American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

"If you really want it, how about I give you a 10% discount and a few interesting free gifts?"

Chapter 256 The Cursed Fur Coat 2

As the boss spoke, various colored lights suddenly flickered in the glass display cases around them.

A wisp of black smoke rose from the prisoner's tattered clothes, stained with old blood, while a white light peeked through the cracked crystal.

Blue light flowed within the fist-sized conch shell, and red mist rose from the foot-long feathers.

In an instant, these originally ordinary-looking objects seemed to shed their disguise, revealing their mysterious inner qualities and arousing the desire of onlookers to explore.

Such a dazzling light show might dazzle a novice, but to Zhu Mingyao it would only elicit ridicule.

He glanced at the pile of odds and ends, and gave a disdainful snort at the doll beads, wooden masks, and horn carvings.

"Don't try to fool newbies with illusions and handicrafts. One price, 20,000 yuan, or I'm leaving!" He said, revealing a hint of authority to prove that he was not some naive newbie.

Even though Zhu Mingyao transferred a small portion of the large amount of gold and jewelry he obtained from the Skull Island secret realm to his sect in China through Hualian as a token of his appreciation, the remaining portion was enough to make him an invisible tycoon, freeing him from ever having to worry about money again. As long as the price wasn't too outrageous, he didn't bother to probe further or waste any more words.

Although the shop owner's demeanor was a bit affected, this fur coat was indeed the most eye-catching item in the store. Since we were just shopping, it wouldn't hurt to let him make some profit.

"Oh, so you're actually a high-ranking mage of the [Knight] class. It's just a little trick of a businessman, I'm sorry to have embarrassed you. I'll wrap it up for you right now."

The fat boss was taken aback, realizing that his tricks would only make him a laughingstock in front of a master. He quickly apologized with a beaming smile and his men deftly took out cardboard boxes to pack the items.

The man neatly folded the fur coat and sealed it in a box. He also added a piece of white crystal that had been soaked in holy water as an extra to suppress the evil spirits, showing great service as he respectfully handed it to Zhu Mingyao.

After the money and goods were exchanged, he remained as attentive as ever, rubbing his chubby hands together and bowing and scraping, politely brewing hot cocoa to the point of fawning, trying to persuade the young customer in front of him to stay a little longer.

For ordinary people like them who rely on a little special power as a means of making a living, the existence of those at the Innate Realm/Knight Rank is truly the upper class.

Even in New Orleans, where superhumans are active, most of these experts are core members of the Sisterhood of Witches and the Voodoo Cult. They rarely have the opportunity to curry favor with them. Now that they have encountered a powerful stranger, they should seize the opportunity to have a good chat and become acquainted with him, as this might become a valuable connection in the future.

Seeing that it was still early and the other party was so hospitable, Zhu Mingyao chatted for a bit and inquired about some news.

"...Haha, that's just the atmosphere in New Orleans. Live for the moment, everyone wants to enjoy life to the fullest. And because the headquarters of the two major organizations are located here, even the non-human races are quite well-behaved and rarely cause trouble, let alone commit crimes. Under these circumstances, government officials and church personnel are happy to turn a blind eye. Less work is always better."

The portly boss, Jerome, cupped his hands to his mouth and added in a teasing, low voice:

"After all, you know how temperamental those ladies are... well, they're very protective of their territory! Everyone's out in nightclubs and clubs every day, enjoying fine wine and beautiful women, nobody wants to become a witchcraft puppet or a resurrected zombie."

The two men exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.

He humbly refilled the young sorcerer's drink, then pinched his rounded chin. "As for your question about any recent supernatural rumors about the circus, I can inquire with my colleagues nearby."

Since someone was willing to help, Zhu Mingyao readily agreed and left his phone number and hotel address. Although he had already asked Bai Ziyuan to search for information about the "Horror Circus" at the Chamber of Commerce, every snake has its own way, and multiple sources of information might bring additional gains.

After a pleasant conversation, both host and guest enjoyed themselves and gained something from the conversation. Zhu Mingyao, carrying a long cardboard box wrapped in his leather coat and a stack of Halloween masks that Jerome had insisted on giving him, politely got up to say goodbye and left.

After walking a distance, he turned into a small alley and took the opportunity to put the items into his magic bag.

It's always wise to be cautious. Spatial equipment is too conspicuous, so it's best to avoid showing it off to prevent unnecessary trouble.

Just as he stepped out of the alley, a gust of wind suddenly rushed towards him from the side. He alertly jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding a brown-gray figure that swiftly passed by.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm in a hurry!" Before the crisp female voice could even finish, the owner had already rushed off into the distance, leaving behind only a lithe back view, which drew curses from the passersby who were almost hit.

