"So... you dragged us over here in a rush, made us abandon several well-paying commissions, and he was just standing around waiting for us the whole time?"
Zhong Yan didn't have to wait long before the reinforcements summoned by the sibling duo arrived—the Cunning Hares.
What no one expected, however, was that the person who was supposedly trapped and surrounded by Ethereals was standing there as if nothing had happened, calmly awaiting their arrival.
This was very different from how the siblings had described the situation.
They'd called while in the middle of a firefight, urging the Hares to come urgently.
Owing to the substantial debt Nicole still owed the siblings; She had no choice but to temporarily drop everything and rush to rescue this client whom Phaethon held in high regard.
Turns out… they didn't need to come at all.
"Well... it was really dangerous at the time! Who knew he'd get out of it so quickly?" Eous, under Belle's control, scratched its head awkwardly.
At the same time, the heavy burden in the siblings' hearts finally lifted.
Zhong Yan was safe—that was the best news they could ask for.
As for how he managed to escape, they didn't dig too deeply. After all, they were technically just collaborators… though now, one might even call them friends.
Among the Cunning Hares trio, Anby always carried out missions with a calm and collected demeanor. This time was no different—until she actually saw Zhong Yan.
She hadn't known until they were en-route that the person supposedly trapped in the Hollow was Zhong Yan. Had she known, she might've lost her mind.
After all, this was the same guy who had just lectured her yesterday about cherishing life—and now he was out here nearly dying in a Hollow? His words and actions were completely contradictory.
That contradiction really got under Anby's skin. From the moment she saw him, she stared daggers at him with a deeply resentful expression.
Feeling her gaze, Zhong Yan couldn't help but feel a little guilty. His eyes darted around before finally settling on Eous at his feet.
Tsk... why does this little guy look cuter the more I look at him?
"Nicole, I really appreciate you all coming. But we probably shouldn't stay in the Hollow too long," Wise promptly reminded after Nicole finished complaining to the siblings.
Everyone present—Zhong Yan excluded—had strong Ether compatibility, allowing them to survive extended periods in the Hollow.
But even so, their time here was limited. It was best to leave quickly.
...
Soon, with the siblings leading the way, the group exited the Hollow.
Nicole immediately returned with Anby and Billy to complete their client's commission, leaving Zhong Yan and Eous behind.
"Looks like this commission is a bust." In the empty alley outside the Hollow, Belle spoke with some frustration. "In that case, I'll return the 3 million advance payment. Hopefully we can work together again in the future."
Losing out on a 10 million Denny reward in one go was a tough pill to swallow—but Proxies lived and died by their reputation. If they couldn't complete a commission, they absolutely couldn't keep a client's money.
By all accounts, things should've ended here. But to Zhong Yan, this was just the beginning.
He hadn't secured Fairy for Phaethon, so there was no way he was letting this partnership end.
That level of AI could even pose a threat to him. Only if it ended up in the hands of someone he trusted could he be at ease.
So, as soon as Belle offered to return the 3 million advance, Zhong Yan quickly stopped her.
"No need. My commission isn't over yet. As long as you're willing to keep working with me, you can hold on to the advance."
Belle blinked in surprise, then caught on. "You still want to go through with the commission? That box is really that important to you?"
She couldn't quite understand. Not only had Zhong Yan gained nothing this time, he'd nearly died in the Hollow.
Most people would've abandoned such a vague and dangerous goal by now—but he insisted on continuing.
That alone showed just how important the box, now in the hands of the Red Fang Gang, truly was to him.
And Belle was starting to feel genuinely curious about who Zhong Yan really was.
He looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, yet his strength and composure were well beyond the norm. There was definitely something unusual about him.
And if the box stolen from the White Star Institute meant this much to him, it suggested a possible connection between him and the Institute—or maybe the box itself held something worth risking everything for.
Either way, they had no reason to turn him down.
Phaethon's word was iron. To back out now would be a disgrace to their name as legendary Proxies. Since they'd accepted this commission, they would see it through to the end.
Not to mention—they wanted to know what was inside that box. Maybe once they retrieved it, Zhong Yan would share some information.
Inside the video store's archive room, the siblings exchanged a knowing glance—and both smiled.
"Of course we're not gonna pass up such a profitable opportunity," Belle grinned. "But from here on out, how are you going to track down that safe?"
Finding the box wasn't the problem—it was figuring out where the box was.
"I'll investigate the Red Fang Gang's recent movements and try to pinpoint their main base," Zhong Yan replied after thinking for a moment.
The gang did have turf, but most of the time, they were nomadic. When the Public Security Bureau tried to raid them, they often abandoned newly claimed territories in no time.
Especially after they raided the White Star Institute, they'd gone almost completely underground. This time, they'd even spread false intel to lure in Hollow Raiders—and then slaughtered them.
Normally, the Red Fang Gang wouldn't have the means to pull off something that calculated.
Which meant... there was someone bigger behind them—an unseen force pulling the strings, the real gear turning the machine.
If such a figure existed, then it stood to reason that they were also the one in possession of the box Zhong Yan so desperately wanted.
It might even lead to a full-on confrontation.
At that point, the mission would be well beyond standard Proxy work. But even so, Belle had no intention of backing out.
Because, after all—we're talking about ten million Denny here.