American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

He lifted the manhole cover hidden under a pile of cardboard boxes and nimbly slid down the rusty metal ladder.

"You're too late, I was about to leave."

A short, thin man with a pointed face and monkey-like features emerged from the shadows carrying a fluorescent lamp, his tone impatient and dissatisfied.

Ignoring the intruder's rudeness, the short, stout figure took off his hoodie, his face, beaded with sweat, showing a mixture of panic and anxiety.

He stretched out his arm and touched the antique black stone bracelet. With a flash of light, several bags appeared on the ground.

"Here you go. As agreed beforehand, let me leave through your passage!"

After paying the agreed-upon fee, the other party remained motionless, his beard, bearing the features of a beastman, trembled slightly, revealing a gloomy expression.

“The price has changed now, and this alone is not enough.”

He spoke before the man could:

"Kant is finished. The destruction of Black Claw is a foregone conclusion. The authorities have taken drastic measures to crack down on it, and all members have been forcibly recruited."

And you, the dwarf who controls the ledgers and the secret treasury, are their most sought-after target. Without our help, you have no chance of escape.”

"If you have too big an appetite, you might choke to death!" The dwarf's voice was full of threat, and his eyes flashed fiercely in the dim light.

His response was met with alchemical firearms gleaming with a chilling light.

The dark muzzle of a gun was pointed at the heart, and a suffocating tension filled the air.

The skinny, beast-like human stuck out his long, thin amphibian tongue and licked his translucent eyelids, looking utterly smug and defiant.

"You could try a match and see who's more unlucky if things blow up?"

"Calm down. If things get out of hand, no one will benefit. It's best to resolve this peacefully."

Just then, a word of mediation came out, which pleased the two men who were all bark and nod at the same time, their attitudes softening considerably.

Then, as if on cue, they all suddenly turned around.

Where did this third person come from?

Zhu Mingyao's smiling face drew closer, and two runes flew out like ropes.

"I have some questions for that accountant who absconded."

Chapter 469

As we all know, since ancient times, with the development of the times, the division of labor in human society has become increasingly detailed.

But no matter how things change, some ancient professions have always existed, and throughout history, they have transcended the boundaries of time and space, and have been endowed with richer cultural connotations.

For example, there are those who use their plans as sacrifices to the heavens whenever something big happens, those civil engineers who run away with their buckets when things go wrong, or... those financial accountants who are either killed to settle accounts or embezzle funds when trouble arises.

But as a civilized gentleman, Zhu Mingyao was of course not so cruel. So he only chatted with him a few moments in a friendly manner before taking his leave in a show of compassion.

Hmm... By the way, in order to quell the conflict, it's only right to take the storage bracelet full of extraordinary resources into my possession to prevent any further trouble.

He stepped out of downtown Seattle, and the next moment his figure appeared on the shore of Puget Sound on the outskirts of the city. The wind howled, the tide rippled, and all sorts of objects fell from the sky and piled up on the beach.

Sifting through a pile of dazzling artifacts and materials, Zhu Mingyao picked out a golden piece and brought it close to the object in his hand.

The bright yellow amber seemed to wriggle like glue, and three reed stalks were joined together. Facing the cool night breeze, they made a clear and melodious sound, as if a mountain stream was rushing and flowing, and an ancient charm arose spontaneously.

Having acquired three of the seven panpipes, my sensory abilities have been greatly enhanced, and I can now vaguely guide the remaining parts to their hiding places.

He unfurled a detailed map and was roughly estimating the distance when suddenly his eyebrows twitched. He glanced casually at the city lights just coming on in the distance, his eyes flickered for a moment, and then, as if nothing had happened, disappeared into the night.

In the dark, stinking sewers, the dwarf demon, who had failed in his attempt to abscond with the money, stomped his foot and spat out a mouthful of saliva in frustration.

Then he realized that although he hadn't gained anything, he had gotten rid of the trouble. He was both happy and worried. The disappointment of having come up empty-handed had mostly dissipated, and he twisted his body and climbed onto the ground.

