American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

Just as the village clerk is barely considered part of the system, ghosts and gods can also be considered the bottom tier of the divine system, and theoretically they are also qualified to receive the power of incense and faith.

Now that he's tried it, the results are quite satisfactory. Although the damage is a bit severe, overall it's still acceptable.

At the current pace, once all the fusion is complete, combined with the reward points accumulated in the system, I am at least 50% confident that I will officially break through to the Yin God/Ghost Immortal realm.

With this level of understanding, he felt more confident about what he was going to do next.

Two reed stalks, each about the thickness of a finger, hollow and smooth, spun in his palm. The crystalline, viscous amber seemed to climb up and down with a kind of spirit, binding the two together side by side, emitting a slight tremor as they moved in some mysterious direction.

Chapter 467

"The remains of a seven-pipe panpipe..."

Zhu Mingyao was playing with the things that Lai Hengli had given him before.

Last time, various organizations took advantage of the turmoil to launch a righteous attack on a fallen enemy, and together with the emerging bureaucratic class, dealt a heavy blow to the old nobles who were in control of the country behind the scenes, cutting off a large chunk of their territory.

Besides the enormous worldly benefits, extraordinary resources were of course of paramount importance, emptying the treasure troves of countless wealthy and powerful families.

This reed flute is one of them, identical to the trophy he obtained when he slew the sheep monster in the town of Montana, and is the legendary artifact of Pan, the god of shepherds.

Judging from the damaged and broken state of the divine artifact, coupled with the ugly behavior of its representative who frantically devours the spirits of nature, it is not difficult to deduce the current state of destitution of this son of Hermes, who was in charge of animal husbandry and forests in the ancient Greek pantheon of sacred mountains. He is probably on the verge of his soul being scattered at any moment.

The reason why Lai Hengli and his group handed this thing over to Zhu Mingyao was quite simple.

According to information gleaned inadvertently previously, the sea goddess Coribus from the Shadow of the Old has set her sights on this forest demigod, preparing to perform a traditional Olympian act: turning a dying relative into food for her.

As two opposing sides that have clearly declared their antagonism, they have no right to let her succeed so easily.

In the Silent Hill battle, although the Human Alliance meticulously planned and seized the initiative, severely damaging a number of ancient gods and demons, even leaving only a remnant soul of one of the leaders, the Serpent Demon God Valak, who was tragically sealed away, most of the other members remained intact.

However, beneath the seemingly glorious victory, the price paid by their side was equally heavy. Not only did they lose a number of powerful elders, but many of their mid-level core members were also injured. Even with the help of various miraculous healing methods in the extraordinary world, their strength would be difficult to fully recover in a short period of time.

If these could be barely tolerated, then the complete annihilation of the elites from the small and medium-sized organizations participating in the operation was an unexpected and fatal blow.

After all, no one expected that those once high and mighty gods and demons would disregard their status and risk being exposed prematurely to strike them first.

It was precisely this oversight that led to the greatest predicament in the postwar landscape.

—A power vacuum has emerged in many areas, and the supernatural events that were previously suppressed have intensified, with riots breaking out one after another, and the order in many places is almost on the verge of collapse.

Today, human civilization has developed to the modern era, and the interests of the extraordinary also benefit from this. Even the Church, which longs to revive its former glory, would not want society to regress to several centuries ago.

Against this backdrop, major organizations had no choice but to join forces with the authorities, with leaders assigned to different defense zones to maintain stability. It was difficult to assign more experts to investigate the matter on a large scale.

On the other hand, watching helplessly as the opposing giant gains power and achieves its goals is also an intolerable act of aiding the enemy.

After some discussion and considering factors such as mobility and survival capabilities, the responsibility fell on Zhu Mingyao's shoulders.

Although everyone's power systems are different, their eyes are all sharp. His performance in battle is obvious to all. The combination of top-notch inheritance and magical artifacts means that this overly young boy has almost no weaknesses, and his combat ability is in the first tier below the leaders of all parties.

In other words, in today's chaotic game, he already has the capital to get on the table!

