Even if you're a corrupted magical girl, you still have to try to redeem yourself.

Choosing someone to go to the neighboring city has become the biggest, and only, problem.

No one wanted to leave Hoshimi City. After all, Yuuki Yuki's strength was undeniable, and the more magical girls who went, the better. If everyone went, they would naturally be guaranteed victory.

However, the two who are not magical girls are in a more awkward position. They cannot move at high speeds like other magical girls, which may become a burden during battles.

In the end, it was Baqi who made the suggestion.

“Although she ran back,” Baqi said, pointing to Tsukimi Rie sitting next to her, “we still don’t know if this is also part of Yuri’s scheme. Didn’t she speak in Yuri’s tone before? I’m more inclined to think that the Primordial Darkness and Yuri’s personality overlapped. In this way, we can deduce the other party’s possible actions based on Yuri’s thoughts, so it’s right to be more careful.”

“If it’s Xiaoyuan’s idea, she might really want us to go to Xingjian City. Of course, we have no choice. But her ultimate goal is definitely not us, but Lin Jiezi. If Lin Jiezi goes with us, it might play right into her hands. So, Lin Jiezi absolutely cannot go.”

“Nishio Reki, I know you really want to go, but someone needs to look after Hayashi Mustard. None of us who stay behind can necessarily stop Origami at full power, so if you are the one who stays behind, you would be the most suitable. If you insist on going, that’s fine too, but this task can only be given to Minato-san or Yuuki Tamaki. But speaking of which, Origami and Hayashi Mustard are neighbors after all, so it would be very appropriate to have Yuuki Tamaki help out.”

Baqi's words were partly a provocation, but also partly a serious statement. If Nishio Reki absolutely had to go, then apart from the untrustworthy nuns and Saint Shion, there were very few people who could take on this heavy responsibility.

However, Nishio Reki was very cooperative this time and agreed to let him and Hayashi Keiko stay in Tsukishima City for the time being.

After persuading Nishio Reki, Tomoe continued to preside: "We can't let Seiyuu's group know about this, right? No objections, are you?"

Some of the girls shook their heads, while others nodded, but they all conveyed the same message—the people of Saint Yuu must not know this news. This was also why Baqi and Hong Moli had cleared away the magical girls who were watching earlier.

Mashiro Gorgen still holds the power to change the status quo. If she finds out, it will only create a formidable enemy for him.

"And our greatest asset is Lava Lantern, who is very interested in battle. If she takes action, the success rate of this operation will increase significantly. Maybe we can actually find the guy hiding inside Xiaoyuan's body."

Inuyama Tomoe spoke with absolute certainty.

"Don't worry about it, leave it to me. As long as I talk to Rongshan Deng about this, she will definitely agree."

……

“This won’t do. I still have to work, so I’m not going with you. It’s not about the money; it’s about dedication.”

Lava Mountain Light, who was operating a crane at the construction site, flatly refused Inuyama Tomoe's request.

Inuyama Tomoe sat on the giant crane arm, looking utterly speechless.

Rongshan Deng refused, but I still have to keep trying to persuade him.

"Just think about it, a battle against the Primordial Darkness! This is an opportunity you might never have again in your life!"

“If you can stop Yuki Yuki, then I might not be very happy even if I go there and take a taxi. If you can’t stop Yuki Yuki, she will definitely return to Yuehai City. This is her home. It’s not too late for me to find her then.” Laughter Mountain Lantern still refused outright.

Laughter Mountain Lantern has always been reasonable, and her reasoning is as simple and direct as she is. Communication between Laughter Mountain Lantern and the dog, Toucha Inuyama Baqi, is always incredibly smooth.

But Rongshan Deng's refusal was so straightforward that Baqi couldn't find a suitable reason to refute it: "But... Xiaoyuan is... very dangerous. She might bring danger to others, and she might... be very dangerous herself!"

“I know that Yuuki Yu is very important to you, but the world doesn’t revolve around Yuuki Yu. I’m not your babysitter, and I can’t always have Yuuki Yu in my eyes like you do. You’re doing this to be responsible for Yuuki Yu, and my job is to be responsible for everyone on this construction site.”

Baqi may be unwilling to admit it, but Rongshan Deng is a pure hedonist. She is capable and hardworking, but her efforts are only leisurely. She lives a very comfortable life and does not need to worry about the problems that are about to come.

Whenever something big or small happens in Moonsea City, let alone whether Lava Lamp will get hurt, what everyone should be watching is whether Lava Lamp is willing to get involved.

This time, Rongshan Deng didn't want to go through all that trouble to join in the excitement; it was that simple.

Inuyama Tomoe already knew that she couldn't persuade the other party, so she stood on tiptoe and prepared to jump off the crane arm.

"Oh, right." Rongshan Deng waved his hand: "Don't worry too much. If things get out of your control, I'd be very interested in helping you out."

Chapter 270 Stepping into Her Territory

The tram wheels rolled repeatedly over the metal rails, making a repetitive sound. The air conditioning smell filled the carriage, making people drowsy.

