Chapter 36: Ambushed

Several of them finally staggered out of the Ghost House’s suffocating darkness and chill, plunging once more into the blazing, glaring noon sunlight.

“Phew—! Finally… finally out!”

Mu Yurou panted heavily, one hand still gripping Huang Xi’s arm tightly, her face pale, sweat pouring down her forehead.

“That really… scared me to death… my heart almost jumped out!”

“It’s… it’s okay now, it’s okay…”

Huang Xi patted Mu Yurou’s back, trying to comfort her, though her own chest heaved violently, her breath uneven, her voice tinged with lingering fear.

“Ah, we’re… we’re grown-ups already… how can we still… be this scared of ghosts…”

She tried to cover up her fright with teasing words, but her trembling hands and rapid breathing gave her away completely.

Mu Xi stood quietly to the side, calmly watching the two girls comforting each other, still shaken.

Sunlight fell upon the hem of her lavender-purple skirt, yet seemed unable to dispel the incongruous chill surrounding her.

Her silver-red eyes showed no trace of fear, only a faint, barely noticeable… confusion?

Was it really that scary?

That thought slid quietly through her mind.

“All right, all right,” Mu Yurou finally recovered enough to wipe the sweat from her brow.

“I’m feeling hungry! Let’s go eat!”

She re-hooked Huang Xi’s arm, forcing a smile onto her face.

Huang Xi nodded vigorously, hoping to quell her fright with food.

The three of them merged into the crowd, heading toward the fairy-tale themed restaurant at the amusement park’s center.

***

Meanwhile, in the amusement park’s most remote, shadowed corner—hidden by abandoned rides and dense foliage—stood an abandoned warehouse.

Sunlight was completely blocked out.

A group of figures clad in deep red robes that looked soaked in blood stood silently like phantoms.

Upon their heads were grotesque octopus masks, as if shaped from some living soft-bodied creature, its twisted tentacles hanging down to cover their entire faces.

The air was thick with dust, rust, and an indescribable salty, putrid stench reminiscent of deep-sea sludge.

On the floor, painted in a viscous, dark red pigment resembling congealed blood, was a huge defiled sigil—an octopus-like creature with multiple eyes and writhing tentacles, its shape twisted and frenzied as if it intended to tear apart the space around it along with all who gazed upon it!

At the center of the sigil stood the largest figure, robes embroidered with profane runes—the Grand Priest.

He raised both arms, his wide sleeves slipping to reveal not human arms but two dark limbs covered in slick scales, ending in suction cups and sharp claws!

His mouth chanted in a nonhuman tongue, filled with guttural sounds and slimy friction, each syllable like an icy worm burrowing into the listeners’ eardrums:

“Great Chaos Maker! Observer of Reality! Vortex Beyond Time! Wall Beyond Space! You are the Abyssal Gaze! The eternal destination of our souls!”

“We are your humble offspring! Your most fervent followers!”

“We prostrate ourselves here! Offering the vilest sacrifices! Begging you to cast… even a single glance!”

The Grand Priest’s voice twisted with fervent madness, filled with chilling lunacy.

“Please! Show mercy! Appreciate! This… bloody performance… prepared for you!”

As his final syllable fell like a curse, a man with a vacant expression and hollow eyes stepped forward from among the cultists.

Like a puppet controlled by invisible strings, he approached the Grand Priest.

Without hesitation, he raised an ancient dagger whose blade shimmered with an ominous cold light and slashed deeply into his own palm!

Dark red blood poured out like a stream, dripping onto the octopus’s many-eyed center painted on the sigil!

Buzz—!!!

In an instant!

An indescribable, viscous, icy cold torrent of magical power surged violently from the defiled circle!

The air seemed to solidify into a gelatinous mass!

An eerie green, ominous magical glow instantly engulfed all the cultists!

Their bodies convulsed violently under the light!

Inhuman hoarse sounds erupted from their throats!

Pft! Pft! Pft!

Thick, pitch-black, oily liquid exuding a foul stench like petroleum spewed wildly from their mouths, nostrils, ears, and even eye sockets!

The black liquid seemed alive, writhing as it engulfed their bodies!

“Sacrifice! Flesh! Soul! All to please our Lord!”

“To be bestowed upon Chaos!”

The Grand Priest roared madly, his tentacle-like arm suddenly raised, pointing to the sky!

“Aaaaaaaaah——!!!”

The cultists’ screams were drowned by the black liquid as their bodies underwent horrific, extreme mutations under its suffocating embrace!

Skin tore apart! Bones twisted and cracked!

Skulls swelled and stretched, transforming into long, thick tentacles lined with sharp teeth and suction cups!

Limbs melted and elongated into tentacle-like arms covered in warty growths and slime!

Eyes vanished entirely, replaced by huge crooked mouths that split open to the ears, oozing foul, white mucous!

In mere moments!

A horde of grotesque, deep-sea stinking, chaos-ridden “Octopus Monsters” replaced the human forms!

They emitted meaningless, ravenous, destructive shrieks!

“Go forth! Servants of our Lord!”

The Grand Priest’s terrifying tentacle, composed of countless crazed, varying-sized eyes, jabbed violently toward the direction of the amusement park’s bustling crowds!

