Sui City doesn't have many natural attractions.
However, in terms of artificial landscapes within urban clusters, it stands out remarkably, even boasting towering architectural wonders like the Suicheng Tower.
"High-altitude Ferris wheel, ultra-high-speed descent, and also high-altitude exploration and a revolving restaurant…"
"That ultra-high-speed descent looks really cool, and the revolving restaurant is also pretty good!"
The Golden Fox stood in the tourist waiting area, clutching the thin travel brochure in her hand as she spoke.
Nan Jiayu looked up at the towering high-rise building not far away, which seemed to pierce the clouds.
One of Sui City's landmarks, the Suicheng Tower, stands 600 meters tall. It was once said to be the tallest tower in the world and houses numerous amusement facilities, but its most famous attraction is probably the Ferris wheel at its summit.
A Ferris wheel four or five hundred meters in the air, just thinking about it…
...It seems to have no special feeling at all, the Cat Girl thought.
Her Shrike form could accelerate to supersonic speeds and climb over two thousand meters in a single burst, so she felt no "excitement" for such attractions.
But since Tianqing wanted to play, she absolutely had to accompany her. She wouldn't feel at ease letting this Fox Fox, who even throws up rainbows on roller coasters, experience high-altitude activities alone.
While the Cat Girl was concerned about the Fox Fox's enjoyment, Su Tianqing seemed to be interested in other things.
"Do you know, Jia Yu?"
While waiting for the elevator, Su Tianqing spoke to the Cat Girl beside her.
Nan Jiayu, who had been staring blankly at the Zhujiang River in the distance, immediately turned her head upon hearing the Fox Fox's voice.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"The world's first Magic Girl completed her first transformation at the top of the Suicheng Tower, you know."
"Is that so… Now that you mention it, it does feel like a pilgrimage," Nan Jiayu suddenly realized, and her gaze towards the Suicheng Tower before her also took on a hint of solemnity.
As expected, a special exhibition stand for Red Rose was set up on the observation deck and terrace, introducing the life of the world's first Magic Girl with text and photos.
"According to Red Rose's own memoirs and the Hero Association's archives, her first transformation took place at the top of the Suicheng Tower, where she transformed to fight against the Dragonfly Monster that attacked the Suicheng Tower."
"This exhibition stand displays some of Red Rose's past equipment donated to the memorial, as well as a photograph restored by professionals."
The two of them strolled to the exhibition stand and looked up at the huge, technically restored photograph.
A camera from fifty years ago could only capture a blurry image, but after the Hero Association's perfect restoration and recreation, the large photograph clearly showed Red Rose's initial battle stance from back then:
The fiery Magic Girl leaped from the edge of the tower's summit, clutching a blazing magic staff that transformed into a giant flaming sword, striking at the menacing Dragonfly Monster before her.
"How amazing," Su Tianqing exclaimed.
"To be able to capture such a photo, the photographer back then really found the perfect angle," Nan Jiayu couldn't help but exclaim.
Even as an experienced villain, facing Red Rose's past battle scenes, she could only respectfully call her a great senior.
After all, she was a Magic Girl who mastered both Star Shadow and the Mindscape World, an absolute standout on a global scale.
"However, Red Rose also had an equally matched opponent."
"Magic Girl Mercury has been continuously active, treating Red Rose as her rival since her appearance."
"Until Red Rose retired due to illness, Mercury also disappeared from people's sight and has never reappeared."
Another figure appeared on the electronic screen.
The azure and fiery Magic Girls floated in the sky, with flowing Star Shadows Entanglement around their bodies, raising their respective weapons and pointing them at each other.
Magic Girl Mercury, the world's first confirmed villain Magic Girl, Su Tianqing silently spoke her name.
"Retired due to illness? Mom, what kind of illness did Red Rose have?"
Not far away, a curious child pointed at the explanation on the screen and asked the woman beside him.
The mother smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"Mom doesn't know either, but I heard that the illness was very serious, directly causing Red Rose to be unable to transform back into an ordinary person from a Magic Girl."
