The real life of an American police officer: Winning over others with virtue

Chapter 220 Test
Seeing this, Bill's smile deepened, and he and Eric took a sip at the same time.

This young man was neither humble nor arrogant from beginning to end, and he wasn't intimidated at all when he was among this group of old guys. He was really good!
But thinking about it, it makes sense. Eric is a remarkable person, and his abilities shouldn't be ignored just because of his age.

Bill didn't forget that Eric was also present, so he started to steer the conversation toward Eric, talking about airplanes.

"Honestly, could Damian please stop taking on flight missions in the future? If Eric hadn't been there this time, I might not have been able to handle it well."

Damian nodded and said, "Okay, I won't accept these anymore."

“But since we’re on the topic, Eric, you did a great job,” Kenny and the others chimed in, expressing their own thoughts.

These people tried their best not to make Eric feel neglected, hoping to help him relax and fit in more easily.

Eric understood immediately and shook his head repeatedly, indicating that he was only assisting and that Bill did all the important work.

Unexpectedly, the group of middle-aged men started discussing related tactics and similar incidents, and the topic changed very quickly.

Eric did glean some useful insights from it, such as how to pinpoint a location from the background of a photograph or information about fake passports.

“For example, signals intelligence,” Damir’s voice rang out.

"A target could reveal their whereabouts by making a phone call, sending a text message, or even just having their phone on and moving around."

Those CIA and NSA listening stations are not just for show.

Through triangulation, just a few base stations can pinpoint your location within a few hundred meters, not to mention those IMSI catchers that disguise themselves as base stations to specifically collect information from nearby mobile phones.

Kenny chuckled and said, "Last time, that drug lord...didn't he find his safe house by using the location of the fake base station his mistress's phone last connected to?"

Damian nodded: "Mobile phones are the biggest snitches, unless you don't use them at all, or use disposable phones that you throw away after use, but even then, the purchase pattern and activation location may still leave traces."

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The group of middle-aged men began discussing things and experiences that most people wouldn't know. Eric stopped drinking his beer, simply sat up straight, his eyes slightly bright, and focused intently on absorbing this knowledge.

Bill glanced at Eric, who looked serious as if he were listening to a lecture, and interjected with a slight smile: "Then there are behavioral patterns, which are the foundation of human intelligence and continuous surveillance."

What time do you aim to wake up each day? What route do you take to work? Which coffee shop do you usually go to? Who do you meet? When do you take out the trash? Once you understand this pattern, any anomaly will become an alarm.

For example, if he goes to the post office instead of the coffee shop he should be at, or if the garbage is collected a day earlier than usual, it could mean he's on the run or delivering a message.

As he spoke, Bill looked at Eric and met his gaze: "Humans are creatures of habit, and changing habits is often accompanied by action."

Eric took a deep breath and felt his horizons broaden, as if a new door had been opened in his mind. The world before him seemed to be full of details and information he had never noticed before.

Getting to know these big shots was indeed very important to him. Learning to see and think like them was far more valuable to him than any formal training session.

But as Eric listened, he couldn't help but think to himself, "There's so much to learn! It's truly difficult to become an all-rounder!"

However, he has the Deep Blue skill point, so he seems to have a better chance than anyone else!

Eric's behavior was so obvious that the men exchanged glances, their expressions becoming quite ambiguous.

Damian chuckled: "So conversely, when carrying out missions, we ourselves need to break the mold."

"Don't use fixed routes, times, or locations for meetings. Always be aware of counter-surveillance, watch out for being followed, and check if there are fixed surveillance points. If something feels wrong, immediately activate the escape plan." After another round of discussion, Bill glanced at Eric, who was deep in thought, and a relieved smile appeared on his face.

He put down his long-empty beer can, stood up, and aptly changed the subject: "Alright, gentlemen, the theory lesson is on hold. We mustn't forget the traditions of the welcome party."

"Kenny, go get that set of stuff from the warehouse!"

"Yes, sir!" Kenny nodded and smiled, then stood up like a nimble bear and strode quickly toward Bill's garage.

A short while later, he returned carrying a rather heavy-looking hard case, a familiar mischievous smile on his face.

"The tradition of welcoming new friends?" Eric asked curiously, detaching himself from the knowledge he had absorbed.

“That’s right,” Kenny said, slamming the box onto the empty table and opening it.

Inside was a professional dartboard and several sets of darts, each with feathers of different colors on its tail.

He quickly made all the necessary arrangements.

“Don’t underestimate this,” Bill chuckled, picking up a dart and weighing it in his hand. “Our group needs to have steady eyes and a steady hand. Walter, how about demonstrating for the newbies?”

Walter didn't say anything, but silently picked up a dart, walked to the designated throwing line, and his whole aura changed instantly, with the focus and calmness of a sniper enveloping him.

Without even aiming, with a flick of the wrist, the dart turned into a barely perceptible streak of silver light.

"Duh!"

At a distance of about three meters, it hit the bullseye perfectly! Absolutely perfect!
The crowd clapped, and Walter shrugged, his gaze fixed on Eric.

Eric lowered his eyelids slightly; as expected of a sniper, his hand was indeed steady.

“Your turn, Eric!” Kenny shoved a set of darts into Eric’s hands and pushed him to the front of the line.

"Just consider it a way to stretch your muscles?"

"Okay." Seemingly sensing the gazes of the men, Eric took a deep breath and focused his attention on the dartboard.

Although he had never shot such a dart before, the physical coordination and nerve reaction speed brought by the Deep Blue skill point were still playing a role at this moment.

The dartboard became clearer, and the trajectory of his arm became more stable. He imitated Walter's movements, but with his own shooting habits, making it faster and more decisive.

Duh! Duh! Duh!
Three darts flew out in succession. One landed right next to Walter's dart on the edge of the bullseye, while the other two landed steadily beside it, clustered together.

This scene caused the older men to exchange glances, realizing from this glimpse that Eric was not only skilled in combat, but also likely had excellent marksmanship.

Kenny shrugged, looked at Eric, and for the first time felt that Eric's youth was starting to be a bit jarring, and he also felt a sense of injustice in comparing himself to others.

"Okay, you win."

Seeing the looks in Bill's eyes, Eric understood perfectly well that this was likely another test, or perhaps they wanted to get a full understanding of his abilities.

Damn, these middle-aged men are so in sync.

(End of this chapter)