Piyu ignored Bai Zhu's protests, grabbed him by the back of his collar, and moved through the back alleys as if she were dragging a sack of worthless potatoes.
Shuto followed close beside her, swinging his folding shield now and then to smash away the Husks that pounced out from behind dumpsters and shadows in the corners.
Most of the shop doors along the way stood open.
The mannequins in the clothing store wore the latest styles, and the cash register screen was still lit. A Skinbag in a clerk's uniform stood behind the counter, repeating the motion of giving change over and over as coins clinked into an empty tray.
Behind the rolling shutters, several pairs of eyes watched through the gaps, but no one dared make a sound, much less respond to the commotion Piyu and the others were causing.
"North intersection!" Shuto pointed ahead.
Barricades and sandbags had already been set up, with the black muzzles of heavy machine guns behind them. Dozens of Kakin soldiers stood in formation, sealing off the entire block.
Three white armored sampling vehicles were parked behind the formation. Their doors stood open, revealing metal restraint beds, blood coolers, and an open asset transfer document stamped with the Royal Family seal.
A commander stood at the very front, shouting through a loudspeaker.
"Personnel ahead, stop immediately! Hand over the disaster source, 'Bai Zhu'! I repeat, hand him over immedi—"
Piyu tossed Bai Zhu against the wall and stepped forward herself.
She took out her Hunter License. The card identifying her as a member of the Zodiacs was especially conspicuous beneath the dim sky.
"I am Piyu of the Hunter Association, currently carrying out an S-Class Disaster response mission. I demand that you cease the lockdown immediately and cooperate with the Association in