The girls leaned back in their seats, heading towards the unknown city.

The last time such a large group of people traveled together towards a common goal was during a school trip. However, this time there was no megaphone from the dean of students, no instructions from the homeroom teacher, no noisy expectations among classmates, and no feeling of traveling together.

All I felt was inexplicable fatigue and uncertainty about the future.

The group's decision to go find Yuki Yuki was made long ago at that private cinema, and Inuyama Tomoe went to see Kouyama Lantern almost immediately, but was ultimately rejected by Kouyama Lantern.

Since Lamp Lava has already rejected them, the longer the girls stay in Moonsea City, the lower their chances of success will be. No one knows what has become of Miya Miya, whom Tsukimi Rie is worried about, and Yuuki En, whom everyone else is worried about. It's better to set off as soon as possible.

There were quite a few people in this group. Of the seven nominal members of the Rainbow Society, only Hayashi Mustard and Nishio Reki stayed in Tsukimi City, and Yuuki Yuki was not there. The rest of them were all present.

In addition, Koumori and Hyakki Senyu also came along, and Sumireko, who had been following the girls since Yuuki Yui left, but had been hiding in the game console because she had been wronged, also came.

The distance from here to Hoshimi City isn't far, but it's not exactly close either. Even if one could transform and fly there, by the time they reached Hoshimi City, most of their stamina would be depleted. Therefore, flying directly there is definitely not a practical option. Even though Tsukimi Rie is in such a hurry, she can only choose to take the long-distance train.

So the group immediately bought tickets to Hoshimi City and embarked on their journey without stopping.

There were other passengers on the train, so it wasn't appropriate for the group to discuss their plans after arriving in Moonsea City. As a result, everyone was unusually silent on the way.

Everyone boarded the afternoon train, and by the time the train stopped at Hoshimi City station, it was already close to evening.

Although it wasn't completely dark yet, the sky had already changed from a clear blue to a deep blue, and there was a chill in the air; it was getting late.

This was the second time in several days that Helica had come to Hoshimi City. Seeing the huge light sign with the city's name on the station again, Helica's feelings were once again complicated.

My feelings are very different every time I see this scene.

"Ah...we've finally arrived." Inuyama Tomoe stretched and rubbed her sleepy eyes, following Tsukimi Rie's steps as she walked with the group towards the station exit.

As soon as they exited the station and arrived at the plaza in front of it, the girls stopped in their tracks.

With Yuuki Yuki absent and Tenrai Helica not being the right person to lead in this situation, the core of the entire squad fell to Inuyama Tomoe.

Inuyama Tomoe cleared her throat and gave her final words of advice to the girls who had gathered in a circle around her.

"Our ultimate goal here is to find Xiaoyuan. If all goes well, we'll extract and eliminate the primordial darkness within her. At the very least, we can't let Xiaoyuan and that... Miyashita Mia be in danger. As for whether to bring Xiaoyuan back, and how to treat her... those are all things we'll have to adapt to. Also... if Xiaoyuan really wants to end everything that way... we must be able to make the decision to act if we can't find any other way. Do you understand?"

The girls gathered in a circle nodded in unison. The pressure of actually facing Yuuki Yukino with swords against her was immense.

Yuuki Yui is very strong, and she possesses such power that she is not an opponent that can be defeated under normal circumstances. Moreover, Yuuki Yui is everyone's partner, so if everyone does not go all out, it will indeed be difficult to gain any advantage from Yuuki Yui.

Inuyama Tomoe glanced at the girls' expressions, then silently bit her lip with her sharp canines. The sharp pain dispelled any unrelated thoughts, and she resolutely continued speaking:

"Alright, the next thing is to do as we agreed before. Me, Kurenai, Hyakki, and Sumireko Yumehara will go together, while the rest of you—Helica Tenrai, Yui Mizuno, Hanako Sakura, and Tsukimi-senpai—will go together. We'll split up and find Yui's side first to keep her calm as much as possible."

This grouping is undoubtedly the most suitable. Three of the four fallen magical girls were originally traveling with Yuuki Yuki, so their teamwork is naturally excellent. Yumehara Sumireko is also a good partner for Yuuki Yuki, so the four of them traveling together is perfectly fine.

Rie Tsukimi and Helica Tenrai knew each other, and since they had no grudges against each other, they were grouped together.

The reason for forming a group of four is that searching separately is relatively more efficient, and this way, even if a conflict arises with Yuuki Yuki, they can look out for each other.

"Finally," Inuyama Tomoe slowed her speech, "Although we made the decision quickly, everyone only received the news last night and rushed over today, I hope everyone understands that the danger of this operation is no less than that of stopping Urouge Mashiro not long ago. Although I shouldn't be saying this, but... I hope everyone cares more about their own safety than about Eri, especially you, Tenrai Herika."

Today, when Baqi mentioned Helica twice, she didn't argue with her, and she no longer called her "Yellow-haired Shorty," but addressed her by her full name, Helica. This shows just how seriously Baqi took this operation, completely abandoning any playful mood.

