Azhdaha hadn't intended to take in any underlings.
But when he thought about how those two humans had bullied the cardboard Bangboo—and even dared to lay a hand on him—it reminded him of his own past, deepening the hatred in his heart.
He didn't want to see the Bangboo bullied by humans again, so he accepted the two Bangboo as his followers.
Besides, Azhdaha's current strength was at a low point.
Having two local Bangboo to help him would make it easier to familiarize himself with this so-called "Liyue" and recover his former power more quickly.
"Follow me, and no one will ever bully you again."
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm (Lord Azhdaha Bangboo is mighty)..."
From that day on, in the outer ring of New Eridu, a new gang was born—made up entirely of Bangboo.
It wouldn't be long before this unusual gang would shake up the entire outer ring...
...
The night passed uneventfully. By morning...
In the central district of New Eridu.
At dawn, Nicole, Billy, and Nekomata had already spent a full day and night searching for the missing Anby, fearing she might have done something reckless.
But not only did they fail to find her—
Even Sam Li had vanished as well.
Nicole, exhausted, pushed open the door to Hare's House, shuffled over to the couch, and collapsed onto it.
She was completely drained.
Then—
A familiar voice chimed in from the side. "Want a burger? Just bought it."
Nicole shook her head. "No... I can't eat a thing…"
She had lost two of her most important staff.
The once-formidable Hare's House was on the verge of falling apart. There was no way she had the appetite for food.
But then—
Nicole froze.
That voice… didn't sound right.
She whipped her head around and saw Anby sitting on the other end of the sofa, holding out a burger to her.
She stared blankly.
Then, realizing it wasn't a dream, Nicole lunged forward and hugged Anby tight—pinching her face, squeezing her hands.
Not rubber.
Real.
After searching for an entire day and night, she'd finally found her.
And she never would've guessed Anby had been right here in Hare's House all along.
"It really is you, Anby! Where the hell did you go? Billy, Nekomata, and I scoured every burger joint in New Eridu—checked every single movie theater—nobody had seen you!"
"I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left without saying anything."
Anby knew how worried Nicole and the others must've been, and guilt weighed heavy on her heart.
Just then, Nekomata ran over.
The moment she saw Anby, she practically leapt into the air. "It really is Anby! Oh—what about Sam Li? He's missing too. Did you see him?"
Anby nodded. "He's brewing tea…"
Hearing that both of them were back, Nicole finally let out a long sigh of relief.
She hadn't slept a wink all night.
Exhausted and half-asleep, she didn't even bother asking why Anby had vanished. All she wanted now was to crash and get some rest.
At that moment, Sam Li appeared, carrying a brand-new teapot.
A refreshing aroma immediately filled the room, and Nicole perked up. "That smells amazing—what is it?"
Billy quickly glanced at Sam Li. "It's tea—oh my god, Nicole! Sam Li actually bought tea leaves!"
In New Eridu, tea was a luxury—something ordinary citizens could never afford.
Under normal circumstances...
Nicole would've scolded Sam Li for being reckless with money.
But right now...
With both Sam Li and Anby safely back, she was in too good a mood to care. "Billy, zip it and pour me a cup already—I'm dying of thirst."
Billy didn't hesitate. "Here you go, Boss Nicole!"
Nicole yawned. "Let's see what this fancy tea tastes like…"
She took a sip.
Instantly—
It felt like a surge of energy shot through her body. Her fatigue vanished, replaced by a rush of alertness.
Not only that...
Even her weary limbs felt renewed—stronger, even more energized than usual.
"Sam Li... where'd you get this stuff? How much is it per pound? How many Dennies did you spend this time?"
Nicole wasn't a tea expert...
But even she could tell this wasn't ordinary tea. Its effects were extraordinary.
Naturally, it couldn't be cheap.
Just one sip probably cost tens of thousands of Dennies.
Seeing Nicole's stunned reaction...
Nekomata took a sip as well. Her eyes lit up. "Wow—it's delicious! So this is what tea tastes like. No wonder the rich love it."
Anby silently tasted it too, her face betraying her astonishment.
It was their first time drinking tea—and they were all floored by both the flavor and the effects.
Seeing the worry on Nicole's face, Sam Li chuckled.
"Don't worry. This tea is called Shen Yu Xian Ming. I didn't buy it at the market—it's my own tea."
He'd exchanged it through the system after returning.
As far as quality went, he was more than satisfied.
Hearing that, Nicole finally relaxed.
She'd been worried Sam Li had racked up a bill in the hundreds of thousands—what a relief that it had all come from him.
After sipping the Shen Yu Xian Ming, Nicole and Nekomata shook off their drowsiness. Feeling reinvigorated, they couldn't help but ask about what had happened the day before.
"You and Anby disappeared for a whole day and night. Don't tell me it was just to get this tea?"
At those words, Anby and Sam Li exchanged a glance.
After a moment's hesitation, Anby gave a brief account of what had happened.
She'd felt uneasy—sensed Soldier 11 was in danger… started investigating, learned she was on a risky mission… worried she might die, so she'd gone to the Federer District to help her…
Anby only mentioned the major points.
She skipped over the details—like her personal history with Soldier 11.
"In the end, I thought I was going to die... but Sam Li showed up and took down three Ethereals…"
After hearing her story, Nicole, Billy, and Nekomata all looked at each other in shock.
They never imagined that during the day they were gone, Anby and Sam Li had gone through something so intense.
They had defeated two Ethereals beyond the Notoriety level—plus one Notoriety-class.
If anyone else had said it, Nicole wouldn't have believed it.
But if it was Sam Li... suddenly, it all made sense.
He was that powerful.
Nekomata tilted her head in confusion. "Anby... haven't you always hated Soldier 11? Why would you risk your life to save her?"
Anby stayed silent.
"…"
It wasn't hard to guess—there was clearly some unspoken history between them.
Nicole didn't press her. Instead, she spoke seriously.
"Anby, promise me—don't ever do something so reckless again. We're family here at Hare's House. No matter what happens, we face it together. Don't try to carry the burden alone."
...