After tidying up their luggage in the hotel, Zhong Yan pulled out a brand-new swimsuit from his backpack that he had recently purchased.
This swimsuit was specifically bought for this vacation. There was no doubt about its quality—someone like Zhong Yan would never waste money on knock-offs.
"Zhong Yan, you don't seem that excited about this vacation. Is it because of the Exaltists?" In the room, Wise couldn't help but ask as he watched Zhong Yan changing clothes.
He had noticed from the beginning that Zhong Yan's demeanor was different from the others, as if he wasn't happy at all about going on a vacation.
The only reasonable explanation was that something was weighing on his mind—most likely, something related to the Exaltists.
Zhong Yan didn't deny it. After putting on his swim trunks, he responded calmly, "Can't help it. With such a sharp blade hanging over my head, saying I'm not worried would be a lie. But relaxing is still necessary. It's just that my idea of relaxation is different from Belle and the others."
Zhong Yan's answer made Wise nod in sudden understanding. Just as he was about to say something else, Billy suddenly poked his head halfway into the room from outside.
"Manager, and Zhong Yan, Boss Nicole and the others are getting a little impatient. Hurry up and get changed!"
Being a robot, Billy had no concept of privacy. All he needed to blend in at the beach was a pair of shorts.
As for Zhong Yan and Wise, their considerations were a bit more complex.
"Alright, we'll be out in just a minute. Please ask the ladies to wait a bit," Wise replied with squinted eyes. Billy's appearance made him drop the idea of continuing the conversation.
For now, they should just enjoy the vacation.
...
Not long after, Zhong Yan and Wise changed into their swimwear and stepped outside the hotel.
Anby and the others had been waiting for a while. They had already applied sunscreen and, without exception, were all wearing rather revealing swimsuits.
Among them, Nekomata's swimsuit was relatively modest, not showing much skin. Combined with her petite, childlike figure, it was even harder for others to appreciate in a certain way.
The other three, however, were a completely different story.
Starting with Anby—her figure wasn't particularly well-developed, and her skin was more yellow-toned than the typical pale complexion associated with femininity. Nicole had carefully picked out a swimsuit for her that leaned toward blue tones.
Without much knowledge about that kind of thing, Anby simply thought dressing this way would make Zhong Yan happy. She hadn't considered striking any sort of pose or anything like that.
In contrast, Belle's swimsuit differed from Anby's mainly in color, and her skin was noticeably paler. More importantly, she had developed much more, making the view significantly more eye-catching.
Youth… this is pure youth. Seeing the scene before him, Zhong Yan nodded to himself internally.
This vacation was definitely worth it. Scenery like this was a common sight at the beach, but when gathered together—it was a rare treat.
"Hey, Zhong Yan, get a grip! Your eyes are about to pop out of your head!" Nicole's sudden comment snapped Zhong Yan out of his thoughts.
Reflexively, he turned to look at Nicole.
And he was immediately shocked. Nicole's swimsuit revealed a truly jaw-dropping pair of giants, two mountains that blatantly stole everyone's attention.
Compared to Nicole, both Anby and Belle seemed completely outclassed—there was simply no comparison.
Indeed, when it came to size, few in all of New Eridu could rival Nicole.
Zhong Yan couldn't help but take a sharp breath. Still, Nicole's remark reminded him to keep his composure.
At the very least, he shouldn't let his gaze appear so aggressively interested in public.
"It's fine, Nicole. I wore this just for Zhong Yan. It's a brand-new swimsuit—I didn't even bring the old ones this time," Belle said, quickly stepping in to help out when she noticed Zhong Yan's awkward situation.
Zhong Yan was quite grateful, but he also couldn't ignore Anby's feelings. So, he just stood there with a stiff smile.
"Alright, enough chit-chat. We're here to relax, remember? Let's hit the beach before all the good spots are taken," Wise realized the situation was getting out of hand and quickly cut into the conversation.
And so, they headed for the beach and managed to find a great spot.
Belle, Nicole, and Nekomata rushed straight into the water, splashing around to vent the pressure they had built up inside.
In simpler terms—they were having a water fight.
Wise and Billy stayed by the shore. Wise looked at the three with a helpless expression, while Billy scanned the surroundings, trying to find a like-minded "riding buddy."
As for Zhong Yan, he had found himself a lounge chair under the shade of a beach umbrella. He was now lying there, sipping an ice-cold drink from the hotel, looking utterly content.
From his angle, he had a perfect view of Belle and the others playing in the water in their swimsuits—a rare sight indeed.
Lastly, there was Anby. She didn't seem very interested in playing in the water, so she chose to sit in the sand next to Zhong Yan.
Zhong Yan had invited her to sit on the chair with him, but Anby politely declined. Her reason? "I need to be more considerate than Belle."
By the way, the umbrella, the lounge chair, and the drink—all of them had been found by Anby nearby. Saying she was considerate would be an understatement.
The only question was what method she used to obtain those items. After all, Zhong Yan remembered them being communal property.
"Sometimes, taking a break isn't so bad after all." Draining his glass, Zhong Yan placed both hands behind his head and lay back on the lounge chair. His head tilted at a 45-degree angle, staring up at the sky.
The summer sky was so blue, it was almost hard to believe it was real.
Shift your gaze just a bit, and in the distance, you could see the massive Hollow Zero. The direct distance between it and the beach was probably under a hundred kilometers.
At that range, if Hollow Zero suddenly expanded, no one here would be able to escape. Anyone sucked into the Hollow would have to rely purely on luck to find a way out.
And beyond Hollow Zero's visible threat, from a place no one could see, a new menace had already set its sights on Zhong Yan.
But Zhong Yan had no idea at this moment.
Nor could he imagine that this would be a vacation he would never forget for the rest of his life.