Military Power

Around noon, which should strictly be considered the afternoon, Ferral drove up to pick up Lin Qi.

Lin Qi spoke with him on the phone in the morning about some issues related to the rapid deterioration of security in Sabine City, as well as his concerns. Ferral said he could help Lin Qi resolve these minor issues and that he would pick Lin Qi up in the afternoon.

Sitting in Ferral's car, Ferral spoke as he drove, "You'd better not drive that car out for a while. To be honest, the situation is developing faster than we expected."

That's the allure of wealth. The mayor would never tell Lin Qi that the situation was spiraling out of control; he would only appear calm and composed, as if everything was under control. As for anything else, it was simply impossible.

Ferral was different; he was loyal to his work and a person with professional ethics.

He took Lin Qi's money and wanted to keep taking it, so he had to advise Lin Qi and tell him things he knew that Lin Qi didn't.

The situation developed faster than the ruling group in Sabine City had anticipated. The mayor and Ferral believed that it would be after the New Year that these people, who were suffering from poverty, would be more likely to attempt to storm financial institutions.

They might storm Federal Government offices around March or April of next year.

Before this, they weren't starving; the city's ample Food Stamps at least kept them from worrying about hunger. If they simply lacked money, this situation shouldn't have occurred.

But reality slapped them in the face without hesitation, making them realize the harshness of reality.

"Last night a small gang attacked the bank but was repelled. The Police Chief and the head of the Bureau of Investigation believe they set a bad precedent, and more violent robberies may follow."

"Your car is too conspicuous and will easily attract attention. I suggest you buy a used car and renovate it."

Just then, the light turned red, Ferral took his foot off the accelerator. He turned to look at Lin Qi and said, "You can decorate the interior of the car very luxuriously, and that won't affect your enjoyment. People won't pay much attention to you because it doesn't look valuable on the outside."

As the two were talking, a gunshot suddenly rang out from the street. Immediately afterward, the crowd scattered and ran away. In the blink of an eye, there were hardly any people left on that stretch of road.

A man wearing a hat, glasses, and a jacket, who was completely concealed, was forcefully tearing at the bag in the hand of a man lying on the ground. Two patrol officers were further away, but they obviously did not intervene at the scene immediately.

When the robber pointed his gun at the man on the ground again, the passerby, facing the fear of death, let go of his hands, and the robber grabbed the bag and rushed into the alleyway.

Two patrol officers then ran over to check on the injured person's condition and called the police for backup.

Because of the police presence, some people reappeared on the street, and some of them, quite boldly, went over to watch. Order seemed to have been restored to some extent.

"Uh..." Ferral felt he had to explain something, but everything happened too fast. From the sound of the gunshot until now, it had actually been less than twenty seconds, maybe only about fifteen seconds. His own mind hadn't fully processed it yet.

"Maybe the police didn't realize what was happening..." He found an excuse in his own way for the police to witness the crime but do nothing.

Lin Qi looked at him, and he looked at Lin Qi, but gradually looked away under Lin Qi's calm gaze. He loosened his grip on the steering wheel and raised his hand, "Okay, actually, this issue..."

The sound of a horn blaring as the car pulled back interrupted him, and Ferral continued explaining the situation all the way.

Since the sudden incident last night, seven people in the Police Station have submitted their resignations this morning, and several others are considering doing so.

These police officers are very cunning, or you could say clever. Anyway, being a police officer is a tough job, and they don't worry about not being able to come back to work after things calm down.

The city is too dangerous now. There have been cases of armed attacks on financial institutions. I'm afraid it won't be long before more terrible things happen.

As police officers, they will be facing these terrifying criminals, who are not the kind of cowards on TV who run around in terror like rats at the sight of the police.

Some of them have more shooting experience than the police. Indeed, some are willing to risk their lives to uphold justice, but most are ordinary people who are unwilling to be buried in the ground with the National flag over their heads for a monthly salary of three hundred yuan.

