Midnight, outside Victoria Housekeeping.
Ellen stood beneath a warm streetlight, straightening Phaga's collar like a wife sending her husband off on a trip. She slipped his usual white gloves onto his hands herself, muttering as she worked:
"I called the store manager earlier. I asked her to sneak some Black documents from the military. They're with Corin. Check them later."
Phaga's eyes shifted as he suddenly felt something touch his arm. Looking down, he saw Corin pushing a stack of more than ten pages toward him, glancing up at him with worry.
"Thanks, Corin."
Phaga forced a smile and ruffled her small head.
His warm hand gently brushed over her hair. Corin froze like a startled hamster, cheeks reddening in shy confusion.
"Hey, hey, move it, move it. I've still got real work to do! The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go home and sleep, ha~~~"
Rain yawned loudly, pressing Corin's shoulder to pull her behind her. With a sharp motion, she slapped the Kunmutu into Phaga's arms.
Phaga caught it and immediately noticed the weight felt off.
Looking down, he saw that Rain had slipped a small booklet in along with the Kunmutu.
He hung the Kunmutu behind him, then picked up the booklet and flipped it over a few times. Seeing nothing unusual, he looked up at Rain in confusion.
"What's this?"
"The manual."
Rain rubbed her tired, stinging eyes and yawned again.
"Boss, I earned all six million dingni with a clear conscience. Sacrifice No. 2 is fully cracked—its main functions are already transferred to the Kunmutu. I gave you the manual, so read it."
"Whew… so tired."
By the end, Rain could barely keep her eyes open. Acting purely on instinct, she wandered toward the house, planning to stay at Victoria's for the night.
But—thud!
Still stooped over, she walked straight into the mailbox at Victoria Housekeeping's door, bounced backward, and hit the ground, instantly awake.
"Miss Rain!"
Little Corin cried out and hurried over to help her up.
"This girl…"
Phaga pulled back his gaze and couldn't help shaking his head with a small laugh.
But then a shadow brushed the corner of his vision. His chest tightened, a warm breath brushing against his heart.
"E… Ellen?"
Phaga froze, briefly flustered. But within moments he steadied himself, breathing slowing, gaze softening as he reached up and pinched Ellen's cheek.
"Silly girl. Vampires don't get in trouble that easily."
But the moment she heard that, Ellen slapped his hand away and bit down hard on his chest, only releasing when pain made his muscles twitch. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she choked out:
"The Void Hunter was wiped out, and you're still trying to act tough!"
"Listen to me, Phaga Kunmutu!"
Ellen wiped the corners of her eyes, glaring fiercely at him, forcing each word through clenched teeth:
"You're going because you're the center of the public storm—you have no choice. But the vampire clan agreed to take point this time. You're just there to support them. Do you hear me?"
"Of course I—"
"He knows, he knows. Alright, enough talking. Our vampire clan's driver has been waiting forever. He's got a wife and kids waiting for him at home, you know?"
"See? He loves his wife so much he's still murmuring her name."
Phaga was about to argue when Bern suddenly cut in, pointing at the driver inside the stretched Lincoln, who sat with his back to them, fumbling with something.
Unable to make out what he was saying, Phaga called Ellen's phone with his own, then tossed his phone through the car window.
Under Ellen's confused stare, he reached into her bag, pulled out her phone, and swiped to answer.
He turned on the speaker.
A second later, the driver's voice blasted through the speaker, shocking everyone.
[Hehehe, Soukaku baby, Soukaku baby, so adorable!]
Phaga and Ellen froze, faces going blank as they slowly turned toward Bern.
Bern awkwardly looked away.
But then he reconsidered—wrapped up like a dumpling, no one could see his expression anyway. Dodging the look only made him seem weak.
So he straightened up proudly.
"See? Put yourself in his shoes. The sooner he gets off work, the sooner he can get back to his real business!"
As he spoke, Bern somehow maneuvered behind Phaga.
Ellen sensed something and lifted her hand to stop him—
—but before she could react, Bern shoved Phaga straight into the car.
He climbed in right after, slammed the door, snatched the driver's phone the moment he wasn't looking, and shouted:
"Eyes on the road! Or I'll hand this to Tsukishiro Yanagi—trust me, you don't want that!"
"Yes, sir!"
Terrified, the driver turned the key at once.
Vroom!
The engine roared, echoing Ellen's turbulent heart.
Heat blasted from the exhaust as the stretched Lincoln shot forward, leaving nothing but tire tracks—and Ellen—behind.
"Hey, hey!"
A hand waved in front of her. A voice called out. Ellen snapped back to herself and turned.
Rain withdrew her hand, raising an eyebrow. "Come on, it's long gone. Why're you still staring?"
Ellen pulled her gaze back and looked at Rain. "Then what are you waiting here for?"
"I made a bet with little Corin that your car would leave and within three seconds you'd turn around all heartbroken and head home."
Rain said this while pulling out two pieces of bubble gum. She handed one to Corin.
"Here. A bet's a bet. This is top-hacker-approved gourmet food!"
"Is something you're not supposed to swallow considered gourmet…?"
Corin's mouth twitched, but she still put the gum away.
"Of course! Here, Ellen—take one too. Clears your head."
Rain looked perfectly serious as she handed Ellen the other piece.
Ellen glanced at Rain, emotions swirling. She sighed and took the gum.
But before entering the house, she suddenly asked:
"Rain… do you know a way for an Ether to leave a hollow without dying?"
"Do I look like some kind of miracle worker to you? Let me spell it out—I'm just a hacker who barely knows how to fix a computer!"
Rain practically roared the words, panting afterward.
But the next moment, her eyes lit up.
"Hey!"
Hearing that, Ellen—who'd been walking like a lifeless shell—froze and spun around.
And saw Rain's eyes shining.
"If you can get another Sacrifice No. 3, it might work!"
…
An hour later, the stretched Lincoln stopped in front of a black hole, with dozens of people gathered around it.
Bern opened the door and pushed Phaga out.
The crowd immediately surrounded them.
A very young, strikingly handsome man was brought forward. Seeing Phaga, he nodded politely, then turned to Bern.
He glanced around to confirm no outsiders were present, then leaned close and whispered:
"Uncle, the clan sent thirty core family members."
"That many?"
Bern's heart tightened. Thirty core family members meant thirty pure-blooded vampires—a considerable force.
"Yes. This mission is special. Nothing can go wrong."
The man nodded again, confirming the number.
"Alright."
Bern accepted it, then walked up beside Phaga.
"Ready? We're entering the hollow."
"You're going too, Chief Scientist?"
Phaga was genuinely surprised. The Chief Scientist entering a danger zone?
"If I don't go, who's going to drag your half-dead body out so I can study it?"
Bern said this casually and stepped into the hollow.
"Hmph…"
Phaga rolled his eyes, full of disbelief.
Then he stepped in too, plunging into the surreal hollow.
The thirty pure-blooded vampires behind him didn't hesitate and followed.
[Whoosh!]
The moment they entered, dozens of ether creatures blocked their path.
The goblins let out an ear-splitting roar and charged.
"Blocking the entrance? Unbelievable. All of you—take them out!"
Bern's eyes sharpened as he gave the order.
"Yes!"
The thirty vampires struck like a wrathful pantheon. The Ether creatures didn't fall—they simply ceased to exist.
"Keep moving. Once enough ether creatures die, Black will show himself."
Bern commanded, directing the vampire force forward.
But at that moment, a cloud of black smoke abruptly appeared behind him, dipping toward his ear:
[You're right. Here I am.]
…