Chapter 343: Time to Reveal Our Strength
Thanks to Hoshimi Miyabi's official testimony, Wise and Belle's secret identities and recent actions had seemingly been 'vindicated.' The crushing weight of the immediate crisis lifted, but the atmosphere in the room remained suffocatingly tense.
Belle shifted her weight, glancing nervously between the still-silent Zhu Yuan and Qingyi. The anxiety gnawing at her chest hadn't entirely dissipated. Unable to bear the heavy silence any longer, she took a quick step forward, clasping her hands together in front of her chest. Her expression morphed into one of earnest, almost desperate defense.
"S-sorry!" Belle blurted out, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet video store. "We really are Proxies... but I swear! We have never taken jobs that caused harm to innocent people! We are incredibly careful and strictly principled about the commissions we accept! We are... uh, the most law-abiding among the lawless!"
Watching Belle's clumsy, frantic attempts to justify herself, Qingyi's previously stoic expression cracked. The corner of her mouth twitched upward, forming a faint arc laced with a mixture of understanding and quiet amusement. Her sharp eyes, which always seemed capable of peering straight through a person's soul, blinked slowly.
'Just as I thought,' Qingyi mused internally.
Seeing the young girl practically jumping out of her skin to explain herself—looking for all the world like a startled kitten whose tail had just been stepped on—Qingyi actually found the display rather endearing.
However, in stark contrast to her partner's subtle amusement, Zhu Yuan remained completely silent. She stood rigidly in place, her posture stiff and her gaze lowered to the floorboards. The shadow cast by her bangs made it entirely impossible to discern the swirling emotions hidden in her eyes.
Once Belle finally ran out of breath and fell silent, Zhu Yuan moved. Her sudden action left both Wise and Belle utterly stunned.
Without a single word, the PubSec officer reached into the inside pocket of her uniform and pulled out a plain, worn leather wallet. Under the siblings' deeply confused stares, Zhu Yuan methodically counted out exactly one thousand Dennies. Her movements were stiff, almost robotic. Still completely silent, she extended her hand and offered the crisp bills to Qingyi.
Wise and Belle exchanged a bewildered glance. What did this mean? Was this some obscure, unspoken PubSec rule they were unaware of? A fine for illegal Proxy activities paid directly on the spot?
Qingyi stared at the outstretched money. She released a soft, barely audible sigh, the faint smile vanishing from her lips. She didn't take the cash immediately. Instead, she turned her attention back to the thoroughly bewildered siblings, her voice calm and measured.
"To be completely honest, I harbored some early suspicions regarding the 'other identities' of our two favorite shop owners." She gestured vaguely between Wise and Belle. "On the way here, I disclosed these... speculations to Zhu Yuan."
She paused, shifting her gaze toward her partner. Zhu Yuan was still holding the money out, her head bowed in defeat. A hint of genuine helplessness crept into Qingyi's tone.
"And she... was absolutely convinced at the time that I was just being overly cynical. She firmly believed that you two were nothing more than ordinary business owners. She swore you would never deceive us about something as crucial as your true identities. Because of that..." Qingyi gestured to the bills. "...she was even willing to make a bet with me. The stake was one thousand Dennies."
Zhu Yuan finally raised her head. Her brows knit tightly together, and her eyes—usually burning with such bright integrity and unwavering determination—were now clouded with a heavy, painful shadow. When she spoke, her voice was much lower and hoarser than usual, dripping with an unmistakable sense of deep disappointment.
"I... firmly believed that you wouldn't deceive us," Zhu Yuan murmured, her grip on the money tightening slightly. "I was willing to bet my pride on it. Unfortunately... I lost the bet."
Her words were few, her volume barely above a whisper, but the raw disappointment and the stinging hurt of being 'betrayed' by people she trusted struck the siblings like a physical blow. That quiet resignation made Wise and Belle feel infinitely more ashamed than any furious reprimand or screaming lecture ever could have.
Belle felt a cold knot form in her stomach. The crushing realization hit her deeply: they had truly made a massive mistake.
Yes, they had their own unavoidable, dangerous reasons for concealing their Proxy identities. But they should have proactively chosen an appropriate time to sit down and be honest with this friend who had always treated them with nothing but absolute sincerity.
Instead, they had hidden behind passive, awkward excuses, allowing everything to be brutally exposed only when a crisis arrived—only when they desperately needed Zhu Yuan to use her authority and PubSec connections to save their skins. This forced, passive revelation was undoubtedly a cruel trampling of a friend's genuine trust.
Belle swallowed hard, finally understanding firsthand the heavy, suffocating sense of guilt her brother had carried when he previously deceived Hoshimi Miyabi.
