After all, she knew exactly what kind of person he was. Once Zane got excited, it was rare for him to care about anyone else's feelings...
Qingyi furrowed her brows and was about to warn him to be more careful—when she saw him toss the little black sphere straight toward her.
I knew it!
Nope!
We're done for!
Instinctively, she tried to dodge, but Belle's eyes widened as she realized there wasn't enough time to warn anyone. So she did the only thing she could—dove forward with all her strength.
She knew this was a compressed Hollow, something that could be safely held—so she could only pray she made it in time.
Zane might have the guts to play with it, but she sure didn't!
It was like a nuke sitting there—you knew it wouldn't go off without being triggered, but how many people would actually walk up to it?
Just a bit more—just a little!
In her mind, Belle screamed as she watched the little sphere falling toward the ground.
No—don't!
In that instant, countless memories from her childhood to now flashed through her mind in a blur.
Color faded to black and white... finally stopping on a photo—her own selfie.
All those thoughts passed in a blink. Belle hit the ground, and realizing nothing had exploded, she cautiously opened her eyes.
The small black ball bounced a few times like a toy, then rolled gently along the floor.
She looked up and saw Zhu Yuan staring at her with a strange expression... like watching a kitten chasing after a yarn ball in a cat café.
Belle flushed with embarrassment, but she didn't have time to care. She quickly scooped up the little black ball like it was a priceless treasure, then rushed over to Zane and held it out.
"Quick! Put it away!"
"Hmm… Master, aren't you going to take a look?"
Zane took the black sphere, glancing at Qingyi in confusion. He'd originally planned for her to hold onto it so Zhu Yuan could inspect the Lamia Hollow...
He really wasn't trying to mess around this time.
It was just a look. What harm was there in that?
Especially when it was this stable under his control.
"Who'd want to see something like that…"
"You really are..."
A few dark lines popped onto Qingyi's forehead. She clenched her fists, then sighed again.
Whatever. He was still her disciple.
"Alright, alright. I get it. Zhu Yuan, I'll explain everything when we get back..."
After some thought, Qingyi decided not to talk it over with Zane here. Who knew what this guy might do? Too risky. And clearly, since he'd shown this thing, he didn't mind Zhu Yuan knowing the truth.
In that case, she could just explain it herself.
Hearing that, Zane looked a bit puzzled, but still put the Lamia Hollow away. If his master wanted to help out with something small, that was fine by him.
"Wait—Senior, what do you know?"
Zhu Yuan blinked in surprise at Qingyi. She was still a bit lost—what just happened?
Was this really connected to the Lamia Hollow case?
"Ah, Zhu Yuan, don't worry too much about it. The Lamia Hollow wasn't our responsibility to begin with. Now that it's been passed to us, it's all minor cleanup..."
Qingyi waved her hand casually, brushing it off. The Criminal Investigation Special Task Force had only been brought in for part of the case—after it had already been resolved.
"But, Senior…"
Zhu Yuan still wanted to push—she genuinely wanted to get to the bottom of it. She hadn't given up on her goal of uncovering the truth behind the fire pickers.
There had already been progress—some leads found through the Lamia Hollow. Naturally, she hoped Zane could offer more.
"No 'but's. It's fine. I'll explain everything later. Don't worry—I promise you'll be satisfied."
Qingyi patted her shoulder reassuringly, looking every bit the dependable senior. Seeing this, Zhu Yuan could only nod.
If her senior said so, then they'd talk after returning.
They came fast and left just as quickly. With everything settled, Zhu Yuan stood to leave. She wasn't exactly free these days—even if she wanted to, she couldn't linger.
And she still had to deal with the electricity bill.
Qingyi made it sound easy, but they'd need to sit down and work out the details…
Seeing Zhu Yuan rise, Qingyi nodded to Zane.
Belle and Wise noticed the two were preparing to leave and also got up to see them off—but just as they reached the door, Zane's voice called out again.
"Zhu Yuan—did any of this bother you?"
"If something's weighing on you, you should say it."
Zane's voice was quiet, his gaze on Zhu Yuan's back. She paused, then turned to face him, realizing what he meant.
Qingyi blinked—then smiled softly. Knowing both Zhu Yuan and Zane well enough, she quickly put the pieces together.
"You were worried about that… You're more thoughtful than you let on."
Zhu Yuan gave a gentle smile. For some reason, she felt her heart lift—maybe it was the understanding, maybe it was the concern.
She shook her head, turned back toward the exit, and waved behind her. The sheriff's uniform on her shoulders made her look sharp and dignified.
"Don't worry, Zane. I'm not some rigid, rule-bound stickler. I follow the justice I believe in—not all that red tape and protocol."
"After all, there are always things in this world that the 'justice' upheld in broad daylight can't account for."
Just as she stepped through the door, she turned her head slightly, her eyes shining as she spoke softly.
"And... I've always believed in you."
"Ever since the moment you told me the truth about who you are."
The absurd amount of electricity used might've looked suspicious—could even break regulations—but Zhu Yuan believed one thing:
Zane would never use it to harm others.
Because he knew—and he hadn't tried to stop her.
As if recalling something, Zhu Yuan suddenly smiled, the little tuft of hair on her head bobbing with her movement.
"Zane, you looked really cute back then—when you were out collecting Ether in the Hollows just to earn enough to give stray cats a home."
"There were so many other ways you could've done it… but you chose the one that suited you best. So…"
"I'll also choose my own way—to carry out justice."
With that, Zhu Yuan and Qingyi left the video store. Belle and Wise returned inside after seeing them off.
Zane was also getting ready to leave.
"Belle, Wise—I'm heading out."
"I'll be back tomorrow before the Belobog Heavy Industries commission starts. If anything urgent comes up, just call the cat café."