Ch. 5 - Free New Phone

“No,” Bai Yu said, shaking her head lightly. “He signed himself in. I’m just here to take him to enrollment.”

“What? He signed up on his own?” Deng Xiaonan’s jaw practically dropped. She’d never imagined a guy would voluntarily choose Witch School. And yet, here one was, right in front of her.

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she sized me up. “Dude, you’ve got guts! I’ve got a good feeling about you,” she teased, her tone dripping with playful approval.

“Uh… thanks?” I mumbled, unsure how to respond. Something about her words felt loaded, but I wasn’t about to dig into it.

It was best to just mind my own business—and quietly pity the guy sitting next to her. He looked like someone meant for bigger things, maybe even had a spot at one of the Big Three. And yet, here he was, stuck with her.

Oh well. As long as Deng Xiaonan was happy, I guess.

I couldn’t exactly chat with Bai Yu anymore, though we hadn’t been talking much to begin with. The moment Deng Xiaonan plopped down, the vibe turned awkward, like someone had flipped a switch.

A little while later, the guy who’d been knocked out—about my age—finally stirred awake.

“Where… where am I?” He groaned, blinking groggily.

“Aw, you’re finally up, little buddy!” Deng Xiaonan chirped, noticing him first. “You’re on the train to the School, of course.” A sly grin tugged at her lips.

“What? School? Which one? Wait—you! You’re not the one who brought me here. You’re a witch!” The boy’s brain kicked into gear. He wasn’t some random slacker—geniuses like him could piece things together fast, even with scraps of info.

“Witch? Well, I’m still a trainee, but I like the sound of that,” Deng Xiaonan said with a wink, clearly enjoying herself.

“You—let me go! I got accepted to Elf School! I’m not going to Witch School!” He was still clutching onto some shred of logic, his hand fumbling for his seatbelt.

“Sit tight, genius,” she snapped, her tone sharpening. “We’re on a moving train. Unbuckle that seatbelt, and I’ll toss you out halfway to nowhere. Your call.”

It was a simple threat, but it worked. The guy froze. Sure, he was pissed, but he also wanted to live.

The train was barreling along at insane speeds—getting thrown out would be a death sentence. Even if he doubted she’d actually do it, the tiny chance was enough to keep him in check.

So he started scanning the surroundings instead.

The seats here didn’t look like the usual trains he’d ridden before. Across from him sat two others—me and Bai Yu, I figured.

Just four people in this whole car. Escape wasn’t looking likely. How was he, a regular guy, supposed to take on academy students who’d already tapped into transcendence?

If only he’d had a chance.

But there were no “ifs” now. The two Elf School students escorting him had lost, and with witches went his lifeline.

And yet, the worst part? He was a guy. A guy going to Witch School. It was a punchline he’d laughed at before—now he was the punchline.

“Elf School won’t give up on me,” the boy muttered, his voice tight with resolve after a long, heavy pause.

“No worries, no worries!” Deng Xiaonan chirped, waving off his defiance like it was nothing.

“Once the deed is done, they can miss you all they want—it won’t matter. As soon as I get you to the academy, you think you’re slipping away?” She grinned, totally unbothered. It seemed like once a student was delivered, that was that—case closed.

I watched the whole thing unfold from the sidelines, keeping my head down and piecing it together. This chick was ruthless.

“You don’t think I’d kill myself right now? I’ll make you—” The boy didn’t even finish his threat. His head lolled forward, and he was out cold, snoring softly.

My eyes went wide. What the heck just happened? I didn’t even catch her move. Some kind of sleep spell?

“Sorry about that,” Deng Xiaonan sighed, glancing my way. “Had no choice but to put him down for a nap. Man, if only he were as chill as you, huh?” She’d totally clocked me sneaking glances this whole time.

I snapped upright in my seat, avoiding her gaze like my life depended on it.

The train kept humming toward Magicaeopolis, but the cabin felt eerily quiet now. 

Bai Yu, on the other hand, seemed totally unfazed by the drama. She’d fiddled with her phone for a bit earlier, then leaned back and shut her eyes, looking perfectly at ease.

I checked my own phone. The battery was draining fast—typical for this ancient thing. I hadn’t loaded it up with heavy games or anything, which was probably the only reason it still had juice.

Lucky me. Still, there was a charging port nearby, and with no clue how long this ride would take—or how much power I’d need once we got to the school—I dug out my charger.

The rustling must’ve bugged Bai Yu, because her eyes fluttered open. She caught me plugging in and spoke up. “Charging your phone? Hold off a sec. We’re almost there. Once you’re at the school, every student gets a new one tied to your student ID. You’re not still attached to that old thing, are you?”

I glanced down at my beat-up phone. “It’s been with me a while,” I said softly. It was scratched and outdated, sure, but the real shock was her news. “Wait, Sister Bai, the school gives out new phones?”

“Yup, standard issue,” she said, casual as ever. “Regular phones can’t keep up with what the academy demands. Witch School’s phones are custom-built—special perks you won’t find anywhere else.” She held hers up, giving it a little twirl for me to see.

“No way. What’s the difference between that and a normal one?” I leaned in, eyeing her phone. It looked plain at first glance, but there was this understated, high-tech vibe to it.

“For starters, it doesn’t run on a battery,” she said. “It’s powered by the magic witches wield. Master your own magic, and you can charge it anytime.”

“Seriously?” My jaw dropped as she toyed with the device in her hand. I was officially jealous. Was this the perk of tapping into transcendence?

Then she did something wild. With a flick of her fingers, she pinched the glowing screen, lifting it off the phone like it was a sheet of light.

Another gesture, and it morphed into a full-on 3D hologram, floating above her palm.

“Holographic projection? 3D imaging?” I gawked, unable to hide my awe. I’d lived in this world my whole life—how had I missed tech this insane?

“Not quite,” Bai Yu said with a small smile. “It’s more like supernatural energy tech. Looks flashy, sure, but it’s not some cutting-edge science breakthrough. It’s just practical for academy students. Regular folks can’t use it, so it never caught on outside.”

She explained it all so patiently, breaking it down like it was no big deal.

Tech level aside, though? This thing was cool. That was more than enough for me.

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