American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

When you come to our door for tea, we'll discuss the rules and regulations!

Upon hearing Mrs. Laurent's clearly biased words and seeing the scene before him that strongly suggested she was gathering her friends and acquaintances, Zhu Mingyao had this thought pop into his head.

This scene is exactly the same as the negotiation scene between martial arts bosses in movies and TV dramas from my previous life!

As he followed the others up the steps of the small building, Zhu Mingyao thought to himself.

Could just these few people really persuade the so-called Red Sun Venerable to back down? The young man still had some doubts.

He could sense that, of the three, Mrs. Laurent was just an ordinary person, and although Archdeacon Johnson and Elder Singh had some cultivation, their strength was not much stronger than his own master, Zhang Shouzhong, let alone compared to someone of Henry Lai's caliber.

"Just wear your ears, you don't need to say a word."

As if sensing his thoughts, Henry Lai deliberately lagged behind by half a step, turned his head, and whispered a message.

Zhu Mingyao readily agreed. That was what he had been thinking from the beginning anyway. Given the current situation, it was clear that he wouldn't have a say, so he would just quietly be a background figure.

"Good day, everyone." The speaker was a lady who came out from inside the building. She had silver-gray hair and a pair of sea-blue eyes, wore old-fashioned gold-rimmed glasses, and was dressed in a women's blazer and petticoat. She looked to be around 50 years old and resembled a housekeeper from a noble estate in a British TV series.

"Hello, Mrs. Chris."

"Good morning, Assistant Chris..."

Henry Lai and the others stepped forward to greet him, even the stern-faced Deputy Bishop Johnson did so.

"Gentlemen, please come in. Director Davis and Mr. Red Sun have been waiting inside for quite some time."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chris gestured for him to come in, then turned and led the way.

The building wasn't very big, and after walking a few steps, Chris led the group into a reception room.

The reception room was sparsely furnished, but tastefully decorated. The dark brown walnut floor was spotless, and the playful flames in the exquisitely carved marble fireplace dispelled the dampness and chill of late February. Steaming coffee wafted from a gleaming silver teapot on a European-style table, and several soft sofas were arranged in a staggered pattern, on which sat two men.

As the group entered, the elderly white man stood up and slightly shrugged, revealing the cigarette between his fingers.

"Welcome to the Special Investigation Bureau. Please have a seat, everyone! We're all acquaintances, so please don't stand on ceremony."

"It's been a while, Director Davis. This must be your bureau's new chief advisor, Mr. Red Sun?" Henry Lai smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over another figure who remained seated.

The man was dressed as a Brahman monk, wearing an ochre robe with one arm exposed. He had dark brown skin, a red mark on his forehead, and sparse short hair that clung to his scalp. His slightly dark, beardless face made it difficult to tell his age at first glance. Only his slightly loose skin and deep wrinkles suggested that he was quite old.

Seeing his nonchalant expression and his lack of intention to get up, everyone frowned inwardly. However, since they were all people of status, they maintained their composure and did not show it on their faces.

"Did you kill Danto?"

Zhu Mingyao was hiding in the back, trying to minimize his presence and be a faithful background figure, when suddenly, an arrogant, old voice rang out from the depths of his heart.

This is... the Brahma's telepathy!

The boy was startled and quickly focused his mind, not daring to let his thoughts wander.

Apart from a slight twitch in Lai Hengli's eyes, the others in the group seemed completely oblivious.

"Did you kill Dantuo?"

The question arose again, this time in ordinary words, but the tone was full of arrogance. Everyone's eyes turned to Henry Lai, to see how he would respond.

Unexpectedly, Henry stroked his mustache, didn't answer directly, but instead chuckled softly and stepped forward, saying:

"Over the years, with the resurgence of the elements, those demons and monsters have been stirring up trouble, and horrific tragedies have occurred from time to time. Today, with a senior expert like Master Red Sun joining the official team to oversee things, we will surely be able to bring those beasts who have committed blood debts to justice, and the situation in the Federation will likely be much more stable."

That was an extremely cunning and clever remark.

Who is the demon? What kind of tragedy has occurred recently? Who is the beast who committed this blood feud? And what brings everyone here today?

