After Zhu Yuan finished her report,
the Chief of the Public Security Bureau frowned.
"Disappeared?"
Zhu Yuan nodded.
"Yes. Based on my analysis and the Hollows Investigation Association's findings, they were either captured by another faction or escaped back to Hollow Zero through a rift."
At the time, the C75 Hollow was in chaos.
The authorities had wanted to seal it off and prevent other factions from entering, but that was impossible.
Vehicles were constantly going in and out.
Even Zhu Yuan couldn't confirm whether the Golden Bangboo and Platinum Bangboo had been smuggled out by someone.
The Chief asked slowly,
"Zhu Yuan, which do you think is more likely?"
She paused, thinking for a moment.
"I think it's more likely those two Bangboos escaped back to Hollow Zero."
She'd seen their speed firsthand—fast and agile.
Even in a car, she could barely keep up.
They vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
She didn't believe anyone could capture them.
The Chief nodded, finding her logic sound, and turned to Qingyi.
"What do you think?"
Qingyi thought for a second.
"My guess is they were caught by someone."
The Chief raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Then who do you think caught them?"
Without hesitation, Qingyi replied,
"Hare's House."
The name was all too familiar to the Chief.
He'd praised Hare's House on multiple occasions—especially after the giant Bangboo incident on the outer ring.
And now, they'd taken part in the Golden Bangboo scramble.
Still, he was skeptical.
"What makes you so sure?"
Seth echoed the doubt.
"Yeah, Senior Qingyi. Why are you so sure Hare's House caught them?"
Even Zhu Yuan turned her gaze toward her.
Qingyi remained calm, smiling slightly.
"It's simple. I reviewed vehicle logs from the Hollow's perimeter. Hare's House's SUV left around noon. Now ask yourselves—if that greedy rabbit hadn't caught Golden Bangboo, would she really have left so early?"
That was all the confirmation she needed.
In her eyes, Hare's House was clearly the one that captured them.
Zhu Yuan nodded in realization.
"That does make sense. Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"I just figured it out," Qingyi replied, taking a deep breath.
And she wasn't the only one convinced.
Seth, the Chief, and the others all found Qingyi's reasoning solid.
They were familiar with Hare's House's reputation—
and with Nicole's, in particular.
Online forums were full of rumors calling her stingy, even worse than a miser, and sly as a rabbit.
There was no way she'd walk away from such a fortune.
The Chief nodded.
"Excellent analysis, Qingyi. If Hare's House really caught those two, things might be easier than we thought..."
After all, there were plenty of ways to deal with a miser.
Like offering a mountain of Dennies.
But Qingyi shook her head.
"I don't think they still have them."
Seth blinked.
"Why not?"
"From what I've gathered," Qingyi explained,
"Hare's House has been working with some Proxies and outer ring gangs. If they caught the Bangboos, they would've moved them to the outer ring for safety."
That way,
even if the Public Security Bureau or the Defense Force came knocking, they could just deny it.
No evidence, no case.
The Chief frowned.
"Those two Bangboos are too important—we have to get them back. Qingyi, Zhu Yuan, Seth... suggestions?"
Qingyi smiled.
"It's not complicated. I'll go to Sixth Street and ask Sam Li."
The Chief frowned again.
"That's it?"
She shrugged.
"It's the simplest route. Just make sure we're stocked with Dennies. If you want answers, you'll have to feed that cunning hare."
That hare being—of course—Nicole.
The Chief nodded.
"Don't worry about the money. Zhu Yuan's squad will handle it. Just make sure we recover Golden and Platinum Bangboo."
With that,
the meeting was adjourned.
Zhu Yuan, Qingyi, Seth, and the rest of the officers left the room.
Now only Chief Bringer and another senior officer remained.
Bringer spoke gravely.
"New Eridu's skies... may be about to change."
The other officer nodded.
"Headquarters just sent more updates. They're placing huge importance on those two Bangboos... Rumor has it they carry the truth about Hollow Zero—something Professor Arche passed to them. If that information is decoded, it could lead to the defeat of Hollow Zero... and change the entire world."
Hearing this,
Bringer turned to the window and looked out—
Hollow Zero loomed in the distance, bathed in the twilight glow, silent and desolate.
"What's the truth behind Hollow Zero? Is Professor Arche... still alive?"
He didn't know.
Maybe no one did.
...
It wasn't just the Public Security Bureau.
By now, nearly all factions had pulled out of the C75 Hollow—including the group from Victoria.
As dusk settled in,
Lycaon was driving Rina, Ellen, and Corin back to the company.
In the back seat, Ellen yawned.
"Are we there yet? I'm starving."
They'd been out since morning and hadn't eaten all day.
Her stomach had long since started protesting.
Corin whispered,
"Almost there..."
She was hungry too.
But for the sake of becoming stronger—strong enough to be like Lord Lycaon—she endured it.
They were just about home when—
Lycaon hit the brakes.
The car came to a sudden stop on the roadside.
Rina looked puzzled.
"What is it, Lycaon?"
Ellen grumbled,
"Boss, did you hit a tree or something? Your driving's getting worse."
Lycaon exhaled sharply.
"I think... I hit someone."
He was exhausted from the day,
the sun had set, and he'd been speeding to get home.
By the time he realized it, the car had already struck something.
Before he could even step out—
a voice called from in front of the car.
"Ugh... so mean... Bullying a homeless bard like me? That really hurt..."
That voice sounded... familiar.
Lycaon stepped out and looked.
Lying in front of the car was a boy in green.
It was the bard they'd run into earlier in the Hollows.
...