"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm (thank you for fixing everyone)..."
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm (my hands are so big and strong now, I can protect King Azhdaha too)..."
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm (thank you for giving me new parts, but I don't have any Dennies)..."
...
Though the parts were quite old,
compared to what the Bangboos had before, they were already a big improvement. The Bangboos were all very happy.
Seth said seriously, "These parts were old to begin with. You don't need any Dennies—just make sure you follow the law from now on. Oh, and these parts were sent by the Sons of Calydon. Be sure to thank them properly."
Upon hearing this,
the Bangboos gathered around Caesar, Lucy, Piper, and the others.
They chirped their thanks, "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm."
Caesar smiled. "These parts are nothing. Just think of them as a gift—an offering of friendship."
Then,
she continued, "I'm Caesar, leader of the Sons of Calydon. Would your Bangboo Gang like to befriend us?"
One Bangboo replied, "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm (the Sons of Calydon are friends of the Bangboo Gang)..."
Another Bangboo asked, "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm (when will our boss come back?)..."
Hearing this, everyone turned to look at Sam Li.
They too were curious—when would that strange stone Bangboo called Azhdaha, wake up?
And once it did, would it turn into a giant monster again and chase them around?
Sam Li thought for a moment. "By normal reasoning, it should wake up soon. Where did you put it?"
Billy answered, "In the truck."
At that, everyone froze.
Perlman was in the truck too. Would something happen to him?
With that thought,
Seth hurried toward the truck. "I'll go check."
Before he could open the door,
Perlman's panicked screams rang out from inside. "Ah—help! What is this monster?! Sheriff, save me, help!"
Hearing Perlman's cries,
Seth quickly opened the truck door.
Sure enough—inside, the small Azhdah was chasing Perlman in circles around the truck.
A moment later,
Azhdaha caught up to him,
slamming into Perlman's lower back with a fierce charge. Perlman was sent flying, landing hard on the ground outside the truck.
"It hurts! Help me! Sheriff, help!"
"Sam Li, what do we do?"
Seth knew just how dangerous Azhdaha, Dragon King, could be.
Though the one before them was now small—about the size of a Bangboo—Seth stayed on high alert. He glanced at Sam Li, waiting for him to come up with a plan.
Sam Li remained calm. He looked toward the truck. "Azhdaha, it's good that you're awake."
Hearing Sam Li's voice,
Azhdaha turned and roared. "Morax! At this distance, I can crush you with a single step!"
No sooner had he spoken than
Azhdaha leapt out of the truck, lunging at Sam Li to stomp him flat.
But—
the next second,
Sam Li reached out and grabbed Azhdaha's forehead,
cutting the attack short.
"Morax! Let go! I will crush you!"
Azhdaha struggled, stretching his short claws toward Sam Li, but couldn't reach him.
He opened his mouth to bite, but couldn't reach that way either.
Helpless for the moment, he could only roar in frustration. "Morax! I will repay this humiliation tenfold!"
Just then,
some Bangboos rushed over upon hearing the commotion.
When they saw Azhdaha they cried out:
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm (King Azhdaha, you're finally awake)…"
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm (Boss, they saved us and gave us new parts)…"
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm (Boss, don't fight them—they are friends of the Bangboo Gang)…"
...
Hearing the Bangboos' voices,
Azhdaha looked at them and realized they were right. Their injuries had all been treated by Sam Li and the others.
The once-limping Bangboos were now able to walk, run, and jump again.
"Don't think that just because you saved my companions, I will spare you."
Seeing that Azhdaha remained stubborn,
Sam Li sighed. "Azhdaha, in your current state, you're no match for me. If you want revenge, wait until you've regained your strength."
By then,
perhaps Azhdaha would remember the days when he had fought side by side with Morax, and might no longer seek vengeance—saving them all from a major battle.
With that,
Sam Li slowly placed Azhdaha on the ground.
Azhdaha seemed to accept this,
choosing not to attack right away but instead growling a threat. "When I regain my strength, the day of reckoning will come."
Sam Li was speechless. "..."
This guy—
just how much did he hate Morax?
After Azhdaha fully awoke,
Sam Li left the remaining Bangboo parts with the Bangboos and didn't linger. He led the people from Hare's House, the Public Security Bureau, and the Sons of Calydon away.
Seth couldn't help but ask, "Sam Li, aren't we going back to the city?"
Sam Li replied calmly, "We'll go to Calydon Town first. There are still a few things I need to take care of."
This trip to the outer ring had given him new insight into its hardships.
Though he had no intention of ruling Zenless Zone Zero,
seeing the suffering of the outer ring's people stirred his compassion. Much like how Morax had once emerged to save the common folk, Sam Li now wished to protect the people of the outer ring.
So—
Sam Li decided to place a Statue of the Seven there, to offer them protection.
He chose Calydon Town for its location.
...
After Sam Li and the others left...
At the edge of Bangboo Town,
Azhdaha, Dragon King, stood in the middle of the road, watching the truck disappear into the distance.
The anger in his eyes slowly faded, replaced by disappointment and guilt.
In truth,
before he woke up, he had already begun dreaming of his past inside the truck.
In those memories,
he and Morax had fought side by side to protect Liyue. They had once been the best of friends.
At that moment,
a Bangboo came over. "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm da (Boss, is he really your enemy? He helped us—he doesn't seem like a bad guy)."
Azhdaha took a deep breath and said in a low voice,
"Morax was my best friend."
But the guilt in his heart
still kept him from making peace.
...