Urging for more updates, then turning into a magical girl.

Chapter 29 All Actions Are for Justice

"...Yes, I was rejected, but things may not be as you think, Commander."

Zhang Menglin did not immediately agree with this statement.

"Commander, 'idealistic perception' is a very vague definition in the magical realm. The standard of 'whether there is darkness in one's heart' is not as black and white as you think."

"It's not necessary to have a noble heart to the point of 'selflessness' or 'having no selfish desires'... otherwise, there really wouldn't be many people who could become magical girls. This kind of 'idealistic recognition' is more like a 'relative feeling'."

"Ultimately, although we, the 'Where the Stars Are,' view the nation as an enemy, it is more of a conflict of ideologies and principles. In my opinion, your heart, Leader, does not possess that kind of 'extreme darkness' that is purely for the sake of doing evil. Your essence is actually a self-imposed and distorted 'love and justice,' which, theoretically speaking, could very well be accepted by the Seed of the Heart."

Hearing Zhang Menglin's analysis, Cheng Qi was so angry he laughed.

"Okay, so you said I might be accepted, but the fact is I was rejected! How are you going to explain that?"

"Well..."

Zhang Menglin pondered for a moment, then seemed to suddenly realize something: "Hmm, while you meet the requirement of 'having love and justice in your heart,' don't forget that the selection process for the Seed of the Heart also includes 'you must genuinely want to become a magical girl, or have a corresponding wish'!"

"So is it possible... that deep down, you, as the ruler, actually have no desire to become a magical girl?"

Cheng Qi scoffed dismissively, rejecting the idea without a second thought. "Impossible! I wouldn't refuse to gain greater power. Since it's a chance to become stronger, of course I crave becoming a magical girl!"

"Whether you want it or not isn't up to you to decide!"

Zhang Menglin continued her analysis, "Simply 'yearning to become a magical girl' isn't enough; you need a corresponding 'wish'!"

"Wait... Dr. Zhang, what is your wish this time?"

Cheng Qi was now completely confused.

To have to "truly want to become a magical girl deep down" and also have a "corresponding wish"... what's going on here?

"Hmm... Let me give you an example. For instance, there's a magical girl whose wish is, 'I want to become a magical girl so I can protect the people I care about.' Or, 'I want to become a magical girl so I can escape my cowardly self.' Becoming a magical girl is the 'effect,' but you also need a 'cause' to become a magical girl, which is the 'wish' in everyone's heart."

Cheng Qi was also puzzled by this statement: "Isn't 'wanting to become a magical girl' itself a wish?!"

"If... one has a longing for the very concept of magical girls, then that can certainly be considered a wish."

"...I think I already admire magical girls enough."

Cheng Qi's statement was not a lie.

"Yes, Commander, you do admire magical girls, and magical girls admire you too... like 'Hime-tou-san' and the others." Zhang Menglin's tone carried a hint of amusement. "But... isn't it precisely because of their existence that you feel a sense of rejection towards magical girls?"

Cheng Qi, holding the phone, gradually fell silent.

Although he kept saying that "the villainous boss needs to obtain the power of the magical girls," Cheng Qi still hesitated when the four magical girls in the base were mentioned.

Escape, promises, worries, anger... Because of their experiences, the four magical girls make it difficult for Cheng Qi to accept the identity of a magical girl.

"I... I think I understand now."

Realizing this, Cheng Qi stopped trying to be defiant and said, "If that's the case... does that mean I won't be able to gain the Heart Seed's approval?"

"Commander...aren't you just deceiving yourself?"

Zhang Menglin's voice was slightly barbed at this moment, "Since deep down you don't want to be a magical girl, then why bother—"

"It's different." Cheng Qi interrupted her. "Perhaps... I did lose the courage to become a magical girl because of their gathering around me. But I must find what I lost. This is also... to help them."

"I've already backed down once; I can't back down again."

Cheng Qi made up his mind and added one last sentence—

"So, is there any other way to become a magical girl?"

"Hehe, as expected of the Commander." Zhang Menglin chuckled. "Actually... it's not that difficult. Although you subconsciously resist becoming a magical girl, if you have a wish for 'an opportunity to become a magical girl'... you can still gain the Heart Seed's approval, right?"

Cheng Qi held the Seed of the Heart in his hand, his fingers stroking the smooth surface of the gemstone back and forth.

Do you want the chance to become a magical girl?

Although this seems difficult... I must find this desire...

However, there is one more important thing before that.

"Zhang Menglin, why do you know so much about my past with the Four Heavenly Kings?"

Cheng Qi, belatedly realizing this, began to interrogate the other party.

"The story between me and them, and the impact of their trauma on me, is a secret only between us, isn't it? How do you, an outsider, know so much, and even perceive that this is the subconscious reason why I don't want to become a magical girl?"

"Ah...ah...hahahaha..."

Zhang Menglin on the other end of the phone was clearly unsure how to answer and made a strange, unintelligible noise.

"There's also the operating principle of the 'Seed of the Heart.' Even Mo Ran Ying and the others only know that the 'Seed of the Heart' does have a 'mind-based selection' mechanism, but they don't know the specifics of this selection mechanism. However, you understand the core mechanism very well... even better than the magical girls. That's too strange."

Even the strange noises stopped on Zhang Menglin's end, and she fell silent for several seconds again.

"Feed? Dr. Zhang? Are you still there?"

"...Ah! That...Commander!"

After a brief silence, Zhang Menglin suddenly spoke in an extremely exaggerated tone.

"...Ah, um, Commander, I'm sorry, my phone is smoking! That's all for now, I'll hang up, bye!"

Before Cheng Qi could react, the other end of the line immediately hung up, leaving only a busy tone.

"…………???"

Damn it, this feeling of déjà vu... Didn't this guy just use it a couple of days ago?! Couldn't he have come up with a better excuse to pretend a little?