared to ordinary civilians, and even among those who have mastered magical power as mortals, such strength is but a gnat trying to shake a tree to the nation.

The egg-class residual beasts that require several people, even a dozen, with equipment to barely handle, are merely common prey for magical girls.

We expend much effort, yet end up as nothing more than a tool between the nation and the material world—removing tedious obstacles that might hinder magical girls' actions, navigating between multiple factions, struggling to calm public emotions—this is the Strange Strategies Bureau's true situation, its real function.

We are merely the nation's gloves, and the protection such gloves offer is so fragile.

So I cannot promise you that we have the ability to protect your daughter. I only hope you can believe that I will do everything in my power to help her and her companions avoid potential dangers.

I understand your pain.

Lin Yun remembered Mo Si's words.

Even though what followed were only minor questions and answers, days later, he still occasionally recalled the content of that conversation.

A simple conversation was not enough for him to judge Mo Si's stance or thoughts, but the information she provided he could not ignore—not only regarding the nation and the "Claw Marks," but also because of what she revealed about herself.

"My daughter was also a magical girl."

Those words brought many thoughts to him—about the present, and about the future.

Mo Si said she would seek a suitable opportunity to pass on to Lin Xiaolu the information she possessed about the Claw Marks.

She only asked that Lin Yun keep it secret, that he not reveal her views on the Claw Marks and the Strange Strategies Bureau, and that she would not disclose their conversation to Lin Xiaolu.

"Miss Bai Mei seems unaware of her mother's affairs. In accordance with mutual secrecy, we have not informed her. You may have your own plans, but in my view, you should tell her the truth as soon as possible yourself."

These were Mo Si's exact words at the time:

"Children must grow up, and a child who has become a magical girl may grow faster than you imagine."

Several days later, on the tram, Lin Yun stared at his phone.

It was a text from Lin Xiaolu, very brief, only three words:

【Remember to come.】

Leaning back against the seat, he savored the rare moment of sitting on the tram, his mood light as he replied 【I will.】

Time passed quickly. Since that day he had dropped his daughter off at school and made his promise about the truth, he could sense Lin Xiaolu's attitude had softened slightly.

Though only slightly, it had shifted from refusing communication, responding with passive resistance and sharp words, to occasionally engaging in calm daily conversation. Yet the mere fact that his relationship with his daughter had changed was already the most precious experience.

So today, facing the parent-teacher meeting he had mentioned before, he had prepared thoroughly.

He swapped shifts with a colleague to avoid overtime; he declined a colleague's dinner invitation, saying he would treat them another day; he had already assigned a dedicated person to handle every client request. All work matters were pushed aside, leaving no obstacle to block his path to the parent-teacher meeting.

Now, he had boarded the tram to Lin Xiaolu's school well before afternoon.

Outside the window, rain had begun to fall—fine, continuous threads tracing streaks across the glass. Lin Yun leaned against the seat, his heart unusually stirred, quietly waiting for arrival.

To ensure his work was done and free of burden today, days of exhausting overtime had left him somewhat drowsy; after sitting long, sleepiness rose, his eyelids heavy. He forced himself to stay alert, lest he miss his stop.

Just as he struggled against his own fatigue, he heard a sudden scream in the haze.

——"Ah!"

That sound, roughly, jolted him awake.

Immediately, the tram began to shake violently.

Lin Yun, seated, grabbed the nearby handrail in time to avoid being thrown, but in his vision, several passengers tumbled from the front of the carriage toward the rear.

Amid chaos, piercing screams rose and fell; the lights flickered wildly, forcing him to squint.

The tram was still moving. He first glanced out the window behind him—saw nothing—then struggled to stand from his seat. He gripped the handrail across the aisle, swaying, and pressed himself against the window, gazing again toward the direction of the impact—

A massive beast-like residual creature clung to the tram, its claw piercing the body of a passenger, whose abdomen gushed blood, head hanging limp, motionless—likely dead.

"Damn it, just now?"

Lin Yun muttered under his breath, but the vibration of his waistband phone snapped him back to reason.

He pulled out his phone—it was Senior Cuique's—and the caller ID showed "Bai Mei."

Glancing around, he saw many passengers lying on the floor, moaning; a few, unharmed, cowered in their seats, terrified. His heart tightened—he realized he could not transform here.

So he ignored the incoming call, left his seat, and staggered forward through the violently shaking carriage, groping along the side wall until he found a safety hammer.

Clutching the hammer, he gritted his teeth, steadied himself, and slammed it hard against the window.

At first, passengers didn't understand what he was doing; when they did, they began to shout warnings.

"Don't do that," "Stop!" "Are you trying to kill yourself?"—cries rose in waves—but Lin Yun kept swinging, hammering the window again and again, until cracks spiderwebbed across all four corners, until he shattered each corner, and then the entire window shattered.

Shards of glass exploded and scattered in the shaking, some slicing across Lin Yun's face, drawing thin trails of blood. He shifted his stance—from kneeling to standing on the seat.

He stared at the scenery flashing past outside, gripping his vibrating phone, paused, then his expression hardened.

Then, amid surrounding screams, he leapt out through the window.

The light rail's track was elevated above ground, but not high—Lin Yun had little time. As he jumped, strong inertia flung him into the air, spinning uncontrollably.

He gripped his Heart Flower, its light swirling.

Azure magic radiated outward; Senior Cuique emerged from the glow, and from the instant she appeared, the magic surging behind her propelled her to chase the train.

She pulled out her phone—its vibration had ceased—and pressed redial. Moments later, the call connected.

——"Cuique, Mo Ke said there was a residual beast attack on Line Luoming Four!"

Lin Xiaolu's voice came through, urgent: "I'm still at school, it'll take me a while to get there, but I'll hurry—I'll send you the exact location right away, and Xia Liang—we should be there soon…"

"No need."

Cuique cut her off: "I'll arrive soon. Don't come."

"Why?" Lin Xiaolu asked.

"I remember you mentioned today was parent-teacher day at school."

"But…" Lin Xiaolu still tried to protest.

"This residual beast is Huo. Don't come."

Cuique spoke faster, her voice calm amid the howling wind: "I'm nearby already, close enough to see the beast's form. There's no doubt—you'd be in grave danger. This one's mine alone."

"So focus on your own duty. Don't get distracted. If your parent arrives at school and finds you gone, how will you explain it?"

"Hmm..." Lin Xiaolu's reply carried a clear note of hesitation.

"Then leave it to me. Don't worry, I'm very strong."

Senior Cuique said this, then pressed the hang-up button, ending the call.

Azure-blue magic chased the tram, flying along its path; after a brief few accelerations, it surged forward a great distance, and Senior Cuique reached the carriage containing the Remnant Beast in mere seconds.

At this moment, the Remnant Beast was frantically tearing at the carriage; the section beneath its claws was completely torn open, and passengers were constantly being screamed out from within, dragged by it and shoved toward its mouth filled with sharp teeth.

Just as a young man wailed and struggled to break free from its claw, the Remnant Beast's movement on its claw stopped. As if struck by the legendary Immobilization Technique, bound by something, though his forearm trembled continuously as if still exerting force, he could not lift it a single bit further.

The brief calm gave the man space to catch his breath; in fear, he opened his eyes, as if realizing something, and looked toward the nearby area.

Where his gaze fell, he saw a girl in a navy-blue dress standing on top of the carriage with a gloomy face; the wild wind blew the blue hair beneath her hat constantly backward, and the rain curtain could not hide her expression, which seemed ready to commit murder:

"If you're going to seek death, can you pick another time? Don't block me from attending the parent-teacher meeting, you beast."