"Verification" Across the Pacific

The cabin was almost completely silent. Not truly silent—the engines of the giant business jet roared steadily and deeply below, like the breath of a behemoth in the depths of a distant ocean.

The air circulation system emits a faint hissing sound, maintaining a pleasant temperature and humidity. But all these sounds are absorbed and diluted by the extremely luxurious soundproofing materials and the excessively spacious and quiet space inside the cabin, ultimately turning into a layer of blurred background white noise, which makes the cabin even more tranquil.

Lin Feng sat alone in a large leather seat in the main cabin that could be fully reclined into a bed. The window shade was half-open, revealing an unchanging, breathtakingly deep indigo sky above, with an endless sea of clouds edged with a dark gold by the setting sun. They had crossed the International Date Line and were smoothly heading towards the west coast of North America. Time here lost its definite reference point; only the distance kept shrinking.

In the rest area a little further away, Lü Yi, wearing an eye mask and noise-canceling headphones, had already drifted off to sleep, even emitting soft snores. For him, this was just a long trip; the destination might be somewhat special, but the essence remained the same.

The entire cabin felt like an isolated island floating in the stratosphere, temporarily cut off from the unknown and stormy world below.

Lin Feng didn't sleep. His eyes were closed, but his mind was unusually clear. Physical exhaustion was replaced by a deeper, more spiritual excitement and caution. He was about to set foot on entirely new land, a battlefield with rules, culture, and power structures vastly different from his homeland. Here, many of his past experiences needed to be recalibrated, and many relationships needed to be rebuilt from scratch. Kong Xiang's crisis and the ripples stirred up by the "Kill Line" were just the tip of the iceberg; beneath the surface lay a much larger and more complex Undercurrent.

He needed a fulcrum, a solid fulcrum that would allow him to gain a foothold in this unfamiliar land and leverage resources. The remotely deployed "Blood Spear" was a sharp spear, and the Golden Sun's infiltrative network was a hidden eye, but what he lacked was a "pillar"—something that could operate freely both in the light and in the shadows, within and outside the rules, and deeply rooted within the power structure of this land.

He vaguely sensed that this "pillar" needed a direct gift from the "system"—a "suicide squad" that resonated with this place and was deeply intertwined with its rules.

He had long suspected the patterns of the "system's" summoning. From Wei Guanglin and Zhou Wenyuan corresponding to the officialdom and laws of S City, to Liu Zhenjun corresponding to personal safety, to K corresponding to cutting-edge technology in transnational gray areas, and Kong Xiang corresponding to overseas perspectives and entry into specific fields... Each summoning seemed random, but upon closer examination, they all seemed to coincide with his most pressing needs at the time, or the background of the stage where the action was about to unfold. This "fit" was not a precise correspondence, but a vague, biased "region" and "domain" adaptation.

So, when he himself arrives in North America, when his consciousness and strategic focus are clearly and unequivocally directed towards this land, how will the "system" respond?

He needed to verify it. And now, being in the airspace on the edge of the North America continent, was the perfect time for verification.

Without hesitation, Lin Feng slowly adjusted his breathing, calming his thoughts, like a diver plunging into the deep sea, actively exploring that mysterious and unknowable space deep within his consciousness. There were no incantations, no rituals, only a pure concentration of will and a "request."

The moment the thought touched upon it, a familiar, indescribable sensation surged forth like a tide. Unlike any other time, this "tide" was mixed with more unfamiliar "frequency"—fragmented streams of English information, silhouettes of cityscapes distinct from those in the East, thought fragments bearing a certain cultural imprint, and even the faint sounds of sirens, the echoes of courtroom debates, and glimpses of street graffiti... It was as if the "system" was rapidly scanning, filtering, and matching countless possibilities related to keywords such as "North America," "Seattle," "power structure," "law enforcement," and "order."

Information surged, swirled, and coalesced... Finally, like cosmic dust gathering into a star, a clear outline of "existence" gradually took shape and stabilized in Lin Feng's consciousness.

Summoning successful.

Almost simultaneously, a massive amount of information flooded into Lin Feng's consciousness like a burst dam.

Name: Jonathan Lee

Age: 48

Position: Deputy Chief of Police, Seattle Police Department (SPD)

Background Overview:

Background and Education: A second-generation Chinese immigrant, with parents from Taiwan, who grew up in a middle-class community in Los Angeles. Graduated from the University of California, Berkeley a degree in Criminal Justice, and later earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. A typical elite resume.

Career path: After graduation, he joined the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) as a patrol officer. Due to his outstanding performance, high crime-solving rate, and ability to handle community relations (especially in the Asian community), he was quickly promoted. Twelve years ago, he was transferred to the Seattle Police Department (SPD), where he served as Lieutenant and Captain. Three years ago, he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner.

