Chapter 6 About the small matter of living on another planet
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Transformed Fu Li held a pink star-shaped wand, commonly known as a magic wand, and wore a short skirt. She skillfully dodged the monsters’ attacks and then stood in place, singing and dancing. With a deep male voice, he chanted, “Strawberry Girl Xiao Li will punish you all!” The wand emitted a beautiful light and shot towards the monsters, causing them to scream sharply before disappearing into a black mist.
Lin Zhaohe wanted to disappear with the monsters. Whether it was the bright light or Fu Li’s flashy appearance, he felt like his eyes were being blinded.
The other cute girls cheered in celebration, but Lin Zhaohe and Zhuang Lao, hiding in the shadows, wore constipated expressions.
However, just as they celebrated their victory, the previously dispersed black mist gathered again in the air with a thunderous sound. The tower, surrounded by dark clouds, emitted thick black smoke, blocking the moonlight.
The magical girls sensed that something was wrong and stopped their laughter, gazing up at the sky.
“Oh no! The magic tower is gathering power!” Fu Li said in a deep, news-like male voice.
The other girls looked ready for action and picked up their magic wands.
Seeing the situation becoming dire, Lin Zhaohe planned to grab Zhuang Lao and make a run for it. But it was already too late. The surrounding black mist acted like a thick wall, trapping them in place. It seemed they had no choice but to stay and witness this battle of the two-dimensional world.
The black mist swirled and transformed into a dark beam, shooting towards the girls. Accompanying the beam were numerous black birds. The girls raised their magic wands, singing and dancing as they fought against the evil forces.
Lin Zhaohe felt a sense of unease. Even though he wasn’t a big anime fan, he could tell that the dark forces were gaining the upper hand. The black beam grew thicker, nearly engulfing the magical girls. Their colorful lights grew fainter, resembling flickering candles in a strong wind.
Lin Zhaohe sighed sadly, “I should have watched more anime.” At least then he would know if these were magical girls from children’s shows or the kind whose heads could detach.
Zhuang Lao remained silent by the side, deep in thought.
The black mist thickened, and the magical girls’ light gradually dimmed. The black birds spotted Lin Zhaohe and Zhuang Lao hiding in the corner and attempted to attack them. Lin Zhaohe swiftly took out a pocket knife and wildly stabbed at the birds. The wounded birds let out cries and vanished into black mist. Lin Zhaohe, still energized, struck a few Bruce Lee-like poses and made some noise. Only then did he notice Zhuang Lao standing beside him, revealing an awkward expression. “Boss, let me explain…”
Zhuang Lao observed his usually innocent subordinate, who was as gentle as a little otter, now resembling an unrestricted martial artist. He fell into silence.
Zhuang Lao: “You carry a knife with you?”
Lin Zhaohe: “Fear arises from inadequate firepower…”
Zhuang Lao: “…Right.”
Over here, Lin Zhaohe fought desperately against the birds, while the magical girls on the other side were reaching their limits. Their light became barely visible, and their surroundings were engulfed in ominous black mist, as if they were being swallowed whole. Lin Zhaohe grew anxious, realizing they couldn’t continue like this, or both he and Zhuang Lao would meet their end here. So, he gritted his teeth and stomped his foot, taking inspiration from the supportive crowd scenes in anime: “Magical Girls!! Keep going!! The world is counting on you to save it! You can’t give up!!”
The sound of righteous roars echoed through the empty streets, “Don’t give up… up… up…” It felt just like the inspiring OST from an anime.
“Yes!! We can’t give up!” Suddenly, Fu Li’s voice resounded.
“Strawberry, you’re right. We can’t give up!” The other girls chimed in.
Lin Zhaohe was touched by what he heard, thinking that if they hadn’t added the word “strawberry”, he would have been even more immersed in the drama.
“But we hadn’t found the sixth star yet!” Fu Li exclaimed. “The Hexagram remains incomplete! How can we confront the tower?”
“The sixth star will be drawn to us!” one of the magical girls shouted. “I sense her presence. She must be nearby!”
“I feel it too!” Fu Li’s spirits lifted, and his voice suddenly became several times louder.
Lin Zhaohe also grew excited and said, “That’s right!! She must be nearby. Find her and defeat the tower!”
He gripped the folding knife, standing in front of Zhuang Lao like a knight protecting a princess. He felt a surge of joy, thinking that they were finally saved, when suddenly a beam of colorful light shone upon him.
Lin Zhaohe: “?”
Zhuang Lao, standing behind him, seemed to realize something. He let out a soft sigh, patted his subordinate’s shoulder, and said, “Go in peace.”
Lin Zhaohe finally grasped the impending horror, his expression contorted, and he screamed, “No——”
However, it was already too late. The terrifying force sucked him into mid-air. He felt as if he had turned into a piece of clothing, tumbling and swirling inside a washing machine. Amidst the chaos, something forcefully attached itself to his body, and a stick was thrust into his hand.