But where the man wasn't looking, a drop of azure water seeped from the back of his head, rolling down like a phantom and disappearing into the ground.

After a long while, a faint sigh rang out, like waves crashing against rocks.

"Lucky kid, he didn't kill anyone to cover it up! Is it just a coincidence that he was too soft-hearted, or did he have something to hide and was planning to use himself as bait to lure us in?"

"What difference does it make to us?" another composed thought chuckled softly.

"If the trap you set is not triggered, and we are not willing to risk appearing in our true form, even if the two of us work together, it will be difficult to snatch Pan's panpipes."

The waves crashed and lapped, carrying a cool breeze and an indescribable depth:

"Are we just going to watch the duck that's already in our mouths fly away? The situation is changing faster than we can imagine. If Viper's crazy idea succeeds by chance, the Shadow of the Old Ones will not only face this half-hearted and corrupt Federation, but also the desperate encirclement and annihilation of all the strong humans!"

"If we don't devour Hermes' son beforehand, we won't gain the initiative."

His tone deepened and echoed, as if searching for answers amidst endless waves.

"Don't tell me you completely believe that viper's so-called plan. A carrot dangling in front of you is meaningless; only the meat you eat belongs to you. Isn't that why you came to me for cooperation, trying to get a share of the pie?"

“You’ve probably misunderstood, Your Highness Corylbuso. What I meant was that things could have been done in a more roundabout and subtle way.” The elegant and noble spirit chuckled softly.

"Since we can't use force, let's try a clever approach. I'll tell this little guy a beautiful and touching fairy tale. Hehe, I'm best at that..."

……

……

The salty, humid air surged, and as the tide receded, the lagoon's water level gradually decreased, revealing undulating mudflats. The pale red sunset cast a hazy crimson shadow on everything.

The flat stone slab spun out, scraping the calm water surface, leaping and bounding far away, disturbing several seagulls that were foraging for food, causing them to squawk angrily.

Pushing up his black-rimmed glasses, the young man held the phone between his shoulder and shoulder, his gaze wandering among the sand and gravel, searching for another "ammunition".

"I'm listening, Mike. What date did you say the party was on?"

"You bookworm, you're daydreaming again, just like when you were in school!" a gruff voice muttered on the phone, clearly annoyed.

"Could it be that you're planning something because you heard Beverly is coming back? Ricky..." He paused, his characteristic Black rapping tone softening, and his voice became more serious:

"Dude, I know you had a crush on her back then, but you two really, really aren't a good match. She's in a completely different world now!"

“I understand, brother. A girl who has stepped into the ‘magical world’ has nothing in common with an ordinary person like me.” Ricky chuckled self-deprecatingly, a hint of bitterness on his lips.

Even so, distant memories still surfaced uncontrollably in his mind.

She was a petite figure radiating a wild beauty. Her face, adorned with youthful freckles, was slightly immature, yet possessed a unique charm of courage and strength.

"It's best if you can think positively, hehe. Bill has now been admitted to Columbia University's screenwriting program and knows a lot of beautiful classmates. I'll grab him at this party and have him introduce you to one."

"So you're trying to use my name to introduce someone to you, right?" Knowing his friend was trying to comfort him while the iron was hot, Ricky felt a warmth in his heart and laughed and scolded him with relief.

"Haha, you actually found out!" The voice on the other end of the phone laughed heartily and exclaimed confidently.

"Come on, buddy, of the four unlucky kids from the Losers' Club back then, a magical girl, a screenwriting genius, and you, a rising star in stage comedy, emerged. I, the librarian who stayed in my hometown, am the most useless one. Of course, you have to help me out..."

Time is a wondrous thing; its scale in human senses always expands and contracts with our moods. By the time the lighthearted banter has come to an end, a deep shadow has already enveloped the earth.

A cool night breeze blew in from the vast Atlantic Ocean in the distance, causing the young man to instinctively curl up and clutch his overheated phone.

