A swift and decisive victory in the early stages, a post-apocalyptic survival story in America!

After carefully examining the equipment of those people, Li Qi confirmed his guess.

Aside from assault rifles, they were fully equipped with stun grenades, flashbangs, and hand grenades, making them virtually indistinguishable from a standard military unit.

—No, it's even stronger than the army.

Seeing the can of gasoline at the entrance of the building, Li Qi couldn't help but think to himself, if this had really gone on for a stalemate, he and Lola would probably be roasted birds and roasted chicken by now.

This is clearly not a tactical squad; this is the armed force of a gang. They can use guns, grenades, and even gasoline to set fires...

They could even use C4 explosives to carry out terrorist attacks!

After searching for a while, Li Qi found some documents and a few cell phones. He gathered these items together with the grenades and stun grenades he had collected, piled them in a corner, and then returned to his room.

Before entering, Li Qi shouted, "Honey, it's me, don't shoot!"

Laura, who has triggered PTSD, might pull the trigger on anyone she sees. Li Qi didn't want to die at the hands of his precious darling, so he shouted a warning.

"Received...Received, you...you come in quickly..." Lola's voice was still trembling, clearly quite frightened.

Li Qi then realized that he hadn't even had time to get dressed during all that hustle and bustle...

Upon entering the bedroom, Li Qi hugged Lola tightly. He was wondering why the mission hadn't been completed yet when suddenly a golden light flashed before his eyes.

Mission accomplished!

[After paying a deadly price, you successfully protected your partner from the attacking enemy! The trial by blood and fire has deepened your bond! The choice between life and death has made your fighting instincts exceptionally strong! In this apocalyptic world, killing and fighting are inevitable, but the tenderness and rewards from your partner after victory are equally indispensable! Enjoy the fruits of your battle, brave survivor!]

[System task perfectly completed! Task rewards are being distributed!]

[Mission Completion Rewards: Inspiration Capsule * 1, Free Attribute Points * 1.]

[Perfect Mission Reward: Psychological Counselor]

[Psychological Counselor: You understand others' psychological processes better than most and can use your professional knowledge to alleviate their distress and anxiety. In a post-apocalyptic world, a healthy mindset is a luxury; this skill is crucial for your and your companions' survival.]

Li Qi hugged Lola to comfort her and hurriedly checked the system rewards.

Currently, the system has one Life Capsule, one Combat Capsule, two Inspiration Capsules, and three Free Points remaining.

After acquiring the psychological counselor skills, Li Qi immediately knew how to help his beloved Agent Lola overcome her inner fears and trauma.

Touching the blood on Li Qi's body, Lola, who was also completely naked, panicked even more: "Darling, you...you're injured?"

Li Qi shook his head: "It's someone else's blood, let's go take a shower."

Upon arriving at the bathroom, Li Qi washed off the bloodstains while helping Lola relieve her tension and pain.

"Honey, don't worry, we did it... Come on, be good, do as I say..."

Li Qi guided Lola to forget her fear from the previous battle; having experienced a life-or-death struggle, he too needed to release it.

In psychology, this is called "mindfulness therapy," which focuses on the present moment, correctly observes one's thoughts and emotions, helps patients engage in rumination, and improves their emotional regulation abilities.

"Come on, baby, you were scared just now, weren't you? Don't worry, the problem is solved, sweetie..."

Li Qi patiently guided Lola, using newly learned psychological counseling skills combined with intimate gestures to alleviate her fear.

As the mist dissipated, Lola's eyes were unfocused, somewhat lost, yet gradually relaxing.

The person he trusted most was right beside him, and the crisis had been averted; otherwise, Li Qi wouldn't have been so lenient in demanding these things of himself...

Lola quickly felt safe and became more proactive and enthusiastic.

After a thorough treatment, Li Qi carried Lola out of the bathroom, dried her off, and instructed her, "Time it right. Call the police ten minutes after I leave, and tell them the story I just told you."

Lola's face was still pale, but her eyes were noticeably softer, no longer showing the panic she had before.

Li Qi didn't look down on her because of her performance. In fact, this tall and slender woman had been working in an office in Washington, D.C. since graduation, and only started accumulating field experience after moving to Los Angeles.

How much can one improve in just over a year?

In just over a year, she has already experienced three such life-or-death battles. If she can survive them, this girl has unlimited potential.

Don't look down on people with PTSD; if you were in their shoes, you might not be any better off.

Li Qi felt this even more deeply after acquiring the skill of "psychological counselor".

Find a bucket of leftover Martek disinfectant from Lola and use it to clean up the bloodstains she had splattered on the ground. There wasn't time for a deep clean, so this was all she could do.

Returning to his room, Li Qi erased all traces of his presence. He then instructed Lola to install the hard drive. Afterward, he went to his neighbor's house and rummaged through the master bedroom wardrobe to find a dress and stockings. He put on the women's clothes again, washed and dressed up, and donned a colorful feather sun hat, transforming himself into a noblewoman once more.

So far, "Rich White" is still a bankrupt homeless man, and William Thomson is a fake identity. Whoever it is, showing up at the crime scene is a troublesome matter.

Therefore, Li Qi had to leave without anyone noticing, otherwise there would be a risk of him being followed.

After getting ready, Lola went to the hallway to see Li Qi off. She was a little surprised to see him dressed like that, but she could understand why.

The two kissed goodbye. Li Qi walked down the stairs to the security guard's post in the lobby, only to find two guards slumped over the counter, with a pool of blood on the floor...

The surveillance camera overhead was shattered by a bullet.

The surveillance camera was also destroyed, and the hard drive is missing.

After wandering around outside, Li Qi changed into the men's clothes he had come in at a dark alley, got back into his Dodge, and drove away.

We've tried our best to cover up the traces; if there are any oversights, there's nothing we can do about it.

Late at night, on the streets of Los Angeles, police cars occasionally speed by with their sirens blaring, and homeless people wander around every few steps along the roadside.

Upon inadvertently witnessing a familiar scene, Li Qi stopped the Dodge, rolled down the passenger window, and stared at the familiar tent in the distance, speechless for a moment.

Just a week ago, I was in this tent, waiting to die.

The tent has clearly been occupied, but who knows which unlucky soul is living inside...

In the distance, a figure swayed as he walked over; it was the tall, thin man who had previously robbed the homeless man of his belongings, relying on his strength.

In just a few days, the tall, thin man had become pale and his eyes were empty and lifeless, like a walking corpse.

Seeing the Dodge window roll down, the tall, thin man grinned, showing his teeth.

His front teeth had all disappeared sometime during the night...

In the distance, sirens wailed as three police cars sped past the Dodge and headed toward Lola's apartment.

Li Qi was no longer worried about Lola. He breathed a sigh of relief, shook his head, and decided he couldn't stay any longer. He drove away from this place of trouble.

Today's events reminded him that his top priority was to obtain a legal and respectable identity as soon as possible, otherwise living in the shadows would put him in a very passive position in many situations.

Back in the Hancock Park neighborhood, the doorman on duty was Harry Brandt.

Seeing Dodge return late at night, an exhausted Harry smiled professionally and nodded to Richie in the driver's seat.

"This LGBT lady, has she always lived here? Why haven't I seen Mr. Thomson?" Harry asked, a hint of doubt on his face as he watched the Dodge Pikachu's retreating figure.