Xu Yi pushed open the hotel's grand doors, feeling refreshed.
There was no way he wouldn't feel refreshed, with the rosy-cheeked Maria following behind him.
In the early hours before dawn, they had engaged in deep philosophical discussion once more.
"Such activities are incredibly beneficial for the mind and body, so we must continue to do them frequently!"
As a qualified ntor, Xu Yi truly had his disciple's education at heart, constantly concerned for her studies.
Maria's cheeks, which had just cooled down, flushed once again, but she still nodded her head.
She had to admit, this kind of special training was very effective, greatly improving her waist strength, and made her look forward to the next session.
The sunlight was warm, and the two walked side by side on the street, ready to hail a taxi to Holy Fla Exorcism Studio.
"When did Lando Street get so deserted?" Xu Yi looked around in surprise.
In his mory, this street was quite bustling, usually full of people coming and going.
Strolling along Lando Street, Xu Yi's brows furrowed slightly.
Through observation, he noticed that there were indeed fewer pedestrians, but the number of patrolling police officers had increased.
As for the police in Arica, Xu Yi's usual comnt was, "It's past 3 p.m., ti for a tea break!"
The police in front of him clearly weren't in the mood for a "tea break," looking weary, suggesting that this intense patrolling had been going on for so ti.
If the police collectively beca diligent, it certainly wasn't because they had a sudden change of conscience; it could only an that there was significant pressure from above.
Xu Yi also saw quite a few priests. They were in a hurry and looked deeply concerned.
"It seems the governnt has realized sothing and is not making it public yet; they probably want to resolve the issue before reporting it, otherwise it would easily cause panic," Xu Yi guessed the thoughts of the higher-ups.
Up ahead was the bus stop sign, where Xu Yi and Maria ca to a halt, planning to wait for their ride there.
Without access to ride-hailing apps, the only way to get a taxi was to rely on luck or wait at a prominent spot like a bus stop.
In front of the bus stop, there were quite a few people standing, and Xu Yi noticed they were all hardworking office workers waiting for the bus.
Standing next to a middle-aged uncle who seed weary, Xu Yi suddenly wanted to get an understanding of the recent situation in New York from these ordinary people,
"Uncle, are you on your way to work?" Xu Yi initiated a conversation.
The man gave Xu Yi a lackluster look and spoke in a hoarse voice, "I'm only 25 this year."
Xu Yi's eyes widened, taking in the man's bald crown and weathered face, and then he noticed his plaid shirt, instantly feeling respect, "Brother, you're a programr, aren't you?"
"That's right!" The man straightened up with difficulty, pride on his face, attracting enviable gazes from the crowd.
Todays programrs are society's elite, not just future code laborers.
Xu Yi glanced at the man's heavy dark circles and sighed silently, surprised that the job of a programr was already so competitive decades ago.
"Bro, take my advice and take care of your health!" Xu Yi suggested, knowing all too well that working folks had it tough.
The programr pat his chest, "My health is top-notch, nothing will ever go wrong!"
The sun had just been obscured by dense clouds, but now, as the clouds dispersed, sunlight poured down, shining on the crowd waiting for the bus.
The programr was the first to be bathed in the golden light, radiating with an unmistakable brightness.
Suddenly, the man shuddered and began to collapse to the ground, soon passing out.
"What kind of supre jinx is this?" Xu Yi was taken aback, just monts ago everything seed fine, but now the man had suddenly fainted.
"Make way, folks! I'm a doctor!"
Although the programr was in poor health, he was lucky to have a doctor among the crowd waiting for the bus.
Xu Yi watched as the doctor examined the programr. He suddenly furrowed his brow and stepped back, detecting a foul odor, like the stench emanating from a sewer.
Was there a sewer grate nearby?
He looked around for a mont and noticed sothing surprising—the stench wasn't coming from any nearby sewer but seed to emanate from the programr.
Why hadn't he slled it earlier when he was standing next to him, but now, suddenly, he could?
"High fever, combined with physical exhaustion, leading to unconsciousness. Better take him to the hospital," the doctor said succinctly.
Well-versed in psychology, Xu Yi was good at understanding people's micro-expressions. It was clear the doctor had noticed sothing but chose not to say anything.
"Another one! A lot of people have been like this recently, with high fevers and then suddenly passing out."
"Could it be a contagion, like the flu? I wonder if there are any preventive asures?"
Speculation started among the crowd, whispering among themselves.
Xu Yi's brows knitted together—this likely wasn't as simple as the flu virus.
