Invasion of America

Chapter 108 Deception
Under the shadow of the rampant virus, the once bustling Washington, D.C., seemed to have lost its soul, and its former hustle and bustle was replaced by a suffocating silence.

On the deserted streets, only the traffic lights tirelessly flashed their cold light in alternation.

The once bustling office building now resembles a giant, abandoned sarcophagus, its windows reflecting a lifeless, pale light in the sunlight.

Despite being the heart of this powerful nation, Washington, D.C., is a silent world at this moment, filled with an unsettling emptiness and deathly stillness.

The Department of Health and Human Services building, located in the city center, was also shrouded in an unusually quiet atmosphere.

As night falls, the floors that should be brightly lit on weekdays are now only illuminated by a few offices with faint glows.

The office building is like a giant maze, with less than one-fifth of the employees quietly sticking to their posts.

Many more people have either been devoured by the merciless virus or have chosen to flee under the shadow of panic, leaving behind only a scene of fear and low morale.

In an assistant minister's office, several unsigned documents lay spread out on a heavy oak desk, and a few pens sat forlornly in a pen holder.

Several exquisitely framed oil paintings hang on the wall, depicting historical figures from the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War.

A soft knock broke the silence inside. The door slowly opened, and Ms. Deborah, the assistant to the minister, cautiously peeked halfway in.

She was dressed appropriately, but looked very uneasy. She nervously wiped the hem of her clothes with her hands and looked around until she found the man who had come to greet her in front of the French windows.

"Excuse me... Mr. Harden, is there anything I can do for you?" Deborah's voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of disturbing anyone.

Zhou Qingfeng, standing by the window, turned around. He could sense the tension and vulnerability emanating from the woman, a common occurrence for almost every staff member remaining in the Ministry of Health, which was currently in a precarious situation.

“Madam, don’t be nervous.” Zhou Qingfeng gestured for her to come in, then said in an unquestionable tone, “I want you to immediately take over the position of Assistant Minister and be in charge of ‘emergency response’.”

"What?! Assistant Minister?!" Upon hearing this, Deborah's already somewhat bewildered expression instantly became even more chaotic.

She waved her hands repeatedly and said rapidly, "No, no, that's absolutely not going to happen! Mr. Harden, you must be mistaken."

I... I was just an ordinary office worker before, and my daily work consisted of organizing documents, recording meeting minutes, and handling some trivial matters.

I have never managed any team, let alone taken charge of a critical department! I have no experience in any senior position.

My abilities are far from sufficient; I'll only make a mess of things and ultimately hinder the entire 'emergency response' effort!

Perhaps the immense psychological pressure finally broke her taut nerves, and Deborah's voice began to carry a clear sob.

"I... I was able to come to the minister's office as an assistant simply because I'm unmarried, have no children, and have no burdens. But that doesn't mean I have any abilities!"

Actually, I've been on tenterhooks these past few days, afraid that I might have done something wrong and caused an irreparable disaster.

I...I'm really scared. I just want to go back to my little house, back to that quiet, safe little world, that's where I belong..."

Deborah's voice grew softer and softer, choked with sobs, and tears finally welled up in her eyes, glistening droplets teetering on the verge of falling.

She just wanted to be an ordinary person who could avoid the storms, instead of being pushed to the forefront by fate and having to shoulder responsibilities that she felt she could not bear.

Just as Deborah was on the verge of collapse, Zhou Qingfeng rushed forward and hugged the fragile woman.

"Madam, you are very brave. When countless cowards and timid people chose to back down and run away, you were one of the few heroes who persevered."

For this reason alone, your courage surpasses that of most people in the world.

I've seen your file. You've been in the public affairs department for eight years, working diligently and conscientiously. You should have been promoted long ago.

Those so-called 'ministers' are all scoundrels, busy with socializing, parties, bragging, playing golf, and womanizing all day long. How can their work experience be as rich as yours?

