Dragons Have Scales

If it were the ETO trying to achieve this, it would be very difficult. Frederick Taylor was, after all, the former US Secretary of Defense. With the American institutions in place, even with Sophon's assistance providing a full map of information, successfully assassinating Frederick Taylor wouldn't be an easy feat. At the very least, it wouldn't be any less difficult than assassinating Lin Feng.

However, if it were someone from within the United States doing this, the situation would be entirely different.

Everyone would be from the same country, internal personnel within the same system, not an "external enemy" like the ETO. Any problems wouldn't damage America's reputation, as it would be considered an internal affair.

"After Old Taylor dies, who will become the Wallfacer?"

Someone asked this question, and everyone in the meeting's eyes lit up. Who wouldn't want the power of a Wallfacer?

America used to have a separation of powers among three branches, but now, including the Wallfacer, it's four branches.

Furthermore, in a political sense, it transcends the three branches.

While the President has executive power, their term is short.

Although the Chief Justice has judicial power and serves for life, they are also bound by law.

The House of Representatives has legislative power, but it's comprised of many members, and the representatives are elected by vote. Absolute control is fundamentally impossible; with that capability, they could directly conquer America by force.

But the Wallfacer has none of these limitations, serves for life, and possesses rights that span across all domains.

A single phrase, "This is part of the plan," can override all criticism and result in near-dictatorial power.

Tell me, who wouldn't want such power?

While having dinner with his father, Lin Feng's expression was normal, but Taylor, who knew his son well, still noticed something amiss.

"It seems work isn't going too smoothly."

Lin Feng shook his head. "No, I'm just a bit tired."

"I'm sorry, I can't offer much advice on that because I'm a workaholic who doesn't know how to rest." He paused, looking at Lin Feng with concern. "...Feng, if you really can't take it anymore, just give up. There are many people in humanity, and many smarter than you."

Frederick Taylor thought Lin Feng was troubled by matters concerning the Three-Body, but what truly made Lin Feng's mood sour wasn't the Three-Body, but humanity.

Lin Feng forced a smile. "Dad, you should have a little more faith in me. Right now, I'm second only to Luo Ji, the person the ETO desperately wants to kill."

Lin Feng knew everything from Liang Gong. Sophon's intelligence was comprehensive, so Lin Feng understood the entire context of the information Liang Gong conveyed.

It was precisely because he understood that he was so enraged.

He was thinking about how to alleviate the crisis of the Great Depression for all of humanity, how to help the human informants within the ETO put their plan into practice.

That's right, he hadn't considered the Wallfacer Plan, but so what if he hadn't? Even if he hadn't succeeded, he had at least put in the effort, right?

They were criticizing him as useless and thinking of killing his father to seize his power?

Why did Lin Feng risk his life to become a Wallfacer? Wasn't it so that Taylor, his father in this life, could live peacefully?

Family was Lin Feng's soft spot! Anyone who touched it would die!

He hadn't exploded yet only because he was considering Liang Gong and thinking about how to make his "discovery" more logical and undetectable by the ETO.

"Where are you going?" Taylor asked.

"I've eaten, I want to go for a walk."

Lin Feng walked out, looking around, his gaze falling on a house.

He called over a CIA agent and pointed at the house.

"What's going on with that house? Why are the curtains drawn?"

"It's already nighttime, isn't it normal for the curtains to be drawn?" the CIA agent replied.

"Normal?"

"Uh..."

Lin Feng's gaze met the CIA agent's, making the agent feel uncomfortable, as if he had been completely exposed.

"My experience tells me there's ETO hiding in that house. They likely received news of my departure from the residence and are lying in wait there to assassinate me," Lin Feng stated confidently.

"That's impossible..."

Lin Feng shook his head and smiled confidently. "Haven't you read detective novels? The more you think something is impossible, the closer you are to the truth, because reality is far more magical than fiction."

"..."

The CIA agent opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

"Take a team and search the people in that house," Lin Feng said.

"Understood."

An hour later, the CIA agent returned with his team.

"Report, there's nothing unusual. The residents of the house simply have a habit of sleeping early due to their work schedules."

"Is that so? Then it seems I was just overly anxious."

Lin Feng showed no reaction, merely nodding calmly.

Inside the house Lin Feng had designated for searching, two individuals were using surveillance equipment to monitor Frederick Taylor's residence. One of them held a walkie-talkie.

A voice came from the walkie-talkie.

"How's the situation?"

