The entire Night Owl organization traveled to Hokkaido, but only three members—Zhang Yiyi, Hayashi, and Kong Yue—were tasked with the main investigation. Yan Island and Jie Zhiyong stayed behind to handle negotiations and provide logistical support in case anything went wrong.
"Finally, you've arrived! Please, come in and have a cup of tea," the middle-aged man with a gold chain said excitedly as soon as he saw the five members step out of the car.
"Let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point. Take us to the site," Yan Island waved his hand, rejecting the man's offer of hospitality.
"Of course, of course, I prefer getting down to business too. Please, follow me," the middle-aged man smiled, eager for the situation to be resolved quickly, as it was his only hope to avoid ruin.
However, he suddenly paused when he noticed Zhang Yiyi's sparse clothing. Though he wasn't being inappropriate, he couldn't help but be taken aback by how little she was wearing—barely covering the essentials, leaving most of her body exposed.
"Is there a problem?" Zhang Yiyi asked, noticing his gaze and frowning.
"Oh, I was just thinking... Miss, you're wearing so little. You do realize that area is incredibly cold? Even young, strong men can barely stand it for more than a moment," the middle-aged man warned, worried she might suffer in the freezing conditions, which would then burden him with medical bills.
"That's none of your concern. Just take us there," Zhang Yiyi replied coldly, too indifferent to bother explaining further.
"Alright, let's go," the man said, refraining from speaking any more. He quickly arranged for a large vehicle to take everyone to the site.
Though the weather was warm, and many people were walking around in short sleeves, the temperature dropped noticeably as they got closer to their destination.
Eventually, they reached a point where the middle-aged man instructed the driver to stop. Apologetically, he said, "This is as far as we can go. We'll have to walk the rest of the way."
Yan Island and the others had no objections. Seven of them, including the driver, got out and walked toward the frozen dock.
As they approached, Hayashi and the others began to feel the cold. In front of them lay the vast ocean, but the dock had been frozen solid, and the cargo and fishing boats were encased in ice, immovable.
Ice at this time of year was beyond strange, and it had happened so suddenly that the locals had been caught off guard. Some people hadn't even had time to react before freezing to death.
"Yiyi, any thoughts?" Yan Island asked, looking to Zhang Yiyi for her assessment.
Zhang Yiyi stared intently at the large stretch of ice ahead before slowly replying, "We need more money."
Her sudden statement left everyone stunned. The middle-aged man, only catching on after a moment, asked, "Is it really that difficult?"
"Yes. So, we need more money," Zhang Yiyi replied matter-of-factly. She hadn't realized how complicated things were until she arrived at the site.
"How much more do you need?" The middle-aged man had expected a price increase, so he was prepared for the negotiation. After all, these people were at least sticking around, unlike those who had taken one look and fled.
"Add two percent to the original offer," Zhang Yiyi held up two fingers.
"Deal!" The man gritted his teeth. Two percent was nothing if it meant getting rid of this cursed ice and restoring normalcy.
"Hayashi, Kong Yue, let's go," Zhang Yiyi said as she headed toward the ice. Hayashi looked around at the quiet surroundings before following.
As they neared the ice, all three of them activated their cursed energy to flow through their bodies, making the surrounding temperature feel closer to normal.
When they were just a few meters away from the frozen surface, Zhang Yiyi stopped and asked, "Anything to say?"
"The ice is only in this area, but beyond it, the sea is still liquid. Judging by how far it stretches, it's already covering more than 700 meters," Kong Yue observed. He now understood what Hayashi had meant the day before—if they had waited another two days, the ice would have spread even further.
Hayashi stepped onto the ice. A chilling aura and an unsettling sensation crept up from within him, as if something beneath the ice was watching him.
"Well, we're here, and the money's been increased. It's too late to turn back now. Let's get this over with," Hayashi sighed, continuing forward.
Zhang Yiyi and Kong Yue quickly followed, while the boss and driver marveled at the sight from behind.
"Wow, they're actually walking on the ice. I'd have frozen to death by now," the middle-aged man exclaimed.
"Heh, we're professionals. You just wait here," Jie Zhiyong chuckled, though he couldn't help worrying about Hayashi and the others' safety.
As the three ventured further onto the ice, the cold grew more intense with every step.
"So, how do we get down there?" Kong Yue knelt and touched the surface, finding it solid with no visible cracks.
Hayashi extended his cursed energy downward, probing into the ice. When he saw what was beneath, his expression shifted slightly.
"What did you find?" Zhang Yiyi asked, noticing his reaction.
"I can tell you with certainty that there's at least one special-grade curse down there."
"How can you be so sure?" Kong Yue frowned.
Before Hayashi could respond, the ice beneath them trembled. In the next moment, the surface they stood on disappeared, and the three of them plunged downward.
"Prepare for battle!" Zhang Yiyi shouted as she performed hand signs mid-fall, summoning her cursed tool, Scarlet Cherry. In situations like this, she had to be on high alert.
The three landed on another layer of ice, but their expressions darkened as they took in their surroundings.
"It's a domain expansion, and a massive one at that," Kong Yue quickly assessed. Though the ice continued beneath them, it wasn't just an empty sheet. There were strange, crystalline structures forming an ice palace around them. The walls were transparent yet impossible to see through, and eerie human faces were embedded in the ice, making the place feel unsettling.
"The exit above is gone," Zhang Yiyi said, her breath forming mist in the cold air. "We'll have to exorcise this curse to get out."
"This is really weird. Why would a curse like this appear in such a place? It's completely out of season," Kong Yue tried to stay calm, his breath also fogging in the air.
"Since when do curses follow seasons? They're not watermelons," Hayashi joked, his ability to keep a lighthearted attitude surprising the other two, though it did help ease the tension slightly.
The eerie silence was overwhelming. The only sounds were their own heartbeats, and although they still had oxygen, the air felt thin.
"It should have noticed us by now. Why hasn't it shown itself?" Zhang Yiyi was growing impatient.
"Probably just toying with us. Curses love their sick games," Hayashi guessed, recalling how much enjoyment curses often took in tormenting their prey.
Just then, blue curses began emerging from the icy walls. Covered in scales and tendrils, they bared their fangs and charged at the trio.
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