Two days later.
“Why do we have to walk all the way to the training ground? I’m exhausted.”
Lin Xing hunched her back, bending forward as she took one step after another.
“This distance isn’t that far, Lin Xing. You really need more exercise,” Ying Xian said beside her.
“Kong Ling and the others just called—they’ve arrived. We need to hurry too,” Chen Lisi put away her phone and started jogging.
Ying Xian followed suit, jogging alongside her.
“Hey! Wait for me……”
The three of them ran along an abandoned mountain road.
Occasionally, yellow sandstorms blew through the area.
Desertification in the northern region had worsened these past few years due to lack of proper management. What was once an endless grassland had now turned into a lifeless desert.
All because of those damn Extradimensional Beasts.
“Is that the training ground? Such a huge abandoned city,” Lin Xing sighed as she looked toward the distant deserted town.
“I recognize this place. It used to be the military’s shooting range. Did they give it to us for training?” Chen Lisi said.
“Hey hey hey! You guys, hurry over! Only you three are left,” Kong Ling shouted loudly, standing on top of an abandoned van counting heads.
“Alright, count again: one, two, thirty-one people. Including me, we’re all here!”
“Let’s head to the camp and get ready.”
Twelve A-class Magical Girls arrived at the camp, a small base constructed from several classic military tents.
A Signal Receiver Vehicle was parked in the center, alongside several large drones and two black vans.
Porcelain Moon had been waiting here for them for quite some time.
“We can all fly, so why do we have to walk here…” Lin Xing complained to her.
“Flying also consumes magic power. We made you walk here so it doesn’t affect the exercise results. Also, think of it as a light warm-up,” Porcelain Moon said with a smile.
“Alright, take a break for now. Come inside the tent to sit down, and I’ll explain the exercise rules.”
The group moved into the shaded tent.
“This exercise will divide you into two teams to fight against each other. Your goal is to knock out all members of the opposing team.”
“You’ll draw lots to decide the teams, and each team will have a captain to lead and command.”
Porcelain Moon turned on the projector, displaying a map.
It was a small city covering several dozen square kilometers.
“As shown here, this is the training area. The operational zone must not exceed this horizontal boundary line. Crossing it will result in elimination.”
Porcelain Moon continued.
“The two teams will enter the combat zone from the east and west sides of the city, respectively. The exercise will last five hours, ending around dusk. Victory is determined by the number of survivors on each side.”
“This exercise is very important. Please take it seriously.”
The girls nodded.
“Next, some details about the combat.”
Porcelain Moon took out a uniform. “These are specially made uniforms for this exercise, sponsored by the Saint Li Group. This exercise also serves to test the new Combat Uniform’s effectiveness.”
“This Combat Uniform has a built-in Autonomous Judgment System. When a threat is detected, it instantly generates a nano cocoon that envelops the entire body.”
“It can withstand temperatures above a thousand degrees Celsius and resist certain large-caliber bullets. For this exercise, we’ll manually trigger the safety release in advance to ensure security.”
“The site also has other preventive measures to reduce the Magic Cannon’s power, because relying solely on the uniform won’t withstand the Magic Cannon’s attack.”
“Porcelain Moon-senpai, hearing this only makes me more nervous…” Kong Ling complained.
“Don’t worry. Your A-class Magical Girls’ Magic Cannons haven’t reached world-destroying levels yet, so these defenses are adequate—I tested it myself.”
“The training site has a mysterious device that even I don’t know about. It reduces magic density and weakens both Magic Cannons and magic barriers. So you can rest assured.”
“Porcelain Moon-senpai doesn’t know what that thing is either?” Lin Xing asked curiously.
“If they don’t tell us, don’t ask,” Chen Lisi pinched Lin Xing’s cute little face.
“Alright, one by one, come up and draw lots.”
“Yay!” Lin Xing was first, drawing “Team A!”
Kong Ling opened her slip—also “Team A.”
Ying Xian joined Team A along with three other newly promoted A-class Magical Girls.
***
The remaining Bai Lingluo, Miao Ke’er, and Chen Lisi were assigned to Team B, along with three new A-class Magical Girls transferred from another province.
“Next, you’ll select captains for both teams,” Porcelain Moon said.
The girls quickly split into two groups to discuss.
“Why are we separated from Kong Ling?” Miao Ke’er sighed.
“I don’t want to fight Miao Ke’er either, but looks like we have to play seriously now,” Kong Ling smiled.
“This time three newly transferred Magical Girls came from another province. Get to know each other first,” Porcelain Moon instructed.
Bai Lingluo looked at her teammates. The three new transfers seemed a bit shy. Fortunately, those who knew each other were paired up, while Kong Ling’s squad was split.
“You guys introduce yourselves first,” Bai Lingluo said to them.
“I’m Lin Shuqing, this is Ziyuan, and that’s Tian Lan,” said the tall green-haired girl. The two behind her were wearing qipaos, which puzzled Bai Lingluo.
“You’re from Jiangnan Province?” Bai Lingluo asked. Magical Girls from that area usually wear local traditional qipao dresses.
“That’s right,” Lin Shuqing answered.
“Do you have any combat experience?” Bai Lingluo continued.
All three shook their heads.
Bai Lingluo sighed. “You must treat the upcoming battles as real combat. Your opponents are experienced Magical Girls, so be especially cautious.”
Chen Lisi chimed in, “Don’t worry. As your senior, I’ll protect you well!”
“Now for the captain selection. I’ll take that role unless you have objections?” Bai Lingluo said.
“No objections,” replied the rest of Team B.
On Team A’s side, Kong Ling was chosen as captain.
The three newly promoted Magical Girls’ names were Ye Liu, Li Jing, and Xiao Si. They were already acquainted with Kong Ling’s group.
“Kong Ling, we’re going up against Bai Lingluo, the strongest A-class Magical Girl here. We need to plan carefully to counter her,” Ying Xian said.
“She single-handedly defeated a Duke-Class Aberrant Beast. Can we really handle someone like that?” Lin Xing doubted.
“As long as the strategy is right, even the strongest enemy can be dealt with,” Kong Ling said.
“Ye Liu, I remember your ability is invisibility. You’ll be our scouting soldier. Li Jing has the same ability as Miao Ke’er; she can only summon one summoned creature, but it’s more powerful.”
“You’ll act as our shield. Xiao Si, you’re long-range—take the sniper role.”
“The other two, Ying Xian and Lin Xing, you’re our trump cards…”