In the end, Jie Zhiyong lost the idiom game, and Yan Dao successfully defended his "dignity."
The next morning, the five of them drove into Tokyo for some fun. Jie Zhiyong, acting as the driver, wasn't happy about it at all—he was downright glum.
However, the other four were in good spirits, chatting and laughing the whole way.
The outing wasn't just about having a meal together; it also included shopping and watching a movie. Since Zhang Yiyi was the only woman, the shopping part was mostly led by her, with stops to buy clothes and pants.
Kong Yue, on the other hand, indulged his love for gaming by purchasing a new game console, something from the Nintendo series, which was quite expensive.
As for Jie Zhiyong, he spent a lot of time browsing a few figurine shops, lingering over a particular figure he liked but hesitated to buy.
Seeing this, Hayashi patted his shoulder. "If you want it, just buy it. Things will only get better for us here, so money won't be an issue."
Encouraged by Hayashi's words, Jie Zhiyong immediately purchased the Tsunade figurine he had been eyeing, spending over 3,000 yuan.
"Wow, big spender." Hayashi was impressed by Jie Zhiyong's willingness to splurge on his hobby, though he couldn't understand why he chose Tsunade.
With so many female characters in Naruto to choose from, why Tsunade? Hayashi couldn't figure it out.
Jie Zhiyong didn't explain; he simply hugged the figurine, admiring it, which made Zhang Yiyi call him gross.
After the shopping and the movie, they went to have dinner.
There were plenty of hotpot places in Tokyo, thanks to the influence of Chinese culture. Yan Dao and the others loved hotpot the most.
However, hotpot isn't exactly a filling meal, and it can be quite expensive.
Large portions of meat and dishes were served, making Jie Zhiyong's heart ache as he watched the bill rise.
But since he'd already spent a lot on the Tsunade figurine, he figured he might as well enjoy the meal. After all, the money was spent—he might as well eat to his heart's content.
Yan Dao didn't have many unique hobbies, but when it came to hotpot, he liked to drink a bit of baijiu, treating it as a way to spice up life.
When the meal was over, Jie Zhiyong paid the bill, his face turning almost green. The five of them had managed to eat up nearly two-thirds of the cost of the Tsunade figurine. It was truly outrageous how much they could eat.
"Hayashi, I've spent my money, and you've eaten your meal. If you back out of going to headquarters now, I might just strangle you," Jie Zhiyong said as they left the hotpot restaurant, his dark, brooding gaze making Hayashi feel uneasy.
"Don't worry. I won't go back on my word. Unless something beyond my control happens, I'll go as promised. But…"
"But what?"
"But before that, I need to take care of something. Until I deal with this, I won't be in the mood to go to China."
Hayashi glanced up at the sky, as if he could see through the clouds to the stars beyond. Deep inside, there was a lingering weight he had to lift.
"Can we help?" Kong Yue asked. They were all on the same side—if there was a problem, they would naturally step in to help.
"No need. This is something only I can settle. Don't worry, everyone—it won't be an issue." Hayashi laughed, steering the conversation away. "Come on, I'll treat everyone to ice cream."
"Oh, come on! You eat my hotpot, and now you're offering me cheap ice cream?" Jie Zhiyong said with mock indignation, waving his hand. "Lead the way!"
The others were already used to Jie Zhiyong's antics. But compared to the past, he had become much livelier and more cheerful.
And with that, his chatty nature was fully exposed.
After a day of fun, Hayashi returned to the Night Owl organization and went to his small room.
Originally, this room belonged to a previous member of the organization, someone who had died during a mission against a curse spirit not long ago.
His name was Liu Qiangxi, a native of China, only 25 years old. He had died young, consumed by a curse spirit, full of regret and resentment.
No one liked to talk much about Liu Qiangxi, as there seemed to be more to the story. Only Jie Zhiyong, with his loose lips, revealed part of the truth to Hayashi.
It turned out Liu Qiangxi hadn't died entirely at the hands of the curse spirit, but rather indirectly because of Zhang Yiyi.
However, it wasn't entirely Zhang Yiyi's fault. In the face of such danger, Liu Qiangxi had completely broken down. He didn't want to die, so he gave up his humanity and chose to side with the curse.
Though Jie Zhiyong hadn't said much, Hayashi could piece it together. If Liu Qiangxi really chose to side with the curse, there would've been no way back, and Zhang Yiyi would've had no choice but to kill him.
Because of this, Zhang Yiyi had been drinking heavily for a week, consumed by guilt.
By the time Hayashi joined the organization, it had been about half a month since the incident. Zhang Yiyi still seemed a bit unkempt and lazy, perhaps due to the lingering effects of the event.
But ever since Hayashi joined the Night Owl division, Zhang Yiyi had started taking care of herself more. It wasn't for Hayashi's sake, though—she simply didn't want to dwell in the past anymore.
She wanted a fresh start, a new chapter in life.
Hayashi didn't want to live in the past either, which was why he needed to resolve the psychological burden that lingered.
The problem, without a doubt, was the building in Sendai—the one where he had almost died.
This time, Hayashi was determined to exorcise that cursed spirit. A curse of that level was cunning, and it had likely hidden away after encountering Gojo Satoru. But Hayashi guessed that if he went back, the spirit would reappear.
Two days later, after regaining his focus, Hayashi set off alone for Sendai. He hadn't accepted any formal exorcism mission—this was purely a man's revenge!
Sendai was much the same as before. Though it didn't feel familiar, he had spent enough time here to know the city.
The pedestrians on the streets moved neither too quickly nor too slowly. Compared to Tokyo, life here had a slower pace.
The building was still the same, emblazoned with the six bright red characters of the Heisei International Group, glowing eerily.
Hayashi could feel the cursed energy inside. Though it was only dusk, the aura of the curse was already rising.
"Have you been well?" Hayashi muttered, staring at the building as he stepped inside.
The sensation was exactly the same as before. The moment he crossed the threshold, his body and mind were hit with a wave of discomfort. But for Hayashi, that feeling had become insignificant.
It was almost time for people to get off work, yet no one moved between floors. The workers here, just like before, were still at their desks, working endlessly.
Watching these office workers, like puppets on strings, a wave of anger surged in Hayashi's heart. Whether this was the work of the curse or the company's CEO, he was going to exorcise it all today!
Where others dared not go, he dared. Where others feared to exorcise, he would act.
This was Hayashi's path in jujutsu—not grand ambition, nor a desire to save the world. But when faced with evil, with injustice, with things he loathed, he felt obligated to act.
Whether good or bad, strong or weak—it didn't matter.