A triumphant chuckle escaped Nicole as she strode toward the door, pulling Anby along without so much as a backward glance. Her mood was visibly soaring.
[Ding! Nicole's favorability increased by 10%. Current favorability: 30%]
Ye Qingfeng could only stare blankly at their retreating backs. He was now utterly convinced he'd been outmaneuvered by Nicole. What was even clearer was the grim reality of the Cunning Hares' finances—they were in a far more precarious state than he had initially guessed.
Ah, well... At least I'm not working for free, he consoled himself. I get a daily, unabashed view, and if nothing else, it's a feast for the eyes.
Damn capitalists! Might as well forget about that salary. I'll treat it as free room and board. When I'm short on cash, I'll just find a side hustle to earn some Denny.
And once I have my own Denny... maybe then I can truly do as I please!
Noticing the two women had already slipped their shoes on and were waiting for him by the door, he hurriedly scrambled to his feet and jogged over to join them.
As they made their way from the hideout to the clothing district, Ye Qingfeng kept up a steady stream of questions, deftly mixing inquiries about recent events with more basic, foundational knowledge about New Eridu.
Fortunately, Nicole was in an agreeable mood and answered his queries with surprising detail.
Through this subtle interrogation, Ye Qingfeng managed to assemble a clearer picture of this world. In essence, it was a post-apocalyptic landscape forged from the catastrophe following the uncontrollable Hollow Zero expanded rapidly, engulfing the city, and the society that remained was now called New Eridu.
The Hollows themselves were nightmarish spaces where reality was distorted, teeming with monstrous entities and dangerous Ether matter.
This much, Nicole explained, was common knowledge. But she then leaned in slightly, her voice dropping as she shared less public information.
For instance, Ether matter posed a severe corrosion risk. Insufficient Ether adaptability could be fatal. And even with an adaptability rating exceeding 60%, prolonged exposure carried a grim risk: gradual transformation into a creature known as an Ethereal Fiend.
[Ding! Potential Love Interest: Ellen Joe]
[Initial Favorability: 0%]
Just as Ye Qingfeng was mentally cataloging this new information, they passed a bubble tea shop. A system chime echoed in his mind, and he instinctively looked up.
Four girls in school uniforms were exiting the shop, each holding a drink. But that wasn't what caught his attention.
Three of them were chattering animatedly, forming a protective circle around the girl in the center. This central figure was not only marked as a potential love interest by his system but also possessed... a shark's tail?
If I could hug that plump, soft-looking tail to sleep... I can't even imagine how comfortable that would be!
The tail swayed gently from side to side with her movement, flexibly maintaining its rhythm. It had to be over a meter long!
It can't be a prosthetic, can it?
The shark girl seemed to sense his stare. She turned her head, her eyes—lidded with a lazy, almost bored expression—narrowing slightly as they landed on him.
It was a brief glance, lasting barely a second, yet a single bead of cold sweat traced a path down Ye Qingfeng's temple.
Her gaze held only a flicker of curiosity and assessment, but his instincts screamed one thing with absolute certainty: This shark is terrifyingly strong!
"See something you like, Pervert Feng?" Nicole teased, digging an elbow playfully into his side. "Got a thing for Sharkees?"
"No, no! It's nothing like that," Ye Qingfeng insisted, his face twisting as he rubbed his sore waist. He snapped back to reality, shooting a helpless glare at Nicole, who merely shrugged, utterly unrepentant. His indignation flared for a moment... and then fizzled out just as quickly.
Remembering how patiently Nicole had answered all his questions and that she was footing the bill for today's shopping, Ye Qingfeng decided a small gesture was in order.
Considering the sweltering heat, he ducked into the bubble tea shop and emerged with three cups of the cheapest iced original flavor. With his last 200 Denny spent and the three drinks in hand, he approached the two with an ingratiating smile.
"Sister Nicole, a little refreshment for you! Anby, this one's yours."
Nicole accepted the drink without ceremony, stabbed a straw through the lid, and took several long, satisfying pulls.
Anby offered a soft "Thank you," took her cup, inserted the straw with care, and began sipping quietly.
With Nicole and Anby walking side-by-side ahead and Ye Qingfeng following behind, sipping his own tea, he allowed himself a moment to appreciate the simple, peaceful rhythm of the afternoon.
Sister Nicole might project the image of a wild, carefree big sister, but underneath it all, she was sharp and cunning. Anby, meanwhile, gave the impression of being a bit spacey, both in her actions and her words, but he was starting to learn there was more to her.
They spent the rest of the day browsing, and as evening began to settle, a tranquil, almost mystical ambiance descended upon the streets. The fading sunlight gilded the buildings in hues of orange and red, transforming the mundane cityscape into something poetic.
Ye Qingfeng, now clad in his new clothes and thoroughly exhausted, trudged behind Nicole and Anby, his arms weighed down by numerous shopping bags.
