Drake's eyes widened. Even with all his years of experience in Gotham City, he had never seen such a heavyweight super-coffin of a car. "So, at least five people have died in this car?"
"Not exactly."
"Come on, give it to me straight. What's the deal with this car?" Drake pressed. "I've worked for you for so long, and I've never even seen it once."
The dealer probably knew that this killing machine would never sell, so he sighed. "Don't tell anyone else, okay? This car used to belong to one of the Falcone family's underbosses. After he got into an accident while driving it, the car was sold off. It was then sold through the family's gang businesses. Every time someone bought it, something went wrong. The worst time, all four people in the car had their heads blown apart by two blasts from a shotgun."
"All told, it was bought three times, and six owners died. Car accidents, shootouts—you name it. The craziest case was when a car dealer dumped it somewhere deserted. That very afternoon, he got into a car accident, was sent to Wayne Hospital, and ended up in the morgue by evening."
"Everyone in the Falcone family thought the car was cursed, so they gave me two thousand dollars and dumped it here. I refurbished it and even put in over five hundred dollars of my own money. I finally fixed it up inside and out, and the bullets I dug out of it alone weighed nearly half a pound."
"What could I do? I sold it again. The car was returned. At least that time, only the windows were smashed and the tires were wrecked, with a few extra dents. And then two more lives were added to the car's tally."
"So, counting everything, this car has claimed nine lives. I really don't want to become the tenth. If you know anyone crazy enough to buy it, send them my way. I don't want any money for it. I'll just give it to them."
"No."
?
The car dealer, interrupted mid-sentence, looked around in confusion. His movements were almost perfectly synchronized with Drake, who was shaking his head beside him.
"No." Ma Zhaodi repeated, "At least three thousand."
"WTF, what are you doing, bro!" Drake's eyes bulged like bronze bells as he stared at the utterly calm Ma Zhaodi. "There are nine lives on this car, bro! You don't have nine lives yourself!"
"Holy shit! That's great! It's a deal!" The car dealer was overjoyed. "No take-backs. I'll go get you the keys!"
"Remember to bring the money, too."
"Huh?"
Ma Zhaodi repeated, "I said, remember to bring the three thousand dollars, or I don't want the car."
"Huh???"
"Holy shit, you're a genius!" Drake was shocked again. "You're taking his car and asking him for three thousand dollars?"
"I'm risking my life to save his, and then asking him for three thousand dollars," Ma Zhaodi corrected him. "For something this dangerous, three thousand dollars isn't expensive at all, right?"
"Are you sure you don't have any Jewish ancestry?"
"Just tell me whether you're selling it or not." Ma Zhaodi pulled a Pocky stick from the box and held it between his teeth. "Hurry up. If you don't agree, I'll leave first. Once this car finds another dealer, I'll use today's recording to extort five thousand dollars from him."
"."
The car dealer's expression shifted unpredictably. After a long while, he turned around and brought back three thousand dollars in cash and a car key.
"You'd better pray that you—"
"Watch what you say. If I'm gone, the car will come back here."
"You'd better have blessings flowing from the Eastern Sea, live as long as the Southern Mountain, remain evergreen like the pine, enjoy today every year and this year every year, share the lifespan of Heaven and Earth, shine with the sun and moon, dwell above the twelve towers of the Immortal Palace, and live to be eight thousand years old, like spring."
Ma Zhaodi shrugged. "What I like most about Gotham is places like this. The citizens are all very emotionally stable and fairly polite. Whenever something happens, they're willing to sit down and talk it out."
"That's seriously awesome."
After spending two hundred dollars at the dealer's to give the car a tune-up and replace the tires, Ma Zhaodi sat inside the car while Drake stood outside. The two of them stared at each other.
"Aren't you going back? Get in."
"I'm taking a cab back."
"?"
"Why are you looking at me? Drive back yourself." As he spoke, Drake pulled Ma Zhaodi's phone from his pocket and showed it to him. "Remember this speed dial. It's for Wayne Hospital."
Ma Zhaodi let out a cold laugh. After taking back his phone, he casually pulled out a silver-shining car key, started the engine, and floored the accelerator, leaving Drake far behind.
One-time Soul-trapping Car Key Price: 300 dollars Description: Evil spirit, get the hell out of its body! Evil Spirit: You get out of its body first... Strange. Why does this feel like a conversation I had when I possessed a little boy before? Description 2: Which genius thought of turning a car key into a holy relic?
When the silver-shining key was inserted into the car, Ma Zhaodi seemed to vaguely hear a shrill, resentful scream coming from inside the vehicle. Within just a few seconds, the cold, gloomy atmosphere inside the car vanished completely.
"Beep, beep, you damn XX!"
This guy's insults sounded almost coquettish.
Ma Zhaodi paid it no mind and casually turned on the car's air conditioning again. This time, it blew nothing but warm air. The icy blood mist that had assaulted him before vanished without a trace, as if it had all been an illusion.
He pulled over by the roadside and removed the silver car key. In just a few seconds, it had completely turned a gloomy gray-black.
He opened the system interface again. The description on it had changed somewhat.
Side Quest: Keeping Up With The Times Description: Still using the traditional method of possessing people? That's far too outdated. How could someone who can possess a person compare with a car that can possess people? Our dear evil spirit has already run wild in all directions on this car, and it looks like it's searching for the tenth person to possess. The priest in a church might not necessarily be willing to accept the task of exorcising a car, but you, my friend, surely understand what it means to keep up with the times, don't you? Status: Completed Reward: After capturing the evil spirit, it can be traded for an amulet with nine uses.
Ma Zhaodi casually selected the trade option. The black key vanished into thin air, replaced by a sparkling Cross Necklace in his hand. Though it was made of iron, it wasn't cold to the touch. Instead, it carried a faint warmth.
He examined it briefly, then hung the necklace around his neck and continued driving home.
This cross was valued at five thousand Asset Points in the system shop. Ma Zhaodi also still vividly remembered the Consecrated Car Key in the shop, so he had accepted the quest without hesitation and made a small profit.
As for exchanging the necklace for Asset Points, he had no such intention for the time being. When living in Gotham City, luck was clearly important, too.
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