North American riot police: Start by arresting P. Diddy!

Chapter 217 Keep going, with indifference, purity, and love.

The White House.

Although it was late at night, the phone kept ringing in the Oval Office.

Our Black President is roaring and yelling into the phone. The Black President, who is usually known for his elegance and composure, is nowhere to be seen now. He has only a coat haphazardly thrown over his wrinkled bathrobe, his tie is crooked, and his hair is messy.

"Can you be sure there are no surveillance facilities in the core area of ​​the island?"

"should."

"I need a definite answer, not some damn possibility, should, or maybe!!!"

“Stan isn’t as clueless as Boastful Daddy. After all, he’s one of our men. He wouldn’t be so arrogant as to install hidden cameras in the villa to threaten us later.”

"What about the guest list? Did he make a backup of it privately, and keep track of every guest who visited the island?"

"Calm down, Barack. This isn't a third-rate crime film. Anyone with a brain wouldn't have created a guest list. And even if there were, we have countless ways to prove it's fake. Think about it, Barack. One of them is the world's most wanted criminal, and the other is a child abuser who imprisons and harms children. We can easily refute their claims."

“.OK”

The Black president's intense anxiety subsided considerably after hearing Underwood's words.

It's important to know that it wasn't just Old Joe; almost everyone in their cabinet, from top to bottom, except for a few people like the Attorney General, was a regular at Little St. James Island!

The same goes for Underwood on the other end of the phone!
That's why they were so panicked and on tenterhooks when they learned that Rorschach had suddenly infiltrated the island and exposed its secrets via live broadcast.

“Barack, I want you to know that the problem isn’t with Stan. He’s a dead man. Even if Rorschach hadn’t killed him tonight, he wouldn’t have lived to see the day he speaks again.”

On the phone, Underwood's urgent voice rang out again:
"Rorschach is the most crucial person right now! This madman actually executed Joe in a live global broadcast! This is a hundred times worse than the scandal on Little St. James Island! We must capture him at all costs, otherwise America's prestige in the international community will completely collapse!"

After listening, the Black president narrowed his eyes dangerously and replied in a deep voice, "The operation has begun. The Coast Guard and Southern Command air power are all in position. In the past, he played hide-and-seek with us in the cities, and we were hesitant to act. But this time..."

He tapped his knuckles heavily on the table. "Since this guy has chosen to hide on a secluded island, don't blame us for trapping him there."

Underwood nodded slightly and sighed, "It's a pity that those damn kids appeared on camera during the live broadcast. Otherwise, a bombing run would have shut that bastard up forever. Now we can only blockade the sea area for the time being."

After discussing some follow-up matters, the two hurriedly hung up the phone and began to act separately. For them, the night was still very long.

Underwood stood by the window, chain-smoking one cigarette after another.

He was far less optimistic about the uproar that the situation on the island would cause than he had been in his phone call with the president.

So what if there's no evidence that the two of them went to the island?
Although he and Joe had a very unpleasant falling out over the power struggle, it was undeniable that Joe was the undisputed pillar of their party. For the party, they were in a relationship where they were bound together by fate, and their fates were intertwined.

Now that Old Joe's trip to the island is a done deal, even the most easily fooled idiot would naturally associate the entire cabinet with that sinful little island.

If this matter is not handled properly, their entire cabinet may face impeachment.

More importantly, if such a major incident occurs and they still fail to apprehend Rorschach, who dared to publicly execute the Secretary of State, then the entire United States will suffer a loss of prestige.

How can the allies still trust America's abilities and rely on their protection?
"Fuck, has this damn kid gone mad?!"

Underwood slammed his fist against the wall with intense hatred.

As a seasoned politician, he never opposed eliminating dissidents; in fact, he would even proactively hand weapons to Rorschach.

But Rorschach's actions tonight completely trampled on the rules of the game—live-streamed execution? Beheading the Secretary of State? This is not a political struggle; this is barbaric terrorism!
Who in the civilized world does things like this?!
----------

Inside the villa on the island.

Rorschach and his companions heard Harold and Clyde's urgent warnings repeatedly through their earpieces.

The situation is already clear—within half an hour, the waters surrounding the entire island will be completely blocked off.

By then, let alone a yacht, even if they were equipped with F-22 fighter jets, they would have no chance of escaping.

However, at this moment, neither Rorschach nor Anna showed the slightest sign of panic on their faces.

Their attention was entirely focused on the hundreds of surviving children in the hall.

There were so many children that the huge villa hall felt crowded, with hardly any room to stand.

“What should we do with these children?” Anna frowned as she looked at Rorschach. “It’s impossible to evacuate with so many people.”

