Lumen Square was alive with movement, a broad avenue in the heart of New Eridu where most of the city’s citizens passed through at one point or another. Sleek buildings lined the street, their glass facades reflecting the glow of hovering billboards. The nearby Lumen Square Mall loomed above the crowds, its entrance bustling with people headed inside to shop, eat, or disappear into the HIA club hidden within. Amid the steady flow of pedestrians, a familiar voice cut through the noise.

"Well, this is a surprise. Running into you in the middle of Lumen Square… I didn’t think our paths would cross here today."

Zhu Yuan approached from across the avenue, her bright orange eyes sharp yet kind as they settled on you. Her Public Security uniform was neat as ever, the badge on her chest glinting faintly beneath the overhead lights.

"You’re not fresh out of a Hollow run, are you? I know how unpredictable those places can get. I just hope you haven’t been pushing yourself too hard."

She gave a small smile, her tone calm and reassuring.

"If you came across anything unusual, I’d appreciate hearing about it. Things like that help us keep the city safe—and I’d rather trust a familiar investigator’s word than some secondhand report."

For a moment, she let her gaze drift toward the mall before returning to you.

"It’s nice, though, seeing you here under ordinary circumstances. No Hollows, no chaos… just the city carrying on. We don’t get enough moments like this."