This is a state of emergency; someone has to step up and take responsibility. I believe you can do your best.
-
Xia Ni sat at the assistant's seat outside the office, facing a computer, ready to take over the tedious work of a 'ministerial-level' secretary.

The office door was open, and she could hear Deborah's sobs and Zhou Qingfeng's encouragement. Through the crack in the door, she could see Deborah throwing herself into Zhou Qingfeng's arms and wailing.

Under the immense pressure of this sudden pandemic, it is rare to find someone as detached and calmly ruthless as Zhou Qingfeng.

It's not that Washington, D.C. lacks officials who are dedicated to their duties and willing to sacrifice for others.

However, when these enthusiastic civil servants stood firm on the front line, they were quickly exhausted, like cannon fodder thrown into a battlefield.

Some people unfortunately contracted the virus, fell ill, and lost their lives; others collapsed completely due to overwork and were unable to continue.

For example, Oliver Harden, who was replaced by Zhou Qingfeng, thought he would be safe after being vaccinated, but he underestimated the 'immune escape' ability of the X virus.

Harden was originally responsible for distributing supplies to citizens, came into contact with the source of infection, and unfortunately contracted the virus, passing away tragically.

When these bravest people fell one after another, those who remained were naturally more fearful, more cautious, and even selfish cowards and timid.

When they learned that even vaccination might not provide immunity, they became like frightened birds, instinctively hiding away and trying to find a chance to survive in the shadow of the pandemic.

It truly takes immense courage for Deborah to have stayed at the Ministry of Health under such high pressure.

She cried for about ten minutes, but Zhou Qingfeng's words of comfort and praise greatly boosted her morale.

When she walked out of the office with red eyes and wiping away tears, her whole demeanor seemed to have been completely transformed, replaced by a resolute expression tinged with tears.

Zhou Qingfeng saw her out of the office, put his arm around her shoulder affectionately, and said in a tone of affirmation and trust, "Deborah, just go ahead and do it."

I will take full responsibility for whatever consequences arise.

"I need you now, the entire Department of Health needs you, and hundreds of thousands of residents in Washington, D.C., suffering from the virus, are hoping we can make a difference."

Xia Ni knew Zhou Qingfeng's true identity and was so embarrassed by his high-sounding words that she got goosebumps and scratched her toes.

Deborah, however, was very receptive to this, and was moved to tears, completely unlike her timid and trembling demeanor when she entered.

Zhou Qingfeng softened his tone slightly and added with concern, "Of course, you also need to take care of your health. Be sure to rest when you need to, and don't overwork yourself."

Try to recruit more reliable assistants, delegate authority, and with everyone working together, we will definitely be able to overcome this difficulty.

"Mr. Harden, you are a truly remarkable person. Actually, I have some ideas of my own, but no one has ever given me any affirmation before."

I've always been unsure if I'm up to the task of a more advanced role. But now, with your encouragement…

Ms. Deborah found it difficult to express her feelings in words, so she simply wrapped her arms around Zhou Qingfeng's neck and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

This sudden intimacy startled Zhou Qingfeng—he had a thin layer of latex on his face to mimic the skin of a middle-aged white man.

The thing looks fine and isn't easy to break, but you can still detect something is wrong by kissing or touching it.

Unable to push her away, Zhou Qingfeng could only give the woman in his arms another hug and continue his promise:
"Anyone who dares to deny your efforts, let them come to me. Anyone who dares to disobey your orders, I will go to them myself. I will be your strongest support."

After watching the elated Deborah leave, Zhou Qingfeng turned his head and looked at the black guy next to Shani who was helping to set up the computer system, and asked, "Are you Zuk?"

The black man paused for a moment, as if he had anticipated something, and nodded with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension, saying, "Yes, Mr. Harden."

"How many personnel are still responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Ministry of Health's supercomputer?" Zhou Qingfeng continued to ask.

