After all, she didn't want to leave Zane standing alone in the quiet morning sunlight. But now... she didn't want to leave anything behind. She would stay by his side—with a backup copy of herself.
The authorities had already severed all contact with her, and the backup there was now fully under her control. She understood Zane well. When it came to emotional anchors... the more stable, the better.
Would Zane be angry once he found out what she had done? Probably. It was a little reckless, after all. But since everyone else was giving their all, she had to do the same.
As for anger... so be it. Who made her the master, anyway? A generous heart forgives her disciple~
With a soft smile, Qingyi made up her mind. Turning around, her long dark hair swayed gently as the first rays of dawn touched it, glowing beautifully. The ancient tower still stood silently in the distance. For countless years, it had witnessed people climbing up... and walking back down. The morning light blazed brilliantly, making the tower appear even taller and more magnificent.
...
The air in New Eridu was growing heavier. As the temperature rose, the whole city seemed to move more slowly.
In a narrow alley not far from the Hoshimi residence, Hoshimi Miyabi quietly gazed at the tightly closed gate, her eyes shifting slightly with a trace of longing. How worried must her father and mother be right now? And her comrades in Section 6...
A faint look of guilt flashed across her eyes. Zane had told her that things were already under control, that she could go home for a visit. But she felt she had to make absolutely sure nothing went wrong. The closer they came to the decisive moment, the less she could afford to be careless. So she chose to watch from afar.
It would only be a little longer.
Just as she was about to leave, Hoshimi Miyabi's eyes suddenly froze. The gate of the Hoshimi residence slowly opened, and stepping out was none other than her mother—accompanied by Tsukishiro Yanagi.
Miyabi recognized right away that Tsukishiro Yanagi had been looking after her family lately, passing along information and reassurance so they wouldn't worry too much. Seeing that her mother looked well, Miyabi finally felt a bit of relief. Without lingering, she turned away and left.
In the blink of an eye, she disappeared into the alley.
Outside the Hoshimi residence, after seeing Tsukishiro Yanagi off, Miyabi's mother glanced toward the alley with a faint look of confusion, her brows knitting slightly. After a few seconds of hesitation, she shook her head, brushed away the strange feeling, and stepped back inside. The gate of the Hoshimi residence slowly closed.
...
Meanwhile, in Hollow Zero on the other side, all preparations had been completed.
The core area of the hollow, shrouded in a blood-red sky, looked like the carcass of some vast dead creature. Beneath its many layers, people moved busily about, leaving traces of their work everywhere.
"Is everything ready?"
Somewhere within, Shin asked her trusted aide beside her. The officer nodded, reporting data from every sector. All the devices and links were now in place—the entire core of Hollow Zero had become one enormous detonation point.
Shin nodded slightly, her gaze shifting to Yano, who sat nearby with his eyes tightly closed. He was the central hub of all the devices, connecting and constructing most of the key data nodes. The other half of the secret key was in his hands.
Put simply, he was the detonator. It was the choice he had made himself.
Shin withdrew her gaze, her expression calm. She would be on the front lines too. After all, the main target had been entrusted to Zane, while the remaining threats would be cleared by the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe. That way, they could avoid weakening the device's effect and lighten Zane's burden.
It was bound to be another bloody battle—right here in the core zone. But none of them had a choice. Win... or die.
Shin turned toward the command center, a train dispatch room repurposed for the mission. Moments later, she arrived outside a quiet room at the edge.
After knocking and hearing a response, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Zane and Qingyi were sitting together, playing chess. Their relaxed, almost leisurely demeanor eased some of the tension in Shin's chest.
Steam rose from the teacups on the table. Neither of them looked up, still focused on the board before them.
Though, calling it a "match" might have been generous—Zane was clearly struggling just to hold his ground.