Chapter 22: Deeply Realizing the Danger of the Hollow

“Don’t worry, do as my sister said.”

Zhe’s voice reached everyone, giving them a sense of reassurance.

“That voice… it’s the other one from Phaethon!”

Billy immediately reacted upon hearing the sudden male voice.

“Big brother, you’re impossible—don’t suddenly use my channel like that! You scared me half to death!”

Ling pouted at Zhe beside her, complaining.

“Sorry… your consciousness is synced with Bangbu right now, so this is the only way we can communicate.”

Zhe sighed helplessly but explained earnestly in a gentle tone, then suddenly shifted his voice to one tinged with seriousness: “Can you hear me? In short, the route my sister just described is correct.”

“The space inside the Hollow is chaotic and unordered, which means…”

Anbi, one hand resting on her chin, continued Zhe’s thought: “The path that looks like salvation might be death, and the path that looks like death might lead straight to doom.”

“In any case, the escape route after we get out has already been arranged—trust us,” Zhe reminded them. “Sister, you can disconnect now.”

“We’re logging off for now—talk later~”

Ling gave a soft, warm smile before severing the connection.

“No more sound,” Anbi said, staring at the suddenly silent Ies. “It’s just a regular Bangbu again.”

“Looks like it,” Ye Qingfeng crouched down and poked the blank-faced Ies on the head with his finger. “It’s incredible—someone’s consciousness can enter a Bangbu like this.”

He then stood up and stepped decisively toward the wall ahead; Anbi and Billy followed without hesitation.

With a strange sense of liberation, the three and the Bangbu passed cleanly through the wall.

The sensation was completely different from when they had entered; Ye Qingfeng opened his eyes and immediately scanned his surroundings.

We’re out at last!!

“The pressure from Aether is gone.”

“We’re out—we’re finally out!”

Anbi and Billy both exhaled deeply, relaxing their long-tense nerves.

Nico, surprised by the sudden appearance of the three, murmured: “Though Phaethon had clearly explained it, I never expected… the time and place really matched what that guy said…”

But seeing them all emerge unharmed, the heavy stone in her chest finally lifted.

“Qingfeng!! Didn’t I tell you to watch the car? Why are you running around everywhere?!!”

Nico’s face tightened with anger as she scolded Ye Qingfeng.

She had personally brought Ye Qingfeng back to the Rabbit’s Den. Though they’d only known each other for about half a month, this incident—the sudden Hollow—had been terrifying. If he’d truly come to harm…

Even though this was an unforeseen Hollow incident, and no one would blame her, the time they’d spent together had already made her see him as a younger brother.

If he’d been hurt, it would be her fault!

“Why are you staring at the ground?! I’m asking you a question!”

Nico, seeing Ye Qingfeng with his head bowed, wondered if she’d been too harsh…

“N-Nico, calm down—Qingfeng’s fine, isn’t he…?”

This was the first time Billy had ever seen Nico this furious; he hurried to her side, cautiously trying to soothe her.

Anbi, too, had never seen Nico like this. Her usually calm eyes flickered with unusual emotion.

“What if he’d been hurt?! Qingfeng doesn’t have any combat ability!”

Nico shoved Billy aside and walked slowly toward Ye Qingfeng. “If Phaethon hadn’t arrived in time… or if you didn’t have Aether adaptability… or if you’d been attacked by the Aether Wraiths before meeting Billy and Anbi…”

Seeing him safely emerge from the Hollow proved he had considerable Aether adaptability. She’d never intended for him to join these missions—just to tag along on her runs, handle support work…

After all, even they couldn’t guarantee absolute safety when entering Hollows. The authorities never disclosed anything about Hollows to ordinary citizens, so most people had no understanding of them at all.

Only Hollow hunters, Rope Masters, private companies dealing with Hollows, and government agencies had any real knowledge of them.

She’d planned to slowly tell Qingfeng all this—looks like after this mission is over, I’ll need to find a good time to have a proper talk with him…

“This was truly an accident…”

Seeing Nico’s serious expression, Ye Qingfeng’s voice automatically grew quieter.

Ye Qingfeng understood that Nico was genuinely concerned—that’s why she’d been so angry. When he was young, he believed that if he was kind to others, they’d be kind to him in return—but all he got in return was…

Insults, cold rejection…

And their only reason? He was an orphan with no parents.

To them, he became an outsider. During school, he never made a single true friend. With no family, he gradually shut his heart away.

But he wasn’t some novel’s genius—his grades were decent, but far from top-tier. Beyond studying and school, he had to work to earn money, spending not a single coin on leisure.

Then came university. While working part-time, he kindly helped a girl—and it indirectly destroyed his life…

Thinking of today’s ordeal, Ye Qingfeng still felt a chill. He fell silent, saying nothing more.

Seeing this, Nico’s anger slowly faded. Her lips parted, but she said nothing.

“We’ll wait for you in the car,” Nico gave him space to collect himself, then turned to Anbi and Billy. “Hey, you two! Get in the car!”

Anbi and Billy turned in perfect unison and walked toward the parked car nearby; Nico followed silently behind them.

At that moment, the system suddenly chimed: “Hollows really are dangerous, aren’t they?”

“You were the loudest one screaming inside the Hollow!”

Ye Qingfeng now clearly understood that this world wasn’t as harmonious as it appeared on the surface.

He’d need to stay alert at all times from now on. Thinking of Nico’s concern, he felt a warm glow in his chest.

(Just finished writing today’s chapter, then saw Anbi’s 5-star event tonight? New account, don’t mess with this (?????д?????))

(I’ll definitely hit 100,000 words this month; next month, barring accidents, I’ll stick to daily updates.)

(Because the current Phaethon Zero plot is too sparse with too many foreshadowings, I’ll interfere as little as possible with the main storyline—so this novel’s general plot will be the protagonist just loafing around.)

(Then develop relationships with other female agents—likely adding many factions, but only as side gigs.)

(The early plotlines involving No.11 and Bai Zhi Heavy Industry will be skipped entirely.)

(No.11 might appear later, but only within the big Anbi storyline.)