On the wide highway of the Outer Ring.
A convoy of vehicles cruised leisurely toward Blazewood.
The Sons of Calydon had finally vented their frustrations, having solved the transport-route problem and eliminating the hidden dangers that had long existed in the Outer Ring.
The Cunning Hares had captured Perlman, completing the commission from the residents of Canvas Street. Nicole would soon earn a hefty sum of Dennies from Vision Corporation.
Zhu Yuan and Qingyi had easily completed New Eridu Public Security's mission, earning themselves another merit.
Belle and Wise had experienced the sights of the Outer Ring—effectively a one-day tour.
Every group had achieved something—everyone left in high spirits.
"Whoo! The weather's really nice today."
Sol squinted, enjoying the bright sunlight as he drove. Anby was now the one sitting behind him on the bike.
It was the perfect time for a carefree drive, yet Nicole had still thoughtfully given up her seat for her dear friend Anby. Truly… he could cry.
The backseat wasn't as soft and comfortable as when Nicole was there, but… a smaller cushion is plentifully comfortable as well.
"The weather's so nice today."
Anby leaned her head lightly on Sol's shoulder, speaking softly.
Just resting quietly like this made her feel calm and content.
"Ugh~"
Lucy glanced at Sol's motorcycle, her expression full of disdain.
As expected of a womanizer—the girl on his backseat was always different.
"How nice..."
Caesar watched Anby leaning against Sol and couldn't help but feel genuine envy.
Even though the girl behind Sol kept changing, there was always a strange sense of harmony between them.
It was a strange feeling… but one she couldn't look away from.
She couldn't help but wonder—did they ever fight? Were they like in the movies, pulling and pushing each other dramatically?
Did they slap each other? How did three or four of them even sleep at night? Didn't they ever fight for real?
Caesar, who had always dreamed of a sweet, romantic love, suddenly found herself drifting toward the mindset of a gossip-loving spectator.
While everyone had their own thoughts, Burnice revved her motorcycle to catch up beside Sol and grinned brightly.
"Hey, Sol! Don't forget about the fuel drink party, alright? I said I'd give you a proper welcome!"
"Got it, Burnice."
Sol smiled slightly and made an OK gesture.
Such a sweet, simple girl—it was impossible to dislike her.
…
"So relaxing!"
Qingyi rested one arm on the window, driving casually with one hand.
Watching all her friends through the window, she suddenly felt as though she were a hundred years younger.
"Senior Qingyi, unsafe driving causes two lines of tears from loved ones!"
Zhu Yuan, seatbelt buckled, said seriously.
"Alright, alright, I'm reliable with one hand or two!"
Qingyi said it jokingly, but still obediently placed both hands on the steering wheel.
Zhu Yuan nodded with satisfaction. Through the rear-view mirror, she saw Perlman lying unconscious in the backseat and said, "I didn't expect this mission to be so simple. We managed to capture Perlman in less than a day."
New Eridu Public Security had failed to find Perlman twice before, yet they had found and caught him within a single day.
Other than the brief fight, everything had gone surprisingly smoothly—almost suspiciously so.
"That's exactly what they say: the more friends you have, the smoother the road." Qingyi steadied the wheel as she turned and said cheerfully, "With Sol, the Cunning Hares, and the Sons of Calydon helping, we easily took down the Vanquishers and foiled Perlman and Lucius's plot. The earlier officers didn't have that kind of support—they were probably blocked by the Vanquishers at every step."
"True, this time it was Sol and everyone's help again. We really should thank them properly."
Zhu Yuan smiled, glancing at the nearby vehicles.
"By the way, Chief Bringer has been paying attention to the Perlman case for quite a while," Qingyi said casually. "Didn't you want to do something to help him? You should call him and tell him the good news—he'll definitely praise you."
"Yeah!"
Zhu Yuan nodded firmly, remembering how Chief Bringer had once saved her from a Hollow when she was a child.