"Alright, see you at the old library in Derry Town on October 5th. Please give my regards to your parents; I'll bring them a gift."

Ricky pulled his coat tighter around himself and quickly ended the call; all he wanted now was to get home and have a bowl of hot soup.

He sneezed, and the smile on his face gradually faded. He remembered the topic that had just been put aside, picked up a stone shard, weighed it in his hand, and sighed softly.

Childhood dreams are not easily forgotten, let alone the identity that symbolizes mysterious power, which is irresistibly attractive to a young person. How can they let go of it so easily?

In countless stage plays, fantastical plots permeated with the sweetness of love echoed in his mind. Ricky took a deep breath with longing, and based on his vague impression, casually tossed the stone into the water.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, the familiar splashing sound of water did not come. Instead, a clear cry of pain rang out from the deep darkness.

Ignoring getting his shoes wet, the young man waded through the muddy water. He suddenly froze, then quickly followed the sound to pinpoint its location and hurriedly ran over.

"I'm so sorry! How...how are you? Where did the punch land?"

With a mournful face, he calculated whether his internship salary for the month would be enough to cover the other person's medical expenses. At the same time, he hastily wiped the mud stains off his shirt and tried to help the slender dark figure in front of him up.

The cool, smooth, jade-like texture made Ricky feel inexplicably dazed.

A ray of moonlight suddenly shone down from the sky, and the blurry figure gradually became clear. He held his breath, his shocked and intoxicated gaze sweeping over the smooth body in front of him inch by inch.

Her flowing red hair moved like water even without wind...

Her ivory-colored skin was only adorned with seashells and seaweed for modesty...

Her exquisite face seemed veiled in a light gauze, appearing dreamlike and ethereal...

and also

—That long fish tail, shimmering with a pearly luster, stretches from the waist down!

Chapter 470

Under the blazing sun, the mountains stretched endlessly, their continuous yellow sandstone formations reaching the horizon, resembling a magnificent painting splashed by nature.

The heatwave swept over the cliffs, and tiny quartz particles gleamed brilliantly under the scorching sun. Occasionally, one or two would be blown to the side of the road, each grain of sand seemingly telling a story of a thousand years of vicissitudes and loneliness.

On the rough rocky crevices of the hillside, several sea buckthorn bushes take root in this barren land, stubbornly pushing aside the obstacles above, sprouting a bit of tender green wrapped in a cuticle, fully displaying the miracle of life.

In this scene, one feels as if the ancient camel bells will ring out from afar at any moment, recounting the glory and past of the trade route.

"Dudu!"

However, the roar of the car engine easily shattered this artistic youth's beautiful fantasy about the classical era.

A tour bus drove by, kicking up clouds of dust as its Michelin tires rubbed against the asphalt. The tourists on board, oblivious to the sweltering heat, leaned out and excitedly gazed at their destination ahead.

A row of tourist shops was bustling with activity. Small desert vehicles carried passengers at high speed, passing through narrow, winding valleys, where a rosy wonderland unfolded before them!

On the surrounding cliffs, tall and majestic halls are arranged in rows, with alternating eaves and overlapping buildings. Patterns and carvings can be seen everywhere, as if a magnificent ancient city has been carved out of the hard rock.

Looking up at the sky from the cliff, a sliver of blue sky illuminates the ingeniously crafted architectural complex below. Sunlight pierces through the thin clouds, casting dappled patterns on these ancient ruins, gilding the cold, hard rocks with a warm golden glow.

The tourists' exclamations of praise rose and fell, and the camera shutters clicked incessantly.

However, not everyone has the time or inclination to appreciate the world cultural heritage site before them.

In a seemingly deserted corner, the light was dim, and passing tour groups seemed oblivious as they deliberately avoided the area.

"Are you sure this is the place? There are way too many people!"

Frank Wood looked around at the bustling crowd and asked with some suspicion.

"Petra Temple has been famous worldwide since the 19th century. As a place where God's holy relics are hidden, isn't it too conspicuous?"