"Um, um... Rina, there's an old Eastern saying: 'A gentleman uses his words, not his fists.'"
Phaga leaned back, instinctively pulling Ellen's tail in front of him like a shield.
Ellen, just as startled by Rina, was too frozen to react.
"Oh? Then I suppose when executing commissions, Phaga, you chat with enemies instead of using force, correct?"
Rina's faint smile lingered. Her voice was soft as ever, yet when directed at Phaga, it pressed down with crushing weight, suffocating him.
"Well... we had our reasons."
"What reason?"
"Well... that..."
Phaga shot several glances at Ellen, but she didn't respond at all. Growing desperate, he whipped around to glare at her.
Say something already!
Ellen shrank back, avoiding his eyes. Even with her tail caught in Phaga's arms, she stayed motionless.
Sorry, Phaga—better you than me.
Letting you touch my tail is compensation enough.
But Phaga didn't need that kind of compensation!
Fine! If you won't help me, don't blame me for throwing you under the bus!
Phaga's gaze drifted, voice vague yet pointed: "It's just... hey, Ellen, you told me before—what was it again? I forgot."
Pressure deflected!
Rina's gaze left Phaga and landed on Ellen. She spoke softly, "Ellen, explain."
Ellen jolted as if shocked by electricity, her body tingling, heart skipping a beat.
"Hehe~"
When the pressure mounted, Ellen played cute.
She forced a rare, awkward smile, shot Phaga a glare, and yanked her tail away from him.
Phaga said nothing more, sipping his slushie in peace, content to shrink back.
But his retreat only left Ellen to face the full brunt.
Rina's fury focused squarely on her now, crackling sparks of anger forcing Ellen's brain into overdrive.
"Um... um... it's just..."
Ellen stammered, looking away, scrambling for an excuse.
Then her eyes landed on her phone. The screen still displayed news about the Dead End Hollow.
Grabbing at the lifeline, she blurted out, "I've been wanting to rescue Corin for ages! There's no time to waste—I need to collect information on the Dead End Hollow right now!"
With that, Ellen bolted without a glance back, leaving Phaga frozen in his seat.
"So... what about you, Phaga?"
Huh? That works?!
With Ellen gone, Rina turned her sights back on him, her gentle smile masking a storm of fury.
"And what's your excuse for skipping the exam?"
Uh... Does "I didn't feel like it" count?
Sweat poured down Phaga's face. Remembering Ellen's excuse, he quickly followed up: "I just remembered! I need to go on the Inter-Knot to buy a [Carrot] of the Dead End Hollow!"
He sprang up and dashed out without a second's hesitation.
Silence returned to Victoria Housekeeping Headquarters.
Lycaon, after a long pause, chose his words carefully, unwilling to provoke Rina further. "Let's request deferred exams for Ellen and Phaga."
"Mhm."
Rina, back to him, let out a cold hum.
"Give them two more days off. They're exhausted."
"Mhm."
...
"Hey, Little Sister, Nekomata, can you hear me?"
In a dim room, a gray-haired youth leaned back against a desk, headset in hand, speaking to someone.
Soon, a reply came:
"I can hear you! Amazing... this is the first time I've met a Proxy who can communicate directly inside a Hollow. No wonder Nicole said you're the strongest Proxy in New Eridu!"
A soft, mischievous girl's voice echoed through the headset.
From the use of "Nekomata," it was clear the one inside the Hollow was a Cat-Thiren girl.
"Thanks for the praise. Next, we'll begin the interception plan... wait."
The gray-haired youth halted abruptly.
The phone in his other hand flashed with the Inter-Knot's distinctive icon.
A new commission had just appeared.
[Commission: Purchase a [Carrot] of the Dead End Hollow. Must cover every detail of the entire Hollow. Reward: 400,000 Dennies.]
What...
The youth's expression froze.
Within three minutes, the post had sent the Inter-Knot into a frenzy.
Comments flooded in, astonished that someone would spend so much on a complete map of Dead End Hollow.
Absurd!
"Hey, what's going on? Wise, why aren't you talking?"
Nekomata's voice rang through the headset.
Beside him, Wise's younger sister twisted in her chair to look at him curiously.
"Yeah, bro, what are you looking at?"
Wise took a deep breath. "Belle, someone just put up four hundred thousand Dennies on the Inter-Knot for a full-detail [Carrot] of the Dead End Hollow."
"Whoa, who's that? They're loaded!"
Belle's jaw dropped, but she quickly recovered. "No way, we can't sell it! Vision Industry is about to blow up Canvas Street in the Dead End Hollow!"
"If that person wanders into the blast zone, wouldn't we be killing them?"
"Exactly!"
Inside the Hollow, Nekomata's tail flicked as she nodded firmly. "We need to hurry and stop the vehicle! Otherwise, Nicole and the others—and the civilians—will be in serious danger!"
"Calm down, Nekomata."
Wise tried to soothe her while staring at the Inter-Knot. His voice lowered.
"Even if we don't sell the [Carrot], plenty of so-called expert Proxies are already trying to. One way or another, that user is going in."
"Ah, then what do we do?"
Belle frowned, distressed.
"I'll contact him. If he insists... then it'll be a fool rushing to his own death."
With that, Wise began reaching out to the buyer of the 400,000 Dennies [Carrot].
...
Elsewhere in New Eridu, at Victoria Housekeeping Headquarters.
Ellen sprawled on the bed, wagging her tail. Spotting Phaga's sudden change in expression, she quickly yanked his chair closer, leaning against his arm to peer at his phone.
"So? Any news?"
Phaga gave Ellen a glance before replying, "Someone messaged me. From the materials he sent, he seems like an experienced Proxy."
"Then hurry up and negotiate!"
"You're holding my hand—I can't type!"
"Oh."
Ellen quickly let go, then rolled off the bed and leaned over his chair to look.
[Inter-Knot User: Got the goods?]
[Legendary Proxy: Yes, but Dead End Hollow is dangerous.]
[Inter-Knot User: I saw the news. Isn't that place about to be bombed?]
[Legendary Proxy: You still plan to go in?]
[Inter-Knot User: I have reasons I can't avoid it.]
[Legendary Proxy: Fine. I won't stop you. I'll send you an account. Transfer 400,000.]
[Legendary Proxy: Stay far away from the Dead End Butcher and Canvas Street! Remember that!]
[Inter-Knot User: Got it.]
Not long after, a five-terabyte decompressed file arrived on Phaga's laptop.
He shot to his feet, stuffed the laptop into his bag, and slung it over his shoulder. "Let's go!"
"So rushed?" Ellen blinked in surprise.
Weren't Phaga and Corin strangers?
If he cared this much without even knowing her, what would happen once they met?
Phaga suddenly looked back. "Or do you want to return to school for exams?"
"Actually, if you hurry, you could still make it to the afternoon math exam."
"Dead End Hollow. We leave now!"
Ellen lowered her head, stepping forward with firm resolve.
Corin, we're coming for you!
...
In a small hut.
Belle peered up at Wise, wide-eyed. "Bro, why do you look so happy?"
"Huh? Do I?"
Wise replied while staring at the sudden 400,000 Dennies in his account. A laugh slipped out before he caught himself.
He coughed twice, straightening his face. "Alright, no more fooling around."
"Interception plan—begin!"