Three days later.
“You mean to tell me that our massive Magical Girl Alliance, along with all the research institutes in the country, doesn’t have a single person capable of analyzing the principles behind that bronze statue and the armor on her?”
Su Xiaocheng summed up Li Yanyan’s words and reached an unbelievable conclusion.
“Mm… that’s pretty much what I was told.” Li Yanyan sounded rather helpless.
The Magical Girl Alliance’s research focus was skewed in a rather serious way.
They had developed potions that lowered magical girl corruption levels, potions that dramatically increased the success rate of fusing with [Miracles], and all sorts of other potions.
But in other fields, the Magical Girl Alliance was like a little girl.
Their magical equipment manufacturing technology was pathetically weak. They couldn’t even produce enough monitors to cover the entire territory.
“The headquarters’ suggestion is that we may need to ask the Security Council for help.”
Unlike the Magical Girl Alliance, the Security Council’s tech tree was extremely advanced in equipment manufacturing. The magical equipment they produced could even unleash S-rank power.
Although they were slightly inferior in top-tier combat strength, the Security Council had enough equipment and firepower coverage to make up for it.
“So the current arrangement is this: since we still have the bronze statue, we’ll bring it straight to the Security Council people.”
Li Yanyan opened a map and pointed to a city in the middle of the northwest desert.
“Word is that the Security Council’s chief researcher is currently in Rain Curtain City. Headquarters has already made the connection for us, so we can go directly to her.”
“Rain Curtain City?” Su Xiaocheng stared at the city located in the deepest part of the desert.
“Yes. The natural conditions there are quite harsh, and neither we nor the Security Council wanted to deal with it, so over time it developed into this special area called Rain Curtain City.” Li Yanyan explained.
“Because there’s no official power in control, the order there is quite chaotic too.”
“No one manages it. So how does it hold up against witch disasters?”
“Rain Curtain City has plenty of advanced Security Council weapons that can defend against witch disasters below S-rank. If an S-rank witch disaster hits, they simply evacuate and come back once the witch leaves.”
“Won’t that place be very dangerous then?” Su Xiaowei asked, worried.
“With me here, what are you worried about?” Li Yanyan said. “Just relax and handle things. If you run into problems you can’t solve, I’ll naturally step in.”
……
The next day, under Li Yanyan’s lead, the group arrived at the Desert Fox Mercenary Association.
“Are we really looking for help here?” Su Xiaocheng’s tone carried some doubt.
Although the misunderstanding had been cleared up—Li Yanyan had only been pretending earlier, and the money spent afterward had been refunded—it still inevitably soured Su Xiaocheng’s first impression of the Desert Fox Mercenary Association.
After all, Li Yanyan had actually registered with them, and at the highest level.
“Ahem, they’re actually very professional.” Li Yanyan firmly advertised for the Desert Fox.
“Besides, we’re on a mission this time, so it can be reimbursed. You wouldn’t want to lug a several-ton statue through the desert yourself, right?”
Thinking about the five-meter-tall bronze statue plus a full set of restraint devices, Su Xiaocheng silently closed her mouth.
Since it was reimbursable anyway, her heart quickly balanced out.
“Alright, the total fee for this mission comes to ten million yuan.” The receptionist lady quoted the price.
“Wait, add me to the mission list too, and change the client to her.” Li Yanyan pointed at Su Xiaocheng and interrupted.
“Um, with your level, if you also join this mission, the reward might need to be doubled.” The receptionist lady looked a little troubled, but her hands had already started preparing the invoice.
“It’s fine. Put it on the expense account and issue the invoice.” Li Yanyan instructed with practiced ease.
“Okay, please sign here.” The receptionist lady handed the original mission form to Su Xiaocheng.
“Don’t we need to make a new document?” Su Xiaocheng looked at the mission form in her hands…
“No need. The mission form I prepared from the beginning already included her.” The receptionist lady had anticipated Li Yanyan’s move; the earlier question had just been a formality.
“So she’s a repeat offender.”
……
Today was a rare nice day, with neither fierce winds nor blazing sun.
“Cloudy weather like this is pretty uncommon in the northwest desert,” Li Yanyan sighed.
The group was currently riding on the back of a ground-walking lizard. Behind them, several more ground-walking lizards, directed by a team of mercenaries, dragged the massive bronze statue.
Ground-walking lizards were a special species unique to the northwest desert. Adults could reach three meters in length, with great strength and endurance, and were often used as transportation in the desert.
“In another two hours we should reach Rain Curtain City.” Li Yanyan lay lazily on the broad back of the ground-walking lizard and checked the positioning device.
“Speaking of which, why is it called Rain Curtain City? Doesn’t it rarely rain in the desert?” Su Xiaocheng asked.
“Normally that’s true, but Rain Curtain City is special. Every thirty days it pours for a full three days. The locals call it the ‘Rain Curtain.’”
“Rain at a fixed time?”
The world is full of wonders; there’s actually such a magical place in the desert.
Su Xiaocheng couldn’t help thinking to herself.
“That’s right. It’s also because of this that such a large city exists in the center of the desert.”
Li Yanyan thought of something and reminded them, “The next ‘Rain Curtain’ should be tomorrow. Remember not to go out and get caught in the rain then.”
“Why? Afraid of catching a cold?”
“It’s said that if you’re exposed to the ‘Rain Curtain’ rainwater for too long, you might lose yourself. Although magical girls are less affected, it’s still better to be careful,” Li Yanyan explained.
“How amazing.” The group, learning about Rain Curtain City for the first time, sighed in wonder.
Before long, the outline of a massive city faintly appeared in the distance.
From afar, Rain Curtain City looked like a giant beast slumbering in the desert.
In this desolate, uninhabited land, the existence of such a magnificent giant city was nothing short of a miracle created by humanity.
“Welcome to Rain Curtain City!”
Passing through the archway hung with a huge banner, the group officially entered Rain Curtain City.
Because the “Rain Curtain” was approaching, quite a few pedestrians hurried along the streets, rushing to buy supplies in the final moments.
Living necessities were in short supply here, especially right before the “Rain Curtain.”
As the group passed by, passersby couldn’t help stealing extra glances. After all, who could resist a five-meter-tall, valiant bronze statue?
“It’s getting late. Let’s hurry to the Security Council’s territory.” Under the onlookers’ gazes, the group walked down the street with the bronze statue in tow.
The Desert Fox mercenaries would stay in Rain Curtain City until the research was finished. If needed, they would also be responsible for transporting the statue back.
“Though that’s unlikely. Knowing the Security Council, they’ll probably keep the statue for themselves,” Li Yanyan said.