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

Chapter 257 The Arctic (Daily Life)
Today is an extremely special and important day for America, and indeed for the whole world.

The reason is simple: according to information obtained from Congress and the White House, the cabinet will be reshuffled today to fill the vacancies at the top of the government.

In short, the cabinet is about to welcome a new leadership team, with some people being promoted to power and others possibly leaving in disgrace.

The mastermind behind all this was terrorist Rorschach, who first executed the Speaker of the House and the Secretary of State, and then attacked the White House with fighter jets, using VX gas to kill several high-ranking government officials, including the Secretary of the Treasury, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of Homeland Security.

This has led to the cabinet being nearly paralyzed and the operation of the national upper echelons of government failing recently. In addition, there are still many matters to be dealt with, such as the aftermath of the San Francisco terrorist attack, disaster relief, and compensation for the victims.

Therefore, Congress convened another emergency meeting to finalize the cabinet list and confirm the personnel for each ministry as quickly as possible.

Our old friend Francis Underwood is on this new list, and he is the highest-ranking Secretary of State, the highest-ranking official in charge of a country's foreign policy.

"Frank, are you ready? Everyone's in the East Room, waiting for you."

There was a knock on the office door, and Claire poked her head out from behind it, asking him a question.

America's swearing-in ceremony, including that of the Secretary of State and other cabinet ministers, is usually held in a venue with official symbolic significance, most commonly the White House and the Capitol Building.

Normally, the Secretary of State would choose to conduct diplomatic duties in the East Room or the Oval Office of the White House. However, if the Secretary of State needs to perform diplomatic duties immediately, such as in urgent international negotiations, the Secretary of State would choose to conduct them in the Capitol or the State Department to emphasize the independence of his diplomatic functions.

But this time, it wasn't just Underwood who needed to be sworn in; several other cabinet members were also required to take office at the same time. Therefore, the ceremony was held in the East Room of the White House, a place with strong political connotations.

This is also the place where the president is sworn in.

However, after hearing his wife's cries, Underwood remained silent in front of the mirror, gazing at his reflection.

Claire frowned and walked in, asking, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

She walked behind her husband and reached out to straighten his tie.

Underwood shook his head slightly: "I'm thinking about something."

"what?"

"If those people outside knew that I've been secretly helping Rorschach all along, how would they react?"

"They'll just think you're drunk, ecstatic, and that's why you're talking nonsense after having a few drinks."

Claire smiled dismissively: "Old Hammer personally planned such a large-scale terrorist attack, yet the Federation didn't dare to actually prosecute him for treason in front of the media. They only mobilized the FBI internally to issue a warrant for his arrest. Not to mention the situation of you, the soon-to-be Secretary of State."

Underwood smiled, took his wife's hand, and said with a deep look in his eyes, "There's one more thing I'm going to confront the president about."

He lowered his voice: "He is now beset by internal and external troubles. The public has lost trust in him, and the party is in disarray. The party media is just short of publicly calling for Parliament to impeach him. At this point, if I were to produce the scandalous DVDs he left at his old manor, he would probably be ruined and forced to resign."

"But wouldn't that mean the entire Democratic Party would be finished?"

Claire frowned and said, "For a period of time, you and the president have been political allies, and the outside world has seen you as one. If he falls from power in the form of a scandal, what benefits will you get? You will probably be implicated and removed from office as well."

"So I decided to speak with the president privately."

Underwood confidently stated, "I have made multiple backups of the disc. If he is willing to step down voluntarily, I will save face for him. If not, I will make him the most infamous and despicable president in American history!"

Claire seemed lost in thought and remained silent without answering.

Underwood watched his shrewd and capable wife quietly, awaiting her response.

He and his partner had known each other for many years and were very close. They were not brought together by love, but by their mutual ambition in their respective careers.

Claire was no ordinary woman. In Underwood's mind, his wife, in terms of political skills and shrewdness, far surpassed that foolish woman, Perari, who rose to power by relying on her husband's family's influence.

"No."

Claire's expression was grave, and she shook her head, saying, "The terrorist attacks in San Francisco and the White House have united the people in a shared sense of righteous indignation. Within the party, although there are many complaints about the president, stability is the most important thing at this time, and they will not support your actions. If you act rashly at this time, even if you manage to take office, there is no guarantee that someone will secretly obstruct you, and then the cabinet you control will be nothing more than an empty shell."

Underwood fell into deep thought, his brow furrowed and he remained silent, seemingly weighing the pros and cons in a conflicted manner.

