Under normal circumstances, Lin Yun’s daily routine was highly disciplined.
He woke up at 6:30 AM, went to bed at 11:30 PM, and repeated the cycle to ensure he had enough mental energy to handle his work.
His biological clock was just as precise. Unless he was excessively exhausted, he would always open his eyes at six o’clock sharp.
But there were always exceptions.
The previous night, after finishing work, he had first given a lesson to two Magical Girls. Then, without stopping to rest, he had dived into the sewers, slaughtering an entire Egg-tier Ravager’s nest. Finally, he had spent a long time on the phone, verifying information with Hong Siyu. By the time the back of his head touched the pillow, it was already 5:00 AM.
The result? He overslept.
When Lin Yun groggily opened his eyes, it was already 7:05 AM.
He glanced at the side of his bed, then reached for his phone on the nightstand. Seeing the time displayed on the lock screen, his eyes gradually widened. Throwing off the covers, he slipped into his slippers and rushed toward the wardrobe.
In the bathroom, he washed up at record speed—brushing his teeth while combing his hair, buttoning his shirt while rinsing his mouth. Amid his frantic multitasking, his mind drifted to the phone call that had kept him up so late.
If Lin Yun hadn’t personally gone into the sewers and killed that Chrysalis, it might have remained hidden until it fully matured into a Husk. At that stage, Fangting City could have faced total devastation.
But Lin Yun wasn’t entirely convinced.
Setting aside whether he trusted Hong Siyu—he preferred not to doubt his former junior—there was also the issue of the Countermeasure Bureau’s records. Even if the information Hong Siyu had access to was limited, it didn’t mean the Countermeasure Bureau had disclosed everything.
In fact, Lin Yun’s suspicion was directed squarely at the Countermeasure Bureau itself. The underground force operating in Fangting City was far too brazen—there was no way the Countermeasure Bureau was completely oblivious.
He knew the Bureau was powerless when it came to magic-related Ravager forces, but they should at least have some intelligence.
At this point, only two possibilities remained:
Lin Yun hoped it was the latter. That meant he needed to meet with the local Countermeasure Bureau’s higher-ups.
Even if all he got was a name, it would be worth it.
However, as an ordinary civilian, requesting a meeting with the leadership of such a specialized agency was wishful thinking. He needed to reveal an identity they couldn’t ignore.
He had two options, but neither was easy to choose between. Should he approach them as Lin Yun or as Veronica?
Using his identity as Lin Yun, he was the relative of the late Magical Girl “Sakura” and the current Magical Girl “White Rose”.
The Countermeasure Bureau maintained strict dual-sided confidentiality regarding Magical Girls. Other than specific high-ranking personnel and direct Magical Girl liaisons, they neither disclosed the real identities of Magical Girls nor shared magic-related details with their families. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹~𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮~𝚗𝚎𝚝
In this regard, they had done an excellent job. Even at Aya’s funeral, they had never revealed their connection or exchanged any information with Lin Yun. After all, nineteen years had passed—the liaison who once handled his case had been promoted to headquarters, and the former high-ranking officials had long since retired.
As a result, even the local Countermeasure Bureau was unaware of Lin Yun’s real identity. The true identity of Magical Girl “Veronica” had been sealed away in the central database as a classified file.
But if Lin Yun revealed that he already knew about his wife and daughter’s identities, along with his knowledge of the magic world, the situation would completely change. As the surviving family of a fallen Magical Girl, he had every right to demand a meeting with the Countermeasure Bureau’s leadership and ask for the truth.
At that point, the Countermeasure Bureau would have no choice but to comply. The most they could do was make him sign a non-disclosure agreement regarding the magic world.
This approach was safe—he could meet with the Countermeasure Bureau’s top officials without alarming any potential hidden threats within the organization. However, the information he received might still be incomplete. Since he would still be classified as an ordinary civilian, they might not be willing to tell him everything.
On the other hand, if he used Veronica’s identity, things would be much simpler. The Countermeasure Bureau wouldn’t dare hide anything from him.
But that option came with significant consequences.
For one, the Countermeasure Bureau’s liaison for Veronica was Hong Siyu, and her information had been scrubbed—as far as the Bureau knew, she was simply “White Rose’s partner”. If Lin Yun exposed his true origins, it could alert the mysterious forces lurking in Fangting City.
Secondly, he had yet to officially return as Veronica—he was only operating in a limited capacity within Fangting City. If news of his return reached the Magic Kingdom, it could cause unnecessary complications.
Hong Siyu had even suggested a third option: having Lin Xiaolu contact the Countermeasure Bureau on their behalf.
But Lin Yun dismissed the idea. There was no guarantee his daughter wouldn’t be deceived or manipulated by the Bureau. More importantly, he refused to deceive her any further using Veronica’s identity.
In the end, he chose the safer approach—he would meet with the Countermeasure Bureau as Lin Yun.
After extensive discussion, strategizing, and negotiating their respective roles, Lin Yun and Hong Siyu had debated until nearly dawn. Only when every last detail was settled did they finally end the call.
Yawning, Lin Yun looked at himself in the mirror. Aside from the dark circles under his eyes, he had at least made himself presentable.
Not wasting any more time, he grabbed the suit jacket draped over his chair and strode toward the door.
As he pulled open his bedroom door, he instinctively glanced to the left—just in time to see the adjacent door open as well.
A groggy Lin Xiaolu, her hair a tangled mess, stumbled out of her room, attempting to tie her hair with a scrunchie. Her half-lidded gaze shifted, and she locked eyes with him.
A strange silence filled the hallway.
After a few seconds, Lin Xiaolu broke the stalemate. Without a word, she took a step back, returned to her room, and shut the door with a click.
Two minutes later, as if nothing had happened, she opened the door again—only to find Lin Yun still standing there.
“…Why are you still here?”
She frowned, giving him an annoyed glare.
By now, Lin Yun had already put on his jacket and was adjusting his tie. Seeing her reaction, he sighed.
“I should be asking you that,” he said. “If you don’t leave soon, you’re going to be late, aren’t you?”