Ethan Brooks shook his head and left home. In fact, he had wanted to tell his old man many times to just wash his hands of it all, but he also knew his father would never listen. Every day, his father worried about his son's future, about what would happen after he died, so he worked hard to make money, even if people called him a swindler, an old rascal.

Ethan Brooks had heard his father cry in his sleep more than once, and heard his father talk in his dreams: “Black and White Impermanence, can you give me a little more time? I still want to find some more money for my son, I’m worried…”

“Death, I don’t want to go, I want to spend more time with my son. If I leave, he’ll truly be all alone in this world.”

“Son, I’m sorry, it’s your father who’s useless…”

A sudden phone call interrupted Ethan Brooks’s thoughts. The call was from Ethan Bruce, who was “sealed” on the toilet.

“Kid, since you’re already out, remember to stop by Dr. Chang’s place. That Shaolin dropout’s elixir you took is too strong. Dr. Chang is a skilled physician—ask him if he has any good medicine for diarrhea.”

“Got it…”

Before Ethan Brooks could finish his reply, he was startled by a high-end GMC nanny van that stopped right in front of him.

The person standing next to the van was also dressed in black, but didn’t have the same imposing presence as the two black-clad men who had come to buy the jade a few days ago. This man, in his twenties, looked quite refined and scholarly.

“Excuse me, are you the esteemed disciple of Master Chiyangzi, Daniel Young?” the man in black stepped forward and said politely, “I’m the special assistant to President Xiao. I heard from the master that you’ll be presiding over the ritual today?”

Ethan Brooks looked down at the Taoist robe he’d bought on Taobao for 9.9 yuan with free shipping, shrugged to indicate that it was indeed him, and grumbled inwardly: After being exposed last time, didn’t they say we wouldn’t use the name Daniel Young anymore? Why is it back again?

Chapter 14: Your National Fortune Bureau, My Dragon Group

The GMC’s door slowly opened, and after Ethan Brooks got in, it closed behind him. The young man, as President Xiao’s special assistant, sat quietly across from him, wearing a polite smile.

However, Ethan Brooks could sense that behind that polite smile was a cold mockery. He could feel that this man, likely a graduate of a prestigious university, looked down on a street “psychological therapist” like him.

The two sat in silence. The car didn’t drive for long before bringing them to the city’s only downtown villa community—Jiuwu Garden.

Ethan Brooks sighed and shook his head. His old man was right: the richer people are, the more they believe in these supernatural things…

Ethan Brooks was about to mock them a bit more in his heart, but suddenly remembered the scene he’d witnessed a few days ago of a rat spirit battling a fox spirit, and his beautiful class president. Instantly, he lost the urge to mock.

‘Maybe there really are mysterious forces in this world, it’s just that ordinary people can’t access them, so they think they don’t exist?’ Ethan Brooks consoled himself, and followed the assistant into a detached villa.

The space inside the villa far exceeded Ethan Brooks’s expectations. The three-story, high-ceilinged building made him feel like he’d entered a church.

The owners of the villa were a couple in their early thirties. The man was about 1.8 meters tall, with features that exuded an elite aura. The woman beside him could only be described as beautiful—the kind of beauty that strikes you at first glance.

Besides the owners, there was also an old man in the room, who looked to be about sixty. He was slightly thin, and his crisp suit made him look like a high-ranking figure.

“Are you Master Daniel Young?” President Xiao, the 1.8-meter-tall man, hurried over to Ethan Brooks with an anxious face. “You know about my son’s situation, right?”

Ethan Brooks knew it was time for his performance. He cupped his fists and said, “My master mentioned it. Even before I entered, I could sense a faint trace of demonic energy in your home…”

The lady of the house immediately looked anxious and cast a resentful glance at her husband. Although President Xiao’s eyes showed some doubt, anxiety was also evident. Only the old man’s face flashed with a hint of mockery.

Ethan Brooks quickly scanned everyone’s reactions in the room—this was a work skill his father had taught him: you must quickly grasp people’s mindsets through their expressions.

“This gentleman…” Ethan Brooks raised his hand and pointed at the old man, waiting for President Xiao’s introduction.

“Oh, this gentleman is Mr. Old Lee from the National Fortune Bureau,” President Xiao quickly introduced. “Mr. Old Lee happened to be passing through our city. When he heard about my family’s situation, he came to take a look. If we weren’t waiting for the master, we would have had Mr. Old Lee see my son first.”

National Fortune Bureau? Ethan Brooks immediately felt like he’d run into a nemesis. No wonder, even though it was his first time meeting this old man, he felt a sense of familiarity. Last night, while his father was squatting in the bathroom, he’d described what the old men from the National Fortune Bureau looked like—it must be this person.

“Mr. Old Lee, may I ask which department you serve in at the National Fortune Bureau?” Ethan Brooks used the exact words his father had said he’d use if he ever met the old man again, and now Ethan Brooks put them to use.

Old Lee was a bit surprised by Ethan Brooks’s calm reaction. When he arrived, he already knew he’d be meeting another swindler today, and that it was the disciple of Chiyangzi, the street swindler he’d encountered yesterday. He’d thought this one wouldn’t be as tricky as Chiyangzi himself.