American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

"I only care about one thing—how to explain this to old Ryan!"

Catherine and the culprit perished together in the abyss of dreams; that old bastard will surely go mad.

Nick's lips were tightly pressed together, and he didn't put away his weapon. His fingers unconsciously ran across the blade, as if he was in a very bad mood.

Compared to their dejection, Zhu Mingyao seemed more relaxed. He gently patted his friend's shoulder and smiled peacefully.

That's just how things are in this world. We've done our best, and even if we don't get a perfect ending, we have a clear conscience.

Several cups of freshly served black tea were steaming hot, with wisps of white mist rising from them. He smiled and picked up one of the cups.

"We've finally defeated that demon! Let's raise a toast!"

“You’re such an optimist.” Cobb seemed to have recovered a bit. He rolled his eyes, half in a compliment and half in a joke.

"Whatever, whether it's some dragon vein sorcerer about to go berserk or some dirty tricks within a government agency, it's none of my business."

He uncorked a test tube-shaped vial of psychotropic drug, gulped it down, and, stimulated by the spiciness, stuck out his tongue and shook his head with a grimac.

“We can do business anywhere. Tomorrow we’ll move our base overseas. Remember to transfer the payment to our account.”

"Of course, no problem." Zhu Mingyao nodded, being very easygoing.

He slowly took out a jade bottle engraved with runes. "Mr. Cobb and Mr. Kant, thank you both for your hard work this time."

Amidst their bewildered gazes, four perfectly round, vermilion pills silently dissolved into four cups of tea.

Zhu Mingyao casually tossed two cups of spiked black tea, which flew steadily through the air towards the two of them.

"A superior product made using Eastern alchemy, it quickly replenishes physical and spiritual energy. Please take a look."

The atmosphere inside the room suddenly became quiet.

Looking at the two people with slightly stiff expressions, Zhu Mingyao's smile became even more amiable.

"Don't delay, drink it while it's hot for the best effect."

Chapter 452 The Real Devil

"Thank you for your kindness. Although I would love to try something different, potions are not like roasted marshmallows. Eating too many different kinds can cause them to conflict with each other."

Cobb was only slightly taken aback, then waved his hand with a grin.

"Are you talking nonsense?" Kant's attitude was more direct. He slightly raised his chin, and his eyes held a hint of contempt.

"Perhaps it is because you have always lived under the protection of official organizations that you have retained some childlike innocence."

"I'm here today to kindly teach you this lesson, young people—no mature superhuman in the outside world would easily take a potion given to them by someone else."

The old sorcerer humbly imparted his experience to the up-and-coming talent before him, but the hard, smooth lump that appeared in his hand made his earnest instruction seem rather presumptuous.

Seemingly oblivious to how rude it was to force the cup on him without a word, Zhu Mingyao, under the complicated gazes of the two, simply finished his drink in one gulp.

"Let's drink to that first." He blinked his bright black eyes, his tone gentle as if he were having a heart-to-heart talk with a close friend.

"Since we've been through an adventure together, we're comrades now. In broad daylight, as an innocent person with close ties to the authorities, would I possibly have any ill intentions in treating everyone to a drink?"

Zhu Mingyao had a beaming smile, as radiant as the brightest sunshine in spring.

"Give me the time, just one sip, even if it's just one sip!"

Such inexplicable and forced "good intentions" would likely elicit a rebuke from even the most good-tempered person in other situations.

What's a little strange is that the two people on the other side didn't seem to get angry at all.

The cheerful smile on Cobb's face gradually faded, and he gently held the teacup in his hand, gazing at it calmly.

Inside the cup, the perfectly warm beverage exudes a cozy warmth, with milk and sugar cubes blending sweetly and perfectly infusing the Darjeeling tea with its unique apple aroma.

He remained silent, staring intently at the deep red liquid, as if searching for some ineffable decision within the swirling white steam.

Zhu Mingyao stared intently at him, but his smile remained undiminished. Nick, standing to the side, continued wiping his longsword, but instead of applying it, he was applying various combat-oriented enchantment oils.

Wearily brushing aside the strands of hair from his forehead, the young man slowly lowered his eyelids. When he opened them again, his eyes had become incredibly deep, like a still pool of water.

"Although I thought there might be some loopholes due to the time constraints, I didn't expect them to be exposed so quickly."

"clatter."

The delicate porcelain feet made a crisp, ringing sound against the coffee table.

Setting down his teacup, his nonchalant demeanor vanished instantly, and the light around Cobb seemed to dim slightly, making him appear as if he were a nobleman shrouded in shadow.

“After all, I’m leaving the Federation tomorrow as planned. Even if you have the slightest suspicion at some point in the future, it will be too late to prove anything then.”

"May I ask a question? From logical deduction to subconscious mapping, I believe my design is perfect, so..."

His eyes were full of curiosity: "How did you figure that out?"

Clap clap! Zhu Mingyao gently clapped his hands and said with appreciation:

"Your performance was truly brilliant, and the script you wrote completely captured our hearts."

—A bizarre enemy, thrilling battles, teammates with their own agendas who work together to defeat the boss, a heroine who is saved but then sadly leaves the stage, and finally, an imperfect ending reminiscent of O. Henry.

Such a convoluted, classic plot, if thrown into Hollywood, would at least bring home a few Oscars.

"There's only one problem..." He changed the subject, playfully clicking his tongue.

