Bangboos, one of the most common types of compact AI devices in New Eridu, were practically everywhere. So, when a Bangboo entered someone's line of sight, most people barely gave it a glance.
Unless... it didn't look like a regular Bangboo.
Like Eous, for example—currently being remotely piloted by Belle via the HDD system. Its small frame darted through the building's corridors, passing by countless patrolling Red Fang Gang members without being noticed by a single one.
Each stairwell in the building had at least two Red Fang Gang guards stationed there, but their guard duty was clearly lax. They didn't seem to enjoy the task, and it showed in their lazy, disinterested attitudes.
Belle only had to slip through visual blind spots to make it to the next floor. Even so, her overall progress was frustratingly slow.
Meanwhile, Anby was making far quicker headway. For Zhong Yan's safety, she moved with lightning speed, silently taking down every guard stationed at the stairwells on each floor.
It all happened too fast for the guards to react. They were down before they could so much as shout.
These brief skirmishes didn't raise any major alarms either—none of the other Red Fang Gang members on the floor noticed anything amiss.
Still, being discovered was only a matter of time. Anby had no time to hide the bodies; she pressed forward, heading to higher floors.
In doing so, she conveniently cleared the way for Belle, who was also heading upward. With fewer guards to deal with, Belle could even stroll up the stairs without drawing attention.
...
"I've reached the ninth floor... I should be close to Zhong Yan's sector now. I hope he's okay..." Anby whispered, her eyes on the large painted "9" on the wall.
Once in his area, she could look for clues to see whether anything had gone wrong.
But just as she was about to take down the guards on this floor, a petite figure burst out from the corner.
Strangely, this person wasn't targeting her—but instead went straight for the two guards posted at the entrance to the tenth floor.
Two white daggers gleamed in the dim light, flashing in rhythm with the girl's agile movements. Within moments, both guards were down.
Notably, she had deliberately avoided hitting any vital points, and her precision was remarkable. The way she moved was evidence of considerable combat experience.
That's when Anby finally got a good look at her.
A Cat Thiren girl—petite, with two feline ears atop her head and twin tails behind her. Her skin was dark, and her eyes were a rich, multi-toned crimson.
If Anby hadn't witnessed it herself, she would never have believed that such a dainty-looking girl could possess such lethal skill.
The Cat Thiren girl also noticed Anby, and as their eyes met, she immediately panicked. "You're that girl from earlier… No, I-I was just passing through."
Anby might be lacking in worldly knowledge, but she wasn't stupid. Her expression practically screamed, "Yeah, right."
Seeing the disbelief written all over Anby's face, the Cat Thiren girl sighed in defeat. She knew if she didn't tell the truth, she wasn't getting past this one.
"Okay, fine. I admit it—I overheard your plans earlier. But I didn't mean to! I'm not your enemy—I have my own reasons for being here. If you're willing to listen, I'll explain."
And so, she began to recount her past and motivations.
Years ago, when she was still a child, the Red Fang Gang was just a small, unknown group in Canvas Street. An orphan with nowhere to go, she was taken in by none other than Silver himself, who taught her how to fight.
Back then, the Red Fang Gang was known for their righteousness—defending the weak and helping the poor. The people of Canvas Street respected them.
Then came the Hollow Disasters. Canvas Street was consumed by a Hollow Zone and became uninhabitable.
With no choice, the Red Fang Gang relocated.
That's when Silver began to lose his way. The once-noble gang degenerated into a violent terrorist organization, bringing tragedy after tragedy to New Eridu.
The Cat Thiren girl, still clinging to her ideals, left the gang and wandered the streets alone, becoming homeless once again.
Earlier today, when she learned about the Red Fang Gang's horrific actions at Lumina Square, she was devastated. Using her old contacts, she traced the gang back to this building.
Her initial plan was to speak with Silver and try to talk sense into him.
But by sheer accident, she stumbled upon Zhong Yan and the others mid-strategy discussion.
Upon hearing their plans to take down the Red Fang Gang, her first instinct had been to alert Silver. But her conscience stopped her.
Deep down, she was still grateful to Silver. She didn't want him dead.
But at the same time, she couldn't condone what he'd done.
Over the years, the Red Fang Gang had committed countless atrocities, taking innocent lives—all under Silver's orders.
No exaggeration—he was the root cause of those tragedies.
So torn between gratitude and justice, she found herself caught in unbearable conflict.
Should she protect the man who once saved her?
Or should she end the life of the villain he had become?
After much inner turmoil, she made her decision.
She would end it herself. End Miguel Silver's life—and then turn herself in to New Eridu Public Security.
As a former Red Fang Gang member, she would undoubtedly be on their wanted list.
This way, she could rid the city of a threat and still face the consequences of killing her former mentor. Maybe not a perfect solution—but the best she could think of.
As for Zhong Yan and the others, she hadn't expected anyone else to be targeting the Red Fang Gang tonight.
She had assumed she'd be the first to get to Silver.
But to her surprise, Anby had moved with just as much speed.
Neither of them knew... that above their heads, a massacre beyond imagination was already underway.