“Hm?
That voice…
sounds like Nicole?” Buyuan was startled.
The main storyline was moving faster than he’d expected.
Buyuan decided to head downstairs and make a spectacle of himself.
Though given his identity, he’d probably be temporarily asked to leave the shop.
After all, on the surface, he was just an ordinary person.
But he was bored!
He could plant some fun for later.
Just thinking about how Belle and the others would shoo him away, and then later when they came to commission him, he could double the commission fee, then reveal his identity and not refund the fee — just thinking about it made him happy.
When the time came, Belle would have to pay some AI’s quintuple electricity bill, and with no money for food, she’d come whining to him.
That’d be delightful.
But he’d clearly forgotten he was a fox spirit constantly radiating pink bubbles.
“Belle, you in?
I’m dropping by.” Buyuan pushed the door open and saw Belle bandaging Nicole up.
What surprised Buyuan was that Belle and Wise merely exchanged a glance.
Then, under Nicole’s stunned gaze, they continued discussing the plan.
“Anyway, Nicole, you rest up first.
I’ll ask Buyuan to bring Eous to the Hollow entrance.
While he’s at it, he can pick up Anby and the others when they come back.” Belle finished speaking and looked at Buyuan.
“Ehehe.
Buyuan, lives are on the line!
I’ll definitely explain everything about us when you get back.
But first, can I ask you to take Eous to the outside of the Crete Hollow?” Belle’s voice carried a hint of pleading.
“Uh, sure.” At this moment, Buyuan wasn’t thinking about any of that.
All he knew now was that his fun was gone.
No, wait — the fun had become him.
Now not only would he be too embarrassed to charge a commission fee, he’d have to laboriously explain that he hadn’t distrusted them.
“Belle?” Nicole didn’t seem to trust Buyuan and was about to go herself.
“It’s fine, Nicole.
Buyuan can be trusted.
Right, brother?” Belle patted her chest, assuring Nicole.
“Buyuan, here are the keys to my car.
Once Eous enters the Hollow, my brother will calculate the exit route.
Then you just come pick us up.” Belle handed the keys to Buyuan, then went into the archive room and brought Eous out.
“Alright.
Leave it to me.” Buyuan knew Nicole was very anxious.
Without saying much more, he took Eous and left.
After Buyuan left, Nicole looked at Belle and Wise with puzzlement.
“Actually, we decided this on the spot too.
We’ve only known Buyuan for just over a month, but we’re pretty familiar with him by now.” Wise looked at Nicole a bit apologetically.
“It’s fine.
I trust Phaethon’s judgment.
But aren’t you worried about him?
A regular person suddenly coming into contact with Proxies and Proxy clients and all that — won’t there be problems?” Nicole watched Belle enter the archive room to operate the HDD and asked Wise.
“He’s just helping us bring Eous over along the way.
We’re not planning on letting him get any deeper into all this.
Doing this was just to avoid hiding things from him.” Wise shook his head lightly.
“Compared to that, Belle’s definitely having some seriously off-track thoughts right now.
She’s probably planning to dramatically announce her identity the moment Buyuan gets back.
Something like ‘I am actually the legendary Proxy Phaethon,’ and then bask in Buyuan’s worship and praise.” Wise rubbed his forehead in exasperation.
While Nicole and Wise were talking, Belle had already finished debugging the HDD, and Eous had been sent into the Hollow by Buyuan.
Buyuan had considered quietly following them in, but after thinking it over, he let it go.
Getting caught would be awkward.
Outside the Hollow, Buyuan played on his phone in utter boredom.
But inside the Hollow, things were very different.
Eous nimbly darted through the Hollow, a smoke grenade in each hand.
Under Anby and Billy’s awestruck gazes, it arrived like a hero.
“Billy, a talking Bangboo.
Wearing a scarf.” Anby said quietly.
“Ohhh!
Could you be the legendary Proxy Phaethon?!” Billy’s seemingly rigid body twisted with surprising flexibility.
Meanwhile, Buyuan had also thought of something fun.
Knowing what he knew, Belle was sure to smugly announce her identity.
