Waterfall Soup Noodle Shop, like Coff Café, belonged to a massive industrial chain, with branches in nearly every district of New Eridu.
Each branch had its own Crimson Oni named Chop, instantly recognizable by the pair of mechanical arms sprouting from their backs—essential tools for preparing food.
Depending on the area, Chop would be addressed differently. For example, the one in Sixth Street, who sported a prominent beard, was respectfully known as General Chop.
By contrast, the Chop stationed in Lumina Square looked far younger and was commonly referred to as Chop Junior.
But don't let the youth fool you—just because Chop Junior looked younger didn't mean Lumina Square's Waterfall Soup Noodle Shop was any less authentic than the one in Sixth Street's. In fact, being in a high-end economic district gave it a massive advantage in foot traffic alone.
As for the food quality... well, Zhong Yan hadn't visited the Sixth Street location yet, so he couldn't compare.
…
Back to the present. The three of them had entered the restaurant and found a decent corner booth—just vacated and far from the rush of foot traffic.
A server quickly ran up to them with menus in hand, speaking cheerfully: "What can I get you three today? Our Chilled Black Bowl Seafood Ramen is on special!"
His polite, professional smile was the kind that instantly lifted your mood.
The three placed their orders quickly, and as soon as the server left with a bow, they leaned in to talk more privately.
Wise took the lead.
"Zhong Yan, there's something I wanted to run by you… would you be interested in becoming our private agent?"
Zhong Yan blinked in surprise. But as his brain kicked into gear, he quickly understood—the Phaethon siblings were trying to formally bring him into their inner circle.
He took the idea seriously.
He knew exactly what being a private agent entailed. From a strategic standpoint, it would bring him much closer to the siblings. When it came time to entrust them with Fairy, it would also smooth the way considerably.
And being a private agent didn't necessarily bar him from working with other Proxies—at least not without mutual agreement.
The only downside was that if Belle and Wise took on a contract, he'd be obligated to support them with everything he had—as Zhong Yan, at the very least.
On the whole, though? The pros far outweighed the cons.
Closer ties. Bigger payouts. Progress toward his own goals.
His only hesitation lay in the possible limits on his freedom.
Just then, the same server returned with three steaming bowls of ramen, carefully placing them before the trio.
"Enjoy your meal!" he said with another beaming smile before heading off.
Wise noticed Zhong Yan's hesitation and added calmly, "There's no need to decide right now. Take your time—think it over, and let us know in a few days. For now… let's eat."
With that, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.
"Don't overthink it," Belle chimed in. "Especially with us. If you're even a little interested, we're happy to talk about it more. If not? No pressure at all."
Her words were kind, though it was clear she was hoping he'd say yes. But with how uncertain he looked, she knew there was no point in rushing him.
Still… even if he didn't accept, Belle had made up her mind—she'd become friends with Zhong Yan no matter what.
He was strong, good-looking, and even Anby had praised him for being warm and kind. Where else could she possibly find someone like that again? And if there was another, they'd be just as rare.
With that little thought, she tucked into her own bowl of fragrant ramen.
…
Lunch ended quickly, and the three of them stepped back out into the sunlight looking very satisfied.
Incidentally, Wise picked up the tab—said it was thanks for Zhong Yan saving Eous in the Hollow.
Zhong Yan didn't object. He appreciated the gesture too much to refuse.
"Oh, right! Let's exchange contact info," Belle said, suddenly pulling out her phone the moment they exited the restaurant. "This way, we won't have to talk anonymously through the Proxy Network next time."
She'd obviously been waiting for the chance.
Zhong Yan, naturally, didn't hesitate either. He pulled out his phone immediately and exchanged info with her.
Come on—this was the first time in his life a girl had ever asked for his contact info. And not just any girl, but a cute one at that. Like he was gonna say no.
…
Meanwhile, on the other side of Lumina Square…
"Captain! The suspects just turned the corner into the center of Lumina Square!" a Security Bureau officer shouted into his radio, tense and urgent, from inside a packed patrol van.
On the other end, Zhu Yuan's voice came through clearly:
"Keep after them—don't let them get away! After all the civilians they've hit, we cannot let them escape!"
Zhu Yuan herself was in another patrol car, hands tight on the wheel. Riding shotgun was her longtime partner, Qing Yi.
"Status on the victims?" she asked without looking over.
"Since the suspects broke out of the raid site, they've hit at least twenty civilians. Out of those twenty, no more than five are expected to survive," Qing Yi replied, her own expression grim.
This all started after Zhong Yan handed over four Red Fang Gang members to the Bureau—intelligence that helped them trace one of the gang's minor hideouts.
Today's raid was supposed to be a clean sweep.
But something had gone wrong, and several Red Fang members had escaped—now tearing through New Eridu in a vehicle, causing destruction at every turn.
They'd notified nearby precincts to set up roadblocks, but the gang had moved too quickly—several civilians were already down before the barriers could go up.
It made Zhu Yuan's heart pound with frustration. She floored the gas, pushing the patrol car to its limit.
But no matter how fast she went—she couldn't catch up to criminals who had zero regard for anything in their way.