I was acting crazy in North America, and all the crazy people there took it seriously.

Chapter 167 The Prohibition Bureau has mastered the most powerful weapon to turn the tide.

Commissioner Robert's sadness was genuine and heartfelt!

That mountain of money, which was reduced to nothing in the explosion, could have been his!

Although subsequent investigation reports indicated that the "mountain of money," apart from the outermost layer which was used to lure the enemy with real banknotes, was likely filled with counterfeit banknotes inside, it was clearly a meticulously planned and deadly trap that exploited the weakness of human greed!

But Commissioner Robert still couldn't suppress the excruciating pain.

Even if only the outer layer is real money, it's still a considerable sum of cash!
Don't underestimate small amounts of money! Every little bit counts!

Don't think he's just trying to make money for himself! Is Robert such a shallow person?
He was considering the bigger picture! The survival and development of the Prohibition Board!

Being broke can really be deadly!

And don't tell me he wasn't saddened by the deaths of those agents in the explosion. On the contrary, he was heartbroken, absolutely devastated!
All they had to do was die, but those who were still alive, especially those in leadership positions like him, had to face countless messes!

For example, compensation!
Thanks to his efforts, the Prohibition Board's budget for this fiscal year was not drastically cut as some members of Congress had hoped.

However, the numbers on paper did not translate into actual action and morale.

Why isn't the manpower being increased? Why are large-scale operations becoming less frequent?
The answer lies hidden in those death notices and the subsequent applications for compensation.

The compensation and long-term allowances paid to the detectives who have been killed or seriously injured since last year, and their families, have already devoured a huge chunk of the bureau's budget like a greedy beast!
In other words, they're so poor they can't even afford to die!
Every failed operation not only means that the mission objective is not achieved, but also that the financial situation of the entire department will be further worsened in the future.

For example, this time, it was another completely unprofitable operation!

All I got in return were a bunch of pension applications and negative news!

Let him die!

Robert buried himself in his office chair, feeling that life was bleak.

……

Just as Commissioner Robert was immersed in overwhelming grief, the media's attention, after a brief period of sensational discussion about the "hero's curse," finally returned to the series of bombings.

Upon inspection, wow, this crackdown on bootlegging has resulted in an exceptionally heavy number of casualties!

Samuel, the newly hyped "Black hero" who "turned over a new leaf," has fallen from grace!
The accompanying reporters are gone!
But the ones who suffered the most were undoubtedly the law enforcement officers of the Prohibition Bureau!
This is definitely the deadliest law enforcement operation this year!
The media naturally unanimously condemned the "criminal group's" inhumanity and lawlessness:

A large criminal syndicate that trafficked both people and alcohol! They habitually responded to law enforcement with explosives, resulting in horrific tragedies!

"They must be severely punished! We must use the harshest measures to retaliate against such a horrific act!"

However, while condemning the "criminal group," the media also relentlessly criticized law enforcement, especially the Prohibition Bureau, which spearheaded the operation.

First, is this wave of vigorous enforcement of the alcohol ban truly a success?

If we only look at the material gains, the "criminal group" certainly suffered great losses, but look at the price paid by law enforcement agencies—money or human lives, which is more important?
That's money, of course... uh, human lives!

Therefore, criticism also flooded the Prohibition Board:

"The Prohibition Bureau, the department that was initially given high hopes when Prohibition was first introduced, has not had a single good news since last year. Not one!"

"You've been useless for so long and haven't made any progress! You can't even do basic operational security and intelligence verification properly!"

Oh no, I should say they've made some progress. At least this time, the precious lives of their brave detectives finally brought some substantial losses to the criminal group!

The public outcry has thrust the Prohibition Bureau into the spotlight.

The Capitol also held another hearing to question the Prohibition Bureau's performance in this incident, as well as the age-old question: "Does the Prohibition Bureau still have any reason or value?"

Commissioner Robert, dressed in a black suit, sat solemnly in the questioning seat, facing a barrage of sharp questions from all sides—

"Are there serious deficiencies in the Prohibition Bureau's personnel training and operational plans?"

"Do the successive failures and huge casualties mean that this department is no longer able to fulfill its statutory duties?"

Is taxpayers' money being wasted by an incompetent department?

These questions were like knives, stabbing into Robert's already riddled nerves.

He thought of his empty savings account, the mountain of pension applications, the media's merciless ridicule, and the "mountain of money" that should have belonged to him but had vanished...

Overwhelmed with grief, I could not suppress it.

He suddenly raised his head and, under the gaze of all the members of parliament, burst into tears without warning!

A truly heart-wrenching, unrestrained, and utterly unseemly outburst of tears!
He cried so intensely, so selflessly, so dramatically!
“We…we, the Prohibition Bureau…it’s not easy!” He began to recount his story in fits and starts, tears and snot streaming down his face, but he didn’t bother to wipe them away.

"To uphold the dignity of the law... to carry out the will of Congress... we have been facing the most vicious enemies!"

"Those young men...they were all so good...they...they're just gone like that!"

"The bureau is now... almost unable to pay out the compensation... but we have to endure the criticism... and keep paying... we can't let the hero's family down!"

"But...nobody understands us...they even call us useless..."

"What exactly do we need to do... to be enough..."

He cried so hard that the sky darkened, the sun and moon lost their light, and he cried as if he wanted to vomit his heart and lungs out.

The entire solemn and dignified congressional hearing room was completely stunned by his sudden, earth-shattering cry.

The lawmakers, whether they supported or opposed prohibition, were all dumbfounded.

They had seen people give impassioned speeches, argue logically, resist silently, and even bang on the table and curse, but had they ever seen a federal department head cry so unceremoniously in such a solemn setting, like a child?
No, even children have never seen anyone cry so miserably!
The solemn parliament was filled only with Commissioner Robert's tearful, desperate cries, creating an extremely awkward atmosphere.

"Um, Commissioner Robert, please control your emotions..."

The elderly congressman presiding over the hearing tried to maintain order, but to no avail; Robert's wailing was unstoppable!

She cried so loudly that everyone who heard it was moved to tears and everyone who saw it was heartbroken, so naturally no one could question her anymore.

A staunch prohibitionist member of parliament seized the opportunity to stand up, his tone filled with sympathy and indignation: "You all see it! Our law enforcement agencies are bleeding and sacrificing on the front lines, enduring enormous pressure and losses, while we are questioning their competence and their very existence from the rear?"

"I believe now is not the time for accountability, but rather the time to give them more support!"

"I propose an emergency additional special budget for the Prohibition Bureau to provide compensation to the families of the injured and deceased officers, and to strengthen its law enforcement capabilities and security!"

"..."

Frankly speaking, with Commissioner Robert's dramatic display of grief—even those members of Congress who opposed Prohibition and advocated for its abolition—felt embarrassed to cast their votes against it.

The gentlemen were ultimately kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see someone, especially a high-ranking official, crying so miserably in front of them.

The proposal to increase the special budget for the Prohibition Bureau was miraculously passed by almost unanimous vote!

Commissioner Robert, still weeping uncontrollably: "..."

Huh? I think I've discovered the ultimate weapon for securing a budget!
……

(End of this chapter)