Hayashi and Xie Zhiyong stood above the abandoned parking lot, the sunlight shining down on them. Compared to the air in the underground fourth floor, the outside felt much more comfortable.
Zhang Yiyi, who usually looked lazy and indifferent, had surprisingly gone to take a shower before heading out. It turned out she still cared about her appearance.
After waiting for a full twenty minutes, Zhang Yiyi finally came out, and Hayashi was slightly stunned.
Zhang Yiyi, who was initially wearing hot shorts, now sported long denim jeans that covered the tattoos on her legs. Even her top was more modest, covering most of the tattoos on her body—except for the area over her chest, which couldn't be fully concealed.
"What are you staring at? Let's go," Zhang Yiyi said, snapping Hayashi out of his daze. He jumped down from above.
"You just jumped down from that height? Hey, wait for me!" Xie Zhiyong shouted from above as Hayashi and Zhang Yiyi were already walking ahead.
"What's the point of walking so fast? I'm the one driving!" Xie Zhiyong grumbled.
"Oh right, only he can drive," Zhang Yiyi realized and called out, "Hurry up, will you?"
"Don't rush me, geez! And for the record, I'm older than you, show some respect!" Xie Zhiyong had gotten used to this treatment, but Hayashi, being the newcomer, could see that even basic respect wasn't given to him.
Once the three of them were in the car, Zhang Yiyi made Hayashi sit in the front passenger seat while she took the spacious back seat alone. The car headed toward a part of the city.
After about ten minutes, the trio arrived at a Chinese restaurant. According to Xie Zhiyong, they used to eat here often, but with the organization's current poor financial situation, they hadn't come in a while.
Now that someone else was treating them, this place naturally came to mind. Even Yan Dao liked the food here, so they also planned to take some back for him.
Hayashi didn't mind. He considered it a welcome gesture as the newcomer. After finding a spot to sit, Zhang Yiyi and Xie Zhiyong eagerly went to order food.
"It's been a while since you two came by! Busy with something lately?" The owner, a woman with fluent Chinese, greeted them with a smile, clearly from China.
Xie Zhiyong and Zhang Yiyi didn't feel like discussing their business, so the owner didn't press further. After they ordered, the two of them joined Hayashi at the table.
"Hayashi, let me tell you, the food here is amazing. Once you try it, you'll fall in love with it," Xie Zhiyong said, nearly drooling.
"Is it really that good?" Hayashi asked, unconvinced.
"Absolutely! It's hard to find authentic Chinese food in Japan, so appreciate it!" Xie Zhiyong nodded eagerly.
"But there are so many flies around here," Hayashi waved his hand to shoo away some flies that were buzzing around.
"Flies are a good sign! It means the food is delicious. If the food wasn't good, there wouldn't be so many flies," Xie Zhiyong explained with a proud tone.
"Your logic is something else… I have to give you that," Hayashi said, speechless. How could flies be a sign of good food?
"Don't mind him. His brain doesn't work quite right," Zhang Yiyi said, shooting a glance at Xie Zhiyong before ignoring him.
Xie Zhiyong just pouted and didn't dare to argue with her.
The dishes arrived quickly. The first was braised chicken. Hayashi took a bite, and the taste was indeed good, though it was slightly inferior to what he could make himself.
Of course, Hayashi kept this to himself. Overall, the food at this restaurant was definitely impressive.
Zhang Yiyi ate without much care for etiquette. She wasn't the type to act like a lady, so her eating style was quite rough.
As more dishes were served, Hayashi started to notice something strange. There were already five or six dishes on the table, yet more kept coming.
"How many dishes did you order?" Hayashi couldn't help but ask.
"Not much, just ten," Zhang Yiyi said casually while eating, her sexy red lips glistening with grease.
"Ten dishes? That's not much?" Hayashi couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head. "You two are something else. Just because it's not your money, you're going all out, huh?"
"Come on, Hayashi, we're all family now. No need to be so formal about whose money it is!" Xie Zhiyong laughed heartily, clearly enjoying himself.
Hayashi shook his head, realizing that he couldn't trust these two. The next time they went out, he definitely wouldn't be paying.
Twenty minutes later, the three of them were full and satisfied, lounging back in their chairs to rest.
Most of the ten dishes were finished, with a little left on each plate—just enough to pack up for Yan Dao. They couldn't let it go to waste, after all.
"Ah, that was satisfying. It's been a while since I felt this good," Xie Zhiyong said, patting his stomach contentedly.
Hayashi suddenly felt a bit sorry for them. Despite being jujutsu sorcerers, their lives were quite miserable. Even a meal out had become a luxury.
Just then, Zhang Yiyi's expression changed, and she turned to look out the window.
Hayashi also noticed something was wrong, his brows furrowing.
"Why did it suddenly get dark? Is it going to rain?" Xie Zhiyong squinted at the sky outside, still basking in the afterglow of the meal.
"Rain? My ass!" Zhang Yiyi stood up abruptly, her face serious. "Someone cast a 'Curtain' nearby. I don't know if it's aimed at us."
"A 'Curtain'?!" Xie Zhiyong jolted up. Casting a 'Curtain' wasn't something just anyone could do. It was a way to prevent those inside from escaping and to isolate them from the outside world.
"The area covered is pretty large. It might not be directed at us," Hayashi said, stepping outside the restaurant to get a better look. A gray-black barrier, like a dome, covered the sky, spanning at least seven or eight hundred meters.
Zhang Yiyi glanced at Hayashi and felt a bit relieved. If it were just her and Xie Zhiyong here, it would have been difficult to handle. She would've had to protect this Grade 3 sorcerer.
As for Hayashi, after their sparring session, she estimated he had the power of at least a Grade 2, possibly even a quasi-Grade 1 sorcerer.
"Boss lady, here's the payment. Stay inside and don't go anywhere. It's dangerous outside right now," Hayashi said as he paid the bill, offering some advice. While the owner might not fully understand, the darkened sky was enough to make anyone uneasy.
People outside the 'Curtain' wouldn't be able to see it, but those inside could. To ordinary people, it would just look like the sky had darkened.
"Oh, alright." The owner, who hadn't planned on leaving anyway, accepted the money with a smile. It was a decent income for the day.
"Let's check the boundary to see if we can leave. It might not be directed at us," Zhang Yiyi suggested. As the most experienced sorcerer, Hayashi decided to follow her lead for now.
The three quickly ran toward the boundary of the 'Curtain.'
Zhang Yiyi extended her hand to try and pass through, but it was blocked, preventing them from exiting.
"Step back. I'm going to cut it open," Zhang Yiyi said, preparing to draw her Red Sakura sword to tear through the barrier.