American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

She was gently enveloped in soft cotton blankets, her heart filled with emotion, her consciousness gradually becoming hazy, as if she could sink into a sweet dream at any moment.

In the half-awake state, a faint sound quietly entered my ears, like the whispers of small rodents or the light gliding of a steel wire across wood.

She initially intended to ignore it, but the strange noise grew louder and louder, gradually approaching and becoming clearer.

The woman, annoyed, yawned and forced her heavy eyelids open, trying to see where the sound was coming from.

However, the next second, her expression suddenly twisted, as if she had fallen into the abyss of hell.

A sharp, thin blade peeked out from the crack in the bedroom door, flicked it a few times, and the door slid open silently. In the deep shadows, two faint lights seemed to mockingly scrutinize the terrified woman.

A metal claw-like sheath, welded and inlaid with steel blades, swayed gently, followed by the movement of a dirty sweater with alternating red and brown stripes. On the face contorted by severe burns, muscles twitched laboriously, outlining a grotesque smile.

"Hi, Nancy, it's been a long time! Luckily, I happened to glance at you when I was passing by, otherwise I wouldn't have known you'd grown so much..."

Nancy didn't hear what was said next because she suddenly sprang up like a fish out of water and fell heavily to the floor.

Heaven knows how long the rambling continued, until the warm morning light outside the window stung her eyes. The woman, who hadn't slept all night, finally dragged her aching limbs out of the house with a groan.

The terrifying, demonic figure vanished without a trace, like a dream bubble, without leaving a single mark.

……

……

"My God, Holy Mary, it's only June, and the weather is unbearably hot." The chubby policeman, carrying two large paper bags, ignored the sweat pouring down his face and plopped back into the car.

"I've bought up all the chilled Cokes in the nearby convenience store. I have to ask the damn logistics department for reimbursement!" He impatiently pulled the tab and chugged it down.

The icy coolness of the carbonated drink slightly quelled the summer heat, and only then, still full of resentment, did he free his hand to hand a can to his partner.

Has anyone gone in?

"How is that possible?" His companion took a sip listlessly and turned his gaze away from the house.

"It's your turn to keep watch. Let me rest for a bit."

Zhu Mingyao strolled leisurely along the pedestrian walkway outside the police car, his hands in his pockets, and was gone in a short while.

It seems that there are undercurrents within the official ranks, and they are not a monolithic entity. Their information blockade against the target is half-hearted. If a superhuman really intervenes in the investigation, how can two ordinary police officers stop them?

But there is another possibility... He savored everything he had seen in Nancy's consciousness, narrowing his eyes and his gaze flickering.

The person behind it is confident that even if someone meddles, they will definitely not be able to find anything.

Chapter 439

As the second largest metropolitan area in the Northwest after Seattle, Portland has consistently enjoyed steady economic growth, a good per capita income, and a beautiful natural environment, making it one of the most livable cities in the federal government for many consecutive years.

The ensuing consequence is the difficulty of finding a place to live in Chang'an. Faced with ever-rising housing prices, most ordinary people with limited resources can only sigh in despair and live in cramped old apartments in the city.

However, for the wealthier upper-middle class, a detached house in the suburbs nestled among wildflowers and lush trees is a more suitable choice.

"There are no traces of any evil or supernatural forces left behind?"

Nick gently placed the freshly opened champagne bottle on the dark wooden workbench in front of him and asked incredulously, his dark eyebrows involuntarily furrowing into a deep frown.

"At least I didn't find that Ms. Nancy and her room were very clean."

As Zhu Mingyao answered casually, he pulled out an oddly shaped short sword from the weapon rack by the wall and admired it.

As his thumb swept across the wavy blade with overlapping cloud patterns, the Xuanmen Qi and the magic enchanted on the sword collided, creating a layer of chilling, misty light.

Looking around, every corner was filled with valuable and extraordinary weapons such as swords, spears, halberds, shields, armor, and muskets, making this spacious workshop look more like a showroom.

Compared to his miserable detective career in the original timeline, where he had to work hard and pay for his own monster hunting, after getting on the official side, this once-impoverished member of a demon hunter family is now rolling in money and can enjoy a life of luxury without ever getting tired of it.

