With the signal flare in place, Zhu Yuan raised her arm, aimed her pistol skyward, and pulled the trigger.
Whoosh— A trail of vivid red smoke shot into the air. Moments later, the flare burst high above, releasing a blinding flash and thick clouds of smoke.
"Senior! It's on the move—let's go!"
Zhu Yuan saw the unidentified figure carrying the crystal sphere fleeing into the distance. Without hesitation, she jumped from the low rooftop and took off in pursuit.
Qingyi followed closely behind her. Further back, the nearest military squad also gave chase.
They had been redirected here based on Zhu Yuan's sighting, and the moment they saw the flare, they sprang into action.
Watching the figure in the distance nimbly dart between ruined buildings while carrying a black sphere, the squad leader narrowed his eyes and zoomed in using his smart mask.
"That's our target! Fire a special signal flare—alert the others!"
This was their mission's main objective. As squad leader, he had seen simulated recon images from a previous Hollow operation and immediately recognized Zane.
"Yes, sir!"
The communications officer responded promptly, pulling out his flare gun and firing into the sky.
A green flare arced upward. When it exploded, it not only emitted a dazzling light but also revealed a distinct military emblem, which hovered mid-air as a location beacon for other units.
"From now on, every time we change positions, fire another flare. Make sure the others can track us precisely!"
"Understood!"
With the order given, the squad leader quickened his pace. Their target—and the two constables—were fast. If he couldn't keep up, things would spiral fast.
...
At the edge of the Hollow, inside a military outpost—
"Sir, aren't we allocating too many troops just to assist those two constables in capturing a few suspects?"
"Our deployment speed is dropping because of it."
The young officer looked helpless as he reported the slowed progress to his superior.
The senior officer waved a hand dismissively and explained.
"Those suspects made it all the way to the Hollow's core. They're not to be underestimated. Deploying extra squads is entirely justified."
"Besides, based on what the green-haired constable reported, the suspects' intentions are unclear. I suspect they're connected to our main target."
"If any of the deployed units can locate it, it'll be a nice bonus."
The officer clapped the young man on the shoulder and spoke with measured weight.
"Once I transfer to the Scepter Army, you'll be taking over here. You need to start thinking things through. Consider every angle."
The young officer nodded, then hesitated before asking,
"Sir, what's the real reason we're going all-in to capture this special Etherial?"
"No idea. Orders from above."
The officer shook his head. Even that department had gotten involved in this operation. The real objective was way beyond his clearance.
The younger officer didn't press further—he knew this was above his pay grade.
But just as he was about to leave, a shout came from outside. A military investigator sprinted in and reported breathlessly:
"Target sighted inside the Hollow! A special flare's already been fired!"
"Also, the sheriff's flare was launched from almost the same position. There's a high chance those suspects are connected to the special Etherial!"
The officer's expression shifted—clearly surprised that his guess had turned out to be true. This really might be that unexpected bonus.
"Gather the rest of the men—move out! We're going into the depths to capture it ourselves!"
He issued the order immediately. The young officer hesitated.
"But sir... the Snake Cage setup isn't complete. Only a small portion of it is operational."
"That's fine. We can't let this chance slip by. Have the others force the Etherial toward the parts that are set up!"
The officer's voice was steady beneath his helmet. That had been the plan all along—drive the special Etherial into the trap and wear it down beforehand.
Granted, things had escalated quickly, and the devices weren't fully installed yet. But that was better than dragging it out and risking other complications.
Just as the team was about to deploy, a report came in: the Cretan Hollow was collapsing and shrinking. Its boundary was closing in fast on the outpost.
The officer turned to gaze into the depths of the Hollow, his expression growing grim.
What on earth was happening in there?
...
"What?! That Etherial... has independent thought?"
After speaking with military personnel, Qingyi explained everything to Zhu Yuan, whose face instantly filled with shock.
She looked at Zane in disbelief. So it was true—and it turned out this was the real objective of the entire operation. All that "testing" talk had just been a cover.
If it had a will of its own, then maybe they could reason with it?
With that in mind, Zhu Yuan grabbed a small loudspeaker from her belt and shouted toward Zane:
"Surrender! Stop running! The entire Cretan Hollow is crawling with military—there's nowhere left to go!"
But the Etherial ahead didn't even flinch. It didn't glance back, just kept widening the gap.
"Senior, it's not responding. Looks like we'll have to use force."
Zhu Yuan said to Qingyi, pushing herself to move even faster. Thankfully, her physical conditioning was excellent—most people wouldn't have been able to keep up.
"Still, don't let your guard down. Judging by its speed and power, this Etherial is very strong."
Qingyi's tone was cool. She hadn't expected Zhu Yuan's attempt at communication to work in the first place.
Judging by the military's mobilization, this was never going to be a diplomatic mission.
"Understood, Senior."
...
Meanwhile, up ahead—
"Nicole! Your shoe's in my face!!!"
Billy's voice came from somewhere underneath, his head pinned sideways under Nicole's boot.
"Anby, you're sitting on me! Move over—I can't breathe!"
That was Nicole, sounding weak and crushed.
"Mmgwuh... mmffghh..."
That one was Anby, completely muffled—two Bangboo were squashed against her face.
"Mm-nuh-nuh! (Ughh... I'm so dizzy!)"
That was Panta, already completely out of it.
As for Belle, she listened to the chaos in her earpiece. Without a motion-feedback system connected, she couldn't really relate.
Zane hoisted the crystal-encased shell above his head with both hands. He stepped onto a derelict railcar, then launched himself high into the air.
The ball shot upward with inertia, spun midair, and then Zane caught it again.
His travel method was fast—and very rough.
Inside the crystal shell, the passengers were taking the full brunt of every shake.
Loud clunks echoed from inside the shell as bodies bumped and rolled—followed by Nicole's groaning voice.
"No... I can't see anything. My head's killing me... and the shaking... I'm gonna be sick..."
"Nicole, hold it in! If you puke, we're doomed! My high-precision parts might get fried!"
The mention of expensive components was enough. Nicole gagged again—but managed to force it back down.