Once the smoke cleared, a black-and-gray robot stood revealed within. He was about two meters tall, with a lean, sturdy build that gave an impression of power and majesty, radiating dominance.
His body was made of tough, durable Ether Superalloy, its surface gleaming coldly. His overall contours were fairly smooth and closer to a human shape. His chassis was predominantly black, accented with gold fittings.
His face looked as though it wore a golden mask covering his eyes. Apart from his face, the rest was relatively smooth, and there was an unidentified symbol on his forehead.
This made him look both mysterious and somewhat eerie. The robot's entire design was full of technological and futuristic flair, as though he had walked straight out of a science fiction movie.
His current name was "Hawking Hongke," an alias chosen entirely at random. (The author sucks at naming.)
Huojin: "Butler, how have things been outside while I was dormant?"
He slowly emerged, the metal casing on his body opening and closing slightly from time to time. With each movement, hot air vented through the gaps, as though this metal man were breathing.
A rack slowly rose from the floor in front of him, with an especially exquisite black-and-gold suit hanging neatly on it.
The ensemble also included a top hat, an exquisite overcoat, and a pair of gloves.
Butler: "Master, during the five years of your dormancy, New Eridu's development has progressed steadily within expectations. Our investments in and assistance to the major corporations have also increased steadily.
Most of the losses caused by the 'Fall of the Old Capital' several years ago have been recovered. Through the combined efforts of Mayor Mayflower's side and our TOPS, New Eridu's economic turmoil was also completely settled within a year of your entering dormancy..."
Huojin dressed with the assistance of several mechanical arms while listening to the butler's report on New Eridu over the past five years.
Huojin: "Not bad. Everything's a little better than the projections. There aren't that many freeloaders, either. But what about my dear daughter? How has she been these past five years?"
Butler: "Master, according to the records, the young lady has been running an odd-job agency called the 'Cunning Hares' for the past five years. Its main business is handling commissions related to 'Hollow disasters,' and it is now a well-known private organization in New Eridu.
It currently has two employees, both picked up by the young lady by chance. Neither has a simple background.
Our investigation found that she is a genetic weapon produced by the research of a secret department within the Defense Force. She currently poses no threat. The other is a mechanical combat construct left behind by the old civilization, of the same mechanical model I once used. After investigating his movements, we determined that he poses no threat."
Huojin: "Oh, two special ones, too. Put together more detailed files on those two for me later."
Butler: "Yes, Master."
Huojin: "Go on."
"According to our statistics, they have accepted around 300 commissions of varying sizes, most of which have received complaints. They rank among the top three for complaint rates, with most complaints citing 'damage to commissioned items,' 'excessive destruction,' and 'crooks robbing crooks (or honest folk),' among other reasons."
Huojin: "Ah, she certainly likes to have fun."
"Of secondary concern, the young lady has accumulated a total of 1.2 million dennies in outside debt..."
"Huh?" Huojin froze, asking with some shock, "She's borrowing money out there, too? What about her allowance? Does she not use it at all? She needs to borrow from outsiders for that little in dennies?"
Butler: "Unknown, Master. We are not authorized to ask."
Huojin: "Then how are her living conditions?"
Butler: "The probability of a budget deficit is 94%. In terms of daily life, she often does not know where her next meal will come from and frequently buys cheap counterfeit goods, among other things. The main reasons for this situation are donations to orphanages, as well as..."
The butler faithfully reported on her living conditions over the past five years, while Huojin listened in silence.
By the time the butler finished, Huojin was fully dressed, his overcoat draped over his shoulders, displaying an emperor's imposing presence.
Huojin put on his top hat last and said with mixed feelings, "Ah, I only slept for five years. Why does she have to force herself to live such a hard life? Where is he now? I'm going to see her!"
Butler: "Master, there is one more matter. I am unsure whether I should report it to you."
Huojin: "Tell me."
Butler: "The young lady came under heavy weapons fire not long ago."
Huojin: "What?! How is she now?!"
Butler: "The young lady is unharmed, Master. She has already canceled the support signal."
Huojin: "Say no more. Send me her recent activity logs and all her contacts immediately. I'm online now."
Butler: "Yes, Master."
Reporter: "Let's return to the scene on Fourteenth Street. Shortly after the companion Hollow disaster appeared, a nearby..."
Inside a certain video store on Sixth Street, the store's two gray- and blue-haired managers were in a room on the ground floor, listening to the news report about Fourteenth Street.
Reporter: "...The Public Security officer declined to comment.
The bomb disposal unit is heading to the scene. Citizens, please stay away from Fourteenth Street! We will continue-"
Just then, the pink-haired Nicole burst through the door, panting as he leaned against the wall.
"Stop watching! That explosion on the news-I was there!" As she spoke, she strode over to the television playing the news, turned it off, and continued hurriedly:
Nicole: "This is an emergency! Billy, Anby, and my commission target have all fallen into that Hollow!
I urgently need a Proxy's help-this is my once-in-a-lifetime (hundred-million-lifetimes) request!"
Compared with the frantic Nicole, the legendary Proxies of "Phaethon" sat calmly on the sofa, teasing him...
Wise: "Hello, Nicole. It'd be even better if you could knock normally next time."
Belle: "I feel like we hear that three times a month... your once-in-a-lifetime request, Nicole."
Hearing the siblings tease him, Nicole looked a little embarrassed, but continued pleading insistently:
"Help me get through this crisis first, and afterward you can make fun of me however you like.
Please, legendary Proxies-'Phaethon.'"
After hearing those words from Nicole, the siblings asked him in unison, "What trouble have you gotten into this time?"
-(Time deletion)-
Nicole set Eous down, stroked his head, and let him walk toward the Hollow on his own.
Nicole: "All right, your Bangboo has set off... off... Achoo! Ah, something feels strange..."
Back on Wise's end, after switching on the last two buttons, he was truly ready.
Belle checked twice more, then asked, "Brother, can we start?"
Wise: "Mm."
After receiving confirmation, Belle pressed the red button on the desk. A loading program appeared on the screen and finished loading instantly, while the pattern of mechanical eyes appeared in Wise's pupils.
Finally, Wise successfully connected to Eous. After taking a few moments to adjust to the short, bouncy body, he first took out a Bangboo smoke grenade, then walked resolutely into the Hollow.