Therefore, the Police Chief allowed them to temporarily evade armed criminal activity in exchange for the police continuing to maintain stable public order.

As they spoke, the car gradually slowed down. They had left the city center and the area looked somewhat dilapidated.

There was a semi-cylindrical building by the roadside, like this "⌒". In front of the building was a large open space with some fitness equipment. After parking the car by the roadside, Lin Qi noticed that there was actually a sign here - "Sabine City Military Club".

As the two walked inside, Ferral said, "Although we maintain neutrality, we still have a sound military system to prevent certain countries from launching undeclared wars."

"Every year, a large number of veterans return to society, and this is where the veterans of Sabine City are most concentrated. It just so happens that my wife's father is also a veteran..."

Ferral opened the building door for Lin Qi. As soon as he entered, he saw two soldiers sitting at the front desk. Ferral gave his name and explained his purpose. Soon after, an elderly man with silver hair came out to greet him with a smile.

The old soldier was Ferral's Wife's Father. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lin Qi and his wife went to the back of the building, which looked like a military camp.

"We have maintained some aspects of the military's appearance as much as possible, which allows the children who return from the military to better reintegrate into society."

Some studies suggest that soldiers who have spent a long time in the military often find it difficult to adapt to life in ordinary society after their discharge.

It's important to understand that during their time living and working in the military, they learned techniques related to killing, and they always maintained high morale and were ready to go into battle at any time.

This clashes with a peaceful and harmonious life, and many people develop psychological problems due to this stark contrast, ultimately leading to certain tragedies.

The Military Club is an organization established by the Ministry of Department of Defense to help soldiers reintegrate into society.

Introduced by the old soldier, the three arrived at a barracks. As soon as they entered, the soldiers who were sitting or lying down immediately stood up in front of their beds, just like they did in the army.

Ferral's Wife's Father smiled proudly and looked at Lin Qi, asking, "How are my Young Men?"

This is the solution Ferral sought for him—veterans.

"These young men were all discharged in May and haven't had much contact with society yet. They were all great guys in the army," Ferral explained to Lin Qi, meaning that they weren't anyone's agents and there was no need to worry about their loyalty.

Lin Qi nodded, his gaze sweeping over the faces of these young people before finally deciding to come down.

"They all have Gun License, right..."

Before Ferral could say anything, his wife's father spoke up, "You don't need to worry about these things, there will definitely be something."

Lin Qi looked at him, then at Ferral, and the matter was now completely settled.

Lin Qi's statement also relieved his father-in-law, as veterans' pensions and living arrangements have always been handled by the Veterans Affairs Office in various regions.

In the past, these things were easy to do. All it took was a letter of introduction, and factory owners were happy to take in these obedient veterans. They were more compliant with factory rules and regulations than ordinary people, and were also easier to manage.

But the situation is already terrible. Even veterans' factories don't want them anymore. The veterans who returned to Sabine City this year have not yet received a secure job. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense, the Veterans Affairs Office, and local Military Club realize that if they are allowed to roam the community, the worst-case scenario is likely to occur.

They may be lured by criminals, or driven by poverty or other reasons to commit crimes using their professional military skills. In that case, the police will not be facing armed thugs, but well-trained killing machines.

So after a very brief agreement, the Military Club also began to mobilize its resources to solve the living problems of these young people.

The Department of Defense will provide direct funding to Military Club across the country until the current situation is lifted.

While Lin Qi and Ferral's Wife's Father were signing the agreement in the office, the Young Men were already fully prepared, packing their belongings like soldiers, waiting for Lin Qi.

They were curious about Lin Qi because Lin Qi was younger than all of them, which made them feel that they shouldn't have a hard time getting along with this boss, and they were also full of expectations for the future.

When Lin Qi came out of the office and shook hands with Ferral's Wife's Father in front of the soldiers, the young men were completely relieved.

When the highest -Sergeant sergeant among them was about to say something, he suddenly realized that he didn't know how to communicate with Lin Qi, leaving him momentarily stunned and his mind blank...