Chapter 352: Chapter 233: The Ultimate Negotiation Tactic: A Physical Threat

(Unbelievable. The last Chapter got taken down, and it was just restored this afternoon. I tweaked the punctuation at the end, and it got blocked again. Orz. It’s back up now.)

·

3:30 AM, at the collapsed Honey Fruit Bar.

The rescue team was hard at work, clearing away rebar and concrete fragments from the top of the ruins. So far, they hadn’t found any signs of survivors.

In an open area, Yao Hu’s pupils refracted a faint, Crystal-like light, while Renie wore a pair of Alchemy Glasses that could detect residual Essence.

"I see the black aura. The monster is real." Yao Hu’s pupils immediately returned to normal. This was an extraordinary Artifact he’d obtained during his trials in America, one that had already fused with his eyeballs. Activating it allowed him to enter a "Spiritual Vision State" and see things normally invisible.

"I saw it too." Renie nodded lightly. The Alchemy Glasses she wore were also a Spiritual Vision-type Artifact.

She then took off her Alchemy Glasses, pulled a crumpled ball of tinfoil from her pocket, unfolded it, and roughly shaped it into a hat before putting it on her head. Her gaze lingered in the distance for a few seconds before she took off the Tinfoil Hat and shook her head. "I don’t see the black aura. The Tinfoil Hat doesn’t work. It’s not a Rule of the Restricted Area. Maybe that Old Jack is a natural Spirit Seer?"

"It’s possible."

Soon, having confirmed the monster’s existence, the two returned to their temporary base and reported their findings to Zhou Chen.

’The Tinfoil Hat isn’t a Rule of the Restricted Area, and Old Jack might be a natural Spirit Seer?’

Zhou Chen was leaning against a corner, arms crossed, stroking his chin. He felt Renie’s speculation made sense. Spirit Seers could usually see things ordinary people couldn’t, and perhaps that was why Old Jack had developed a mental illness.

’But if Old Jack has been a natural Spirit Seer since childhood, doesn’t that mean Supernatural Power existed in the World going back forty or fifty years before the current time of this old era?’

"Since the Tinfoil Hat is useless, are you going to keep wearing it?" Renie asked.

"Might as well. It’s not a big deal, and I still need it to communicate with Old Jack," Zhou Chen said casually.

"I’m heading out. Daisy won’t be working overtime for too long. I should be able to bring the files on the bar bombing tomorrow," Liu Ling said, waving a hand as she pushed the door open and left.

The others went to rest and conserve their energy.

·

9:00 AM, City Hall.

—Norman DuPont.

Mayor of Akita Town, major entrepreneur.

He was the most powerful and wealthiest man in all of Akita Town. The charitable ambassador who invested in building hospitals and universities. The financier who supported the development of Akita Town’s tourism industry. The godfather to Akita Town’s four great families and twelve gangster cults...

But now, this once-invincible man was sitting in his office, trembling.

A burly, imposing man stood before his desk. The ferocious aura he exuded terrified even Norman, a man who had killed countless times. This giant of a man had somehow bypassed City Hall’s layers of surveillance, barged straight into his office, and knocked out four elite bodyguards trained in mixed martial arts as easily as swatting away chicks.

Norman’s first instinct was to draw his gun, but he was frozen by the man’s cold gaze. A bone-chilling cold enveloped him, and he was paralyzed, as rigid as a statue, unable to move.

"Sir, what do you want?"

Norman spoke as calmly as he could, but his heart was a raging tempest. The burly man’s eyes reminded him of an experience from his student days. It was a school camping trip where he had gotten separated from his group in the wild and encountered a wolf. The wolf had stared at him with cruel, cunning, and greedy eyes, looking as if it would pounce and rip his throat out at any second.

That was the first time he had felt the threat of death. His mind went blank, his entire body tensed up, and he was ruled by Fear, frozen in place, unable to move. Luckily, the adults arrived just in time to drive the wolf away, saving him.

And now, facing that arrogant and cold gaze, Norman once again experienced the primal Fear lurking in his biological instincts. His heart hammered in his chest, feeling like it was about to explode.

"I am an Investigator, here under orders to investigate the murders in Akita Town."

Yao Hu said coldly, "You will cooperate with me."

This was not a request, not a negotiation, but a condescending command.

Norman was very familiar with this tone, this posture, because he had once been the one high above, giving the orders.

But after hearing the man’s identity, Norman was taken aback for a moment.

"The Akita Town murders? Why didn’t you go to the chief of police?"

"You are the true ruler of Akita Town. I believe you know many, many hidden secrets." Yao Hu’s voice was frigid, carrying a terrifying pressure that made Norman break out in a cold sweat.

Norman hurriedly said, "I’ve seen the reports on those incidents. Every case has been closed. I really don’t know any secrets... secrets... Don’t tell me you’re talking about Supernatural Power?

You should talk to Father Natas! He—he’s an Exorcist. He has performed the Purification of a Demon and claims that Akita Town is being invaded by an evil force. You can go look for him."

