"With this thing's support, we should be able to move freely inside Hollow Zero, right?" Feeling the strength of Fairy, Wise couldn't help but fall into thought.
For him and Belle, Hollow Zero was an extremely dangerous place—but also one they had to explore.
There were questions waiting to be answered there, even if the answers came at a cost.
It had to do with their past, but as far as the current in-game storyline went, Zhong Yan had no idea what the siblings were really after.
"Negative. I can guarantee the optimal escape route for you in Hollow Zero in real-time, but I cannot ensure that you will reach the exit safely if you encounter a powerful Corrupted Entity."
Back in the present, what was surprising was that Fairy directly refuted Wise's statement.
The meaning was obvious: the siblings weren't strong enough. Even if it could provide the best possible escape route, that didn't mean they'd survive long enough to reach it.
And that was a serious issue.
Guides like the Proxies typically didn't engage in combat—they were navigators. The actual fighting inside Hollows was left to the Agents who partnered with them.
The Agent's strength often determined the level of Hollow the team could safely enter. The more dangerous the Hollow, the more critical the String Walker's map-drawing capability became.
Neither could function alone. Their abilities had to be in balance—meaning the life of a Hollow Raider was far from easy.
"Hollow Zero is dangerous," Wise admitted, "but if we can find a powerful Agent and combine that with Fairy's functions, coming and going shouldn't be too much of a problem."
As he said this, his gaze inadvertently drifted toward Zhong Yan.
Belle didn't even try to be subtle. She leaned in close to Zhong Yan with a playful grin and said, "So, Zhong Yan, have you given any more thought to becoming our personal Agent?"
Zhong Yan blinked, caught off guard. Honestly, he'd almost forgotten they'd brought that up.
Back then, he'd been inclined to accept, but certain concerns had held him back from agreeing.
Now, though, the situation had changed.
His previous concern had been that his actions might be restricted—but now, he could completely separate Zhong Yan from Uchiha.
This way, the risk of his identity being exposed was virtually nonexistent. In fact, thanks to a clever bit of framing, he'd managed to link himself and Uchiha together—meaning he could always summon "help" in a reasonable and believable way.
Thinking it over, saying yes didn't seem like such a bad idea. And he was definitely curious about the secret the siblings were hiding.
His gaze drifted, almost subconsciously, toward a picture frame in the corner of the archive room.
In the photo were five people, including Belle and Wise.
Two of the figures—one had their face scribbled over with ink, and the other's face was missing due to a torn edge.
The Belle and Wise in the photo were noticeably younger. As for the fifth figure, Zhong Yan couldn't identify them since their face wasn't visible at all.
He had no idea where the photo came from, but based on context, it was likely a piece of the siblings' life before they became part of Pharos.
More than that, the photo probably dated back to the old Eridu era, before it was destroyed—perhaps it was the disaster at Hollow Zero that changed their lives forever.
To truly understand what they'd gone through, Zhong Yan could use his Sharingan to read their memories—but that might cause them brain damage, so it wasn't a good option.
Which meant... if he wanted to understand their past, the best way forward was to deepen his interaction with them—especially inside the place they seemed most fixated on: Hollow Zero.
As he came to that conclusion, a flicker of ghostly light flashed through Zhong Yan's eyes.
He nodded. "I've thought it through. I can be your personal Agent. But I'll still have my own matters to deal with, so I won't be able to go with you every time."
It was important to leave himself some breathing room. Zhong Yan figured the siblings wouldn't have an issue with that.
"Of course not! It's not like we're slave-driving Proxies who might make you sign some lifetime contract," Belle replied quickly. "If you have stuff to handle and can't come along for a request, that's fine. Just don't ditch us too often, or your rep with us will take a hit~"
As expected, his request was accepted without resistance. Wise said nothing, clearly giving his tacit approval.
"Looks like we've officially formed a partnership then. Let's work well together, Zhong Yan." With that, Belle extended her hand toward him, her face glowing with anticipation.
Zhong Yan hesitated for a moment, then reached out and shook her hand. Their palms met, and he gave it a light, symbolic shake.
The warmth in her hand, combined with the psychological suggestion triggered by gender difference, caused both of them to fall silent.
Neither let go.
Watching this scene, Wise couldn't help but start to think.
And before long, he came to a simple conclusion:
He might be the third wheel here.
Being the considerate brother he was, he quickly said, "Belle, I'm going to check whether Fairy's activation has caused any interference with the other equipment in the shop. You two go ahead and chat."
He turned to leave the archive room, planning to give them some space.
Unfortunately, Fairy—who clearly had no concept of social awareness—chimed in at that very moment: "Negative. I have already inspected all shop systems. No anomalies or hazards detected. You may remain here."
Wise froze on the spot. Bangboo Unit No.6, who had come to open the door for him, tilted its head in confusion. Why wasn't its master moving?
If Fairy had just kept quiet, he could've created a perfect opportunity for the two. But now, leaving would seem suspicious. Not leaving would be awkward.
Finally, the ever-struggling older brother muttered through gritted teeth, "I... I don't feel so good. Gotta hit the restroom."
And with that, he bolted from the archive room. Bangboo No.6 quickly closed the door behind him.
Left behind were Zhong Yan, Belle, and...
...one incredibly oblivious AI.