Thoroughly reassured that Bunko was a good man, Bat Zorig encouraged his friends to attempt another expedition to recover the poor man's statue. Sum Dank and Bo Jing were interested at first, but when the time came, apologized that they didn’t feel up to it. Bat passed on their excuses to Bunko who smiled wanly and shook his head. “Story of my life. At least you had the decency to tell me to my face that you didn’t want to help me anymore.”
Bat did want to help him. And he had a plan. If Bunko could find some old imperial uniforms, they could disguise themselves as Black Flowers and infiltrate the base. While Bunko looked form uniforms, Bat told his friends about the plan. They still didn’t want to help and so Bat ventured out without them.
Bat returned to Pasar the next morning, exhausted, and carrying the half-dead body of one of the Zhounese brothers. The monks at the Monastery of the Two-Fold Path cared for Bǐ'ěr and Bat told his tale to Sukh and Bo Jing.
Bunko had taken the group to the black flower hideout in the forest. As before, he had moved silently through the trees while the Zhounese marched noisily along. Bat himself had also proved adept at moving through the forest without attracting undue attention. Bunk had found one uniform and given it to Bat to wear. He had also learned that one of the Black Flower leaders was named Krang.
As they were drawing near the hideout, the party encountered a deer, bleeding from an arrow in its flank. The deer was pursued by a ragged group of well-armed man, the leader of whom wore the Black Flowers badge. He was suspicious, but not belligerent, and asked the Zhounese brothers what they were doing in the forest.
Bunko called out from behind a tree that they were lost and looking for friends. At this point Bat made his presence known and elaborated. They were new recruits. He was the son of Krang. “How do we get to the hideout?”
The (real) Black Flowers were confused, especially by this last question. Before the leader could reply, Bunk interrupted, “You were chasing that deer weren’t you?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Don’t let it get away. We can talk more later.”
And so the Black Flowers chased the deer and Bunko, Bat, and the Zhounese made their way to the hideout. After about an hour, a clear path appeared, that led to a low mound in a forest clearing, thickly covered with creeping vines and small bushes. Bat approached more closely and began to poke at the mound with a long stick. A large patch of the brush proved to be an illusion. When Bat prodded it, he glimpsed a tunnel leading into the mound. He led the way and Bunk and the Zhounese brothers followed him. The tunnel led to a heavy, barred door. Bat knocked. A small window opened, a crossbow poked out, and a voice called for a password. Bat started to say he was Krang’s son and the crossbow fired. Bat raised his shield just in time and then backed out of the tunnel. The Zhounese brothers rushed in them. As they reached the door, a mass of debris crashed down from the ceiling. Bǐ'ěr was badly crushed. The others, bruised, battered, and enrages, charged the door, knocking it down. Bunko ran for the forest. Bat pulled Bǐ'ěr out of the rubble and followed him.
They found a sheltered spot and rested. Bunko told Bǐ'ěr that he’d showed himself to be a true friend and that he’d pay for a special ceremony to remember him as soon as he got back to Pasar. Bat protested that Bǐ'ěr would survive and there was no reason to talk like he was dying. Or to talk about going back to Pasar when the other brothers were fighting their way inside. While the two discussed their options, they heard the noise of the returning hunters. They looked to have been successful and were carrying half a deer carcass. Bunko hissed out to the leader, who responded to the call while sending the other men inside.
Bat told the Black Flower leader again that he was Krang’s son and that their friend was hurt. The leader appeared concerned. “We should get him inside. How did this happen?”
Bat asked, “What’s the password?”
The man looked puzzled, “Wait, didn’t Krang tell— Wait—” Suddenly aware of what was happening, the man turned and ran toward the hideout. In a flash, Bunko had pulled a knife, leapt onto the man’s back, and killed him.
“So sad, this always happens to me, I think someone’s my friend and then they just turn their back on me . . .” And then walked into the forest, soon disappearing from you.
Bat waited an hour for the other brothers to return and when they didn’t, realized that if he could accomplish anything it would be to save Bǐ'ěr’s life. All night he walked through the forest and back down the road to Pasar.
A few days later, Frang, one of the other brothers showed up in Pasar, tired, half-starved, and somehow more crazy than before. He had been captured and imprisoned. He dug his way to freedom. The other brothers were still imprisoned. Or dead. He wasn’t sure.
That was all Bat needed to hear. Bo Jing agreed to accompany him this time, as did Sukh. Bǐ'ěr and Farang wanted to accompany them in a few days when their wounds had healed sufficiently; Bo Jing and Sukh liked the idea of more help, but Bat wouldn’t hear of it. He declared that he would attack the hideout by himself if necessary and by this drastic tactic convinced Bo Jing and Sukh to join him the next morning.
Bat Zorig knew the way and led the others down the east road out of Pasar. At about noon, the three adventurers encountered a merchant caravan who warned them of a fearsome monster that was lurking near the road. The monster was a 10-foot tall man with fang-like teeth and attacked with a pair of heavy swords. Several guards had received grievous wounds and the caravan only escaped by throwing to the monster multiple live goats.
Again Bo Jing and Sukh urged caution and again Bat Zorig insisted on pressing onward. He led the way and was the first to hear the sounds of lip-smacking and bone-crunching. The giant, was enjoying its repast at a campsite near the road. It heard Bat approaching, dropped the goat in its hands, and reched for its weapons. Bat released an arrow that found its mark in the giant’s hamstring. As the giant stumbled, Bo Jing and Sukh charged into the clearing, swords swinging. Bat drew his own sword and joined them. The heroes’ blades were swift and sharp and soon the giant was bloodied all over. But it seemed to barely acknowledge its wounds, and continued to wildly swing its huge heavy swords. Bo Jing and Sukh dodged and slashed, while Bat took his blade to a tree, trying to topple it onto his enemy. But when it did land a blow with its heavy blade, the force of the blow sent Sukh flying into the air, to land on the ground with a heavy thud. Bo Jing stepped in to defend his fallen friend and slashed the monster twice across its face. Howling with pain, the monster turned to run from the clearing and found Bat directly in its way, still hacking at the tree. The giant swung both its swords at once, and caught Bat between them. The doughty barbarian of the steppes crumpled to the ground and the giant escaped into the forest.
Sukh, shaking off her own superficial injuries, rushed to aid his fallen comrade, pouring a long-preserved elixir into the mouth of the unconscious Bat. Cursing and kicking, Bat was revived. He started to charge into the forest, but when he stumbled to the ground, reason at last prevailed. Bat consented to return to Pasar.
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