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

Chapter 250 [The Machine] Host Location
"You really don't know him?"

"How could I not know him? Didn't I just say that I treated him to a meal?"

"Just because of a meal together, he went so far as to hack into Canada's air defense system to save you?"

"Who knows? Maybe it's because he himself was on the rooftop, and his so-called sacrifice for the country was just empty talk."

"Okay, I think so too. Otherwise, it's really hard to explain why this Easterner saved you."

Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario.

Rorschach and Harold strolled leisurely along the lakeside with their dog.

This has become a fixed ritual after their actions.

Under the guise of walking the dog, they actually held a secret meeting.

This could be a review of the gains and losses of the previous operation, or a planning of the details for the next operation.

"In the end, we were all saved by that Easterner this time," Harold said with emotion.

No matter how hard he racked his brains, he never imagined that the one who ultimately turned the tide would be a complete stranger from the East.

Luo Xia nodded slightly, paused on a lakeside bench, and gazed at the shimmering lake view in the distance.

In his view, even without Wu Jing's intervention, he might not have perished in the missile bombing.

As long as you can evacuate the building in time and find cover, the chances of survival are actually quite good, provided you are protected by the concrete structure and don't get hit directly in the center.

In modern warfare, concrete is arguably the most effective barrier against missiles.

He experienced this firsthand on the battlefields of the Middle East.

Many buildings, even if hit by missiles, will not collapse entirely unless the load-bearing structure is directly struck.

With the Tyrant's formidable physique and the system's danger warnings, he was confident he could evade the deadly strikes of the three missiles.

But in the end, it was just him alone.

As for the Irish brothers and others who risked their lives to come to the rescue, they didn't have that ability and could only leave it to fate.

"How's the chip?" Luo Xia stopped in his tracks. "Has it been verified and activated?"

Harold adjusted his glasses: "It's definitely genuine. As for the activation code..."

He gave a meaningful smile. "Those two kids, Walter and Leo, chickened out as soon as they saw the gun and spilled the code."

“By the way,” Harold suddenly changed the subject, “it’s quite a coincidence, do you know who Walter’s father is?”

"uh-huh?"

"It's Thompson, CEO of United Insurance Company."

Luo Xia raised an eyebrow: "Is that the heartless insurance company boss who refused to compensate the 911 firefighters and was publicly executed by me?"

"That's right!"

Harold couldn't help but chuckle. "Walter is his only son, studying electrical engineering in Canada. Because of his exceptional talent, he was specially recruited by the government to participate in the 'Staff' project. After learning of his father's death, in order to make a comeback, he teamed up with Leo to steal the unfinished staff and secretly contacted organizations in various countries to auction it off, intending to use the money to build a business empire even larger than his father's."

“Haha.” Luo Xia couldn’t help but laugh out loud, not expecting there to be this connection.

However, Walter probably wished he could kill himself.

A pampered, super-rich second-generation heir ended up losing his family fortune and having to resort to stealing state secrets to make a comeback.

“Very well,” Rorschach said coldly. “The comfortable life he enjoys is all from the exploitation his father made of millions of unfortunate people. It is most appropriate for him to atone for his sins with all the knowledge he has acquired in his life.”

He suddenly asked, "I heard from Gen that to eliminate the machine's consciousness, breaking through the firewall is only the first step? Do we also need to find the host's location and input the elimination code?"

Harold's smile faded, and he nodded gravely. "The hardest part was indeed the first step. Now that we have the [Staff], I prepared the code removal when I created the machine. The problem is the location of the host."

"What? You don't know where the main unit of the [machine] is hidden?" Luo Xia asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No, I knew the location of the main unit from the beginning. It was a decision made after repeated discussions between Nathan and me.” Harold’s expression was somber.

Nathan was Harold's partner in developing the "machine" and was responsible for liaising with the government, while the introverted Harold remained behind the scenes and never appeared in public.

But it was precisely this social anxiety that saved his life.

Once the machine was operational, the Federation, to maintain secrecy, killed Nathan with an "accidental explosion." Harold was left with a limp, a permanent disability.

"So, where exactly is the mainframe?" Rorschach asked directly.

Harold didn't answer directly, but slowly explained: "Typically, these large data servers generate a huge amount of heat when running, especially super AIs like [the Machine] that monitor the activities of hundreds of millions of people 24 hours a day, the heat dissipation requirements are astronomical!"

