Chapter 64: The Battle Begins in Yunqi Village

After finalizing the operation plan, Kexin and the others proactively approached Agent Guan to request the use of the holographic simulation training room.

The Air Force base was very cooperative with this request, quickly preparing the venue and equipment, setting up the scenario according to the latest plan in the shortest possible time.

Despite the time constraints, everyone went through the entire procedure.

To save time, instead of returning to the guesthouse, they all slept directly on the hangar floor. Once the training ended, no one cared whether the floor was hard or not; it didn’t take long before everyone had fallen asleep.

The next morning, as the first pale light appeared on the horizon, everyone woke up in succession at the sound of the alarm. The logistics team delivered a simple breakfast to the magical girls. After eating, they collected their operational gear and boarded the transport aircraft.

Although everyone said they weren’t afraid of fighting the monsters, the tense atmosphere in the cabin was palpable. Everyone remained silent, with only the roar of the engines filling the air.

And so, this scene unfolded—

“By the way, did anyone bring a hair dryer?” Ke Xin asked, awkwardly climbing out of the reservoir with the help of her teammates.

She was soaked, her combat uniform clinging to her body, water dripping from the ends of her hair. Shaking her head sent droplets flying in all directions, causing those nearby to step back.

Looking around, everyone either shook their heads or made helpless expressions. Ke Xin could only sigh and wring the corner of her uniform, letting the water pour off.

After all, they were on a mission; bringing unnecessary items wasn’t typical. Normally, magical girls could use magic to clean themselves, so such things were not essential. Fortunately, her combat suit was made of quick-drying material, so it wouldn’t take long before it dried and she could feel comfortable again.

Qisi took a fresh towel from her bag and came up behind Ke Xin to dry her hair. Ke Xin, accustomed to this, let Qisi rub her head while she carefully checked her electronic devices, tapping the screens to quickly ensure everything was functioning properly.

Military-grade devices indeed lived up to their waterproof reputation—all of them worked flawlessly, allowing Ke Xin’s tightly furrowed brow to relax slightly.

After rubbing Ke Xin’s hair a few times, Qisi ran her fingers through it, noting that a bit of wind would dry it. She then put away the towel and lowered her voice: “Ke Xin, shall we proceed according to the plan?”

“For now, our airborne operation hasn’t alerted the monster,” Ke Xin replied, glancing at her wristwatch as the second hand ticked steadily.

She raised her head to scan the surroundings. The clouds hung low, blurring the outline of the hills. The air was filled with the scent of soil and vegetation—a familiar feeling for Ke Xin.

There was no trace of the nauseating, strange smell that usually accompanied anomalies—this was a clear sign.

“We’re a few minutes ahead of schedule, and no minor anomalies have been spotted. Proceed with the original plan.”

“Understood. Let’s secure the high ground first,” Qisi nodded, pointing to the highest hill near Yunqi Village on the map.

Ke Xin gave a slight nod. “Leave fire support to you.”

Compared to the light gear of the others, Ke Xin carried a portable missile launcher on her back—specifically developed for dealing with anomalies.

“Don’t worry,” Qisi said with a confident smile, patting the ballistic plate on her chest. She then gestured to Group B, a six-member team that promptly moved ahead and soon vanished into the dense forest.

Watching Group B disappear, Ke Xin felt slightly relieved.

Usually, Qisi’s antics could make Ke Xin feel exasperated; her unpredictable behavior often invited a wry smile—or at times, a strong urge to hit her. But in combat, Qisi was reliable, especially when deploying her large shield.

“Senior Bai, you follow the plan and head toward the village entrance. Launch the feint once you receive our signal,” Ke Xin said, turning to Bai Xihan, who was examining the map.

Bai Xihan looked up, frowning slightly. “Understood, but…”

She hesitated, then continued, “You’re the only team entering the village. Should we send some reinforcements?”

As the leader of Group C, she had no worries about her own task. If things went smoothly, she only needed to fire a few shots and perform a few spells. Even six members felt slightly redundant.

By contrast, Group A needed to take advantage of the monster’s diverted attention to forcefully infiltrate the village, locate the strongest magical fluctuation, and eliminate the target as quickly as possible. They had to face an unknown monster’s strength and numerous puppets controlled by the Corpse Mother—a daunting task.

