American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

"Miss Seona, I really have no other choice, please help me."

The girl with long blonde hair was in her prime and could be considered pretty. Her well-maintained skin and figure hinted at a life of luxury. However, her haggard face and cheap business suit lowered her overall appearance, making her look quite inferior to the woman in purple standing opposite her.

The woman with almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks sighed and rubbed her forehead, her dangling earrings, studded with tiny diamonds, shimmering softly.

“Miss Caroline, I know you’re worried about your friend’s safety, but I’m just a fashion designer, not a police chief.”

“I know, I know…” Caroline looked dejected, ruffling her blonde hair in frustration, and muttered to herself, “But why would the police care about the whereabouts of an ordinary restaurant waitress?”

With her arms crossed and tears welling in her eyes, she said in a low voice, "We all know how much filth lies beneath the gleaming surface of New York. Hundreds of people go missing every year, and very few of them are ever found alive. I don't want to one day receive a notice to go to the morgue to identify her body."

Caroline's lips trembled as she sobbed softly, "After my father went bankrupt and was imprisoned, all my relatives and cronies disappeared without a trace. Max is my only friend now. Please, for the sake of our past cooperation, use your connections to help me."

At this moment, she was desperate and grasping at straws. Although Saiona wasn't from a wealthy or high-society family, she had a certain level of fame and connections in the fashion world, and was also known for her forthright and kind personality. For her, a despised bankrupt heiress, Saiona was undoubtedly the most reliable person to turn to for help for the time being.

"Alright." After much pleading, Seona finally relented. "I'll contact the officers I know and ask them to do their best to investigate."

She paused, a hint of reluctance in her beautiful eyes, and added somewhat awkwardly:

"But you also have to be prepared for the worst. You know... that's a subway station in Brooklyn, full of gangs, drug addicts, and mentally ill people. What terrible crimes could happen?"

“I understand, I understand…” Caroline’s face darkened, her teeth biting her red lips until they bled. “Even if only definite information comes back, it’s better than disappearing from the world in a daze.”

Seeing her like this, the designer opened her mouth several times as if to speak, but did not know how to comfort her, and the two remained silent for a moment.

"Excuse me, are you Miss Sonia Rowling?" Just then, a timid voice broke through the dull and dejected atmosphere.

Michelle, her small hands clenched, leaned closer and, meeting her questioning gaze, smiled politely:

"Good morning. I heard from a friend that he and you participated in a psychological experiment held by South Jin State University."

Chapter 351 The Subway Disappearance Case

On the simple and unpretentious wooden coffee table, the rich aroma of hand-ground Blue Mountain coffee wafts through the air, and wisps of steam rise from it. The colorful assorted biscuits, filled with various fresh jams, add to the vibrant atmosphere.

The environment and service of top-tier boutiques are excellent, perfectly matching their high prices. The layout of the rest area is comparable to that of a professional high-end coffee shop.

The shopping consultant tactfully served a few delicate tea snacks. As she turned to leave, she gently brushed aside two clumps of green plants, causing the slender green leaves to turn in a different direction, blocking the view and instantly creating a relatively secluded space.

"...So you're Mr. Milhaw's friend, what a coincidence."

Seona sat upright in her chair, took a sip of coffee, savoring the lingering aroma of chocolate and nuts, and recalled her "haunted house adventure" from a year ago.

Although they didn't witness the horrific scenes firsthand, the mess left on the ground the next morning unmistakably revealed the hidden danger to everyone, leaving them terrified.

The young exorcist who quietly resolved everything naturally left a very deep impression on her.

Moreover, she has developed a strong interest in the mysterious world for certain reasons, and since she happened to meet someone in the field today, she decided to have a chat with him.

"To be so intimate with that handsome and powerful man... hehe, Miss Michelle must be an expert in exorcism."

Saiona brushed her index finger across her red lips, a hint of teasing in her expression.

She makes her living in the fashion industry, so she can figure out the ins and outs of relationships with her eyes closed. By observing people's expressions and demeanor, she can guess most of the relationship between two people after just a few words.

Hearing her teasing tone, a blush crept onto Michelle's cheeks, and her eyes darted around.

"Uh, I only know a little about divination. By the way, were you looking for someone? Maybe I can offer some help." She quickly changed the subject.