"I’ll keep that in mind." Yao Hu nodded, his imposing presence not diminishing in the slightest. He looked down on him condescendingly. "Keep talking."

In that instant, Norman felt as if he had been plunged into an icy cavern. A tide of chilling dread submerged him, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably, shaking like a leaf in the wind.

"He... he also, under the guise of performing exorcisms, has mo-molested hundreds of boys and hundreds of women over the years..." Norman stammered.

Yao Hu raised an eyebrow. "Tell me more about this Father Natas."

"The Akita Town church was founded during Natas’s great-grandfather’s generation. Three generations of his family have been the Priests of Akita Town, and they have a very high reputation in town. Natas himself has never married or started a family, but he has seven illegitimate children, all of whom were sent to study in other cities. The eldest one is already married."

Norman felt the pressure lessen slightly and began to gasp for air. "Natas... Natas actually has some real skills. He’s resolved hauntings in town and driven out Evil Spirits in cases of Possession... The recent cases in Akita Town have been too... bizarre, so he’s been involved in the follow-up investigations. He says a Demon is plaguing the town, and that the more chaotic Akita Town becomes, the stronger the Demon’s Power grows."

"So what has he done to fight this Demon?"

"Selling Holy Water, selling Crosses, selling the Holy Bible... using them to trick women into bed..." Norman answered honestly. "Frankly, I think he’s just using the situation to scam people. The police have already solved those cases. Most were caused by mental illness and have nothing to do with Demons."

’A large-scale outbreak of mental illness in such a short time is highly unusual in itself...’ Yao Hu mused. So far, only two people had offered an explanation related to Supernatural Power for the situation in Akita Town.

One was the mentally ill homeless man, Old Jack: The Illuminati are using a Brain Control Device to manipulate people, causing one tragedy after another in Akita Town. They’re using the massive number of deaths to build a summoning ritual, trying to bring forth a group of things with god-knows-what names.

The other was Father Natas: A Demon is secretly plaguing Akita Town, drawing Power from chaos and death.

Regardless of whether they were spouting nonsense or spreading rumors for profit, the players, as "Investigators," could not afford to ignore them. In a Restricted Area, even a casual remark could become a crucial clue to clearing the stage.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, sir?"

Norman was like a waiter at a high-end restaurant, not daring to show the slightest neglect or dissatisfaction.

’—The man’s combat power is terrifying!’

Yao Hu mulled it over for a long moment before saying, "Notify the police department and notify the gangs under your control. A Supernatural Power is secretly influencing Akita Town. Get all of them to move out, arrest any suspicious individuals and suspected Cult members. Anything related to Supernatural Power must be reported, no matter how bizarre."

"This..." Norman was stunned. ’This is basically putting Akita Town on a wartime footing!’

Yao Hu looked down at him coldly. "A problem?"

"No problem, absolutely no problem. You have nothing to worry about, sir." Norman nodded hurriedly. "I’ll issue the orders right away and have them start the search."

"Don’t involve too many people. Keep it as low-key as possible," Yao Hu warned.

"I understand. Everything will fall into chaos if the public panics... If we find any clues, how should I contact you?" Norman asked.

"I’ll go directly to the police department to take part in the operation. Just inform the chief of police," Yao Hu said flatly.

"O-Okay..."

In Yao Hu’s view, this simple and brutal method of negotiation was the most effective plan.

Liu Ling still had to resort to selling her body to get intelligence from the police department, but with Norman’s directive, he could walk right into the station and get all the relevant files without lifting a finger.

·

After Yao Hu left, the suffocating pressure finally dissipated. Norman collapsed into his office chair, gasping for breath, his entire body soaked in sweat.

’Terrifying, just terrifying... God, what’s the deal with that Investigator? Why is his presence so frightening... He’s hunting down Supernatural Power. Could he be someone who wields Supernatural Power himself? A superhuman?’ Norman’s thoughts were a chaotic mess, and it took him a long while to calm down.

He got up, took a bottle of brandy from the liquor cabinet, and shakily poured half a glass, downing it in one gulp.

The fiery burn of the liquor going down his throat gradually brought him back to his senses, and he once again became the formidable king of Akita Town.

Norman held the glass, staring blankly at his desk. His expression gradually darkened. After a long moment, he picked up the phone on his desk and dialed a number.

"We have a problem..."

·

·

Early in the morning, things were already lively in front of Joey’s House. The four children had gathered once again, ready to continue their search for Allen.

"Let’s buy some food and go find Old Jack first. I’m sure he’ll be willing to help us," said Little Fatty Yiwen.

Yesterday, Old Jack, who had initially refused to go to the forest, had suddenly appeared outside of it, saying he had followed them because he was worried about their safety. This had deeply moved the children, and they now considered Old Jack a true friend.

They got on their bikes and rode like the wind toward a breakfast diner.

Since they were up so early, there were hardly any pedestrians or cars on the streets, so the ride was smooth.

While waiting for a red light at an intersection, Joey suddenly pointed into the distance and exclaimed:

"I see Allen!"