Chương 69: The Unresolved Mysteries

Director Roland's words were like a silhouette in the twilight, heavy and blurry, yet enough to depict the most cruel scene.

"... You wouldn't want to know."

Xingshuang's heart sank. She replied softly, "Is that so?" She didn't ask any further questions, but those three simple words carried an indescribable heaviness.

She could easily figure it out, after all, it wasn't some secret beyond human comprehension.

What will a villain hiding in the shadows do when he discovers a hero whose true identity has been exposed?

They will certainly not seek justice, nor will they repent for their mistakes. They will only ruthlessly and precisely stab the softest part of the hero's heart—those whom the hero protected with his life.

The safety of family members, the lives of friends, and treasures that are more important than anything else to the hero himself will all become bargaining chips for villains to blackmail.

They would force heroes to make cruel choices, using their power to harm ordinary people who should be protected, forcing them to succumb to pain and despair.

Such plots are not uncommon in stories about heroes and sacrifices.

Magical girls fight a desperate battle against the Void Beasts and the Void Realm to protect the human world; they are rightfully heroes.

However, unlike those heroes who have already possessed fully mature personalities, clear understanding, and unbreakable wills.

Beyond their dazzling magic, magical girls are often just innocent children who may be worrying about exams, concerned about their friends' lives, and feeling warmed by the care of their families.

Even mature minds struggle with pain and waver in dilemmas when faced with such a cruel reality. How can these children, who have not yet been fully tempered by reality, bear it and make choices?

Roland looked at Xingshuang quietly. Although he was blind, he seemed to be able to "see" through the emotions surging in her heart at that moment.

He nodded secretly. Judging from Xing Shuang's words and actions, she might be a newcomer as a magical girl, but she was definitely not a naive child. Rather, she had a clear understanding of that cruel reality.

As for her unusually petite figure compared to that of a typical magical girl, it might just be an accident.

He didn't continue with that heavy topic, but instead steered the narrative back to the services provided by the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs.

"In addition to submitting energy cores in exchange for rewards," Roland continued, "social welfare benefits for the magical girl herself and her family are also included."

"The Bureau of Extraordinary Events is a specialized agency established by the state, which can mobilize a considerable amount of social resources," he said.

"For example, it can provide magical girls with conveniences in their work or studies."

"When you are on a mission, you may need to skip work or school. The Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs can easily handle these matters for you, so that your lives as ordinary people will not be disturbed."

Xing Shuang was taken aback when she heard this. Didn't this conflict with what he had just said, "Don't reveal your true identity"?

Seemingly sensing her confusion, Roland explained, "Yes, this contradicts what I said before, but there is certainly a reason for this."

"Some magical girls, even after learning of this risk, still choose to reveal their true identities to the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs in exchange for maximum logistical support."

"If they insist on doing this, we will not try to dissuade them repeatedly, but will only ensure that this is entirely their own personal will."

"The true identities of these magical girls are top secret to the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, and only the directors of each bureau have been qualified to know them."

His tone became unusually serious and solemn, "And even if a magical girl's companion comes to ask, we will absolutely not tell her."

Xing Shuang nodded to show that she understood. This was the most complete trust and entrustment, and also the loneliest burden.

Roland continued to explain the assistance the Bureau of Paranormal Affairs could provide: "You can also receive this kind of logistical support by showing the Bureau of Paranormal Affairs the signal receiving device you are about to receive—or by confirming your magical girl identity in other ways."

He paused, his tone tinged with apology: "Of course, the support will be much less intense than that given to a magical girl who reveals her true identity. In most cases, the field agents of the Special Affairs Bureau can only provide limited support."

"It's not because we don't want to, or deliberately reduce, our support for you," Roland emphasized, "but because... we can't."

"After all, you should know very well that making this kind of request for assistance to us and telling us your true identity are, in some ways, almost no different."

He steered the conversation back to Xing Shuang: "You need to weigh and judge the degree of this yourself."

Xing Shuang understood. The support from the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs was a double-edged sword. Complete trust could bring more comprehensive support, but it also meant exposing one's vulnerability to potential threats.

She needs to decide for herself how much support she is willing to take and how much risk she is willing to take.

Taking a deep breath, she felt that the information she had gleaned from this conversation was already complex and heavy enough.

"Director Roland, I have nothing else I'd like to know for the time being," she said.

Roland smiled and nodded, indicating that he understood. He sat up slightly and his tone suddenly became unusually serious.

"Well... as is customary, I have something to say before we end this conversation."

"Your magical girl companions and contracted spirits may have repeatedly emphasized this to you, but I still need to tell you this..."

Every word he uttered was powerful and resonant, carrying an undeniable weight:

"Never, ever reveal your true identity to anyone other than a trusted companion."

These words were like a brand, deeply etched into Xing Shuang's heart.

"Thank you for informing me, Director Roland." She stood up and bowed slightly to Roland.

Just as she was about to turn and leave, the elderly woman with gray hair spoke again, her voice filled with deep guilt and self-reproach, "The heavy burden of protecting humanity has been placed on the shoulders of you children..."

He slowly rose, placed his hands on the edge of the table, and bowed deeply to Starfrost and all the magical girls fighting in the darkness.

"I'm sorry."

He raised his head, his face filled with an almost reverent respect: "You... have worked hard."

Xing Shuang was stunned. She never expected that the director of the Bureau of Extraordinary Abilities would do such a thing to her, to a newly recruited magical girl she had never met before.

She felt a jolt in her heart, and at that moment, the heavy and oppressive emotions seemed to find an outlet.

Without hesitation, she returned the bow deeply to Director Roland.

"This is what we... should do," Starfrost said softly.

She didn't linger any longer, but turned and left the director's office, walked out of the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs building, and returned to the bustling city streets in the afternoon.

After finding a secluded corner and confirming that no one was around, she deactivated her transformation. The pink-gold light dissipated, and Lin Che reappeared in the same spot.

He leaned against the wall, lost in thought, his mind replaying the information that Director Roland had told him.

Based on the existing situation, the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs is a trustworthy partner, and their behavior pattern seems to be entirely in line with their duties.

The previous speculations—the delayed arrival of support and the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the magical girl—did not originate from a conspiracy by the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs.

But if that's the case, what about those vanished magical girls? Why did they disappear? Why does it seem like only Liuli and Yinxue are frequently dealing with the infiltration from the Void Realm in this city?

The sense of crisis did not diminish at all; on the contrary, it became even heavier. The hidden truths might be more dangerous than he imagined.

But at the same time, my belief in protecting others has become even stronger.

No matter what secrets this world holds, no matter how difficult the road ahead may be, he will protect the people he cares about, protect his parents, protect Xiaoye, protect Yuqing... and that awkward yet kind Luo Bingli.

He recalled Director Roland's final, somber words, "You wouldn't want to know," words that felt like an invisible shackle binding the magical girls.

They are heroes, but also the most vulnerable children.

He couldn't let them face it alone; he couldn't let them bear those cruel realities.

Lin Che took a deep breath, suppressing all his emotions. He straightened up, looked up into the distance, and his gaze became unusually firm.

He will keep those dangers out of their sight, he will block those shadows in their path, and he will use his power to protect the pure light in their eyes.

With this in mind, he embarked on his return journey.