"What are the casualties among the Defense Force?"
Zane withdrew his gaze and asked. Leading him through the chaotic underground, Shin replied,
"The situation is actually manageable. Since this incident was unexpected, those unknown personnel evacuated quickly. The Defense Force didn't engage them for long."
"What about the losses?"
As he spoke, Shin glanced at the distant devastation and continued,
"The underground researchers suffered no casualties. Nearly all who encountered the enemy were captured. As for the rest..."
"Only one prototype mech remains. Many other cutting-edge research prototypes are missing. And most critically..."
Shin's gaze grew solemn as she said quietly,
"Nearly a hundred specially crafted Black Coffins are all missing."
Zane pondered for a moment before speaking.
"No personnel losses—perhaps they didn't want to escalate the conflict. But if they looted the entire place... why hold back?"
"And these 'custom Black Coffins' you mentioned—could they be the ones I saw last time? The ones modified from core components of the Test Tower?"
Shin raised an eyebrow at this, though she didn't seem surprised. She shared her analysis.
"Even though they're rebels, such a large rebel force penetrating deep into Mars Sector and reaching this place feels suspicious."
"Even with substantial forces deployed to search, the group and the missing items vanished without a trace—like a needle in a haystack..."
Shin clenched her jaw. The current situation was too strange, too unexpected. Unless...
"Someone's aiding them."
"To achieve this level of success, their status must be considerable."
Zane voiced the suspicion lingering in Shin's mind, though he too harbored doubts.
"Didn't you just use the banquet incident to purge some elements? Then capitalized on the aftermath to trigger that Supreme Tribunal... and simultaneously... How could anyone still..."
Zane's gaze fixed on Shin, who met his eyes and finished the unspoken thought.
"...still dare to defy the winds?"
"I'm curious too..."
Shin's gaze grew colder, tinged with worry. If those items had been stolen, didn't that mean the plan had been exposed?
...
After gathering more intelligence underground, Zane met with Professor Muse. He appeared perfectly composed, as calm as ever, treating the current situation with the same matter-of-factness he would reserve for a failed experiment.
"Mr. Zane."
Professor Muse, his attire immaculate as ever, looked up at Zane and greeted him with a smile.
"Are you all right, Professor?"
As Zane's words fell, Professor Muse shook his head slightly and replied,
"The rebels were after those items. They didn't harm anyone. I only learned of the situation when I woke up..."
Professor Muse waved his hand with a hint of resignation. Hearing this, Shin immediately wanted to ask some questions, but before she could step forward, Professor Muse spoke again.
"I must go organize some valuable data. I won't disturb you two any longer. I do hope the Defense Force can apprehend the real culprits soon."
Given the rebels' involvement, the incident naturally fell under the jurisdiction of the nearest military district. As an officer of the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe, Shin wasn't actually responsible for this area. She was only here to observe the situation.
Watching Professor Muse's retreating figure, Zane looked at Shin with some surprise.
"He doesn't seem particularly fond of you?"
Hearing this, Shin pursed her lips and explained,
"I got him involved when dealing with the Academy back then, so... But he holds no ill will toward the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe."
After her explanation, Shin turned back to face Zane, placing both hands on his arms as she spoke earnestly.
"Zane, prepare yourself."
"What?"
"Prepare for Hollow Zero."
Shin's eyes flickered briefly before she released her grip.
"I don't know how much time remains. I'm sorry for only telling you this now, but preparations are indeed necessary."
"I'll go find that guy and ask about the situation. When the time comes, I'll explain everything in detail."
Shin said no more, turning away with some haste. Zane remained standing, his brow slightly furrowed.
Was New Eridu already planning to move against Hollow Zero?
He watched Shin's retreating figure intently, then shook his head slightly. He had intended to proceed step by step, and the woman's meaning had been the same.
But now it seemed... humanity was about to make its move.
...
"Zane."
As Zane pondered, a voice sounded beside him. He turned his gaze to see Soldier 11 and Trigger.
"How are things with you two?"
"We're fine."
"Last night, Soldier 11 came to hand over the mission. She was supposed to take me back, but unexpectedly, this happened."
Trigger nodded before speaking.
Soldier 11, standing beside her, calmly continued,
"We clashed with those rebels last night, but because they held numerous hostages, we had to call it off."
"We intended to report some unusual circumstances to our superior, but she just told us not to worry about it and to keep investigating."
Soldier 11 recalled the recent scene, her tone tinged with confusion. Hearing her words, Zane felt a pang of surprise.
"You mean Shin?"
From their conversation, it wasn't hard to guess who they meant by 'superior.' But if there truly were special circumstances, Shin shouldn't have reacted this way, right?
"Then tell me yourselves."
Sensing the delicate nature of the situation, Zane led the two away from the Defense Force headquarters, quickly finding a secluded spot.
In terms of rank, Zane was also the superior officer to Trigger and Soldier 11, so it was entirely appropriate for them to report to him.
Inside the Yellow Springs Restaurant, the three took their seats.
Soldier 11 ordered food. Perhaps due to the incident at the Defense Force base, no other customers were present besides them.
After the owner retreated to the kitchen, Trigger sat beside Zane, leaned in close, and whispered,
"Due to recent missions, Soldier 11 is very familiar with the Defense Force's tactics and methods. She was the one who noticed the unusual circumstances."
"The rebels' tactics and behavior mirror the Defense Force's to an uncanny degree—almost identical."
After placing her order, Soldier 11 returned to her seat. Catching Trigger and Zane's glances, she nodded to Zane.
A flicker of contemplation crossed Zane's eyes as he spoke.
"The rebels originally split off from the Defense Force. Isn't that unsurprising?"
"No. While that's true, it's been a long time since the last major defection. The Defense Force isn't static either—their tactics are constantly evolving..."
After a pause, Trigger's expression grew serious. She turned her visor toward Zane and said...