It was already dark when they passed through customs.
Gao Yi had told Sean that after the customs, they would head straight to Los Angeles overnight, as Los Angeles, being a large city close to Mexico, was a sensible place to settle.
However, in reality, after clearing customs, Gao Yi's first act was to find a motel.
Gao Yi had told a little lie about this matter.
No harm meant, yet precaution needed—despite Sean's insistence on him joining the Garden, Gao Yi had made his refusal clear.
People, harboring the intent to destroy what they couldn't possess, were not few, and given Sean's underworld connections and the precarious situation of the Garden, Gao Yi certainly had to be wary.
So, after clearing customs, his first step upon arrival in the United States was to go on the Dark Web to contact the person who handled his passport, and then, following the other party's instructions, he checked into a motel instead of truly heading to Los Angeles.