Reconnected

* Characters

Anby, Belle, Billy, Hacker, Nicole, Wise

**Reconnected** is the seventh act in Chapter 000 of the *Zenless Zone Zero* storyline.

## Dialogue

 **Commission Description**

The truth appears in times of crisis
### Punishment

**Anby:** Hyuu— Hyuu— Wake up.
**Billy:** Anby, are you giving that Bangboo mouth to mouth...?
**Anby:** I'm trying to wake it up. It stopped responding just now.
**—￥￥%...@#!!!**
**Billy:** Boss, that's the superior Ethereal up ahead! We met him last time! Dullahan!
**Nicole:** Right now? Just after we lost contact with (Proxy)?
**Nicole:** Wait... So the strongbox we're looking for must be somewhere around here?
**Billy:** Why can't I have such a chance encounter with Monica—!
**Anby:** Nicole, it's about to notice us! Instructions?
**Nicole:** ...Ahhh, darn it!
**Nicole:** Forget the strongbox for now, let's retreat! We'll wait till (Proxy) returns to normal!!

### Signal Lost

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### Hopes of Escape

**On the TV screen, the Cunning Hares' game of lost and found continued...**

**Ethereals:** Grrrr...
**Anby:** Those Ethereals are still here.
**Billy:** They're like our landlord when he wants the rent.
**Billy:** Our time is up again, we've already stayed in the Hollow four times the recommended amount.
**Nicole:** (Proxy), if you don't come back soon, you can forget about your payment!
**Anby:** Hide!
**Billy:** W-What? Are those monsters back again?
**Anby:** Not the Ethereals. There's a Hollow Investigation Squad up ahead.
**Billy:** Oh, Investigators.
**Billy:** Wait— Investigators?!
**Billy:** Boss, we're saved! They're from the Investigative Association, they have a Carrot!
**Billy:** We can ask them for help and follow them out of the Hollows!
**Nicole:** Don't be stupid. Don't you see those Public Security guys with them?
**Nicole:** We're Hollow Raiders, if we go out with them then we're gonna get arrested.
**Billy:** That might be true if it were just us, but with the Proxy...
**Billy:** Don't you remember Public Security's policy? If you report a Proxy they'll...
**Anby:** Trade (Proxy)'s Proxy identity for our safety or continue pacing around here and wait for (Proxy) to get back to normal.
**Anby:** As things stand, Billy's proposal is quite feasible.
**Billy:** Boss... I won't force you to make a choice, I'll follow your orders.
**Bangboo:** ...
**Billy:** Boss?
**Nicole:** Enough chatter... We can't stay here any longer.
**Nicole:** Let's go.

**The Random Play video store in New Eridu's Janus Quarter on Sixth Street.**

**The TV screen suddenly freezes.**
****I have to say, I'm touched\_****
****Proxies and Hollow Raiders are just a bunch of rats stealing profit from the Hollows under the Association's nose\_****
****I've met lots of teams that tore each other apart for profit\_****
****But to protect your secret identity, they actually gave up the chance to escape, tsk\_****
****Unfortunately, the ones being rescued don't seem to plan on returning the favor\_****
 —Enough, I get it.
 —I'll tell you the code.
**Belle/Wise:** (Bro...? / Sis...?)
**Belle/Wise:** But how am I supposed to know it? It was saved to the database you just deleted.
****Are you joking\_****
 —Give me control authorization, and I can fix it.
 —I've got the backups, but I need the authorization...
****You know I can't do that. Proxies, Hollow Raiders, none of you can be trusted\_****
****Give back control of the system to "Phaethon"?****
****There's no way I'm taking such a risk\_****
**Belle/Wise:** Then you'll never get the code. Unless...
****Give me your Proxy Network account, and I'll download it for you\_****
**The solution presented by the cursor sent shivers down everyone's spines.**
**The Proxy Network is the foundation upon which all Proxies operate. Giving away their unique account is like handing over their entire identity as a Proxy.**
**Belle/Wise:** ...My entire existence is that of a Proxy...
**The cursor flashes on the blank screen for a moment.**
**Unclear whether deliberately sowing despair or just enjoying the victory.**
****You're right\_****
****If you want to save those people in the Hollow, you have no other choice\_****
****I get it, it's a tough decision. I won't judge you if you start to cry\_****
****But you'd best get it over with. The longer they stay in that Hollow, the more likely they are to become monsters\_****
****Too bad I can't see you crying\_****
 —I'm not crying...!
 —How can I trust you'll save them after?
****I promise I'll save them.****
****You have no choice but to trust me\_****
****I still need them to get my strongbox back, after all\_****
 —OK. I'll give you my Proxy account.
 —If you go back on your word, I'll never let you go!
**[Initiating confidential data transmission]**
**Only the sound of the data transfer can be heard in the workshop.**
(New Commission Added - Proxy & Trapped Hares)

