17: Chapter 17 After all, she's a magical girl!

Meanwhile.

The Lin family mansion. Second-floor study.

Lin Weiwei's expression froze completely as she stared at the file Su Bai had sent to her phone screen.

File Title: Kyubey the Incubator · Physical Construction Material List (Simplified Version)》

Content as follows:

[Core Materials:

White belly feathers of a century-old Corpse-Eating Vulture × 30 (Used to construct the fluff layer, feather age must be between 95-105 years. Cannot be replaced by polyester, cotton, or any synthetic fiber—polyester will melt upon entering the magical field, cotton will spontaneously combust under high-dimensional folding, goose feathers have zero Mental Power conductivity, and the curse-bearing limit of duck down is too low.)

Deep-sea Blood Demon eyeball gel × 200 ml (Used to simulate flesh and blood tissue, must be taken from the vitreous body of a juvenile Blood Demon, transmittance ≥ 99.8%. Blood Clan Progenitor gel is better, of course, but it's unavailable, so this is the next best thing—do not use synthetic silicone, as it will carbonize within three seconds of magic being loaded.)

Tier 3 · Wind Wolf King's chest fluff × 500 (Covers the surface layer. The magic affinity of Wind Wolf King fur is the highest among all Tier 3 beast fluff; ordinary Wind Wolf fur has only one-tenth the affinity of the King-level, so don't buy the wrong one.)

Shadow Silkworm silk × 10 meters (Filling material, must be from Shadow Silkworms that spun silk naturally in a dark magical environment. Silk spun by Shadow Silkworms raised under light lacks dark attribute affinity.)

Abyss Soul-Eating Wood branch × 1 section (Used to make the eyeballs. The black color of Soul-Eating Wood can perfectly restore the mysterious aura of Kyubey. Do not use ordinary stained oak, as dyed wood will fade in a high-dimensional energy field.)

Tier 4 · Azure Underworld Stone powder × 20 grams (Used to harmonize the fusion medium between the gel and white feathers. Only the magical inertia of Azure Underworld Stone powder is high enough to avoid rejection reactions when the two materials come into contact.)

Frost Moon Giant Bear throat bone × 1 piece (Used to make the vocal device. The Frost Moon Giant Bear throat bone has excellent sound imitation capabilities. If unavailable, Tier 3 · Phantom Sound Cicada wings can be used as a substitute.)

... Total: 2,050,000.00]

There was another line of notes below:

[P.S. These are only the basic materials used to make a standard-sized (approx. 35cm) Kyubey. If you want a life-sized version, multiply the cost by about four. If you need a super life-sized version (for high-tier combat forms), please contact me separately.

P.P.S. None of the above materials can be replaced with lower-grade alternatives. This is the underlying constraint of Concept Construction—it's not that I'm being picky; the card itself is. If you want to curse someone after seeing the pricing, please don't curse me, curse that ragdoll.]

Lin Weiwei read the file from beginning to end three times.

The first time, she thought Su Bai was joking.

The second time, she discovered that there was a logical consistency in the magical compatibility between the materials.

The third time, she realized that the material science knowledge involved in this list covered four fields: Soul, Spatial, Dark, and Life, and every single choice had a clear technical justification.

But...

This is the material for making a Tier 1 card?

Tier 1 card, Tier 4 materials??!

"...He's not joking."

Lin Weiwei put down her phone and took a deep breath.

Then she looked up at the ceiling and let out a confusion that came from the depths of her soul:

"But why? Why use two million and fifty thousand in materials, the peak achievement of high-dimensional Spatial Circuit, and spatial rotation theory sufficient for a top-tier journal—"

"All to make a plush toy cat???"

"And, a Tier 1 card! Two million!"

The image appeared in her mind:

Su Bai standing on the podium.

The examiners stunned.

A white, cotton-stuffed ragdoll with a fake smile on its face squatting at Su Bai's feet.

The production cost of that plush toy—

Was twice her annual salary.

"I must be crazy."

Lin Weiwei opened her phone and dialed the material merchant's number.

"Hello. Uncle Qian. Help me order a batch of goods. Century-old Corpse-Eating Vulture white feathers. Deep-sea Blood Demon gel. Wind Wolf King chest fluff. Shadow Silkworm silk. Yes, alive, no, the kind that spins silk naturally in a dark environment. Also Azure Underworld Stone powder and Frost Moon Giant Bear throat bone."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

"Ms. Lin. Are you trying to create a Tier 5 or higher Contract-type creature card?"

"No."

Lin Weiwei's voice carried a calm that suggested she had given up resisting.

"It's to make a ragdoll."

"...What?"

"A cat-shaped plush toy. About this big." Lin Weiwei gestured with her hand. "The cost is two million and fifty thousand. The goal is to collect high-tier materials, use a brand new Spatial Circuit that surpasses Master Li Qingyue, and ultimately create a ragdoll that can smile. Do you have any questions?"

The other end of the line fell silent.

Then—

"Ms. Lin, have you encountered any difficulties? Do you need me to help you call the police?"