Even amidst wealth and comfort, he remained true to his original aspiration of punishing evil and promoting good. Zhu Mingyao believed that helping such a friend was worthwhile, even just once.

"That's really strange. Am I just imagining things? Is the reappearance of that monster really just a dream?" Nick stroked his chin with a puzzled expression, his large hand rubbing against his rough stubble that he hadn't shaved for days, making a sound like fine sandpaper.

He had no doubt about the results of the reconnaissance. Although he could not be said to know his companions’ specific strengths in detail, the evaluation of the [High-level Lord] spellcaster in the Special Investigation Bureau’s secret files was enough to convince him.

In finding clues, they were far superior to me, a barbarian who specialized in hand-to-hand combat.

Zhu Mingyao glanced at him sideways and coughed out a cold laugh in annoyance:

"How could that be? If there wasn't something shameful going on, why would your superiors be so insistent on preventing the investigation? Isn't that why you asked me for help?"

Don't waste your time trying to persuade me; I know what I'm doing.

The young man clapped his hands, and a thick booklet appeared in his palms. The pages filled with writing flipped open with a rustling sound, then stopped at a certain page.

Several carefully cut-out lines of old newspaper were pasted together. The water-based ink printed articles had become somewhat blurred and faded over time, but the overall handwriting was still relatively clear.

"The horrific Elm Street massacre in Salt Lake City has been solved today. The suspect, who was mentally deranged due to a drug overdose, was shot dead by police at the scene of the crime. Please stay tuned for further updates in this newspaper..."

Freddy Krueger, the serial killer from A Nightmare on Elm Street!

If we were to select the ten most notorious villains from all American films and television shows, this demon, who is adept at infiltrating human dreams and torturing his victims in various ways, would likely rank in the top three.

Such a famous classic was naturally a key target of Zhu Mingyao's monster-hunting guide. He even deduced several targeted methods based on the movie plot, planning to turn it into a reward when he became stronger.

However, even the wisest can make a mistake. After carefully searching for relevant information, he regretfully discovered that this guy had been killed more than ten years ago, and his terrifying legend had only just begun before it came to an end.

His meticulously planned "suppression" strategy turned out to be a Boss strategy that was already outdated in the game version.

At that time, the still inexperienced Zhu Mingyao chuckled to himself and put away his arrogance as a time traveler.

It makes perfect sense. Since there is a real and genuine inheritance of extraordinary power in this world, how can those demons and monsters run rampant like in the original story? Those who dare to be arrogant will definitely be called out and beaten to a pulp.

According to records from that time, the Nightmare Demon "Freddy" was a psychopathic killer who had awakened psychic abilities before his death.

After his death, he underwent an unknown transformation, becoming a demonic undead with the unique ability to traverse dreams. He committed several bloody crimes before being eliminated by a government-appointed task force.

Nick's face darkened, and he slowly uttered his guess:

"Now it seems that what died might just have been a stand-in, and the authorities secretly recruited him?" He took out the fragment of the blade again, hesitated for a moment, and continued.

"But we brought back its remains from the scene, and the test report was very comprehensive, confirming that it had been eliminated."

Zhu Mingyao flicked his finger on the snake-shaped short sword, and a clear, metallic hum echoed.

"This alone wouldn't prove anything, but when you combine it with the missing persons cases you're investigating, it inevitably leads to speculation..."

Yes, the cause of this incident was not actually Freddy's reappearance, but a series of bizarre disappearances.

The victims were all exceptionally good-looking young men and women. Without exception, they all mysteriously disappeared after falling asleep in their own bedrooms. Moreover, because they were mostly from impoverished backgrounds, they would hardly have attracted attention if Nick hadn't discovered them by chance.

During his investigation, he discovered that one of the missing persons lived on the same street as Ms. Nancy, who had previously escaped from Freddy's clutches, and who had just reported her ordeal.

The similar methods used by the two men instantly alerted Nick, and the strange rejection of his request for reinforcements to review the case files further convinced him that something was amiss!