“Uh…” Zuk stammered a few times, answering somewhat awkwardly, “The Ministry of Health’s internal information system is enormous, with several data centers distributed throughout the United States. If you’re asking about the maintenance personnel currently working in this building… frankly, there are less than twenty of them still on duty.”

Zhou Qingfeng had been waiting for these words, and immediately ordered, "Zuke, from this moment on, you are the Chief Technology Officer under the Management and Administration Office of the Ministry of Health."

I need you to do everything you can to gather the necessary manpower.

Whatever resources you need, you can apply directly to Shani. If she can't solve it, just call me and I will do my best to meet your request.

Our only goal is to restore the Ministry of Health's information and data system across the entire country as soon as possible.

Zhou Qingfeng's tone was firm and powerful. The essence of his words was to directly give Zuke, who was still sticking to his post, an important position at such a critical moment.

The young Black man beamed with surprise when he heard that he had become the "Chief Technology Officer," and couldn't help but grin.

Zhou Qingfeng continued, "The pandemic isn't just targeting Washington, D.C. I bet people are dying all over America right now, and hospitals are probably bursting at the seams."

The federal government certainly has medical reserves to deal with 'emergencies', and we need to mobilize all of those resources now.

As long as I'm in the Ministry of Health, no one can interfere with your work. But you can't let me down.

Zucker nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Mr. Harden. I know what to do. The team is there, it's just that morale is a bit low."

As long as everyone's safety is guaranteed, and with a little more money, everything can be resolved.
-
A tall and straight-backed guard stood at the office door.

Zhou Qingfeng stepped forward, patted the other man's shoulder affectionately, and said calmly, "Ernst, you are a soldier, so I won't waste any more words."

Everyone can clearly see how dire the situation is. He stared sharply at the other person.

"From now on, you will serve as the director of the Security Office of the Ministry of Health, responsible for overseeing all the police officers in the ministry."

I need a strong force to implement the policy.

Otherwise, even if I sit in my office and formulate countless plans, if my subordinates don't follow them, the entire Ministry of Health will be completely finished.

The guard who was patted on the shoulder by Zhou Qingfeng was about forty years old, with a loyal, fearless, and steel-like expression on his face.

He felt that Zhou Qingfeng's palm was extremely strong, and his shoulder was patted twice, as if a heavy burden had been placed on it.

But this pressure turned into motivation. The middle-aged guard immediately straightened his back, his gaze firm, and said:

"Mr. Harden, it is a great honor to have your trust. I will do my best to fulfill my duties!"

Zhou Qingfeng laughed twice, then loosened his grip, gently patted the other person's shoulder twice, and said in a gentle tone:

"Go ahead and do it, but be careful to protect yourselves. We have very limited manpower right now, and any losses are something we cannot afford."

The guard named Ernst was originally only responsible for "guarding the gate" of the Ministry of Health building.

With very few security personnel left in the building, Zhou Qingfeng couldn't find a more suitable candidate, so he had no choice but to promote this "gatekeeper" to the position.

At such a critical moment, to receive such earnest entrustment of a heavy responsibility from "Commander Harden" filled the middle-aged guard with gratitude, for which he had no way to repay and wished he could give his life for him.
-
Zhou Qingfeng spent the entire day, like a tireless spinning top, shuttling between the different floors of the Ministry of Health building.

He took the initiative to talk to every employee who was still sticking to their post, trying to remember their names and faces, asking them about their well-being and whether they were facing any practical difficulties.

He personally participated in the logistical support work, sometimes carrying steaming hot meals, sometimes carrying heavy bottles of drinking water, and delivering them to employees who were exhausted from continuous work.

His appearance was like a ray of sunshine in a gloomy sky, bringing warmth and hope to these anxious people who stayed behind.

To stabilize morale, Zhou Qingfeng placed particular emphasis on caring for the staff. He personally instructed Ernst to organize a small team specifically to provide necessary assistance to the families of the staff who remained on duty.