"Tch! Is this girl in such a hurry to get married?" Zhu Mingyao muttered, clapped his hands without paying much attention, and continued his pleasant sightseeing trip.

……

……

A crisp "thump!" was heard.

The wooden door of the Jerome Wizard Hut was pushed open with great force, slammed against the wall, and bounced back, with a small piece of the green paint chipped off.

"Hey! My door! Watch out, you damn little brat!" The fat shopkeeper squinted at the newcomer, rushed out from behind the counter, and shouted angrily.

Before him stood a slender figure in a brown-grey leather jacket, bent over with his hands on his knees, his small, reddish-brown head bobbing up and down with each breath.

"Uncle Jerome, I...I've saved up enough money, I want that...leather jacket!"

Having just completed a demanding task and received payment, and then rushing all the way from outside the city, even an ordinary superhuman would find it difficult to keep up.

"Um, you mean...that?" Jerome's eyes darted around, and he stammered.

She took a few deep breaths to catch her breath, and her slender figure deftly took a cup from under the water dispenser, gulped down the water, and let out a satisfying burp, releasing all the anxiety and heat she had accumulated along the way.

"Here you go! Just like last time, 30,000 gold coins, not a penny less, cash on delivery!" He pulled out a thick paper package he kept close to his body, his energetic figure holding it high, and proudly waved it with one hand on his hip.

"You weren't bragging, were you? I told you I'd definitely get the money within a month!"

"Sophie... well, it's really a bit... never mind, I'll just say it directly."

Having been struck squarely in the face, the man could no longer evade the question and had no choice but to slump his shoulders and confess the truth.

"Pfft!" A mouthful of water sprayed out, almost drenching Jerome's face.

"...What! You sold it to him! Uncle, how could you do this? We had an agreement!" The bone china teacup creaked in his tanned, veiny hand, as if it was about to be crushed at any moment.

"Do you know how much I suffered to save enough money?" Her clear voice was full of grievance, and her nasal tone made it seem like she was about to burst into tears.

"That's a [Knight] level expert, so I got a little excited..." Knowing he was in the wrong, Jerome's voice trailed off.

After a moment of dejection, a beautiful yet muscular forearm reached out and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, revealing bright, star-like pale blue eyes with a stubborn and piercing gaze.

"Where is he? I'll go and buy him back!"

The loan arrived, guys. I'll probably need to take a few days off; I'm completely broke. Let me catch my breath. Let's see how long I can hold on for the sake of perfect attendance this month.

Chapter 257 Interception, Trade, Druid 1

Zhu Mingyao's cultivation level was far from reaching the point where he could hear every rustle of grass within a radius of several miles. Of course, he had no idea that he had just intercepted a treasure that a stubborn young girl was determined to obtain.

He is now moving between the various stalls, holding a large skewer of golden-fried crocodile meat, eating with a beaming smile and his mouth dripping with oil.

"Hmm, what Bear Grylls said on the show back then was really true. It tastes a bit like chicken, and with the secret sauce, it's tender, juicy, and absolutely delicious!"

Although both are located near the sea, New Orleans' cuisine has a more down-to-earth feel compared to Los Angeles, with a plethora of delicious street food options. He wandered among them, feeling quite reluctant to leave.

After dodging a few children playing and laughing, Zhu Mingyao swallowed the last bite of the fresh, spicy meat skewer and patted his belly contentedly. He glanced at the sun, which was still high in the sky before dusk, and pondered which local specialty shop to visit to while away some more time.

"Jingle Bell."

Before he could make up his mind, a slightly unfamiliar number dialed, interrupting his restaurant exploration.

"...That's right, it was so rude of me, I'm so sorry, I'm ashamed beyond words. Please rest assured, I will use all my connections to get the information you want..."

The fat boss Jerome's humble voice sounded somewhat trembling, and indeed it was.

His obese body was leaning forward, slumped over the counter of the witchcraft shop, one hand trembling as he held the microphone, the other wiping the fine beads of cold sweat from his forehead.

He had just given away the customer's address in a daze after being persuaded by an acquaintance, and when he came to his senses, he was so regretful that he wanted to slap himself twice.

This is a [Knight-rank] spellcaster! If he offends the other party and they feel that a certain boss lacks business credibility, he will be in big trouble. Even if the other party has a good temper, they can still make people suffer to the point of ecstasy by just casting a little secret curse.