Simultaneously, a new thought began to take root and clarify within Belle's mind. Perhaps they could no longer blindly hide all their strength. They couldn't comfortably continue playing the role of 'ordinary civilians who need constant protection,' constantly shrinking back into the background while their friends took all the risks.
She thought of Stelle, March, and Dan Heng on the Astral Express. They were so incredibly honest and open with their companions. While the existence of the multiversal Chat Group was entirely too shocking to reveal to anyone just yet, shouldn't they at least demonstrate some basic self-defense and combat capabilities? At the very least, their friends needed to know they weren't completely fragile glass dolls requiring constant, excessive worry.
Always unilaterally receiving protection without ever being able to offer equal support and strength in return... such a dynamic was inherently unbalanced. It was a fragile foundation, one that would be incredibly difficult to maintain in the long run.
Finally, Zhu Yuan pushed the one thousand Dennies firmly into Qingyi's hand. She turned her head, looking deeply at Wise and Belle.
"Perhaps I am just an idiot who is easily fooled," Zhu Yuan said, her voice regaining a fraction of its usual steadiness. "But I am willing to trust Hoshimi Miyabi's judgment. Before the end of today, I will not report this upwards to PubSec command. You have enough time to retrieve your evidence and clear your names."
She adjusted her collar, her expression hardening into professional resolve. "During this time, I will also conduct investigations through my own channels. I hope... I truly hope this is the last time you deceive me."
Having delivered her ultimatum, Zhu Yuan briefly instructed Qingyi to stay behind and help watch over the store. Without looking back a single time, she turned on her heel and marched out of Random Play.
Bang.
The heavy store door slammed shut behind her, the force rattling the glass panes and completely sealing off the quiet interior from the outside world.
Moments later, the distinct, heavy rumble of a PubSec specialized vehicle engine starting up echoed through the front windows. The sound rapidly receded down the pavement, eventually fading entirely into the daily bustle of Sixth Street.
Inside the dimly lit store, only Wise, Belle, and Qingyi remained.
Qingyi observed the siblings, noting how they were still completely immersed in a swamp of regret and awkwardness. She offered a gentle, almost imperceptible shake of her head.
Taking her time, she carefully folded the one thousand Dennies and tucked them away. She then closed the distance between them, her tone returning to its usual, breezy gentleness—though it now carried a very clear, sharp note of warning.
"You don't need to worry too much about my side of things," Qingyi assured them casually. "After all, I had already suspected your true identities for a while now. I can understand some of the... unique difficulties that come with your line of work."
Her tone suddenly shifted, dropping an octave as her expression grew noticeably more serious. "However... the situation is entirely different when it comes to Zhu Yuan."
She looked directly into Wise and Belle's eyes, speaking with absolute earnestness. "That girl has an incredibly serious, straightforward personality. She views the world in clear lines of right and wrong, trust and betrayal. This incident must be quite a severe blow to her."
"Shop owners, you had better prepare some incredibly sincere explanations and apologies beforehand. Something that can genuinely move her and prove your intentions were never malicious." Qingyi tilted her head, her mechanical joints whirring softly. "Otherwise... the next time you meet, you might truly not be chatting over coffee in this cozy video store. You'll be explaining yourselves in a cold interrogation room down at the PubSec precinct, staring down the barrel of an official record book."
Hearing Qingyi's advice—a perfect blend of empathetic understanding and a very real warning—Wise and Belle felt a complex storm of emotions swirling in their chests. Primarily, though, they felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for being understood at all. Without hesitation, the two siblings quickly bowed toward the green-haired officer.
"Thank you very much, Qingyi," Wise said, his tone ringing with absolute sincerity. "We understand exactly what you mean. We will definitely find the right opportunity to properly explain everything to Zhu Yuan and do whatever it takes to seek her forgiveness."
Belle nodded vigorously beside him, her twin tails bouncing with the motion. "Yes! We really, really don't want to lose Zhu Yuan as a friend! We were completely in the wrong this time!"
Qingyi studied their deeply sincere attitudes for a long moment before a smile touched her lips, carrying a hint of genuine relief. She waved her hand dismissively, her tone softening considerably.
"Alright, alright, I know your intentions are good. However, it seems you two are still the central figures in this massive incident. You probably have a mountain of tricky problems to deal with right now, correct? Don't waste your precious time standing around with me; hurry up and attend to your important business."
Although Qingyi brushed them off so easily, Belle couldn't help but look around. Her gaze swept over the absolute mess inside the store, the chaotic aftermath of the recent search. Remembering that Qingyi had rushed all the way over here specifically to help them out of a jam, a deep sense of unease settled in the pit of Belle's stomach.
[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!]