Magical Girl Heavy Dependence

Chapter 83, The Scapegoat

Yan Xi opened her eyes groggily, her head still throbbing slightly.

"Lulu, you're finally awake!"

Before she could fully see what was happening, Shen Caihua rushed over with a sigh of relief, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her back and forth. "How are you feeling? Does anything hurt? Should we go to the hospital?"

"...!"

As her vision gradually focused, she suddenly tensed up and shrank back warily.

Behind Shen Caihua, Chu Junzhuo and his stepmother Shen Lianjing were also in the room. Judging from the decorations, it was the same lounge she had seen during her perception magic.

Seeing that she was awake, Shen Lianjing smiled first, revealing a gentle expression: "Hello, Yan Xi."

Chu Junzhuo stepped forward and handed me a glass of water: "My mother found you unconscious in the audience and notified me. After the performance, I told Caihua to let you rest here first."

Yan Xi didn't take it, but instead forced herself to sit up straight and covered her forehead: "It's nothing, just a little low blood sugar..."

What exactly happened?

She tried to piece together her chaotic memories, only remembering that in the last moments when she was conscious, she was preparing to confront Zhong Ai, but was ambushed.

"Where's Chung Ai?"

Yan Xi suddenly cried out, looking around.

Chu Junzhuo put the cup aside: "Zhong Ai? She's not here."

"Where did she go?!"

Yan Xi gritted her teeth and grabbed Chu Junzhuo's collar.

Shen Caihua hugged her: "Lulu, don't get agitated! Calm down."

After a brief standoff, Yan Xi released her grip, took two deep breaths, and forced herself to calm down.

"Feel sorry."

She said in a muffled voice.

Now is not the time to turn against Chu Junzhuo. I must hurry back to the company and tell the producer everything I heard.

As she got up to leave, Shen Caihua stopped her again.

"Lulu, where are you going?"

"go home."

Yan Xi gave an impeccable reason.

Shen Caihua opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Chu Junzhuo's voice came over: "You can't leave, Yan Xi."

Yan Xi went on alert again, her hands behind her back, preparing to grab her raven feather wand, while questioning, "What do you mean?"

Chu Junzhu smiled politely and pointed to the ceiling: "It means that Yincheng has been sealed off, and we can't go anywhere."

"Level 4 Red Alert, Lulu," Shen Caihua added quietly.

Yan Xi was taken aback.

Yincheng's disaster early warning system is divided into four levels from low to high: blue, yellow, orange, and red. It is not used to deal with natural disasters, but to report magical events. For example, when the calamity beast "Shaquan" appeared, the Magic Affairs Bureau issued a yellow warning and evacuated all residents near the airport.

A level four red alert represents a danger that is hundreds or thousands of times more serious than a yellow alert and could cause devastating consequences.

According to emergency protocols, the entire city will be locked down within half an hour, and all residents must immediately proceed to the nearest shelter. Those unable to reach a shelter will be guided by the nearest disaster response team to remain inside a building.

"The fact that we're not in the shelter means..."

She said in a low voice.

Chu Junzhuo nodded: "The Golden Hall Theater is located in the old city area, which has not yet been rebuilt or renovated, and there are no standard shelter facilities nearby. However, before shelters became the mainstream, large public buildings were designed with some consideration for how to protect against supernatural disasters, so this theater itself has a certain degree of protective capability. The epicenter of the disaster is in the Dragon's Blood District. As long as we stay here and don't wander around, we are safe."

He paused briefly, "Also, I didn't see Zhong Ai during the emergency evacuation just now. She was probably evacuated to another location. If you want to find her, you'll have to wait until the alarm is over."

Yan Xi gave him a deep look, then looked at Shen Caihua, who was nodding vigorously at her, and was basically certain that it was all true.

She was somewhat deflated and sat back down in her chair: "What exactly happened?"

……

"I don't want to hear your cowardly report on what happened! I'm asking why you've become such a wretched state!"

Two or three kilometers outside Longyin District, Chu Kai stepped on the still-dissipating ice crystals and roared into the phone.

"Where is that damned dog, Glorious Lord? How did those corpses end up in the storage warehouse of Yinfu Entertainment?"

His subordinates said something to him over the phone.

Chu Kai was stunned after hearing this, and raised his voice incredulously, "Dead?!"

The sky in the distance remained a gray expanse.

Chu Kai frowned, his face so dark it seemed like it could drip water. He abruptly hung up the phone, pacing anxiously back and forth, muttering to himself, "Damn it, I've been framed."

Let's take a closer look at what exactly happened!

According to the Glorious Lord's rhetoric, the "Holy Embryo" is the egg of the "Phoenix," the first of the three Holy Spirits of the Holy Church's Disaster Relief Institute, after its rebirth. Everything the Glorious Lord does is for the purpose of resurrecting the "Phoenix."

As Gray Deer's contractor, Chu Kai naturally had to help Gray Deer fulfill the responsibility of mutual assistance among the Holy Spirits.