But soon, Claire's eyes lit up: "Wait a little longer, and maybe the opportunity will come to us on its own soon."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Wait for Rorschach."

Claire smiled meaningfully: "Do you think this kid will give up so easily? He already considers the Federation his biggest enemy. With his mad dog-like, relentless nature, I'm afraid the next bigger terrorist attack will happen in less than a month. That will be the best time for you to negotiate with the president."

She gently stroked her husband's ambitious chest and coaxed him, "At that time, as long as you explain the pros and cons and make him step down in front of the media with dignity, coupled with your influence in Congress and external pressure, everything will fall into place naturally."

Underwood raised an eyebrow: "Then I'll be taking over a mess?"

Claire smiled, unfazed. "You and Rorschach already have a private connection, and I've heard that Jack's daughter, Ginny, also has an unusual relationship with Rorschach. If you reach an agreement with Rorschach, or have Ginny whisper in his ear, things will be much easier. He hates Pellaley, Joe, and the president the most for their involvement in the Puff Daddy incident, not you. What's there to be afraid of? As long as you can talk to him, you can always resolve the issue through a deal. I don't believe he really wants to be a fugitive for life."

After hearing his wife's words, Underwood smiled knowingly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

Half an hour later.

The East Wing, located in the South Room of the White House, was brightly lit.

Members of Congress, state legislators, cabinet members, military representatives, and media reporters stood ready with their cameras and microphones, their eyes fixed on the oath-taking platform.

All the officials nominated for cabinet positions have already taken their oaths, leaving only the last candidate for Secretary of State.

Soon, Underwood, dressed in a well-tailored suit, calmly arrived at the swearing-in platform.

He nodded and smiled at the black president in front of him, his eyes showing three parts humility, three parts determination, and four parts unfathomable depth.

To anyone, he was a loyal and capable general, a pillar of the state, a man of great talent who could save the nation from collapse, and a vital asset to the country.

With all preparations complete, he placed his hand on the Constitution and took the oath of office toward the witnesses in front of him—the Supreme Court Justices.

"I voluntarily undertake this obligation, without reservation or evasion."

"I will faithfully fulfill my duties, God bless."

After the oath was taken, the Supreme Court Justice solemnly announced, extending his hand: "Congratulations, Mr. Secretary of State." Underwood shook hands respectfully, and faced with congratulations from the crowd and interviews from the media, he was humble, polite, and handled the situation with ease.

Sunlight streamed through the windows into the hall, casting a golden halo over him.

He looked around, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

Now, he is only one step away from the presidency, yet he doesn't need a single vote; this is what democracy is all about.

As for the vice president, even a homeless man in the slums probably wouldn't think that the stupid woman who just laughs all the time could stop him.

The newly appointed Secretary of State looked at all the dignitaries and powerful figures in front of him and chuckled to himself.

The road to power was paved with hypocrisy and sacrifice, but he would never regret it.

Rorschach, you absolutely mustn't let me down.
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While the White House was still scrambling to reorganize its cabinet, Rorschach, whom Underwood had been talking about, had quietly left Panama and embarked on a journey to the Arctic with his partners.

Currently, there are no regular commercial flights to the North Pole. Most tourists traveling to the Arctic either choose to charter a plane or travel slowly by icebreaker in Norway or Russia.

Russia, in particular, boasts a well-established tourist route that goes directly to the Arctic, and the journey involves traveling on a nuclear-powered icebreaker known as the "Polar Beast," making it a luxurious choice for Arctic tourism.

But this was clearly no challenge for Rorschach and his group.

With Harold's considerable wealth, they flew directly from Canada to the North Pole in their private jet.

Inside the cabin, Michael was intently studying the 3D architectural model projection in front of him, occasionally scribbling on paper, his brow furrowed, sometimes lost in thought, sometimes suddenly enlightened.

This brilliant engineer had left Panama with Rorschach a day earlier.

When Sarah learned that it was about Rorschach, she understood that there must be dangers involved. Therefore, unlike the heroine in the movie, she did not insist on following him. Instead, she rationally chose not to hold him back and repeatedly told Michael to be careful and return safely.

Finally, he gently stroked his abdomen with a knowing look, giving it a knowing expression.

This scene made Rorschach's eyes twitch – if someone were to die before the operation even began, it wouldn't be a good omen.