"Really?!" Caroline exclaimed in surprise, her worried expression revealing hope. Before going bankrupt, she was considered wealthy, and she had only a superficial understanding of the existence of such extraordinary people.

After receiving encouraging looks from the two men, she nodded gratefully and began to recount the reason from the beginning.

"...After the bank foreclosed on my house, all the bitches who used to fawn over me disappeared. I didn't want to stay in Manhattan and be looked down upon, so I found a job as a waitress at a fast food restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn." She rambled on about her bumpy life as a fallen phoenix.

"Fortunately, I was quite lucky. Although the restaurant owner and colleagues all had their flaws, they were generally good people, especially Max. That brat had a sharp tongue, but she was much kinder than most of the so-called high society people I met. We quickly became friends and even moved in together."

Caroline's expression suddenly turned bleak. "It happened three nights ago. A big client ordered a large batch of small cakes for a late-night party. She went to deliver them with the boss, but they never came back..."

She rubbed her face in frustration, her sadness barely concealed. "I helped carry the takeout to the subway entrance, watched them go in, and then those two grown men... just vanished into thin air."

Siona gently patted her shoulder, mentally preparing words of comfort, when suddenly the cell phone in the woman's bag vibrated.

“A supervisor from the Brooklyn Police Department.” Her eyes lit up as she looked at the caller ID, and she made a gesture to calm down.

After exchanging a few soft words, Seona's smile gradually faded. After a few polite greetings, she hung up the phone with a slightly somber expression.

“An acquaintance of mine just revealed some information: in the last six months or so, the number of missing persons cases in several slums in New York has increased significantly, attracting the attention of the police. His superior had considered allocating manpower to conduct a targeted investigation.”

But puzzlingly, the operation was quickly halted by higher authorities, the reason given being that the case involved gang warfare, and that the FBI would take full control and resolve it quickly, without the need for local police intervention.

The kind-hearted fashion designer looked rather grim. "He said he really felt powerless to do anything about it and felt very sorry. His superiors wouldn't disobey orders for a few missing people from the lower rungs of society."

Upon hearing the explanation, the group frowned in unison, a single thought swirling in their minds.

There's something wrong here!

Aside from Nan, who was foolishly obsessed with the assorted cookies, even the fortune teller girl, who had very little social experience, noticed something amiss.

Regardless of their background, everyone here is a native-born citizen of the Union, a true and upright citizen of the old beacon. How could they not know what kind of people the government bureaucracy is?

A bunch of extremely slippery non-stick pans!

If the incident had occurred elsewhere, it might have been explained as an attempt to steal credit, but what kind of place is New York?

This is the heart of the empire, a premier international metropolis!

Petty theft is one thing, but a large-scale serial crime is detrimental to international image (sound).

In this situation, the normal thought should be to resolve the problem as soon as possible. Why reject the help of the local police station, which is a local strongman?

She doesn't rely on meticulous thinking and reasoning like some former cheerleader; she has her own more convenient and direct methods.

Reaching into his pocket, Michelle grasped a miniature crystal ball the size of a walnut, her eyes slightly closed, and performed a quick divination.

Like an overturned palette of oil paints, murky and chaotic illusory light and shadow spun rapidly in her inspiration. Her brows furrowed as she carefully discerned the vague omens, piecing together fragmented information from various mystical symbols.

“We can confirm that the disappearance occurred inside the subway station; they haven’t left the outside world,” Michelle said confidently, blinking her eyelashes.

"I can't see anything else clearly, since I haven't been in contact with the person involved and lack any connection to their fate."

"Are there no other clues?" Caroline's mood was like a rollercoaster, her hope rising only to plummet to the bottom.

She clenched her hands in distress. The New York Metro system is over a hundred years old and has undergone countless renovations and repairs. The ancient and old underground lines are intricate and complex, like a huge maze. Even the official staff of the metro company may not know all the details. Finding two people in it is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Michelle glanced at the two plainclothes female agents accompanying her in the distance, weighed her options for a moment, and her kind nature prevailed over her adherence to rules. She turned to her companion and whispered in her ear.

Nan chewed on the pastry in her mouth blankly, her small eyes flashing with a faint silver light like ripples on water.

"If we want to find out the exact situation, we'll probably need to use some special methods." A phantom voice echoed, quietly connecting everyone's mental world.

