Chapter 18: Meeting Successfully

"Anbi! It's so good to run into you!" Ye Qingfeng ran up to Anbi, his face full of excitement. "You don't know, two Ethereals chased me for half a day just now..."

"By the way, how did you end up here too? Where did Billy and Nico go?"

Anbi looked at Ye Qingfeng, who had suddenly appeared, still showing no expression on her face. She slowly drew the sword from her back and swung it fiercely at him.

"Wow!"

Ye Qingfeng never expected Anbi to suddenly draw her sword. He just subconsciously closed his eyes and leaned back.

Eh? It doesn't hurt?!

He slowly opened his eyes and saw the scratch on his collar, as well as a strand of hair floating in the air...

"An... Anbi, if you have any issues with me, you can just say so..."

But he couldn't see any expression on Anbi's face, which made him unable to figure it out for a moment. For safety's sake, he took a step back.

"——Ahhh! It's Qingfeng..."

"——Ahhh!!"

Ye Qingfeng had backed up about five or six steps when his back suddenly hit something. His first reaction was that he had hit a wall, but he suddenly remembered that this area seemed to be an open space!

He swallowed hard, not having time to turn around to check, when a scream suddenly came from behind him. He was so scared by the sudden sound that he scrambled forward.

"Phew, phew... It's Billy..."

When he turned his head to check and saw it was a robot wearing a red jacket, he finally let out a long sigh of relief and complained unhappily: "Geez... don't scream randomly like that!"

"Sorry, sorry! Isn't it just that I was too excited to see you and Anbi!" Billy walked to Ye Qingfeng's side and familiarly put his arm around his shoulder. "By the way, how did Brother Qingfeng end up in the Hollow too?"

"Now is not the time to talk about this. Anbi just tried to chop me! Although she didn't hit me..."

Ye Qingfeng didn't answer Billy's question, constantly turning his head to look at the two. Finally, he felt the robot beside him was safer, so he dodged behind him, looking at Anbi not far away with vigilance.

"That's impossible! Why would Anbi suddenly attack you?!"

Billy didn't want to believe it and walked toward Anbi, while Ye Qingfeng kept hiding behind him, staying vigilant.

"Right, Anbi?"

"Encountered two rational individuals. They look very much like my colleagues: Ye Qingfeng and Billy."

Anbi didn't respond and continued to speak to herself.

"What are you talking about? It's me! Billy!"

Ye Qingfeng looked at the expressionless Anbi, then looked at Billy.

How come Anbi feels more like a robot than Billy?

However, seeing Anbi not making any more moves, Ye Qingfeng finally walked out from behind Billy.

"An investigator once encountered Ethereals in a Hollow that could mimic human speech and behavior," Anbi continued seriously. "The investigator had just rescued the teammates faked by the Ethereals out of the Hollow, when the monsters revealed their true colors."

"The city paid a huge sacrifice. In the end, thanks to a brave investigator who sacrificed themselves to push the Ethereals back into the Hollow, the crisis was resolved."

"Come on! Ethereals will die the moment they leave the Hollow!"

Billy put one hand on his hip and retorted helplessly.

Eh?! Is that so? So Ethereals can't leave the Hollow!

Why didn't Nico tell him that? Ye Qingfeng secretly noted it down. However, why does the plot Anbi just mentioned feel so familiar...

Isn't this the plot of the movie he watched with Anbi last time?!!

"What you just said is a movie, right?! Oh, it's the thriller that was released not long ago, right?!"

Billy finally realized that Anbi was actually talking about a movie plot.

"... The list of victims from that incident was very long. I read the whole thing."

Seeing she had been found out, Anbi hurriedly explained in a tone that said "hurry up and praise me."

Billy covered his face helplessly. "That's called the credits!"

What is this? Ye Qingfeng also felt a bit speechless. Isn't the Hollow supposed to be very dangerous? Why is there time to mess around here?

Shouldn't they be thinking about how to leave the Hollow?

"Um... I think we should discuss..."

Anbi suddenly interrupted Ye Qingfeng's polite statement. "Question: Who does Billy most want to have dinner with?"

"Uh... of course it's... the tokusatsu superhero, Star Emblem Knight!"

After hearing Billy's answer, Anbi reached for her sword hilt without a moment's hesitation.

"Wait... wait a second! Put the sword away! I'll say it, I'll say it!" Billy became visibly panicked. "It's... the lead actress of the midnight drama 'Oh~ Sweetheart', big sister Monica..."

Can a robot blush?

Ye Qingfeng glanced at the shy-looking Billy and silently complained.

"Question: How many Dennies was the last bonus Nico gave us?"

Seeing Billy passed the test, Anbi turned her head and stared at Ye Qingfeng, continuing to ask.

"Uh... Anbi, ten thousand. I... ten thousand?"

"Alert cleared. The individuals suspected to be Billy and Ye Qingfeng are the real ones." Anbi continued seriously. "Reuniting with Billy and Ye Qingfeng increases my survival probability by 67.9%."

"I am glad you and Billy are okay."

"Wait! Anbi, what's this about a bonus you just mentioned?!"

Billy carefully recalled and found that Boss Nico didn't seem to have ever given out a bonus... Wait, when did I get the misconception that she would give out bonuses...

Could it be that only I didn't get one?!!

But now is not the time to dwell on this. Only by getting out safely will there be a chance to ask Boss Nico for the lost bonus!

"It's been quite a while since we fell down. Boss Nico must be thinking of a way outside too." Billy continued uncertainly. "But would she be willing to spend money to hire rescuers? That's Boss Nico, hahahaha..."

"Based on Nico's habitually tight budget, I think your doubt that she might not bring in rescuers is reasonable."

Anbi highly agreed with Billy's point of view, while Ye Qingfeng on the side hesitated for a long time and couldn't get a word in...

No?! Why do Anbi and Billy think of Nico like that? Although she is a bit greedy for money... she shouldn't be that heartless!

Wait, for the sake of pocketing this reward, it's not impossible!

No! That's not the point right now!

"Wait... wait? By the way, Qingfeng, why are you in the Hollow too?!!" Billy accidentally glanced at Ye Qingfeng and suddenly discovered something wrong. "Weren't you watching the car outside?! And you... what is your Ether adaptability?!!!"

Finally remembered we are in the Hollow... I'm so moved...

"My Ether adaptability is over 60%..."

As for why he didn't tell the truth... Come on!

What if 80% Ether adaptability has never appeared before, and he is the only one in New Eridu.

He would definitely be sliced up for research... Don't tell me he should bet that there are no bad people in the official high-level management?!! ===== CHAPTER 19 =====