With Belle's help, Soldier 11, Sam Li, and the others moved freely through the Hollow and quickly located the listening and transmission devices Mr. Mole had mentioned.
They transported the devices to an area near the Defense Force's weapons testing site.
Before they began the operation, Soldier 11 warned them:
"To prevent leaks, the other branches of the Defense Force haven't been informed about this mission. So be extra careful not to be spotted by the guards stationed nearby."
They were just pretending to be traitors.
But with secrecy being so tight, the nearby Defense Force personnel had no idea about the plan.
If they were caught planting the devices, Soldier 11 and her team would be mistaken for actual traitors—and likely attacked.
A skirmish would cause major trouble.
Soldier 11 reiterated, "Be careful. Don't let the nearby guards spot you."
Billy, as confident as ever, said, "Relax. We've handled way riskier jobs than this. Leave it to us."
Soldier 11 took the lead. "Don't wander off. The area might still be mined by Defense Force traps. Stick close to me."
As a member of the Obol Squad, Soldier 11 had previously conducted drills in this zone, so she was very familiar with the terrain.
With Belle guiding them as well, they reached the first target site in no time.
Before setting up the first device, Soldier 11 opened it and made a few internal modifications.
After placing it, they quickly moved on to the second location, completed the setup there, and headed for the third and final site.
Suddenly, Belle came to a stop.
Billy looked over, puzzled. "Manager? What's up? Did you find something?"
Belle's expression was tense. "Are we sure there are no high-level Ethereals in this Hollow?"
Just moments ago, she had received a message from Fairy and her brother: the Ether activity in C97 had spiked abnormally, possibly due to a notorious-level Ethereal.
But—
According to Soldier 11, the high-level Ethereals in C97 had already been taken out.
Nearby, Soldier 11 also came to a halt.
"Don't worry. The notorious ones were eliminated a while back. Officially, C97 is still rated as a Class-C disaster zone, but in reality, the danger level's barely Class D. Don't waste time—let's get to the final site."
Billy chimed in, "Yeah, Manager, don't get paranoid. The military's intel can't be wrong, right?"
Belle didn't respond immediately.
She couldn't be certain who was wrong—Fairy's warning was based on a reading, not a confirmed sighting.
Since Soldier 11 insisted it was safe, Belle chose not to argue and followed along.
Soon, all three devices were in place.
Soldier 11 reconnected with Mr. Mole.
"We've finished setting up the devices. Let's move on to the real topic—we're eager to join the Resistance. Please share the rendezvous point."
Mr. Mole's voice crackled through the comms.
"As expected of Phaethon! With just a few ordinary soldiers, you managed to install all three so quickly. You truly are my idol—hahaha!"
Soldier 11 repeated, "We're ready to join the Resistance, Mr. Mole. Please give us the meeting location."
After being asked repeatedly, Mr. Mole began to grow annoyed.
"I'm talking to Phaethon right now. Can't you be quiet for once? Do you not understand your place?"
Soldier 11 clenched her fists silently.
If that smug mole were in front of her right now, she would've sliced him in half with a flaming blade.
Sensing the tension, Belle cleared her throat and spoke up.
"Mr. Mole, I actually have a question I'd like to ask."
Mr. Mole instantly perked up.
"Please, ask away! No matter what it is, your humble mole is happy to answer—I'll share everything I know!"
Belle smiled. "Do you know why there's an Ether anomaly in C97 Hollow?"
The moment the question was asked, Mr. Mole went silent.
He didn't say a word for a long time.
Belle continued calmly, "Mr. Mole, it seems even you don't know."
That line clearly hit a nerve.
Mr. Mole suddenly shouted, "Of course I know! The Ether anomaly is because—"
He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly catching himself.
"Wait… Phaethon, how do you know about the Ether anomaly? That's impossible. You shouldn't know that."
Belle replied without hesitation, "Because I'm Phaethon. Mr. Mole, are you going to tell us the reason?"
There was a pause, and then Mr. Mole burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! As expected of Phaethon! You even noticed subtle fluctuations in Ether activity—amazing! But I can't reveal the truth just yet. If you want answers, join the Resistance. What you'll uncover will blow your mind!"
Clearly, he didn't want to linger on the topic of the anomaly.
Mr. Mole shifted back to the mission, addressing Soldier 11.
"Soldier, I understand how eager you are to join, but give it one more day. I'll contact you tomorrow morning."
"Deal," Soldier 11 responded immediately.
With that, the call ended.
The mission was now halfway done—they had gained the rebels' trust.
Tomorrow's meetup would reveal the location of the rebel base.
Then they'd capture the entire cell in one go.
Soldier 11 exhaled in relief.
"The Calm Bird-Watching Knight, Cunning Pink Rabbit… that's it for today. The mission's not over yet. Be here tomorrow morning."
They had been working all day.
Everyone was worn out.
Just as Soldier 11, Nicole, and Sam Li were about to head out, Belle suddenly stopped them.
"Soldier 11, Nicole, Sam Li—I have something important to tell you."
Soldier 11 looked back. "What is it?"
Belle's gaze turned sharp.
"The Ether activity in C97 Hollow is abnormal. I suspect the Hollow is becoming active—and there's a real chance a notorious-level Ethereal might emerge. My conversation with Mr. Mole only confirmed that possibility…"
She had a hunch.
The Ether spike was likely tied to the Resistance—and Mr. Mole definitely knew the real reason.
Sam Li's eyes lit up with interest.
Billy clutched his head like the sky was falling.
"You've got to be kidding me… We just barely escaped the Butcher of Dead End, and now we're looking at another notorious Ethereal? Manager, you sure this isn't just a bad guess?"
Belle paused for a moment, then said, "It might be—but we should be careful just in case."
...