Every word he uttered was a slap in the face!

When it comes to witty banter, Henry Lai has been mingling with all sorts of people—wealthy businessmen, politicians, and the like—on the West Coast for decades. He can easily crush a country bumpkin!

A flash of crimson light appeared on Venerable Red Sun's sinister black face, and he abruptly stood up.

As the old Brahmin monk rose, a faint heat filled the air, as if what stood up was not a living person, but a human-shaped flame.

However, in Zhu Mingyao and Lai Hengli's spiritual senses, the changes inside the room went far beyond that! An invisible force instantly pulled their minds into another world—

The scorching winds ripped away a layer of the parched, cracked earth, turning it into dust. Under a blazing sun emitting an eerie crimson light, the suffocating heat distorted the air.

What the naked eye could see was still an exquisitely decorated and elegantly furnished reception room, but what the two of them sensed was an endless wasteland with the scorching sun hanging high in the sky!

Accompanied by a cold "humph" that seemed to come from nowhere, the enormous red sun that emitted an eerie light plummeted down towards the two of them!

As the red sun drew closer and grew larger, Zhu Mingyao felt his true energy, magical power, and even his divine sense about to boil over, as if they were about to burst out of his body at any moment. He raised his hands in a daze, not knowing how to defend himself.

But the next second, he no longer had to worry about this problem.

A towering snow-capped mountain suddenly rose from the ground, pointing straight to the sky! It was as if the legendary god Kuafu, who chased the golden crow, had hurled his demon-subduing peach staff, which crashed heavily into the ever-falling sun.

The high temperatures melted the snow and ice!

The mud and water extinguished the blazing flames!

High mountains and the great sun, two completely different forces, collide and transform, and finally return to nothingness together.

Zhu Mingyao's eyelids twitched slightly. When he came to his senses, he found that the illusion in his spiritual perception had disappeared. He was still standing unharmed in the reception room, while Lai Hengli was standing in front of him with a serious expression.

Looking around, everyone's expressions were extremely unpleasant; even Elder Singh, who was known for his good temper, couldn't manage a smile.

Although they weren't being targeted, the other cultivators could easily sense the covert confrontation between the two sides, and the remaining ordinary people were all shrewd individuals who frequently dealt with extraordinary powers, so they could guess the general idea just by looking at their expressions.

He'd resort to underhanded tactics at the slightest disagreement, treating everyone present like they didn't exist!

This level of arrogance is outrageous!

For a moment, everyone's cold gazes were fixed on Venerable Red Sun. Even he, who always did things his own way, was speechless at this moment.

Chief Davis took a deep drag on his cigarette, narrowed his eyes, and said slowly and expressionlessly:

"Mr. Red Sun, the Federation is an inclusive and diverse country that welcomes elites from all over the world to become part of us, and will do everything in its power to protect their interests."

But there's a prerequisite...

He said, word by word, "They must remember..."

"The Federation is a society governed by law! Everyone must abide by the rules!"

Perhaps no one had ever dared to speak to him like that before. Venerable Red Sun raised his eyebrows, his facial muscles twitching violently, as if he were about to erupt at any moment.

Just as everyone was on guard, he slumped back onto the sofa, angrily closed his eyes, and refused to say another word.

Seeing this, Lai Hengli's eyes flashed slyly a few times, and he waved lightly at Zhu Mingyao and Bai Ziyuan.

"You two can go outside and stay there. We're going to have a proper talk with Chief Davis."

Recommend some books of the same type

American Variety Show 1999, a veteran author, has excellent entrepreneurial and setting concepts. A million-word work, plenty of material to satisfy. Some of my settings were borrowed from him.

"Crushing American Horror Story Begins at the Deadly Bend," a novel by a newcomer who wrote a masterpiece with his very first book, inspiring several copycat works this year, including mine.

Both of these works are far superior to mine. If you're looking for something to read, you should check them out.

Chapter 60 The Martial World is More Than Just Fighting and Killing

Stepping outside, Zhu Mingyao was still somewhat unsettled. That old guy was indeed formidable!

Although what happened just now was merely a mental illusion created by [telepathy], if I had actually been hit squarely by that red sun, I would have lost at least half my life.