He was the one who contacted the Black Cat and the Asura Lord; after Cheng Chen appeared, the Glorious Lord said that it was very likely related to the damage to the Great Seal back then, and all the subsequent tests and confirmations were planned by him; the remnants who died in the Trade Fair Barrier were also old men who had been by his side since the Disaster Relief Academy period.

At the trade fair, the Glorious Lord, taking advantage of the death of the remnants, not only figured out Cheng Chen's background (that's what he said himself), but also took the opportunity to collect a barely sufficient amount of soul essence.

According to their pre-arranged plan, the Brilliant Lord was supposed to use the magical girl corpses that Chu Kai had secretly acquired to revive the "Holy Embryo" to a new level.

This is a prerequisite for further cooperation.

Before reaching an agreement, the Glorious Lord had indeed shown great sincerity to Chu Kai. The 'Holy Embryo' could grant demons knowledge far beyond their own comprehension, elevating their understanding of magic to the 'Art' level, or even the 'Spirit' level.

This is a technology.

Technology that can be replicated, transferred, and even deployed on a large scale is enough to change the landscape of the magical world, just like Yinfu Entertainment's "Heart Container".

That is why Chu Kai kept tolerating the latter.

As the CEO of Xianmeng Group, he is responsible for the company's profits.

The commercial prospects of this technology are enough to allow him to advance further and join the group's board of directors, instead of continuing to be a senior employee as he is now.

According to the glorious Lord, once this "holy embryo" is successfully revived, the technology will be mature enough to be delivered.

But at this critical juncture, things spiraled out of control.

Chu Kai's face was grave, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

He failed to consider three things.

First, his greatest reliance, "Grey Elk," failed to give him any warning. As one of the "Holy Spirits," "Grey Elk" possessed an extremely accurate premonition of crisis. Over the past twenty years, this premonition had helped them avoid many dangers and gradually reach where they were today.

But this time the premonition didn't work, leaving Chu Kai completely unprepared.

Secondly, he conducted a risk assessment for the project's patron. A mature businessman is always vigilant about the potential risks of a project; he wasn't a child who would be easily swayed by the patron's promise of "technology." Throughout the entire collaboration, he strictly controlled the resources and assistance given to the patron, ensuring that even if the patron caused trouble, he could suppress the harm within a controllable range.

But the Glorious Lord's madness far exceeded his imagination; he actually used a ritual to summon a beast from beyond the heavens!? What a madman!

It should be understood that extraterrestrial beasts are uncontrollable creatures. Even if the Glorious Lord summons them, he absolutely cannot use them to do anything, unless his goal is to destroy Yin City, or even the entire Southern Federation.

The soul essence and the magical girl's corpse that Chu Kai had previously obtained were all thrown into the ritual by that madman, and the [technology] that Chu Kai had been looking forward to had obviously gone down the drain.

The third and most crucial item.

The glorious Lord is dead.

The news was confirmed by both the municipal government and the association, and an informant within Yinfu Entertainment also confirmed that the core team personally commanded by Jiang Fei had sealed off an apartment building and identified the body.

To be honest, it's fine whether 'Grey Elk' gave no warning or whether the Glorious Lord went mad and summoned beasts from beyond the heavens.

Chu Kai had already prepared for the worst, and his backup plan would allow him to easily extricate himself from this matter.

But there is one condition: the glorious Lord cannot die.

Someone has to be responsible for everything that happens.

If that person isn't the Glorious Lord, then it can only be an unfortunate soul who is still alive and has a close relationship with him.

Even if Chu Kai can destroy all the evidence and absolve himself of all responsibility, so what?

Many things, once they reach a certain level, don't require evidence at all.

"Damn it...!"

Chu Kai gasped for breath, gritting his teeth and cursing.

Such a big thing happened, even if the fairy and the demon princess don't care anymore, I still have to give an explanation.

He didn't have much time left, so he had to find the key person.

—Cheng Chen!

After clarifying his thoughts, Chu Kai immediately took swift action, finding the phone number of a subordinate in his contact list and preparing to make the call.

He paused just before pressing his finger down.

His brows furrowed slightly, and his previously agitated demeanor instantly calmed, becoming solemn: "Come out."

"Heh, looks like you're not in a good position."

Someone walked out from around the corner at a leisurely pace.

Chu Kai had never seen him before, nor had he ever heard this voice before, but he could still recognize him from the tone and expression.

"It's you! You're still alive?" Chu Kai raised an eyebrow.

"No, no, no, the Glorious Lord is dead."

The person extended their finger and shook it from side to side.

He didn't exude any magical aura; judging from his clothes and appearance, he was just a young man working at a nearby bubble tea shop.

The Brilliant Lord is dead, killed by Cheng Chen. Yinfu Entertainment has no reason to lie about such a thing.

In other words, he really died in that apartment, rather than escaping by some means.

But then he suddenly reappeared before him, in the form of another person, in the body of another person…

In other words...