“Let them stay here for now,” Rorschach said calmly. “At least for now, their safety is guaranteed.”

Scarlett immediately retorted, "How could it be safe to stay here? Once the military arrives, the intelligence department will definitely take over immediately, interrogate everyone one by one, and silence them."

Luo Xia shook his head slightly: "During the live broadcast, I made sure every child appeared on camera. Now, they are living proof. Anyone who has ever been to the island, unless they are an idiot, will be eager to distance themselves and then try to buy off these children by making high-profile donations, portraying themselves as philanthropists who saved them."

His gaze slowly swept over the children, some sitting and some standing, in the hall.

Fear was written on every young face, their eyes were empty, and the despair seemed almost tangible.

"In other words, staying here is actually the safest option right now."

Luo Xia pursed his lips, unwilling to say anything more.

Whether on the battlefield amidst the smoke of gunpowder or during his years with the Chicago Police Department, he had witnessed too many human tragedies, but none had had such a powerful impact on him as the scene before him.

As he has said countless times—in this world, some sins can never be forgiven.

"What about him?"

Scarlett suddenly pointed to Stan, who was huddled in the corner.

The island's owner was covered in wounds, with not a single patch of undamaged skin on his face.

She had thought that Rorschach would deal with Stan during the live broadcast like he executed Old Joe, but it seemed that the other party deliberately let the old Jewish man go.

Looking at Stan's trembling figure, Rorschach sneered, "This guy knows the list of all the guests who have been to the island, but unfortunately we don't have time to interrogate him. But it doesn't matter, let him stay here. Right now, there are probably more people in the world who want him dead than who want to kill me. Let him count down his days in fear and wait for his retribution."

After saying that, he glanced at his watch, winked at Anna, and then walked toward the Delta Force troops surrounding the villa.

Excluding logistical support and technical assistance, a Delta Force squadron has about twenty combat personnel, just like the number of soldiers blocking the way.

But unlike their first encounter, these elite US troops looked at Rorschach with complex emotions in their eyes.

The two soldiers at the door didn't even stop him, letting him walk straight to Matt's pickup truck.

"I think I'll most likely be demoted when I go back this time."

Matt stared straight ahead, as if talking to himself.

Luo Xia smiled upon hearing this: "If you want to change jobs, you can come to me. Although my boss is an old-fashioned and weak-willed person, there is one thing: he is very rich and willing to spend money on his employees."

Matt shook his head and laughed, "Forget it, I'm tired of the military anyway. Maybe next time we meet, I'll be the DEA operations director. You better not fall into my hands, or I'll make you drink dozens of buckets of water torture first."

"Hahaha"

This is a joke only special forces soldiers would understand.

Waterboarding is a mandatory test in the selection process for the four major U.S. special forces units. They often use the intensity of waterboarding to measure a soldier's willpower.

Rorschach set a record for the Screaming Hawk—enduring ten buckets of water torture without flinching.

“If you want to catch me, you’ll have to join the Counterterrorism Bureau. You’ll probably never see me in your entire life in the DEA,” Rorschach said, patting Matt on the shoulder, half-jokingly.

He then deliberately asked, "Are you really going to let me go? You know I have a bounty of over a hundred million. If you catch me, you and your brothers will never have to worry about anything for the rest of your lives."

Instead of answering directly, Matt asked seriously, "Have you seen a movie called 'Shutter Island'?"

"The version directed by Martin Scorsese?"

"Yep, there's a line in it that I really admire, though it might not be quite appropriate to use it here."

"What?" "Which is worse, living like a beast in a state of chaos, or dying consciously?"

After a moment of silence, Luo Xia replied softly, "It seems you've made your choice. Don't you regret it?"

"Fuck you!" Matt glared at him irritably and replied impatiently, "Stop talking nonsense! Get lost! If you're any later, fighter jets and patrol ships will be coming to blockade the area!"

Luo Xia shrugged, feigning disdain, and said, "As long as it's not an aircraft carrier plus an entire air force formation, I'm not afraid of even a heavily armed combined arms brigade."

"Keep bragging. Let's give you a barrage of artillery fire and see if you can still keep talking nonsense."

The two hugged one last time and patted each other on the back.

Luo Xia waved to Anna and the others inside the villa.

Even after confirming their safety, the group remained vigilant, their fingers on the triggers, and cautiously approached Rorschach from behind.

Harold kept urging him on through the earpiece, saying that they were ready and just waiting to meet up.

Luo Xia was about to leave when he suddenly stopped.

The children who were originally staying in the villa all came out at the same time.

They seemed to know their savior was leaving; their eyes were red and their little hands were tightly gripping the hem of their clothes.

Luo Xia sighed and knelt down to wipe away the tears on the child's face.

