Chapter 0082 The Forced Hand
Kanzy approached the bed and carefully inspected the surface of Brother Yao's skin from head to toe, but he didn't see any needles. Just as he was about to speak to the young wife, Brother Yao suddenly let out a piercing scream, clutching his stomach in agony.
"Another one is coming," the wife said. "It takes half an hour to fully emerge every time. It's pure torture!"
"Do you have a magnet? Ideally an electromagnet—the stronger the pull, the better," Kanzy said.
The woman blinked, then immediately ordered her men to find one. A few minutes later, someone rushed in with a large block of magnet, claiming they had scavenged it from a motor in the nightclub's power room. Kanzy held the magnet suspended about half a centimeter above the spot where Brother Yao's stomach was hurting. Brother Yao screamed even louder, his body thrashing and twisting. Frank Fang shouted, "Help me! Pin him down!"
Several burly men lunged forward, using their full weight to restrain Brother Yao's limbs and torso. The wife watched anxiously. "Be careful!"
After thirty seconds, a thin steel needle was sucked out by the magnet. Brother Yao's pain subsided, and his groans gradually faded into a heavy silence. The wife was deeply grateful. "Thank you. You saved my husband from a lot of suffering."
Frank Fang whispered, "Do you know what this is?"
"It's a Needle Curse," Kanzy replied. "It won't kill him, but it causes such immense pain that the victim wishes they were dead. Fortunately, none have emerged from his eyes yet, or Brother Yao would already be blind."
The wife said venomously, "I knew someone was pulling strings behind the scenes. They don't want to kill us; they just want to keep us too distracted to seize that territory! Master, do you have a way to solve this permanently?"
Kanzy shook his head. The wife was stunned. "You know what kind of sorcery it is, but you can't break it?"
"It's not that I can't," Kanzy explained. "Breaking a curse is a huge risk. It creates a blood feud. If I break the spell, the other sorcerer might die. If he survives, he'll hunt me for the rest of my life. I can't do this. You should find someone else."
The wife snorted. "Since you two were willing to come here, I assumed you were here to help. You've seen the problem and now you want to walk away? I don't think that's going to work."
Frank Fang tried to mediate. "Sister-in-law, we really don't want to make enemies. Please understand."
The wife's eyes widened with a cold glare. "You refuse to treat my husband? Are you trying to make enemies of us, or do you just look down on our organization? Tonight, you're curing him whether you want to or not. Otherwise, don't dream of walking out of this nightclub!"
At her words, the men in black drew short blades from their waists; others slowly pulled out handguns, crossing their arms in a professional, menacing stance. Frank Fang and Kanzy pulled their heads back in terror, silenced.
"Mr. Fang, Master Kanzy, don't worry," the wife said, her voice dropping to a faux-calm. "Once you cure Brother Yao, we will settle the score with the enemy. I already know who's behind this—just a small-time gang. Even if their sorcerer comes looking for you, we'll leave them rotting in the streets."
Frank Fang realized there was no escape. He had to try. He set the price at one million NTD. The wife agreed instantly, promising the cash as soon as the job was done.
Resigned, Kanzy returned to the bedside. He took a small leather case from his bag containing rows of steel needles and small knives. He used a blade to nick Brother Yao's left middle finger, then used the blood to draw several symbols on Yao's chest.
"What does that mean?" the wife asked.
"Agala Runes," Kanzy said. "They suppress the negative energy in Brother Yao's body, temporarily preventing the needles from 'flying' in."
"You're saying these needles fly? From where?"
"From the sorcerer," Kanzy explained. "It's invisible to the naked eye. It happens in an instant. The sorcerer casts the spell, projects the needles here, and they begin to crawl out from inside the body."
The wife and the bodyguards exchanged looks of genuine fear. Kanzy warned Frank Fang that if he continued to break the curse, the caster might drop dead instantly. However, if the opponent's power was stronger than Kanzy's, Kanzy himself would become the next victim of the Needle Curse.
Frank Fang thought: We're riding a tiger and can't get off. Can't you see the guns and knives? If we don't do it, we're dead anyway! Before he could speak, the wife interrupted: "Master, when exactly are you starting?"
