CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 43 THREAT (HAPPY SPRING FESTIVAL)

BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ.

Chu Feng, who was enjoying the afternoon sun by the window, was suddenly awakened by the vibration of his cell phone. He glanced at the phone on the adjacent table and saw it was an unknown number.

Is this another business opportunity?

A slight smile touched his lips as he picked up the still-vibrating phone and answered.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Is this Mr. Chu Feng?"

A cold voice on the other end of the line made Chu Feng raise an eyebrow.

"Yes, this is he. What is it?"

"This is the New York Police Department. We need Mr. Chu Feng to come to Queens Central Hospital immediately."

"Oh? The New York Police Department?" Chu Feng glanced at the caller ID again, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Are you sure you’re the New York Police Department? Since when did the NYPD start using private numbers?"

Chu Feng’s words were met with a long silence. Just as he was about to hang up, the voice on the other end spoke again.

"Mr. Chu, you should know Chief Boris. You can verify with him. I am Pierce, the new Chief of the New York Police Department, and I’d like to invite you to participate in an Exorcism Task."

Hearing Boris’s name, Chu Feng was more inclined to believe him.

"An Exorcism Task? Certainly. I assume you’ve seen my rate card. How much is the New York Police Department offering?"

Another long silence followed Chu Feng’s question.

"Hello? Chief Pierce, are you there?"

"Mr. Chu, the New York Police Department will provide a subsidy of three thousand US dollars to each Exorcist participating in this Exorcism Task."

Hearing this, Chu Feng wondered if he had misheard.

"Wait a minute, Chief Pierce. Did you just say three thousand US dollars?"

"Yes!"

The curt reply made Chu Feng suspect he was being scammed.

"Chief Pierce, I think you should find another Exorcist for this task!"

With that, Chu Feng hung up.

The dial tone infuriated Chief Pierce. He furiously swept everything off his desk.

"Damn Exorcist! Damn yellow monkey! And those damn...!"

After his outburst, Chief Pierce finally calmed down.

If you won’t come, I’ll have you dragged here!

"Marvin! Marvin!" he yelled towards the office door.

After a moment, a thin young officer opened the door and poked his head in.

"Chief Pierce, you called?"

"Yes. Get someone and come with me."

"Right away, sir! Just a moment!"

Just as the Chief of the New York Police Department was preparing to go and apprehend Chu Feng, Chu Feng himself was on the phone with Boris from the department.

"Boris, has your chief been replaced by someone named Pierce?"

"He has! But how did you know?" Boris sounded surprised that Chu Feng knew the new chief’s name.

"He wanted me to do an Exorcism for free! How do you think I found out?"

"Then you need to be careful! I don’t think he’ll give up easily!"

"Understood. I’ll watch out."

After hanging up, Chu Feng thought for a moment, then decided to check online for news about the hospital. A while later, after some browsing, he made a few interesting discoveries:

1. Information about Queens Central Hospital was rapidly vanishing from the internet.

2. A group of people, seemingly defying network administrators, were constantly creating new accounts to post messages about a Demon appearing at the hospital.

3. Many Exorcists in New York City had suddenly become unreachable, as if they had collectively disappeared.

It seems Kelly’s mother couldn’t hold on any longer. And this Demon? Took this long to fully possess someone? At best, it’s just a demon soldier!

Shaking his head, Chu Feng put down his computer, intending to get some fresh air.

DING-DONG! DING-DONG!

Just then, the villa’s doorbell rang.

"Officers, what brings you here?" Chu Feng asked, somewhat confused, as he opened the door to find three police officers standing there.

"Mr. Chu Feng, we meet at last!" Chief Pierce, who was in the lead, extended his hand to Chu Feng, a smile on his face that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Sensing their hostile intentions, Chu Feng didn’t offer a warm reception and pointedly ignored the outstretched hand.

"Chief Pierce," Chu Feng said, "I believe I made myself clear on the phone. If no one can meet my price in US dollars, I will not participate in this Exorcism Task."

Silently retracting his hand, Chief Pierce’s expression turned grim.

"Mr. Exorcist, you seem to value your assets a great deal. I wonder what you’d do if your bank accounts were frozen..."

Seeing Chu Feng’s lack of cooperation, the chief resorted to direct threats.

Hearing the threat, a cold glint flashed in Chu Feng’s eyes. He instinctively wanted to pull out his shotgun and shoot Chief Pierce.

As if sensing Chu Feng’s murderous intent, the two officers behind Pierce drew their service weapons and aimed them at Chu Feng.

"Don’t make any sudden moves!" one of them warned.

Facing the two dark muzzles, Chu Feng laughed, a harsh, angry sound.

"Excellent! Truly the American way!"

Since I can’t take on the American government right now... Chu Feng thought, reluctantly following the officers to a nearby police car.

"That’s more like it," Chief Pierce said with a satisfied, triumphant smile when Chu Feng complied. "Defying the authorities in America never ends well."

Chu Feng looked at him without speaking.

I hope you don’t regret this, he thought.

Half an hour later, the police car carrying the four of them arrived at Queens Central Hospital.

Quite the scene, huh? Chu Feng thought, somewhat surprised as he stepped out of the car.

The hospital perimeter was surrounded by countless police cars; it looked as if every police car in New York was there. Above, several helicopters circled the hospital grounds, as if guarding something within.

"Chu? What are you doing here?" Boris’s voice suddenly came from beside him as Chu Feng surveyed the area.

"Your esteemed Chief personally came to my home to invite me. How could I refuse?" Chu Feng replied, his tone playful.

"You see, Boris? I brought this Exorcist here without your help! He’s all yours now!" Chief Pierce’s smug voice interjected from behind Boris, just as Boris was about to speak.

After Pierce walked away, Boris frowned deeply and looked at Chu.

"Chu, did he do something to you?"

"It’s nothing, Boris. I’ll handle it myself."