……

……

Chicago under the cover of night is dimly lit, and the graffiti covering the old walls reveals an undeniable sense of decay. On the street, black men dressed in hip-hop style occasionally let out strange, incomprehensible shouts, scaring pedestrians who clutch their money and clothes and hurry past.

With a look of disgust and wariness, he glanced at the "trash" on the roadside, his slender, strong fingers lightly tapping the steering wheel. The understated, old-fashioned Buick turned silently, leaving a silver-black streak in its wake under the streetlights, and slowly drove toward an ancient building nestled among tall trees.

Today, this major town in the Rust Belt, mired in industrial decline, suffers from rampant crime and economic stagnation. It feels like a rotten sore, deterring not only outsiders but also countless long-time residents who have lived here for generations.

However, if we go back several decades, this place was once a cultural city where people gathered and celebrities came and went.

At that time, the University of Chicago was quite prestigious in the entire Union, with a strong faculty, numerous scholars, and several museums under its jurisdiction.

The Oriental Institute Museum is particularly renowned, housing and displaying a vast collection of historical, artistic, and archaeological artifacts from the ancient Near East, covering ancient Egypt, Nubia, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Anatolia, attracting many famous archaeologists to conduct research there.

Just like his legendary maternal grandfather...

A pair of lightweight sneakers turned left and right on campus, passed through a grove of trees, and followed a somewhat abandoned path to a secluded corner.

The ivy, a mix of yellow and green, covered the exterior of the old, closed school building, which had clearly been neglected for a long time. Only the rows of benches by the dried-up pond faintly told of its former liveliness.

The swaying door cast a few wisps of accumulated dust, and a slender figure quietly slipped inside, stopping in a small showroom.

A sliver of moonlight, like pearls, stubbornly peeked through the gap in the curtains, illuminating the woman's complex expression.

...an oil painting depicting the lifelike figures before me.

He casually held a thick, long leather whip in his hand, his eyes beneath the tan cowboy hat exuding a relaxed and carefree air. The artist's skill was superb, vividly capturing the man's nonchalant and dashing demeanor.

The woman slowly exhaled, as if she had made up her mind, and extended her index finger to tap the author's signature in the lower right corner.

Amidst a slight sting, a round drop of blood was absorbed into the canvas.

A strange, oily fluorescence spread out, rippling like liquid, and the idol in the painting suddenly blinked and came to life.

"My descendant, are you going to take that knowledge? Can humanity today bear the mystery of immortality?"

"No, ancestor, you have been disappointed. They are still indulging in greed and depravity."

The woman sighed sadly, "I didn't intend to read the clues in the notes; I came here to destroy them."

"...This ending is not bad either."

Not all secrets must be revealed. Humanity will eventually find a better path, and my mission can finally be accomplished.

In the exchange of questions and answers, the long-deceased man smiled freely, and the imprint of intent solidified by the technique in the painting dissipated.

The coiled leather whip stretched out, revealing a thin notebook that transformed from a flat surface into a three-dimensional one, before gently falling out.

The woman's palms were already outstretched, ready to catch this earth-shattering secret that had been buried in the world for decades.

But in the next moment, five pale, slender fingers, as if ghosts, caught the notebook a step ahead of time.

“Ms. Helena…”

The handsome young man emerged like a shadow, his face beaming with genuine joy.

"You've really kept us waiting for a long time."

Chapter 468

The illusory chill seeped into her bones, and the malice from the higher beings became shackles, permeating every inch of her body, causing a layer of frost to coat the woman's eyelashes, and even her most basic breath seemed to freeze.

Standing within this invisible cage, surrounded by a chill that didn't belong to this world, her eyes blazed with a mixture of shock and anger as she groaned with difficulty:

"You bastard, don't you know your master is about to collapse? How dare you be so insolent!"

The woman felt both surprised and remorseful. Her family had cultivated deep roots in academia for many years and had come into contact with the fringes of high society. She was not entirely unaware of the despicable ways these wolves operated.