"Everything's normal. Our people covered it up, and Taylor didn't suspect anything."

"Good."

After the call ended, one of the surveillance operatives asked his partner, full of doubt.

"Taylor actually discovered us. Who taught him his counter-surveillance skills? He hasn't had any professional training."

The other person, diligently cleaning equipment parts, answered his partner's question.

"Who knows? Maybe he's naturally sharp. I've met people like that during missions before."

"Our Wallfacer won't stay there long. Once Taylor leaves, we'll make our move."

"We have to be quick. No witnesses, no evidence left behind. Frederick Taylor must die as a victim of gang retaliation."

"If we can't do it, we'll be the ones to die."

Time passed to the next day. Everything was as usual. The surveillance operatives continued to monitor Frederick Taylor's residence until noon.

Ding dong!

The doorbell rang, and someone called out from outside.

"Hello, I'm delivering pizza. Your takeout is here."

One of the surveillance operatives stood up. "My takeout's finally here."

"Watch this for me."

After handing over his current task to his partner, he went downstairs.

The surveillance operative didn't open the door. Instead, he opened the mail slot on the door, letting the delivery person hand the pizza through.

Unfortunately, this didn't help.

After the surveillance operative got the pizza, a cold gun barrel was pressed against the back of his head, and another gun was shoved directly into his mouth, forcing him to clearly understand what would happen if he tried to alert his partner.

Besides these two guns, there were several others, their muzzles chillingly pointed at his vital spots. To save his life, the surveillance operative had no choice.

The pizza delivery was just a distraction. The real attack came from a cut-out opening made in the sealed window, allowing a stealth team to infiltrate.

The surveillance operative was drugged and knocked unconscious. The leader of the assault team gestured his intent.

"The Wallfacer instructed us to capture him alive if possible."

Everyone nodded and cautiously moved upstairs.

The surveillance operative upstairs knew nothing. Because he was responsible for surveillance, his vision and focus were directed towards Frederick Taylor's residence.

"Claude, we have a situation. Taylor seems to be heading back. We need to act now, time waits for no one."

As soon as he finished speaking, the surveillance operative felt something cold pressed against his forehead.

"I'm afraid, sir, you can't act."

"You... who are you?"

The surveillance operative finally reacted, but it was too late. Faced with so many guns, any resistance would get him riddled with bullets.

"We are the FBI. We hope you can cooperate with our investigation into the ETO."

The team leader, with his stubbled face, managed a smile.

Lin Feng's motorcade was intercepted by police cars halfway back to his mansion.

However, standing in front of the police cars were not police officers.

"Who are you people?"

CIA agents, guns in hand, got out of their vehicles, ready for combat.

"We are the FBI. Here are our credentials."

One of the FBI agents stepped forward and presented his ID.

"We received a distress call from a Wallfacer. There are ETO elements hidden within the CIA."

Upon hearing the FBI agent mention a Wallfacer, the CIA agent looked back at Lin Feng in surprise.

At that moment, Lin Feng had just gotten out of his car.

"Put your guns down." Lin Feng's gaze fell on the CIA agent he had sent to investigate the house yesterday. He continued, "I said put your guns down. This is part of the plan. Besides the FBI, I've also notified the nearby stationed military. Your resistance is just suicide. Thomas, you'll even make your families bear the stigma of the ETO. You need to think carefully."

Lin Feng's cold gaze swept over each CIA agent. As the first CIA agent lowered his weapon, more and more CIA agents chose to surrender.

Among the CIA agents, only a small group led by Thomas had chosen to betray Lin Feng. Most CIA agents hadn't done anything and therefore weren't afraid of being investigated.

The CIA agents all disarmed. The scene of a desperate struggle did not occur, as no one could move faster than bullets, and many snipers had been positioned.

Lin Feng, sitting in the FBI car, let out a long sigh.

Damn it, my palms were sweating from nervousness...

After calming down, Lin Feng gave the FBI new orders.

"Investigate. I want to know just how deep the ETO's corruption in America runs, and whether it's still worth trusting."

"Damn it!"

A fat man inside the White House, his face pale, threw the phone aside.

He rushed to the parking lot and drove home.

As soon as he got home, he frantically started packing his luggage, calling his child at the same time.

"Son, we need to leave."

"Where are we going?" the little boy, who was watching TV, asked confusedly.

"To China."

The fat man was frantically packing his luggage, but his movements froze at the sound of a voice.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Vice President, you can't go anywhere."

A person walked out from the kitchen.

It was an FBI agent!