Kanzy opened his bag and pulled out the Lukyee skull wrapped in black cloth. As he slowly unfurled the fabric, the wife let out a small shriek, and the bodyguards turned pale. Kanzy pressed his left hand onto the top of the skull, chanting in Pali. He spread the fingers of his right hand, slowly waving them back and forth over the tray of extracted needles.
After half a minute, the needles in the tray began to shift. Then they moved faster, vibrating as if swept by an invisible magnet.
Frank Fang was incredibly tense. He feared Kanzy would fail and offend the boss, but he also feared that even if they succeeded, they wouldn't be allowed to leave. Kanzy's hand movements grew more rapid; the needles rattled violently, jumping around. Suddenly, several needles flew out of the tray and vanished into thin air.
Just as everyone was looking around in confusion, Kanzy let out a sharp cry. Two steel needles were suddenly embedded in his cheek and neck.
"What happened?" the wife cried.
Frank Fang quickly used the pliers to pull the needles out. Kanzy gasped for air. "Our powers clashed. I lost that round."
The wife asked anxiously, "Is his power stronger than yours? What do we do?"
Kanzy propped himself up. "There's no retreat now. I have to fight him!" He rolled up his left sleeve, revealing the incantations tattooed on his arm. He bit his left middle finger, letting the blood drip onto the Lukyee skull until it soaked into the bone. He began chanting again, faster and faster, his right hand hovering over the tray. The needles began to dance again. Suddenly, more needles flew out and vanished, but this time, Kanzy remained unharmed. Frank Fang felt a surge of hope.
Kanzy continued the ritual. The needles flew out faster and faster, all heading toward the left wall. The two bodyguards standing there scrambled out of the way, but it was unnecessary—the needles vanished the moment they left the tray, dissolving into the air.
Finally, the last few dozen needles rose together and flew into oblivion. Kanzy was drenched in sweat, barely able to stay upright. Frank Fang rushed to support him. "How are you?"
Kanzy nodded weakly. "I'm... okay. The opponent isn't a virgin."
Everyone was stunned. What does being a virgin have to do with anything? Regardless, the needles were gone. Brother Yao grew calm and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
The next day, a fully recovered Brother Yao hosted a lavish banquet in a luxury hotel suite for Frank Fang and Kanzy. At the table, the wife asked how Kanzy knew the other sorcerer wasn't a virgin.
Kanzy smiled shyly. "Technically, our power levels were similar. But he lost to me in the end because he isn't a virgin—his 'essence' and blood aren't pure."
The wife laughed. "So you're still a virgin? Should I find a beautiful girl to help you... blow off some steam and change your luck?"
Brother Yao immediately reached for his mobile phone. "Right! Call Peipei. She's got the best skills!"
Kanzy waved his hands frantically. "No, no! A practitioner of the Black Arts cannot touch women for five years. Being a virgin ensures the purity of the blood for the rituals. I can't do it." Everyone laughed.
Brother Yao then pulled out a thick red envelope and handed it to Frank Fang. "Here is 200,000 NTD—just a small tip. Also, I want Master Kanzy to serve as our organization's 'Guardian Master.' From now on, you work for me. If anyone tries to take my turf or my business, I'll have you curse them until they're finished!"
Frank Fang forced a smile. "Brother Yao, the Master and I travel the world. We have many things to do. We appreciate the offer, but..."
Brother Yao's face darkened instantly. "What? Is the money too little? Or do you look down on my 'small' organization?"
"No, no! We truly have many obligations. In a few days, we have to go to Indonesia to seek our mentor and refine our arts, otherwise the Master's power will fade."
Brother Yao snorted. "If it fades, it fades. He can already kill people; who cares if it drops a little? If you refuse to work for me, does that mean you're going to work for others? If someone pays you a fortune to curse me, you'll do it, won't you?"
Frank Fang waved his hands. "Of course not! But we truly cannot agree."
Brother Yao gave a twisted smile. "I've shown so much sincerity, but you two keep refusing to give me 'face.' How am I supposed to lead my men if I can't even recruit a Master? Are you trying to force my hand?"