Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 112: Encounter

Bai’an City was a well-known tourist destination in the southern region of Donghua Province. With its breathtaking mountains, lakes, and abundant natural scenery, it attracted countless visitors.

More notably, it was the City of Music, hosting world-class music festivals and exhibitions every year.

The city was home to the largest concert hall and the two most prestigious music academies in the province. From its architecture, brimming with artistic flair, to its bustling street performers, Bai’an City exuded a rich, vibrant artistic atmosphere.

It was no surprise that tourists and music enthusiasts from all over the world frequently gathered here, making the city’s tourism industry flourish.

—

When Lin Yun told the driver his destination—Music Park in Bai’an City’s Economic Development Zone—the driver immediately assumed he was a visiting tourist.

The man enthusiastically launched into a guide-like introduction of the city's famous attractions and local specialties.

Lin Yun didn’t bother correcting the misunderstanding. He responded casually, engaging in the conversation with an air of a carefree traveler.

Of course, he was no tourist.

His true destination was hidden beneath Music Park—Bai’an City’s Countermeasure Bureau.

The Bureau Beneath the Stage

In the magical side of the Material World, it was common knowledge that each city’s Countermeasure Bureau operated differently.

In Fangting City, the Bureau functioned like a typical government agency—public, authoritative, and unmistakable. It occupied a massive complex that openly housed its headquarters.

Bai’an City’s Bureau, however, was different.

According to the Investigation Bureau’s intel—provided to Veronica—Bai’an City’s Bureau was hidden underground, beneath Music Park.

Its entrances were deliberately concealed—so well, in fact, that without prior knowledge, no one would ever find them.

Why under a music park?

The reason was simple:

When the Bureau first established its headquarters here, this area was nothing but undeveloped wasteland on the outskirts of the city.

However, as Bai’an expanded, the once-empty land was developed into a bustling district.

If the Bureau had left the space above their base empty, it would’ve stood out far too much—like a giant "X marks the spot" for anyone looking.

So, to blend in, the land was developed into a music-themed park, fitting for Bai’an’s artistic identity.

—

Lin Yun vaguely remembered that when Music Park first opened, it had been a hot topic online.

Back then, Aya had even asked him if he wanted to bring Xiaolu for a family trip.

At the time, he didn’t give an immediate answer. He wanted to wait until the hype died down, the reviews stabilized—then he’d consider it.

But by the time that day came… there was no longer a family trip to plan.

Sitting in the taxi, gazing at the lively cityscape outside, Lin Yun’s thoughts drifted.

—

By the time the taxi left the port area and officially entered Bai’an City, the sun had almost set.

Only faint streaks of orange-red light remained in the sky.

The streets were congested with cars, their movements sluggish as they crawled toward intersections blocked by red lights.

Every so often, impatient drivers swerved through gaps, attempting reckless lane changes, worsening the traffic situation.

Car horns blared.

Street music played in the distance.

The driver kept talking.

The chaotic sounds of the city overlapped, making the air feel stuffy and restless.

Then, just as night fully settled in and neon lights illuminated the city, Bai’an became even louder, livelier, more vibrant.

It was a city that never truly rested.

—

Lin Yun took it all in—the colors reflecting off the taxi window, the energy pulsing through the streets.

A place like this… and yet, Cat Tail Squad vanished here?

The thought crossed his mind.

And then—

BOOM.

A thunderous explosion erupted ahead.

The endless car horns, the background music from the streets, the driver’s chattering—all of it was instantly drowned out.

Lin Yun’s head snapped up.

He turned toward the car window, eyes narrowing as he scanned the road ahead.

But under the night sky, with the blinding neon lights, the distant scene was blurred and unreadable.

The traffic remained frozen, the congestion unchanged—as if the explosion had been an illusion, and nothing had actually happened.

Yet, a brief unease had already rippled through the people.

Some passersby hesitated, exchanging confused glances.

But before they could fully react, the loud music from nearby street performers resumed, swallowing their doubts.

People shrugged off their confusion and continued walking, uncertain whether to be worried or not.

—

“Stop the car.”

Lin Yun’s voice was steady.

As a magical girl, he knew—something had happened up ahead.

Even in an unfamiliar city, a magical girl couldn’t ignore a crisis.

He had to check it out.

Ignoring the driver’s baffled “What are you scared of, man?”, Lin Yun paid the fare, grabbed his bag, and stepped out of the car.

Then, he ran toward the source of the explosion.

—

After sprinting several hundred meters, he finally encountered a wave of people rushing in the opposite direction.

"Don't go that way! Turn back and run! There's a Ravager!"

A young man in the front shouted, reaching out to grab Lin Yun’s arm, trying to pull him away.

“Countermeasure Bureau.”

Lin Yun’s tone was firm.

The young man froze, mouth slightly open in realization.

Then, he let go—and ran for his life.

—

Lin Yun pressed forward.

At last, he saw the chaotic scene unfolding ahead.

A massive Ravager stood in the middle of the road, wreaking havoc.

It was attacking cars, attempting to drag people out.

Several injured civilians lay on the pavement, clutching their wounds, groaning in pain.

The atmosphere was heavy with fear and despair.

