Chapter 9: A Scene of Worldly Beauty

As the last rays of sunlight dipped below the city skyline, Zhong Yan's rooftop conversation with Anby came to an end.

He'd gotten to banter and tease the game's beloved mascot—just enough to make his day feel like a win. Satisfied, he left the rooftop and began making his way back home.

However, not long after parting with Anby, his phone buzzed from within his pocket. A private message.

The sender was an anonymous user from the Proxy Network. Apparently, his comment on that viral post had led this person to mistake him for a fellow Hollow Raider.

[Anonymous]: Bro, I've got a big job for you—interested?

[Zhong Yan]: Big job? I'm listening.

Zhong Yan was intrigued. This was the first time someone had approached him for work using his civilian identity.

[Anonymous]: You heard about the Red Fang Gang hitting the White Star Institute a few days ago, right?

[Anonymous]: The Security Bureau still hasn't figured it out, but I do know they stole a secure vault during the raid.

[Anonymous]: I want you to intercept it—double-cross the Red Fang Gang and recover the vault. You'll be well compensated.

Zhong Yan paused.

This... this was familiar.

In fact, this exact setup marked the beginning of the main storyline in the game.

But something was off—originally, this job was supposed to be offered to the Cunning Hares. So why had it ended up in his inbox?

He decided to probe further.

[Zhong Yan]: Wouldn't the Cunning Hares be a better fit for a job like this? I heard they just took out a giant Ethereal.

[Anonymous]: I did go to them! But that pink-haired chick said they're swamped with jobs right now and put me on a waiting list! I can't wait around!

Ah... so that's it.

Thanks to his involvement, the Cunning Hares's fame had skyrocketed, and they were now flooded with commissions—enough to turn clients away.

Left with no other option, the mysterious contact had sought him out instead.

Still, out of all the Hollow Raiders on Proxy Network, why him?

There were too many unknowns, but Zhong Yan decided the risk might be worth it.

He knew what was inside that vault.

A hyper-advanced AI system—Fairy.

For Hollow exploration, Fairy was a game-changer. It could map optimal routes in real-time with near-perfect efficiency—270 times faster than even the legendary HDD devices used by the Proxy siblings Phaethon.

Its only drawback was its power consumption. Otherwise, it was flawless.

More importantly, Fairy was one of four keys needed to unlock something far greater—and the only known one so far.

No matter what, Zhong Yan couldn't let this slip away.

Even if he didn't use it himself, he had to make sure Fairy ended up with Phaethon. Only in their hands could it be used to its full potential.

[Zhong Yan]: I'll take the job. But we need to talk payment.

[Anonymous]: That's no problem.

…

They proceeded to discuss the details—but something felt off.

This "client" was far too agreeable.

Anyone who understood Fairy's significance was either powerful or well-connected—and such people rarely rushed or agreed to conditions without bargaining. The urgency felt less like pressure and more like... bait.

Zhong Yan realized the truth.

There was no "exclusive" about this commission.

This man had probably approached multiple Hollow Raiders, hoping at least one would strike gold. As for the so-called reward? If he even got anything at all, it would be a miracle.

But that didn't matter.

Zhong Yan wasn't in it for the money.

He only wanted Fairy.

Everything else was irrelevant.

And so, without any real sincerity on either side, they finalized the deal. The client pushed him to move fast—preferably before the Security Bureau launched a formal investigation.

Zhong Yan ignored that part.

What mattered now was getting Fairy into the right hands. If Phaethon suddenly received some mystery vault, they'd be too cautious to trust it.

He needed to follow the game storyline.

Using his Uchiha identity, he'd commission them directly. As the most revered stringers on Proxy Network, they'd be tapped regardless—this was just speeding things along.

With that in mind, he opened his phone, found the siblings' account, and sent a message.

…

Meanwhile, at a video rental store tucked in a corner of Section Six Street—

Belle, the female protagonist, had just stepped out of the bathroom.

A towel barely clung to her body, mist swirling around her like a descending goddess. Her hair, wet and fragrant, clung to her skin as she rubbed it dry.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed on the nearby table.

She walked over and tapped the screen.

A message from the Proxy Network.

"Another Hollow Raider looking for a job..." she muttered, already used to this kind of thing.

But out of courtesy, she opened it anyway.

What she saw made her eyes widen—her entire body tensing in disbelief.

The towel slipped.

And what was revealed... could only be described as divine.