“Let this… grand performance… please… the supreme deity!”

***

Inside the amusement park’s themed restaurant, large floor-to-ceiling windows looked out on the bustling crowds and whirling rides.

Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting bright patches of light on the spotless tables.

The air was thick with the sweet, greasy scents of fried chicken, french fries, ketchup, and ice cream.

Mu Yurou and Huang Xi sat opposite Mu Xi.

“Xiaorou~ Let me try your omelet rice!”

Huang Xi put down her half-eaten burger, eyes shining as she looked at the golden, tempting omelet rice drizzled with ketchup in front of Mu Yurou like a begging puppy.

“Don’t you already have a burger…”

Mu Yurou scolded softly, but the corner of her mouth twitched into a smile.

She picked up her spoon, gently scooping a large bite of the fluffy egg-wrapped fried rice, steadily bringing it to Huang Xi’s mouth.

Her movements were natural and affectionate.

“I just want yours~ Yours smells better!”

Huang Xi said coquettishly, opening wide to eagerly swallow the food on the spoon without hesitation.

She puffed her cheeks, chewing happily, eyes curved into crescent moons.

“Mmm—! So good! Xiaorou’s omelet rice really is the best!”

Mu Ming sat to Mu Xi’s left, her body leaning against the cold glass window.

Her gaze was fixed tightly on the couple opposite her.

Watching Mu Yurou’s doting smile, Huang Xi’s undisguised dependence and contentment.

Watching their intimate closeness without a care.

A cold, corrosive bitterness surged wildly inside her chest.

Her hand resting on her knee clenched unconsciously.

Mu Xi sat beside them, expressionless as she sipped the iced cola in her hand.

Droplets of condensation slid down the cup, leaving a cool wetness on her fingertips.

Her silver-red eyes looked out at the noisy amusement park scene, seemingly immune to the sweet atmosphere around her, lost in her own thoughts—or perhaps just accustomed to the alienation of being excluded.

Boom—!!!

“Aaaaaahhh——!!!”

Suddenly!

A deafening crash like a heavy object smashing through a wall!

Followed immediately by ear-piercing screams filled with terror and pain!

The warmth and calm inside the restaurant shattered instantly!

All the diners froze in place!

Time seemed to freeze for a second!

Then, panic erupted like a plague!

“Ah—!”

“Monster! There’s a monster!”

“Help!”

Screams, cries, the sound of chairs crashing and dishes breaking… merged into a chaotic sea!

Mu Xi spun around sharply!

Through the huge glass window, she clearly saw—

Not far outside the restaurant at the Ferris Wheel Plaza!

A gigantic, grotesquely twisted “Octopus Monster”!

Its thick, slime-covered, suction-cupped tentacles smashed a pavilion to pieces like battering rams!

At that moment, one tentacle split open at the end with a huge mouth, wrapped around a visitor who had no time to escape!

The visitor let out a piercing, distorted scream!

The next second!

Splat—!

A sickening ripping sound rang out!

Blood and fragments of viscera burst like fireworks, splattering an eye-searing crimson under the sun!

The visitor’s body was brutally torn in two by the monstrous tentacle!

The shrill air-raid alarm sounded, echoing across the entire amusement park like the wail of death.

“Woo—woo—woo—!”

The alarm instantly drowned out all other noises!

“Run! Run now!”

Mu Xi’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade, instantly silencing the surrounding disorder!

She sprang up from her seat.

With her left hand, she grabbed Mu Yurou’s wrist nearest to her, and with her right hand, she firmly seized Huang Xi’s arm!

A tremendous force surged through her hands, nearly yanking the two girls from their chairs!

“Stay close to me!”

She barked sharply, her eyes sharp as a hawk’s, instantly locking onto a relatively safe escape route!

The three of them plunged into the panicked crowd surging madly toward the restaurant’s exits!

The massive terror surged like an invisible tidal wave, sweeping everyone along!

Screaming, pushing, falling, trampling…

Mu Xi relied on her far superior composure and strength to force open a narrow path through the chaotic throng!

She gripped the two girls’ wrists tightly, shielding them behind her body, bracing against collisions from all sides!

The purple skirt fluttered wildly amid the crowd, stained by unknown footprints and spilled drink stains.

Yet!

The crowd was simply too overwhelming and chaotic!

After a fierce, tide-like surge of pushing and shoving!

Mu Xi suddenly felt her grip empty!

She whipped her head around!

Behind her, where were Mu Yurou and Huang Xi’s figures?

Mu Xi’s footsteps froze sharply!

She stood amid the panicked, fleeing crowd.

Her purple silhouette stood out starkly amid the terrified masses.

Her silver-red eyes scanned swiftly and sharply all around.

Yet her face showed none of the expected panic or despair.

Only a cold, all-knowing clarity.

They must have gone off somewhere secluded to transform into Magical Girls.

She thought to herself.

***

Children help friends recommend.

[The Witch Miss Never Yields to Magical Girls]

The mischievous Witch Miss was discovered by the Magical Girls to actually be male!

To avoid revealing her true identity, she must temporarily submit to the Magical Girls’ Kingdom of Magic Girls!