Then what should I do?

Outside the Hollow, the Ether Rift flickered again. Its purple halo swelled and contracted like the breathing of some enormous beast, then spat out three figures.

Pardo sprang out with Griseo in one hand and Cui Ji in the other. Once she landed, she slammed on the brakes and came to a steady stop.

"Good thing we had A-Mo and Brother Jie..." Pardo released the two of them and patted her chest, still shaken.

The scenes from moments ago kept replaying in her head, sending chills through her body. Her fur had been standing on end ever since they went in.

Beside her, Cui Ji stumbled as she landed and gulped down air. Though the air in the Hollow was hardly fresh, compared to that sickly-sweet, metallic blend of formalin, disinfectant, and alcohol, this was paradise.

"I... I can breathe again..."

Cui Ji muttered to herself. It took her several seconds to recover before she whipped her head toward Griseo.

"Boss, are you okay?!"

"Pardo, Cui Ji, I'm fine!" Griseo said softly, her eyes having returned to purple.

"Really?"

Cui Ji stared at Griseo for a long while. Only after confirming that her usual boss was back did she breathe a sigh of relief. Back in the research institute, she had genuinely thought Griseo was about to lose control, and she knew full well that Griseo had the power to destroy New Eridu if she did.

"Boss, what... what happened to you back there?"

Normally, even if Griseo was tainted by the colors of evil, she wouldn't lose control!

Griseo fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "I was just wondering... whether I could change the story's ending."

"Change... the ending?" Cui Ji froze.

"Yes." Griseo nodded.

That was right. The reason Griseo had left herself unguarded was that