Those lacking food and clothing should be provided with supplies promptly; those who are sick and bedridden should be immediately transported to the hospital by vehicle, and efforts should be made to coordinate beds to ensure that they can be properly accommodated.

His principle is clear: in times of turmoil, the first thing to do is to protect his own people and make his employees feel warm and supported so that they can devote themselves to their work with peace of mind.

It must be admitted that the bloated and massive bureaucratic system often appears inefficient in peacetime, with the problem of redundant officials and staff being extremely serious.

Even though less than one-fifth of the Ministry of Health's staff remained on duty, Zhou Qingfeng reorganized and redeployed them, filling all the key positions.

Zhou Qingfeng promoted three assistant ministers in one go and assigned suitable personnel to the dozen or so administrative officers in the Ministry of Health's administrative office.

With an operations and maintenance team of less than twenty people, the Ministry of Health ensured the smooth operation of its internal communication and information systems, as well as seamless communication with the outside world.

Zhou Qingfeng didn't hesitate to "pull" out staff from normally quiet departments such as the "Aging Administration Bureau," "Equal Employment Office," and "Refugee Resettlement Office."

Those who remained on duty were reassigned to positions that required more manpower.

Many hard-working employees who had worked silently in their original positions for more than ten years without promotion suddenly rose to become their former superiors, or even their superiors' superiors, in a short period of time.

This unconventional promotion method greatly stimulated the work enthusiasm and sense of responsibility of these long-neglected veteran employees during this extraordinary period.

After just 24 hours of rapid integration and adjustment, the overall work efficiency of the 'Ministry of Health' has increased rather than decreased.

Like an engine that has been fully fueled and lubricated, it begins to run smoothly and at high speed.

A new order and a new authority were quietly established in this once lifeless building. A positive and hopeful atmosphere began to appear on those tired but determined faces.
-
Just as this new vitality was taking root within the Ministry of Health, a call came from the "White House" to Zhou Qingfeng's phone in his Assistant Minister's office.

The voice on the other end of the phone carried a condescending, reprimanding tone, raining down on Zhou Qingfeng:
"Harden, who gave you permission to implement such radical medical policies during the pandemic?! Stop your nonsense immediately, or you will face serious legal consequences!"

When Zhou Qingfeng received the call, he was already planning how to find a suitable opportunity to slip away quietly.

After all, he believed he had fulfilled his promise to Professor Hart by "correcting the situation" at the Ministry of Health and getting everything back on track.

He has done everything he could; the rest, from the specific execution to the subsequent development, is not of much concern to him.

But the sudden rebuke made him frown, a strong sense of displeasure rising within him. Holding the microphone, he asked in confusion and impatience, "Who are you?"

"I am Dr. Fauci, the chief medical advisor at the White House!" The voice on the other end of the phone suddenly rose, filled with anger, as if it were an unforgivable sin that Zhou Qingfeng did not recognize him.

His tone carried the arrogance of someone who had long held a high position and the condescending attitude towards his subordinates.

"Chief Medical Advisor..." This title finally brought a vague impression to Zhou Qingfeng's mind. After a brief recollection, he immediately said with sarcasm and disdain:

"You're the idiot who always talks big and spouts nonsense on TV, talking about 'herd immunity'? If you were even slightly useful, the United States wouldn't be in this mess."

This statement was like pouring a bucket of cold water into hot oil, instantly triggering a violent explosion.

The voice on the other end of the phone instantly erupted in rage, its tone becoming sharp and distorted: "Oliver Harden, watch your place."

You have only been temporarily appointed as a member of the 'Medical Efficiency Committee' and should be subject to the instructions of the 'White House'. Any important decisions should be reported to me in advance!

Who gave you permission to issue orders to all hospitals in Washington, D.C. without authorization?! And who gave you permission to carelessly abandon those elderly patients?!

Your actions constitute unethical and immoral murder and will never be forgiven!

I am now formally informing you that you are being dismissed! Immediately cease all activities and await further instructions!

(End of this chapter)