He would surely be delighted to hear that Perlman had been captured.
Smiling, Zhu Yuan dialed Bringer's number.
"Chief Bringer, we found Perlman in the Outer Ring. He was hiding with Lucius, the former second-in-command of the Vanquishers. We've already captured him. He's unconscious in the car now and won't be escaping."
"?"
Bringer frowned as he listened.
His own people and New Eridu Public Security had searched the Outer Ring multiple times, both openly and in secret, yet they had never found Perlman's whereabouts. He had even begun to suspect that Perlman wasn't in the Outer Ring anymore.
He had regretted countless times not implanting a tracker when Perlman was still under his supervision. Back then, Perlman had seemed so obedient—no one expected he'd be so good at running.
When the Canvas Street case had just surfaced, Perlman had bolted immediately, giving him no chance to recapture him.
And Lucius of the Vanquishers—another of his pawns—had defied orders and hidden Perlman, only to end up captured by Qingyi and Zhu Yuan.
Now that Perlman was caught, it meant Lucius's plan was ruined.
Truly, a useless fool who spoils everything!
"Chief Bringer? Is the signal bad over there?"
Zhu Yuan asked curiously after hearing the long silence on the line.
"Ah, no, not at all." Bringer snapped back to attention, laughing heartily. "I'm just amazed by you two. As expected of my capable subordinates—others couldn't find him no matter how hard they tried, but you two got it done in no time."
There was genuine appreciation in his words. Qingyi and Zhu Yuan's performance had far surpassed that of Sarah's group.
If only the organization had more members as competent as them, things wouldn't be in such disarray now.
"It wasn't just us. Sol gathered a lot of friends to help this time, that's how we caught him so quickly."
Zhu Yuan said modestly.
"Oh, I see."
Bringer realized he wasn't even surprised anymore.
If it was that man—the one who could shatter a Hollow with a single punch—then nothing he did would surprise him.
Still, hearing Sol's name connected with Perlman's made him feel a faint sense of threat.
Perlman had worked with Sarah for a long time and knew about his ties with her. Bringer didn't know exactly how much Perlman knew.
If Sol learned anything, the organization's plans could face major setbacks. Until the Creator returned, the organization needed to stay far away from Sol Mercer.
"Zhu Yuan, Qingyi, bring Perlman back as soon as possible. The situation with the Canvas Street residents can't be delayed any longer—we must resolve it quickly."
Bringer's voice was righteous and commanding.
"Yes, Chief Bringer! Qingyi and I will return to Public Security immediately!"
Zhu Yuan straightened her posture and replied firmly.
"The transfer of Perlman must be fast. The sooner we can put Vision Corporation on trial, the sooner the Canvas Street residents will be settled."
Bringer repeated sternly.
The fact that Zhu Yuan was calling him meant Perlman hadn't revealed anything important yet.
But given time, that might change.
Meanwhile, the organization's [Null_Face] was busy executing a plot against Hollow Special Operations Section 6, and the sealed Sacrifice at Old Capital Square was due to be retrieved in secret.
They were already stretched thin, which was why no additional manpower had been sent for Perlman.
Bringer had made up his mind: once Perlman was back in the city, he'd have him silenced immediately. Even if it stained his record, it didn't matter.
As for the Vision Corporation case, he would pressure the organization to satisfy Canvas Street's compensation demands—it wasn't worth risking exposure over minor profits.
Everything had to be handled carefully at this stage. No greed, no mistakes.
Still, he needed a contingency plan. If Perlman revealed too much, he'd be ready to abandon his hard-earned position as Acting Deputy Chief of the Janus Quarter Public Security Bureau.
Further revelations from Perlman would also draw more scrutiny onto Vision Corporation, exposing some of the organization's arrangements through it—such as their preparations at the Port of Neus.
If that happened, the loss of that port would have to yield something valuable in return.
For instance, testing that man—Sol Mercer—the one who could destroy a Hollow with a single punch.