What was difficult to understand was that, after waking from unconsciousness, Pei hadn't been locked up—instead, it had been tossed aside like trash.
Perhaps those men assumed it had completely lost the ability to move, which was why they disposed of it so carelessly.
But for Pei, this was good news. It meant there was still a chance to escape.
However, before doing that, it had to find One-Denny-Boo. If it escaped alone, its conscience would never allow it peace.
Or perhaps... it wanted to save all the surviving Bangboo trapped here.
With that thought in mind, Pei began to move. As a combat Bangboo from the Nin-Village, it possessed exceptional stealth abilities—especially against this undisciplined gang of outlaws, who were no match for it.
Unfortunately, these men were armed with a full set of Ether equipment, making it nearly impossible for Pei to take them all on alone.
Even if it aimed to defeat them one by one, extreme caution was needed. They carried weapons specifically designed to counter Bangboo, and even now, Pei hadn't managed to identify the nature of the spray they'd used.
What's worse, the effects hadn't completely worn off. Pei's mobility remained significantly impaired. It had to move with utmost care.
...
At the same time, outside the Companion Hollow where Pei was being held—
Zhong Yan arrived at the outer edge via Kamui. His comms was connected to Fairy, allowing real-time updates. If Pei's tracking chip reactivated, they'd be able to pinpoint its location instantly.
"Fairy, what's the situation? Any sign of Pei's position?" Zhong Yan asked, staring at the looming Hollow in front of him.
Fairy replied immediately and succinctly: "Negative. Pei's tracking chip has been completely destroyed. Current assessment: entry into the Hollow is required to gain even a small chance of re-establishing location."
Zhong Yan sighed lightly. Companion Hollows covered vast areas. Even if he deployed all his shadow clones for a full search, it would take an entire day and night at best.
Worse yet, Companion Hollows often linked to other Hollows via spatial nodes. For all he knew, the abductors had only used this one as a waypoint.
Still, it was the only lead he had. No matter how slim the odds, he had to try.
He took a deep breath, preparing to enter—only for a sudden presence to catch his attention.
A uniform in blue tones... and that distinctive green hair tied into twin tails.
It was Qing Yi.
Her sudden appearance made Zhong Yan pause. He couldn't help but wonder: why was she here?
Enforcers usually acted in pairs, yet her partner Zhu Yuan was nowhere to be seen. That alone made things suspicious.
After a moment's hesitation, Zhong Yan activated Kamui again—appearing directly in Qing Yi's path just before she entered the Hollow.
...
"No takers again, huh..." Qing Yi sighed, glancing at the request she had posted on the Proxy Network. She had been looking for a Proxy to accompany her into the Hollow.
Technically, Enforcers didn't need Proxies to enter Hollows. As official agents, they had full access to Carrot data for each mission.
But this wasn't an official assignment from the Public Security Bureau. It was a personal mission—meaning she couldn't requisition a Carrot through normal channels.
Entering a Hollow without one risked being trapped inside... or worse, becoming corrupted and turning into an Ethereal. Even as an Intelligent Construct, Qing Yi wasn't immune—she just had more resistance than most.
Even so, she had no choice but to go. She had made a promise to someone—that no matter what, she would bring their Bangboo back.
So, after a moment's resolve, she stepped forward, ready to enter and begin her search.
Just then, a spatial vortex swirled into existence a short distance away, and a figure emerged from its depths.
Her visual sensors immediately locked onto the anomaly, and she halted mid-step, her expression tensing.
When she saw who it was, she couldn't believe her eyes.
"Uchiha?"
In a split second, every file she had on Uchiha surged through her system. She confirmed with absolute certainty—it was the rogue Hollow Raider wanted by the Bureau.
But in the entire Public Security Bureau, not a single Enforcer had the power to apprehend Uchiha on their own. Even the top-ranked couldn't stand against him—not without a full team.
So, Qing Yi's first instinct wasn't to fight... it was to figure out how she might escape alive.
"Good day, Miss Qing Yi. I've heard Enforcers always work in pairs—why is your partner missing today?" Zhong Yan asked casually, watching her closely.
Qing Yi, uncertain of his intentions, stayed wary. "That has nothing to do with you. I do appreciate the intelligence you gave us about those three thousand bombs—but that doesn't mean the Bureau is going to drop the bounty on your head."
"So... Miss Qing Yi, are you here to arrest me?" Zhong Yan said, as a faint trace of hostility drifted from his form.
Qing Yi immediately adopted a defensive stance, whipping out her nunchaku from behind her back, her combat subroutines activating in full.
But Zhong Yan had no intention of attacking. He simply wanted to test her—to see what she was really doing here.
If a game character had ended up in trouble in real life, and they were someone worth saving... he wasn't going to turn a blind eye.
"No need to be so tense, Miss Qing Yi. I'm just passing through. I have no current plans to take action against the Public Security Bureau, and I suggest you keep it that way as well."
"Trying to apprehend me by force... wouldn't do you any favors."