Chapter 17: There Are Always Those Who Court Death

With the most troublesome issues resolved, Lin Bei’s subordinates could handle the remaining minor problems without him ever needing to lift a finger.

He took the six exorcists and left the camp, heading to "Yau Gwat Hei," a famous, long-established restaurant in Mong Kok. Usually bustling with activity, the restaurant was strangely quiet today. Not only were the parking spaces outside empty, but a few scruffy-looking gangsters were standing guard at the entrance.

It was not unusual to see gangsters in restaurants; aside from high-end establishments, the valet services across Hong Kong were essentially monopolized by them. However, these particular men were clearly not valets.

Stepping out of his car and taking in the scene, Lin Bei glanced at Gao Jin. Gao Jin understood immediately and stepped forward. Whatever he said to the gangsters, it worked; they scurried into the restaurant as if fleeing for their lives. A moment later, several old men rushed out, looking as if their pants were on fire. They didn't even dare to look at Lin Bei, hurriedly jumping into their cars and speeding off.

Lin Bei shook his head and said to Uncle Fung and the others, "No one will disturb our meal now. Let's go in."

He walked in first. Uncle Fung, Ma Xiao Ling, and the others watched his retreating back with complex expressions. Uncle Fung, in particular, felt conflicted. Exorcism was his side job; his professional career was that of a police officer. Despite remaining a sergeant for over twenty years, he had no intention of quitting—he planned to work until retirement. As a cop, seeing gangsters fear Lin Bei like a natural predator left a bitter taste in his mouth. In this day and age, gangsters were no longer afraid of the police, yet they feared a rich man—though, admittedly, he was a very wealthy one.

With these thoughts, they followed him into the restaurant. Lin Bei was clearly a regular. Once seated, he didn't even look at the menu, ordering every signature dish in the house. The owner even came over personally to pour their tea, bowing and scraping as if he had encountered a long-lost father. After humoring him for a moment, Lin Bei impatiently dismissed him.

Picking up his wine glass, Lin Bei said, "Everyone, thanks to your help today, we successfully dealt with those two ancient corpses. If you encounter any trouble in the future, don't hesitate to ask. As long as it’s within my power, I will never refuse."

Though traditional, the group were not stubborn or pedantic people. They clinked glasses with Lin Bei and drank in one go. After finishing his drink, Zhang Shisan scanned the table and hesitated before saying, "I do have a difficult matter that might require your collective strength." He glanced furtively at Lin Bei as he spoke, knowing that if Lin Bei were willing to help, the task would certainly be accomplished.

Lin Bei was well aware of the mission Zhang Shisan carried. He had guessed what the man was going to say the moment he spoke. When he invited these people, Lin Bei had already prepared to keep them all by his side. After all, how else was he to deal with those two losers, Fate and Rahu?

"Daoist Zhang, you want us to help you find that lost spirit-sealing jar, don't you?"

Zhang Shisan was stunned, wondering how Lin Bei had guessed his thoughts so quickly. He nodded sheepishly and said, "A demon is sealed inside that jar. If it escapes, it will surely wreak havoc on the world. I lost the jar due to certain circumstances, and I sensed it had come to Hong Kong. Fearing someone might break the seal, I rushed here immediately."

Zhang Shisan then explained the origin of the demon. When they heard it was a demonic cultivator sealed by the ancestors of the Zhang family, the expressions of everyone present turned grave. In this age of the decline of the Dharma, where evil was rising while righteousness waned, encountering even a minor demonic cultivator was a massive headache for practitioners of the righteous path.

After hearing him out, Lin Bei replied, "I will arrange for my people to gather information on the whereabouts of the ancient jar. If it is found, I will notify you immediately."

Zhang Shisan bowed his hands in gratitude. Uncle Qiu and the others also offered their help, but Uncle Fung hesitated. "I may need to attend to other matters first. If there is a real need for me, let me know."

Lin Bei raised an eyebrow. "The Nine Chrysanthemum Sect?"

Uncle Fung nodded. "The police have been monitoring their movements and have clarified their situation. For years, they’ve been using wandering corpses to smuggle drugs into Hong Kong and have turned their local base into a ground for raising corpses. If we don’t stop them, they will only become more reckless. My superiors are also pressuring me to take action."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shisan slammed his hand on the table. "Outrageous! It seems these Japanese devils haven't learned their lesson from forty years ago. Brother Fung, count me in! We can deal with my jar after we wipe out the Nine Chrysanthemum Sect."

Uncle Qiu and Zhong Fabai echoed his sentiment, "Count us in too!" Zhang Tian'ai and Yun Qing, being the juniors, naturally followed suit.

Ma Xiao Ling smiled and said, "I’m planning to open a cleaning company in Hong Kong, and I’ll have to deal with the police sooner or later. This is a perfect opportunity to make a name for myself."

That left only Lin Bei. As everyone looked at him, he smiled faintly. "Hong Kong is the land of the Chinese. If those little Japanese devils dare to come here and cause trouble, they should be prepared to be ground into dust. Wiping out the ones here isn't enough—let’s just go ahead and destroy their members and bases in Japan as well!"

Though his tone was gentle, the murderous intent behind his words could not be masked. After saying this, he intentionally glanced aside. As expected, Kuang Tianyou, who had been standing to the side, had already vanished.

When it came to hatred for the Japanese invaders, no one present could compare to Kuang Tianyou. He had lived through that era and served as a guerrilla leader, having killed countless enemies. It was during his battle with Yamamoto Kazuo on the river at Hong Creek—where their blood had stained the water red—that Jiang Chen had been awakened, biting them and that poor fellow Kuang Fusheng, turning them all into zombies.

Kuang Tianyou was no hothead; with him on the case, he would surely uncover the details of the Nine Chrysanthemum Sect quickly. The police had been cautious due to Lin Bei’s warnings, avoiding deep investigation for fear of alerting Michiko and her crew.

After the meal, Lin Bei invited Zhang Shisan and Zhong Fabai to his villa. No sooner had they returned than Kuang Tianyou appeared in Lin Bei’s study.