Five minutes later.
Nightingale, carrying the assault rifle confiscated from Little Gray Wolf, dashed up the stairwell.
Hyacinth and Iris followed closely behind, with terrifyingly dense gunshots constantly echoing from behind them.
Compared to the continuous spray of automatic rifle fire from Hellcat, the power of the KS23 shotgun in Cheshire Rabbit's hands terrified the three even more, sending them scurrying away in disarray, clutching their heads.
"Nightingale! Are you sure you dismantled the barrier?! I don't feel the slightest sign of the magic power receding!"
Hyacinth shouted loudly at Nightingale in front of her, while suppressing fire behind her.
"I really did dismantle it! I checked several times!"
"Then let's hurry and retreat—ouch!"
"Bang!!!"
Another terrifying loud bang came from behind, and the wall behind Hyacinth was almost completely blasted away, with scorching, sparkling shotgun pellets bouncing and reflecting in the stairwell.
—Dragon's Breath rounds.
From the start, Cheshire Rabbit had been using magic to simulate the exaggerated effects of these bullets.
Although their essence was birdshot filled with magnesium powder, when applied to bullets condensed with magic power, it appeared even more exaggerated and terrifying.
For example, Iris, who was running in front of her, had been suppressed by this exaggerated firepower for a long time just now. At this moment, she had no thought of fighting back, only wanting to escape quickly.
Run as fast as you can! Whoever runs slower gets hit!
Especially after the barrier node was dismantled, the firepower of Hellcat and Cheshire Rabbit did not decrease but increased. The latter even felt that the firepower of the KS23 was somewhat insufficient and began to pull out more terrifying heavy firepower from her magical space.
Finally, after a brief escape and pursuit, the three rushed out of the basement and immediately saw the Hero Association minivan parked not far away, with the long-awaiting Hai Lan Shi sitting in the passenger seat.
"Look! Hyacinth and them are there!"
Hai Lan Shi quickly called out to Red Zircon in the driver's seat, patting her companion's shoulder.
Red Zircon peered out, sharply turned the steering wheel, and swung the minivan, angling its open rear door towards Hyacinth and the other two who were rushing towards them.
Evacuation was within reach!
Looking at the long-awaited rendezvous vehicle, Hyacinth seemed to see the light of victory.
But before she could rejoice for long, the shotgun fire chasing them out of the mall suddenly stopped, making the three of them turn back to look.
It was fine not to look, but a closer look made the hopeful expressions on their faces suddenly turn to terror and shock:
Cheshire Rabbit had, at some point, put away her shotgun, and on her shoulder was a shoulder-fired rocket launcher!
RPG-28 rocket launcher.
"No! Hai Lan Shi! Get out of there!!!"
Hyacinth shouted loudly.
Hai Lan Shi was no fool. Seeing the terrifying weapon in Cheshire Rabbit's hand, the two in the driver's seat immediately turned pale. They no longer cared about picking up Hyacinth and stomped on the accelerator, attempting to speed away.
"Fire!"
The rocket launcher fired!
Scorching tail flames roared and spewed, pushing the rocket straight towards the minivan emblazoned with the Hero Association logo.
Seeing the incoming rocket, Red Zircon in the driver's seat screamed in terror, desperately turning the steering wheel, trying to evade the hit with a beautiful drift and tail-whip.
Everyone held their breath.
Hai Lan Shi was already thinking about what posture she would lie in the infirmary in later, Red Zircon wished she could turn the steering wheel until sparks flew, and the three of Hyacinth looked expectant but felt uneasy in their hearts.
Could they dodge it?
—"Whoosh!!!"
"Boom!!!"
The rocket flew past the minivan's open rear door, blowing up a hapless car parked by the roadside.
"Well done! Red Zircon, you did great!"
Hai Lan Shi, having escaped death, was overjoyed and gave the still-shaken Red Zircon in the driver's seat a hard pat.
But as soon as Hyacinth and the other two got into the car, Cheshire Rabbit pulled out an M2 Browning heavy machine gun from behind again, making everyone's faces turn pale.
...
...
"Ah ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Run! Cry! Ha ha ha ha ha!!"
"..."
Outside the mall, fierce gunfights erupted, the heavy machine gun fire forming a continuous barrage. Hyacinth and the others immediately abandoned the minivan, which was riddled with holes, and fled in a panic while returning fire.
Inside the mall, Su Tianqing stood calmly in front of the withered tree surrounded by a fence, looking up at the tree that had been dead for many years.
This was a peach tree.
According to the Inari stories she knew and Inari's own recollections from interviews, Inari's first transformation took place under this tree.
For so many years, even though this tree had long been dead, people had not brought themselves to uproot it. Instead, they carefully protected it, and it even became a spot where people made wishes.
"Sigh... why throw money? Everyone is so cliché."
Su Tianqing leaned in to look at the coins and banknotes scattered around the tree roots, sighing.
But it made sense; people always needed some offerings when making wishes, and the money in their hands became the most suitable and convenient offering.
But shouldn't offerings be for memorializing the dead? Miss Inari isn't dead yet, isn't this a bit unlucky?
Should Ben Hu collect this money?
After much deliberation, Golden Fox ultimately didn't dare to steal the offerings.
But since Miss Inari set up a barrier under this tree, it means she did hide something here. Where exactly could it be...?
Thinking of this, Su Tianqing simply climbed over the fence, approached the withered tree, and carefully observed it.
The sounds of the gunfight outside the mall gradually subsided, but Cat Girl and Rabbit Girl remained vigilant around the perimeter, providing cover for Su Tianqing's search operation.
Where is the item... where is it...?
Su Tianqing circled the withered tree several times, wagging her tail in confusion, still unable to see anything that might be Inari's relic.
Golden-haired Fox Girl hugged her tail and stroked her fur for a while, silently pondering.
Could it be buried under this tree?
It shouldn't be. After Nightingale dispelled the sealing barrier, the magic reaction I felt was on this withered tree. So where could it be...
"secret codex, you'd better give me a hint, otherwise I..."
【Hint: Look on the tree branch above】
I knew you, secret codex, would give me a hint!
Golden Fox bounced around the withered tree with joy, trying to see what exactly was on the tree branch.
Soon, Su Tianqing took down a sparkling trinket from the tree branch.
It wasn't a valuable gem, just a rather cheap rhinestone ornament, like a cheap trinket a girl might buy from a street vendor outside school after dismissal.
"What, I thought it was some treasure."
Su Tianqing's face was full of disdain.
But just as she was about to check if the secret codex mission was completed, an inexplicable magic power seemed to emanate from the rhinestone ornament.
After a moment of daze, Su Tianqing suddenly woke up, and the scene before her suddenly underwent a drastic change—
The mall was gone, and all that remained before her was a peach tree in full bloom, and a petite Red Fox Girl stood obediently beneath it, carrying a schoolbag, as if waiting for a bus.
Is this... an illusion...?
"Hello."
A Quartz Turtle Shell turtle spirit descended from the sky, floating in front of the surprised Red Fox Girl, and softly said to her:
"I sense your magical aptitude."
"Would you... like to become a Magic Girl, child?"