ZZZ: Dawn of The Black Sun

"Qingyi!" Zhu Yuan pocketed her walkie talkie and rushed to the back entrance. "I've been trying to contact you! What happened?" she took Qingyi's hand and led her in. "Are you hurt?"

"It's okay," Qingyi handed Zhu Yuan a report she's compiled. "I had a little... run in with an illegal ether mining activity while looking for the missing Bangboo,"

Zhu Yuan took the thumb drive and sighed a little. "And you didn't call for back up???" she pocketed the thumb drive and relaxed. "You shouldn't be doing this Qingyi,"

"Because it's against the protocol and too much resources to rescue a single bangboo?"

"Because something could've happened to you," Zhu Yuan said. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you," she led Qingyi to sit next to her in the break room. "Now tell me, are you alright?"

"I'm alright, really," Qingyi smiled and took out a tape. "Actually, I met up with Belle again, I might have asked for her help,"

Zhu Yuan narrowed her eyes. "The Proxy who worked with the Cunning Hares? Why?"

"I just want to know why the Cunning Hares trust her with small work. She's really good and very cooperative. We took down an illegal Ether Mining facility underneath the St. Freya Highschool," she turned to Zhu Yuan. "Belle asked you to come visit sometimes, to return this tape I borrowed."

"Huh..." Zhu Yuan took a closer look at the tape. It's a copy of Tre Carls, a movie about Bangboos. "I would've thought that Belle would lay low now that you've caught her,"

"I think she just want to be friendly with us," Qingyi smiled a little. "Belle is a good person, her and Koleda, they were a lot of help,"

"I see..." Zhu Yuan narrowed her eyes and took a closer look at the thumb drive. "Wait a minute... let me guess..." she squinted her eyes. "You didn't put anything about them in this flash drive, did you? You fabricated this..."

Qingyi smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, but I'd appreciate it if we don't bust them up like that," she tilted her head. "If you want to know why I do this... you should go and meet them yourself," she stood up and walked to a water cooler nearby. "I will honor Belle's request to keep what happened between us a secret. If you want to know what happened, feel free to ask her,"

Zhu Yuan sighed a little, thumb drive in her hand felt as worthless as a piece of dirt now. "Fine, I'll go talk to her," she rapped her fingers against the table, watching Qingyi took a sip of her hot water. "Say..." the woman took a closer look at Qingyi, finding something unusual.

"Hmm?"

"You're smiling,"

"Re-really?" Qingyi put a hand on her face. "I do not notice."

"No, it looks good on you," Zhu Yuan smiled gently. "I'm glad to see it,"

"Thank you," Qingyi replied. "Being with them... made me want to smile, ehehe..."

Zhu Yuan pouted a little. "A laugh? Seriously? You've only known them for two days and you already laugh?" the woman groaned a little. "I've worked with you for years and I could barely make you smile..."

"Mm, I think they just got lucky... The mission was... personal..." Qingyi took another sip of her hot water, the smile never once left her face. "It was fun... like having friends outside of work,"

"Yeah, I can tell," Zhu Yuan played with her hair for a bit. "Still... I do need a good reason to hang out with Belle, hmm..."

"How about that advert?" Qingyi said. "You said it didn't turn out good and you've seen how good Belle is at making the Cunning Hares Movie. Why not ask her to make a movie about New Eridu Public Security, who knows? Maybe it can raise the citizen's awareness."

"Yeah! And I can convince Belle to stop these stupid Proxy Business too!" she folded her arms, smiling as if proud of herself. "Okay, then, I have settled on my next mission!" she raised her finger. "Qingyi, help me setup the required document for a case proposal,"

"Understood, give me three to five business days,"

 "That's too long don't you think?"

"Worker compensation,"

"We have pension,"

"I'm an immortal AI, I will never be able to claim my pension fund,"

Zhu Yuan paused, open her mouth as if to retort, closes it again, and looked down. She furrowed her eyebrows in deep thought, thinking about it. She opened her mouth again, paused, before sitting down.

"Now that you mention it... How does pension work on AI?" she said finally.