His greasy face jiggled, and the last vestige of conscience, eroded by money over time, struggled for a moment:

"...As for that impulsive, foolish girl, just get rid of her. She's just a pitiful girl who lost both her parents. You're an important person, please don't stoop to her level..."

"call--"

Having received a generous response from his esteemed guest, Jerome thanked him profusely, hung up the phone, let out a long sigh of relief, and slumped back in his chair.

I managed to get away with it. I thought I had made a fortune today and made a connection with a powerful person. It was a double blessing. Who knew that my joy would almost turn into sorrow?

He stared blankly at the checkered ceiling, then suddenly seemed to remember something, ran up and locked the shop door, then turned and sneaked out.

Although that silly girl is a bit flat-chested, at least she's pretty. She might be able to get some preferential treatment from this young male customer. But he's a greasy, fat old man, so he doesn't have any dignity to speak of. He'd better go hide for a couple of days to avoid being held accountable later...

……

……

"Welcome, please let us help you with this."

"Old Man Madison's business acumen is truly remarkable. With such service quality, it's no wonder he was able to amass such a vast fortune."

Zhu Mingyao fiddled with a walnut-sized piece of North American jade, handed several shopping bags to a waiter who had come to greet him from afar, and walked slowly into the hotel in the twilight glow, silently praising himself.

"Is this Mr. Milius from room 701? A lady has been waiting for you for quite some time." The receptionist, dressed in a neat bright red uniform, smiled charmingly and politely led him to the restaurant's lounge area.

A slightly thin figure, holding a free hot chocolate, sat hunched over in the corner, fidgeting restlessly, as if he were sitting on a cold steel plate covered in nails, not a soft, comfortable leather sofa.

"Is that you? Sorry, I meant... hello, sir."

Upon seeing someone approaching, the figure leaped up from the large black leather sofa with a thud, as if springs had been pressed into its legs, and like an agile lynx, it swiftly appeared in front of Zhu Mingyao.

Her neat, short, reddish-brown hair was lifted up, revealing a girl's oval face that still had a touch of childishness. A few small freckles were scattered on her healthy, wheat-colored skin, which not only did not detract from her delicate features, but also made her look more youthful and energetic. Her light blue eyes sparkled as she observed the person she was about to negotiate with.

“My name is… Sophie Beverly, I think…”

Just now, the girl was so focused on figuring out how to get back the extraordinary item she desperately needed that she realized how rude her actions had been once she actually met them.

She had spent ages thinking of what to say, but for a moment she forgot it all. Clutching her worn and cracked brown leather jacket, her thin red lips opened and closed in vain, a blush and fine beads of sweat quickly creeping up her face.

“I spoke with Mr. Jerome on the phone.”

Upon seeing the little girl in front of him, Zhu Mingyao realized she wasn't very good at socializing, so he took the initiative to speak first, breaking the awkward silence.

“You know? Great! Oh, I mean…” Beverly swallowed, her brain racing, desperately squeezing out her limited knowledge.

"Sir, do you really know the origin of this raccoon fur coat? It's imbued with a powerful curse from the essence of nature, which will bring death to its wearer." The girl's eyes lit up as she quickly came up with a clever idea, and she began to explain mysteriously.

"Ordinary people, and even superhumans, will be negatively affected if they are exposed to it for too long! Unlike ordinary spells, items affected by natural forces are difficult to modify with alchemy, so you can't make new equipment out of them."

Beverly felt she had guessed the other party's purpose, so she put on a sincere expression as if she were doing it for their own good and offered a solution.

"I'm willing to spend 30,000 gold coins to buy it back, and I promise I won't let your interests suffer. What do you say?"

"Oh? Aren't you afraid of the curse?" Zhu Mingyao asked with interest, his gaze sweeping over the girl's slender limbs. He could sense the astonishing explosive power hidden beneath her seemingly thin surface, in those smooth and resilient tendons.

Seemingly sensing that his attitude was wavering, Beverly puffed out her chest, which seemed slightly "relaxed," and said confidently:

"Please don't worry about that. My path to power is rather special. Please allow me to keep the details a secret. You are a big shot in the supernatural world, so you should understand the taboos involved."

However, a casual remark immediately followed, directly revealing the girl's little secret:

"So you're a druid, and it seems you possess some kind of special bloodline... Are you a creature from a lower plane?"

The gentle voice was like a breeze brushing past her ear, but to the girl it was like thunder. Her body jolted, her arms were raised slightly, her back arched, her muscles tensed and bulged instantly, and she took half a step back like lightning, a wild and fierce intent flashing by.