Huang Feng had always exerted all of her strength to remain a piece of trash, refusing to practice the means of manipulating reality. Her best feat so far had been to steal the Golden Branch by turning glass into water, combined with invisibility and silencing techniques.
If her magic power wasn’t Command Reality—if only she weren’t a Witch.
Magic power was like a curse, bringing her endless restraints and control.
What Huang Feng desired was a carefree, ordinary life...
"Liu Zhizi, take care of the scene," the Armored Gunman said, following Huang Feng, "I have to follow her and stay in Aizu City for a while."
"You’re not a woman, how can you take care of me?" Huang Feng frowned.
"I’m just going to stick with you. I’ll watch you sleep, use the toilet, take a bath, date, without letting up an inch. That’s the duty of a guardian."
Huang Feng let out a laugh that was almost a wail.
Her laugh grew more and more hoarse, as if she herself was being ripped apart. Someone, please—anyone, come and wipe out all the Witches in the entire world!
She had had enough...
The torment of her stamp addiction occasionally caused her to convulse pathologically. She saw corpses dancing around her, clothing woven from eyeballs draped over people, the world overshadowed by a vast darkness, herself fluctuating in a rotting river.
That person wouldn’t call.
After returning to Nestor Industrial Park, Xu Yang prepared to toss the safe into the industrial shredder, and then have Farosa restore the shredded Golden Branch with the Law of Recovery—a cheap and convenient method, bypassing any complicated processes.
"Maybe Huang Feng will tell us the password," A40 had not forgotten about Huang Feng, "It would save a lot of trouble that way."
"What if it’s an anti-espionage self-destruct code that blows up the safe?" Xu Yang shook his head, "And that way, wouldn’t we be publicizing the fact that we stole the Golden Branch? Let’s be thorough."
A40 checked its memory storage and found that memories related to Huang Feng were expanding as fast as a virus. Its to-do list was suddenly crammed with content related to meeting Huang Feng.
Watching the serious Xu Yang, A40 recalculated dozens of times and still decided to express its own wish, which was at the very top of its program execution sequence.
"I want to communicate with her without involving any of our secrets. Please allow me!" A40 asked respectfully.
"Just be responsible for what you do," said Xu Yang.
"What counts as being responsible?"
"We complete the main mission, get out of the arms dealer’s deal unscathed, without being tracked, not bringing the pursuers to the Industrial Park—that’s being responsible. And once you make contact with Huang Feng, you can’t meet with anyone else for at least a month, and you must be vigilant about related tracking. Plus, if you’re captured, you know what to do," Xu Yang instructed.
"I will self-destruct," A40 nodded, "A responsible warrior cannot put their comrades in danger."
"Is she that important to you?" Xu Yang frowned.
A40 bowed deeply to Xu Yang.
"I’ve always been treated as an unintelligent Synthetic Human," it said, "Now, please allow me to interact with that clearly unintelligent Witch!"
"Since you’re prepared to reengage with Huang Feng, then go. Be wary of being followed, don’t meet with anyone under our command to avoid implicating them, and take full responsibility," Xu Yang said.
"Please be assured, I’ll keep personal and official matters separate." Unable to contain its emotional module, A40 sought Huang Feng’s contact left for it through encrypted channels, with Xu Yang’s help.
After the dial tone, Huang Feng’s lazy voice came through, as if awakening from a long slumber.
"Previously, our encounter was too abrupt. I don’t know how to describe it, but I want to see you again."
"...Okay. You cut me quite painfully last time."
"I’ve never asked anyone out before, so please guide me. Shall we go to an izakaya, a grilled bird restaurant, or a coffee shop?" A40 said, "Where are we going? Niaohui Avenue 100-IA Warehouse," Huang Feng gave an address.
"What are we going to do there?"
"Murder, then a date."
A40 immediately set out.
Watching A40’s departing figure, Xu Yang pondered.
Command Reality, huh? The new possessor of Eve Anak’s magical powers. Farosa would certainly be interested. No wonder, even though such a crazy woman, Black Fire Innovation still wants to keep her in hand.