Sol smiled faintly beside Zhu Yuan and said, "We're in this together. The credit naturally belongs to everyone."
Zhu Yuan felt a touch of warmth in her heart, and her impression of Sol rose sharply.
Providing crucial intelligence to the Public Security Bureau, following them into the investigation, and then even giving them the credit—Sol truly seemed like a good person.
After calming the residents down, Qingyi, Zhu Yuan, and Sol gathered at the entrance of Canvas Street to discuss their next move.
"To get everyone out of Canvas Street, there are several major obstacles." Qingyi unscrewed her insulated flask, took a sip of hot water, and calmly analyzed. "Canvas Street's external communication signals are blocked, and there's a Dead End Hollow between us and the outside."
"And putting aside the Ethereals swarming inside, these residents are almost entirely non-Ether Aptitude types. There's no way they can cross the Hollow."
Sol asked, "Now that we have decisive evidence, can't we just head out directly and have the Public Security Bureau step in?"
Just moments earlier, they hadn't only recorded footage on their phones—Eous and Qingyi had also saved a backup copy in their internal databases.
This alone was enough to condemn Vision Corporation. Even if Vision Corporation wanted to silence Canvas Street, it would serve no purpose anymore.
Qingyi nodded. "Of course we can. But I worry some people might lash out in desperation if the news spreads—come here to cause trouble."
Sol, Zhu Yuan, and Eous all nodded. Vision Corporation had already planned to blow everything to pieces; if the dust hadn't settled yet, it wouldn't be impossible for them to go wild first.
And suddenly, a group of people in Public Security uniforms appeared outside Canvas Street, catching the trio's attention and stirring unrest among the residents at the entrance.
"It's the Public Security! Another squad has arrived! They've come to rescue us!"
"No wonder the Bureau has such a good reputation—one moment they send people to uncover the truth, the next they dispatch a team to save us. Their efficiency is amazing!"
"Whoever's leading this term of Public Security—I'm sending them a banner of thanks!"
The residents cheered when they saw the uniforms.
Zhu Yuan and Qingyi both frowned slightly. The signals in Canvas Street had been blocked—they hadn't sent out a message.
"Did the Bureau already discover Canvas Street's situation and come to rescue everyone?"
Belle, controlling Eous, murmured with some confusion.
Had their trip been pointless? Did the Public Security already know everything?
But she couldn't shake the sense that these "Public Security officers" looked strange.
"They're not Public Security."
Zhu Yuan silently chambered a round in her pistol, her gaze darkening as she watched the "officers."
A quick glance told her there were at least forty-five of them, led by a hulking bald brute.
Every one of them carried weapons, exuding killing intent—they didn't look like rescuers at all.
Qingyi tightened her grip on her three-section staff. "The Bureau's uniforms don't hang that loose. And those demolition rigs strapped to that bald guy's arms—that's not standard Public Security gear. Crude and brutal like that? Only the fiercest Hollow Raiders would ever use it."
"They're Vision Corporation's people," Sol said evenly. "They're here to erase the evidence."
"Erase the evidence?"
Eous tilted his head, puzzled.
"Physically erase."
Sol pulled Eous behind him, his voice a warning.
"Eeeek!!!"
Belle, piloting Eous, trembled and ducked behind Sol's leg, too scared to peek out.
"Who would've thought—some little Public Security rats stumbling in here. If you'd just come two days later, you could've died quietly with the rest of these bugs in the explosion. Instead, you'll be torn apart." The bald giant sneered at them, his face twisted in menace. "Name's Berbick—the Invincible Fist King!"
He was a high-priced thug on Vision Corporation's payroll, stationed in Canvas Street to guard against unexpected variables, only withdrawing the day before the detonation.
He had thought the mission would conclude smoothly. But now, with just one day left before withdrawal, he encountered meddling "Public Security."
As the bald brute revealed himself, the residents—who had just been overjoyed at the sight of "rescuers"—were thrown into confusion.
So, these weren't Public Security come to save them, but Vision Corporation's watchdogs?
Would Vision Corporation let them walk away safely?
No—these men showing up right after Sol and the others did was no coincidence. They were here to silence them, to bury the truth of Canvas Street forever.
In an instant, all joy evaporated, replaced by crushing dread that weighed on every heart.
Qingyi sifted through her memory banks at the name. "Berbick. He once slaughtered the entire family of a high-ranking New Eridu official. That man's elite security detail—all wiped out."
"Since then, he's prowled the underworld, a king of fists undefeated. To this day, he has never lost a fight. Those who fear him call him [The Scourge · The Most Vicious Fist King], because no one has ever survived his hands."
Eous shivered violently behind Sol and asked in a small voice, "Is… is he really hard to fight?"
"He's extremely dangerous," Zhu Yuan said solemnly. "With Senior Qingyi and me together, we can handle him. But his men are circling like wolves too."
She couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. If only Seth and Jane were here too.
With the four of them combined, these forty-five thugs and Berbick would be easy work.
But Seth and Jane were tied up with their own missions. She couldn't draw on them now.
"Well, at least you've got some sense, knowing how terrifying I am!"
Berbick roared with laughter at their wary expressions. "But my boys won't waste their time with you lot."
"Listen up, maggots! Wipe out every last bug in Canvas Street!"
"They're going to die in the blast anyway—killing them early makes no difference. At least then they won't open their mouths!"
Vision had the means to eliminate witnesses. Their original plan had been to leave the people of Canvas Street to die in the explosion, erasing them as evidence.
But now that the residents knew the truth—and Public Security officers had stumbled in—leaving them alive for two more days was too much of a risk. Dead bodies waiting for the blast were much more convenient.
Zhu Yuan's expression hardened. "Berbick, aren't you afraid of the Bureau's judgment for this?"
"Ha! If you all die here, who'll judge me? Who dares judge me?" Berbick's laughter boomed, then he barked orders to his men. "I'll keep these pests busy—go slaughter the Canvas Street vermin, then come back and back me up!"
"Got it, boss!"
At his command, the thugs in stolen uniforms charged into the alley, guns raised.
Qingyi and Zhu Yuan lunged to intercept—but Berbick leapt in with a savage crash, blocking them off.
In an instant, the residents at the entrance were staring down the barrels of charging weapons, falling into utter despair.
They never imagined Vision Corporation would be this ruthless—killing them outright, unwilling to even wait for the detonation.
In the crowd, an old grandmother prayed desperately that her granddaughter, still outside, would never return.
"Sigh… what a nuisance."
Sol exhaled, pale-blue sparks of lightning flickering between his fingertips.