Exorcist's Self-Cultivation

At the gambling table.

Du Wei sat opposite something that looked exactly like Howard Victor.

Dead silence.

So oppressive it was stifling.

After announcing the identity-guessing game, both parties seemed to sink into deep thought, neither speaking.

Behind him, Alex held a black umbrella, her beautiful features slightly pale and tense.

She didn't understand why Du Wei insisted on continuing the game. No matter how you looked at it, such a thing was terrifying to the extreme.

And if the black umbrella could protect her and Du Wei's safety, why not just leave straight away?

She didn't know about the stakes, so it was hard for her to understand Du Wei's purpose.

However, this experience had heightened her sense of crisis.

Recalling how concerned Du Wei had been about the antiques at Berson Auction House, she wondered if she should pay more attention to similar items.

...

At this time, Du Wei at the gambling table was pondering an issue concerning the Evil Spirit.

His mind was no longer on the game.

Because he was certain he would win.

Guessing identities was, relatively speaking, a rudimentary form of gambling.

The rules were simple and direct: guess right and you win, guess wrong and you lose.

For Du Wei, he had many identities: psychologist, Exorcist, hunter.

Of course, the thing across the table knew his identity, which was certain.

Because the game itself was inherently unfair.

The identity of the opponent was more obscure; it could be the concept of the gambling game or a medium.

However, in the current situation, Du Wei had skillfully shifted identities, using the most straightforward method to turn the tables to his advantage.

As long as he knew exactly what the other party was, he would win as the dealer.

As for what "it" was, Du Wei was entirely clear.

And "it" should be dual.

One was right in front of him, the other was what he had seen on the balcony.

These two things were inherently related to the Evil Spirit and were likely mediums. After Victor's great-grandfather acquired them, he became a famous God of Gamblers.

The Victor family, going three generations back, would hold gatherings at intervals and set up gambling games, which in a sense could be understood as sacrifices to the Evil Spirit.

That's why the Evil Spirit coexisted peacefully.

As for the so-called anomalies, they now seemed more like a form of urging.

But there was one thing Du Wei still hadn't figured out.

Victor's father had died long ago, and those notes had inexplicably disappeared many years before...

If one were to think bigger and include a person or a force aware of the Victor family secret, then perhaps everything would come full circle.

In the past, the Victor family facilitated the gambling games, offering sacrifices to the Evil Spirit.

Now, it seemed someone didn't want the sacrifice to continue, and if the sacrifice wasn't successful...

More people would die.

The Evil Spirit would become even more fearsome...

At this thought, Du Wei couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. His "New York" was just a secondary city, and although he had been in contact with Evil Spirits, it was out of necessity.

Actually, New York didn't have that many Evil Spirit incidents. Continue reading stories on empire

But now it seemed that the Veda Sect and the other organization lurking in the dark were more troubling than Evil Spirit incidents.

After dealing with the Veda Sect, he would have to make a trip to the church, or have them send more Exorcists over. He should not get involved in the sordid affairs between these powers.

Of course... provided that the Church has deployed their hunters and the situation in Massas's Uninhabited City can be resolved.

With that thought settled,

Du Wei's focus returned to the game at hand.

He gazed at the thing across from him, his eyes pitch-black and exuding a chilling aura, and spoke lightly, "Now, the game should come to an end, tell me, have you guessed my identity?"

The atmosphere grew tense once more.

He saw a sly and odd smile form on the lips of his opponent, who opened its mouth to reveal neat white teeth and said in a tone that sent chills down one's spine, "Of course I know who you are. Your name is Du Wei, a psychological doctor from North Brook District, and you are also an exorcist. However, you have another identity that you do not fully possess yet."

Du Wei knew its last sentence was referring to a hunter.

In fact, that was the case. He could not yet hunt evil spirits like Andrew Dowqui and the other seniors from the last century.

Though vague, there was no problem with that.

Du Wei nodded at it, "Correct answer."

Then, he heard the cold voice of the other party ask, "So, Mr. Du Wei, it's your turn to answer. Do you know my identity? Is it an Evil Spirit, is it Howard Victor, or something else? Are you really certain?"

Du Wei glanced at it curiously and replied, "From a psychological standpoint, you want to mislead me, but such tactics are too rudimentary and only prove that you're afraid of losing."

The black silk-like lines on its face became denser, as if raging with anger, and suddenly started to tremble violently.

Then, just like the previous game, its body stretched out and lunged at Du Wei.

Its mouth was wide open, sharp fangs stained with fresh blood dripping drop by drop.

Its pitch-black eyes were also extraordinarily large, as if trying to burst out of their sockets.

It stared at Du Wei in silence,

Seemingly trying to intimidate him into feeling negative emotions such as fear and dread.

But this had no effect.

From the beginning, Du Wei had set a mental suggestion for himself, eliminating emotions, and even though he had been influenced once, he was now under the Black Umbrella.

The influence was ineffective.

So Du Wei, with a calm akin to looking at a dead person, said to it, "What are the rules of Texas Hold'em? Remove the two Joker cards and then compare the rest for size."

"Why remove these two cards? Because they are the manipulators of the game and are also part of the calculation. In a game, no matter what cards are played, the winner will always be you because the fundamental rule of the game is win or lose. The loser forfeits their chips, while the winner gains more."

"There's an overlooked you at the table, and yet, on the balcony of the second floor, another Evil Spirit appears, one that cannot be overlooked."

"Two Joker cards, let's call them Greater Joker and Joker; in some religions, they represent the sun and moon, day and night respectively."

"So it can be understood that during the day, we can all see each other, but come night, all are covered by the night, unable to see anything."

"Therefore, you are the Joker card representing the night."

"And now, I have won."

As he finished speaking,

The black lines on Du Wei's body disappeared in an instant, and the thing that had been staring deathly at him twisted its face.

It trembled... staring malevolently at Du Wei, it opened its arms and lunged at him, intending to stab him.

"Useless, these are the rules of the game. The loser ends up with nothing; the winner takes it all."

Du Wei's voice remained calm, ignoring its resistance and extending his hand, transformed by the Evil Spirit, and placed it on its neck.

Then, with a gentle squeeze...

The next second, the surrounding scenery changed instantly.

The lights in the hall were still on, and everyone was looking at the gambling table, staring at Du Wei with strange expressions, "Sir, do you plan to take the bank?"

Across from him, the thing from just a moment ago had vanished.

In its place, Du Wei held a grey Joker card in his hand.

His fingertips brushed it, and though it was hard to identify the material, it had a metallic texture. The entire background of the card was a forest.

Above was a full moon; below, a closed box rested with a wild wolf hiding in the dark, ready to pounce.

The sole figure was not a clown but a man in a tailcoat holding flowers, and eerily, he bore the same appearance as Du Wei.