Grace glanced up at the fighter jet overhead, her face still tense.
"Hurry up and go!"
The group quickly evacuated. Below, Ben and Anton had already finished their preparations. Watching their comrades clear the area, they lit the fuse without hesitation.
Ignition—detonation!
Boom!!!
Nicole heard only a deafening blast. In her rearview mirror, fire flared across the collapsing roadway as the support pillars gave way one after another.
She stomped on the accelerator, and the small truck surged forward at breakneck speed.
But she knew—though they had bought some time, more pursuers were already closing in from other directions.
The priority now was to reach the Janus District.
Belobog Heavy Industries' machines were too distinctive. Even disguised, they were far from subtle and too unwieldy for quick maneuvers, so they soon split off from Hare's House.
On the open highway, the truck charged straight toward Janus District.
Under the neon glow of the city night, Nicole's gaze fixed on the district ahead. Her eyes froze for a moment—then softened into a smile. Even as sirens flared once more behind her, she eased off the gas and let the truck roll into Janus District.
...
At the border between the Elden District and Janus District, Qingyi and Zhu Yuan leaned casually against a police car, watching the scene unfold without a trace of concern.
As the truck slipped into the streets and vanished around a corner, Zhu Yuan stretched lazily.
"Senior, that's the end of it, right?"
Qingyi smiled, shook her head, and said softly,
"This is only the beginning. But... there's no need for us to worry anymore."
She lifted a hand, placed a mask over her face, and handed another to Zhu Yuan.
"Come on. Let's join in for a bit. Janus District is lively tonight."
Zhu Yuan accepted the mask and looked at the sight before her with a faint smile. She had known it—Zane would not let her down again.
A flicker of relief welled up inside her.
Back then, on the rooftop, she hadn't chosen denial. She had chosen to trust him once more.
Shaking her head with a quiet laugh, she donned the mask and left with Qingyi.
...
At the entrance street, the pursuers were forced to halt. The two helicopters hovering overhead no longer gave chase.
Engines idled as patrol cars came to a stop. One sheriff pushed open his door and stepped out, staring at the scene before him with a conflicted expression.
The streets and shops bustled with life.
It looked like a festival. In snow-covered New Eridu, under the night sky of Janus District, people were vibrant and full of energy.
No one tried to block the pursuers.
No one stood in their way. Everyone was simply... busy—playing, eating, buying food from the countless stalls that lined the street.
But one thing was the same for all of them—
Every single person wore a mask.
The designs were all different, but the sheriff understood: even if they forced their way in, they might still catch their target.
It would be difficult—nearly impossible—under the influence of the masked crowd.
But was it even worth it?
The snow hadn't melted. The cold seeped into his bones, making him shiver. He looked around at his colleagues stepping out of their vehicles, their expressions just as complicated as his own.
And still, from every direction, more masked figures were gathering—many even from other districts.
Standing among the flowing crowd, ignored by the people around them, the sheriffs found themselves awkwardly out of place.
Above, the roar of rotors softened, then faded entirely as the helicopters descended and landed in an open lot.
The sheriff exhaled a cloud of warm breath. He already knew the answer.
He turned to leave—but a voice stopped him.
"Sheriff, aren't you going to join in? It's really lively... With all this snow, no one wanted to come out before, hehe, so this is a rare chance."
The pleasant voice drew his gaze. A young girl wearing headphones stood there, hugging a large cardboard box. She looked strained but smiled brightly.
Inside the box—masks, stacked high.
She exhaled a puff of white mist and spoke again.
"They're free! Go on, take one."
His fingers twitched. For some reason, his nose stung.
Another gust of cold turned that sting sharp. He let out a bitter laugh, sighed, and said,
"Thank you."
He picked out a mask and slipped it over his face. Then, reaching again, he took the box from her arms.
"Looks heavy. Let me help."
The girl's smile only grew sweeter.
Turning to his colleagues, the sheriff raised his voice.
"Anyone else want one? But you'll have to pay!"
"Grab me one! But you're shameless. We all heard her—it's supposed to be free!"
"Tch, just a little service fee for the trouble. What, you really want it for nothing?"
"Hah, listen to yourself! You think I'm that kind of guy?"
Voices overlapped, laughter rising with the crowd. No one seemed to care about the sheriffs' identities anymore. Soon, they were simply part of the flow.
The snow still hadn't melted, but surrounded by the lively crowd, warmth spread all around...
...
"Boss Nicole, judging from that crash just now, I'd say repairs will run you at least 800,000 Dennies..."
"How much?!"