The first place they set out to visit would be a small, two-storey house with green roof somewhere at the edge of the border between the South Eastern and South Western Districts, on the side of the South Western. It was quite a bit of road to travel, even when departing from the Fragrant Chrysanthemum Temple.

All three of them had come to the South Western District before. Not very often, but they were not strangers to this place either. Compared to their home district, the streets here were slightly wider, cleaner for what class of people that lived in it, and very noticeably, less street vendors.

“Gah, I can already smell the fake smiles and pretension.” Sue joked as she walked by a corner, following the lead of Gyuu Park.

“And we’re just at the edge of this place yet. ” Gyuu Park chuckled: “Have you tried going to their business district? All those shiny shirts, bags and hair cannot hide their desperation to rub each other in oil and ointment.”

“Welp. And I’m sure they’d laugh at us behind our backs as well.” Gloria shook her head.

“We’re almost there.” Gyuu Park raised his chin at a crossroads, where the house was: “But be careful, I count two groups of men watching the place. I just can’t tell if they are from the same group though.”

“Any surveillance cameras?” Gloria wanted to look around, but she only moved her eyes instead of her head: “I mean, how does the community collective even have people here?”

“The PCPD had some kind of tacit agreement with the collective. I mean, just the other day I heard that some PCPD detective was looking around at some cases that are technically out of their jurisdiction. Some kind of quid pro quo thing. I suppose they would renegotiate the terms every now and then.”

“So, are we expecting PCPD as well? ” Gloria asked: “This is - less than ideal.”

“Yes, probably. But if it was them I would be less worried.” Gyuu Park continued his way, looking, looking at his phone and while looking at the surroundings, like a tourist, or someone who’s not from this place. “Now, when I say laugh, you laugh.”

“O - okay, I mean - ” Sue was slightly surprised by this ask.

“Okay, now…” Gyuu Park turned to Sue and Gloria with a forced smile on his face: “Laugh!”

“Ahahahahahahahaha…” Gloria started, then Sue soon followed. Taking advantage of the natural head and eye movements from the laugh, they took a few quick looks around. One group of men watching over the house were in a car, parked in the shadows of a tree beside a light pole. Inside the car seemed to be two people, one man and one woman. But with one look, Gloria recognized the man behind the steering wheel: the detective, whose case files she stole earlier.

“PCPD! 17th Precinct! In the car over there.” Gloria immediately turned around, grabbing Sue by the arm while whispering to her and Gyuu Park.

“The other group is definitely from our district.” Sue scratched her nose, discreetly pointing at two men standing near a light post on the side of a small decorative flower pot with her right pinkie, speaking through her teeth while forcing a smile: “I saw them somewhere before - I can’t remember where, but I’ve definitely seen them before in our district.”

“Okay. So…” Gyuu Park came close to Gloria and Sue, pretending to be helping Sue with the plastic bag in her hand: “Then let’s go in as remote relatives. Act poor and wretched if you must. Remember, we’re remote, poor and ungrateful relatives looking to borrow money from them.”

“No problem.” Sue and Gloria nodded at the same time. This was one of their prepared personas when they tried to bypass the people that may potentially stop them or worse, report them to whatever authority they serve.

Three of them continued their way forward. Gyuu Park and Gloria kept looking around, playing their part in acting as curious visitors that were new to this area. And Sue was still nervous, and could only walk along them, only looking around occasionally.

The two men standing near a light post walked towards them and blocked their way, just when they got to the porch of the family they were about to visit.

“Who are you?” The man on the left, who was slightly taller and thinner asked.

“We’re looking to visit some relatives.” Gyuu Park immediately smiled and bowed: “We heard that some relatives of ours have made a good life here, so we’re looking to visit them. Can we help you?”

“Who are you trying to visit?” The man on the right, shorter and chubbier asked, with his arms crossed.

“Ling Li, he’s my distant cousin. We shared a great grandfather on our father’s side.” Gyuu Park smiled: “And - we brought some gifts over! And authentic local foods from the South Eastern foods! Who - who are you? Do you know my cousin?”

“Well…” The two men exchanged looks, visibly suspicious and confused: “Yes - we are his neighbors. But - he’s not home at the moment. You should come back another time.”

“He’s not home? That’s okay!” Gyuu Park looked over the two men’s shoulders: “I heard he’s married right? I can visit his wife! His children! Oh! I feel so sorry I haven’t visited them earlier! I mean - life, it’s just so busy sometimes.”

“Yes, but…”

“Wait! I saw them inside! I saw them inside!” Gloria jumped, as if she was really excited, then she just ran to the door, passing the two men by: “Hey! Mrs. Li! Open up! We’re your distant cousins!”

“Hey! You shouldn’t do that!” The taller man immediately tried to go and stop Gloria, but he was pulled back by Gyuu Park by his arm.

“Thank you for helping us find our cousin! Thank you so much!” Gyuu Park grabbed the hands of both men firmly without any intention of letting them go: “Sue, fetch me some of our local foods, we ought to be thankful for the good neighbors!”

Sue reached into the plastic bag she was carrying, and brought out two small paper bags of dried sea squids wrapped in dried aqua weeds and shoved them at the two men, with forced smiles on her face: “Here! Here! Take these! They’re really good when you cut them up and put them into porridge!”

“Hey! Stop!” The short, chubby man tried to get away from Gyuu Park, but the few attempts he tried he could not shake off his hand. And he almost instinctively slapped the dried squid away from Sue.

“You must be Cousin Ling’s wife!” At this moment, the door was already opened, and Gloria just let herself straight in like an entitled guest: “We’re here, and we’ve brought food! I guess you’re all dying to have some authentic South Eastern food huh?”

“Good to see you! Good to see you!” Gyuu Park signaled Sue, while forcefully shaking the two men’s hands.

Sue got the hint, so she put the dried squids in the men’s pockets and rushed towards the now open door: “Cousin! It’s been so long!”

“Thank you very much!” Gyuu Park turned around, still shaking the men’s hands: “But we’ll meet another time! Thank you! Let me go meet my cousin, then maybe I’ll buy you dinner, how about that?”

Before either man could do anything, Gyuu Park let go of their hands and rushed into the house, closing the door behind him.