Invasion of America

Chapter 124 Winning over
When Zhou Qingfeng was struggling to survive in the apocalypse, he often went hungry or full, and had to rely on various forces to be his servants.

At that time, various gangs and forces sprang up like mushrooms after rain, but most of them burst quickly like bubbles or were absorbed by other stronger forces.

Every force that can take root in the cruel apocalypse is well-organized, well-equipped, ruthless, and has the shadow of the military behind it to some extent.

When the 'country bumpkin' vice president handed over the 'Wynne Herbert' file, Zhou Qingfeng remained outwardly calm, but his heart suddenly raced.

He recognized the man, "Wai'en the Undead," and the mysterious organization he led, "The Undead."

Compared to other forces that plunder resources and territory, the 'Undead' are low-key and few in number, but they possess superb medical and pharmaceutical technologies.

Zhou Qingfeng once worked as a mercenary for the "Undead," searching for surviving refugees struggling to survive in the apocalypse.

The 'Undead' occasionally sell some enhancement potions. Zhou Qingfeng had used them before, and the effects were surprisingly good, with relatively few side effects.

In the post-apocalyptic world, it would be considered a highly sought-after "branded product".

Zhou Qingfeng had met the leader of the 'Undead', namely Wayne Herbert, several times.

He had cautiously inquired why they went to such lengths to take in so many ragged, emaciated surviving refugees.

At that time, Zhou Qingfeng was all alone, harboring a humble hope, the unspoken message being: "Can you take me in? I also want to find a stable job and environment to live in."

Now, he no longer remembers what exactly "Undead Grace" said, only the contemptuous and cold look in the other's eyes, the meaning of which was very clear—"You are not worthy to join us."

Many years later, the 'Undead' were absorbed by another powerful force.

Zhou Qingfeng once met a former member of the 'Undead' in a ruined tavern, bought him a drink, and chatted with him for half the night.

Upon learning that 'Undead Wynn' was trying to find the perfect evolutionary path, the surviving refugees he had painstakingly taken in had essentially become experimental subjects kept in captivity.

As for enhancement potions, the 'Undead' only sells inferior products to outsiders; the truly precious high-grade ones are for their own internal use.

But in this apocalyptic world where every day is uncertain, Zhou Qingfeng had nothing to complain about. He was already incredibly lucky to be able to use it, so how could he dare to ask for more? The fact that the other party was willing to sell it to him was already a tremendous favor.
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Clutching Wayne Herbert's file, Zhou Qingfeng walked out of the 'White House,' his thoughts drifting back to the post-apocalyptic wasteland he had once roamed.

He vaguely remembered that during a conversation in the ruined tavern, the former member of the 'Undead' drunkenly revealed some secrets that seemed insignificant at the time.

There are more than a dozen 'Undead' bases in North America, all of which were converted from pre-apocalyptic military medical research institutes.

Moreover, it's not the kind of secluded base hidden deep in the mountains and forests, but a small town with everything from water and electricity to heating, where living conditions are quite affluent.

After all, the 'undying' themselves wouldn't want to live a miserable life in a closed shelter.

Zhou Qingfeng had also visited several bases of the 'Undead,' but at that time he did not know how important those seemingly ordinary places were.

"Also... has Wayne Herbert managed to create that 'Undead Guard' yet?"

The "Undead" organization is not large in scale among the many forces in the post-apocalyptic world, but its direct guard is quite powerful.

The genuine "X Enhancer" has amazing effects, boosting human function to unbelievable levels, but its effectiveness is despairingly low, less than one percent.

Wayne Herbert possesses a weakened version of the 'X Enhancer'. Although its enhancement limit is not high and its effects cannot last, its greatest advantage lies in its extremely high adaptability.

About one in ten people can successfully tolerate the drug's modifications, and the side effects are relatively minor.

It is precisely because of this ability to enhance in batches that the "Undead" are able to create a stable guard force whose strength far surpasses that of ordinary people.

To outsiders, these guards appear to be immortal, able to recover quickly even from serious injuries, hence the name "the Undead".

