At first glance, it looked like an ordinary birdcage.
But the moment Sam Li took it into his hands, faint glimmers of light flickered across its surface. The rust and grime that had accumulated over time crumbled away, revealing delicate golden patterns beneath.
For a brief moment, it was as if the birdcage had shed an old layer of skin, unveiling an intricate design that made it look more like a rare antique from a bygone era than a mere trinket.
Even Anby, who was usually composed, couldn't help but take a second look.
"My name is Sam Li. Thanks for helping me find the birdcage." Sam Li weighed it in his hands—it wasn't too heavy, and it felt perfectly balanced.
"I'm Anby B. DeMara, a full-time employee of Hare's House," Anby introduced herself with a serious tone.
At the same time, her gaze lingered on Sam Li, curiously studying his unusual attire. His outfit, at first glance, looked like something straight out of ancient history.
She then looked at the birdcage again. It, too, had an old-fashioned aesthetic, almost like a prop from a historical drama.
A thought struck Anby, and she nodded with an air of authority. "Nicely done—the costume and props are spot-on. You've perfectly recreated the ancient style of the previous era. Even the birdcage is crafted with remarkable detail. I look forward to watching the movie you're starring in."
Dressed in period clothing and carrying what looked like a performance prop—what else could he be but an actor?
Anby examined Sam Li with curiosity. She had watched plenty of historical films, yet she had never seen this particular "actor" before.
Hearing her comment, Sam Li chuckled. "An actor? A performance prop? That's… not entirely wrong, I suppose."
Anby's expression brightened slightly. "If we make it out of here alive, tell me the name of your film."
Just as she was about to continue speaking...
A rustling noise echoed from outside. Anby's expression darkened instantly.
"Watch out—"
Before the words had fully left her mouth, she had already drawn the blade at her waist, slashing toward the doorway behind Sam Li in a lightning-fast motion.
Clang!
The blade struck an Ethereal, knocking it back.
"It's an Ethereal. It must have followed you here. You two, hide—I'll handle this."
As she spoke, Anby charged forward again.
Thankfully, it was only an intermediate Ethereal.
Had it been a higher-ranked one, even Anby would have struggled, and protecting both the little girl and Sam Li would have been impossible.
"Big brother, let's hide!" The little girl clutched the hem of Sam Li's clothes.
Seeing that Anby had things under control, Sam Li simply nodded and sat down with the little girl in the audience seats, watching the battle unfold.
Slashes, parries, heavy strikes—
Anby moved with precision, weaving in and out of the Ethereal's attacks, striking whenever an opening appeared.
Like something straight out of an action film, every slash of her blade landed on a vital point. Within moments, she had shattered the Ethereal into nothing more than scattered fragments.
The fight was over almost as soon as it began.
The little girl cheered excitedly. "See? Anby's sword skills are amazing, aren't they?"
Sam Li nodded slightly. "Channeling electricity into the blade and releasing it all at once on the fourth strike—it's a clever technique. If you adjusted the angle of that final swing, you could increase its power by about 10%."
Ever since he started playing the role of Morax, Sam Li's understanding of combat had reached a masterful level.
Noticing a slight flaw in Anby's technique, he casually pointed it out.
Anby, however, didn't seem particularly concerned. "Fighting and acting in movies are two completely different things. In films, all that matters is making the action look impressive. But in real combat, efficiency is everything."
Still, she hadn't dismissed Sam Li entirely.
She had already subconsciously regarded Sam Li as an actor, taking his words as mere critiques of cinematic action sequences.
Seeing that Sam Li was about to leave, Anby quickly warned him, "The space inside the Hollow is unstable, and there are Ethereals wandering outside. You'd better not go out. I already used my portable Ether Density Detector, and the readings show that the Ether levels here are relatively low. The space is stable, making this projection room a safe place to wait for rescue."
"Ether? You mean that strange energy?"
From Anby's explanation, Sam Li once again confirmed his earlier deduction—this place was filled with a dangerous energy called Ether, and the spatial structure was highly unstable. Without proper navigation, there was no way to leave.
But for Sam Li, this wasn't a problem at all.
The Geo element naturally functioned as a protective shield, blocking Ether's corrosive effects. Additionally, by embedding Geo energy into the ground, buildings, and landmarks, he could map the constantly shifting space in real time.
With that ability, Sam Li could move through the Hollow freely.
Seeing how lightly he took the danger, Anby's expression grew more serious. "Sam Li, without the Bangboo, we won't be able to find the exit."
"…Bangboo?"
"It's the Hollow's navigation system. Since the space is constantly shifting, only the Bangboo can update the map in real time and correct any distortions." Anby rattled off a series of technical terms, her tone almost robotic, as if reciting from a manual.
After listening to her explanation, Sam Li immediately understood.
So this so-called Bangboo was basically the same as the real-time terrain map he had just created using the Geo element.
By that logic…
His technique could also be considered a type of Bangboo.
A Geo Bangboo, perhaps?
Sam Li chuckled, holding up the birdcage. "What a coincidence. I just so happen to have the Bangboo you need. If you want to get out, let's go together."
With that, he stepped out of the screening room.
…
Behind him, Anby hesitated. She was well aware of the dangers lurking outside the cinema, but she had no idea how to stop Sam Li from leaving.
At the same time, she mentally calculated the odds of survival.
If we stay here and wait for rescue, our survival rate is approximately 66%…
If we follow the so-called actor Sam Li to find an exit, the survival rate drops to 33%…
In other words, waiting inside the cinema doubled their chances of making it out alive.
Anby was trying to think of a way to stop Sam Li from walking to his death when—
"Anby, look! The numbers on the Ether Density Detector just changed…" the little girl suddenly exclaimed.
Anby immediately grabbed the device. "Did it rise again? That would be bad."
But the next moment—
Seeing the new reading on the screen, Anby froze in shock.
"Level C? It was Level B before… And it's still dropping? How is that possible?"
A decrease in Ether density meant that the Hollow was either entering—or had already entered—a period of decline.
But…
Hadn't this Hollow just formed?
"The situation has changed. The Hollow is inexplicably weakening… Maybe we really can get out."
As soon as she finished speaking, Anby took the little girl by the hand and hurriedly followed Sam Li's lead.