------------
While Shawn Young was busy working up a sweat with Xiaoyu in the plush VIP suite, doing his best to conquer her, outside the Golden Mountain Casino, three military Humvees came screeching to a halt right at the entrance. Out of the vehicles poured more than a dozen burly men, all decked out in black tactical gear, loaded with grenades and ammo, automatic weapons in hand, faces twisted into fierce scowls.
The armed men quickly formed ranks by the car doors. Then, three men stepped out. Leading the pack was a short, skinny man with a dark, gaunt face, a wild mop of long hair, and dressed in camo. A golden Desert Eagle gleamed at his waist, and his eyes were sharp and triangular, just like a venomous snake. This was Nick Carter, the notorious drug lord of Myanmar and one of the most powerful figures in the Mai Zayan Special Economic Zone—also a major shareholder in the Golden Mountain Casino!
Right behind Nick Carter was a tall, broad-shouldered man in a black shirt, sporting a buzz cut and a shifty, shadowy gaze. As soon as he got out, he looked up at the casino entrance and flashed a sinister grin, sunlight glinting off his mouthful of gold teeth. This was Goldtooth, notorious boss of the Golden Mountain Casino, head of the Black Tiger Gang in Qingping City, and a 'good buddy' of the local police chief. His reputation was as dazzling—and as infamous—as his smile.
After Nick Carter and Goldtooth got out, the last car produced a frail, black-robed old man, leaning on a glossy, pitch-black cane. The sight of him was enough to spook anyone—his scalp was completely bald, with a high, bumpy dome and loose skin flopping down like an old flour sack. His face was narrow, with a beak-like nose and thin, pale lips, streaked with odd stripes of paint. His eyes were always squinting, as if he'd never opened them fully, and his huge, dark eye bags looked ready to burst.
As soon as the strange old man stepped out, Nick Carter and Goldtooth hurried over. Nick Carter greeted him with extra respect, saying, "Grandmaster Draco, welcome to our casino!"
Grandmaster Draco, the odd, skinny elder, nodded without expression and walked up to the entrance of Golden Mountain Casino. Tilting his head back, his perpetually squinting eyes rolled white, and his hawk-like nose twitched. Suddenly, he raised his shiny cane, pointing at the beam above the casino doors, and spoke: "Hmm, the guardian beast's suppressing aura has been sealed by magic. The place is overflowing with bad vibes—looks like some demon has snuck into the casino!"
Whenever Grandmaster Draco spoke, he'd unconsciously flick out his crimson tongue to lick his cracked lips, which looked like rusty razor blades peeling with layers of dead skin. He was the spitting image of an old snake flicking its tongue, and his voice was a raspy screech, sharp as shattered glass—enough to give anyone the creeps.
"Whoa! Master, you personally blessed and enchanted the guardian beast, the Pixiu. Are you saying even that can't keep the demon away?" Nick Carter asked, clearly shocked.
"Huh! Grandmaster Draco, you mean there's really a demon in our casino? Come on, do ghosts and monsters like that really exist?" Goldtooth chimed in from the side, his eyes flashing with skepticism and his lips pursed in disbelief.
Grandmaster Draco ignored Goldtooth's question. Instead, he waved his cane in the air, tracing a weird symbol while muttering incomprehensible incantations. Suddenly, his frail body shuddered, he stomped the ground with his right foot, and—"Whoosh!"—a faint blue light shot from his mouth straight at the Pixiu perched above the casino entrance.
Boom—boom! Two muffled thunderclaps echoed as the Pixiu burst into a dazzling golden light, which turned into a cloud of white mist and drifted away. The dark red jade guardian shattered into pieces, tumbling down from above. For the first time, a look of surprise crossed Grandmaster Draco's usually blank face. He muttered, "Whoa, that's one hell of a magic barrier! No wonder the demon got in—someone really powerful must've done this!"
Nick Carter and Goldtooth both jumped at the eerie scene—especially Goldtooth, who instantly dropped his skeptical attitude and started to look nervous. Nick Carter, though surprised, was used to wild situations. He quickly turned to Grandmaster Draco, saying, "Master, please help us get rid of this demon. Solve our casino's problem, and we'll double your monthly tribute!"
Grandmaster Draco's saggy old face twitched. He replied, "General Nick Carter, I'll do my best to help you, but forget about doubling the tribute. After it's done, just find me and my brother, Grandmaster Long Zhen, five boys and five girls under five years old, pure and untouched, for cultivation. That'll do."
"Oh, that's absolutely no problem!" Nick Carter agreed without hesitation.
Grandmaster Draco nodded. "Good! The other party is already waiting inside. Let's go meet them now!"
Goldtooth quickly asked, "Uh—Master, you mean that demon is inside right now? Should we bring more guys and gear to wipe it out?"
Grandmaster Draco shook his head. "You don't get it. The demon itself isn't scary—the real powerhouse is the one who let it in!"
With that, Grandmaster Draco strolled slowly into the casino. Nick Carter waved at his men, and together with Goldtooth, they all marched in after him.
Meanwhile, in the VIP gambling hall, the floor manager, Howard Zhao, was feeling pretty frustrated. He'd been standing next to the legendary gambler, Zach Chow, trying every trick in the book to get him talking and maybe dig up some info. But Zach just lounged on the sofa, cool as a cucumber, sampling all sorts of chilled fruit, totally ignoring him. Howard Zhao felt like a mouse trying to bite a turtle—no clue where to start! After fussing for ages, he hadn't even managed to get the guy's name.