Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 3: Speech

Vol 2 Chapter 3 Speech

“—That concludes my thoughts on the Logistics Support Department’s weekly report. Now let’s move on to the Archives Department’s work for this week...”

A few hours after the lunch break, Lin Yun stood at the podium in the meeting room. As he finished reading that page of the speech and was about to flip to the next, he suddenly realized something. He lifted his eyes from the manuscript and glanced at the audience, letting out a barely audible sigh.

The atmosphere below the stage was practically lifeless.

It wasn’t just quiet—far from it. From the dull, blank stares scattered across the seats, it was clear that most of the people weren’t even listening to what he was saying.

That afternoon’s work briefing was the first time Lin Yun appeared in front of all the Countermeasure Bureau employees. With the exception of those on field duty, the entire Bureau had shown up.

As an organization responsible for magical security, the Countermeasure Bureau was known for its solid discipline. No one was slacking off or playing with their phones. But no matter how strict the rules, you couldn’t force people to stay mentally engaged all the time.

Lin Yun wasn’t surprised by this.

The speech manuscript he held had been drafted by the General Administration Department. Most of it was just summaries and suggestions for the week’s departmental activities. Even reading it himself, he found it boring.

If the speaker couldn’t get into the content, how could the audience? Some employees looked downright drowsy. If he weren’t the new Bureau Director standing on stage, they’d probably be asleep already.

After a long sweep of the crowd in silence, Lin Yun suddenly tossed the manuscript aside and let it flutter onto the podium.

“Well, enough of the meaningless chatter. Let’s talk about something a bit more real.”

Expressionless, he stepped forward and raised his voice slightly:

“You’re bored. You’re half-asleep. Honestly, same here. The Countermeasure Bureau’s current situation is far from optimistic, and clearly, following procedures to the letter won’t fix the problem.”

“There’s an old saying in Donghua Province—‘a new official sets three fires.’ I didn’t come here to check boxes. I’m here for two things: stabilize internally, strike externally. That’s all.”

“Let’s talk about internal stabilization first.”

“As someone who has actually lived in Fangting City, I’m extremely disappointed with your work over the past two years. As the city’s first line of defense against magical-side crime, the Countermeasure Bureau’s role in the last two years has been next to nothing. It’s like a sieve—everything just leaks through.”

“Never-on-time Ravager attack forecasts. Gray magic groups that just won’t die. A massive number of unresolved missing person cases... Tell me honestly, if you were an ordinary civilian in this city, would you feel safe living here?”

“Now that I’m criticizing you, I’m sure some of you feel wronged—maybe even resentful. You think the new director just wants to show off. After all, you’ve put in people, resources, time, effort. Special Operations teams have been deployed nonstop, some employees barely even sleep—so why isn’t it working?”

“The reason, I suspect, some of you already feel it: there are traitors within the Countermeasure Bureau.”

“Two weeks ago, we were hit by a Ravager assault orchestrated by Black Cinders Dawn. Was that just a coincidence? This past week, our raids on that organization have been painfully slow—is it because you’re slacking off? Or is the enemy just lucky?”

“No. Neither. Black Cinders Dawn isn’t lucky. Nor are they especially clever. They’ve been consistently one step ahead because they have inside information.”

“You’re working alongside traitors without even knowing it. Bureau secrets are like an open book to outsiders, and none of you even notice.”

“This is the first thing I’m doing—stabilize from within. So open your eyes, sharpen your ears, and take a good look at who’s dragging you all down.”

“Pei Zhengchang, stand up.”

Lin Yun called out calmly, staring at a middle-aged man in the audience. “Tell your colleagues—tell everyone here. You’ve entered the archives four times since the Bureau was restructured, including this morning. What exactly were you looking for?”

The man looked up in shock. He stayed seated, stunned.

He wanted to stay hidden in the crowd, but then he noticed everyone around him staring. There was nowhere left to hide. Reluctantly, he stood up, voice trembling: “I was... reviewing past Ravager incidents.”

“The past Ravager cases are all stored in Cabinets 11 through 39. What were you doing in Cabinet 4?”

Lin Yun’s voice was cold. “Were you hoping to find a Ravager hidden in old Magical Girl pairing records?”

“I wasn’t!”

The man snapped. “You’re accusing me without proof!”

“Accusing you?”

Lin Yun’s face didn’t flinch. “Then tell me, where were you at 10:27 this morning? Can any of your colleagues vouch for you?”

Silence.

“I… I was in the restroom,” the man muttered, eyes shifting.

“The restroom, huh?”

Lin Yun repeated it and tapped the underside of the podium. The big screen behind him lit up, displaying surveillance footage from a hidden angle.

On screen was none other than Pei Zhengchang, sneaking through the Archives, stopping right at Cabinet 4, and rummaging through it.

The man's face went ghost white.

“That’s impossible…”

He whispered. “I checked everything. I replaced the cameras. They were all fake. This can’t be…”

But no one cared about his excuses now.

Where once people looked at him with doubt, now their eyes were full of hatred and disgust.

“I’m not your old Director. Maybe she turned a blind eye to this sort of thing. I won’t.”

Lin Yun’s voice was cold. “Security Department, two people. Escort him to the interrogation room.”

At his word, a few younger employees sprang forward from the crowd, eyes burning with fury as they moved toward the man.

“You’re not taking me!”

Exposed, Pei Zhengchang dropped the act. He raised a glowing magic catalyst in his hand and pointed it at the stage. “You forced this!”

He fired a barrage of magic bullets at Lin Yun—each one fast and deadly.

