"Of course we're fine, Uncle Seth! We're super strong!"
Ruby poked her little head out from behind Ellen, grinning mischievously.
"Glad to hear it." Seth chuckled helplessly, running a hand through his hair. His gaze shifted aside as he added awkwardly, "But uh… could you not call me 'Uncle'? I'm just a trainee law officer, way younger than the Captain—ow!"
Before he could finish, a small pebble flew out of the smoke and struck him squarely on the head.
Seth turned, rubbing the sore spot, and saw a tall law officer stepping out of the haze—her silver hair tipped with a streak of orange.
"Captain?" he asked, confused.
Zhu Yuan offered no explanation. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze carrying a hint of danger.
A moment later, a petite law officer with twin ponytails followed her out. She stopped in front of Zhu Yuan, raised a finger, and pointed lazily at Seth.
"Born into the mortal world—learn to understand human relations," she said, her tone casual. "Seth, you need to mind personal boundaries. I don't care, but some people take their age very seriously."
"Senior Qingyi!"
Zhu Yuan spun around, her eyes wide in disbelief.
How could you lecture someone else while taking a jab at me?!
But Qingyi didn't seem to think she'd said anything wrong. Instead, she turned back to lecture Zhu Yuan.
"Zhu Yuan, don't get so worked up. As an elder, you shouldn't let your weaknesses show so openly. Otherwise, everyone will know exactly where to strike."
"U-understood..."
Though she suspected Qingyi was just dodging her own words, Zhu Yuan still chose to believe her.
After all, Qingyi might not be human, but with her AI's immense processing power, she'd simulated countless lives—her "life experience" far exceeded what anyone could imagine.
And her tricks, too.
"Alright, everyone, take a break... And remember, Zhu Yuan — as Captain, that's something you should be saying, not me. You can't always rely on me. What if, one day—"
"That day will never come, Senior Qingyi!" Zhu Yuan cut in, eyes firm.
Qingyi chuckled softly. "Heh... that's what you say now."
Before she could continue, Seth—who had clearly misread the whole exchange—suddenly blurted,
"Wait, what do you mean what if one day? Are you saying Zhu Yuan will never get promoted? Because I totally believe she will! She's amazing! I mean—she's already Captain material—"
Qingyi sighed, amused. This boy… still needs tempering.
With that thought, she casually dug him a verbal pit to fall into.
"Uh, well... th-that's not what I meant! The Captain's amazing—she'll definitely get promoted soon! I-I swear, that's all I meant!"
Seth was flustered, tripping over his own words.
As expected of a total rookie—his social skills probably weren't much better than Ruby's.
And speaking of Ruby, her eyes were sparkling as she watched Seth scratch at his head in panic.
A kindred spirit!
So Uncle Seth and I are the same—we're both the team's adorable punching bags!
"So, Seth, are you saying that I—mmph!"
Qingyi tried to goad him further, but Zhu Yuan quickly covered her mouth, pleading, "Senior, enough. Really, that's enough. Seth's already trying his best."
"Phew!"
After a brief struggle, Qingyi finally freed herself, closing one eye and shooting Seth a glance before relaxing again. "Alright, fine. I'll let you two off the hook this time."
"Now then..."
Her attention shifted toward Phaga's group, who had been quietly watching the entire exchange. With a slight nod, she said politely, "Apologies for leaving you waiting while we conducted our routine checks. If I recall correctly, you two are Phaga and Ellen, right? Long time no see."
"But we can catch up later. For now, I just need to confirm something."
Qingyi's tone suddenly grew serious. She took a step forward, her small frame standing firm before Phaga. Lifting her face to meet his gaze, she asked gravely, "Victoria Housekeeping Co. is a legitimate domestic service company, correct?"
Ellen's face immediately darkened. The implication behind that question was crystal clear.
If it were truly a normal housekeeping company, what were they doing inside a Hollow?
As her mind raced for a response, teeth gritted in frustration, a sudden warmth touched her palm.
Ellen's heart skipped a beat—like a jolt of electricity shooting through her chest. She glanced down, tracing the source of the warmth.
Sure enough, Phaga had quietly reached out, his large hand enclosing her small fist, his middle finger brushing lightly against her pulse.
Ellen looked up, but Phaga wasn't looking at her. She could only see the side of his calm face, a faint smile resting on his lips. Even under Qingyi's sharp, pressing gaze, he remained composed—almost leisurely.
Like a soft drizzle under a lamplight, an unseen umbrella opened between them, the moment quietly sheltering her from the storm.
Don't worry. I've got this.
Phaga didn't back down. He smiled and answered with steady confidence.
"Yes. Victoria Housekeeping Co. has always been a legitimate and compliant domestic service company. We would be honored to welcome Law Officer Qingyi for a visit sometime."
"No need for that. The Public Security Bureau's got plenty on its plate."
Qingyi sighed as if joking along with his tone, though her sharp gaze carefully studied each of the three. "Then tell me—why are you in the Hollow?"
"Because our friend is taking the Junior Investigator exam today. We just came to lend a hand."
Seeing Qingyi about to ask another question, Phaga continued smoothly, "And if I'm not mistaken, those gang members just now kidnapped our examiner."
"So we have to rescue him, and he needs to confirm that we passed the test. I'd really rather not retake it."
"We?"
There was something uncanny about AI logic. The instant Phaga finished speaking, Qingyi seized on that one word—while everything else seemed to fly right past her processing filters.
She quickly shook her head. "No. It's too dangerous. You're not going."
"And it's not dangerous for you?" Phaga tilted his head, asking deliberately.
"We're law officers," Qingyi replied firmly. "Knowing the danger and facing it anyway—that's our duty."
She raised a finger, tapping him lightly on the chest. "So, do you envy us? Want to join? Then apply to the Police Academy. Once you graduate, you'll have the right to fight alongside us."
"But for now, it's best you leave. You've seen it yourself—the Mountain Lions Gang' Jane is no ordinary opponent."
Waving her hand, Qingyi gestured for Phaga and the others to retreat from the Hollow.
But Phaga couldn't just walk away. He'd finally found a solid lead—one that could tie back to his fourteen-million-yuan commission.
There was no way he was leaving empty-handed!