What Sue meant by “worse” did not fully describe what happened: the three dark gashes on Samantha’s arm expanded, dark, root-like veins grew from the centers of the gashes. And when Gloria focused her Qi, she could see that some kind of black smoke was slowly rising from them.

Tae Kuo washed his hands, coated his fingers on both hands with oil, then laid his middle and index fingers on her wrist and the inner side of her elbow. Gloria could tell that Tae Kuo was infusing a bit of Qi into Samantha’s muscles, skin and meridians, to check whether her body was being corroded by the curse.

“Hmm.” When Tae Kuo retracted his fingers and wiped them clean, he seemed to be baffled.

“What - is she gonna be okay?” Brian asked, holding Kevin tight. Samantha also looked at Tae Kuo with worries in her eyes.

“I think she is. Strangely, nothing has changed.” Tae Kuo frowned, then looked Samantha in her eyes: “I can’t sense any significant change or corrosion to your body. There is no change in the balance of energy on your arms and your meridians. So the only change is - it just grew in size.”

“But - but what kind of curse would do that?” Gloria asked.

“Wait - could it be a tracking curse?” Sue snapped her fingers and asked.

Tae Kuo and Gyuu Park both turned their heads to Sue, surprised.

“Sorry - I mean - it’s just an idea, I’ve read a lot of stuff recently - ” Sue scratched her hair and lowered her head.

“Nonono - I think you’re right, Sue.” Gyuu Park smacked himself on his forehead: “That explains it - it’s a tracking curse - that’s why it’s not doing you any harm for now, and it’s constantly releasing some kind of energy in the air. It’s tracking you for the caster.”

“Tracking me?” Samantha shivered: “So - are you saying - that thing will come for us again?”

“I’m afraid so.” Tae Kuo nodded and sighed, then turned to Gloria: “We need to make some preparations - this change could mean that the thing will come soon. And IF - I mean IF, it’s really the Cat Granny, we’d want fire.”

“Okay. I’ll try.” Gloria nodded, she knew a few places where she could buy some borderline illegal fuel or even weapons.

“When did it attack you last time?” Gyuu Park asked Samantha.

“Late - late last night, what?” Samantha moved a bit away from her son and husband, who then pulled her back to them, despite her protests.

“Then it means that we still have at least a little bit of time.” Gloria nodded at Sue: “It will not strike right away.”

“Sundown.” Gyuu Park took out a few copper coins and put them on the table: “Sifu Kuo, can you lend me a few droplets of your priced oil?”

“Sure, of course.” Tae Kuo sighed, then handed the small bottle he treasured to Gyuu Park: “Don’t be wasteful.”

“I wouldn’t want that either.” Gyuu Park took out a small wooden plaque with symbols and ancient words carved on its upper surface like the drawings on a talisman, and placed the three coins on the plaque in a line, with almost equal distance in between. With the oil bottle in hand, he dropped one droplet in each of the three square holes at the centers of the coins. He then backed off, knelt on the ground, kowtowed to the plaque for three times, chanting a spell in a lowerved voice.

Gloria could not tell what Gyuu Park was doing, so she looked to Tae Kuo. This Sifu nodded lightly in approval, and turned to Samantha: “Lady, can you give us a lock of your hair, and let us take a little bit of your blood from your injured hand?”

Samantha was confused at first, but then nodded. Luoshan Zi brought over a pair of scissors and handed them to Brian. Tae Kuo pricked the tip of Samantha’s middle finger, and held a droplet of her blood using his Qi. Having wrapped the lock of hair and the drop of blood in a small piece of tissue paper, he then put it in front of the wooden plaque.

“Okay - this - this is a detection talisman.” Gyuu Park stood up and panted a little: “With the blood and the hair, it will react if something that radiates similar energy as the curse mark gets close - you will see the oil in the middle bubbling. ”

Tae Kuo nodded: “Good, very good. Now - one of us should stay here just in case we are wrong about the timing of the attack, while others go out and see if we can collect as many supplies as possible.”

“I’ll stay here with them.” Luoshan Zi shrugged: “You could go ahead, I’ll call you if there’s anything. And - uh, even if something was about to come, I can try to hold it off for a while.”

Brian seemed to be in disbelief: “Wait - are you sure - ”

“Yeah, don’t underestimate Luoshan here.” Gloria immediately shook her head at Brian: “She - well, she taught me almost everything I know.”

“‘Almost’? ” Luoshan Zi raised her eyebrows.

“I picked up a few tricks in my casual practice, okay?” Gloria shrugged.

“No, that’s not what I meant - ” Luoshan Zi shook her head: “You should’ve picked up more, and discovered your own stuff.”

“Alright, alright, MOM!” Gloria chuckled, then could not control her own laugh: “We’ll be back as soon as possible. If anything happens, call us.”

“Yes, and be back soon.” Luoshan Zi pointed her finger at Gloria, then turned to Gyuu Park and Tae Kuo: “Remember, today the building’s access code is 4321.”

“Got it.” Tae Kuo nodded.

“So, what can we gather?” When at the exit of the building, Gyuu Park asked: “I can go back and check, but I basically brought everything I could from my temple. Just let me know what else I can help you with.”

“Your temple’s that broke?” Tae Kuo asked with a heavy frown.

“Dude, have you been to my temple? It’s a miracle it’s still fucking standing!” Gyuu Park rolled his eyes.

“Then - holy shit I’m out of stuff as well.” Tae Kuo sighed: “My coffin home’s closed, and everything’s kinda - confiscated by the collective. I brought all I have left already as well!”

“What the - ” Gloria raised her voice: “Neither of you have anything?”

“I’m afraid so.” Gyuu Park sighed, then took a peek at Tae Kuo: “I mean - I heard it was possibly an entity, so the stuff I didn’t bring won’t help - ”

“Yeah - same - same with me… ” Tae Kuo stammered.

“I get it, you’re good friends. I appreciate it.” Gloria sighed and looked up at the sky: “Let’s - try the Kshiti Temple again?”

“Wait.” Tae Kuo snapped his fingers then looked at Gyuu Park: “The Association of Local Churches Pact!”

“What - what is that?” Gloria frowned.

“That’s - that’s very risky, stupid, even.” Gyuu Park opened his eyes wide, but then shook his head: “But what the hell - let’s go.”

“What is that?” Gloria asked as she followed the hurried footsteps of the two men.