“Stop him!” “Protect the Director!”

Shouts erupted, and several people dashed toward the podium.

But no one expected what happened next: before the magic bullets even reached Lin Yun, they vanished—dispersed by some unseen force.

They never even touched him.

Behind the podium, where no one could see, Lin Yun held one hand over his Heartstone. Fine threads of magic extended from it like blades, slicing through the air and nullifying the attack with ease.

Most of the audience didn’t even notice him doing anything—those closest only felt a faint magical ripple.

Defeated and pale, Pei Zhengchang was taken away by the Security Department.

Lin Yun watched calmly as he was dragged off—then turned back to the crowd and called another name.

“Lu Yan. As a Finance Department employee, why have you been making repeated visits to the Special Operations Department this past week? You weren’t assigned any joint tasks, yet you’ve entered their strategy room multiple times. What were you doing?”

He pointed at a young woman in the front row.

But before she could speak, more Security staff approached, surrounding her.

Seeing the suspicion on every face around her, Lu Yan clicked her tongue and gave up the act. She activated the hidden flight spell in her hand and launched herself into the air, heading for the conference hall doors.

“She’s running!” “Stop her!”

People jumped into action—grabbing at her ankles, tossing objects, firing spells. A flurry of interference stopped her mid-flight, and a tall employee yanked her out of the air.

Seconds later, Security caught up and took her away too.

Lin Yun didn’t bother saying more—he just kept naming names.

One after another, employees tried to run. One tried to protest. All were taken down and removed.

In the end, six traitors were caught.

By the last few names, the crowd wasn’t even questioning him anymore. They believed him completely, and reacted faster and faster. These Black Cinders Dawn infiltrators were all hauled off to interrogation.

Only when they were gone did Lin Yun release the Heartstone beneath the podium.

“I don’t know if there are more traitors in the Bureau. I haven’t been here long enough to check everyone.”

“But I believe it’s just a matter of time.”

“If any of you are still hiding something, you have two options: first, quit after work today, and never come back. Second, come to me and confess—maybe you’ll get leniency.”

“Now that the trash is gone, let’s talk about the next issue—external strikes.”

“Black Cinders Dawn has humiliated us more than once. I’m sure you remember the disgrace from two weeks ago. I know you want revenge.”

“But they’ve mastered Beastification. Their Beastified members are almost as strong as Ravagers. Ordinary personnel can’t deal with them.”

“That’s why I brought equipment.”

“From headquarters. The latest research from the Magic Kingdom—Magical Armaments. With these, a Magician at the Controller level can actually harm a Ravager.”

Shock and disbelief rippled through the room.

To humans, fighting Ravagers directly was considered impossible. Among the Bureau’s mostly magician staff, that belief was almost sacred.

Just like everyone knew Magical Girls were always female, everyone knew that even Controllers couldn’t fight Ravagers.

And now this guy was saying gear could make it possible?

“The current damage is limited to Egg-tier. We’re still powerless against higher-tier Ravagers. But that’s enough for Beastified enemies.”

Ignoring the noise, Lin Yun continued calmly:

“In the next few days, I want the General Admin Department to review all Controllers in Special Ops. If their identities and behavior check out, equip them with the latest Magical Armaments.”

“Once all squads are armed, the Countermeasure Bureau’s purge of Black Cinders Dawn will begin.”

“Before, thanks to those traitors, we couldn’t even find their Beastified agents. But now that some have been rooted out, our chances are much better.”

“I won’t force anyone into danger. But I ask that you know your limits. If you can wipe out a cell—do it. If you can’t—call it in. Ask for reinforcements, resources, even Magical Girl support—whatever you need.”

“I have one request, one target.”

At this, Lin Yun lifted his head. His eyes were like ice.

“Wipe out every last Black Cinders Dawn operative in Fangting City. Leave none. I don’t want to see a single one still alive next year.”

“Dismissed.”

---

The speech was a massive success.

As Lin Yun said—stabilize within, strike outward. In just one meeting, he exposed traitors, proved his capability, and presented cutting-edge resources that could turn the tide.

People respect strength. Especially in a place like the Countermeasure Bureau. Lin Yun’s actions gave everyone a massive morale boost, and his approval rating skyrocketed.

By the time he left, the once-dull crowd had been re-energized—especially Special Ops.

Team 3’s Li Yingwei was grabbing Tian Sheng by the shoulders and shaking him in excitement, shouting, “Long live the new Director!”—a sharp contrast to their lunchtime grumblings.

Tian Sheng could only smile awkwardly, though his eyes wandered back to the stage, filled with hidden doubts.

The room’s noise didn’t follow Lin Yun. He walked briskly out, manuscript in hand, straight to the elevator, returning quickly to his office door with a furrowed brow.

Just moments ago, he had felt a powerful burst of magic coming from inside the Bureau—from his own office.

One hand on the door, the other in his pocket, ready to activate the Heartstone.

But when he opened the door—he completely forgot what he had planned to do.

A plush doll—or maybe a puppet—was sitting in his chair.

It was a cute fairy doll, covered in emerald green fur, wearing a white lab coat that made it look both funny and oddly adorable. He could tell it was a puppet from the visible joint seams.

It lounged casually behind his desk, smiling lazily.

“Hey there, kid.”

The voice from its mouth was robotic and genderless.

Sitting in someone else’s chair, yet it looked completely at ease. Those plushy eyes glowed like polished gems—brilliant green, bright as spring leaves, beautiful and unsettling.

They looked just like a pair of exquisite emeralds.