Chapter 17: Anchored in Blazewood
Lumine and Dan Heng, muscles tensed and weapons drawn, had nearly launched a preemptive strike against the approaching figures. Billy's frantic waving and loud, metallic voice barely managed to de-escalate the situation before plasma and wind could fly. Still, a Hollow was no place for a casual reunion. The oppressive, ether-heavy atmosphere pressed against them, urging a swift exit.
As they handled the shifting, corrupted corridors toward the exit, Caesar marched at the front, her heavy shield slung casually over her shoulder. She explained the situation with a mix of frustration and relief. A mysterious phone call had tipped off the Sons of Calydon that Wise and Billy had been swallowed by a Hollow. The anonymous caller even provided a highly detailed, pinpoint-accurate route map. That intel was the only reason they had managed to mobilize and plunge into the danger zone so quickly—though, glancing at the unharmed group, Caesar admitted with a wry grin that they were a step too late for the actual rescue.
The moment Lumine, Dan Heng, and the rest of the rescue party stepped past the Hollow's threshold and back into the normal, breathable air of the Outer Ring, a familiar chime echoed in the minds of the chat group members.
[Ding! World Commission Completed! Reward points have been successfully distributed. Participants will be automatically teleported back to their original worlds in 60 minutes. Alternatively, you may confirm an early return at any time.]
Unlike his usual, exhausting dives into the ether-corrupted zones, Wise's physical presence inside the Hollow this time had been relatively brief. He hadn't been forced into any grueling combat or desperate sprints, leaving his stamina largely intact. There was no dizzying ether sickness, no threat of fainting. He simply dusted off his jacket, looking perfectly composed.
Paimon, floating nearby with her tiny hands on her hips, enthusiastically offered to use her mysterious "optimization" ability to cleanse him of any lingering ether corruption. Wise, ever the cautious and analytical Proxy, politely but firmly declined. His mind raced with the variables. The advanced, highly precise intelligent construct integrated into his eyes—a crucial tool for a Proxy—was a delicate piece of technology. He couldn't risk Paimon's bizarre, reality-bending magical rules misidentifying his cybernetic enhancements as "impurities" and wiping them out of existence.
Safe beneath the dusty, open sky of the Outer Ring, Wise pulled up the chat group interface. The system prompt had already announced their success, but he knew a personal update was necessary to ease the lingering anxiety of his friends—especially his sister.
[Zenless Zone Zero · Wise]: "We have successfully walked out of the Hollow. Everyone can stand down. There's no need to worry anymore."
[Zenless Zone Zero · Wise]: "@[Zenless Zone Zero · Belle] Belle, I know you must already be on your way to the Outer Ring. Don't panic. We are safely out of the Hollow and have rendezvoused with the Sons of Calydon."
[Zenless Zone Zero · Wise]: "Make sure you pay strict attention to your surroundings on the road! I highly suspect this entire incident was a deliberate, orchestrated plot to trap us. It is entirely possible they might target you next. I will ask Caesar to send someone to escort you. Please, be extra careful."
[The Stellaron Hunters · March 7th]: "Yeah, yeah! Belle, take a deep breath and don't let your emotions drive the car! With Dan Heng and Lumine there, Wise was in the safest hands possible. You need to focus on your own safety right now!"
The rest of the group quickly chimed in, echoing March 7th's sentiments. They urged Belle to slow down and stay vigilant. Wise was out of the Hollow, physically unharmed and thinking clearly. The immediate crisis was over.
[Zenless Zone Zero · Belle]: "Alright... I'll listen to you guys."
Belle, despite her frantic worry for her brother, was pragmatic. She recognized the genuine concern from her multiversal friends and understood the tactical logic in Wise's warning. She immediately agreed to slow her pace and keep her guard up.
Closing the chat interface, Wise turned his attention back to the physical world. He looked at the leader of the Sons of Calydon, his expression turning serious. "Caesar, I have strong reason to believe we were set up. Falling into that Hollow wasn't an accident."
He paused, glancing down the dusty highway leading back toward New Eridu. "My sister, Belle, is currently en route to the Outer Ring to find me. Could you spare some of your people to intercept and escort her? If whoever orchestrated this is still watching, I'm worried they might make a move against her."
Caesar didn't hesitate for a single second. She slammed a fist against her chest plate, the metal ringing out sharply. "Leave it to us! We were the ones who reached out to ask the legendary Proxy Phaeton for help in the first place."
Her brow furrowed with genuine guilt. "It's already a massive dereliction of duty on our part that you had to suffer through this ordeal. I swear on the Sons of Calydon, we will absolutely not let your sister run into any trouble on our turf!"