Ever since they came to her door, trying to coerce and entice her to seize the secret left by her grandfather, she had been on guard against their schemes and remained cautious, never revealing any flaws.

Until recently, the situation changed drastically, the political landscape shifted, and it became clear that a large number of the other party's backers had fallen, leaving them in a state of utter chaos. The subtle surveillance around her had also been withdrawn. Only then did she secretly come to destroy the confidential files, but she never expected to fall into their trap.

"Ha ha……"

Alex chuckled softly, the meaning of which was ambiguous, but it was full of pleasant satisfaction, indicating that he was in a very good mood.

Do you think I should be very distressed lately? On the contrary, I'm extremely happy.

His smile widened dramatically, even diminishing some of his ghostly aura.

“Dr. Helena, on the other hand, the fact that you and your mother actually resisted the temptation and didn’t secretly look at the documents for decades is truly amazing.”

"Because... my grandfather left a will before his death stating that humanity's current moral capacity... is insufficient to receive God's blessings..."

Helena struggled, her consciousness gradually fading.

"Beyond the rationality of the individual's instinct to perpetuate life... the steadfastness of your ancestors' spirit made them more like a great leader than any king."

The fingernails, as red as blood, moved gracefully. The old calfskin cover was opened, and on the yellowed inner pages, the stiff, cursive handwriting, though dark, still revealed an air of domineering arrogance.

Looking at the original work of the greatest art student in human history who failed the college entrance exam, Alex exclaimed in sincere admiration.

"Truly the man who stole the secret of immortality right under the nose of the Third Reich's leader, the great and legendary adventurer—Professor Indiana Jones!"

His hand suddenly retracted with lightning speed, a wisp of smoke curling from his fingertips as if he had been burned by something.

Under the fearful gaze of the vampire king, an ancient parchment was tucked into the last page, on which a rough drawing of an object was drawn with simple strokes.

The mere depiction of the pattern is enough to convey supreme majesty and intimidate evil spirits. Such a divine power is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, making one wonder what kind of power the original object must possess.

But the burning desire in Alex's eyes proved that the great thing the content referred to was real.

...As the crisp sounds of sheep bells and shepherd's flutes echo through the wind-eroded rocks, the ancient city of Rose begins to shimmer with enchanting colors under the sunlight. Passing through the winding Siq Valley, a palace lit by candlelight appears at the end of the road, and the "Water of Life" lies hidden on the other side...

He read the annotations beside him softly, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"So that's where it was!"

……

……

In the early evenings of September, when the summer heat was beginning to dissipate, there were still slightly more people on the streets of Seattle than usual, even with the federal law enforcement's relatively low standards.

Of course, this is mainly thanks to the police officers who patrolled the streets and alleys, both overtly and covertly, during this period.

A series of modern military-grade weapons, fully armed and ready to fire, moved back and forth. The cold gleam of their metal pierced the hearts of every gangster, extinguishing their burning enthusiasm for zero-dollar purchases and temporarily reinforcing their law-abiding citizen behavior.

This display of force is certainly not a sign that a government adhering to liberalism and limited liability is planning a crackdown.

The target was merely the lingering effects that swept from the imperial court to the common people.

We need more of the truth!

The signs and banners held high were scattered haphazardly.

"A thorough trial!"

The place was bustling with noise and excitement; the faces on everyone's faces were less filled with righteous indignation and more like a cathartic celebration.

After all, standing on moral high ground to point fingers and watch a large number of powerful and wealthy men be sent to the dock is a rare source of pleasure for the general public.

As for the dark and bloody truth behind it, apart from the insiders involved, no one with any sense has bothered to dig deeper.

From self-proclaimed conscientious journalists to sanctimonious social groups, these people are not newcomers to this country. They have long since learned the proper boundaries under the guidance of pioneers like Hoover and McCarthy, and they are well aware of what constitutes a red line.

Watching the noisy parade crowd pass by, a pair of brown-black leather shoes hurriedly waded through the puddles and slipped into a dark alley.

The short, stout figure moved with extraordinary agility, silently and swiftly bypassing the sewage and garbage cans, and stopped behind an apartment building.