Chu Kai's gaze sharpened: "Mind manipulation?"

"Very perceptive," the young man nodded smugly.

Chu Kai slowly lowered his hand holding the phone, his eyes darkening: "From the first time we met, all I saw was a puppet being manipulated by you. No wonder you never cared about being exposed and were so careless in your actions."

"Thank you, Mr. Chu, for cleaning up my messes all this time." The young man nodded. "It must have been very hard work."

"Who was the glorious Lord I saw?" Chu Kai asked.

He usually doesn't make such basic mistakes. When he first met the other party, he could clearly feel the magic power of a fifth-order demon lord on the other party.

That power was real, and Chu Kai would never think of it that way: the Demon Lord, who was born at the pinnacle of demons, was actually just a puppet manipulated from behind the scenes.

"I don't know, just a cynical and unlucky guy." The young man shrugged. "When I met him, he was shouting something like 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river' on the beach, clamoring for revenge against the evil master and Fei Ying. I was just fulfilling his wish."

"So what's your purpose in showing up now? Do you still want to cooperate with me?"

Chu Kai quietly put his hands behind his back, gathering his magic power.

"Mr. Chu, there's no need for you to say such foolish things." The young man shook his head, revealing a crazed, morbid smile. "You know, the fact that I'm here means that only one of us can live."

Swish.

Before he finished speaking, Chu Kai had already disappeared from the spot.

The next second, he appeared behind the young man like a ghost, holding a pure black triangular military dagger, and stabbed down fiercely.

The young man smiled, turned around, reached out, and pinched Chu Kai's wrist.

The full-force attack from the 'Holy Spirit' contractor, a peak fifth-tier demon, was so easily parried by an ordinary person with no magic power.

It was less than half an inch from the young man's chest, yet it could not advance an inch further. And the hand that held it, with its bulging veins, was now trembling violently and uncontrollably.

Chu Kai's voice was forced out through clenched teeth: "What did you do?"

"It's simple, just break the contract," the young man replied softly. "You're no longer a demon."

Chu Kai felt the magical power that had once filled his body like a vast ocean suddenly become empty, and he could no longer feel the contract with 'Gray Deer'.

He looked up and saw a gray elk slowly making its way through the wind, snow, and ice crystals.

The elk is less than two meters tall, yet it is more imposing than the monstrous beasts that are hundreds of meters long.

But at this moment, blood was flowing from the deer's chest, staining its fur red.

"I see."

The triangular bayonet fell to the ground, and Chu Kai staggered back two steps, clutching his chest and kneeling on one knee.

Gray Deer's eyes were devoid of emotion, like a walking corpse, as it indifferently watched its contractor fall to the ground.

"It's not mind control... but a higher level of magic." Chu Kai gasped for breath. "Mind control can't make a living being go against its instincts. Even if you can control the Holy Spirit, you can't make it break the contract between us... If you can do this, you're not a 'Bee Phoenix' contractor at all, but a monster."

"Congratulations, you got it right." The young man patted his head. "Too bad there's no reward."

Chu Kai closed his eyes resignedly: "Do it, kill me."

Call ~

A gust of cold wind whipped up the ice crystals on the ground, and a steady voice suddenly came from not far away.

"Mr. Chu, do you need any help?"

It was a group of demons, led by Wang Jianxing, the marketing director of the Xianmeng Group.

His closed eyes snapped open, and Chu Kai roared with his last ounce of strength, "Xiao Wang, do it! Kill this man in front of me at all costs!"

The young man didn't move, a pleased smile appearing on his lips.

A dozen meters away, Wang Jianxing also showed a smile that was almost exactly the same as his.

Upon seeing this, Chu Kai's expression completely changed.

"How could I bear to kill Mr. Chu?" The young man cupped his head in his hands. "Our plan isn't finished yet; you're still very useful."

"You...!" Chu Kai's forehead veins bulged. "The Demoness won't let you get away with this!"

"Yeah?"

The young man said casually, "I'm so scared, so I need to hide it even deeper, even deeper."

After saying that, the light in Chu Kai's eyes disappeared.

After a few seconds, he stood up again, his face regaining the composure befitting the CEO of the Xianmeng Group. He calmly instructed, "Arrange for personnel to cooperate with the municipal government and the Magical Girl Association to clean up the mess. In my personal capacity, donate two billion to the 'Magical Disaster Reconstruction Foundation.' Have the public relations department issue a public statement to express deep condolences for those who perished in this disaster. The Xianmeng Group is a large company, and we must fulfill our due social responsibility."

Wang Jianxing and the others listened quietly.

"at last……"

Chu Kai's lips curled into a slightly crazed smile. "Contact President Cheng of Yinfu Entertainment and arrange a meeting with him in my personal capacity. This whole affair is entirely my responsibility. If I want to downplay it, I need to obtain the victim's forgiveness."

"I hope Mr. Cheng will be magnanimous and give me, Chu Kai, a chance to reform myself."

……