He realized that the fetid sll wasn't real, but his Spirit Communication Ability was kicking in.
......
Holy Fla Exorcism Studio.
```
Xu Yi had just stepped over the door adorned with celebratory fireworks when he encountered a worried-looking Lisa.
"Little sister Lisa, are you on your way to bury blossoms?" Xu Yi teased.
"Bury blossoms? Why would I go bury blossoms?" Lisa, upon seeing Xu Yi, had yet to express her excitent when she paused in confusion.
Xu Yi smiled briefly, offering no answer.
At this ti, probably very few people in Arica had read Dream of the Red Chamber.
Lisa quickly brushed aside the matter and her face lit up with joy as she threw herself at Xu Yi, "You're finally back!"
Xu Yi embraced Lisa, feeling her astonishing flexibility.
"How co you feel lighter? Haven't you been eating well lately?" Xu Yi weighed Lisa in his arms before setting her down.
At the ntion of this, Lisa sighed in frustration.
"I've recently taken on a commission and haven't been able to perform a successful exorcism."
"What kind of commission? Do you need my help?" Xu Yi asked with a light laugh.
"Of course I do! The client is from our Chinatown and his na is Chen Lin." Lisa turned and looked out, "Look, he's just arrived."
Outside the door, a haggard-looking man walked slowly toward them.
Xu Yi felt the na was sowhat familiar. After a mont of recollection, he finally rembered that the man appeared to be the leader of so gang in Chinatown.
It was said that he was domineering and difficult to deal with.
"Master! You're finally back, I've been waiting for you for a long ti!" Chen Lin's eyes brightened the mont he saw Xu Yi.
He hurried over to Xu Yi, stood still in front of him with respectful manner, and even bowed slightly to show respect.
Heaven knows what he had been through these days, being on tenterhooks all the ti – his much-talked-about arrogance had long since been worn away.
"Hello!" Xu Yi nodded faintly, thinking to himself that perhaps rumors were not to be believed; after all, here was a man showing proper manners.
Chen Lin observed Xu Yi as well, looking at his sowhat cool deanor, he let out a silent sigh.
The exorcist was indeed as the rumors said, not easy to approach.
"Well then, follow and let have a look at it!" Xu Yi took the lead and headed towards the staircase leading up to the second floor.
At that mont, Ailent happened to be coming down from upstairs, leading several people behind him, all wearing exhausted expressions.
"Boss, you're finally back!" His eyes lit up seeing Xu Yi, as if he had seen a savior.
"We can talk about everything later tonight!" Xu Yi patted Ailent's shoulder.
Now was indeed not a good ti for a conversation. Ailent, realizing this, nodded and went on to busy himself with other things.
In the reception on the second floor, a circular clock hung on the wall, its golden hands constantly turning.
The room was extrely quiet – even the sound of pen scraping against paper seed unusually clear.
Chen Lin sat anxiously, now glancing at Xu Yi, now looking towards Lisa in the corner. He was extrely worried, yet dared not to disturb Xu Yi by speaking out.
About ten minutes earlier, Xu Yi had taken a lighter and seared his little finger.
This scene would usually be found during a gang's brutal interrogation, but he felt an unbelievable relief, making him doubt himself – was he a masochist?
After the fla treatnt, his whole body felt indescribably relaxed.
But soon his body beca heavy again as if it was filled with a weighty, viscous fluid.
Seeing this, Xu Yi's brows furrowed and he went over to the workbench without a word and began to draw.
As ti passed, Xu Yi suddenly stopped drawing.
In front of him was a new drawing.
The paper was covered in vast sars of black, as if the entire sheet had been dunked into an ink pool, soaked through by the ink.
Amidst the chaotic lines, he could faintly make out a partially-opened door, behind which sothing seed to be peering out.
That thing had the body of a human but the head of a rat.
"Could this be the legendary Ratman from the sewers?" Xu Yi frowned as he examined the drawing.
He had thought this would be a simple exorcism, as the cold sensation on Chen Lin's body wasn't strong.
It began quite smoothly, with the Ethereal Fla dispersing the evil energy within his body.
But to his surprise, barely ten seconds had passed before the evil energy ca rolling back, invading Chen Lin's body once again.
Xu Yi knew well that such a feat was beyond the abilities of a common Evil Spirit.
Moreover, he caught a familiar scent – the stench reminiscent of a sewer.
"Boss, you have a phone call, it's from your father!" Ailent entered after knocking, interrupting Xu Yi's contemplation.
Why would Dad be calling at this ti? He was a bit curious.
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