When that happened, he’d react exactly the same way Anby and Billy did.
He refused to believe Belle wouldn’t be embarrassed.
At that moment, Belle and the other two had just escaped danger and stopped to rest.
Belle sent Buyuan the calculated exit route.
Buyuan very promptly arrived at the entrance and waited.
Belle: Wait just a bit.
We need to rest here for a moment.
Buyuan: No problem.
Be careful in there.
I’ll be waiting at the exit.
Buyuan put his phone down, leaned against the car window, and gazed boredly at the sky.
“So boring.
If I go back, there’ll be nothing to do after teasing Belle a bit.
Too bad that even with a Carrot in the Hollow, I still can’t find my way.
Otherwise I could’ve gotten a Carrot and gone to mess with Ellen as Kamen Rider.” Buyuan bitterly resented being directionally challenged.
Barely following GPS, he could find his way.
Inside a Hollow, his sense of direction stayed basically the same — nonexistent.
Even with a Carrot, he’d still get lost.
There was one time Phaethon was too busy to take a commission.
He’d gotten a Carrot from Qingyi and gone solo.
Later he’d discovered he could get in but not out.
If Qingyi hadn’t noticed in time and come in to get him…
Outside the Hollow, Buyuan was practically falling asleep waiting when he suddenly heard a boisterous noise.
“Aaaah!
It really is the exit!
As expected of the Manager!” Billy’s tone was exaggerated, and his post-near-death excitement was off the charts.
“Yo!
You guys made it out.
Quick, get in, let’s head back fast.
I’ve been waiting so long the flowers have wilted.” Buyuan stuck his head out and shouted towards Billy and Anby.
“Who?” Anby suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice.
Her hand shot rapidly towards the blade on her back.
Billy’s eyes also instantly turned sharp as he readied for combat.
“Ehehe.
Buyuan, sorry for the trouble this time.
I’ll treat you to ramen tonight.” Belle, unaware of the tension behind her, spoke up.
“No thanks.
Belle, it’s not like you haven’t eaten Baal’s cooking before.
Why would I go eat ramen?” Buyuan’s tone was disdainful.
Please.
His Makoto’s cooking was way better than ramen.
“True.” Belle’s pale blue ring-shaped pupils spun as she thought.
“Let’s talk when we’re back, then.
I’ll leave it to you to bring these two back to the video store.” Belle disconnected, and Eous shook its head, hopped up, and waved at Buyuan.
“You two, I’m Belle’s friend.
No need to be so on guard.
Get in the car first, I’ll get you safely back to the store.” Buyuan looked at the two, who were no longer quite so wary, and explained.
He got out, scooped up Eous into the passenger seat, pulled open the rear door, and gestured for them to get in.
“Then we’ll trouble you, partner.” Billy instantly livened up.
“Mm.
Thank you for the trouble.” Anby merely said this flatly and got into the back seat.
This was Buyuan’s first time meeting Anby in person.
Her coldness was completely different from Ellen’s.
The entire ride, Billy talked to himself nonstop.
Buyuan occasionally managed to interject a line or two, but when it came to the many Hollow-related topics, Buyuan pretended not to understand and stayed silent.
“Belle, I’ve brought them back.” Buyuan pushed open the back door and came in with the two and Eous.
“Anby, Billy, are you two alright?” Nicole came up to them with concern.
Buyuan went over to Belle, planning to hear how she’d explain her identity.
He’d study up in advance — he’d need to use it himself in a couple of days, after all.
“Cough.
Buyuan, just as you’ve seen, we’re actually Proxies.
Nicole and the others are Proxy clients.” Belle first gave a simple explanation of their identities.
“Uh-huh.
And then?” Buyuan’s expression remained unchanged.
He nodded.
“You’re not surprised?” Belle felt something was off.
“I am the great and legendary Proxy!
Pha-e-thon!” Belle deliberately said “legendary Proxy” and “Phaethon” extra loudly.
“What?!
The one and only legendary Proxy who can communicate inside Hollows from outside them — Phaethon!” (Deadpan reading) Buyuan imitated Anby’s tone while saying the kind of thing Billy would say.
