Dark-colored Fairy Tale: Seven Magicians - Chapter 71: A Dangerous Distraction
Chapter 71: A Dangerous Distraction
“Aiai, did you really not see Shishi?” Liu Menglu asked, her eyes full of hope. Chloe, distracted by the thought of Yang Shishi’s disappearance, didn’t notice Liu Menglu’s fragile state. She simply shook her head, confirming she hadn’t seen a trace of her.
Liu Menglu’s body went rigid for a moment. “Oh, is that so? Then I’ll go make us some lunch.” She started for the kitchen, but Chloe, seeing her dazed state, quickly followed. Even if she couldn’t cook, she could at least keep her safe.
As Liu Menglu chopped cabbage, her gaze was fixed on the window outside. The knife moved with a dangerous, rhythmic clack-clack. Chloe watched intently, fearing she would slip and cut herself. Sure enough, Liu Menglu’s hand slipped, and the knife was heading straight for her fingers. Chloe quickly grabbed her arm, stopping her from getting hurt.
Liu Menglu was startled by Chloe’s sudden action and snapped out of her daze. “What’s wrong?” she asked, bewildered.
Chloe shook her head. Liu Menglu continued cooking, but Chloe noticed her scoop a spoonful of salt, then another, and another. Chloe took the spoon from her and led her out of the kitchen.
…
The Hostile Bet
On the sofa, Chloe gave her a glass of water. Although still irritated by Li Qiuyu’s infuriating words, Chloe was determined to comfort Liu Menglu.
“Don’t worry, Li Qiuyu will definitely find Yang Shishi. I’m going to look for her with her.”
“Really?” Liu Menglu was happy but also worried about Chloe’s terrible relationship with Li Qiuyu. “You and Qiuqiu don’t get along.”
“Don’t worry,” Chloe reassured her. “Even though we magical girls have different nationalities, our goal of fighting demons is the same. I’m sure she’ll put aside her prejudice.” Yeah, right.
Chloe scoffed inwardly, recalling Li Qiuyu’s awful attitude. But seeing the light return to Liu Menglu’s eyes, Chloe decided to try. Maybe they could actually work together.
She found Li Qiuyu, who was dressed in black and tapping a pen on her desk. “You want to work with me?” Li Qiuyu’s cold expression held a hint of arrogant amusement.
Chloe’s brows furrowed. Li Qiuyu’s condition was clearly worse than before. Didn’t anyone try to help her? Chloe didn’t say anything, worried about a counter-reaction. She decided she’d speak with Li Shu later.
Li Qiuyu, unaware of her own state, believed her rage was all caused by Chloe’s visit. “If possible, I would like to work with you to find Yang Shishi,” Chloe said politely.
Li Qiuyu immediately sneered. “Are you here to ‘cry wolf’? The thief who stole her wants to ‘find’ her?” The pen tapped faster, the sound growing more aggressive.
“I’ll say it again: I didn’t kidnap Yang Shishi. This has nothing to do with me,” Chloe said, her voice laced with anger.
Li Qiuyu only laughed at her.
Chloe took a deep breath. “It’s useless to talk to you. Just give me the data you’ve collected on this demon, and I’ll find Yang Shishi myself.”
“These files are what my team and I worked hard to find. Why should I give them to you? What, have you finally abandoned your dignity to be a beggar?”
Chloe’s anger flared. She looked at Li Qiuyu and felt a strange sense of calm. “It looks like we can’t cooperate. If so, I’ll find her on my own.”
“Anyone can talk big,” Li Qiuyu taunted. “Can’t find her? How about we make a bet?”
“Fine! We’ll bet. Whoever finds Yang Shishi first wins, and the loser admits they are a complete and utter failure.”
“As you wish, failure.”
“You have a sharp tongue. Don’t come crawling back and crying to me when you lose.”
The two were at each other’s throats, saying whatever came to mind. Li Shu watched in stunned silence. Both were furious. They gave each other one final icy look and went back to the case.
…
A Chilling Breakthrough
Li Qiuyu, with her home-field advantage, had more ways to gather information than Chloe. She had the files of every deceased person. She arranged them by the time of death, comparing their social interactions and lives, but found nothing. Her frustration grew, and she smashed a teacup.
Li Shu sighed, cleaned up the mess, and said to the agitated Li Qiuyu, “Captain, you’ve been pulling all-nighters. Why don’t you let me look through the files for a bit?”
Li Qiuyu shook her head, still fuming. “I don’t know what tricks Chloe might pull, but I’ll find the demon before she does, no matter what.”
Li Shu didn’t argue. She poured her a new cup of tea and joined her in looking at the files. Suddenly, she made a crucial discovery: the victims, while not in the same social circles, had all met at various academic competitions.
When Li Shu told Li Qiuyu what she found, a spark of inspiration flashed in Li Qiuyu’s mind. She quickly flipped through the files and finally found a way to track down the demons. A bizarre smile spread across Li Qiuyu’s face, a sight that made even Li Shu frown in discomfort.