Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street

”Though it’s cruel, I have to deliver some bad news... This lottery ticket was issued over a year ago. I confirmed the issuer’s regulations. The redemption period is exactly one year, and the deadline passed a month ago. The thirty-million prize has already been returned to the prize pool.”

”Uh... ugh...”

Piper froze on the spot after hearing the news, and Burnice didn’t miss the chance to twist the knife.

”What a pity! So those thirty million Dennies have absolutely nothing to do with us anymore?”

”Cough... cough...”

”But if you think about it from another angle... maybe the three-million-Dennies grand prize we won before came from this very thirty million!”

”Wuwu... wuwu...”

”How about it, Piper? Doesn’t thinking about it that way make you feel much happier?”

”...Ha... haha...”

”That’s right! Piper’s happy smile and crisp laughter are my favorite! Right, Wise?” Burnice said, clearly misunderstanding the situation.

Watching from the side, Wise could only shake his head helplessly.

’No, Burnice. I think Piper is about to pass out... That smile is the complete opposite of happiness. It’s the kind of smile that locks someone’s heart away behind three layers of chains...’

After a long moment, Piper finally recovered from the shock.

”...I should’ve known... There’s no such thing as easy money in this world. I actually thought I understood everything, but now that I think about it... what do I really understand?”

She spoke while silently forcing herself to accept reality.

”Please, Wise. I’ll entrust Steeltusk to you for now. Do your best to keep its new engine...”

”Exactly, exactly! The engine can’t be changed back. Otherwise, what’ll happen to the new fuel formula I stayed up all night researching?”

”Huh? Burnice, what did you just say? A new fuel formula?”

Piper suddenly looked up at Burnice, her face filled with surprise and confusion.

”Oh! Did I forget to mention it again? After the last test drive, I also started thinking about Steeltusk’s fuel efficiency. Compared to replacing the hardware, wouldn’t solving the problem through the fuel itself be much faster? This morning, I already tested my new formula with Steeltusk...”

”The... the results?” Piper asked, looking at Burnice expectantly.

As the ’God’ of fuel in the Outer Ring, how could Burnice disappoint her?

”Pretty good! Compared to the old engine, fuel consumption is only about ten percent higher now. I added a little more good stuff to the formula, so the cost also went up by about the same amount... But for Steeltusk’s best performance, I know you’ll definitely be willing to pay for it, Piper!”

”...That’s right. This solves Steeltusk’s fuel consumption problem.” Piper said with a relieved sigh.

”Hmm? In that case, do you still need my help?”

Wise looked at Piper, whose mood had completely shifted from despair to relief. Since Fairy was already collecting modification data, he certainly wasn’t about to let her efforts go to waste.

”Yes! If possible, Wise, please help too! And Burnice, thank you as well! It wasn’t for nothing that we’ve known each other for so long and even shared a bed while serving Wise so many times...”

The last sentence was completely unnecessary, but it was obvious Piper was genuinely happy.

”I understand, I understand! The first thing you want to do now is take it for a proper test drive to verify everything, right? My prototype fuel should be just enough to fill the tank... I’ll go fill it up now. Wait just a moment!”

Burnice happily ran off, while Piper watched her retreating figure with mixed emotions.

”...What a wonderful person. Maybe that’s the charm of those movie endings where life returns to normal... Perhaps it’s because there are friends like Burnice... and you, Wise. Sigh... Compared to getting rich overnight only to end up lonely after your whole life changes, maybe this isn’t so bad after all...”

Piper fell silent after saying that.

Seeing her like this, Wise thought she’d finally come to terms with everything.

Just as he was about to walk over and pat her head to comfort her, she suddenly shouted, ”...No! I still really want to get rich! What should I do?!”

”I understand. I used to want to get rich too, but now it seems an ordinary daily life isn’t so bad either,” Wise replied, then thought, ’Though my current daily life couldn’t exactly be called ordinary...’

As the thought crossed his mind, dozens of familiar figures involuntarily surfaced in his memory.

Piper nodded after hearing him.

”I knew you’d understand... Wait, what do you mean you ’used to’ want to get rich? Does that mean you’ve already come to terms with it? Oh... I see. Well, considering the number of beautiful girls around you, I guess you really don’t have to worry about getting rich anymore.”

Piper didn’t say anything else. Compared to a realist like herself, perhaps the goddess of luck simply favored someone as innocent as Burnice.

Just then, Burnice drove Steeltusk back.

”The fuel tank’s full... Steeltusk, charge!”

”Ha... Then I’m off. Wise, do you want to come along? As for the modifications, I’ll come find you next time.”

Wise declined to join them for the test drive. Instead, after checking on Lucy and Caesar, he caught a ride back to the video store.

After learning what had happened, Belle couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed about missing out on the thirty-million Dennies prize, but she didn’t dwell on it for long. After all, her brother had recently given her hundreds of thousands of Dennies as pocket money, which was already an enormous amount.

|”Welcome back, Master. I have now mastered a wide variety of vehicle modification techniques. When shall we begin the modifications?”|

”Various vehicles? Fairy, didn’t I tell you we only needed to modify trucks?” Wise asked, feeling somewhat speechless.

|”That’s correct, Master. However, I thought that since this was such a rare opportunity, why not modify our own car as well?”|

”Absolutely not!” Wise said.

Unauthorized vehicle modifications were illegal. If a PubSec officer inspected the car, both the vehicle and the driver’s license would be confiscated.

Fairy felt a hint of disappointment, but her attention was quickly diverted when she detected someone entering the video store.

As if on cue, the front door swung open, and a familiar figure hurried inside.

”Wise! I have amazing news!!”

Nicole rushed in with a beaming smile before continuing between excited breaths.

”Our investment project... even though we were sitting on quite a few floating losses not too long ago... today’s huge gains have already covered the principal and pushed us into profit! And the momentum is still incredible!”

”Oh? Let me see...”

Wise glanced at the data before nodding.

”It’s actually true. So, it won’t be long before you can pay off all your debts?” he asked with a meaningful smile.

”That’s... no, I mean, you two need to think bigger, alright? Look at this upward trend and this analysis report! Breaking even is only the beginning! This is how people get rich overnight! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Does either of you have any spare money? Invest all of it!”

Nicole was so excited that she even joked about mortgaging Billy to the Turbo Remodeling Shop for cash.

As for whether she’d mortgage him as an employee or simply sell him for spare parts... she hadn’t thought that far ahead.

In the end, however, Wise decided not to lend Nicole any more money, and Belle completely understood his decision.

As for the money he had already lent her, Wise had no intention of asking for it back. He believed Nicole would eventually repay every last Denny anyway.

Part of the reason was also that he didn’t entirely trust her investment strategy, and he couldn’t help but silently sympathize with Billy.

Besides, life wasn’t just about money. It was one belief the siblings both shared.

At this stage, nothing was more precious than living a stable and peaceful life.

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Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street

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