Time slipped through my fingers like sand, and ten days had passed in the blink of an eye.
Day eleven.
Early morning.
The thin fog in the woods had yet to fully dissipate, but the morning sunlight was already beginning to fall, casting hazy speckles of light through the branches with a Tyndall effect.
In front of the Outpost’s solitary, lonely apartment building, the air was filled with a unique chilliness that mingled dew with parting.
Airwen was still dressed in her black tank top and jacket, her silver-gray hair tied up into a high ponytail like a kendo girl’s, her fair, slender legs exposed to the air, her feet encased in black tactical boots.
She stood in front of the apartment, turning the lock on the door one circle after another, finally hanging the apartment key back on the hook by the door.
Even though her outfit was utterly crisp and sharp to the extreme, paired with her flawless, pretty face and clear silver hair, along with her figure that had almost no hint of immaturity left, approaching an adult’s graceful curves, an aura of a cold, silent ice beauty naturally emanated from her.
After doing all this, Airwen turned and walked toward the four people who had been waiting by the Landmark.
She pulled a golden leaf from her chest and looked at everyone: “All the supplies for this trip are already stored in here.”This leaf was the size of a palm, with clear veins and a faint warmth emanating from it. It looked like an exquisite bookmark, obviously not in the same league as the slightly withered leaves they had used before.
Su Fang and Lin Guang’s gazes locked onto it, showing a hint of curiosity, while Tang Keren, who was currently drawing her eyebrows in front of a makeup mirror, couldn’t help but sigh in admiration: “This one’s really big this time.”
“The ones I used to get were always only the size of my thumb.”
Except for the “amnesiac” Lin Guang and the newly awakened Su Fang, everyone present was quite familiar with this leaf.
This was a crucial item that every Outer Realm Investigator needed to carry when going out.
As everyone knew, the Outer Realm was almost entirely a dead land, with no supplies to speak of, and the monsters obviously couldn’t be eaten either.
But it was even more unrealistic to expect magical girls to have to carry dozens of kilograms or even heavier wilderness survival supplies every time they went out.
Even though a magical girl’s physical fitness far exceeded an ordinary person’s even without transforming, doing so would not only consume physical strength but also affect their mobility in sudden combat. This clearly wasn’t suitable for the kind of Outer Realm exploration that prioritized stealth and efficiency.
There had indeed been some magical girls in Kazenari Town’s history who could use their magic power to produce various daily necessities like candy, cake, and chocolate, but there was obviously a better choice.
That was the Sacred Tree, which could create Miracles.
Since the Sacred Tree could create supplies for Kazenari Town out of thin air, the same naturally applied to food, water, and various other necessities.
All the tents, pots, pans, bowls, chopsticks, spare food, and water for wilderness survival could be reproduced through divine miracles, and it could even point the way back to Kazenari Town when returning.
Although it looked like a leaf on the surface, it was actually a crystallization of the Sacred Tree’s power.
“This one was specially made by the Phoenix, with more power than the ones we usually use, and it also has many other functions.”
Airwen further explained: “Although according to Su Fang’s description, the first fragment’s location isn’t too far, and the enemy isn’t something we can’t handle, it’s probably unavoidable that we’ll have to spend the night outside.”
“It can completely conceal the Prophecy Maiden’s location, and if we truly manage to retrieve the Fragment of Hope, it can immediately absorb the fragment’s power and grant us a power-up.”
As she spoke, Airwen handed the golden leaf to the girl in the black sailor uniform, her black eyes looking at the other: “This expedition began with you.”
“So, you’ll be the one to keep it safe.”
Su Fang carefully took the light golden leaf with both hands, inexplicably feeling a sense of weight, and meticulously tucked it into the inner pocket of her top.
“Alright, makeup is perfect, hairstyle is perfect.”
Tang Keren finished drawing her eyebrows, gave her bangs one last check in the small round mirror with its fill light, and also examined her Lolita-style long dress for any unwanted wrinkles.
After checking, she shook her twin-tails, contentedly snapped the mirror shut, and revealed an elegant, idol-like smile as she looked into Lin Guang’s clear, cherry-pink eyes: “If you look ugly when you die, you’ll lose fans, so you have to be in your most radiant state at all times.”
She earnestly instructed: “This is an essential skill for us magical girl idols, got it? You have to die beautifully! That way, your final attack before death will be even more powerful!”
Despite saying the most ominous words, Tang Keren’s tone was completely unfazed, as casual as discussing what to have for lunch.
And Lin Guang even nodded thoughtfully, as if he had really learned something.
Zihan, standing beside them, shrank her neck and said in a timid, quiet voice: “Don’t say such unlucky things… I, I really don’t want to die… and I absolutely don’t want you or Mengmengxiang to die either…”
Tang Keren broke character in an instant and helplessly gave her a light chop on the forehead with her hand: “Shut up, can’t you see I’m reverse jinxing us?”
“This is my struggle for survival as the magical girl Tangtang!”
“Oh, oh…”
Airwen quietly watched their interaction without any intention of speaking.
“…”
“Um…”
Just as everyone was about to set off, Su Fang suddenly took out a small Polaroid camera.
“Everyone, please wait a moment.”
Su Fang held the camera, looking a little shy, her wine-red long hair gently lifted by the morning breeze, her eyes clear and earnest: “Since we’re about to depart, how about… taking a picture?”
“Huh?”
Zihan shrank her neck, instinctively trying to bury her face into the large collar of her tracksuit, “T-take a picture?”
She was the only one dressed so plain here, it was really…
“Mm.”
Su Fang wasn’t joking at all. She nodded and pulled out a tripod she had prepared, setting it up on the ground. “I want to capture all of us. No matter what the outcome is… at least in this moment, we are together.”
It was absolutely not meant to be a memorial photo, but to prove their vitality in this very moment.
On the verge of heading into that world surrounded by death and black fog, this photo was her attachment to the very concept of “existence.”
“Fine, you win.”
Tang Keren sighed, but a beautiful curve lifted the corner of her mouth.
The idol girl naturally walked over to Lin Guang’s side, then reached out and lightly kicked Zihan, who was trying to hide behind a tree:
“Hey, don’t you dare secretly transform! How many group photos have we already taken while transformed!”
Zihan froze all over and awkwardly shuffled over.
Although half her face was still buried in her collar, those timid eyes ultimately didn’t look away.
Airwen stood at the far edge, arms crossed, looking at the camera.
“Everyone—look at the camera!”
Su Fang placed the camera on the tripod and adjusted the angle in front, trying her best to fit all four faces into the small viewfinder.
She was a little excited: “Senior Mengmengxiang, could you do that thing, you know, the final pose from when you transform!”
Lin Guang: “…”
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter