Dusk settled slowly over Tokyo, painting the high-rise glass skyline in deep shades of violet, charcoal, and gray.
Down at Shibuya Crossing, the Taichu dining pavilion was still glowing with bright golden light. Hundreds of giant paper lanterns hung from the cedar eaves, illuminating the happy, relaxed faces of thousands of dining citizens. Joyful laughter, quiet chatter, and the pleasant clink of porcelain spoons echoed into the evening air, completely transforming the usually cold concrete intersection into a warm community festival.
Grandma Chen wiped down the clean wooden cutting boards, humming a familiar folk song from Jiangcheng. Little Guo’er sat on a wooden crate nearby, swinging her small legs back and forth while happily eating a steamed custard bun.
Standing by the corner of the pavilion, Lin Mo looked up toward the darkening eastern sky.
His pocket communicator vibrated with three sharp, rhythmic pulses against his hip.
[SYSTEM RADAR ALERT: HOSTILE SPIRITUAL INCURSION DETECTED!]
[SOURCE: 88TH-FLOOR PENTHOUSE, KUROKAWA TOWER, ROPPONGI!]
[THREAT: HUNDRED-DEMON PLAGUE SHIKIGAMI SWARM!]
