When Wise announced his plan to take everyone on a beach vacation, joy lit up every single face.
After weeks of intense work and emotional strain, the prospect of finally getting to relax brought a wave of excitement over the entire group.
Even better—Wise was footing the bill himself. While it was a hefty expense, to a legendary Proxy like Phaeton Wise, it was nothing.
And no one was happier than Nicole.
A free vacation, with all expenses covered? That was something that only happened in her dreams.
Within a day, the members of the Cunning Hares—plus Zhong Yan and the Phaeton siblings—had packed their bags and set off. Seven people, one destination: the coast.
…
As a city rebuilt after the apocalypse, New Eridu was situated in a geographically ideal location. Not only did it have a well-balanced ecosystem, but its climate diversity was remarkable.
Most importantly—it was coastal.
And where there's coastline, there's tourism. Districts near the water had become key parts of New Eridu's development blueprint.
That was exactly where Zhong Yan and the others were headed.
Wise had made arrangements the day before, contacting the resort area to reserve accommodations for the week. All they had to do now was arrive—and enjoy.
Among them, the calmest was Zhong Yan.
He hadn't been all that interested in a vacation. He'd even considered not coming at all.
But when he heard Anby and Belle would be in swimsuits—his mind changed instantly.
Nothing was more important than seeing his girls in swimwear. Nothing—except seeing both of them in swimwear.
As a precaution, he had informed Ellen about the trip, though he intentionally left out the location.
He simply told her he'd be gone for a week on a getaway with friends.
Ellen hadn't pressed for details. She only told him to be careful, and to contact her immediately if anything happened.
Back to the present—just as their destination neared, the group caught sight of the ocean's blue shimmer from the windows.
It was strange, really. Not far from the beach loomed the massive Hollow Zero. And yet, tourists still flocked here in droves.
But such was the way of the world. Even after the apocalypse, the ocean remained a vital trade route—irreplaceable and irresistible.
"The sea… it's been forever since I've seen it," Belle said, leaning against the window with a dreamy look.
Nicole and the others visibly relaxed, too. Only Wise, the driver, had to keep his eyes on the road.
Soon, they reached the coastal parking area, found a good spot, and began unloading their gear.
"Ocean! Sky! Here I come!" Belle dashed forward, shouting at the waves. After such a stressful stretch of time, yelling like that was cathartic.
The others felt the same, even if they didn't express it quite so loudly.
"Let's drop our stuff off at the inn first," Wise said, pulling out the luggage. "Half a day's drive—I need a break."
Guided by the map on his phone, they arrived at the seaside inn Wise had booked.
Nicole shared a room with Nekomata. Belle roomed with Anby. Zhong Yan, Wise, and Billy shared the third.
Three rooms, seven people. It sounded fine on paper, but Zhong Yan was a little uneasy.
Anby and Belle sharing a room… might be risky.
Anby had already found out about his relationship with Belle during a visit to his home. He couldn't be sure how she really felt about it.
She had once told him she could accept him having someone else—as long as she still had a place in his life.
Zhong Yan had never forgotten those words.
But things had changed since… what happened with Ellen.
That was why he had hidden his exact whereabouts from her. If she ever followed the clues and showed up here…
He didn't want to imagine that scenario.
"Zhong Yan, what're you thinking about?" Anby's voice pulled him back to reality. They were standing at the inn's entrance, waiting for Wise to finish checking in.
She had another reason for talking to him too—the surprise she'd prepared: "I bought a swimsuit just for you. Nicole said you'd love it."
A swimsuit, huh…
Zhong Yan thought about it. It wasn't the swimsuit he liked—it was the person wearing it.
And if that person was Anby? Then absolutely.
"Really? I'm kind of looking forward to it now," he replied with a mild chuckle.
At that moment, Belle joined the conversation.
"Swimsuit? I brought one too. Wanna see, Zhong Yan?" she grinned.
Unlike Anby's shy tone, Belle was blunt and bold—her voice rang loud and clear.
And to be honest, her figure outclassed Anby's by a long shot. If they both wore swimsuits… the victor was pretty obvious.
"I called dibs! Zhong Yan sees mine first," Belle declared. Her sudden insertion made Anby frown.
She immediately stepped forward and bumped Belle aside.
Sensing Anby's hostility, Belle didn't back down. She bumped right back and said, "Please. It's just a swimsuit. Who even cares about the order? Let's see which one he likes more."
Anby clearly didn't catch the nuance. "He'll like mine, obviously!"
"Really? I wouldn't be so sure."
One line after another—the bickering started out of nowhere.
Zhong Yan rubbed his temple. This was exactly what he feared.
If the next seven days turned into this kind of battle every day…
His vacation might become anything but relaxing.