"Professor Arche? You mean..."
At the mention of Professor Arche, one of the Public Security Bureau chiefs looked stunned, as if he had just uncovered something unimaginable.
Chief Bringer took a deep breath. "That's right—one of the original Void Hunters, founder of the Helios Organization... Professor Arche."
So it really was him.
In today's New Eridu, most people had long stopped paying attention to that name.
But in the history of both Old and New Eridu, Professor Arche was a legendary figure—someone who had made immense contributions to the city. He was widely recognized as one of the most powerful individuals in their combined history.
"Wait... are you saying he's still alive?"
The official looked shocked. Professor Arche had vanished deep within Hollow Zero decades ago.
And back then, he had already passed a hundred years of age.
If he were still alive now, he'd be nearing two hundred—a feat no normal human could achieve.
Chief Bringer exhaled slowly. "There's no proof he's dead. At least some high-ranking officials still believe he's alive. The Golden Bangboo and Platinum Bangboo were created by Professor Arche and Lady Sunbringer—they once ventured into Hollow Zero together…"
Whether or not Professor Arche was still alive, the upper ranks hoped these two Bangboos could lead them to some clue about his fate.
Let's hope they find something.
...
While the Public Security Bureau, Defense Army, and Hollows Investigation Association launched their joint operation...
At that same moment...
Outside the video store on Sixth Street, on the other side of New Eridu.
Nicole pulled the SUV up to the entrance. Sam Li, Anby, Billy, Nekomata, and the rest climbed out, calling for the manager as they entered the store.
The moment they stepped inside, they saw Belle.
Billy rushed forward. "Manager, no time to waste! We just saw PSB and Defense Force vehicles on the street—the officials are already making moves!"
Belle remained calm. "Relax. Come over here first—I've got the latest findings to share."
She led everyone into another room—the same space she and Wise used as their Proxy workshop.
"Fairy, show them the Hollow map for Golden City…"
"Manager, who are you talking to?"
"I'm not talking to anyone. I'm Fairy— the most intelligent, most brilliant, most hilarious, most serious, most versatile, most—"
"Stop, stop, stop. Just show them the map for the Bangboo Golden City Hollow," Wise interrupted with a sigh.
Sure enough, the monitor lit up with a map of New Eridu's metro area.
The map zoomed in and shifted until a Hollow at the city's edge came into view.
Nicole furrowed her brow. "Is that... C75 Hollow?"
Belle nodded. "That's the one. According to intel, the two Bangboos crossed over from Hollow Zero through a rift and landed in C75. If we want to get those Dennies and gear coins, we have to catch them before they slip back into Hollow Zero…"
If they managed to escape back into Hollow Zero, tracking them again would be nearly impossible.
Billy puffed out his chest. "So we just need to catch two Bangboos? Doesn't sound that hard."
Belle reminded him, "They're fast—extremely fast. And C75 is a degraded Hollow. It's not very dangerous, which means tons of people are going to be joining the hunt. Once that happens, the entire Hollow will turn into a war zone."
In other words...
The real challenge wasn't the Bangboos or the Ethereals—it was everyone else chasing after them.
Suddenly, Fairy's voice cut in again.
"Alert—unknown party has leaked the coordinates. Locations of Golden and Platinum Bangboo are now spreading across the web. Master, you'd better move fast. Try to earn a little extra electricity this time."
Billy jumped. "What? We just found out—how's it already online?"
Sam Li replied flatly, "Simple. Someone's trying to stir up chaos. It's easier to fish in muddy waters."
Nicole scoffed. "Doesn't matter who leaked it. With Sam Li and Phaethon on our side, we've got the speed and the intel. More people just means more bodies to help corner them. In the end, we'll still come out on top."
Belle took a deep breath. "Let's hope you're right."
Then, she sat down on the couch and connected her consciousness to Eous.
Using Eous as a vessel, she prepared to enter the Hollow alongside Nicole, Sam Li, and the others to hunt for the Golden and Platinum Bangboo.
...
At the same time...
The exact location of the Golden and Platinum Bangboo had gone viral across every major forum, setting the web ablaze like a bombshell.
"Breaking news! Golden and Platinum Bangboo spotted in C75 Hollow! Let's goooo—"
"LFG! Gold split, platinum split, need one pro Proxy for clean run—"
"Yo, you got guts. This is Forum, not the RopeNet. Go look for Proxies over there!"
Official notice: "Ethereals confirmed in C75 Hollow. Citizens, remain calm. Stay away from the site—this is not a drill."
For a while, every forum thread revolved around the Golden Bangboo and C75.
And it wasn't just online buzz.
In the real world...
Almost every agency, guild, and organization had dispatched teams to C75, all racing for the priceless Bangboos.
Even on the outer ring...
Gangs near the city's edge were starting to stir, hoping to wedge into the battle over the Golden Bangboo.
Out on the highways of the outer ring...
Piper was driving at full speed, with Lucy and Caesar riding along, heading straight for C75.
Lucy blinked. "How do you even know they're in C75?"
Piper answered firmly, "Sam Li told me. That's all I need."
Caesar roared with laughter. "Faster, Piper! Open the truck doors—I'm going in first!"
Before the words were even finished, Caesar kicked off on her motorcycle, bursting straight out of the truck bed.
Lucy followed closely, riding her own bike, flanked by the three little pigs.
...
While all of New Eridu descended into chaos for the Bangboos...
At that moment—
In the central street of the Federer District.
The worshippers who once gathered around the golden idol were gone, and all nearby shops had closed. Only a few passersby strolled along the sidewalk.
With the wave of devotion fading, the street had returned to its usual quiet.
But then, without warning...
A gentle breeze stirred the air around the golden statue. Faint harp music echoed through the street, catching the attention of every nearby pedestrian.
That was when people noticed it—
Standing before the statue was a stranger, dressed in eccentric clothes with twin braids trailing behind her.
Like a wandering bard plucked straight from the reels of an old-world film.
…