His wandering thoughts gradually converged, and Zhou Qingfeng took out his phone and opened his notes app. He had started recording his post-apocalyptic memories a long time ago; they were survival experiences he had painstakingly preserved.

The memo contained records about the 'Undead,' including the exact location of their base and some general observations. He was just about to browse through it to reinforce his memory when his phone rang.
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The call was from the chief of staff, asking Harden to meet privately.

The other party cut to the chase, "Harden, there are some things I have to say. Your taking down of Admiral Alvin is already an open secret in Washington, D.C."

He paused, observing Zhou Qingfeng's reaction, trying to take the initiative and seize control of the conversation.

"None of those guys you've got leverage over are honest. They're secretly colluding, desperately trying to find a way out for themselves."

You've put too much pressure on those bastards; you're their biggest obstacle, and their primary goal is to get rid of you.

The chief of staff dropped this bombshell, intending to catch Zhou Qingfeng off guard. However, the only response he received was Zhou Qingfeng's indifferent reply: "Oh, and then?"

“Then…” The chief of staff was secretly astonished by Harden’s unusual calmness. He composed himself and continued:

"The Vice President was also frightened by your methods. He felt that you were a bit...uncontrollable. But apart from you, he really couldn't find anyone else who could solve problems so cleanly and efficiently."

Once he consolidates power and secures his position in the 'White House,' he'll eventually treat you like a used pawn and discard you.

"So..." Zhou Qingfeng remained calm and composed, as if everything he heard had nothing to do with him.

The chief of staff inadvertently met Harden's gaze and felt a chill instantly wash over him.

The other person's eyes seemed devoid of any human emotion, looking at anyone as if they were a lifeless object—in fact, Zhou Qingfeng was wearing contact lenses similar to colored contact lenses.

The chief of staff felt a chill run down his spine and began to wonder if he had miscalculated; this guy was impervious to both soft and hard tactics.

But now that they've met and the words have been spoken, he can only grit his teeth and continue, "Harden, you've been building your own network of connections in Washington, D.C., even resorting to some... overly ruthless methods."

Those who attempt to sabotage you will ultimately need to be informed by their superiors before they can bring you down. The Vice President's attitude towards you will also need to be communicated to you.

Don't you want to build your own network within the 'White House' as well?

"Oh..." Zhou Qingfeng let out a low gasp, and his cold expression finally softened.

He was actually a little unaccustomed to being approached by others—in the past, he was always the one who went to great lengths to win over others, but today was the first time someone had taken the initiative to extend an olive branch to him.

"Sir, what do you want?" Zhou Qingfeng countered. The chief of staff pondered for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Harden, how much do you know about Wayne Herbert and his 'Project X'?"

"I don't know much," Zhou Qingfeng answered frankly, without trying to hide anything.

“'Project X' has a kind of enhancer.” The chief of staff’s tone suddenly became excited. “It’s dangerous, but its effects are incredibly strong.”

I have some top-secret information that shows Wayne Herbert has developed a revolutionary biochemical product.

It can significantly enhance the user's physical functions, making people younger, stronger, and even longer-lived!

Did you know? After this pandemic, the entire bureaucratic class is obsessed with 'Project X.' They know it's dangerous, yet they're drawn to it like moths to a flame.

The chief of staff sighed and continued, "Wynn Herbert probably sensed some danger, or perhaps he had some other idea, because he actually took his entire team and went into hiding."

No, it's not that he's hiding; it's that some powerful force is secretly protecting him, making it impossible for us to find him now.

He stared intently at Zhou Qingfeng and said, "Harden, you are very capable, that's undeniable, but you lack a real foundation."

Currently, the Department of Homeland Security, the military's intelligence agency, and the FBI have all sent people to get involved in this matter, but I don't have a high opinion of those guys.

Your "Efficiency Department" is understaffed and cannot be considered a professional investigation agency at all.

But I can provide you with all the necessary assistance, on the condition that you share some with me once you find the 'X' enhancer.

Zhou Qingfeng asked in surprise, "How can you help me?"

“I can use the name of the ‘White House’ to help you mobilize the military, and I can even give your insignificant ‘volunteer’ team a formal position under the Secret Service.”

