Chapter 223: Watching a Play
"Why can't we leave the city? We watched the tournament, now we can't even go home?"
"Yeah, exactly! We're just tourists. Why won't they let us leave after the tournament?"
"…"
Countless voices of discontent rose from the crowd under the towering city gates, which were now tightly shut. Inside the gates, a throng of people gathered, restless and frustrated.
Those trying to leave Star Luo City were venting their dissatisfaction loudly.
"Quiet!"
A powerful figure leaped down from the city walls, and as he landed, eight spirit rings appeared behind him. The terrifying pressure of a Spirit Douluo instantly descended upon the crowd.
The noise abruptly ceased.
In the crowd, there were naturally some powerful spirit masters from all across the continent. After all, spirit masters were always drawn to the Spirit Master Tournament. But none of these spirit masters had the strength of an eight-ring powerhouse. Faced with the full might of a Spirit Douluo's pressure, they fell silent.
Ordinary people without spirit power fared even worse—several of them fainted on the spot.
"Why aren't you letting us leave?!"
Eventually, a foolhardy individual, hiding within the crowd, shouted out.
The powerful spirit master vanished from where he stood and in an instant, a figure was tossed out like a piece of trash. Soldiers rushed in, swarming over the individual and swiftly taking him away.
The crowd fell completely silent.
Seeing that his intimidation had worked, the spirit master withdrew his pressure. "An imperial fugitive is trying to blend into the crowd and escape Star Luo City. We had no choice but to temporarily close the gates. Please understand. The ban will be lifted in no more than an hour."
Faced with such a large crowd, even a Spirit Douluo had to speak more gently.
Perhaps it was the intimidation, or maybe it was the promise that the ban would be short, but the crowd's mood stabilized. Soon, the soldiers responsible for the city's defenses brought out some chairs and cushions, inviting the crowd to rest while they waited.
Seeing the soldiers behave so considerately, the crowd had no choice but to accept the situation, though they were clearly unhappy.
The eight-ring spirit master nodded slightly before disappearing from sight, heading to the next city gate.
The tournament had just ended yesterday, and the city was still flooded with visitors. The commotion at this gate was not unique—nearly all the city gates were experiencing the same chaos.
If they had waited a few more days until most of the visitors left, things would have been smoother. But the emperor couldn't even wait that long. How impatient...
Oh well.
The Spirit Douluo shook his head slightly.
As one of Prime Minister Xu Changling's trusted men, he was only following orders. He had no interest in questioning the bigger picture.
…
"Uh..."
Qi Han and Keke came down the stairs, looking at the unusually empty street outside. Both of them appeared confused.
Qi Han checked the time, refusing to believe what he was seeing.
It was 10:30 AM.
That's right, isn't it? This is exactly the time Qin Yue and Qin Yao usually come by, and they've always been punctual.
Besides...
By this time, there would usually be a long line outside the door. Why was the street so empty today?
Did people stop eating?
That doesn't make sense either.
Even if people weren't coming to the restaurant, how could Morning Star Street have no one on it?
It made no sense at all.
"You sit here for a bit, I'll go check outside." Qi Han raised an eyebrow and said to Keke before heading to the door. He opened it and peered outside.
The entire street was empty, with all the shops tightly shut. It was as if, overnight, Star Luo City had turned into a ghost town. Morning Star Street, which was always lively and bustling—even late into the night—was now eerily quiet. The sudden emptiness sent a chill down Qi Han's spine.
What's going on?
"Ah, Little Qi, you've opened up already? I was just wondering where I'd eat lunch today."
A familiar, gentle voice suddenly spoke. Qi Han turned to see Tang Qianqiu, dressed in simple clothes, standing beside him without him noticing.
"Uh... Senior Tang, do you know what's going on?" Qi Han asked.
"Oh, that." Tang Qianqiu glanced casually towards the towering palace in the distance and shrugged. "Just a small issue. But you probably won't be able to open for business this afternoon."
"As for your two employees, they're likely stuck at home due to the city's lockdown order. It'll be lifted soon, though."
Hearing this, Qi Han finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The Qin sisters were safe, at least.
Although he didn't know exactly what had happened, Tang Qianqiu's casual tone reassured him a bit.
It's probably not a big deal, right?
Since he couldn't open the restaurant and the Qin sisters wouldn't be coming, Qi Han thought for a moment and then spoke. "Senior, why don't you come in now?"
"Alright."
Tang Qianqiu nodded, but just as he was about to enter, a strange look crossed his face.
"It seems I won't be dining alone today."
Qi Han was puzzled, but then he noticed a man wearing a bamboo hat walking toward them. When the man saw Qi Han and Tang Qianqiu, he paused for a moment before quickening his pace.
Him?
Qi Han was surprised.
He remembered this customer.
This man had been coming to the restaurant for every meal lately, always generous with his spending. He also seemed quite familiar with Keke.
"Senior is here as well?" The man with the bamboo hat spoke in a deep, magnetic voice, but there was a hint of confusion in his tone.
What's he doing here at a time like this?
"I'm just here to have a meal. I don't like the food anywhere else." Tang Qianqiu actually explained, then he changed the subject. "But you—coming here now—are you really able to eat?"
"Senior, you're joking. I didn't come here to eat," the man in the bamboo hat said, sounding a bit bitter.
"Coming to a restaurant and not eating? What a strange habit." Tang Qianqiu muttered before heading inside.
The man in the bamboo hat stood there for a moment, dazed. Qi Han glanced at him twice, then couldn't help but ask, "Uh, do you need something?"
Qi Han was curious. If he wasn't here to eat, what was he here for?
Could he be looking for a relative or something?
"I… I need to talk to Keke about something," the man in the bamboo hat said slowly.
Huh?
Qi Han was surprised by the response. But since it concerned Keke, he nodded. "Alright, come on in."
As the man stepped inside, Qi Han closed the door behind him.
"Keke?"
"Yeah?"
Keke looked surprised to see the man and stood up instinctively.
"This guest has something to discuss with you. You two can talk upstairs," Qi Han said, pointing to the staircase leading to the second floor.
As for whether this man intended to harm Keke, Qi Han wasn't worried.
The system wouldn't allow anyone with bad intentions to make a move.
The man nodded slightly and walked upstairs without a word. Keke, still confused, followed after him.
Qi Han then made his way over to where Tang Qianqiu was sitting by the window. "Senior, what would you like to order?"
"No rush," Tang Qianqiu smiled. "After all, I'll likely be your only customer today. There's no harm in delaying lunch a little."
He gestured to the seat across from him. "Why don't you join me, Little Qi? Let's sit and watch a good show together."
<+>
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