"Traditional air conditioners consume an astonishing amount of electricity for cooling. By tracking abnormal power consumption, the location of the main unit can be determined. Therefore, to completely hide the main unit, mechanical cooling must be reduced and natural cooling must be adopted."

"For example, plateaus, polar regions, and caves."

"Enough, enough, get to the point." Luo Xia waved his hand impatiently, interrupting, "Just tell me the location of the host, that's all."

Harold sighed deeply and said solemnly, "I'm explaining all this so that you can be mentally prepared about the host's location."

"What? You hid it in the Arctic?"

"No, it's on the seabed."

Harold said slowly and deliberately, “Deep in the Monterey Canyon off the coast of California! It’s not only close to the continental United States with a well-developed network of submarine cables, but the canyon topography also provides a perfect natural cooling environment.”

Luo Xia raised an eyebrow: "Underwater? Interesting. You guys really know how to stir things up."

"Storing servers on the seabed is nothing new," Harold explained. "Microsoft's databases are located in the waters off the Orkney Islands in Scotland; it's a very common way to store data, except..."

He shook his head and said, "There aren't any counterterrorism agents or coast guards patrolling around Microsoft's database 24/7, not to mention there's a military base within five nautical miles of the [machine] database, patrol ships at sea, and submarines on standby underwater. Rorschach, do you really think we can infiltrate it?"

".Fuck."

Luo Xia rolled his eyes speechlessly: "Can you please stop taking such long breaths when you talk? Can't you just say it all at once? Why do you have to hit me in several parts?"

"Well, I was just afraid of dampening your enthusiasm," Harold said with an embarrassed smile.

Luo Xia shook his head, his gaze fixed on the vast, undulating lake, lost in thought, and remained silent.

“You know what, Harold?”

"what?"

"I've never fought underwater before."

Luo Xia grinned, patted him on the shoulder, and then turned to look behind him.

On the lawn in the distance, Anna and her group were spreading out a picnic blanket and having a picnic while chatting and laughing.

The Irish brothers, Nikita, and Luni were also present. Perhaps because of their recent experience fighting side by side, the two groups, despite their different personalities, got along fairly well, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Of course, there were also those who clashed.

With nowhere to go and fearing arrest by the counter-terrorism bureau or local police, the magicians could only awkwardly follow behind the group, unable to offer any real help.

“Besides, we’re not fighting alone anymore, are we?” Rorschach said meaningfully.

Harold followed his gaze and nodded: "I hope they can all stay with you until the end."

Just then, Anna suddenly shouted from afar, "Rorschach, come quick! These magicians said they saw people from [Cobra] a couple of days ago, and they seem to know about their base in Toronto!"

Rorschach shrugged at Harold upon hearing this, "I was planning to rest for a couple more days."

“Plans can’t keep up with changes,” Harold said with a smile, pushing up his glasses.

----------

Washington.

The areas surrounding Capitol Hill were packed with reporters with their cameras and microphones.

Two days after the terrorist attack on the San Francisco coast, the missile attack in Toronto, Canada, twelve hours ago has once again shocked the world.

Three missiles were launched from somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, heading straight for downtown Toronto.

Had it not been for the timely interception by the city's air defense system, Toronto could have become the first major international metropolis to be bombed by missiles during peacetime.

The official explanation was weak and full of loopholes: it claimed to be a military exercise to test the air defense system and ensure the safety of the city.

Even a fool wouldn't believe that—who would actually launch missiles into the city center during a military exercise?!
As soon as the news broke, global media flocked to the scene, crowding around important institutions such as the White House, the Capitol Building, the FBI headquarters, and the Pentagon.

If the location of the Counterterrorism Bureau headquarters weren't top secret, Jack would probably be facing the embarrassing situation of reporters blocking the door right now.

The media chose Washington over Canada for a simple reason: the video clearly shows that the missiles were all Tomahawk cruise missiles, purely American-made. Moreover, Canada's air defense system is partly managed by the US military, making the attribution of responsibility self-evident.

Outside the Capitol, Underwood calmly answered a barrage of questions from reporters.

"Mr. Speaker, is this incident in Canada the same as the San Francisco terrorist attack two days ago, perpetrated by Rorschach Butcher?"

"First, I want to correct your misstatement. The incident that occurred in Toronto early this morning was a joint air defense exercise between the U.S. and Canadian militaries, not what you call a terrorist attack."

"Live-fire exercise? Targeting the city center? This is far-fetched and hard to convince the public."