"Eh…"
Watching the interaction between the mother and child not far away, Su Tianqing tugged at the Cat Girl's sleeve beside her and leaned closer to Nan Jiayu.
"Jia Yu, do you know Red Rose?"
"Of course, after all, she's the world's first Magic Girl," Nan Jiayu nodded.
"I used to see videos, and I heard that no one has been able to cure her illness to this day, not even Moira."
"Hmm… Is that the S-Class Hero from Rong City?" Su Tianqing recalled the name.
"Yes, he's the most powerful lifelong senior physician in the entire Hero Association. When he uses psychic abilities, he's the only mortal in the world who can treat astral diseases."
"But even such a powerful doctor was helpless, so he had no choice but to give up."
Nan Jiayu sighed and shook her head.
As a Hellcat, Nan Jiayu had a good deal of respect for Red Rose as a senior.
After all, she pioneered the Magic Girl concept and bravely stood up against Monster attacks, saving countless lives.
But such a great hero could never return to her former life due to a strange illness…
"It feels very regrettable."
"Yeah. Let's go up to the observation deck to take a look and change our mood ~"
Seeing the Cat Girl's melancholic expression, Su Tianqing quickly took her hand, and they walked side by side towards the elevator not far away.
.
"Jia Yu, look! There are boats on the river over there."
The Golden Fox lay on the horizontal Ferris wheel, pointing at the Zhujiang River and saying.
Nan Jiayu leaned out and saw a tour boat full of tourists. The tourists looked like ants, and she could vaguely see their excited faces.
"It's a tour boat. Tianqing, do you want to go on a boat tour of the river? It looks quite interesting."
"Eh… I get seasick, so no thanks…" Su Tianqing shivered and quickly said, her ears quickly flattening against her head.
"That's right, how could I forget that?"
"But if Jia Yu wants to go, we can buy some motion sickness medicine and then go on the boat."
"No, let's not. Your health is important, Tianqing," the Cat Girl said honestly.
Soon, the two noticed construction sites everywhere along the riverbank.
The river embankment was full of breaches caused by some kind of violent force, and repair workers organized by the Hero Association were rushing to fix them.
Su Tianqing tilted her head.
"Why are there breaches everywhere on the Zhujiang River embankments? Are they all caused by Monsters?"
"Yes, Sui City is famous for having a lot of Monsters, several times the national average. Tianqing, you haven't heard of this, have you?" Nan Jiayu replied.
"This…"
The Golden Fox pursed her lips, deep in thought.
She really hadn't heard of it, and hadn't even carefully studied the patterns and frequency of wild Monster appearances.
But Sui City only has about eighty Monster attacks a year. Compared to Rong City…
...It actually seems like a lot.
Most of Rong City's current attack incidents are caused by the Monsters she summons herself. There are only two or three wild Monsters each month. Sui City's eighty-plus Monster attacks a year are indeed a bit strange.
But why? Why are there so many Monster attacks?
Su Tianqing keenly noticed something was amiss.
"Did Sui City used to have this many Monsters? Then Red Rose must have been quite busy usually."
"This… It shouldn't be that bad, I haven't heard of Red Rose receiving an attendance model medal," Nan Jiayu honestly shook her head.
The Golden Fox suspiciously instructed the Fox Fox familiar in the distance to take out a divine code stone and search for a question she suddenly thought of.
"When did the number of Monsters in Sui City start to surge?"
From the Hero Association's internal statistics, the inflection point of the rising curve was twenty years ago.
Thinking of this, Su Tianqing looked at the Cat Girl beside her, who was gazing at Sui City's high-rise clusters from the Ferris wheel, and poked her lower back with the tip of her tail.
"Jia Yu, do you remember when Red Rose retired?"
"...I don't really remember clearly anymore." The Cat Girl paused slightly and shook her head.
"Probably twenty years ago? The exact time isn't clear."
Twenty years ago. This number appeared before her eyes once again.
Su Tianqing gazed blankly at Sui City's towering reinforced concrete forest, her brow slightly furrowed.
She suddenly understood why the secret codex would give a quest like 【Red Rose Exploration】.
Senior Red Rose… you really are hiding quite a few secrets.