Lin Weiwei hung up the phone.

She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and rubbed her temples.

Then she smiled with relief.

Because behind all those outrageous, absurd, police-worthy numbers, her fingers still remembered. She remembered that moment, the electric-like tremor that traveled from her fingertips when her Mental Power touched the Seven-Axis Circuit.

That feeling is called "the unknown".

And for a spatial researcher who had been trapped in the grid of card creation for five years—

Nothing was more valuable than the unknown.

"Two million and fifty thousand."

Lin Weiwei opened her eyes and looked at the outrageous material list on the screen.

"I guess it's cheap, in a way..."

No matter how outrageous Su Bai's request was, the moment she saw Su Bai's Spatial Circuit, this money was worth it, so even if Su Bai's needs were absurd, Lin Weiwei fulfilled them without hesitation.

Then she sent a message to Su Bai.

[Lin Weiwei]: [Materials ordered. Will arrive within a week.]

[Lin Weiwei]: [But I want to add one more condition.]

[Su Bai]: [Please go ahead.]

[Lin Weiwei]: [When the card is completely finished, I will definitely go to your school to take a look.]

[Lin Weiwei]: [I want to see with my own eyes—]

[Lin Weiwei]: [What kind of monster this two-million-and-fifty-thousand-dollar ragdoll really is!]

[Su Bai]: [No problem. But there is a small issue.]

[Lin Weiwei]: [?]

[Su Bai]: [It might also need a set of micro-magic drive devices. Otherwise, Kyubey can't move. That will probably cost an extra eighty thousand.]

[Lin Weiwei]: [.]

[Lin Weiwei]: [You should be glad you aren't in front of me right now.]

[Su Bai]: [Why? Are you about to generate shame energy again? Actually, the data from last time was quite good—]

[Lin Weiwei]: [Get lost!!!!]

In the group chat.

[Zhao Dahai]: [@Su Bai Su Bai. Seriously. I have a serious question for you.]

[Su Bai]: [?]

[Zhao Dahai]: [You clearly have such god-tier Spatial Circuit skills, can't you make a normal card? The most powerful Tier 1 card seems to be a set of magic armor. If you could fit that into something, an A+ rating would be guaranteed, but why do you have to make a cat? And the cost of this card... is a bit ridiculous, right?]

[Lin Xiao]: [I have the same question.]

[Su Bai]: [Because.]

[Su Bai]: [It can talk.]

[Zhao Dahai]: [What?]

[Su Bai]: [It can persuade humans to become Magical Girls.]

[Zhao Dahai]: [...I'm asking you seriously, damn it.]

[Su Bai]: [And I'm answering you seriously.]

[Zhao Dahai]: [So you're really doing this just to have a cat trick people into signing a contract and then wearing women's clothes????]

[Su Bai]: [Essentially, yes.]

[Zhao Dahai]: [Your two million plus in materials, high-tier spatial theory, seven-axis rotation framework, magic conversion that can burn through a mountain with shame energy... all just to hear a ragdoll say 'Come and sign a contract with me'.]

[Su Bai]: [Sounds romantic, doesn't it.]

[Zhao Dahai]: [Romantic your whole family, ahhhhhhh!!]

Lin Xiao watched the screen and suddenly laughed.

It was the kind of genuine laugh she hadn't shown in the group for a long time.

Because Zhao Dahai was still roaring.

Su Bai was still seriously spouting nonsense.

Her cousin was still frantically cursing on WeChat while simultaneously helping Su Bai order materials.

And she, someone who used to be unable to even draw a basic circuit steadily, had just made an S-rank Armament Card.

The world seemed to have changed a little.

It hadn't become simpler.

It had become more interesting.

And the source of all this was that guy who once only had fifty bucks in his pocket, who had slept in the back of the classroom for half a year, and whom everyone thought was a loser... Su Bai.

"What a monster."

Lin Xiao said softly.

Then she typed in the group.

[Lin Xiao]: [@Su Bai On the day the Monthly Exam ends, Fatty and I will treat you to a meal.]

[Lin Xiao]: [Not because you helped us. But because we benefited.]

[Zhao Dahai]: [Right right right!! Eat!! Eat the most expensive stuff!! I'm paying!!]

[Su Bai]: [Sure. But let's pass the Monthly Exam first.]

[Su Bai]: [I still have a physical part of this card to finish.]

[Zhao Dahai]: [Do it!! The materials have arrived, and you're still not doing it!!]

[Su Bai]: [Pulling an all-nighter tonight.]

[Zhao Dahai]: [Another all-nighter? Are you even still alive?]

[Su Bai]: [As long as my soul is still here, it's fine.]

[Zhao Dahai]: [Don't use your smooth talk to hint at that soul gem side effect of yours, damn it, I'm scared.]

[Lin Xiao]: [...Can you really make it?]

[Su Bai]: [Of course.]

[Su Bai]: [After all.]

He paused.

[Su Bai]: [It's a Magical Girl, after all.]