When his feet landed on the ground again, Lin Zhaohe felt dazed. At that moment, he sensed a loss of control over his own body and involuntarily shouted, “Yellow Banana Girl will punish you in behalf of bananas!”
Someone behind him burst into laughter. Lin Zhaohe turned around in confusion and saw his boss wearing an unfamiliar and radiant smile, holding a cellphone with its flashlight on. “Eggplant.”
For some reason, Lin Zhaohe grinned foolishly, his mouth wide open.
Zhuang Lao desperately wanted to hold back his laughter, but he couldn’t resist any longer. Seeing Lin Zhaohe, who appeared like a bewildered passerby, reluctantly clad in a yellow dress, the surprise and discomfort on his face were clearly visible. Zhuang Lao laughed until his stomach ached. He took out his cellphone and captured this incredibly classic scene.
Lin Zhaohe, forced to become part of the plot, felt a mixture of pain and despair in his heart. He seriously contemplated which planet to choose to live on.
Fu Li said, “We’ve finally formed the Hexagram! Yellow Banana, quickly take the position of the head!”
Lin Zhaohe: “…” Things had already taken a strange turn, but couldn’t they transform into more impressive fruits? What’s with this Yello Banana? Could it even be popular among elementary school students?
The black mist approached again, and with a sense of resignation, Lin Zhaohe made the decision to debut as a magical girl. Gripping the magic wand like a makeshift torch, he joined Fu Li and the others with determination, completing the Hexagram.
Just like in any typical storyline, the black mist dispersed once more, restoring light to the world. The Demon Tower was sealed, and along with it, Lin Zhaohe’s sense of shame was also locked away.
While the other magical girls celebrated and embraced each other, he stood on the side, resembling an eccentric youth who had just emerged from a two-dimensional anime exhibition.
“Actually, it’s quite cute,” someone’s untimely voice chimed in, inflicting another wound on Lin Zhaohe’s fragile heart and reminding him that a regular human had witnessed everything.
Lin Zhaohe exclaimed in pain, “You could’ve stayed quiet, Boss.”
“I’m being serious,” Zhuang Lao blinked innocently, displaying a hint of innocence. “It’s actually quite cute.” Unlike Fu Li’s towering stature, Lin Zhaohe had a slender frame. Combined with the blushing expression on his handsome face, he possessed a different kind of cuteness.
Lin Zhaohe muttered with a gloomy tone, “Perhaps you have a liking for bananas.”
Zhuang Lao burst into laughter once again.
With the crisis averted, it was time for each magical girl to return to their respective lives and find their own paths.
Fu Li kindly explained to Lin Zhaohe how to revert back to his normal appearance and shared various tips on transforming once again. Lin Zhaohe listened without any expression, resembling a soulless banana.
They finished the lessons and finally turned their attention to the main topic.
“Why did the two of you come here?” Fu Li was generally a gentle person and chose his words carefully. “It’s late, and this place is quite secluded. Most people wouldn’t come here.”
“By someone’s request,” Zhuang Lao didn’t plan to hide anything and replied calmly.
“Oh?” Fu Li raised an eyebrow. “Yuan Liang?”
Zhuang Lao remained silent, but his expression was already quite telling.
“Does he suspect me of cheating?” Fu Li seemed to understand his partner well.
“When you keep disappearing like this every day, who wouldn’t have doubts?” Lin Zhaohe murmured softly. “If it’s not suspicions of cheating, then suspicions of you becoming a magical girl?”
Fu Li smiled, “It’s not just me, it’s both of us.”
Lin Zhaohe remained quiet. You can be quite ruthless.
“Being a magical girl isn’t that bad, to be honest. Though I resisted at first, I eventually got used to it,” Fu Li comforted. “Besides, I checked the original material. Yellow Banana didn’t have much popularity, so she didn’t have many scenes and got replaced.”
Lin Zhaohe stayed silent.
“Unlike Strawberry Witch, who is the protagonist.”
Lin Zhaohe kept quiet.
“Then let’s leave first.” Zhuang Lao glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late.” They had figured things out.
Fu Li nodded, not objecting. However, as they turned to leave, he suddenly said, “Um…”
Lin Zhaohe turned back.
“You should still tell Yuan Liang that I cheated on him.” Though his expression remained the same, Lin Zhaohe sensed some pain in Fu Li’s eyes.
Lin Zhaohe: “…” So you also know what social death is?
Fu Li: “Compared to being a magical girl, cheating makes a better reason in finding a boyfriend.”
Lin Zhaohe stayed silent.
Zhuang Lao remained silent.
You make a valid point. Surprisingly, we couldn’t argue against that.
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There a bl manhwa with magical.girl just saying.