Bingbong collapsed onto the ground, all strength leaving him along with what little courage he had to begin with.

He never could have imagined it—just moments ago, the boss had been leading him and seventeen others, armed with fine gear, to encircle Sol's group.

But at the critical moment, their guns had failed. In the span of a heartbeat, all his companions had fallen.

The sight of them surrounding Sol's group—full of life and energy—was still vivid in his mind.

And yet, in the blink of an eye, he was the only one left, reduced to this pitiful state.

…

"So fast… and so accurate!"

Zhu Yuan was stunned as she watched Sol draw and holster his guns.

In just two seconds, he had shot seventeen people with perfect precision, leaving only one defenseless survivor.

The accuracy and speed of his shooting far outstripped her own.

And his calmness—killing over a dozen people without batting an eye—made her think that if someone told her he had killed hundreds of thousands before, she might believe it.

She wanted to ask what exactly Sol used to do before all this, but it didn't feel polite, so she held back.

"Qingyi-senpai, what do you think?"

Zhu Yuan whispered in Qingyi's ear.

"Same as you—he's fast, and he's accurate."

Qingyi had little else to add.

The last time she'd seen Sol cut down the Dullahan, she'd already made all the analysis she needed. This time just added excellent marksmanship to the list.

"Brother, boss, how did you do that? You didn't even move, and yet all their guns stopped working?"

Billy came over, curious.

The others pricked up their ears too, eager for even a hint of an explanation. They were just as puzzled—how had Sol done it?

Seventeen submachine guns and a six-barreled heavy machine gun, and just like Sol had claimed, not a single bullet fired.

Truth be told, when he first said it, they had thought he was just bluffing.

"Well… let's put it this way." Sol thought for a moment, then gave a Jo-style answer: "The principle is actually very simple. Just pause time, break all their guns, then return to your spot and resume time."

"…Brother Sol, boss, you really have a sense of humor!"

Billy praised him awkwardly.

Because if you could stop time, why wouldn't you just kill them outright?

Stopping time to sabotage guns was like stopping time just to move someone up and down a flight of stairs—ridiculous.

Nicole and Zhu Yuan both turned their heads away—that wasn't what they'd been hoping to hear.

"It's not that I don't want to explain. It's just… this sort of thing is hard to understand," Sol said. "Some things—if you get it, you get it. If you don't, even if I told you, you wouldn't."

Concept-based abilities were abstract down to the concept itself—far more abstract than stopping time.

"If you get it, you get it? Oh, I get it."

Billy nodded, as if enlightened.

"Good. Now let's go save the Bangboo."

Sol didn't know what exactly Billy thought he'd understood, but he was still satisfied.

While he was chatting with Billy, Qingyi and Zhu Yuan had already moved to stand before the Bangboo Boo-Napper with professional precision.

This was the one Sol had deliberately left alive for questioning. The man didn't look smart and was clearly cowardly—an easy mark for those who know to seek the westward path.

Nicole came over with Anby, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the Bangboo Boo-Napper—like she was staring straight at her half-million denny.

"Please… please spare me!"

The Bangboo Boo-Napper's body shook as he begged in front of them.

"Tch. When you were pointing a gun at us earlier, you weren't acting like this," Nicole said with a touch of annoyance. "Why should we spare you now?"

"You… you're good people!"

The Bangboo Boo-Napper said weakly.

It was the only reason he could think of that might keep him alive.

"Good people deserve to have guns pointed at them? What kind of logic is that?"

Sol kicked him, disdain in his voice.

A little thug daring to hand him a 'good guy card'—truly tired of living.

"I… I…"

The Bangboo Boo-Napper was so scared he was about to cry, unable to get another word out.

Zhu Yuan asked him, "Tell us about your gang—how many Bangboo you've stolen, whether you have any other hideouts, and where the Bangboo are kept."

"If I tell you… will I live?"

At the edge of life and death, the Bangboo Boo-Napper's mind cleared.

It was his last bargaining chip—he couldn't give it up too easily.

Though he was speaking to the Public Security officers, his eyes were locked on Sol.

This terrifying demon had used some strange magic to break their guns, then slaughtered all his companions in moments.

He knew Public Security wouldn't kill a prisoner—but Sol probably didn't care about such things.

"Sol, your call…"

Zhu Yuan turned to him, waiting for his answer.

"Why are you all looking at me? We're here under Public Security's commission—what happens to him is naturally up to them."

Sol kicked the man again, sounding impatient.

Of course, it was a lie. This little punk had dared to point a gun at him and pull the trigger. In Stinky San's words, this was someone asking for death.

Besides, he had said, [Those who lose the bet die]. If he didn't kill him, his words would be worth less than a fart.

Whether Public Security decided was their business—whether he listened was his.

"Alright, alright! I'll talk! I'll talk!"

Lacking Sol's cunning, the Bangboo Boo-Napper was overjoyed to think he'd found a way out.

"All our old hideouts have been abandoned—this is our only one left. I can't remember exactly how many Bangboo we've taken in total, but right now there are around thirty here."

Like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, the information poured out—and he even tried to sweeten the deal: "They're hidden inside the Hollow rift within this Companion Hollow, and only I can take you there!"

"You've lost count before? And just here there are thirty?" Zhu Yuan was shocked at the number.

Before coming, she had reviewed many case files.

But since missing Bangboo couldn't be reported as missing persons to Public Security, the records were incomplete—only a dozen or so disappearances were on file.

Yet here there were already thirty—who knew how many the gang had taken in total?

This was clearly a massive economic crime. (Bangboo didn't count as people—they were considered personal property, making this an economic case.)

"Let's go. We need to rescue those Bangboo first," Qingyi said with a frown. "Over thirty—who knows how many have already been corroded by Ether. We'd better hurry."

"Right."

Everyone nodded in unison and followed the Bangboo Boo-Napper into the Hollow rift.