"For those on camera, reality shows are certainly immersive and make it hard to distinguish between reality and fiction, but to those sitting outside the set, it's just a pretentious stage play."

"The record player plays Schumann's Dream, the sculpture is Michelangelo's 'Night,' and the painting is Rousseau's 'Dreams'..."

Pointing out the layout of the room one by one, Zhu Mingyao then glanced up, seemingly able to see through the upper floors of the building.

"In addition to the sleep-inducing scent of lavender, the combination of colors, music, and other factors, along with your unique abilities, we have been subtly subjected to psychological suggestion from the moment we arrived here, and the layers of basements symbolize the process of falling into a dream."

He sincerely praised it:

"It happened so subtly, silently, that I didn't even notice it at first..."

Our perilous journey, which never took us outside the basement, was all a complete illusion, a dream!

Cobb astutely grasped the key point and instinctively retorted:

"You mean there are accomplices lurking around, spying on us? How is that possible? I've been monitoring the dreams of all the intelligent beings around us at all times, making sure no target gets close..."

His question was immediately interrupted by a sigh.

"It's very simple." Zhu Mingyao casually shrugged. "You should know very well that inanimate objects don't dream!"

A look of sudden realization flashed across Cobb's face. He was about to speak when his expression suddenly changed.

boom!

The words were still echoing when a strong gust of wind suddenly arose!

A large palm-shaped slap, gleaming with a cold, brass-like metallic light, struck his forehead with a deafening roar in a split second!

Like an egg smashed by a hammer, his relatively robust body, which was strong for his age, was instantly shattered, but what flew out was a vast expanse of white mist.

The surrounding walls had disappeared without a trace, transforming into a vast space where the thunderous sonic booms echoed endlessly.

The long-awaited blade flashed forth, like a fierce and powerful lightning bolt from the sky, swiftly slicing through the incoming green skulls and meeting the evil magic master who had taken up his stance.

After glancing casually at Nick's battle, Zhu Mingyao looked away, as there was a more worthy target for his attention.

When traveling, safety comes first. There's no reason not to have a backup plan. After several training sessions, the Yaksha Ghost General has completely suppressed his evil spirits and corpse demons. He has acquired some supernatural abilities to hide between Yin and Yang. He usually hides by his side as a bodyguard, and only opponents of a higher realm can see through his disguise.

No matter how brilliant your performance is, I have a human webcam spying on you from outside the studio!

"Actually, there's another rather obvious flaw." Zhu Mingyao pointed with a magic incantation, and the Yaksha Ghost General's body was enveloped in a yellow-red turbid aura that rose like smoke, spreading wildly as it searched for the enemy's traces.

He continued, "Since the culprit has been identified as Freddy from back then, why is there no evil aura of dark monsters at these disappearance scenes?"

With a self-deprecating laugh, Zhu Mingyao continued:

"Just like the silly mistake you made, why does my companion have to be a living person?"

Similarly, I fell into the same psychological trap: who says the one who strikes has to be a demon? Why can't it be...a human?

"Mortals can ascend to become gods, angels, or fall into the form of demons and evil spirits. In the extraordinary world, race is never static!"

A clear, bright light spread across the peachwood staff, where dragon and phoenix inscriptions each occupied their proper places, outlining the clean and solemn edge of the blade. He pointed at the "sword" and asked softly with a smile:

"Now, should I call you Cobb, the Dream Thief, or the Demon of Elm Street?"

—Freddy!

Chapter 453

"You even thought of that? I'm quite surprised."

The elusive sound reflected from all directions, revealing obvious astonishment.

"It's not hard to guess. To bring us here, Mr. Kant went to great lengths to introduce us, praising you as the most promising of the younger generation of extraordinary individuals he knew, and you just turned 18 this year, right?"

"Freddy just happened to disappear 18 years ago, which could perhaps be considered a coincidence. But the fact that you and he never officially appeared together during the battle makes me start to make connections."

Seeing the tall, dark gold figure surging with billowing murderous aura, sweeping and crushing like a raging tide, yet unable to force the enemy out, Zhu Mingyao shook his head and clicked his tongue as he changed his hand seals.

"While tracking a demon that can roam through dreams, I was in trouble when a temporary teammate appeared out of nowhere and introduced me to an NPC who also possessed this ability. This NPC bravely stepped forward and cleverly solved the problem."

To be honest, compared to your superb acting skills, which rival those of a movie actor, the plot of this kind of old-fashioned RPG game seems a bit outdated.

"I see... It seems that even with a new body, my thinking is still stuck decades in the past, and I can't keep up with the agility of young people."

The fleeting voice sighed at the vicissitudes of time, then chuckled softly:

"Now let's get back to the first question. You can call me whatever name you like. But personally, I prefer the identity of Cobb."

Ultimately, only by using a human body can one better enjoy life…

"Certainly!"

Numerous cinnabar talismans were connected end to end, layer upon layer, instantly forming a huge Bagua mirror with neatly arranged buttons and distinct edges.

A hazy golden light, like ripples on water, spread rapidly, and the huge, round mirror reflected the entire space. Strangely, there was nothing else in it except for a figure wrapped in iridescent light.

A clear, shimmering light shot forth like lightning, transforming into a dazzling sword that pierced through the giant mirror!

"boom!"

With a thunderous explosion, the precious mirror and the sword light shattered simultaneously. Amidst the explosion of countless fragments of talismans, the gloomy face of the brown-haired youth was revealed.