Reckless, flamboyant, fearless—that was the attitude Zane was showing at that moment. Perhaps, just as the officer said, it was extreme arrogance.
But looking at the Defense Force lying defeated across the ground, that accusation didn't seem quite so arrogant after all...
By now, the "Wings of the Flow of Light" on his back had shrunk to a normal size, still radiant, setting off his figure so vividly it was almost blinding.
"As enemies, I don't wipe you all out because you're nothing more than pitiful pawns obeying orders."
"Don't force me to lose what little humanity I have left."
"There's no real hostility between the Defense Force and me. Just because of the orders from some figure behind the scenes, it's come to this. Are you all brainless?"
"I don't believe it. Soldiers should be capable of more than just becoming pathetic sacrifices."
A few words were all it took. Not just the officer, but even Zhu Yuan and Qingyi, who didn't fully understand the situation, fell silent, their expressions stiffening.
Zane turned and left, the officer staring blankly at his retreating figure, lost and speechless.
What was he supposed to do now?
All the ideals he once held shattered like a burst bubble.
What could he do?
"There are many heroes in this world. Setting aside the positions of humans and Ethereals, that guy really is worthy of admiration."
Qingyi rested one hand on her hip, her expression settling back into normalcy. The impression Zane had left on her was one of overwhelming impact.
There weren't many who would dare, or could even seriously claim, to stand against all of New Eridu.
And those striking words he left behind...
Thinking of that, she turned to Zhu Yuan. As expected, Zhu Yuan's expression was shifting rapidly, clearly struggling to digest everything she had just heard.
After a moment, Zhu Yuan lifted her head and looked at the wounded Defense Force soldiers—some helping each other, others collapsed on the ground, their conditions unknown.
"These people... they should've had their own lives."
"But now..."
Zhu Yuan whispered.
The Defense Force had suffered heavy casualties in this operation.
She was a constable, and there were many constables around her. She knew that while some people feared them, some respected them, and some despised them, at the end of the day, once the uniform was off, they were just ordinary people.
Soldiers weren't much different.
But now...
Zhu Yuan didn't think Zane's current demeanor was some kind of act. He had no reason to fake it.
He wasn't some cruel, mindless Ethereal—in fact, he even seemed to have a sense of justice.
This wasn't about right or wrong. It was just that the two sides stood opposed.
As Zane had said, there was no real reason for them to be enemies.
Zhu Yuan still remembered how the "talking Ethereal" had first caused a stir online—by saving a little girl.
And now... he had just saved her too.
But... how had things come to this?
Qingyi tiptoed and reached out to ruffle Zhu Yuan's hair in comfort.
Zhu Yuan was an exceptionally talented young officer. She was capable, efficient, and carried a strong sense of justice and responsibility.
But in her thinking, she was still the same girl who had once believed she could help people and change the world through her own efforts.
In short, a little naïve.
The world, however, was far more complicated.
That was exactly why Qingyi, as her senior, was here.
Still...
Qingyi looked seriously at Zhu Yuan's uncertain expression.
Even if she wasn't there yet, Zhu Yuan would definitely become the person she aspired to be.
That was something Qingyi was sure of after working alongside her for so long.
"Senior, I want to investigate this."
Just as Qingyi was thinking of how to comfort her, Zhu Yuan's voice came quietly.
Qingyi turned to look. Zhu Yuan's face had regained its calm, and her eyes were filled with unwavering determination.
"I want to pursue the justice I believe in. I want to find out who's behind all this, what caused the hostility, and who the real victims are."
"He's definitely not a Hollow that just formed naturally. He must be a special existence born of corruption."
"I want to uncover the truth."
Zhu Yuan frowned in thought. She had that same stubbornness she had when she first became a constable—the same belief, the same drive.
She would fight for her own sense of justice.
Even if it wasn't her duty as a member of the Criminal Investigation Task Force or a constable of New Eridu.
"Alright, I'll go with you."
"After all, as your senior, I can't just let you charge in alone."
Qingyi smiled slightly as she spoke.
They exchanged a look. No more words were needed. After working together so long, they had developed a deep, tacit understanding.
"Senior, let's get someone to help carry the wounded out first."
"Sure."
"Then I'll leave it to you, Senior."
"Huh?"
Qingyi suddenly realized—there was no one left inside the Hollow. Almost everyone was lying here.
If they needed help, they would have to go outside the Hollow.
The military comms devices only worked for short distances. They were fine for small team coordination, but not for summoning reinforcements like before.
And those devices could break down easily too. They weren't reliable anymore.
As for signal flares—while useful—they couldn't do anything from inside the Hollow to reach the outside.
Given the situation, there was only one option.
Her own two legs, which thankfully didn't tire easily.
Seeing how exhausted Zhu Yuan looked, Qingyi knew there was no other choice. With a sigh, she headed toward the edge of the Hollow.
...
Inside the rapidly shrinking Cretan Hollow.
"So this is the Hollow's final death throes?"
Zane spoke quietly as he watched the scene before him.
Ether crystals were forming at a speed visible to the naked eye, and from them, Ethereals were being born and torn free, immediately plunging into chaos.
Zane had seen the natural birth of Ethereals before—not from corruption—but it had never been this fast.
He wasn't sure why he had said what he did back there.
Maybe it was because he genuinely felt pity, because he couldn't just stand by.
Maybe it was because he wanted to sow chaos among the enemy ranks—the military couldn't be perfectly unified after all.
Maybe it was both.
"Compared to the Defense Force, these Ethereals feel more like my true enemies."
Zane looked at the newly born Ethereals. To him, Ethereals were natural enemies—like a tiger and its prey.
"In that case, I'm less like an Ethereal and more like someone standing on humanity's side."
The thought made Zane even more curious about the secrets hidden within himself.
"But... deciding which side to stand on, what kind of existence to become, what to fight for—
That's not something anyone else should decide."
"I'll decide it myself."