"Thank you, Uncle."

A boy said timidly.

Luo Xia smiled and patted his head, "Forget everything that happened here, and start your lives anew."

The children nodded emphatically, their eyes sparkling with hope.

Just as he was about to leave, another girl tugged at his trouser leg and asked in a trembling voice, "Uncle, will we continue to suffer like this in the future, or is it only like this when we're little?"

Luo Xia looked down at the girl's scarred face and answered firmly, "That's right, it only happens when you're little. When you grow up, no, when you leave here, you will all have a brand new life and a bright future."

"Keep going!"

He looked around at the children's expectant eyes and raised his voice, saying, "Just keep going like this, with indifference, purity, and love."

Rorschach gave the children a final hug, then turned and strode to a pickup truck, quickly started the engine, and drove his crew toward the only remaining pier on the island.

As he was about to leave the manor, Rorschach looked back one last time.

He scanned the children standing in the morning light one by one, and finally his gaze settled on Matt.

He nodded to the respectable Delta Squadron Leader.

Matt smiled and nodded slightly in tacit agreement.

After they completely disappeared from the manor, the atmosphere remained silent for a long time until a soldier's questioning voice broke the silence: "Captain, our recording equipment seems to be malfunctioning. It's all static, and none of them have captured clear images of Rorschach and his accomplices."

Matt was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then laughed helplessly.

----------

The rising sun casts a golden glow on the sea.

But the calm sea was disrupted by the roar of engines and the sound of propellers.

Fighter jets roared past and circled over the island.

In the distance, several large patrol vessels equipped with 57mm naval guns, .50 caliber machine guns, and armed helicopter decks broke through the waves, while more than twenty fast reaction patrol vessels followed behind them.

They surrounded the entire Little St. James Island, with radar constantly spinning on the deck and the deafening roar of fighter jets filling the air.

On the dock, pairs of fully armed Marines were rapidly landing. The entire island had been sealed off, and armed personnel began a thorough search.

Their only goal is Rorschach!
However, to their and everyone's disappointment at the rear command post, the only things on the island besides the countless corpses of guards and the wealthy were a pair of Delta Force squadrons and a few hundred children waiting quietly.

"Matt?"

The commander of the operation looked at Matt, who was playing with the children, and asked in a deep voice, "Where are they?"

"People? What people?" Matt feigned ignorance. "Are there any other 'people' on this island besides these children?"

"Don't fucking play dumb with me!" the commander roared. "Where is that damned terrorist Rorschach?!"

"Rorschach?"

Matt looked around at the guys and asked, "Have you seen Rorschach?"

The Delta Force members around him all shook their heads, looking like they didn't understand what the other person was saying.

Matt shrugged helplessly at the commander: "You saw it too. When we came from the outside, we didn't see anything except these kids. You can ask these kids if you don't believe me. Oh, and that island owner Stan, if you'd rather believe the criminal's testimony."

"Fuck you!" The commander was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but curse angrily.

Matt, who had been smiling, immediately turned cold upon hearing this.

He strode toward the man opposite him, while the Delta Force members around him raised their weapons.

"Don't talk to me like that, buddy."

Matt coldly warned, "If you want to question me, you'll have to send someone from the Army Special Operations Command. You're not even qualified!"

The commander's face turned ashen. He glared fiercely at Matt, then turned abruptly and roared at the troops behind him, "Search! Turn this island upside down, find that bastard Rorschach!"

Watching the commander and his men scatter and search, Matt slowly lit a cigarette, a cold smile playing on his lips.

This group of people is destined to have wasted their time; the person they are looking for has already flown far away.

So, where exactly are Rorschach and his group right now?

Dozens of nautical miles from the island,
Two hundred meters below the deep sea surface.

Scarlett looked around the cramped space, her gaze sweeping over the dashboards that were shimmering with light, her face filled with disbelief.

"So," she swallowed hard in shock, "you actually own a submarine?"

"Yep, a secondhand item I got from a Mexican scalper."

Harold flipped through the documents in his hand and replied without looking up, "Those drug dealers have a lot of scrapped submarines, all used for transporting goods. I bought one anonymously and spent tens of millions of dollars just on refurbishment."

".OK."

Scarlett unconsciously pursed her lips and looked at the unassuming old man in front of her again.

She had initially thought the other party was just a highly skilled hacker, but now it seemed that the old man's wealth far exceeded her expectations.

"So what should we do next?" she asked excitedly, looking at the group of people in front of her.

She is in a very good mood now because she has rescued so many innocent children.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, everyone in the cabin stopped what they were doing and turned to look at her.

Rorschach slowly revealed a meaningful smile:

"Now it's time to talk about your identity."

"."

(End of this chapter)