As for Michael's brother Lincoln, this big, clumsy guy who only knows how to cause trouble, although he doesn't know Rorschach's specific plans, he insisted on coming along to protect his brother. As a result, he was severely taught a lesson by Rorschach and is now lying in the hospital enjoying medical insurance benefits.

Finally, there's Sandy. This woman understands her place perfectly and knows that her relationship with Rorschach is nothing more than a fleeting affair where each party gets what they want. Therefore, she wisely avoids getting entangled with him.

After being fed by Rorschach, he returned to New York alone.

"And what about that woman?" Connor winked at Rorschach. "The one you kept as a sidekick, all the way... hmm?"

“Of course I went home.” Luo Xia glared at him irritably. “Don’t talk nonsense. I was doing it to detoxify myself. I had absolutely no evil intentions.”

"Heh, you've rubbed his skin raw, and you still say you had no evil intentions?" Anna swirled her champagne glass and interjected sarcastically.

Luo Xia glanced at her but didn't respond.

Although this girl didn't stop him from executing his ex-girlfriend Helen, she was definitely unhappy about it and would seize any opportunity to make sarcastic remarks about him.

Shrug, Rorschach decided not to stoop to a woman's level.

However, recalling the scene of taking Jessica home, he couldn't help but smack his lips.

When Jesse's mother saw her daughter lying there like a limp rag doll, she almost grabbed a shotgun and fired a few shots at her.

Fortunately, although Jesse was weak, he was still conscious and managed to explain in a feeble manner, thus resolving the misunderstanding.

After leaving a million-dollar check, Rorschach hurriedly took his leave in an extremely awkward atmosphere. As he left, he heard Jesse calling for his mother to bring ice to treat his swollen "wound."

At the rear of the cabin, a few people were chatting quietly to pass the time, while at the front, Michael was focused on studying the architectural model and Harold was using AI to assist in calculations.

As for the Baroness, having informed McCullen in advance, she returned to the Arctic base two days prior to undergo Cobra's routine inspection.

Late at night, the brilliant starlight spilled into the cabin. The plane was approaching the Arctic Circle, and the aurora borealis shimmered in the night sky, a breathtaking sight.

While everyone else was resting or reading to pass the time, Michael, who had been studying all day, suddenly had a flash of inspiration and jumped up.

The group, still half-asleep, looked at each other, bewildered.

"Michael?" Rorschach strode forward. "You've found a way?"

“That’s right!” Michael waved his tablet excitedly. “The architect of this terrorist organization is truly ingenious. The person who came up with the idea of ​​building a military base under a glacier is an absolute genius!”

Before anyone could reply, he had already brought up the 3D model and zoomed in on the key parts.

"This military fortress is located 300 meters below the glacier in the permafrost layer, and its outer layer is cast using a special alloy with a nano-coating. Due to load-bearing capacity, a hydraulic support system is also installed at the bottom. As for the life support systems such as ventilation and heating, they operate completely independently to prevent intrusion and are not connected to the outside world, thus completely eliminating the possibility of invasion. It can be said that this fortress is a masterpiece of architecture, and with its vast internal space and cutting-edge equipment, its cost probably far exceeds that of any other building in the world."

"But even the most perfect design is not without flaws."

Michael swiped his finger quickly to bring up the bottom structure diagram: "The fortress leads directly to the Arctic Ocean and is equipped with multiple submarines of different types. Although it is difficult to break through the defenses from above, as long as we infiltrate through the submarine passage below, we can strike at the heart of the enemy."

"However, we need an inside help, namely the Baroness, to assist in this operation."

Michael continued, "When the submarine enters or exits, it needs to depressurize and pump water, opening the hatches. During this time, the base's waterproof doors will remain open. We can then infiltrate the submarine passage, disguise ourselves as supply personnel, and have the Baroness disable the defense system, allowing us to infiltrate undetected. Once we control the submarine passage, we'll have the key to entry and exit, cut off reinforcements, and trap them like turtles in a jar!"

Although Michael was hoarse from talking, Rorschach had fully grasped the key points of the plan: to cooperate from the inside and outside, to infiltrate the base while the submarine was depressurizing, and to launch a surprise attack.

This is indeed much more reliable than the various aggressive attack plans previously envisioned.

"very good."

Luo Xia nodded in satisfaction, "We'll arrive at the target area in about three hours. Then we'll proceed according to plan."

He gazed out the window at the pitch-black polar night sky, his eyes blazing.

Once he takes down the Cobra, he will truly have the power to confront the Federation head-on!
(End of this chapter)