Many magical girls could tell that when Bachi said she was concerned about her own safety, she wasn't just talking to everyone else, but rather admonishing herself.

No, some people have already realized that the subtext of Baqi's words is: if she has gone all out for Yuuki Eri, she doesn't want others to make the same mistake.

Herika Tenrai, who usually gets along the worst with Inuyama Tomoe, is actually the most empathetic.

Herlica rolled her eyes at Inuyama Tomoe, then revealed an unprecedentedly serious expression.

"You too, don't be silly."

Ba Qi pursed her lips and muttered to herself noncommittally, "I'll try my best."

Immediately, as if worried that others might also read her intentions or follow her lead, Baqi clapped her hands.

"Alright, alright, that's enough of the pre-battle declaration. As we said, we'll all go and take a look at the place where Xiaoyuan used to live. If Xiaoyuan is here, that would be great. If not, we'll figure something out. So before that, let's find a place to spend the night."

Although only twenty-odd hours have passed since yesterday afternoon, twenty-odd hours is enough for Yuuki Yui to change positions. Finding Miyashita Mia, and possibly Yuuki Yui who may have run into trouble, may really take some effort.

The girls are prepared for a long-term operation. To achieve their goal, they may have to stay in Hoshimi City for several days, so they must ensure they have plenty of energy to support them.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Tsukimi Rie was already preparing to take out her phone to find a safe place for everyone.

Just then, a voice called out to everyone.

"Actually, it's okay if we don't rush to find a place to stay for the night, right?"

Ba Qi casually replied, "Xiao Yuan, what are you talking about? To find Xiao Yuan, we definitely need to ensure everyone has plenty of energy... Ah..."

Before Ba Qi could finish her sentence, not only she but also those around her noticed that something was amiss.

Baqi was so familiar with Yuuki Yukino's voice that she could recognize it instantly without thinking, so her answer was subconscious.

The problem is that the person Baqi is answering doesn't exist here.

No one could mistake it; it was Yuuki Yukino's voice, as relaxed as when they were all still together, ringing in the ears of every girl.

Like a drop of water falling into a pot of boiling oil, the sound caused an uproar among the girls, who all instinctively looked around, searching for the source of the sound.

But no, no matter where you go, you can't find Yuuki Yuki.

"What's going on? Are we hallucinating?" Helica lowered her center of gravity slightly, opened her arms wide, and looked around, but she couldn't find that familiar pink color anywhere.

Sakura Hanako offered her uncertain opinion: "I'm not sure either. Maybe it's because of what Inuyama-senpai said that made us feel... um..."

The taciturn Hyakki Chiyu shook her head: "No, I definitely heard it, very clearly, and it perfectly matched what my sister said."

“I think so too.” The color drained from Inuyama Tomoe’s face, and she showed the others what it meant to be truly ashen-faced: “There is absolutely no way I could mistake Yui’s voice, and you all think so too, right? Even if you didn’t mention me, you wouldn’t mistake Yui’s voice. It’s even more impossible for everyone to be hallucinating.”

They realized at that moment that the voice really did come from "beside" their ears, as if someone was whispering in their ear.

Whether it was Yuuki Yui waiting for their arrival in the shadows and welcoming them, or whether she simply used some kind of Lin Er (a magical ability) to interfere with their perception and transmit the voice to their ears, none of these matters are of great importance.

There is only one thing that can be absolutely confirmed.

Yuuki Yui knew that they had already entered their own domain.

It's not a matter of my current state; it's just that I'm not entirely satisfied with many parts of the recent storyline.

So, I'll just post a single update for now. If there's an update in the middle of the night, then there is; if there isn't, then there isn't (duh).

Chapter 271 Removing the Mask of the Girl's Smile

In the plaza in front of Hoshimi City Station, the noisy voices of people, along with the setting sun, scattered across the stone paving stones.

There was the joy of traveling in groups, the loneliness of traveling alone, the emotion of reunion after a long separation, and the reluctance to let go during parting. All of these were carefully crushed and seeped into the girls' every breath.

The world is colorful, but when a touch of pale pink appears in the distance, everything seems to dim.

People were still making noise, walking back and forth, the wheels of suitcases rolling on the ground, the heels of high heels tapping on the bricks, but the girls felt that all was quiet, with only the clearly audible sound of footsteps remaining.

One sound, then two, growing closer and slower.

That's right, it's her who didn't make a mistake.

The person who appeared in the square in front of the station, the person who walked confidently towards the girls, the person who dressed in a shirt and casual pants, the person with a warm smile, was none other than Yuuki Yuki, whom they were looking for.

In their limited free time, the girls rehearsed many scenarios about what they would face after meeting Yuuki Yuki. However, none of those dozens of guesses involved Yuuki Yuki appearing openly and naturally in front of everyone.

This unusual scene completely prevented the girls from feeling the joy of finding Yuuki Eri, which they should have been excited about, from feeling any relief that the situation had progressed. Instead, it made it even harder for the girls to breathe, and they were almost suffocating under the weight of Yuuki Eri.