The Bangboo traffickers were ultimately captured, thanks to the efforts of Qing Yi.
Although calling it a "capture" might be generous—few of them actually survived. The lucky ones were so terrified by Zhong Yan's ruthless methods that they couldn't even form a full sentence during interrogation.
As for the trafficked Bangboo, those still able to function normally were all rescued.
The ones with owners were returned, while the rest were sent to Bangboo relief stations, where they could receive proper repairs and live securely moving forward.
Meanwhile, Zhong Yan wasn't idle either. In an effort to lift Pei's spirits, he took One-Denny-Boo along to get its feline friend treated at a hospital.
The treatment went smoothly. Though it cost a fair bit, Zhong Yan didn't mind as long as it helped improve Pei's mood.
And with that, another two months passed.
Outer Ring of New Eridu, Blazewood Town.
"Chi, you bastard! Did you drink my Nitro-Fuel again?!" Seeing her cup, which should've been full, now empty, Airi couldn't help but let out a piercing shriek.
The culprit, Chi, was leisurely sipping a limited-edition Nitro-Fuel atop a house roof in Blazewood Town, completely ignoring Airi's outraged yelling.
Ever since parting ways with Zhong Yan, the two had been living in Blazewood Town for several months.
As the stronghold of the Sons of Calydon, Blazewood Town had a surprisingly hospitable and straightforward populace. Despite arriving as drifters, the two weren't shunned—they were warmly welcomed.
Their hosts were none other than the Sons of Calydon, led by Caesar.
In return, the two didn't just laze around—they secretly helped the group with certain troublesome matters. For instance, the Vanquishers, who under Lucius's orders, had repeatedly attempted to attack Blazewood Town. Each time, Chi and Airi intercepted and repelled them in advance.
Whether it was Airi or Chi, both were powerful enough to rival the Twelve Shields of the Exaltists. Dealing with small fry like those was effortless, and they did it all without alerting a soul.
By now, they had completely integrated into Blazewood Town, and their relationship had grown far more amicable than before. Though squabbles still broke out often, there was no doubt—they were friends now.
"Chi! Give me back my Nitro-Fuel!"
Back to the present: when Airi caught Chi sipping her drink, the two immediately broke into a chase across the town.
In the end, Airi caught Chi—but by then, her drink was already gone.
"You did this on purpose, didn't you? Getting back at me for stealing your pizza! I've had it! I'm going to kill you!" At the end of the chase, Airi sat atop Chi, her red eyes brimming with tears of frustration.
Chi scoffed and said, "Correction—you didn't just steal my pizza. You also ate the cake Miss Lucy brought back from the city for me..."
Truthfully, it was Airi who had the bigger appetite. Faced with undeniable evidence, she could only cling to Chi's collar in impotent rage.
"You two! That's enough! I still have some!" A loud voice rang out from the distance. They turned and saw Burnice running toward them, holding two cups of the limited-edition Nitro-Fuel.
The two froze in surprise—after all, they clearly remembered the drink was strictly limited to one cup per person.
Before they could figure it out, Burnice had reached them and cheerfully said, "Here you go! These are yours. With Nitro-Fuel, you've got to enjoy it properly. Otherwise, what's the point of limiting it?"
As Blazewood Town's most famous mixologist, Burnice's Nitro-Fuel was guaranteed to be delicious. That's why she personally prepared it for every event—and why it always received universal praise.
If it wasn't that good, Airi and Chi wouldn't have fought so fiercely over a single cup.
"Thanks a lot, Miss Burnice." Chi gave a slight heave and flung Airi off his back. Just as he reached for his cup, Airi snatched both in a flash.
With smug confidence, she declared, "You drank my cup earlier. Now I'm taking yours."
She conveniently ignored all her earlier misdeeds.
Chi didn't mind much, though—he'd already had two. Despite its great taste, Nitro-Fuel wasn't something to be overindulged in.
"By the way, Miss Burnice—how are the negotiations going between Boss Caesar and the Vanquishers?"
Chi suddenly remembered the crisis facing the Sons of Calydon and couldn't help but ask.
Ever since Pompey and the others were driven off by Zhong Yan, similar attacks on innocent travelers, all falsely attributed to the Sons of Calydon, began appearing across the Outer Ring. The frequency had increased so dramatically that other factions began suspecting a frame-up.
But to this day, the Sons of Calydon still had no way to prove their innocence. As public sentiment worsened, calls to expel them from the Outer Ring grew louder.
Caesar's only move was to negotiate with the Vanquishers. As overlords and spokespersons of the Outer Ring, only they could ensure the Sons of Calydon wouldn't be driven out.
Still, that was just buying time. Unless they uncovered the impostors, it was only a matter of time before they were forced to leave.
Airi and Chi had investigated the matter but quickly realized that the real culprits might be linked to the Exaltists. To avoid unwanted trouble, they reluctantly halted their efforts.
But halting didn't mean abandoning the issue. It just meant they needed a new ally.
And who better than their boss—the leader of the Akatsuki Organization: Uchiha.
Airi had a phone that could contact Zhong Yan, and not long ago, she had already briefed him on the situation.
At that very moment, Zhong Yan had already begun investigating—without anyone's knowledge.