Preparation

Before the operation.

Gathering intelligence was a very important step.

Through the developed internet, Brian collected some useful information from public platforms.

The leader of Team A's First Squad in the NW Department was named Vadim O'Sullivan.

Brian did not know this man.

On the official website, there were only some basic details about his career history.

But through the man's surname, Brian still dug up some extra information.

The O'Sullivan Family had been among the earliest powers to settle in Los Angeles. At first, they had made their fortune in the mining industry, though they had not been especially prominent. Only after arriving in Los Angeles had they chosen to enter the maritime shipping field. They had not expected Los Angeles to develop so quickly afterward, and gradually, they had put down roots there.

Overall, this was another second-generation heir.

The only thing that made him different from Susan was that Vadim had originally been a captain in the detective bureau.

So after the NW Department was established, Vadim naturally became a squad leader in Team A.

Among the NW Department's front-line staff, Team A and Team B had the same law-enforcement authority.

The biggest difference

was that the members of Team A had originally been outstanding professionals in the field.

After passing the qualification review, they could transfer directly into their new posts without needing to undergo a probation assessment.

The members of Team A's First Squad in the NW Department were all experienced detectives, forensic doctors, and some support personnel. Internally, they were divided into three smaller teams, with as many as seventeen members, mainly responsible for homicide cases in the canyon precinct's jurisdiction.

Originally, they had eighteen members.

Unfortunately, Brian had taken one out.

This was also the first time Brian learned the name of the detective he had returned to nature: Galan.

Galan and Karen were both members of the third small team under Team A's First Squad.

Brian was certain

that before this, he had not known either of them, nor had there been any conflict of interest between them.

If Agent Galan had wanted to investigate a case and convict him, there would have been no need for him to come alone, much less deliberately choose a suburban cemetery late at night.

That meant

the man had not come looking for him to enforce the law, but for some other purpose!

But none of that mattered anymore.

He would soon know the reason.

Brian silently lit a cigarette.

When he had the ability to, he did not like letting trouble sit overnight.

Next, Brian began following Karen.

No tailing. No face-to-face contact.

Brian simply stayed several hundred meters away and used binoculars to observe what time Karen went home each day.

This process lasted three days.

Three days later, using Super-Calculation Perception, Brian, who had already informed his foster parents in advance, skillfully made use of a reckless street-racing punk and got into a "car accident."

At the hospital.

"Man, I've gotta say, you really are unlucky."

Ivan looked at Brian, whose left leg was fixed in place by medical equipment, sympathy showing on his face.

They had already checked.

The kid who hit Brian had driven his motorcycle straight onto the sidewalk and knocked Brian over while he was walking. It had not been a deliberate attack.

This was just an unlucky traffic accident.

At the side, Glenn, whose face looked much paler than before, rolled his eyes and looked toward Susan, who was examining an X-ray. "Boss, Brian is an indispensable member of our squad. Since he has trouble moving now, shouldn't our squad extend our vacation?"

"It can't be extended."

Susan shook her head.

"The office should be ready in about three or four days.

"We've already been reorganizing for a long time.

"Lately, homicide cases in Los Angeles have been happening one after another.

"The squads in Team A are almost too busy to keep up."

Brian bit into the fruit his colleagues had brought him, his expression relaxed.

"Guys, don't worry.

"I asked the doctor.

"I may have trouble moving around right now, but normal medical examiner work shouldn't be a problem.

"It's just inconvenient for me to go out into the field.

"If you recruit me an assistant familiar with homicide-scene investigation, it shouldn't affect the work coming up."

At that, the look on Susan's face eased a lot.

She chuckled. "I've already found one. He's a veteran employee from the medical examiner's office, and he used to work on the front line at the detective bureau. He's very experienced. Brian, weren't you a medical examiner's assistant at the medical examiner's office before? Maybe you know him."

"Maybe."

Brian didn't take it seriously.

There were only a few hundred people in the medical examiner's office altogether, men and women included, and he basically recognized all their faces.

After a bit of small talk, the others left one after another.

But Brian stopped Susan.

"What is it?" Susan was a little puzzled. "Brian, I still have a lot to deal with. I really have to thank Old Harden. Without his help, I'd have doubted whether I could have held out these past few days."

An apologetic look appeared on Brian's face.

"Team leader, there's something I'd like to ask your help with.

"It's like this.

"After I came back last time, I sent a message to my uncle.

"But I never got a reply, and I can't get in touch with some members of the Camo Family either.

"I'm feeling a little unsafe right now."

"That is a problem."

Susan bit her lip and thought for a moment before saying with some difficulty, "Your uncle is the target of those people from the Hunting Team. If I investigate his situation and cause a misunderstanding with the Hunting Team, it'll be very troublesome. If you're worried about your own safety, you can come stay at my place."

Hm?

The Hunting Team?

Brian silently committed the name to memory.

As for Susan's words, he had been a little disappointed when he heard the first part, but when he heard the latter part, his eyes lit up.

But then he thought about what he was going to do next, and glanced again at the two big revolvers at Susan's waist.

The heat that had just risen in his heart instantly went out.

Brian refused. "Forget it, team leader. Go deal with your work."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure!"

"All right. Call me if anything happens."

Susan really was busy right now. She didn't waste any more time and left the hospital right away.

The main reason was that she didn't believe Brian's uncle still had any chance to hurt Brian.

She knew some things, but it wasn't convenient to tell Brian.

Brian only had a fracture in his left leg, so naturally he didn't need to stay in the hospital.

Once his condition stabilized, a hospital caregiver pushed him in a wheelchair and sent him back to his apartment.

It came with a pair of crutches too.

That thing had a market price of about twenty-something dollars.

The hospital charged him a full two hundred-plus dollars for it, and there was no haggling, or he wouldn't be able to get reimbursed for the medical expenses later.

Late at night.

The night was deep and silent.

Brian climbed out of bed. Without turning on the light, he began removing the brace from his leg.

On the grounds of keeping it clean, he had refused the suggestion to put it in a cast.

Because that thing could not be removed intact.

He felt the stabbing pain coming from his leg.

Something stirred in Brian's heart.

The gift energy he had stored turned into a warm current, appearing at the site of his wound and rapidly healing it.

Brian had tested it once before with his thumb.

This time, controlling it came easily.

Under his precise control, the cracks in the damaged bones of his left leg slowly began to mend.

Only when it no longer affected basic movement did Brian stop supplying the warm current.

He did not fully repair the cracks in the bone.

That was because afterward, he still had to break his leg again.

With the cracks still there, it would be easier to avoid affecting the results of the X-ray.

When he finished his work, it was already around nine at night.

Based on Brian's observations over the past few days, Karen lived by a very regular schedule.

After work, he would go to a small tavern near his home, drink for a while, then return home before nine and go to sleep.

He was a disciplined man.

Brian liked disciplined people.

It reduced the chance of too many unexpected variables during his operation.

Avoiding the surveillance cameras, Brian left the apartment.

He came to a shabby used car he had prepared long ago, loaded with a carful of tools, and disappeared into the night.

After each obsession was completed, the basic enhancement gift obtained would be quantified as soon as possible, so the brothers could get an intuitive sense of it.