Chapter 390: Nicole: With Pleasure
Himeko gave a slow, affirming nod. "Yes, we aren't exactly short on basic supplies," she mused, a faint smile touching her lips. "And according to... well, standard event practice, we just need to focus on achieving our core objectives."
"Then... then..." Nicole's eyes practically turned into glittering gold coins. She rubbed her hands together, a beaming, almost shamelessly ingratiating smile spreading across her face. "Since you two VIPs don't need them, could you... let us at the Cunning Hares help 'process' them for you?"
She leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial, eager whisper. "We guarantee we'll clean everything up. Not a single scrap will be wasted! Look at us—we have plenty of people and we're strong! Packing it all up and hauling it away is no problem at all!"
For Nicole, the mere thought of letting so many boxes that might contain high-tier loot go to waste was a physical torment far worse than losing her own hard-earned Dennies.
Himeko and Welt exchanged a brief glance. A silent, shared amusement crinkled the corners of Welt's eyes. Naturally, they had no reason to object. Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Welt offered a polite nod. "Of course. Feel free to handle them however you wish."
"Thank you so much!" Nicole cheered, her voice hitting a pitch that could shatter glass. She immediately spun around, wildly waving at Anby, Nekomata, and Billy. "Hurry, hurry! What are you standing around for like a bunch of statues? Get to work! Don't miss a single box! Handle them with care and let's see what kind of treasure is inside!"
The trio from the Cunning Hares instantly caught her infectious greed. Grinning and rubbing their hands together, they prepared to sprint toward the nearest cluster of glowing supply crates.
"Nicole." Wise's calm, analytical voice cut through the chaotic excitement, carrying a gentle but firm warning. "Don't be too optimistic. I mentioned earlier that only participants who have obtained a system 'ID Card' can physically interact with these generated supply boxes. Right now... I'm afraid you won't be able to touch them."
Nicole froze mid-step. She certainly believed that Wise wouldn't lie to her, but the sheer, agonizing drive of 'how do you know until you try' clawed at her mind. The absolute torture of watching a mountain of treasure sitting right in front of her, ripe for the taking, urged her forward anyway.
"I... I'll just try! What if it works for me?!" she insisted stubbornly. Sprinting up to a medium-sized box emitting a soft green glow, she lunged forward and reached out to grab the handle—
Her fingers passed straight through the solid metal.
There was zero tactile sensation. No resistance, no cold metal, nothing. The box simply remained quietly suspended in place, its green light flickering softly against her skin, as if Nicole's hand and the crate existed in two completely separate, non-intersecting dimensions.
Nearby, Anby, Nekomata, and Billy eagerly swiped at other boxes, only to meet the exact same ghostly result.
They could clearly see every scratch and mechanical detail on the crates. They could even vaguely sense the faint, warm light radiating from them, but they simply couldn't make physical contact. It was like trying to grab an incredibly realistic hologram.
"This..." Nicole's jaw dropped, utterly dumbfounded.
Just then, Wise walked unhurriedly over to the exact same green box Nicole had just phased through. Under the wide-eyed, disbelieving gazes of the four Cunning Hares, he reached out, his fingers wrapping solidly around the metal handle. With a casual heave, he lifted it up.
To rub salt in the wound, he popped the lid open with his free hand right in front of their faces. Reaching inside, he pulled out a perfectly sealed, clearly labeled "Standard Medical Kit" and casually weighed it in his palm.
Having witnessed the bizarre rule of these "visible but untouchable" supply boxes firsthand, combined with Wise's effortless demonstration, the last shred of doubt in the Cunning Hares' hearts vanished. It was instantly replaced by a complex, agonizing mix of shock, intense longing, and desperate urgency.
Nicole's gaze was particularly burning. Her eyes darted frantically between Billy and the vast expanse of untouched supply boxes left behind by Himeko and Welt. To her crew, they were mere phantoms, but her brain was already racing at top speed, calculating the staggering, astronomical value hidden behind this system.
