Bang!
A ground-walking lizard over five meters long slammed heavily into the base’s protective wall. The first defensive barrier collapsed instantly.
The moment the wall fell, the automatic cannons on the second line of defense spewed tongues of fire. Bullets turned into a metal storm, raising a bloody rain within the lizard horde.
But for the ground-walking lizards already driven into a frenzied state, blood and death could not make them retreat. It only drove them even more insane.
The lizard swarm braved the powerful cannon fire, carving a path with their own blood. Their massive bodies smashed the automatic cannons and destroyed the second defensive line.
The only things left standing in front of the lizard horde were the final protective wall and the Security Council guards who had hurriedly assembled.
The guard captain gripped his large-caliber rifle, his expression grim.
In this world, the greatest threat humanity faced came from witches.
To combat witches, the Security Council’s weapon development was built entirely around countering them.
Even the protective walls were mixed with special materials that suppressed witch magic power, at the cost of some structural strength.
This was also why An Li placed such importance on the bronze statue’s magic-nullifying property. If they could master magic nullification technology, the Security Council would have a much easier time facing witches.
Facing the pure physical impact of a large horde of frenzied ground-walking lizards, the crystal-energy guns designed specifically against witches had limited effect. The crystal-energy cannons capable of dealing effective damage were unsuitable for use underground.
At this moment, the only weapons the guards could use were some outdated rifles and rocket launchers.
At the front of the lizard horde, an especially massive ground-walking lizard let out a roar. The remaining third of the swarm charged toward the final defensive line.
The guards opened fire with everything they had, but the results were minimal. Even direct hits from rocket launchers only heavily wounded the lizards. With their limited numbers of rockets, they couldn’t stop the tide. Rifle fire was even less effective.
“Looks like this is the limit of the Security Council guards. You girls should help out,” Li Yanyan said to Su Xiaocheng and the others as a lizard slammed into the final wall.
“No need.” An Li walked over and rejected Li Yanyan’s offer.
Although the Security Council and Magical Girl Alliance maintained friendly relations on the surface, there was inevitably competition behind the scenes.
If Su Xiaocheng and the others stepped in this time, the Security Council would publicly thank them in the name of friendship, but privately, An Li’s research funding would likely take a heavy hit through political maneuvering.
Of course, the one responsible for this wasn’t the council itself, but a certain finance minister whom An Li hated with a passion. Research funds that passed through her hands would always be severely reduced. An Li had been dissatisfied with this for a long time, but there was nothing she could do.
“Are you sure?” Li Yanyan raised an eyebrow at An Li, who was two heads shorter than her.
When it came to research, Li Yanyan had to acknowledge An Li’s authority. But in a fight… she felt that with An Li’s small frame, she’d be crushed flat under a lizard’s foot.
An Li tried to look aloof and cold as she imagined it should be, glancing at Li Yanyan and the others.
“Big Sister, is this little loli trying to seduce you?” Su Xiaowei leaned close to Su Xiaocheng and whispered.
“I don’t know…” Su Xiaocheng was also confused why, with a major enemy right in front of them, An Li was looking at them with eyes that tried to appear cold but actually contained a trace of shyness and reluctant invitation.
“The cool, aloof character in manga should look like this, right!” After mentally reviewing her own actions, An Li felt she had imitated it perfectly.
“Chief An, perhaps we should retreat first… Oh, and if the Magical Girl Alliance could lend us a hand, I, Lu, would be eternally grateful.”
Lu Chenyi ran over in panic. He couldn’t let anything happen to An Li on his watch. Seeing Su Xiaocheng and the others, he looked like he had found his saviors.
“I already said it’s not necessary.” An Li pressed the dial on her mechanical watch.
The mechanical watch seemed to come alive. It split into countless particles that quickly reassembled into a full set of armor, completely enveloping An Li’s small body.
Su Xiaocheng’s eyes widened. She had only seen this kind of high-tech equipment in movies. She never expected to see the real thing here with An Li.
“Oh my ancestors!” Lu Chenyi let out a miserable wail.
The powered armor An Li was using looked very cool, but it was still an experimental product. To enhance its resistance to magic, it used lower-strength composite materials. If a ground-walking lizard rammed her, An Li’s small body would be heavily injured at the very least.
Looking at the remaining forty-plus ground-walking lizards, An Li thought about her research funding and charged resolutely out past the defensive wall.
“Chief An? Protect Chief An!” The guard captain nearly lost his soul at the sight.
The frenzied lizard horde saw a tiny figure daring to charge at them and felt greatly provoked.
The lead ground-walking lizard pounced down on An Li from above. Green blood dripped from wounds caused by the earlier rocket explosions.
A watery ripple flowed across An Li’s armor, preventing the blood from staining it.
As the shadow engulfed her, there was no panic on An Li’s small face. As the designer of this powered armor, she knew its capabilities perfectly.
Blue energy blades sprang out from the gauntlets on both arms. The propulsion system on her back activated.
An Li crossed her arms in front of her body and, with the help of the propulsion system, shot upward through the lizard’s body from below.
The massive body did not hinder her in the slightest. The energy blades sliced cleanly through, cutting the ground-walking lizard into four pieces. A rain of green blood splattered onto the ground.
The green blood slid off the energy shield without leaving a single stain on An Li.
Facing the lizard horde, An Li recalled scenes from manga, raised her right hand, and flicked it downward, shaking off nonexistent blood from the energy blade.
“Pretty cool, right?” Su Xiaocheng commented as she observed An Li’s powered armor.
“Just average,” Li Yanyan replied, unimpressed.
Based on the capabilities the armor had shown so far, it was only comparable to a B-rank magical girl. Even if An Li had more trump cards, she would at most barely reach A-rank level.
Even with sufficient energy, An Li could only deal with the lizards in front of her. She likely wouldn’t be able to handle the mastermind behind this.
The initial spell used earlier was clearly at A-rank level. The fact that the enemy had the intelligence to use the lizards as cannon fodder meant it was probably not a regular witch. Li Yanyan already had a guess about the mastermind’s identity.
“Xiaowei, make sure to cast protective spells on Chief An when needed,” Li Yanyan said.
“Eh? Got it.” Su Xiaowei nodded.
With the assistance of the powered armor, An Li fought like a war goddess, charging in and out of the lizard horde. Soon, the remaining lizards were completely wiped out.
An Li breathed a sigh of relief. “Good thing I made it. The energy was almost depleted.”
An Li turned around and walked back behind the defensive wall. Lu Chenyi and the guards were celebrating their victory.
Suddenly, looks of horror appeared on everyone’s faces. An Li turned back in confusion, following their gazes.
A black-robed figure—Wrath—had appeared behind her, a smile on her lips.
A punch packed with concentrated magic power slammed into An Li’s body.