Chapter 339: What Are You Two Doing? Having a Picnic?
However, the sight that greeted them was a far cry from the expected tragedy of a critically injured Proxy bleeding out on the ground while Hoshimi Miyabi frantically scrambled to save his life.
Quite the opposite. Both Wise and Miyabi stood amidst the debris looking perfectly fine. Wise was talking animatedly, gesturing with his hands, while Miyabi listened in quiet attentiveness. The atmosphere between them felt surprisingly harmonious. They hardly looked like two survivors who had just clawed their way out of a perilous Hollow. If anything, they resembled two old friends catching up over a casual weekend afternoon tea.
Nicole's bright eyes instantly widened to the size of saucers. She planted her hands firmly on her hips, her face twisting into an exaggerated expression of absolute disbelief. Stomping forward, she closed the distance between them in a few aggressive strides, her voice pitching up an octave.
"Hey, hey, hey! What exactly are you two doing? Having a picnic?! You martial arts fox!"
She jabbed an accusing finger directly at Miyabi. "Didn't you literally just say over the emergency comms that the Proxy was seriously injured, in critical condition, and urgently needed rescue? How come you two look as relaxed as if you're debating where to grab dinner tonight?!"
Her piercing shout instantly shattered the brief bubble of tranquility.
The subtle, rare softness that had settled over Miyabi's features vanished in a heartbeat, replaced by her usual mask of icy composure. A fleeting flicker of annoyance crossed her crimson eyes, clearly displeased at being misunderstood and rudely interrupted.
Yet, she did not immediately offer a retort. From a strictly technical standpoint, Nicole's accusation was entirely accurate. That had been the exact content of her earlier emergency broadcast.
Seeing the tension rising, Wise quickly stepped in to run interference. "Nicole, calm down, let's not get too excited. Back there in the Hollow, I really did suffer from some severe ether corrosion. I couldn't hold on and ended up blacking out. The situation actually was incredibly dangerous."
He offered a placating smile, gesturing toward the swordswoman. "Thanks to Miyabi's quick reflexes, she decisively dragged me out of the danger zone and immediately administered the emergency anti-corrosion medicine I had packed. That is the only reason I was able to wake up so fast and stand here talking to you right now."
His explanation was a carefully constructed half-truth. By admitting to the very real danger and his subsequent unconsciousness, while attributing his miraculous recovery entirely to Miyabi's intervention, he created a logically sound alibi.
However, Nicole's sharp ears immediately caught onto a specific detail. She narrowed her eyes at Wise, scrutinizing him like a wary cat inspecting a suspicious mouse. "Anti-corrosion medicine? Since when did you learn to carry high-grade medical supplies like that around, Proxy?"
The question fell perfectly into Wise's anticipated script.
He let out a heavy sigh, allowing a convincing trace of helplessness and lingering fear to wash over his face. He spread his hands in a placating gesture. "Well, consider it a deep lesson learned from carelessly tumbling into a Hollow during my very first trip to the Outer Ring."
"After that disaster, I realized that there are some things you might never want to use, but absolutely cannot afford to be without. Keeping emergency meds on hand just provides a little extra peace of mind. And look, didn't it end up saving my life today?"
Right on cue, a distinct flash of unnatural stiffness and genuine guilt crossed Nicole's expressive face.
That previous accident in the Outer Ring was, ultimately, a direct result of the Cunning Hares failing to provide sufficiently safe navigation routes and accurate intel.
And now, history had repeated itself. Wise and Miyabi had been dragged into this current Hollow anomaly precisely because they were caught up in the Cunning Hares' ongoing investigation into the Vision Corporation scandal, which had triggered the ambush.
Twice in a row, her actions had plunged her friends into mortal peril. The realization instantly deflated her righteous anger, leaving her feeling entirely lacking in confidence.
"Uh... well..." Nicole's gaze drifted nervously toward the ruined skyline. Clearing her throat, she executed a remarkably stiff and abrupt change of subject.
She whipped her head around to look at Tsukishiro Yanagi, who had remained perfectly calm while rapidly assessing their perimeter. "Hey, Scholar!" Nicole called out loudly. "Don't just stand there watching the scenery! Come over here and brief them on our current situation!"
Yanagi calmly pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, the gaze behind the lenses remaining sharp, analytical, and completely unbothered by Nicole's volume.
She first directed a silent glance toward Hoshimi Miyabi. Only after confirming her superior's safety with a subtle nod did she shift her attention back to Nicole and Wise. Her voice was cool and methodical as she began to concisely outline their grim reality.
