Knock knock knock!
Rapid footsteps echoed from the upstairs floor, drawing a puzzled glance from Wise, the male protagonist who was busy organizing the shelves downstairs in the video store.
He locked the front door and flipped the "Closed" sign, then turned around just in time to see Belle, drenched and panicked, rushing down from the second floor.
She had changed into a simple outfit, but her hair was still wet and clinging to her skin, giving her a damp, flustered look.
Seeing his sister so visibly flustered, Wise put down the stack of videotapes in his hands and asked, "What's going on? Why the rush?"
Belle didn't explain much. She simply held out her phone. "I just got a commission request on the Proxy Network. You need to see this."
Wise blinked in surprise, then gave a wry chuckle. "Didn't we agree? We're not taking random jobs anymore. If we get too active on the Proxy Network, we'll be in the Bureau's crosshairs."
Being a Proxy was a high-risk, high-reward occupation—especially for high-profile figures like the Phaethon siblings, who had long attracted the attention of authorities.
That was why, after gaining enough notoriety, the two of them had drastically reduced their activity on the underground network. It had been a long time since they'd collaborated with any Hollow Raiders or similar parties.
As a result, their savings had started to dwindle. Even though the video store brought in some income, the pace at which money left their wallets far outstripped how fast it went in.
Wise had been thinking about quietly taking a high-paying job to keep them afloat for the next few months.
Belle's sudden reaction, however, had thrown a wrench into those plans. Fortunately, she hadn't accepted the commission outright. With a little tact, they could just politely decline it.
Or so he thought—until she said something unexpected.
"I know we're not taking random jobs anymore," Belle said firmly. "But this one's different. Just read it yourself."
She handed him the phone.
Wise scanned the message:
…
[Anonymous]: Lord Phaethon, I heard you've not been accepting commissions recently. Forgive my boldness, but I have an enticing offer—would you be willing to consider it? If so, please read on.
[Anonymous]: A few days ago, the Red Fang Gang attacked a research facility operated by the White Star Institute. They made off with a secure vault.
[Anonymous]: I plan to retrieve that vault. But to evade the Security Bureau and protect the contents, the Red Fang Gang has hidden inside a Hollow. I need an experienced Proxy to map out the route—someone who can ensure I don't get lost inside.
[Anonymous]: That's the motive for this commission. If it sounds acceptable, I'm prepared to offer the following reward—
[Anonymous]: Ten million Denny.
…
Wise inhaled sharply.
Now it made sense.
That reward was massive. Even during their most active days on the Proxy Network, they had never received a job with that kind of payout.
If this mission went smoothly—and the payment came through—they'd be set for at least the next six months.
"Maybe... we should give it some thought?" he muttered, clearly tempted. He knew something felt off about the job, but the amount was simply too enticing.
Belle countered immediately, "What's there to think about? Ten million, Wise! That's almost an entire year's income. A few more of these, and we could retire."
Relenting under her insistence, Wise finally agreed to take the commission—though he ensured they'd only communicate through their Bangboo sensory proxy and never meet the client in person.
…
At the same time, Zhong Yan had just returned home when a new message from the Phaethon siblings popped up on Proxy Network.
[Phaethon]: We're open to it, but we'll need to arrange a specific time. I also have to say—your offer is very generous. I'm a little skeptical that you actually have the funds.
[Phaethon]: If you're serious about paying ten million, then I'll need a down payment of three million. No advance, no deal.
Zhong Yan smirked.
Professional, as expected.
Three million Denny was no small sum—but for him, it was manageable. Without hesitation, he transferred the funds.
On Proxy Network, there were no caps on transactions. Unless someone ran off with the money—which was rare due to reputational risks—everything generally went smoothly.
As for the network being compromised? That was virtually impossible. Proxy Network's encryption was so tight that only one of the Four Great AIs—Ghost—could even hope to crack it.
And the Security Bureau? Even if they could break it with full resources, they wouldn't bother.
Shutting down the Proxy Network entirely would cripple official Hollow-clearing efforts far more than it would help. Which is why the authorities often choosing to turn a blind eye to Hollow Raiders and Proxies.
Shortly after the funds were received, Zhong Yan got a follow-up message.
[Phaethon]: You're trustworthy. Let's schedule a meetup.
[Zhong Yan]: Tomorrow at noon. There's an alley in the northwest district that connects directly to a Hollow entrance. I'll be waiting there.
[Phaethon]: Understood.
Zhong Yan ended the conversation, tossed his bag onto the couch, and collapsed onto the bed.
He had a lot to think about.
The Red Fang Gang wouldn't be an issue. Once he had the vault, the next step was to engineer an "accident" that would force the siblings to open it—thereby releasing Fairy.
During the process, he anticipated a possible hacking attempt on Phaethon's HDD systems. If their Carrot mapping data got wiped, they'd be forced to rely entirely on Fairy.
That would be ideal.
But what worried him more were the unknown players—the factions and individuals who never showed up in the game's plot.
If the butterfly effect had already kicked in... then everything might unfold very differently from the story he thought he knew.