Chapter 418: The Confession
The metallic clink of the identity tags echoed softly as everyone reached out to claim their own. The small, carefully crafted plates felt cool against their palms, carrying an inexplicable, grounding weight. It was as if these tags had been forged specifically for their unique etheric signatures, radiating a quiet sense of belonging.
Though questions still swirled in their minds, hesitation was entirely absent. They chose to place their unwavering trust in the sibling Rope Masters they had bled and fought alongside, their fingers curling tightly around the cold metal.
Unsurprisingly, the Cunning Hares were the fastest to act.
Anby tucked her tag away with practiced, crisp efficiency, her expression unreadable but focused. Beside her, Nicole rubbed the polished surface of her tag with a shrewd, glittering smile, her eyes sparkling as if she were appraising a priceless artifact.
Neither had forgotten the siblings'earlier promise inside the Hollow. With these tags, they could traverse the chaotic dimensions just like Phaethon. More, defeating Ethereals meant'looting' chests overflowing with rare supplies and bizarre gadgets. For the perpetually broke Cunning Hares, who lived and breathed financial deficits, the allure of free resources was absolutely irresistible.
"Well then," Wise exhaled a long breath, steadying his nerves. Meeting the curious, expectant gazes of his friends, he stepped aside and placed his hand against the heavy, rusted door of the old warehouse. The structure looked entirely out of place, a dilapidated relic rotting in the corner of the district. "Everyone, please come in. Welcome to... our temporary base."
The heavy hinges groaned softly, a surprisingly smooth sound that betrayed the door's ruined exterior. Driven by a mix of anticipation and apprehension, the group followed Wise and Belle over the threshold.
With a single step, the universe shifted.
The oppressive gloom, the biting chill, and the choking scent of industrial dust were instantly severed, left behind in the alleyway.
A bright, incredibly soft luminescence washed over them. It was a uniform radiance, perfectly calibrated to soothe tired eyes, mimicking the warmth of natural daylight without a single visible bulb or fixture. Then came the climate—a gentle, perfectly temperate breeze circulating fresh air, carrying the distant, muffled sounds of cheerful music and lighthearted laughter.
But the visual impact was the most staggering.
They stood at the edge of a colossal hall. The ceiling arched impossibly high overhead, decorated in an eclectic yet strangely harmonious blend of architectural styles. The sheer volume of the room defied all logic. From the outside, the warehouse was barely large enough to store a few trucks. Inside, the spatial dimensions were magnified dozens of times over, yet there was no dizzying distortion or oppressive etheric pressure. Every proportion felt perfectly grounded.
"This...!" The usually composed, relaxed smile vanished from Yanagi's face, replaced by absolute, unadulterated shock.
As the Deputy Chief of Hollow Special Operations Section 6, she had access to the most highly classified projects and advanced ether technology within the H.I.A. Yet, a localized spatial distortion capable of disguising a massive, stable, and breathable habitat behind a rotting warehouse facade was entirely beyond her comprehension. Could modern human engineering truly achieve this? For a fleeting second, she felt a wave of surreal vertigo.
Lycaon's crimson eyes narrowed into sharp slits. handling the treacherous waters of New Eridu's elite clientele and their guarded secrets was his daily routine. He had serviced the most opulent mansions, bypassed the most draconian security grids, and observed advanced private laboratories.
Yet, seeing such god-like spatial manipulation casually used for a 'front-line base' shattered his expectations. This wasn't merely a display of technology; it represented a terrifying, immeasurable depth of resources. His gaze discreetly tracked the busy Bangboos scurrying across the hall, his Victoria Housekeeping instincts instantly shifting him into a state of high alert.
"Whoa—!!!" Caesar shattered the heavy silence.
Unbothered by the complex geopolitical implications, the leader of the Sons of Calydon simply stared with wide eyes and a slacked jaw. She took in the hidden paradise, then enthusiastically slapped Wise on the back, her voice booming with pure admiration.
"This is amazing! Wise! Belle! As expected of the legendary Phaethon! To think you were hiding such insane tech! This place is grander than the New Eridu City Hall! How did you guys even pull this off? It must have cost a fortune!"
Wise stumbled forward from the heavy impact, waving his hands frantically with a wry, embarrassed smile. "No, no! Caesar, you've got it all wrong! This isn't our technology. We couldn't build something like this in a hundred years."
Belle stepped up, raising her voice slightly to ensure the echoing hall carried her words to everyone. "All of this actually exists because my brother and I had a chance encounter with a very special group of friends." She paused, letting the weight of her next words settle. "They are Travelers and Trailblazers from... other worlds. This base, along with the special items we used earlier, were entirely manifested through their unique powers and technology."
"Another world?!" The phrase dropped like a bomb, sending shockwaves through the group.
Billy dashed forward, his visor glowing with a terrifyingly bright intensity. His mechanical joints whirred, his voice trembling with sheer fanboy urgency. "Store Manager! How did you meet them?! Could it be... do the spatial rifts inside the Hollows actually connect to alternate dimensions?!"
He grabbed his head, pacing rapidly. "Could the world of the Starlight Knight be hiding behind a Void rift?! There has to be one, right?! Did you guys travel through a rift?! Can you take me—"
Wise felt a headache coming on from the cyborg's relentless enthusiasm. He chuckled awkwardly, taking a half-step back and pressing his hands down in a calming motion. "Billy, breathe. Calm down. We didn't meet them through a Void rift. That's way too dangerous, and we've never found a stable passage to another reality inside a Hollow. As for how we met... well, it's a very unique situation. A bit of a secret. I really can't say much more right now." He offered an apologetic smile.
Belle moved to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her brother. Looking at the faces of their trusted partners—now painted with varying shades of shock, curiosity, and suspicion—her expression hardened into absolute sincerity.
"Everyone... regarding our friends from other worlds and the origins of this base, this is the absolute limit of what we can disclose. We are truly sorry for keeping you in the dark for so long." She bowed deeply, her voice steady. "But please believe this wasn't born from a lack of trust. The forces involved in this matter... they operate on a level far more complex and sensitive than we ever imagined. Knowing too much right now would only paint a target on your backs, bringing unnecessary danger to you all. I hope you can forgive us."
Belle's earnest plea acted like a cooling balm on the restless, buzzing energy at the entrance. The wild curiosity and lingering shock on their faces slowly melted into thoughtful silence and understanding.
Standing quietly near the back of the group, Zhu Yuan absorbed the siblings' explanation. The faint sting of displeasure she had harbored over being excluded instantly evaporated. In its place, a chilling wave of clarity washed over the PubSec officer.
Visitors from another dimension. God-like spatial technology. If a single whisper of this leaked into the underbelly of New Eridu, the resulting bloodbath would be catastrophic. The megalomaniacal scientists obsessed with ether ascension, the monolithic corporations desperate for absolute control, the shadow syndicates—they would swarm the siblings like starving sharks smelling blood in the water. Wise and Belle, two independent Rope Masters without a massive military backing, would be ripped apart.
Their secrecy wasn't an act of distance; it was a desperate, heavy shield meant to protect everyone standing in this room.
Feeling the familiar, heavy mantle of duty settle onto her shoulders, Zhu Yuan took a deep breath. She stepped out from the crowd, her boots clicking sharply against the floor, and moved to stand beside Wise and Belle. She turned to face the group, her posture rigid, her tone echoing with absolute, commanding authority.
"Everyone, please listen to me." Her sharp gaze locked onto every single person present, ensuring she had their undivided attention. "The Store Manager and Miss Belle are entirely correct to be cautious. Everything we have seen and heard here today completely shatters the established laws of New Eridu."
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