"Most of the attacking mercenaries have been successfully subdued or driven off by our forces. We managed to capture several high-value targets, who have been temporarily handed over to the Sons of Calydon for secure custody."
"However, Perlman, the key witness in the Vision Corporation scandal, was intercepted and extracted by a secondary, highly equipped tactical team during your fall into the Hollow. His current whereabouts remain unknown."
She paused, allowing the gravity of the news to settle before her tone grew even more solemn. "More, according to the sporadic radio communications we managed to intercept, along with our own battlefield observations, the hostile forces supporting these mercenaries are continuously converging on our location from multiple vectors."
"They are systematically establishing roadblocks and occupying tactically advantageous terrain. Their intention is glaringly obvious. They mean to prevent us from tracking Perlman at all costs."
With just a few concise sentences, Yanagi painted a severe and suffocating picture. They were heavily outnumbered, their primary lead was gone, and the enemy was constantly receiving reinforcements.
The atmosphere, which had only just begun to relax following the confirmation of Wise's safety, instantly pulled taut like a bowstring.
Everyone's gaze involuntarily shifted between Yanagi and Miyabi, silently awaiting their next tactical decision.
After a heavy, brief silence, Miyabi's calm eyes swept over the assembled group, shattering the stagnant tension. Her voice carried its usual cool, unquestionable authority. "Our top priority is to establish a clear division of labor. We must avoid scattering our forces and engaging in unnecessary conflicts."
Her gaze locked onto Wise, her tone leaving absolutely no room for debate. "Wise's current physical condition still requires strict observation. He is in no state to participate in a high-intensity pursuit."
Wise opened his mouth, fully intending to argue that he was perfectly fine now. But the moment he met Miyabi's stern, unyielding gaze, the words died in his throat. He wisely swallowed his protests and offered a cooperative nod.
It was the smart play. It would be entirely illogical for an ordinary Proxy, who had supposedly just barely survived severe ether corrosion, to immediately charge into a chaotic warzone full of boundless vigor.
"I agree with the Section Chief." Yanagi adjusted her glasses, her analytical mind always focusing on efficiency and practical logic.
"The captives require immediate interrogation to extract the specific coordinates of the extraction team that took Perlman, as well as the identity of their mastermind. This task will be handled exclusively by Section 6."
She cast a sidelong glance at Soukaku and Asaba Harumasa, both of whom immediately nodded in understanding. Soukaku eagerly cracked her knuckles, a feral grin tugging at her lips, while Harumasa casually began inspecting his portable interrogation and recording equipment, his demeanor relaxed but focused.
Although Nicole was practically vibrating with anxiety over losing her payday in Perlman, she possessed enough street smarts to know that now was not the time for reckless heroics.
She looked at Wise, noting his deliberately pale complexion, and then glanced at the hardened, determined eyes of the Section 6 operatives. Letting out an exaggerated sigh, she slapped a hand against her chest.
"Alright, alright! Then the glorious task of luring away those annoying pursuers in the perimeter and escorting our fragile patient of a Proxy safely home will be left to us, the Cunning Hares!"
She threw a confident wink toward Anby and Piper. "Anby, Piper, get your gear ready. It is time to go to work and run rings around these corporate stooges!"
Anby offered a silent, stoic nod, her hand already resting comfortably on the hilt of her blade.
Piper stretched her arms above her head with a lazy yawn, a sly, knowing smile playing on her lips.
Billy, who had been uncharacteristically quiet up until now, finally stepped forward. He looked between Wise and Nicole, the metallic shifting of his faceplates betraying a hint of embarrassment. "Boss! Wait a sec, I want to..."
Nicole waved a hand, cutting him off before he could finish. "I know you are worried about your old stomping grounds and your former crew. That is exactly why I did not assign you any guard duty for this run. Go on, but watch your back out there, Billy!"
Hearing her unexpected blessing, Billy's mechanical optics widened, deeply moved by his boss's rare display of understanding.
With the tactical roles clearly defined, there was no time wasted on sentimental farewells. The operation commenced immediately.
Hoshimi Miyabi paused, taking one final, lingering look at Wise. Her crimson eyes held a deep, unreadable depth as they locked onto his for a fraction of a second. "Take care of yourself," she said softly.
Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel. Flanked by her elite colleagues from Section 6 and hauling their newly acquired captives, the swordswoman vanished swiftly into the shadows of the ruined landscape.
Billy gave Wise a sharp, respectful nod before leaping into the back of Piper's heavy transport vehicle. With a roar of the engine, they tore off down the cracked highway, kicking up a massive trail of dust as they headed straight toward Blazewood.
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]