The efficiency of the Card Master was indeed high.
In less than an hour, he found a place for Sun Yan and Sosia.
A two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, just enough for Sun Yan and Sosia to stay for a few days, and the landlord was nice.
Upon hearing that Sun Yan wanted to help deal with the dirty things in the Youma Community, he immediately agreed.
He was willing to charge Sun Yan by the day, and the price was very cheap.
It was evident that the people of Youma Community were long fed up with those dirty things.
But they couldn't bear to leave this place, which was the hometown they had grown up in, and the cost of moving in America was very high.
As a result, many middle-aged or elderly people adopted the attitude that since they had lived there for so many years, they continued to reside there.
Although those dirty things did not harm anyone, their occasional appearances would still give ordinary people a scare.
"Are we going out to patrol tonight?"
Sosia asked, sitting on the living room sofa.
"Of course, the whole of Chinatown is celebrating the Rebirth Festival these days, which is also when those things appear most frequently. We have a lot to do."
Sun Yan was carefully wiping the Nuo Mask and the Golden Halberd with a tissue, already preparing for tonight's work, which was bound to be a big assignment.
"It's a pity I didn't bring the shotgun, and I lost General Zeng's doll; I can't help you." Sosia said regretfully.
Sun Yan glanced at Sosia and couldn't help but laugh: "This is exorcism in the city; if you relied on a shotgun, wouldn't you incite panic in San Francisco?"
If I were to exorcise in Chinatown with the Golden Halberd in hand, patrolling officers would at most see it as armed self-defense, not a crime.
But if Sosia wielded a shotgun for exorcism, the sound of gunfire would probably scare the entire street's residents to death.
Knowing this is exorcism, those unaware might think mercenaries had entered the city for a gun battle in the streets.
If someone called the police, the officers would come and arrest you without question.
Even if you didn't harm anyone, firing a gun in the city streets for no apparent reason would get you arrested as a dangerous individual.
In exorcism, magical artifacts are more effective.
"It's okay, I will definitely choose a better magical artifact for you in the future." Sun Yan comforted.
In the deep night, at Fucheng Card Room.
The Card Master sat by the mahjong table, a cigarette in his mouth, his face full of worry, and his forehead was drenched in sweat from anxiety.
His white tank top, washed until yellowed, had long been soaked with sweat, emitting a sour smell.
For some reason, no matter how he played tonight, he couldn't draw any good tiles.
He often ended up with others completing sets at his expense, getting eaten, or letting someone else declare victory.
Throughout the night, the Card Master couldn't even declare a single win, making him irritable and angry, with fiery frustration rushing to his head.
"Eat, I've won again! Haha!"
The player next to him pushed the tiles, laughing joyously and repeatedly.
Looking at the tile he played, the Card Master found the laughter incredibly grating.
It pushed his emotions to the brink of losing control, making him want to flip the mahjong table to vent his suppressed feelings.
"Damn it, what rotten luck tonight, not playing anymore, not playing anymore."
The Card Master tossed some US Dollar bills on the table, stood up, and left, cursing at a staff member, "You're staying to watch the shop tonight, I'm leaving to rest."
"Hahaha! The Card Master's leaving already? It's just past midnight, that's unlike you."
"It's only a few thousand US Dollars lost, with your wealth, what are you afraid of? What if your luck changes next round and you win it all back?"
As the other guests in the card room urged him to stay, the Card Master waved them off: "Forget it, my feng shui must be off tonight, if I continue, I'll lose the shop to you. I'll fight another day, I refuse to believe it."
He grabbed his coat and left the card room, cursing as he climbed the stairs back to Youma Community.
The night sky was exceptionally dark, clouds covering the bright moon, not a sliver of moonlight could reach the small plaza of Youma Community.
At this hour, the entire plaza was empty, quiet as a grave.
A sudden cold wind made the Card Master shiver, sending chills down his spine.
Having sweated profusely in the card room, the cool breeze cleared his head.
As he walked toward the apartment, he recalled his odd losing streak with the tiles tonight.
"Something's definitely off, I've played mahjong for years and never gone a whole night without winning a hand, could I have attracted something dirty?"
The Card Master looked at his back and crotch, muttering to himself in confusion.
Old folks always say that if you're unlucky, it's because something bad has attached to you.
With the Rebirth Festival in Chinatown lately, it's the time when those dirty things appear to steal offerings.
Recalling the corpse and Flower Vase Girl he saw in that house earlier in the day.
The thought sent a shiver through the Card Master, prompting him to quicken his pace home.
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The hallway was pitch black, the streetlights had been broken for some time without repair.
The Card Master supported himself on the railing as he climbed the stairs, soon reaching his floor.
But before he could get to his door, he saw a figure standing stiffly at his doorstep, facing the door.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"