Since Nicole had borne the full cost of the day's expenditures, her expression had grown progressively stormier. Ye Qingfeng didn't have the nerve to ask her to help carry the loot.
Anby is so thoughtful, he noted with gratitude.
She had proactively offered to carry the groceries for tonight's dinner…
Not only that, he finally understood the old saying about the perils of accompanying women on shopping trips. He'd once dismissed it as an exaggeration. Now, he knew better—it was a special kind of torture!
Suddenly, a man burst from a side alley ahead, sprinting directly toward them. Hot on his heels was a woman in a police uniform, shouting, "Stop! Halt right there!"
The fugitive charged straight through the gap between Nicole and Anby. Spotting Ye Qingfeng blocking his path, he snarled, "Get out of my way, you idiot!"
Ye Qingfeng hastily sidestepped, but as the man rushed past, he deftly—and seemingly accidentally—stuck out his foot. The fugitive crashed to the pavement with a grunt. In the same motion, under the utterly bewildered stares of Nicole and Anby, Ye Qingfeng let himself tumble to the ground beside him.
Both women tilted their heads in perfect unison, faces etched with pure confusion as they looked from Ye Qingfeng to the shopping bags now scattered around him.
The pursuing officer, who hadn't witnessed the tripping maneuver, rushed past the two women and skidded to a halt, surprised to find her target already sprawled on the ground. She immediately pounced, efficiently subduing and restraining the robber.
Anby observed the entire scene without a word, not moving a muscle.
Nicole, her brow furrowed in puzzlement, started to approach but caught Ye Qingfeng giving her a deliberate wink. Though she didn't fully grasp his plan, she trusted his cue. She stopped short, deciding to watch how the situation played out.
His motivation for this little charade, of course, was the new notification flashing in his mind.
[Ding! Potential Love Interest: Zhu Yuan]
[Initial Favorability: 0%]
After securely handcuffing the man to a nearby lamppost, Zhu Yuan finally turned her attention to Ye Qingfeng, who was still on the ground, and the two female bystanders.
Seeing their passive, confused expressions, she quickly assumed they were unconnected to the incident.
"Sir, are you alright? Are you hurt?" Zhu Yuan asked, her voice laced with concern as she knelt beside him.
A unique scent washed over him—a clean, subtle body fragrance intertwined with the faint, salty hint of fresh sweat. It wasn't unpleasant; rather, it carried an aura of vigorous vitality.
Ye Qingfeng wasn't surprised. She had, after all, been in a high-speed chase. Still, he thought, it smells... surprisingly nice.
"I'll be fine," he groaned, "but my family heirloom... it's shattered!"
Somehow, he had already retrieved a delicate glass promotional paperweight from one of the bags. He held it up mournfully, then let the pieces clatter to the ground for emphasis.
He crouched, picking up a few glittering shards and staring at them with a convincingly devastated expression.
"Oh, dear... Please, sir, don't be too distraught," Zhu Yuan said softly, helping him to his feet. Their bodies brushed briefly during the process, but she paid it no mind. She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a confidential whisper near his ear, "Public security provides a reward for acts of civic bravery. I can recommend you for the highest tier. I know it can't replace your family heirloom, but I hope it can serve as some small compensation."
She felt a pang of responsibility, believing her failure to apprehend the criminal sooner had indirectly caused his loss.
Nicole, peering at the "priceless heirloom" in Ye Qingfeng's hand, found it oddly familiar. It suddenly clicked—it was the free commemorative trinket that came with the phone they'd just bought!
Catching on instantly, she swooped in. In one fluid motion, she gathered all the fallen shopping bags with one hand, turned to Anby, and clamped her other hand over the girl's mouth before she could speak. She shot Ye Qingfeng a quick, knowing look that said 'I've got your back,' and swiftly hustled a confused, muffled-protesting Anby away from the scene.
Nicole's timing is flawless, Ye Qingfeng thought with immense relief.
With his audience gone, Ye Qingfeng committed fully to the performance. With an expression of tragic resolve, he dramatically scattered the remaining glass fragments from his hand.
"Ah, what does it matter now!" he lamented, his voice thick with faux sorrow. "You gave yourself for the peace of New Eridu. A worthy end."
Perfect. Evidence disposed of.
[Ding! Zhu Yuan's favorability increased by 10%. Current favorability: 10%]
"Sir... might I ask your name?" Zhu Yuan inquired, her eyes shining with genuine admiration. Such selfless sacrifice, she thought. He's a true citizen.
"Of course! I have no reason to hide it. I am Ye Qingfeng!" he declared, puffing out his chest and fixing his gaze heroically on the horizon, the very picture of righteous valor.
"And you, officer," he asked, turning his earnest gaze upon her, "Might I know the name of New Eridu's dedicated protector?"
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