Time flew by, and before long, it was the next morning.
"James, come pick me up!" Chu Feng, who was having breakfast at the hotel restaurant, dialed James directly.
"OK, I'll be there in a flash!" The voice of James on the other end of the phone was tinged with excitement.
After finishing his breakfast, Chu Feng walked out of the hotel's main entrance and immediately spotted the familiar yellow taxi.
"Let's go!" In the blink of an eye, seated in the back of the taxi, Chu Feng said to an excited James with a hint of indifference.
"Roger that, BOSS!" Upon receiving the instructions, James deftly released the handbrake, and the yellow taxi joined the unending stream of traffic.
As the taxi entered the wealthy district of Manhattan, Chu Feng unexpectedly noticed New York police officers. James's out-of-place yellow taxi inevitably drew their questioning.
"An Exorcist from the East?" The white police officer, examining their IDs, expressed surprise upon hearing James's introduction.
"Are you headed to the Valente Manor?"
"Yes, officer."
Hearing James's affirmative response, the white police officer looked at them with a touch of mockery in his eyes. "Don't lose your life there, kid from the East!"
Knowing their intentions, the white police officer handed back their IDs and let them pass.
Back on the road, James's spirits had dampened somewhat, and he repeatedly glanced at Chu Feng in the rearview mirror, hesitating to speak. Finally, James's taxi stopped in front of the grand gates of a luxurious manor.
"Chu, maybe we shouldn't go in!" Having stopped the car, James still hesitated but couldn't help speaking up.
"Don't worry. If it's too dangerous, I'll back out."
Chu Feng looked at James with a hint of amusement, considering him one of the few good-hearted Black people he had encountered.
Saying this, Chu Feng paid no more attention to the visibly relieved James. He turned and walked towards the grand entrance of Valente Manor. At the lavishly decorated manor gate, a middle-aged white man, who looked like a butler, had evidently been waiting for some time.
"Good day, may I inquire if you are the Exorcist Mr. Chu?" the middle-aged butler politely asked the approaching Chu Feng.
"Yes, that's me!"
Upon hearing Chu Feng's confirmation, the butler waved his right hand, and the grand gates of the manor slowly opened.
"Welcome, Mr. Chu. I am the butler of Valente Manor. You may call me Martin. Please follow me."
Martin, the butler with a practiced smile, guided Chu Feng into a luxury car used for transport within the grounds and began driving slowly into the manor's interior.
Soon, the vehicle carrying them stopped in front of the manor's main villa.
"Mr. Chu, this way, please."
Under Butler Martin's guidance, they went directly into the villa. After passing through a meticulously decorated corridor, Chu Feng was led into a spacious drawing room.
At that moment, besides Butler Martin who had led the way, there were eight people in the drawing room, including Chu Feng.
"Alright, looks like everyone's finally here!"
The speaker was a middle-aged Black woman of a slightly hefty build, holding a Crystal Ball.
"Yes, Ms. Austin. I have informed Ms. Valente; she will be joining you all shortly."
"OK, finally! No more waiting!" While saying this, her eyes fiercely glared at Chu Feng, who had just sat down.
Hmph! An enemy already?
Facing the Black woman's fierce gaze, a cold glint flashed in Chu Feng's eyes. He began to calculate, looking for an opportunity to use an M17 to resolve the 'karma' that had just been established between them.
Just as Chu Feng resolved to deal with the Black woman as soon as possible, the drawing room door opened once again, and a white woman entered.
Her graceful figure, wrapped in a beige bodycon dress, looked exceptionally alluring, accentuated by her aloof temperament.
"Ms. Valente!"
At Butler Martin's address, everyone realized that the person who had just entered was the sponsor of this bounty.
"Ms. Valente, you are truly stunning," the Black woman was the first to offer her fawning compliments.
The others, though not as sycophantic as the Black woman, still showed their employer due respect, also greeting her with, "Ms. Valente."
"Hello, everyone. Thank you very much for coming!"
Tatyana Valente appeared to be around thirty years old. A life of luxury since childhood had perhaps gifted her with skin as white and delicate as snow and an evidently well-nourished figure. However, a hint of fatigue still showed on her exquisite, smooth face.
"I believe you all know the purpose of your visit. If any of you can deal with the Evil Spirit, ten million US Dollars will immediately be transferred into their bank account."
"Now, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask. I will answer to the best of my ability."
Ms. Valente leaned back into the luxurious sofa behind her, looking wearily at the assembled group.
The group exchanged glances, and eventually, a muscular man dressed in a US Military combat uniform spoke up.
"Ms. Valente, I'd like to ask, is the Evil Spirit still in that villa?"
"That's right, it's still there!"
The muscular man's eyes brightened upon receiving the affirmative answer. "May I know if Ms. Valente would allow us to completely destroy that villa?"
Hearing the muscular man's question, the hopeful glint in Ms. Valente's eyes visibly dimmed. "I know what you're thinking. If it were possible, you could blow the villa to pieces for all I care. But I must tell you, explosions won't kill that Evil Spirit!"
"How is that possible?" The muscular man was shocked by Ms. Valente's reply.
"There's nothing impossible about it. The Military has already secretly experimented on an Evil Spirit in a location far from any urban area. Conventional human weapons have proven largely ineffective against Evil Spirits. Unless we use a nuclear bomb—which is obviously not an option in New York City! So, for now, it seems we must rely on Exorcists like yourselves."
"I'm very sorry, but if that's the case, please excuse my withdrawal."
The thoroughly disappointed muscular man chose to give up.
"Alright. Daisel, please see this gentleman out." Ms. Valente showed no disappointment and simply instructed Butler Martin to escort the guest.
"Do any of the rest of you have any other questions?" Turning her head, Ms. Valente then looked at the remaining few people, each with a different expression.
"Ms. Valente, I have a question." Seeing that the others remained silent, Chu Feng thought for a moment before speaking up.
"Please ask, sir."
"Ms. Valente, I'd like to ask: the Exorcists who came before us and failed—where did they go?"
Upon hearing Chu Feng's question, the expressions of the others in the room stiffened.
"Some of the Exorcists likely died. As for the others who managed to escape, the injured are still hospitalized and receiving treatment. Those who remained unscathed chose to give up."
Ms. Valente answered Chu Feng's question without any concealment.