The Succubus Den Ahead (2.4k-Small-Medium Cup Update)

The announcer's voice on the TV gradually faded into the background, growing indistinct as Don Quixote's voice drowned it out.

"Good thing I ran fast." He held a can of beer and watched the news on TV. "Otherwise, I feel like I'd have gotten caught up in it too. What if I got sick or injured..."

He shook his head and drained his beer.

"But what exactly was going on at your construction site?" Li Wei sat down beside him. "How did you end up mixed up with the Russian mafia?"

"The name Leto sounds a bit Italian. I always thought he had ties to Sicily." Don Quixote thought for a moment, then set down his beer. "He was running gambling games and dealing drugs at the construction site. I figure that's probably why."

"Did the Russian and Italian mafias have a falling-out?" Li Wei asked. "I never knew Leto had that kind of background."

Don Quixote looked at Li Wei and gave a snorting chuckle, as if expressing some strange amusement. "You should watch less of The Godfather. The mafia these days isn't like it used to be. Everyone has a legitimate public identity. At least, that's how it is in New York."

Li Wei nodded. Just as he was about to head upstairs, he suddenly remembered something.

"You're going on a date with Susan tomorrow, right?" Li Wei asked. "Got any idea what you're going to do?"

At those words, Don Quixote suddenly found that the cold beer in his mouth had lost all its flavor.

"God..." He groaned and rubbed his face. "I almost wish I could get beaten up right now—actually, never mind, I don't. I'd rather the world ended tomorrow."

Li Wei smiled but said nothing.

The next day, Li Wei got some good news in the academic dean's office.

"Recently, several public schools in Brooklyn have received donations from a foundation. It offers scholarships to students with strong academic records and good conduct, along with letters of recommendation for college." The academic dean folded his hands and looked at Li Wei. "Your AP Calculus teacher and Mrs. Mosley, who teaches AP Macroeconomics, both have a strong impression of you. And you joined the varsity football team right away, didn't you?"

Li Wei nodded.

"I see... A minority student, no tattoos or other bad habits, good grades, and athletic talent." The more the academic dean looked at Li Wei, the more satisfied he seemed. "And I heard both your parents passed away, and you live with an uncle who doesn't have a steady job?"

Li Wei nodded again.

"Excellent—oh, I mean, I'm sorry to hear that," the academic dean said with a couple of coughs. "Anyway, we've submitted your name. If all goes well, you should receive the scholarship."

"How much money?" Li Wei asked, ignoring the dean's slip of the tongue. "How much would I get?"

"About thirty thousand dollars after taxes, paid as a lump sum," the academic dean replied. "But it's a long process. The teachers and coaches have to approve, then we send the list to the foundation. They'll review it and interview the students, so just wait and see. I'm only giving you a heads-up, Mr. Li Wei."

Li Wei was delighted to hear he could get a scholarship without having to do anything.

"Thank you, Dean Jamal." Li Wei bowed. "I appreciate you putting my name forward."

"It's a win-win, Mr. Li Wei." Dean Jamal smiled and shrugged. "If you work hard and get into a good college, that'll be something worth celebrating for Franklin K. Lane High School, too."

"After that, you may need to help the foundation with some publicity and take part in public projects at art galleries and in the community," he added. "I hope you understand. I can assure you, though, that it'll only take about forty hours a year."

Li Wei nodded to show he understood. If there were no requirements at all, that would have been cause for suspicion. Now that they'd explained what was expected, the scholarship program seemed much more legitimate.

After school at noon, Li Wei didn't go to the gym with Travis. Instead, he went to the Upper East Side to continue his part-time job.

Compared with his football teammates, who were juicing while lifting weights, the growth he could achieve by adding points through the system was far greater than anything he'd get from simply working out at the gym. He only went to the gym to keep track of his strength, so he wouldn't accidentally hurt someone by underestimating it.

The entrance to Dolores Boutique on the Upper East Side was as deserted as ever.

Before, Li Wei had worried about Mrs. Mosley's business. What if she kept losing money and eventually had to close the boutique? Then he wouldn't be able to keep getting paid to do nothing.

But after seeing the news yesterday, and considering the strange statue he'd carried and Mrs. Mosley's odd behavior, it was hard not to connect the dots.

Thinking of Mrs. Mosley's earlier hints and warnings only deepened Li Wei's suspicions.

When he went looking for his work buddy, he suddenly noticed that Emma seemed to have taken the day off. He had no idea where she'd gone.

Mrs. Mosley wasn't at the store either, so Li Wei and another sales assistant spent the afternoon standing guard over the priceless shop and spacing out.

Li Wei also noticed something—the statue he'd brought in last time was gone.

After a perfectly ordinary shift, Li Wei got home to find that Don Quixote had already left. His clothes were strewn across the bed and scattered on the floor. He must have spent ages agonizing over what to wear.

Li Wei wandered around idly, about to go out and see if he could unlock a new location or trigger a new quest, when his phone suddenly rang.

"Hello?" Li Wei answered. "Daphne?"

"Hi, it's me," Daphne said. "I'm calling to see if you're busy tonight. Britney's throwing a party. Tomorrow's the weekend, so do you want to come?"

Li Wei looked around the empty house and hesitated. "I'm free. Send me the address."

He heard a little cheer from the other end of the phone.

"I'll send it over," Daphne said smugly. "Britney's parents are away on a trip, so her house is free for the whole weekend."

After they hung up, Daphne sent him the address a little while later.

Li Wei took a close look. It was in a middle-class neighborhood in Queens, not far from Bay Ridge.

But just as he stepped outside, another call came in.

"Uh... Samantha?" Li Wei asked. "What's up?"

"Britney's parents are away, and we got some good stuff," Samantha said. "Do you want to come to the party? It'll mostly be our classmates, no people from the streets."

"Uh..." Li Wei thought it over for a moment, then agreed. "Sure. I'll be there in a bit."

"Great. I can see Daphne in the living room," Samantha said. "When you get here, come in through the back door. Don't let her notice you."

After taking the subway for over half an hour and then transferring to a bus, Li Wei finally arrived at Britney's house as dusk fell.

Quite a few motorcycles and cars were parked outside the detached house. Young men and women about his age were dancing, drinking, and chatting around it.

A dialogue box suddenly popped up before Li Wei's eyes:

[You have arrived at the "Succubus Den"]

[Succubi are dangerous. A very small number of them may also inflict long-lasting debuffs.]

[Detected: You possess "Knight: Bronze Body (Transcendent)," which grants immunity to debuffs inflicted by succubi.]

[Class detected: Hero Knight. Damage dealt to humanoid monsters increased by 35%.]