CHAPTER 22: CHAPTER 22: THE DISAPPEARING HORROR MOVIE

After contentedly closing the system panel, Chu Feng went to the bedroom where everyone was hiding and, with a wave of his hand, dispelled the barrier of the Spirit Trapping Formation.

"Alright, everyone can come out now. The Evil Spirit has been reduced to a pile of ashes!"

The group, who had been secretly watching the entire exorcism from the doorway, quickly opened the door.

"Mr. Exorcist!"

Two pretty, blonde little girls rushed past the others, each hugging one of Chu Feng’s thighs.

"Thank you, Mr. Exorcist! Thank you for saving us!"

"You’re welcome. It’s what I do." Chu Feng’s lips curved into an irrepressible smile as he stroked the cute little girls’ heads.

"Chu, I really can’t thank you enough!" Madam Litt, the mother of the two blonde girls, rushed crying into Chu Feng’s embrace and hugged him tightly.

Feeling the soft, warm, and fragrant woman in his arms, Chu Feng was embarrassed, yet a strange sensation stirred deep within him. I really don’t want to be *that* guy!

He gently patted her back comfortingly. "It’s all over now. I’ve dealt with the Evil Spirit, so don’t worry."

After a long while, Madam Litt, still in Chu Feng’s arms, finally composed herself. She gave Chu Feng a complicated glance and then released her tight hold.

Madam Litt turned to Taran and Bit. "Thank you so much, gentlemen Exorcists, for your help these days. The payment will be in your accounts soon." Her composed, superior demeanor had returned, and her thanks were polite yet distant.

"Alright, Madam Litt, then we won’t impose any longer." The two men collected their belongings and headed out.

"Chu, it’s truly been an honor to meet you today! I’m going to boast to all my friends about fighting alongside America’s strongest Exorcist. So, could I get your phone number?" Before leaving, Bit, the Black Exorcist, made sure to ask Chu Feng for his contact information.

"Of course." Two business cards appeared in Chu Feng’s hand as if from nowhere, and he handed them to Bit and Taran.

After seeing the two men off, Chu Feng recalled the new title Bit had mentioned, and a smile touched his lips. America’s strongest Exorcist? That title sounds pretty good!

Returning to the villa, Madam Litt had already taken her two adorable daughters back to their room. The Evil Spirit was ashes; tonight, they could finally sleep soundly.

"Chu, come with me. We need to discuss your payment." Instead of going into the living room, Madam Litt led him directly into a first-floor bedroom.

「The next morning,」

Chu Feng got into the car James had brought to pick him up.

"Chu, was that Evil Spirit tough to handle? You look exhausted!"

Chu Feng silently pulled his collar tighter, concealing certain marks.

"Yes, it was rather difficult."

"So, what price did you settle on with Madam Litt this time?" James was clearly very interested in the income from this job.

"Melinda’s a friend now, so I gave her a friendship rate: two hundred thousand US dollars."

Hearing it was only two hundred thousand US dollars, the anticipation in James’s eyes faded considerably.

"Don’t worry. Giving Melinda a friendship rate was my call, and it doesn’t affect your cut. Your commission for this is twenty thousand US dollars."

"Thanks so much, Chu! WOO-HOO!" When James heard his commission was twenty thousand US dollars, he grinned broadly, showing a row of white teeth, and let out a jubilant yell.

"By the way, James, do you remember saying that the Evil Spirit was like one from a movie? I know which movie it was now!"

Just as Chu Feng was about to say more, James’s next words stunned him.

"Like an Evil Spirit from a movie? I never said that, Chu. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?"

"Huh? You mentioned it yesterday when you were telling me about the Evil Spirit at Melinda’s place. Don’t you remember?" Chu Feng frowned at James, wondering how the man could have forgotten what he’d said just a day ago.

"I really didn’t say that! Chu, you must have misremembered!" James thought for a moment, then shook his head, denying it.

Chu Feng watched James, who was focused on driving, his own eyes narrowing slightly.

"James, do you know Yulona?"

"Yulona? Who’s that? Never heard of her."

"What about Annabelle? Freddy? The Shining? Ever heard of it?"

James just shook his head in confusion at Chu Feng’s barrage of questions.

"Chu, who are you talking about? Am I supposed to know them?"

Seeing the bewildered look on James’s face, Chu Feng finally gave up asking.

"It’s nothing. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know. Just drive faster; I have urgent business to attend to when I get back!" With that, Chu Feng turned to gaze intently at the sky outside the car window.

"Okay! Watch this!" James slammed his foot on the accelerator. With a fierce roar from the engine, the car shot forward like an arrow.

Half an hour later, thanks to James’s excellent driving skills, they reached Chu Feng’s villa in nearly half the usual time.

He handed James two stacks of US dollars and sent him home.

Then he rushed into his bedroom.

He pulled out his laptop and connected to the Wi-Fi.

He quickly searched online for Freddy, Sadako, the Nun, Uncle Nine... every horror film character he could recall.

His search yielded nothing, or results that were completely off-topic.

Chu Feng irritably ran his hands through his hair. What the hell is going on?

Is this even the same world as my previous life?

After racking his brain for a long time without an answer, Chu Feng collapsed weakly onto the bed.

Huh? Wait a second. As he lay there for a good while, something suddenly occurred to Chu Feng.

"System! System!!!"

"DING! The Demon Hunting System is at your service!"

"Tell me, why have all those horror movies vanished? And why are Evil Spirits appearing in the real world?!"

"DING! System searching..."

"DING! Search complete!"

"DING! Due to intensified planar collisions, this world’s space-time continuum has undergone certain alterations. The Host is advised to proceed with caution."

Planar collisions? Which plane collided with this world? Hearing the System actually give an answer, Chu Feng eagerly pressed on.

"DING! That query is not in the database. System unable to answer."

Damn it! Infuriated by the System’s response, Chu Feng slammed the interface shut.

Never mind all that! Even if all the monsters from horror movies have escaped, I’ll fight the ones I can beat and run from the ones I can’t!

His mind made up, Chu Feng stopped worrying about it. Instead, he got his laptop out again. A day had passed; it was time to see if any new big-spending clients had come knocking.