America: The Gear-Up Detective

After careful consideration, Rhodes decided to wait until his administrative leave ended before discussing with Captain Connor and the others whether to reinvestigate the case.

Before this, the most we could do was contact Ada to gather more information, improve our understanding of the case, and see if we could identify the real suspect.

Rod sat for a while, then went to the gym to start exercising.

......

Achilles Gym.

This is a fitness club located near the detective agency that combines fitness and shooting facilities.

The police station does have a shooting range, but most officers prefer to practice there.

This gym offers significant discounts on membership fees for police officers, boasts comprehensive equipment, and is also run by a beautiful and well-known female owner and trainer in the neighborhood.

Yes, a boxing coach.

Valentina Mendoza, of Latin descent, is about 1.75 meters tall. With her thick, dark hair, healthy tan skin, and striking features, coupled with her sexy, curvaceous, and powerful hourglass figure, Valentina made her gym a popular choice for men in the neighborhood when she first started it.

The detectives were no exception.

This includes Rhodes from before, of course.

Rod had signed up for a year-long membership at Achilles Gym a long time ago, which, even with the police officer discount, cost as much as $599 a year.

Judging from the price, this gym seems to be targeting the mid-to-high-end market.

With such a high price, the gym's interior is naturally decorated in a high-end style. Different floor materials are designed for different areas, and the walls are covered with bright ambient lighting strips. The powerful central air conditioning not only ensures that the temperature is kept cool, but also vigorously removes the sweat and body odor from the gym, ensuring that the indoor air is fresh.

Achilles Gym occupies a three-story building with an area of ​​approximately 10,000 square feet.

The first floor is a normal fitness area, the second floor is a boxing and fighting area, and the basement is a dedicated firearms training area, and there is even a small tactical training room.

First floor.

It was the weekend, and although it was only around 3 p.m., the gym was still full of people of all skin colors, sweating it out on the various exercise machines.

I didn't see Valentina, but this beautiful boss is a boxing and fighting enthusiast and usually stays on the second floor, so Rod rarely goes there either.

Rod changed into a sports vest, walked to the treadmill, and prepared to start his warm-up with a jog.

Now that the attribute has reached 9.1, you can start trying more effective training methods.

His not-so-muscular physique quickly developed a thin layer of sweat.

At that moment, a burly black man with broad shoulders that could open a door and arms larger than Rod's head walked to a treadmill next to Rod and started running.

Before long, the burly black man couldn't contain himself any longer. He turned his head to look at Rod and said to Rod in a slightly rhythmic tone:

"Yo, bro."

Aren't you tired from running like that?

Rod ignored him.

The muscular black man continued, "I have something good here that can speed up your muscle training. Want to try it?"

Then he gestured to Rod, showing off the bulging veins on his arm.

Upon hearing this, Rod realized that this person was there to make a sales pitch.

Slowly stopping, Rod stepped off the treadmill, his breathing slightly rapid. After calming down for a few seconds, Rod looked at the large, pointed-headed black man.

Having made up his mind, he silently activated [Bewitchment].

This is a great opportunity to test the effectiveness of skills.

"Hey buddy, you must do a lot of selling things to people, right?"

As the burly black man listened to Rod's voice, for some reason, he felt that the voice was full of a certain charm, making him not want to think and simply succumb to it.

"Of course," the burly black man replied blankly.

Looking at the muscular man who seemed to be getting into the zone, Rhodes whispered to him, "Besides these good things that can make muscles bulge, are there any good things that can stimulate a person?"

As he spoke, Rod made a sudden sniffling motion.

The burly black man hesitated for a moment, but after a brief silence, he nodded. "Of course, I have a lot of good stuff here. I can get it for you if you want."

Before Rod could ask any further questions, the burly black man rattled off a detailed account of what he had bought, where his supplier had delivered the goods, and where he usually sold them.

Ten seconds later, Rhodes deactivated [Bewitchment], nodded to the burly black man, and said, "I see."

The burly black man with the pointed head seemed to wake up from some kind of state, looking at Rhodes with a ghostly expression, then quickly retreated away from Rhodes, muttering words starting with "Fuxk".

A moment later, he made a phone call, then glared at Rod and left the gym.

Rod saw this but didn't take it to heart.

As for whether there will be retaliation? Rod has already seen several of his colleagues from the police station in here. If the burly black man really brings trouble for Rod, then it's not certain who will retaliate against whom.

Rhodes shook his head, continuing his training while recalling the situation from earlier.

It was clear that at that moment the burly black man was briefly controlled by Rhodes's skill.

Logically, the effect shouldn't have been this good, but the burly black man had clearly overdosed on the drugs, damaging his brain nerves.

As those who frequently use steroids know, using supraphysiological doses of steroids can lead to a significant reduction in the density of neurons in a region of the brain called the "locus coeruleus," with a reduction of up to 36%.

The locus coeruleus is a very important nucleus in the brain, responsible for regulating various functions such as attention, arousal, learning, and memory. Damage to this function can lead to poor concentration, mental confusion, memory loss, and disordered thinking, and even emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, mania, irritability, and increased aggression.

Simply put, excessive use of medication can increase muscle mass, but it can also cause brain atrophy.

These people lack the resilience that comes with years of physical training; instead, their willpower becomes frighteningly weak under the ravages of drugs.

They were easily controlled by [bewitching].

"I estimate that the effect of [bewitchment] will be reduced when it comes to normal people. If it comes to professionals who have undergone mental training, it may not only fail to work, but may also make people wary and alert them."

Rhodes pondered all the possibilities of [Bewitchment], conducting a more in-depth analysis of its characteristics. After all, this skill was closely related to interrogations and testimonies during future cases.

Afterwards, Rod did some simple bench presses and squats, and when he felt extremely tired, he began to pack his things.

At this point, it had been less than two hours since the training began.

Physical attributes are related to one's physical strength, metabolism, recovery ability, and even resistance to injury and disease.

Rhodes sat trembling on the stool, looking at his 9.1 Constitution on the panel, and shook his head slightly. "Still too low. When will I find equipment that increases Constitution?"

After calming down, Rod looked at his still slightly trembling legs and decided to rest at the detective station for a while before driving back.

I'd also like to ask about the latest developments in the Emily poisoning case.