The black sedan drove down Fifth Avenue. Pinpricks of light had already lit up both banks of the East River, while skyscrapers rose along the river like spears stabbing into the sky.
This was Manhattan's Upper East Side, the residential district most favored by New York's wealthy and famous. Known to outsiders as the "Gold Coast," it was where many members of the social elite liked to buy property to display their considerable wealth and refined taste.
The military treated its senior officers exceptionally well, and General Ross came from a prominent Northern family, so money was naturally never a concern for him. Ordinary people might have to work hard for decades to afford a home in Manhattan's exorbitantly expensive Upper East Side, but for a military heavyweight, it was no more than a casual wave of the hand.
This iron-blooded general, known as "Thunderbolt" within the Department of Defense for his hardline methods, had been born into a traditional military family. Both his father and grandfather had fought in United States wars and distinguished themselves bravely. In his youth, he had graduated first in his class from West Point Military Academy, then married a commander's daughter and swiftly rose to the rank of captain. His climb through the ranks had been as unbelievable as a rocket's ascent.
By the time Ross took part in his first war, he had already become one of the youngest majors of his day. As a leader in battle, he earned immense prestige. His fearless habit of leading from the front also silenced all criticism and rumors. Throughout his long military career, his outstanding achievements and tough attitude won him the favor of the Department of Defense's hawkish generals, and he rose rapidly until he reached the lofty rank of general.
The black sedan