Lin Yun took two seconds to analyze the situation—then immediately turned toward a convenience store beside him.

—

By now, the store was empty—both customers and staff had fled.

Lin Yun quickly stashed his bag in the storage room, locking it inside.

His gaze flickered to the security cameras in the corners of the ceiling.

Annoyed, he frowned—then slipped out the window instead.

He needed a secluded place to transform.

—

The alleyway behind the store was narrow, dark, and completely deserted.

It was the perfect spot—hidden from view, even if someone peeked out of a window.

After confirming he was alone, Lin Yun reached into his coat pocket, pulling out his Heartstone Flower—

And then—

He froze.

—

Because at that exact moment, multiple strong magical waves rushed past overhead at high speed.

One of them suddenly stopped.

Then, it doubled back—returning to hover directly above him.

"Hey, old man! What are you doing down there?"

A clear, youthful voice called out.

Lin Yun looked up.

A girl in a layered yellow princess dress, glowing with a soft golden light, floated above the alley.

Her golden eyes were locked on him, full of suspicion.

And her magical aura was unmistakable—

She was a magical girl.

—

Lin Yun wordlessly put his Heartstone Flower away.

Then, without a word, he turned and started jogging away.

—

"Hey! Don’t run!"

The girl immediately swooped down, blocking his path.

"I felt it! There was magic coming from this alley!"

Her long, golden curls swayed as she stared him down, hands on her hips.

"Who are you? A Magician?"

"Hiding in a place like this while a Ravager attacks the city—what are you up to?!"

—

…Well. This just got annoying.

“A Dumpster Fate.”

This is bad.

Lin Yun immediately realized his situation.

He had stopped transforming just in time, preventing the girl from seeing his true form, but magic waves couldn’t be hidden.

Just as he could sense her, she had naturally sensed him.

And that was a problem.

Because if he didn’t reveal that he was a magical girl, there was only one other explanation—

That he was a magician.

And if he were a magician…

Then why was he lurking in a secluded alley, using magic, instead of dealing with the Ravager?

Anyone would find that suspicious.

Even he would suspect himself in this situation.

And now, he had to decide how to handle it.

—

Option one: Reveal his magical girl identity.

Not ideal.

Even if the issue of his true form was ignored, it was extremely rare for magical girls to share their real identities with strangers.

Most didn’t even reveal themselves to other magical girls outside of their own squads.

That secrecy was a fundamental rule.

—

Option two: Pretend to be a magician.

Also risky.

That would lead to another round of questioning—why was he using magic here and not dealing with the Ravager?

And what was he doing in an empty alley instead of fleeing like a normal civilian?

If the roles were reversed, Lin Yun would absolutely suspect this person had some connection to the Ravager attack.

—

Option three: Play dumb. Pretend to be a normal person.

The safest bet.

All he had to do was deny everything.

Claim he had no idea what “magic waves” even were.

If he didn’t actively use magic, there was no way she could prove otherwise.

And with his experience, he was confident he could keep his magic completely undetectable.

—

Decision made.

Lin Yun put on a stern expression and flipped the accusation back at her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He furrowed his brows in mild irritation.

“Judging by your outfit, you’re a magical girl, right? There’s a Ravager attacking civilians down the street, and instead of handling it, you’re here harassing a random passerby?”

—

“Hah?”

The blonde girl’s brows shot up.

Then, she huffed, crossing her arms.

“We have three people on this mission! My teammates are already dealing with the Ravager! I stayed behind to check on you—because you look suspicious as hell!”

…Wow.

Lin Yun inwardly questioned this girl’s intelligence.

He had just casually pushed back—and she had immediately revealed the number of people on her team.

But he kept his expression neutral.

“I look suspicious?”

He gestured to himself.

“You’re making baseless accusations. If you really are a magical girl, don’t you feel ashamed accusing innocent civilians without proof?”

—

“How is it baseless?!”

The girl pointed straight at him.

“I felt magic waves coming from here!”

—

Lin Yun calmly met her gaze.

Then, tilting his head slightly, he let his expression shift into genuine confusion.

“…Magic waves?”

He repeated the phrase as if it were a completely foreign concept to him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

—

The girl blinked.

For a brief moment, her confidence wavered.

Her raised finger lowered slightly.

“…You don’t know what magic waves are?”

—

A short silence.

Then—

Her doubt vanished, and her expression turned furious again.

“Are you messing with me?! Do I look stupid to you?!”

—

“Hmph, whatever!”

She tossed her curls back and declared proudly,

“I’ll just capture you first! My teammates can figure out what you are later!”

She planted her hands on her hips.

“If you surrender now, I promise I won’t rough you up.”

—

This girl’s really looking for a fight, huh.

Lin Yun exhaled quietly, already calculating his next move.

Should he keep stalling?

Or should he just transform and get this over with?

He slowly took a small step back, pretending to hesitate.

“I already said—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His eyes flicked to her posture.

If she made a move, he’d—

—

THUD.

“AHHHHHHHH—?!”

A sharp cry cut through the air.

The girl suddenly tripped over a metal garbage can behind her.

She stumbled two steps forward—

—before falling face-first into a different garbage bin.

CLANG!

—

Now, the alley was dead silent.