Current Situation

The special pass Rabelu had given Zhang Tie was the credential used by officers of the Iron Horn Legion's Inspectorate when carrying out special missions. It bore Zhang Tie's photograph, the dates during which it was valid, his rank, and his identification number, but not his actual name. The point of the special pass was to keep Zhang Tie as low-key as possible on this return—to let as few people as possible know about him. That would spare him a great deal of unnecessary trouble and awkwardness.

After leaving the residential district where Barry's family lived and agreeing on a time to meet again, Zhang Tie headed to the Orphanage of Compassion run by Mother Theresa.

Walking alone through the familiar streets of Black Flame City in the cold, silent depths of night, Zhang Tie's heart brimmed with an indescribable sense of reflection.

Over the past year or so, Black Flame City seemed to have changed a great deal, yet it also seemed as though nothing had changed at all.

Baghdad and the others had joined the army, officially becoming soldiers of the 39th Division. Barry and Shavin, who had failed their military physical examinations, had begun running a small trading company in Black Flame City. Its shareholders were the seven original members of the Airplane Brotherhood.

The business-savvy Barry had somehow connected with Lieutenant Clark of the 39th Division's Logistics Department, whom Zhang Tie had met only once before, and had begun getting involved in the disposal business for discarded items from the 39th Division's logistics department.

Having worked in legion logistics himself, Zhang Tie knew very well that because of the Norman Empire's stringent military supply system, many things in the army that were required by regulations to be scrapped, or that no longer met military standards, were