“This guy’s a lot like Anby, huh!” Billy came over.
Anby had no particular reaction.
She simply kept eating the burger Nicole had prepared for her.
“Buyuan!” Belle knew perfectly well this guy was messing with her.
Though she wasn’t sure why he wasn’t particularly shocked, she guessed some neighbor had been whispering.
After receiving a punch from Belle, Buyuan instantly behaved.
“Hmph.
As compensation, you’re rewarded with — dinner with the great Phaethon!
Location: your place.
Oh, and the chef has to be Baal.” Belle’s big eyes spun with a sly glint.
“Fine, fine, fine.
Wise, you come tonight too.
Oh, right, you three want to join?
Since you’re Belle’s friends, you’re my friends too.” Buyuan notified Wise to come over for dinner, then thought to ask Nicole and the others if they wanted to come as well.
“Eh, sure!
Thanks to my new generous friend, then.” Nicole agreed without even a perfunctory refusal.
At this moment, Nicole was inwardly quite pleased.
She’d retrieved her employees and got a free meal.
Since they were Phaethon’s friends, there was nothing to worry about either.
Buyuan wasn’t surprised.
Given Nicole’s personality, she wasn’t about to miss out on a free meal.
“Then I’ll see you all tonight.
I’ll head back and have Baal prepare a bit more.” After bidding everyone goodbye, Buyuan messaged Baal that there’d be guests tonight.
He told her not to start cooking yet — he’d buy groceries and come back to help prepare.
Buyuan went to the mall at Lumina Square and bought bags of ingredients, large and small.
He also picked up burger-making supplies along the way.
Including various flavors of motor oil.
He didn’t buy any electrical wiring, though — he figured robots probably didn’t gnaw on wires and screws.
Back home, Buyuan and Baal got busy in a flurry of activity.
Knowing Anby could eat a lot, they didn’t stop for a moment to ensure she’d be full.
As dish after dish was wrapped in plastic wrap and set on the temporarily assembled large dining table, Buyuan sent Belle a message.
Belle quickly came knocking at Buyuan’s door with Wise.
“Wow!
Buyuan, you prepared such a feast!
We’re in for a treat.” Belle sprawled out on Buyuan’s couch, looking at the huge spread on the table.
“Mm-hm.
Meeting three new friends, after all.
Gotta bring out some real skill.” Buyuan struck a muscle-flexing pose towards Belle.
“Wise, take a seat.
Everything’s ready.
Just waiting for Nicole and the others now.” Buyuan poured Wise a glass of water.
“Thanks.
Nicole and the others will be here soon.” Wise accepted the water and thanked him politely.
“What about mine!
Buyuan, why don’t I have one?” Belle slapped the couch in dissatisfaction.
“Belle, how many times have you been here?
Get it yourself.” Buyuan rolled his eyes at Belle but still poured her a glass of water.
Then he watched as Belle didn’t take it.
She got up, walked to the kitchen fridge, and pulled out a bottle of Bomb Cola.
“You know how many times I’ve been here, and you still don’t know I drink cola?” Belle waggled her finger as if he just didn’t get it.
“I seriously can’t with you.” Buyuan sighed helplessly, drank the water himself, and set the glass on the table.
Wise wasn’t surprised either.
Belle was like this at home too.
He was long used to it.
Just then, Buyuan’s ears twitched.
“They’re here.
I’ll get the door, and we can start eating.” Buyuan’s sharp hearing had picked up Billy’s voice from way down the street.
“You’ve arrived.
Everything’s already prepared.” Buyuan opened the door and spoke to Nicole, who had been just about to knock.
“Yo, Buyuan!” Billy came up and slung an arm around Buyuan’s shoulder like they were old pals.
“I wasn’t sure what you eat, so I prepared some different flavors of gasoline for you.” Buyuan didn’t mind the familiarity and led the three into the room.
His place wasn’t actually very big.
Although the exterior looked like a shipping container, that was just the style.
In any case, while it wasn’t large, it was quite long.
It was divided lengthwise into three rooms.
The living room, kitchen, and bedroom were arranged in quite an orderly fashion.
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