American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

Chapter 437 Visitors 2

How did you find your way here?

With a hand as soft as topaz, a handful of Yirgacheffe coffee beans suspended in mid-air were instantly crushed into powder, the fine bronze-colored powder, like smoke and mist, calmly seeping into the transparent glass pot.

The silvery water boils silently, and the pleasant floral and fruity fragrance created by the sunshine and mist of its place of origin, Ethiopia, gently permeates the air.

"The place where you're hiding away for vacation is quite secluded; I had to ask around for a long time before I finally found out."

By the way, is this some kind of Eastern witchcraft servant? How strange..."

Across the tea table, a young man with short, neat black hair took the coffee cup handed to him and clicked his tongue in admiration.

Zhu Mingyao did not respond to the guest's praise, but simply savored the aroma of the carefully roasted hot drink in his hand and gave a humble smile.

While the Eastern art of manipulating qi and controlling forms and the Western art of summoning magical servants may appear similar in form, their principles and structures are vastly different. In ancient times, when information was scarce, laymen might have mistaken them for one another. However, in today's era of cultural exchange, they are not difficult to distinguish as sophisticated knowledge.

Not to mention the bloodline supernatural power passed down in his friend's family, which is specialized in countering all kinds of strange and secret techniques, how could such a low-level mistake occur? It can only mean that the other party is just dodging the issue.

"You came all the way from Portland to my country villa, you didn't just come here for a cup of coffee and a chat, did you?"

With a light pinch of two fingers, the hard, brown shell of the macadamia nut cracked open.

Seeing his conflicted expression, Zhu Mingyao popped the white nut into his mouth, a playful smile curving his lips.

Nick Green scratched his head awkwardly, his eyes darting around as if he was weighing how to start the conversation without it seeming too abrupt.

After a long pause, he took a deep breath, his eyes hardening, and slowly whispered:

"To be honest, Milyo... I want to ask you for a favor."

"What's the deal?"

"...Investigating an extraordinary crime."

"Hmm?" Zhu Mingyao raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Your brother is a law enforcement officer specializing in supernatural crimes. In terms of public affairs, he has the backing of the federal government and the iron fist of imperialism that is unparalleled in the world.

Personally speaking, having studied under the Witcher Maoshu Blade, I have many classmates and connections who can provide assistance. Why would I need to go through the trouble of asking an idle person for help?

"I know this request may seem a bit sudden, or even strange, but I hope you can hear me out."

Nick's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible tension, but more so sincerity and determination.

"The case is complicated. Although it has not yet shown great harm, it is likely that some big shots are involved."

When I tried to investigate, I received an order to cease operations. A notice was even sent to the Demon Hunter Guild, worded politely, but the core message was clear: the matter can be resolved internally by the authorities; please do not interfere.

"So... both my boss and my teacher have some reservations." Seemingly aware that he might be trying to take advantage of someone, he blushed and said through gritted teeth.

"I see..." Zhu Mingyao chewed on his snack and nodded thoughtfully.

Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Various organizations and governments have long-term cooperation and naturally need to abide by certain relevant principles.

Before things escalate to serious consequences, even those as righteous as demon hunters and as wealthy and powerful as the Church must show due respect to the behemoth that is the state apparatus and must not interfere arbitrarily.

“From the moment we met until now, your courage in confronting any powerful dark forces has earned my utmost respect,” Nick pleaded through gritted teeth.

"Moreover, strictly speaking, you are not a formal member of any organization and do not need to abide by the so-called unspoken rules."

He stared intently at the young man, saying, "As for the compensation, my teammates and I have some savings, and the teacher promised that if there is indeed any heinous business involved, they will take responsibility and ensure that you are not implicated."

Okay, so my superhero persona is now firmly ingrained in everyone's eyes? I just wanted to kill monsters to pay for the cheat codes...

Zhu Mingyao's face was slightly stiff. He thought to himself, "Wearing a mask for too long always gives me a strange sense of shame that's pricking my conscience!"

"Ahem, um." He coughed lightly twice, his expression solemn.

"What kind of compensation are you talking about? Nick, we're friends, aren't we?" A hypocritical, sanctimonious man downed his coffee in one gulp, slammed his hand on the table, and stood up.

"There is an Eastern proverb that says, 'When you see injustice on the road, you should draw your sword to help.' Even if a stranger is being harmed by evil, I cannot turn a deaf ear!"

"I knew it...!" Nick jumped up excitedly, his emotions that had been suppressed for many days suddenly bursting out, as if a huge stone had been removed from his chest.

"You possess the virtues of a legendary paladin. That brat Theresa, she drools over those handsome idol singers all day long, she has no idea what a real good man looks like..."

"Wait, wait!" Zhu Mingyao quickly interrupted him, sensing that his tone was about to veer off in a strange direction.

Good grief, you're not including your own little sister in the reward you're talking about, are you? Does she know how generous you are, her old man?

My romantic relationships are now a complete mess—positive, negative, overt, covert—I really dare not get involved in any more karma. As a Taoist cultivator, my moral character wouldn't allow it… and mainly, my kidneys can't take it!

"After all this time, you still haven't explained the specifics?"

"Oh, sorry, I was so flustered." Nick Green looked flustered, rubbing his hands awkwardly, and rolled up his left sleeve, rhythmically tapping a dark metal bracelet a few times.

The faint light bloomed like a black epiphyllum, from which something emerged.