"I understand this may sound counterintuitive. But it is precisely because of the San Francisco incident that we must strengthen our defenses. In the fight against terrorism, we must plan ahead. As for choosing Toronto for the live-fire exercise, it is because with the Aegis system and Patriot missiles, we believe that no threat will succeed!"

"Mr. Speaker, but there are reports that representatives from various countries and terrorist agents were attending an auction in Toronto at the time. Could it be interpreted that if the missile hit, it was a targeted killing, and if it missed, it was a military exercise?"

"."

Underwood's eyes narrowed. "I admire your imagination, but unfortunately, this is just a routine military exercise."

“Mr. Speaker”

The reporters kept asking questions, and it took Underwood a full half hour to answer them before he set off for the White House.

Inside the car, the veteran politician's face was unusually somber.

The developments in Toronto completely exceeded their expectations.

When Jack's plan was initially submitted for discussion, everyone involved in the decision-making meeting unanimously agreed to the proposal.

On the surface, Jack's tailor-made action plan for Rorschach appears flawless—it eliminates Rorschach, a major threat to the Federation, destroys the "Staff" that threatens the Federation's cybersecurity, and also eliminates a large number of "Cobra" warriors and other agents from various countries with ulterior motives, achieving multiple objectives with one move.

However, when the plan was put into action, Toronto's air defense system was hacked and intercepted the missile at the last minute.

What was originally a meticulously planned military operation turned into a "fireworks show" costing hundreds of millions of dollars.

The plan failed completely, and they lost all face.

But it's alright.
Looking out the car window, Underwood saw that the area outside the White House was also packed with reporters.

The Black president was struggling to answer reporters' pointed questions, and fine beads of sweat were forming on his forehead.

In just six months, the newly appointed president seemed to have aged ten years.

More worrying than his weathered appearance is his approval rating – the series of terrorist attacks and missile misfires have led many to question his ability to serve as president.

Underwood lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, stubbed it out, and got out of the car.

Now, it's up to him, the president's most trusted confidant, to clean up the mess and turn the tide.

After one hour.

When Underwood and the president returned to the Oval Office, both remained silent, their faces grim.

"The damage assessment for the San Francisco coast has been completed."

The president sat down in his leather chair and, unusually, lit a cigarette. Having quit smoking years ago, he's been almost constantly near a cigarette these days, a burning one always between his fingers.

Underwood frowned: "How much?"

"The direct losses are $80 billion, and the indirect losses are incalculable. The final total will likely be in the hundreds of billions. Considering the nuclear leak, the total losses in San Francisco and the surrounding area could reach hundreds of billions!" The president's voice was hoarse.

".well."

Underwood rubbed his temples, could only sigh and fall silent.

He knew that this was still a conservative estimate.

The initial construction cost of a complete Nimitz-class aircraft carrier battle group is between $300 billion and $450 billion. If the costs of operation, maintenance, and upgrades throughout its entire life cycle are included, the total cost could exceed $1000 billion. Not to mention the devastating losses suffered by residents and businesses near the coast, as well as the environmental remediation and long-term health effects of the nuclear leak.

Seeing the president looking exhausted, Underwood gathered his thoughts and said in a deep voice, "The losses are indeed staggering, but the most important thing now is not to dwell on the numbers, but to find suitable topics to divert public attention and stabilize the situation."

“That’s what I think too.” The president nodded wearily, took out a document and handed it over: “This is my proposed list of new cabinet members. Frank, you will be taking the position of Secretary of State this time. I hope you can turn the tide.”

Staring at the list, Underwood nodded calmly and accepted it without changing his expression.

Half a year
After being betrayed by his predecessor's cabinet, it took him six months to finally return to the center of power and take the position of Secretary of State, which he had long coveted from the beginning.

However, this position is no longer enough to satisfy his appetite.

The two continued to discuss the next steps, and Jack, who was on a mission in Toronto, also arrived.

Seeing his self-reproachful expression, Underwood comforted him, "This operation's failure has nothing to do with you. Your plan was approved by the entire cabinet and had no obvious flaws. The only thing to blame is the many variables."

Jack shook his head and handed over the tablet: "Your Excellency, Speaker, we have obtained footage of a person in Toronto who is very likely an accomplice of Rorschach, that highly skilled hacker who can infiltrate [machines]."

As he spoke, he pulled up a screenshot from the surveillance footage—a clear profile of Harold walking his dog by the lake.

(End of this chapter)