The way Nicole looked at Wise and Belle completely shifted. It was no longer just a desire to team up for survival; it was as if she were staring at two walking, breathing gold mines radiating the blinding, holy glow of cold hard cash.
"After we get out of this Hollow, I'll leave the matter of the ID Cards entirely to you two!" she emphasized solemnly, her tone carrying a terrifying level of resolve. "Any tests, any procedures—the Cunning Hares guarantee we will cooperate with the absolute highest priority!"
After that chaotic little interlude, the group's attention finally returned to one of the primary objectives of their expedition: handling the scattered aether fuel canisters littering the platform.
Himeko glanced over the intact canisters, then looked down at her and Welt's already bulging inventory backpacks.
"There are quite a few fuel canisters here," she noted, her tone practical. "And the carrying capacity for Welt and me is nearing its limit. It's far more important to focus on ensuring the high-value items we've already acquired are transported out safely. Wise, Belle, how about you two?"
Wise tapped his interface, briefly checking their storage capacity. "We're in about the same boat," he replied.
"In that case," Welt said, adjusting his glasses. His calm gaze shifted toward the Cunning Hares, who were currently staring longingly at the physical, touchable fuel canisters. "I'm afraid I'll have to trouble Miss Nicole and the rest of your team once again with the transfer and preservation of the remaining fuel canisters. Would you be willing to take on this task?"
"Willing! Of course we're willing! More than willing!" Nicole agreed in a rapid-fire burst, not hesitating for a single microsecond. Her face beamed with absolute, unadulterated joy.
To her, this wasn't 'trouble' in the slightest. It was a premium, high-quality commission delivered straight to her doorstep on a silver platter. These intact—or even slightly damaged—aether fuel canisters were the real deal. They were hard currency, easily exchanged for a massive payout on the New Eridu black market.
Cleaning, transferring, and properly storing Hollow loot was already part of the Cunning Hares'core business model. Now, they were more motivated than ever. This was the absolute perfect opportunity to demonstrate their professional capabilities and utter sincerity to their future multiversal'loot-grinding' teammates.
"Don't worry, you two! Leave it to the Cunning Hares, we guarantee it will be handled flawlessly!" Nicole instantly shifted into boss mode, barking orders with practiced efficiency. "Anby, Nekomata, check the canister stability and the seal valves! Billy, prepare the transport racks and cushioning materials! I'll map out the optimal transport route!"
The trio immediately sprang into action, moving with a synchronized agility that proved just how proficient they were at stripping a Hollow clean.
Watching the four mercenaries dive into their manual labor with such fiery enthusiasm, a hint of genuine approval flashed in Himeko and Welt's eyes.
These local partners might have possessed entirely different combat styles and power systems, but their professionalism, pragmatic hustle, and sheer capability within their field were undoubtedly trustworthy.
Just as the Cunning Hares were busy moving their newly acquired 'bricks' of gold, and while Himeko, Welt, Wise, and Belle briefly discussed their next course of action, a chaotic chase in an entirely different sector of the Hollow was entering a white-hot stage.
The joint disaster squad—composed of Stelle, Lumine, Paimon, Dan Heng, and March 7th—had been through the wringer. After experiencing countless detours, violently clearing obstacles, and being constantly harassed by the massive, phantom hands summoned by the Bringer Ethereal...
...they finally managed to use their superior speed. Bursting through the corrupted terrain, they caught up once again with the frantically fleeing figure of the Cattle-Ghoul Bringer.
At this moment, the Bringer's form was even more hideous and terrifying than during their initial clash.
Having continuously gorged itself on high-purity aether fuel from three separate storage points, the monster was overflowing with power. Thick, purple-black energy veins pulsed across its body, heaving and swelling with every ragged breath. The aether radiation it emitted was so intensely toxic that it practically formed a visible force field, violently distorting the air around it.
Its massive frame had expanded once again, muscles bulging grotesquely under its corrupted hide. The massive, bloodshot eye embedded behind its right shoulder rotated frantically, emitting a cold, greedy light as it locked onto the relentless pursuers closing in from behind.
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