“It is said that while they were repairing the subway lines, they were suddenly sucked into a Hollow.
There are currently three trapped victims, and we don’t know their exact location yet.
We need to find them and get them out as quickly as possible.
Every second they remain inside increases the risk of them being eroded several times over.”
Zhu Yuan explained the situation while driving.
She had already floored the accelerator, pushing the police car up to 120 kilometers per hour.
Any faster and they risked an accident.
That was how Hollows were.
They always appeared suddenly in unexpected places.
The only thing humans could do was use high-tech intelligent systems to predict their emergence through fluctuations in Ether energy and evacuate people from the target area.
Even so, the evacuation could only save most citizens.
A small number of sacrifices were inevitable.
“Louis, we need to move faster this time.” Qingyi’s usual smile had vanished.
She spoke seriously to the newcomer beside her.
“Even people with high Ether Aptitude will suffer lasting side effects if they stay inside too long.
In the worst cases, it can affect them for the rest of their lives.”
Louis hadn’t been dealing with Hollows for very long, so she wanted to make sure he understood the dangers inside.
For those who entered without proper protection, even if they were rescued, the Ether energy would already have seeped into their bodies.
One could only hope their physique was strong enough to adapt on its own.
Otherwise, even if they didn’t transform into an Ethereal, they would develop serious illnesses that could shorten their lifespan.
“It really is dangerous…
almost like radiation.” Louis replied, finding the situation quite troublesome.
The combat suit he wore was highly resistant to erosion, much like the radiation protection suits back on Earth.
That allowed him to enter and exit Hollows safely.
In fact, aside from the superhumans on the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team, most people didn’t enter Hollows like this at all.
For example, members of the Hollow Investigation Team wore full-body protective suits, complete with sealed helmets and oxygen tanks.
Regular officers from New Eridu Public Security also wore a type of metal helmet that looked somewhat like a grasshopper.
They weren’t exactly easy on the eyes.
As for Zhu Yuan and Qingyi, the two aces of the team naturally had their own advantages.
Zhu Yuan was recognized as one of the top superhumans in New Eridu, with incredibly high Ether Aptitude.
Even so, she still wore a special metal headband to help resist erosion.
She probably skipped the full-face mask because it restricted her field of vision too much, making it harder to use her super-sensory predictions.
Qingyi was even simpler to explain.
She was an android, and erosion resistance had been a primary consideration when her body was manufactured.
Besides, even if she did get eroded, she could simply swap out the affected parts later.
Louis could have requested one of those ugly helmets himself, but after trying it on, he found it far too stifling.
After getting used to his Kamen Rider helmet, wearing a regular one felt like self-punishment.
It was hard to go from luxury back to frugality.
The police car stopped outside the cordon around the Temporary Hollow.
As soon as the door opened, Zhu Yuan stepped out, and the nearby officers quickly moved the barricades aside to let the three of them through.
It had to be said that New Eridu’s response time was impressively fast.
Whenever and wherever a Hollow appeared, the area was immediately sealed off and evacuated.
However, manpower had its limits.
If a Hollow had been around for a long time without showing signs of expansion, it was often left alone.
After all, the Ethereals inside couldn’t get out, and the citizens had long since grown accustomed to their presence.
Louis had once seen online that someone had a Hollow appear right next to their house.
Every morning when they opened the window, there it was, just five meters away.
The view was certainly unique, and they had that eerie, colorful darkness for company every single day.
This time, the three of them entered the Hollow holding hands once again.
Once was a coincidence.
Twice was becoming a habit.
Louis didn’t think much of it.
Fortunately, his luck was better this time.
Instead of falling from a hundred meters up, he appeared on the roof of a three-story building.
Kamen Riders always seemed to end up on rooftops, and Louis had long since grown used to the height.
Zhu Yuan showed no reaction at all.
She was already using her headset to contact headquarters and search for the missing subway workers.
“Zhu Yuan, any luck finding them?” Qingyi asked from the side.
“The equipment’s processing power is limited.
We’ll have to take our time with it.” Zhu Yuan replied, shaking her head.
“Let’s search manually.
We might find the victims before the equipment does.”
Because the data inside a Hollow changed in real time, it was extremely difficult for electronic devices to detect anomalies, such as traces of human activity.
At least with current technology, it wasn’t feasible.
The Public Security forces were doing everything they could, but manpower was still limited.
Zhu Yuan had entered the Hollow without pinning all her hopes on the equipment.
She would rather take the risk and search personally than waste time waiting outside.
Even if the victims weren’t eroded to death, they could still be killed by Ethereals.
The three of them quickly made their way down from the roof, staying alert as they searched for any sign of the missing workers.
A group of three moving together was quite noticeable, and they soon drew the attention of the Ethereals.
A bestial roar echoed through the area.
A beast-type Ethereal appeared in their line of sight first, followed by a dense swarm of others.
The welcoming committee was as lively as ever.
“There are three superior-class individuals.” Qingyi said, frowning as she gripped her three-section staff.
Her sharp eyes had already spotted the Dullahans mixed in with the swarm.
Unlike the previous ones, these three appeared to be working together.
“They probably sensed that humans have entered and are searching for us as well.” Zhu Yuan said calmly.
She had seen far worse situations.
Three Dullahans weren’t enough to make her nervous.
One of the defining traits of Ethereals was that they went into a frenzy when they caught the scent of humans.
That was why they were considered humanity’s public enemy.
“People with strong Ether Aptitude turn into even more powerful Ethereals after being eroded, so their priority targets change.
Someone like Zhu Yuan is basically a high-value prize in their eyes.” Qingyi said with a helpless shrug.
It wasn’t entirely accurate to say Ethereals had no intelligence.
They seemed to know how to convert strong individuals into their own kind.
It was likely some kind of instinct.
“No wonder we get surrounded every single time.” Louis added, equally helpless.
Zhu Yuan glanced at him.
Louis immediately raised his hand in a mock salute to show his respect and affection for his captain.
Zhu Yuan simply shook her head, loaded her pistol, and stepped forward to engage the Ethereals.
Louis charged alongside her, of course.
This was no time to hold back.
To be blunt, even if Qingyi were torn to pieces, she could just get a new body installed and be back to normal in no time.
Protecting Zhu Yuan had become his top priority.
Bonus chapters
200 – Stones
400 – Stones
600 – Stones
And so on, do you best!