Scope of Responsibilities: As Deputy Commissioner, he is a core member of the Seattle Police Department's management team, overseeing the Patrol Operations Bureau and the Special Operations Bureau. This means he directly controls the vast majority of daily police deployments, emergency response, and elite units such as SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics Force), K9 (police dogs), and helicopter support on Seattle streets of Seattle. He is recognized within the department as a powerful and decisive "action-oriented" leader.

Power Niche: The highest position in the Seattle Police Department is the Chief of Police, appointed by the mayor. Appointments are typically based more on political considerations than policing experience. The Chief is primarily responsible for overall strategy, budget, public relations, and coordination with the city council and state government, and is considered both a "civilian symbol" and a "political representative."

Below the chief is a superintendent (who also serves as deputy chief), who is primarily responsible for internal administration, logistics, and training.

Jonathan Lee, the Deputy Chief, is nominally the third-ranking officer, but in reality, because his department is the "gun barrel" and "face" of the police department, and is the front-line command core for dealing with street crime, maintaining daily order, and handling major emergencies, his actual power and influence within the department are regarded as the undisputed second-in-command, and even the de facto highest decision-maker for many specific police operations.

Personality and Circumstances: Exceptionally capable, decisive and efficient, values evidence and results, and enjoys high prestige among grassroots police officers and pragmatic middle-level officers.

However, due to his Chinese heritage and his overly upright and politically inept style, he repeatedly encountered setbacks when trying to be promoted to bureau chief or higher positions, facing an invisible "bamboo glass ceiling."

He felt deeply dissatisfied and weary of the empty rhetoric of some of his politician colleagues, the city council's unrealistic "politically correct" directives, and the practice of certain ethnic groups enjoying police protection while frequently resorting to "racial discrimination" complaints to exert pressure. He harbored a strong desire for change, but was powerless to break the deadlock due to the system.

Current status: Currently experiencing a career plateau and psychological burnout, feeling disappointed with the existing system and unable to see a way out. There is a strong underlying impulse to "get things done" and "break the deadlock," as well as a subconscious expectation of a "wise leader" who shares his beliefs and can empower him to break free from constraints.

The message was received. Lin Feng kept his eyes closed, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve upwards into a subtle, yet undeniably genuine, arc.

Verification... Successful!

It wasn't just a success; it was an extraordinary return.

Jonathan Lee, Deputy Superintendent of the Seattle Police Department, is the de facto second-in-command, in charge of the most core operations department. What does this mean? It means that before his feet even set foot on United States soil, he had already driven a perfectly positioned and powerful mole into the law enforcement system that represents the core of violence and the bottom line of order in this city! He is not just an intelligence source, but a fulcrum that can operate flexibly within the rules, provide crucial protection, and even directly mobilize the state's violent machinery!

His previous guess was entirely correct. The "system's" summons was by no means entirely random. It had a deep, yet not fully understood, connection to his own circumstances, needs, and even his geographical location. Being in North America, paying attention to North America, and needing the power of North America —therefore, the "system" responded to this need and gave him Jonathan Lee.

This is more than just a successful summoning. It's a strategic confirmation, a significant expansion of future action models. As long as he is in a certain location, focusing his will and resources there, the "system" can potentially summon key figures deeply intertwined with the power structure of that location! This will completely change his passive acceptance of summons, granting him unprecedented proactive strategic planning capabilities!

A surge of elation coursed through Lin Feng's spine like an electric current, but he quickly suppressed it with his strong self-control. Calm down, he had to stay calm. Jonathan's arrival was a huge advantage, but how to use this sharp "official knife" required the most meticulous calculation. His identity was too sensitive, his position too crucial; he could not be easily exposed, much less used to satisfy momentary impulses or resolve low-level conflicts. He was a strategic pawn, and he had to be placed in the most lethal position at the most critical moment.

The plane began its descent, its altitude decreasing. Outside the window, the clouds grew thicker, and the winding coastline and the twinkling lights of the city clusters below were faintly visible. Seattle, almost there.

Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes, a sharp and satisfied glint flashing in his deep gaze. The slight uncertainty and caution he had felt earlier had been replaced by a clear and confident sense of control.

"Lü Yi, wake up, prepare for landing," he said calmly.

Lü Yi groggily took off his blindfold, rubbed his eyes, looked at the city lights gradually enlarging outside the window, and muttered, "We're here? So fast?" He stretched, then his face lit up with an eager expression, seemingly full of anticipation for the "adventure" to come.

Lin Feng ignored Lü Yi's excitement. His gaze pierced through the porthole, as if he could already see the depths of the city shrouded in rain and mist, the complex and intertwined network of power, and the crucial piece he had just quietly placed, a piece that was enough to stir up the entire game...

The plane broke through the clouds, and a slight turbulence was felt. The lights below became clearer, and the runway lights stretched out in the twilight.

Seattle, North America.

I am coming.

Lin Feng leaned back in his chair, feeling the slight impact of the plane landing. The smile on his face deepened, and became even colder.

The game is about to officially begin on a new board with new rules.