While in Hollywood, I used Taoist magic to quell American terrorism.

Cao Kun glanced at Chris, who had a hot body and stunning looks.

Although she was indeed very beautiful, Cao Kun still felt a little uncomfortable: "Maybe next time."

Chris's eyes immediately filled with resentment.

The following afternoon, a black, extended Lincoln pulled up in front of the villa.

A tall, white woman wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat stepped out of the car, escorted by bodyguards.

Upon seeing her, Cao Kun was visibly taken aback.

It really was Ivanka Dong, the one he remembered.

This Mr. Dong behind us is going to be quite something in the future.

However, that's for the future; we don't need to worry about it now.

Cao Kun looked Ivanka over again.

The eldest daughter is indeed very big.

Her current condition is even worse than she described on the phone.

Under the aura observation technique, the black aura between her eyebrows had begun to spread outwards.

It seems that the projection of that "red door" has locked her soul in place.

Ivanka left her bodyguards outside the door and followed Cao Kun into the living room.

Upon entering, Ivanka disregarded her image and slumped onto the sofa, her voice hoarse: "Master Cao, I've arrived."

All the way there, I felt that door was right behind me; I could hear the knocking as soon as I closed my eyes.

Cao Kun sat opposite her, toying with a few Five Emperors coins in his hand.

"You should be glad you got here quickly enough."

Cao Kun flicked his finger, and a copper coin landed on the coffee table with a crisp sound.

"Tell me, what else did you see behind that door in your dream?"

Ivanka picked up the water glass with trembling hands, took a sip, and only then did she regain her composure.

"I saw... a monster with a red face."

It sits in a room filled with clocks, holding a long needle, mending a puppet.

That puppet's face...it looks exactly like mine.

Cao Kun's eyes instantly turned cold.

Red-faced devil.

Sure enough, he killed the previous red-faced demon, and a new one appeared.

There is definitely still the shadow of the Gongyang Cult's curse magic behind this.

"It seems they want more than just your soul."

They even wanted to turn you into a beautiful 'container' so that those disgusting souls could inhabit it.

Ivanka shuddered, her face turning deathly pale: "Master Cao, please help me."

Cao Kun put down his teacup, his gaze lingering for a moment on Ivanka's delicate yet ashen face.

"Where is that mark located?" Cao Kun asked.

Ivanka was slightly taken aback.

Somewhat awkwardly, she tugged at the silk shawl draped over her shoulders.

He hesitated and said, "In...in the lower back, near the spine."

"let me see."

Cao Kun spoke calmly, without any emotional expression.

It's like facing an ordinary, unremarkable object.

Ivanka bit her lip.

As the apple of the Dong family's eye, no man had ever dared to demand that she do so in public with such a matter-of-fact tone...

But looking into Cao Kun's deep, pool-like eyes, she felt an irresistible pressure.

She took a deep breath, stood up, and slowly turned around.

Slender fingers rested on the zipper of the fitted dress.

With a soft "rip," the black silk slid down her smooth back and piled up at her waist.

The living room was dimly lit, with only the afterglow of the setting sun filtering through the French windows, casting a few streaks of orange-red light.

Ivanka's skin was very fair, with an ivory sheen in the dim light.

However, above that beautifully sunken waist dimple, a dark red mark was clearly visible.

As Cao Kun said, the pattern does indeed have distorted lines that outline a strange shape.

The skin around the mark was slightly red and swollen, as if the thing was alive and trying to burrow into the flesh.

Sure enough, it was exactly the same as the mark on Lifu's body.

It's just a different location.

Cao Kun stepped forward, put two fingers together, and gently touched the edge of the mark.

Ivanka's body trembled violently, and she let out a short, soft groan.

The temperature emanating from Cao Kun's fingertips was very low, yet it carried a tingling sensation that sent shivers down her spine.

"Don't move," Cao Kun hissed.

His fingertips traced a circle around the mark.

Using his Qi-observation technique, he could see wisps of black energy climbing upwards along Ivanka's coccyx.

It is gradually eroding her vitality and spirit.

An atmosphere of ambiguity lingered between the two.

Ivanka could feel the man's warm breath behind her, spraying onto the back of her neck.

It was a contradictory feeling—extremely dangerous, yet strangely reassuring.

A moment later, Cao Kun withdrew his hand.

"Put them on."

Ivanka felt as if she had been granted a pardon and hurriedly pulled up her clothes.

When she turned around, her cheeks were still flushed, and her eyes were somewhat evasive.

"Master Cao... how is he?"

Cao Kun sat back down on the sofa, his expression grave: "It's more troublesome than I imagined."

That mark wasn't a simple curse; it was a 'coordinate' from the depths of hell.

The red gate you dreamed of is the gate to another land.

In the setting of the "Insidious" series, the Red Gate is the entrance to the deepest part of the alien world.

That place is a wasteland where vengeful spirits gather, and time and space are completely distorted.

And that red-faced demon is one of the rulers there.

It is adept at using curses to mark living people, and then forcibly possesses them when the target's mind breaks down.

Ivanka, her shawl wrapped tightly around her shoulders, asked in a trembling voice, "Could you remove that mark?"

"Not now." Cao Kun shook his head. "This mark is already connected to your soul."

If you forcibly erase it, your soul will shatter along with it.

Moreover, I have no plans to directly invade this foreign land.

"Why?" Ivanka asked urgently, "If you need money..."

"It's not about the money."

Cao Kun glanced at her coldly: "The situation with that red door is a thousand times, ten thousand times more dangerous than you imagine."

I won't go to someone else's home turf to fight without being fully prepared.

The light in Ivanka's eyes dimmed, and her voice was filled with despair: "So, am I just supposed to wait to die?"

"I can first address your dream about the red door and cut off its direct interference with your mental state."

Cao Kun paused for a moment, then held up three fingers: "But the mark will remain."

This means that you are still their target.

Symptoms such as sleepwalking and mental confusion will not reappear for the time being.

You can return to your normal life and work until I find a way to completely eradicate it.

When Ivanka heard that she could return to work, hope rekindled in her eyes.

"Okay, as long as I can get back to normal first, I'm willing to cooperate."

"Now that we've reached a consensus, let's talk about the price."

Cao Kun leaned back and calmly announced a number: "One million US dollars."

Cash or bank transfer; no collateral of any kind accepted.

In this day and age, $100 million is enough to buy a mansion in the suburbs of Los Angeles.

Ivanka didn't even frown, and nodded, saying, "Deal."

That's fair, considering it involves your risk.

She took out a checkbook from her Hermès handbag, quickly wrote the check, and pushed it in front of Cao Kun.

"This is a $10 advance payment."

The rest, if I can get a good night's sleep tonight, I'll settle the rest tomorrow.