Using a look to stop Caroline, who was still reeling from her first supernatural experience, Michelle continued, "Since the authorities are unwilling to intervene, there's only one way..."

She pursed her lips and said, "Tonight, take the missing persons' belongings and lead me to the subway station where they were last seen, for a live divination ceremony!"

Chapter 352 The Sword and the Mask

"...It's too late today, let's stay at the hotel and continue tomorrow. We're going to explore Fifth Avenue from beginning to end!"

As night fell, the lobby of the star-rated hotel was paved with clean and smooth water-patterned marble tiles, reflecting the multi-layered crystal chandelier on the ceiling.

Michelle showed her VIP card to the young and beautiful receptionist, then turned to the plainclothes bodyguard who accompanied her, stuck out her tongue, and put her hands together in a pleading gesture.

"Thank you for your trouble. Please send the purchased items back to the training base."

“My dear sweetheart… it’s against security regulations for you to spend the night alone outside.” The bodyguards, who were strictly in their duties, spoke gently, but they had no intention of easily giving up their responsibilities.

"I know, that's why I chose an industry under the Special Investigation Bureau, so as not to make things difficult for you."

After spending several months together, everyone had become quite familiar with each other. One of the field staff members smiled and offered a few words of advice, and they readily agreed.

As the most important financial and political center of the Federation and the headquarters of many special armed agencies, New York has extremely strong official power, and they do not believe that anyone would be so bold as to provoke them.

"Tess, you stay here and keep watch. I'll take the two advisors' 'spoils' to the 'castle' and be back in a bit."

The female agent, known as Teess, nodded and tossed the car keys to her partner.

Neither of them noticed that the person being protected squeezed their fist slightly.

With the plan approved, Michelle, secretly pleased, linked arms with her companion and headed for the elevator, mentally reviewing the solution they had just discussed.

We're just waiting for the agreed time... I wonder what Miss Seona said she needed to go home and prepare first?

……

Once you've made up your mind to get involved, you need to prepare properly!

With a rustling sound, the linen curtains with a dark floral pattern fell down, completely blocking out all the windows in the studio.

Saiona, dressed in a smart tracksuit, looked radiant. Her tall figure, a blend of Latin heritage, appeared even more athletic, exuding a vibrant and healthy beauty compared to those delicate and pretentious socialites.

For a young and beautiful woman, the streets of Brooklyn at night are no different in terms of danger from the Amazon rainforest, perhaps even more so from the hungry and greedy gazes. Half a year ago, a lady like her would have kept her distance.

But nowadays...

She bent down, unlocked a combination lock, and pulled a long, thin wooden box from a storage box under the bed.

The box is about 100 cm long, 20 cm wide and 15 cm high. The dark brown wood grain on the surface has oxidized and turned black. The copper plates wrapped around the corners are also stained with a trace of green rust. As evidence of the vicissitudes of time, only the blurred and mottled iris flowers and the engravings of Hercules' twin columns around the edges still silently tell the story of the noble glory of yesteryear.

The designer was deeply moved as her long, strong fingers gently caressed her. Perhaps this was the guidance of her bloodline. Who could have imagined that a trip to her ancestral home to handle inheritance matters would lead her fate in a completely different direction?

She opened the lid, and there lay a simple, Spanish-style rapier.

Seona gripped the silver, bowl-shaped gauntlet and drew her sword. A sharp, concealed glint of light flashed into her eyes. She held it above her head, spread her legs, and assumed a standard attacking stance.

The next second, the dim afterimage trembled, as if a dense rain burst forth, cutting the air with a crisp sound, and a glass of water instantly turned into crystal dust.

The dreamlike scene was reflected in her pupils, and her heartbeat gradually accelerated as if guided by strings. Before her eyes appeared a heroic figure in a black hat and black clothes, holding a long sword, who, amidst laughter and curses, robbed the rich to help the poor and upheld justice.

The designer knew that it was not an illusion, but the unwavering belief and indomitable will of her ancestors, which remained clear even after hundreds of years.

Seona softly read aloud the inscription in cursive script on the broadsword hilt:

May the winds of freedom and justice blow across the land, never ceasing!

"Since I have been fortunate enough to receive guidance from your soul, my descendants will never allow your good name to be disgraced." She sheathed her sword and, with reverence, took out another item from the wooden box.

—A black silk mask, as thin as a cicada's wing, yet resembling the night sky.

……

……

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."