That final sword strike had left the deepest impression on Cass.
Sitting at the edge of the massive sword scar, he found himself stuck in limbo—neither wanting to become an Ethereal, nor knowing what to do next. He had even lost the will to live.
Seeing Cass so lost, Sam Li said calmly, "I may not fear the Ethereals—but not everyone is like me. This world still belongs to ordinary people."
Cass looked confused. "Mr. Sam Li, what do you mean?"
Sam Li asked in return, "I don't need a Guardian Angel W-Engine. But there are many who do—countless, in fact."
Cass fell silent, slowly digesting his words. Then a thought struck him. "You mean… you want me to create Guardian Angel W-Engines for the everyday citizens of New Eridu?"
Sam Li neither confirmed nor denied it.
Cass said nothing more, but his mind was spinning.
Ten years ago…
If he and his lover had each had a Guardian Angel W-Engine, they might have survived. They might have even stood a chance against the newborn Notoriety Ethereal – Train Head.
But reality holds no "what ifs," and past tragedies can never be undone.
Still…
If every citizen in New Eridu had access to a Guardian Angel W-Engine, could they finally be protected? Could they live without fear of Hollow disasters?
Even if faced with a Notoriety Ethereal, with enough W-Engines, there might still be hope of survival—maybe even victory.
The thought reignited something inside him.
Cass lifted his head. "Thank you, Sam Li. Ten years ago, I failed to protect my lover. But now… I'll build more Guardian Angel W-Engines to protect others. I'll make sure humanity no longer fears the Ethereals. I'll make sure we can overcome the Hollow threat."
With those words, he stood up.
He wanted to give even the most ordinary people the means to defend themselves—and perhaps, to fight back.
At the moment he made that choice, he rediscovered his will to live.
This wasn't just revenge against one Ethereal. This was against all of them—all the Hollows that had torn the world apart.
If the Hollow disasters had never appeared, the world wouldn't be so cruel.
Seeing Cass's resolve return, Sam Li smiled faintly. "Good."
Cass threw his head back and roared, "I'll make sure no one fears the Ethereals ever again!"
...
Just then, Piper chimed in, "The Ether activity and concentration seem lower. I can breathe much easier now."
She checked the time. "We've been in the Hollow for almost two hours."
She quickly added, "We should get going. My truck is still parked under that cactus tree."
Sam Li nodded. "Let's head back."
But...
Cass hesitated. "Mr. Sam Li… once I'm back in the New Eridu metro zone, the Public Security Bureau's bound to arrest me."
Sam Li turned to him, his tone calm. "You're not afraid of Notoriety Ethereals—so why fear the Public Security Bureau?"
Cass clenched his teeth. "I'm not afraid—!"
If they want to arrest him, let them.
He wasn't afraid of monsters. Why fear the law? Worst case, he'd develop W-Engines from a prison cell.
He quickly caught up. "Don't worry, Mr. Sam Li. Even if I get caught, I won't drag you down with me."
The way he said it… it almost sounded like Sam Li was his partner-in-crime.
Piper blinked at them in surprise. "Are you guys... some kind of fugitive criminal duo?"
Sam Li shook his head. "No."
Cass waved his hands hastily. "Don't misunderstand, Miss Piper. I'm talking about the W-Engine I gave Mr. Sam Li as a reward. Since it's already his, I'd never rat him out."
Piper squinted at them. "Wait… the way you're talking, that engine isn't stolen, is it?"
Sam Li: "..."
Cass quickly clammed up.
After a pause, Cass leaned toward Piper and said, "Aside from Hare's House and me, you're the only one who knows about the W-Engine. Please don't spread it around."
Piper nodded seriously. "Don't worry. Unless I'm half-asleep, I'm a steel trap."
...
By the time they left the Old Capital Metro Hollow, the zone had already begun to decay.
They didn't even need to use a Radish—nothing obstructed their way. Before long, they reached the edge of the Hollow.
Once outside...
Piper loaded her original axe and the one Sam Li gave her into the truck. She looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Sam Li took the initiative. "Miss Piper, go ahead."
Piper looked a little guilty. "I wanted to drive you back to New Eridu, but it's getting dark, and Caesar's still waiting on this shipment…"
Sam Li smiled lightly. "No need to worry about us. It's getting late—head back quickly."
They watched as she drove off.
Then Sam Li and Cass began their walk home.
Cass had never been trained—and years of neglect had made his body weaker than the average person.
Just walking out of the Hollow had drained him. Now, his legs felt like lead.
"Mr. Sam Li… let's rest a bit…"
"Alright. Ten-minute break."
"Do you have your phone? Maybe there's signal here. If we could call a ride from the city, that'd be perfect. Whoever comes to get us, I'll give them a Guardian Angel W-Engine—no charge…"
"Sounds like you're about to give away two," Sam Li replied with a glance into the distance.
Cass followed his gaze. He thought Sam Li had already called for a ride—but all he saw was a barren wasteland.
A few minutes later...
Cass spotted something on the horizon. His eyes lit up and he leapt from his seat.
"Mr. Sam Li! Look—there really is a car coming! Did you call it? Am I about to owe you a cab fare again?"
Sam Li shook his head. "I didn't call it. But it is here for you."
He hadn't needed Cass to point it out. He had sensed the car long before it appeared.
Not with his eyes—but through Geo. Several kilometers out, he had already felt the vehicle's movement and origin.
It was Zhu Yuan and Qingyi's patrol car.
...
Cass stared at the vehicle as it drew closer.
The clearer it became, the more his smile faded.
Once he saw it for what it was, he couldn't even force a smile.
It was a Public Security Bureau patrol car.
Cass had expected to be arrested eventually—but not this soon.
His first instinct was to run back into the Hollow and hide.
But when he glanced at Sam Li beside him, he gave up.
He didn't want to drag Sam Li down.
"Mr. Sam Li… don't worry. I'll explain everything to the security officers."
...