She turned, her voice barking out with authoritative command. "Lighter! Rev up and go meet the Proxy's sister. Bring her in safe."
Lighter, leaning casually against his heavily modified motorcycle, offered a confident smirk. He swung a leg over the leather seat, the engine roaring to life with a twist of the throttle. "No problem, Boss. I'll be right back with her."
Billy Kid strutted over, aggressively patting his metallic chest with a loud clank. He pointed a finger gun at Wise. "Wise, my man, rest completely assured! Brother Lighter here is the brand new 'Ever-Victorious Champion' of the Outer Ring! His combat skills are... well, maybe just a tiny bit worse than the great Billy Kid's! But with him riding out to pick up the Vice Manager, she's in absolutely solid hands! Hahaha!"
With the immediate logistics settled, the group began the dusty trek toward the Sons of Calydon's main stronghold.
Along the way, Caesar extended a warm invitation for the multiversal rescuers to stay and rest, but Lumine and Paimon politely declined. Wise was safe, breathing fresh air, and surrounded by heavily armed allies. Their mission here was a complete success. Back in their own world, the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame was still ongoing. Kachina was scheduled to step into the grueling arena of the Stadium of the Sacred Flame, and she desperately needed her friends in the stands to cheer her on. They couldn't afford to miss it.
Dan Heng walked quietly near the back of the group. He had originally intended to pull Paimon aside to further discuss the terrifying implications of the Mara-Struck affliction and whether her bizarre 'optimization' could truly cure it. But seeing the traveler and her floating companion so eager to return to their own pressing matters in Natlan, he decided to hold his tongue. The Mara was an ancient, deeply rooted curse of the Xianzhou; there was no need to rush a potential miracle in a dusty wasteland.
Besides, the timer in his mind indicated he still had a little time left. Observing the societal structure and environmental conditions of this strange, ether-plagued world was a rare and valuable opportunity for the Express's archivist.
Once Wise, Dan Heng, and the Sons of Calydon had loaded into their rugged off-road vehicles and driven off in a cloud of exhaust and desert dust, Lumine and Paimon slipped away. They handled behind a cluster of jagged rocks, finding a quiet, secluded corner hidden from any wandering eyes.
Confirming the area was completely secure, Lumine mentally engaged the chat group's interface and triggered the return function.
A brilliant, crystalline blue light flared in the shadows of the rocks. In the blink of an eye, the Outlander and her guide vanished from the Outer Ring, hurtling back across the multiverse to Teyvat to witness the climax of the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame.
Soon after, the convoy roared into the heart of the Sons of Calydon's territory—Blazewood. The town was a rugged, industrial settlement built from scrap metal, roaring engines, and sheer stubborn willpower.
Upon arrival, Wise was immediately swept up in business. He needed to sit down with Caesar to officially discuss the terms of their cooperation and the details of the commission that had brought him out here in the first place.
Dan Heng used this opportunity to temporarily part ways with the Proxy. With less than half an hour remaining on his system timer, he wanted to absorb as much information as possible about the local customs, the technology, and the daily lives of the people surviving in this harsh environment.
The archivist walked the dusty streets of Blazewood, his sharp cyan eyes taking in the patchwork architecture. The buildings were functional, heavily reinforced against the elements, but entirely lacking the sleek, futuristic polish of the Xianzhou Luofu or Pier Point. He struck up a conversation with a grizzled local elder named Demir, politely inquiring about the town's history and the broader geopolitical landscape of the Outer Ring.
From the brief exchange, Dan Heng deduced that the Outer Ring was a severely underdeveloped, marginalized region. The infrastructure was rugged and utilitarian, heavily reliant on highly combustible, traditional energy sources—specifically, raw fuel and oil extracted from the barren earth.
Piecing together the political fragments, Dan Heng realized the true weight of Wise's commission. The Sons of Calydon hadn't invited the legendary Proxy Phaeton for a simple delivery. They were gearing up for a massive territorial dispute. They intended to challenge the current ruling faction, The Vanquishers, for the absolute title of Overlord of the Outer Ring. The core of this impending conflict wasn't just pride—it was the monopoly over the region's lifeblood: the fuel and oil resources.
With his mental map of the area updated and his timer ticking down, Dan Heng handled back to the makeshift command center where Wise and Caesar were finalizing their plans.
"Wise. Miss Caesar," Dan Heng called out, his tone calm and measured as he approached the rusted metal table.
Both turned to look at him. Dan Heng held their gaze, his expression entirely sincere. "Before I depart, I would like to request permission to place a Space Anchor within your town."