"Now you know why I'm very efficient,"

"You mean lazy,"

"Same difference,"

[LINE BREAK]

It was late at night, only the sound of cats fighting and distant footsteps could be heard. The dim light flickered above the alleyway as a woman walked down the deserted street. Her eyes darted around between the dark corner of the street and her phone, showing a map.

"I... I'm here..." she whispered to her phone.

No response, the woman gulped, regretting all her choice that led up to this moment. She took a deep breath, tapping her foot impatiently, desperate to soothe her raising panic.

"Nyaa~"

A soft meow came from beside her, a small cat walked on a fence next to her. Black as the night, only the twin pin pricks of its eyes is visible. The woman sighed a little, finding its presence soothing in some way. "Hello there..." she muttered, holding up her hand for the cat to sniff.

"Eek!" her phone vibrates and her body jerked a little, scaring off the cat. She quickly answered the call, heart hammering on her chest. "I, I'm at the location!"

"Got you in 4k, Betty," the voice came from the receiver. It sounds like a young girl, though warped in some way to mask the real voice. "I'm almost there, just around this corner..."

After a few seconds, a dark grey unmarked Bangboo stepped out of the corner. It walked up towards Brenda, digital display showing an eye smile. It waved at Brenda and the woman forced a nervous smile.

"Hi," the Bangboo greeted her. "Betty Brenda?"

"Y-yeah," Part of her want to say no and walk away, but she knew it was just rhetoric. This Bangboo and the monster connected to it already know who she is, who she work for, where she lives, where her family's at. They're just being polite and friendly with her for whatever sick reason they have.

The Bangboo nodded. "Nice to finally meet you~ Sorry we can't talk in person," it spoke calmly, tone cheerful as if talking to a friend. "Anyway, I'd have to thank you for helping with the hospital, I've made sure that no report will occur from Belobog's part, no reports, no investigation, no murder, so chill~"

No report, no investigation, no murder. It's a formula that only someone who's used to commit murder and getting away with it can follow. To get rid of someone as powerful and important as the Iron Witch herself. She wondered how many others have fell victim to this monster.

"Then... what do you want?" Brenda asked, playing it cool.

"A can of Neon Cola would be great right about now," the Bangboo lay flat on its stomach. "And the Bone Broth Noodle... Gosh I really want that!" the Bangboo rolled around the street, like a child whining for dinner. "What about you Betty, what do you like?"

"Wh-what?" Betty took a step back on instinct. There's just something deeply unsettling about all this. The way this... person acts so innocent and how unsettlingly genuine they sound, despite the sort of transaction happening right now. "I... I just... I just want to get this over with..."

"Ehh? Why you sound so sad? You get everything you want, no?" The bangboo stood up again and start walking around her, circling her. "You get to beat the Iron Witch, you get to become the greatest mechanic in New Eridu, and the Three Gates Industry won the bid!"

Betty clenched his fist. "Th-that's not..."

The Bangboo stopped right in front of her. "That's exactly what you asked and what I promised for," it continues. "Come on, don't treat me like one of those stories about Genies and Monkey Paw. You literally get everything you want and walk away with no consequences! Don't tell me you regret making business with me!"

This thing is right, she knew exactly what she signed up for. She gets exactly what she wanted. She's not even sure why she's so bothered. She should be thanking them, but... Why is it that her chest felt like it's on fire?

"Just tell me what you want!" Betty exclaimed.

"A little thank you would be nice!" the Bangboo folded its arms and looked away. "And I guess, I need your phone for something," it pointed at Betty's phone. 

Her phone began to vibrate, screen flickering erratically. She gulped a little, part of her wondering if she should be getting a new phone. But then, the flickering stopped and... nothing, her phone returned back to how it was. What happened there?

"What happened?" Betty turned back to the Bangboo, finding it looking around in confusion. "Hello?"

"Nhenha?" the Bangboo asked.

"Ah... Okay... it's over..." Betty pocketed her phone and quietly walked away. Getting all she wants and walk away without consequences. It sounded too good to be true, just walk away without consequences? Really? Can a murderer like her really walk away from all this?