"We knew this old man was arrogant, but we didn't know he was this arrogant. In broad daylight, in an official institution, in front of all sorts of people, he actually dared to launch a sneak attack!" Bai Ziyuan said angrily.

"Having lived in this remote mountain village for decades and been flattered by everyone, they really think they're living gods!"

That's because he has the right to be arrogant. Zhu Mingyao shook his head, turned around and glanced at him. But he was only one-man show. If he made a move, even the Special Investigation Bureau would probably stop supporting him. Lai Henry's next negotiations should go much more smoothly.

As he expected, less than half an hour later, Henry Lai and his entourage emerged, accompanied by Chris, the assistant who had the air of an English butler.

Seeing Lai Hengli's beaming face, Zhu Mingyao had a better understanding of the situation and stood by the car patiently waiting.

Henry Lai bid farewell to Archdeacon Johnson, Elder Singh, and Mrs. Laurent, watching them get into their cars and leave before slowly walking over.

Seeing the hopeful expressions on their faces, Henry Lai stroked his glossy black mustache and smiled.

"Okay, don't worry, there won't be any more trouble."

"Uncle Lai, what exactly did they say? Did that old man reluctantly admit it? I'll drive now, so you can tell us all about it on the way."

Bai Ziyuan's eyes lit up, and she said with a gossipy look on her face, while handing the sports car keys to Lai Hengli's driver and getting into the driver's seat of the van.

“Alright, Mingyao, come sit down too. Today I’m going to give you two a good lesson!” Lai Hengli said meaningfully.

……

"First question: can any of you explain why I invited Elder Singh and his companions today?"

Lai Hengli took a thermos from the wine cabinet in the car and poured himself a cup of steaming ginseng tea.

"It's to cheer them on and put pressure on them," the young man, who was also acting as the driver, blurted out.

"Pretty much, but why these few? Mrs. Laurent is just an ordinary person, and the other two aren't exactly formidable experts either." Henry Lai nodded and then asked.

"I guess what's important isn't their strength, but their identity," Zhu Mingyao said slowly, seemingly lost in thought.

Henry smiled approvingly.

"Indeed, on this occasion, their status is more important than their personal abilities!"

"Although Elder Singh's cultivation level is not high, he is kind, tactful, and adept at social maneuvering. As the religious leader of hundreds of thousands of South Asian immigrants on the West Coast, he not only has good relations with many local officials, businessmen, and celebrities, but he can even strike up conversations with several Indian members of Congress on Capitol Hill."

"Lady Laurent's family has been involved in politics for generations and is very influential in the state's judicial and police system. She herself is also a senior prosecutor, and some cases involving supernatural forces often require her cooperation with local powerful figures like Elder Singh."

What does it mean to be a local bully? It means that as long as you're here, you're bound to have to deal with them! The Special Investigation Bureau is an official agency stationed here, so both morally and logically, you have to give them some face.

"And what about Vice-Bishop Johnson?" Zhu Mingyao asked, eager to play along.

Lai Hengli took a sip of ginseng tea, squinted his eyes, and smiled:

"This leads to the second question. Since the founding of the Federation, Protestantism has been the official mainstream religion. If I were to ask someone to mediate with the Special Investigation Bureau, why would I approach the Catholic Church instead of the Protestants?"

As Zhu Mingyao gradually got into the zone, it was as if he had returned to his political class in his previous life. His brain was racing, thinking about the relationships between the various parties. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him. He slapped his thigh and said with bright eyes.

"If it were the Protestants who came forward, the Special Investigation Bureau might have lent a hand out of consideration for the high-end combatant that Venerable Red Sun had managed to recruit. But now that it's the Catholic Church, the authorities must put on a show of strict law enforcement and zero favoritism to avoid giving anyone grounds for criticism."

Bai Ziyuan, who was standing next to him, interjected with a question, "Why are the authorities afraid of giving the Catholic Church a pretext to criticize them?"

Zhu Mingyao and Lai Hengli exchanged a glance, and seeing the latter's encouraging look, they organized their thoughts and explained:

"Because times have changed, the resurgence of spiritual energy, or the return of elements, is a fact that everyone can be basically certain of."