To avoid any delays in Zane's matters, she registered access for both sides, allowing unrestricted entry to and from the Dead End Hollow zone, which was currently under Defense Force lockdown.
Whether they were suspects or not didn't really matter—for once Zane appeared, everything would become clear.
But since he hadn't shown up yet, they might as well study what was in front of them.
As Shin nodded in agreement, Yeyan immediately moved to step past the security barrier—only to be stopped by an officer.
It was the same officer who had recently been promoted—now one of the core personnel in the district and firmly on Shin's side.
"Miss, please don't cross the cordon."
Yeyan tilted her head in surprise, waiting for an explanation. Shin also looked over curiously, prompting the officer to elaborate.
"The Major arrived in a hurry and didn't have time to explain. Anything that enters the area near the Ether crystal is at risk. This cordon is as close as it's safe to get."
To demonstrate, the officer drew his sidearm and casually tossed it toward the crystal.
The moment the pistol passed the line, a small black sphere materialized. Space around it twisted violently, and the gun was shredded into pieces, vanishing almost instantly.
As quickly as it had come, the black sphere disappeared—without a trace, as if it had never been there.
"What... is that?"
Shin's pupils contracted slightly. She raised an eyebrow.
She suddenly remembered the massive black hole that had expanded in Hollow Zero—the one that devoured the entire Ether tornado.
She remembered it returning to the Fire Picker at the end.
This little thing... could it be the same terrifying force?
Shin instinctively stepped back. No way was she going to get ripped apart and absorbed into nothingness.
"Shin, do you recognize that thing?"
Yeyan, even more intrigued, noticed Shin's expression and asked, her eyes brimming with curiosity.
"I don't."
Shin shook her head. She didn't explain what had happened in Hollow Zero—Zane's efforts to conceal his identity made it clear he didn't want complications, and she wasn't about to make things messy.
Besides, she wasn't lying.
She'd seen it, but she didn't know what it was.
She wanted answers too.
At first, she thought it was some kind of advanced technique. Now, it looked more like a kind of entity... and it resembled the little ball that floated around Hoshimi Miyabi.
But why was this black sphere here?
Shin frowned slightly. If this thing had been left behind... then this place was even more unusual than she'd assumed.
"Do you have any other intel? If so, share it."
She turned to the officer.
"Yes, Major. We've already begun some investigations."
The officer nodded. Yeyan's eyes lit up with anticipation as he gathered his words.
"So far, we've identified three of those black spheres. No matter how many foreign objects enter the danger zone near the Ether crystal at once, only three of them ever appear simultaneously."
"They're highly aggressive. Doesn't matter if it's alive, dead, or anything else—if it didn't originally exist near the crystal, it will be targeted."
"And their destructive power is extreme. So far, nothing has lasted even one second under their pull."
His expression turned grim. The black spheres unnerved him. Death row inmates had been erased before they could even speak.
Even materials ranked among the toughest in New Eridu were shredded instantly.
"I see... That's going to be a problem."
Shin frowned. One of them was bad enough—there were three.
And something about it... didn't sit right.
It felt like the black spheres were... guarding something.
As if—
Her gaze returned to the Ether crystal.
—as if something was inside.
"Never mind. Just guard this area. Don't let anyone suspicious get close. That thing... it'll probably change later."
After some thought, Shin gave the order.
She couldn't come up with a better plan anyway.
She was about to leave. Yeyan, disappointed at not finding the Fire Picker, sighed and looked like she was about to call Shin out for breaking her promise.
Just then, a Defense Force soldier ran over and reported someone was requesting to enter.
Someone else?
Shin was puzzled.
Had those people not given up?
Surely not. Even a major general had hit a wall. Who could they possibly send that was stronger?
But it didn't matter who came. She wasn't backing down.
As she pondered, the guard relayed more details about the newcomers—and Shin was even more confused.
Two constables? Affiliated with that gray-zone group—Hare's House?
Then suddenly, a thought struck her. Her eyes flickered.
These two... could they be connected to Zane?
"Let them in."
With her order given, the guards departed.
Moments later, Zhu Yuan and Qingyi appeared nearby in formal attire.
"Senior... are we really supposed to be here? Doesn't feel very appropriate..."
Zhu Yuan looked around nervously at the heavily armed Defense Force and whispered to Qingyi.
"What's inappropriate about it?"
Qingyi raised an eyebrow. Zhu Yuan replied,
"Senior, we're constables, and this is a core military zone. Those officers up ahead..."
"They're just officers."
Qingyi waved it off casually.
His apprentice had nearly torn through the Defense Force—what were a few officers to her? As Zane's master, how could she possibly be intimidated?
Besides, constables and the military didn't have much overlap. Technically, military officers had no authority over public safety personnel. And they weren't just ordinary constables—they were from the Criminal Investigation Special Response Unit.
Zhu Yuan could only nod.
If her senior was charging forward, then so would she.
Qingyi looked over at Shin in the distance. Their eyes met. Qingyi's expression remained calm.
Originally, the two had come here to assist with Public Security's coordination in relocating residents after the disappearance of Dead End Hollow. The Special Response Unit had also been assigned to investigate a few related cases.
But last night, Belle had found Qingyi.
She told her that Zane had been left inside the Hollow and hadn't reappeared.
She hoped the Special Response Unit could help investigate.
After all, Qingyi was Zane's master—and Belle knew it.