As the combat captain of the Special Investigation Bureau in charge of supernatural crimes, he held a low but powerful position. The fact that his opinion could be so easily suppressed indicates that there must be a powerful figure intervening and exerting pressure behind the scenes.

"Do you remember? According to Ms. Nancy's description, there was something strangely discordant about Freddy's behavior."

Zhu Mingyao sheathed his sword and calmly pointed out:

"Not only did it not harm Ms. Nancy, but it also said that it happened to run into an old friend and stopped by to take a look?"

“That just proves that the disappearance must be related to him!” Nick clenched his fist and slammed his palm down.

"If I'm not mistaken, who is this guy working for now? Such restraint, so contrary to his evil and bloodthirsty nature, means his master is keeping him under very strict control!"

The two of them talked back and forth, and in a short time, they deduced the general outline of the matter.

Just then, Nick's phone buzzed in his pocket. As soon as he answered the call, his expression changed drastically.

"Another missing person has appeared?"

It was expected that the perpetrator would continue committing crimes, but Zhu Mingyao detected a deeper level of surprise in the tone of his voice.

Nick exhaled a breath of cold air, regretfully shaking the wine he hadn't yet tasted; the amber-colored nectar created fine bubbles as it smacked against the glass.

"You probably can't guess who the victim is this time?"

"Ok?"

"not human!"

Chapter 440 The Vanished Dancer

As the sun slowly sank below the horizon, a layer of orange-red sunset gradually spread across the sky. The twilight gently embraced the city, draping everything in a soft and hazy veil.

One by one, the streetlights come on, these messengers of the night silently taking over the post of the setting sun, guiding people home...

Hmm... and also, how to start a nightlife.

Compared to the barbecue, beer, and boasting of a certain major Eastern country, the people of Xida University have more exciting evening games that are more suitable for their babies' physiques.

The flashy and exaggerated neon lights emitted colorful light, and the noise and deafening rock music leaked out when the heavy soundproof iron gate opened and closed occasionally, attracting the attention of passers-by.

Even with such noise, it couldn't drown out the angry shouts of the group of people in front of the door.

"Why hasn't Miss Catherine come out to perform yet? It's been four...five days already!"

"What's going on with your club! Are you treating the audience like idiots? We drove over a hundred kilometers just to watch this!"

"Liar! The special performance that was supposed to last seven days has been delayed again and again. We want a refund!"

The crowd's clamor rose and fell, their discontent evident in their words.

"Please be quiet... calm down, whatever you mean quiet, shut up first!"

A middle-aged man with slicked-back hair squeezed through the crowd, waving his hands dramatically.

Sweat glistened in his thinning hair, giving his forehead a shiny sheen. His large belly bulged out, stretching his clothes tightly, and together with his prominent front teeth, the man looked rather like a bald, oversized rat, managing to make his expensive Armani shirt look like something out of a nouveau riche outfit.

"【Red Carnival Night】has been running in Portland for seventeen years, and everyone knows my reputation, Gold Tooth Pete!"

Our club has always had strict rules, but this was indeed an unforeseen situation. Ms. Catherine had to cut her seven-day tour short and return to Las Vegas due to personal urgent matters. I will refund everyone's ticket price in full!

He raised his carrot-shaped finger, spitting everywhere, and roared at the top of his lungs.

"Friends, don't let this little mishap spoil your fun. I've invited other dancers, and today's performance will be just as amazing! And to make up for it, I've decided to add an extra discount: all drinks will be 10% off! 10% off!"

Perhaps moved by his sincerity, or perhaps because the arms and legs of the bodyguards beside him were too thick, after a while of shouting, the crowd finally chose to obediently go and get their money back.

"Damn it!" Back in the secluded private room of the boss's office, Pete felt as if all his strength had vanished, slumping weakly onto the soft cushions of the couch. The confident air he had displayed outside was now completely gone, replaced by a heart full of frustration and fear.

"It's a completely inexplicable disaster. How am I supposed to know why that girl disappeared?"

The high-definition screen embedded in the wall faithfully displays the lively scene in the club lobby, where sexy dancers boldly stretch out their white thighs, eliciting cheers from the crowd.