Ke Xin naturally considered this and shook her head without hesitation. “No, let’s follow last night’s plan. If we hit a dead end, don’t rush in. Delay as much as possible until an A-rank magical girl arrives.”

“But—” Bai Xihan started to protest, but faltered under Ke Xin’s determined gaze, finally muttering, “You must be careful.”

“You too,” Ke Xin replied with a faint smile, as if this were just a routine training exercise.

Bai Xihan waved, and her C-group team followed her along an overgrown mountain path. This path, likely formed decades or even over a century ago, was known only through old maps. Even the reservoir had been built during a special period.

Once both teams had departed, Ke Xin noticed a gaze on her. Turning, she saw Yan Luofei staring at her strangely.

“What are you looking at?” Ke Xin shivered slightly, instinctively hugging herself.

“Words,” Yan Luofei whispered, gesturing with her eyes.

Ke Xin was puzzled and glanced at Luo Anying for help. But her senior was already in combat mode, her sharp gaze sweeping over every tree and blade of grass, oblivious to Ke Xin’s glance.

Looking at Neko, Ke Xin saw the same confusion; she also had no clue what was happening.

She then checked newcomer Chu Xueqing but ruled her out as a potential help—this icy beauty exuded an unapproachable aura just by standing there, even more intimidating than Senior Luo.

Tang Yuan intervened: “Team Leader Xia, before the operation starts, don’t we usually say something, like pre-match trash talk?”

“Is that what you mean?” Ke Xin looked at Yan Luofei, who rolled her eyes in response.

If it were Ling Feng, she would have understood immediately, Yan Luofei thought, sighing inwardly, unsure about this group division.

Though she received no clear response, Ke Xin interpreted it as approval.

“Alright,” she said, looking at the leaf-strewn ground as she organized her words. Raising her head, her eyes hardened: “Let’s do our best. There may be no miracles, but we must trust in magic.”

“What? That’s it?” Yan Luofei pouted, expecting a dramatic, speech-like statement like in a game cutscene.

“Still, it makes sense,” Tang Yuan said with a smile.

Ke Xin looked at the silent Luo Anying. “Senior, what do you think?”

“Good,” Luo Anying replied succinctly, her voice light but authoritative, impossible to ignore.

With that settled, what else was there to say?

Ke Xin took a deep breath, scanning each member of Group A: “Let’s move out.”

Although the mission was fraught with danger, and the Corpse Mother was an unknown variable, simulations could not account for every scenario.

Yet Ke Xin didn’t believe any situation would be completely unmanageable. After all, how could a rookie magical girl defeat a D1-level anomaly? Her seemingly limitless magical energy gave her confidence.

To avoid revealing themselves, the magical girls chose to hike along abandoned mountain paths, with thick weeds scraping their legs. Without long socks, it would have been painful.

The terrain was complex; a short distance on the map took about an hour to traverse.

When Group A reached a small hill near Yunqi Village, a dense bamboo grove provided natural cover.

Once they had a clear view of the village, Ke Xin raised her fist to signal a stop, and everyone went on high alert.

Ke Xin carefully took out binoculars, scanning the village corner by corner.

Meanwhile, sniper Luo Anying silently found a suitable sniping point, lying down and stabilizing her rifle, her eyes through the scope like a bird of prey.

“No one here, as expected,” Ke Xin said, slowly lowering the binoculars and absentmindedly rubbing the metal barrel.

She handed the binoculars to Yan Luofei, careful not to disturb the eerie silence.

Though anticipated, seeing it in person was chilling. The village seemed muted—no people, no animals, no movement within sight. Even the wind seemed to avoid the area. Thinking of the villagers’ fate, Ke Xin swallowed an invisible lump in her throat.

“Have the anomalies hidden themselves?” Yan Luofei said, taking the binoculars, unsure what to say.

Even the puppet anomalies were nowhere in sight—had the Corpse Mother’s reconnaissance been so thorough, constantly alert?

“Team Leader Xia, when do we move?” Tang Yuan asked, clenching her fists tightly.

Her voice was low, but her growing anger was barely concealed.

Ke Xin instinctively checked her wristwatch. As the frontline commander, she had to remain calm: “The other teams should be in position. Neko, confirm with Bai Xihan and Qisi via radio.”

“Okay, meow~” Neko replied cheerfully, picking up the military radio.

At the same time, Ke Xin also reported the situation to the rear command.