Chapter 17

Bored in the fast-food shop, Ye Qingfeng grew tired of idleness and stepped onto the street to wander. As he passed an alley, he spotted a black cat licking its fur.

“Whose little kitty is this~?”

But who would answer his question in an empty alley?

Family, who understands? I ran into a stray cat.

Ye Qingfeng grinned wickedly as he crept closer to the cat, then lunged forward the moment he was sure he could grab it.

“Meow~”

The black cat showed no alarm as the two-legged beast charged at it. It leapt lightly, landing perfectly on Ye Qingfeng’s back, then pushed off with its hind legs—suddenly, their positions swapped.

Already missing his target, Ye Qingfeng was further propelled forward by the cat’s kick. He tumbled uncontrollably toward the wall and instinctively shut his eyes.

“Huh? No pain?”

Ye Qingfeng slowly opened his eyes. The scene before him was utterly alien.

Where am I? Wasn’t I just in an alley?

Tracks, platforms, carriages... This place looks like a train station...

【Ding! This is the Crete Hollow, baby.】

『Huh? No system oversight today?』

What puzzled Ye Qingfeng first wasn’t that he’d suddenly arrived in the Hollow—but that the system had appeared at all.

After all, it had been hyperactive only in the first few days after his transmigration. About a week later, when Nico started taking on trivial, pointless missions, it switched to auto-management, claiming:

Huh? You want me to watch you do boring missions every day?? I’d rather sleep an extra hour.

After hearing so much cold, mechanical voice, this soft yet snarling tone was oddly nostalgic...

I remember the Hollow is an invisible space that spontaneously appears in space and expands at a fixed rate.

Something like that. I think Nico mentioned these places harbor creatures called Aihai, and because the Hollow contains aetheric matter, humans who stay too long transform into Aihai.

...So Aihai were originally human?

Meaning the main threats in the Hollow are Aihai attacks and prolonged exposure leading to transformation... plus those villainous types?

While he stood frozen in thought, two Aihai—gray bodies with green heads—slowly approached from behind him.

“Who?!”

Ye Qingfeng had been so absorbed in thought he didn’t notice the approaching footsteps, but when the two Aihai drew within three meters, his heart spiked uncontrollably. He spun around instinctively and scrambled backward.

【Ding! Aetheric Aberration: Tirfing】

Oh oh! Finally, something fun! Wow! They’re charging!

The two Aihai sprinted toward Ye Qingfeng like mad beasts.

“Just charge like that? Guess they underestimate me.”

Ye Qingfeng retreated cautiously in small steps, eyes locked on the two charging Aihai.

【Go! Smash them! Watch the host!】

“Be careful! Run!”

Without hesitation, Ye Qingfeng spun and bolted, pulling two daggers from his pocket. As he ran, he kept glancing back to track the Aihai’s positions.

【So pathetic...】

“Shut up. These two Aihai are chasing too hard.”

Seeing he couldn’t shake them off, Ye Qingfeng raised his daggers, aimed as best he could, and hurled them with all his strength toward the Aihai’s heads.

The two daggers shot forward at high speed—but one missed by a hair, the other struck slightly low, embedding itself in the Aihai’s chest.

The struck Aihai paused for only an instant, then resumed its frenzied charge toward Ye Qingfeng.

Damn it! Why is this monster like a rabid dog?!

【Host, aren’t you trained in close combat? Just two low-grade Aihai? You’re a transmigrator blessed with the world’s cutest system—can’t you stop embarrassing yourself?】

“Stop talking crap! Can’t you see they have no awareness?!”

Seeing the distance hadn’t widened, Ye Qingfeng abandoned caution and sprinted forward with all his strength.

“You expect me to fight them barehanded?”

【It’s not impossible...】

“? What’s in it for you if I die?”

He was already gasping for breath after running so long—then suddenly, “It’s not impossible”?

He nearly choked. But after all that frantic running, he finally lost the two Aihai.

Finally, he could rest. Leaning against a train car, he gulped air. The two Aihai were still visible in his sight, pacing aimlessly where he’d left them.

No way... Once I get out of here, I’m demanding Nico get me a weapon. This is unbearable...

I wonder how they’re doing. Could they have ended up in this Hollow too?

“Alright, rested enough. Time to find the exit.”

After catching his breath, Ye Qingfeng strolled through the Hollow like an old man.

Where’s the exit? Where’s the exit?

He showed zero tension. Maybe he’s clueless? Or overconfident in his 80% aether adaptability?

Or maybe he just hasn’t grasped the severity. Only when he sees a living person turn into an Aihai will he truly understand the Hollow’s horror...

“This is Anbi Demara, official employee of the Rabbit’s Den, Universal Agency. Due to an accident, I fell into a companion Hollow.”

“I possess no radish and have no Rope Jiang assistance. Probability of being lost in the Hollow: 96.4%.”

(Radish: A “escape route” compiled from extensive Hollow observation data—an effective “Hollow map.”)

In plain terms: the Gaode Map of the Null Zone.

As Ye Qingfeng walked, he suddenly heard a voice he recognized.

The voice sounded like Anbi! The kid’s saved!

Following the sound, he spotted Anbi. He couldn’t hide his excitement—what could be more thrilling than meeting someone familiar in this hellhole?

He immediately jogged toward her.

“I will... the terrain here is complex. Without careful judgment of direction, my chance of rescue drops by 37.5%.”

“If... without professional investigator credentials, do not enter the Hollow. Otherwise...”