**With the final stroke, all the data belonging to "Phaethon", tightly protected for so long, was finally out of the box.**
**All information used to verify the Proxy's activities gradually disappears, and is transmitted and rebuilt on the other party's network.**
**From that moment on, the original "Phaethon" no longer existed. The hacker had stolen the entire identity.**
****Even the source authentication code page was transferred. Looks like you've given up completely\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —I want to ask one last question.
****Given your cooperation, I'm not in a bad mood\_****
****Shoot\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —What's in the strongbox that's so important?
****It's something someone like you will never get their hands on\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —That's hardly an answer.
****Observation data on the Hollow\_****
****You can enter a Hollow normally, but can't get back out\_****
****To allow the smooth extraction of Ether and other Hollow-related activities\_****
****An extraction route must be created, which is what the Hollow Investigative Association's Carrots are for\_****
****The one-time use Hollow extraction data is produced based on a huge amount of Hollow observation data\_****
****That's how valuable the strongbox is\_****
****For Proxies and Hollow Raiders like yourself, it must be a dream find. But it has nothing to do with you\_****
**Belle/Wise:** I see, it must be something very important to those officials...
**Ding—! [Data transfer complete]**
****Time for my bonus. Where is the backup code\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —Have you activated your Proxy certification yet?
****Yes\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —I have one more question. This time for real.
****Are you stalling for something\_****
****We aren't friends, don't push your luck\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —My question is, since you're such a master hacker and can take full control of my system.
**Belle/Wise:** —Why not just steal my data? Why didn't you just hack into the Proxy Network and steal my data after hearing I stored it there?
****Don't make me forget my promise\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —Or more simply, why not just come to my door and snatch the password? After all, you didn't know it was electronic data.
**Belle/Wise:** —Thinking about it, other than taking control of my system, you haven't implemented anything else a hacker would.
**Belle/Wise:** —You've acted more like a kidnapper, threatening my cooperation with Nicole and the others' safety.
**Belle/Wise:** —I'm guessing you're probably not even as good as you say you are. I bet you don't even know where I am.
****Tell me where the backup is\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —Or you have a reason not to appear in public, a secret that can't see the light of day.
**Belle/Wise:** —Let me tell you a secret. "Phaethon" isn't one person~
****Shut up! Just tell me where the backup is!\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —Don't worry, mystery hacker. I'm helping you.
**Belle/Wise:** —Listen carefully. Can you hear sirens nearby?
**After a moment of silence, the cursor replies much faster than previously.**
****What did you do?\_****
**Belle/Wise:** —I'm just doing my duty as a good citizen of New Eridu.
**Belle/Wise:** As the anniversary of the founding of the city approaches, the city administration (is calling / calls for) for citizens to actively report dangerous types such as Proxies and Hollow Raiders. They even opened a hotline!
****Answer my question! What did you do?\_****
 —I called the cops.
 —And filed a complaint with the nice man on the other end.
**Belle/Wise:** To be precise, I reported the infamous Hollow criminal "Phaethon" through the special hotline to the H.A.N.D. Special Intelligence Unit for Hollow Affairs, and gave them all the account details...
****Turning yourselves in? Why would you do that?\_****
**Belle/Wise:** We didn't turn ourselves in. After activating your Proxy identity authentication code just now, "Phaethon's" identity officially changed hands.
 —They're coming for you.
 —You see? YOU'RE "Phaethon" now!
**The cursor falls silent.**
**Belle/Wise:** Phew... Getting him to accept "Phaethon's" identity wasn't easy...
**Belle/Wise:** Fortunately, all sensitive information, commission data and transaction records have been transferred.
**Belle/Wise:** He was so proud of his hacking technique, he not only deleted all the data here, he didn't even leave a trace...
**Belle/Wise:** I wonder how long it will take the H.A.N.D. task force to decipher the guy's location?
 I wish I could show that guy the maniacal grin on your face right now.
****This isn't over! You'll pay for this!\_****
**The cursor didn't send any more replies, and after several minutes—**
**[Remote control has ended, H.D.D. now in local mode]**
**[Reboot in progress... Please wait...]**
**Belle/Wise:** Job done...
**Belle/Wise:** Awesome — We did it! Control of the H.D.D. system has been transferred back!
 Phew—
 We did it!
**My heart is pounding. Our bet paid off.**
**(Proxy) had already conceived of the daring plan on seeing Public Security personnel in the video.**
**To prevent the mysterious hacker from getting back in, the two immediately went to work securing the network.**
**Belle/Wise:** Now we need to quickly restore the connection... And get Nicole and the others out of there!

## Change History

Released in **Version 0.13**[Edit History]