Seeing Caesar's slightly confused tilt of the head, he elaborated. "This device is a traditional symbol of the Astral Express's Trailblaze. Once deployed, it will automatically anchor the spatial coordinates of this world, continuously record basic environmental data, and passively draw ambient energy to help refuel the Express."
He paused, ensuring his next words carried the right weight. "More, establishing this anchor will allow my companions and me to travel to this location much more conveniently in the future, should you ever require our assistance again."
Sensing potential hesitation regarding foreign technology, Dan Heng quickly reassured them. "I guarantee it will not cause any negative impact on your town or its residents. Functionally, it is very similar to a passive signal tower. The only real change to Blazewood will be the addition of a rather unique-looking glowing landmark."
Dan Heng kept his posture relaxed, hiding nothing. The mechanics of the Trailblaze were open and honest.
Wise, leaning against the table, nodded immediately. He had absolutely no objections. After the life-and-death rescue operation in the Hollow, his trust in the chat group members was absolute. He knew their character, and he knew the value of having a direct lifeline to a powerhouse like Dan Heng.
Caesar, meanwhile, had already received an earful from Billy Kid about how ridiculously skilled the "guy with the spear" was. Anyone who could casually carve through ether mutants and was a trusted friend of Proxy Phaeton was someone the Sons of Calydon wanted on their good side.
She flashed a wide, toothy grin and gave a thumbs-up. "No problem at all! Plant that thing wherever you want!"
Normally, the Sons of Calydon's sharp-tongued strategist, Lucy, would be the one carefully negotiating the terms of placing foreign tech in their base. However, Caesar had already dispatched Lucy to coordinate with Lighter in escorting Belle safely to Blazewood, leaving the Boss to make the executive decision.
Seeing that permission was granted, Dan Heng extended his hand.
A ripple of spatial energy distorted the air. In the blink of an eye, a massive, basketball-sized construct materialized in his grasp. Aside from Wise, who was somewhat accustomed to the bizarre inventory systems of his multiversal friends, the surrounding Calydon gang members gasped. They stared in bewildered awe, wondering exactly where this calm young man had been hiding a giant, glowing blue crystal housing a swirling sphere of pure light.
Dan Heng stepped back and gently lowered the heavy crystal construct toward the dusty floor.
The moment the base of the Space Anchor made contact with the earth, it activated. A soft, incredibly stable azure light pulsed outward, washing over the rusted metal walls of the command center. The swirling sphere of light trapped within the core flared with sudden, brilliant intensity.
A low, resonant hum vibrated through the air. Defying gravity entirely, the main body of the device lifted off the ground, floating steadily at waist height. complex, prismatic crystal structures smoothly extruded from both its upper and lower apexes, locking into place with satisfying mechanical clicks. Several faintly glowing, ethereal rings materialized out of thin air, encircling the glowing core. They immediately began a complex, elegant dance of rotation and revolution, casting shifting blue shadows across the room.
Caesar's eyes widened to the size of saucers. She leaned in close, practically pressing her nose against the floating rings, before slowly circling the device to inspect it from every angle.
"Ho! Look at this!" she exclaimed, her voice thick with genuine mechanical admiration. "This thing is just hovering here! No exhaust, no thrusters, no fuel lines—how the heck is it doing that? That's amazing! This 'Astral Express' of yours is seriously packing some extraordinary tech!"
Dan Heng offered a polite nod, but his internal clock was ticking loudly. The sixty-minute teleportation window was rapidly closing.
"I still have pressing matters to attend to back on the Express," Dan Heng said, formally bidding farewell to Wise and the awestruck gang leader. "I must take my leave now. May our paths cross again."
He needed to find a secluded spot immediately. Vanishing into thin air in the middle of a crowded gang hideout would only invite unnecessary panic and endless questions.
Caesar opened her mouth, clearly wanting to invite him for a massive celebratory feast, but seeing the quiet urgency in his eyes, she swallowed her words. There would be plenty of time to throw a banquet for the spear-wielding hero the next time he used that fancy glowing anchor to visit.
Dan Heng slipped out of the command center, finding a quiet, shadowed alleyway between two massive fuel tanks. He confirmed he was alone and mentally accepted the system's prompt.
Light-years away, in the quiet, carpeted parlor car of the Astral Express, a brilliant, cylindrical beam of blue light suddenly flashed from the ceiling to the floor. As the light faded, Dan Heng stepped forward, the familiar scent of Himeko's brewed coffee replacing the heavy tang of Outer Ring oil. He was home.
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