The chief of staff offered a very tempting deal: "In this way, you will no longer be a commander without any troops; you will eventually have an armed force that you can mobilize."

At that time, you will not only possess power, but also the strength to match it.

Ernst had initially wanted to form a team of "medical volunteers".

However, due to Fauci's premature announcement that the pandemic was over, the team only recruited a few hundred people before stalling, and now it faces the crisis of disbanding.

Clearly, the chief of staff had keenly noticed the incongruous nature of Harden's team and decided to go with the flow, giving them a formal position so that Zhou Qingfeng could rightfully command them.

Zhou Qingfeng's thoughts raced as he weighed the pros and cons.

A moment later, he smiled and extended his hand, shaking hands firmly with the chief of staff: "May we have a pleasant working relationship!"
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After reaching a verbal agreement with the chief of staff, the other party provided more detailed intelligence.

Wynne Herbert was like an octopus in the deep sea, having already entangled the entire bureaucracy of Washington, D.C. before his disappearance.

His influence extends across various sectors, including politics, business, military, education, and healthcare, where he has established intricate connections with all sorts of people, creating a vast network of shared interests.

No wonder the "country bumpkin" in the "White House" doesn't trust those bureaucrats, because he's practically completely sidelined.

In contrast, Zhou Qingfeng's methods were much simpler and more brutal, like a wild buffalo barging into a china shop, smashing those high-ranking officials to pieces and forcing them to submit in a savage manner.

This complex intelligence was all submitted to "Grey Shark," who was tasked with unraveling the vast ocean of data to find the key clues.

“Victor, why are you looking for this person? Is he important?” Gray Shark sat in his wheelchair, several huge screens flashing cold numbers and charts.

"Porter, do you want to stand up?" Zhou Qingfeng didn't answer directly, but instead posed an impossible question.

The 'Grey Shark' was immediately stunned.

For years, he longed countless times to regain the right to walk freely, but cruel reality repeatedly pulled him back into his cold wheelchair.

Those authoritative doctors had all asserted that his necrotic nerves and atrophied leg muscles would never be able to recover.

But Zhou Qingfeng's words were different.

"The 'X' enhancer you mentioned... can make me stand up?" 'Grey Shark's' breathing became rapid.

"I can't give you any definite answer. But if that thing works for you, it will at least make you stronger, and perhaps... stimulate your nerves and muscles to regrow."

"Wow!" Gray Shark exclaimed softly, a strange flutter in his heart, and a strong desire for physical recovery.

"Alright, let me see what's really behind 'Project X'?"

He turned around, maneuvered his wheelchair toward the screen in front of him, and began searching through the vast government network database for any trace related to Wayne Herbert.

"Take a lookup of Lipole, North Carolina, and Daysburg, Tennessee..." Zhou Qingfeng rattled off several place names in one breath.

These are the "bases" where he was once ordered to escort surviving refugees when he was a mercenary of the "Undead," and they may hold key clues about "Project X."
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After explaining things to 'Grey Shark', Zhou Qingfeng then approached Ernst and asked, "How many of your 'volunteers' do you still have?"

“Only about ten can still be contacted.” Ernst scratched his head sheepishly. “They all have families to take care of, and they originally became ‘volunteers’ to get some assistance. Now…”

Zhou Qingfeng listened thoughtfully and asked in return, "Were you recruited in Washington, D.C."

“Yes,” Ernst replied blankly.

"You're so stupid," Zhou Qingfeng scolded angrily. "You're trying to find a bunch of well-off old men from the capital to be 'volunteers,' of course they won't do it."

Oh. Ernst suddenly realized, "Should I find some people who are unhappy with their lives to be 'volunteers'?"

Zhou Qingfeng grunted twice, telling Ernst to find some suitable manpower. But then he felt that having someone as a "gatekeeper" was unreliable, so he gritted his teeth, took out his phone, and dialed a number.

"Sheriff Congus, would you like to take a temporary post at the Secret Service? Yes, the White House Secret Service, the highest level of security, the kind that protects the president."

(End of this chapter)