Chapter 51: Checking In

The so-called Corpse Mother is a codename the Special Investigation Bureau gave to a certain monster based on intelligence gathered from around the world. Previously, this monster had been active in Latin America, and there was evidence that multiple villages and towns had completely disappeared due to its activity.

One of the Corpse Mother’s abilities is to turn humans into its puppets. On the surface, they appear no different from ordinary people, but in reality, they have lost all self-awareness and are merely being controlled. Over time, their bodies naturally decay from the inside.

Even more terrifying, anyone attacked by these puppets can also be transformed into the same kind of creature—much like the zombies commonly seen in movies. This is the origin of the codename “Corpse Mother.”

Because the Corpse Mother’s long-term activity was concentrated in underdeveloped, “peripheral” regions, even without the monster, horrific casualties and disappearances could occur for various reasons. Even if someone recorded video evidence, it was difficult to draw public attention.

If not for the incident in which the Corpse Mother’s activity was discovered, the Special Investigation Bureau might never have given this monster a codename, leaving it only as a numbered entry in their files.

Even now, the Bureau does not know why the Corpse Mother suddenly changed its area of activity, almost halfway across the globe to Muzu City. Even for a monster, this is unusual behavior.

Ke Xuan wanted to learn more, but given her current clearance level, much of the information was inaccessible. Agent Guan, however, showed no intention of discussing the Corpse Mother in detail, leaving Ke Xuan uncertain whether the Bureau had already noticed the situation and taken measures, or if it was just Agent Guan’s intuition.

Thus, Ke Xuan sat quietly, her mind filled with a jumble of thoughts, staring out the window as the bus moved along.

The endless flatlands gradually gave way to rolling hills, a clear signal that they had completely left Muzu City’s jurisdiction. Seeing no tall city buildings reminded her of the terrain around the small town where she grew up, giving her a faint sense of comfort.

Most of the other passengers were either excitedly talking or reclining in their seats to nap. If it weren’t for the looming threat of the Corpse Mother hanging over them, Ke Xuan might have thought this was just a high school holiday trip.

“Oh well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” she thought.

The bus drove for another two hours on the highway, then exited at a toll station unknown to outsiders. The winding mountain roads gradually woke the drowsy girls, as the constant turns made it hard to continue sleeping.

The bus didn’t enter the nearest city but passed through several small towns before heading deeper into the mountains. Beyond a few scattered villages, there were almost no signs of human activity.

Finally, the bus carrying a group of magical girls stopped at a concealed checkpoint. Agent Guan showed the guards his credentials and related documents and was allowed entry.

As the gate slowly opened, the group caught their first glimpse of the training base. The first thing they saw was a vast parking lot—the bus could go no further.

Ke Xuan, seated at the back, observed through the window before the others got off.

At first glance, the entrance looked like that of an ordinary sanatorium, with walls that didn’t suggest anything unusual. But looking further, she could see hangars, other facilities, and even several helicopters taking off.

“How big is this place?”

Qi Si jumped off the bus, clearly astonished.

“This is just the surface. Let’s drop off the luggage in the dorms first; there will be a tour of the base shortly,” Agent Guan replied.

At that moment, a military jeep drove past, stopping behind Agent Guan. Several air force soldiers in training uniforms got out, followed by a Special Investigation Bureau agent in uniform who handed a package to Agent Guan, whispered a few words, and then left.

“Dream Yao, are we going further inside?” Qi Si asked, pointing to a building resembling an administrative office several hundred meters away.

“No need, someone will come to pick us up,” Agent Guan replied.

Suddenly, tiny specks in the distance quickly grew larger, accompanied by the roar of engines.

Originally expecting a shuttle vehicle, the girls were stunned to see helicopters.

Ke Xuan was particularly surprised: these were brand-new “Divine Eagle” tactical multi-role helicopters, optimized with special equipment and design tweaks. At this close distance, the advanced tech was clearly visible.

Even in combat operations with magical girls, the Bureau usually deployed various resources, but directly using the latest equipment in the field—could they really have such capabilities?

Agent Guan seemed to anticipate this reaction. As the helicopters descended, she gestured for everyone to board: “You’ll get used to this. Let’s go—don’t make the pilots wait too long.”

Ke Xuan and the others boarded with the help of air force soldiers. Each Divine Eagle could carry over ten fully armed troops, so fitting a group of magical girls was no problem.

Once the doors were closed, Ke Xuan noticed how quiet it was inside. Traditional helicopters would require communication systems to counter engine noise, but this one seemed much more advanced.

As the helicopter rose, Ke Xuan looked down and finally saw the base in full. Beyond the helicopter landing area, there was a runway for fixed-wing aircraft. The base had living quarters, supporting facilities, and seemed fully self-sufficient.

“Agent Guan, this is really the Bureau’s training base?”

Other magical girls had no frame of reference, but Ke Xuan, who had an interest in military matters, was stunned.

“Strictly speaking, not entirely. The air force initially proposed it; the Bureau only borrowed it. Higher-ups approved because they attached importance,” Agent Guan explained.

“It was impossible to notice on the way here?”

“Of course. This base uses the latest holographic camouflage technology. You can only see the real layout once you’re inside,” an accompanying air force officer added proudly.

Ke Xuan marveled: holographic projection—she had thought such things only existed in sci-fi novels.

“Not to mention, it’s still hard to imagine the existence of magical girls in reality,” she muttered, earning a knowing glance from the officer.

Agent Guan then distributed small packages labeled with each girl’s name. Inside were an ID card and a device resembling a smartphone—a tactical terminal.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a highly secure base, so private phones are discouraged. This may not be top-tier, but it handles daily tasks fine,” Agent Guan explained. The ID also served as a key card for restricted areas.

“Will we mostly stay in the Bureau’s dedicated area?” Qi Si asked.

“Yes.”

The terminal displayed dorm information. Ke Xuan’s room was 5007. Qi Si mentioned her own room, 4019, and teased Ke Xuan to visit anytime.

The girls took the stairs to the fifth floor. When Ke Xuan reached 5007, another girl was standing outside.

“Ke Xuan, are you also in 5007?” a blue-haired girl asked gently.

“Yes,” Ke Xuan replied nervously.

Since they were in the same training team, sharing a room made sense.

“Oh, during the big spider mission, you fainted—almost scared me!” the girl teased.

“Sorry, I just couldn’t control my body at the time,” Ke Xuan said. After defeating the spider monster, her sudden relaxation caused her to collapse, though a senior named Luo An Ying caught her and even carried her back to the apartment.

“It’s normal. Everyone experiences it eventually. Some people even make breakthroughs afterward,” the girl explained.

Luo An Ying opened the room, revealing a standard double layout with ample space.

“We’ll be roommates, Ke Xuan. Please take care of me.”

“Oh, no, it’s me who’ll trouble you,” Ke Xuan reflexively replied.

Without removing her shoes, Luo An Ying jumped onto the bed nearest the door.

“Um… get me something to eat, Ke Xuan, and… good night.”

And with that, she lay motionless on the bed like a puppet with its strings cut.

“Haah?”