Nick put on a deerskin glove embroidered with runes, carefully picked it up, and said in a serious tone:

“Miyo, have you ever heard of... that nearly 20 years ago, there was a demon in the Federation that could kill people in their dreams?”

Between his two fingers, a sharp, rusty blade, several centimeters long, was twisted, cracked, and full of gaps, yet it still gleamed with a chilling, malevolent light.

……

……

The early summer breeze, though not yet scorching, can still make one feel sticky after a while, which is especially unfriendly to the country's common overweight population.

How much longer are we going to be stuck on this stupid mission?

Wiping the fine sweat from his forehead, the chubby man in the police uniform unbuttoned a few buttons and fanned himself. When he realized it was no use, he simply took off his uniform completely, leaving only a close-fitting shirt.

He smacked his thick lips as he downed the last sip of ice-cold cola, greedily savoring the remaining coolness.

"No time limit, no specific instructions, and we're just told to keep an eye on that woman 24/7 and prevent the FBI from questioning her? What kind of shitty mission is this?"

"Save your energy, we just do what the higher-ups tell us to do." In the driver's seat of the police car next to him, an older white police officer put down his binoculars and said lazily.

He shared the same doubts about his partner's complaints, but his years of experience as a police officer had taught him to be patient and obedient.

In front of a typical Mediterranean-style two-story house common in the New World, a woman stares at a police car parked blatantly in the distance, making no attempt to conceal its presence.

Her long, smooth chestnut hair cascaded down her chest, rising and falling with her heavy breathing. The lines around her eyes, though etched with the marks of time, could not conceal her mature charm, suggesting she must have been a renowned beauty in her youth.

The woman stomped her foot angrily, threw the kitchen waste into a street-side trash can, and turned back into the house, feeling both angry and helpless.

She slammed the door shut and muttered angrily under her breath:

“I’ve told them so many times, but those guys still refuse to believe me! I’m not crazy, I really saw it…”

As usual, after venting her frustrations, the woman stormed into the kitchen to prepare lunch.

However, at that moment, a slightly curious voice suddenly rang out:

"Ms. Nancy Thompson? May I ask what you saw?"

Chapter 438

"what--!"

The first syllable vanished as soon as it left the lips, as if swallowed up by something invisible.

Without the ringing in her ears caused by bone conduction, the woman would almost think her screaming was just an illusion.

But the Asian youth sitting comfortably on the living room sofa clearly reminded her that none of this was fake.

"I apologize for the sudden visit."

A cool, slightly viscous, and peculiar scent, like peppermint essential oil, quietly seeped into her from the top of her head, instantly permeating every cell in her body. Her internal organs, limbs, and bones were all soaked in it, gently soothing the woman's emotional turmoil.

When she came to her senses, she found herself sitting opposite the young man. On the table was an open document, its neatly cut black calfskin surface gleaming with a bronze eagle emblem and gold lettering, clearly identifying the visitor.

"The FBI? Hmph, didn't you refuse to believe them? Why are you harassing me again!"

The woman didn't seem to be experiencing the supernatural sensation for the first time. Unlike ordinary people, she didn't scream or shout. Instead, she angrily pushed her ID back.

"They even used the pretext of avoiding panic to send police outside to monitor me and forbid me from contacting the media..."

“After all, they have good reason.” Zhu Mingyao said calmly, tilting his head slightly.

“When you reported it, you said… you saw it while falling asleep at midnight. Most people would assume it was just a recurrence of past psychological trauma, and most importantly…”

He said in a gentle tone:

"The Nightmare Demon [Freddy] was destroyed eighteen years ago."

Ms. Nancy Thompson, as the sole survivor of the Elm Street massacre, you were a high school student at the time and experienced it all firsthand!

"Damn it! I'm not crazy, I can distinguish between dreams and reality!"

The name that rushed into my ears was like a vicious blade tearing open the seal in my heart, unleashing a torrent of deep and terrifying dark memories.

The woman suddenly stood up, her hands clenched into fists, and a low, angry roar rose from her throat:

"That guy... that demon, he was standing by my bed, smiling at me. I'm sure of it! No matter how much time has passed, even when I'm so old I've lost all my teeth, I'll still remember his ugly, monstrous appearance!"

"Please calm down, Ms. Nancy. If we really thought you had a mental problem, we should have sent a psychiatrist today."

Zhu Mingyao placed his hands on his knees, making a gesture of listening attentively.

"Please be sure to describe it in detail." His eyes were deep and calm, like a deep pool, gradually churning with dark, shimmering waves.

……

……

The sparkling water jets from the showerhead suddenly stopped, and then the fine, white shampoo foam slid happily into the drain.

Nancy dragged her tired body out of the bathroom, stood in front of the mirror, and vigorously ran a dry towel through her hair. After a busy day at work, she was finally able to catch her breath for a moment.

The woman in the mirror had a slightly tired look in her eyes, yet also a hint of unwavering determination. Nancy took a deep breath, trying to exhale her worries and exhaustion with it.

She turned and walked to the bedside, slowly sat down, and unconsciously stroked the photo frame on the bedside table.

Outside the window, the stars twinkled, illuminating the yellowed old photo in the frame. In the photo, several young men and women, their arms around each other, made all sorts of funny faces, their smiles as bright as the morning sun, exuding a vibrant youthful energy.

But their young lives have been forever frozen in that era.

After gazing at it for a moment, Nancy gently closed the photo frame, burying that routine longing deep within her memories.

The person is gone, and the living must carry on with their pain and strength. Fortunately, it's all over now...