An American knife seller? No, please acknowledge me as your godfather.

Red Hook Street.

VIP private room on the second floor of Haidilao.

The room was steaming hot, with white steam mixed with a rich aroma filling the air.

The large round table was laden with a sumptuous array of ingredients that whetted the appetite.

Crystal-clear handmade shrimp paste, thinly sliced ​​premium beef rolls with alternating red and white stripes...

The beef balls burst with juice, the tripe is tender and smooth, and there's even a whole plate of fresh, still slightly twitching shrimp!

In short, it was an extremely lavish hot pot feast with a huge table full of food.

In the very center of the exquisite hot pot, bright red spicy broth and rich tomato broth are bubbling and churning.

The aroma wafting out was extremely enticing, wafting straight into one's nostrils.

Lynn sat comfortably in the main seat, flanked by two absolute veterans of the startup group.

On the left is Mike the Black Dragon, and on the right is Kane the White Tiger.

"Gulp..."

A sudden and loud protest from the stomach erupted.

In the relatively quiet private room, the sound was unusually clear, even drowning out the noise of the hot pot boiling.

Kane immediately turned his head, glancing sideways with disdain at Mike across from him.

There's no need to guess who could make such an embarrassing sound.

Aside from Mike, a street urchin who spends all his time in the slums, there would be absolutely no one else.

"Hehe... Sorry, BOSS, that was a little undignified."

Old Mike, with a thick skin, patted his sunken belly, rubbed his hands together, and smiled sheepishly.

However, his eyes never left the plate of fatty beef and shrimp paste for even a second.

He spent years eating cold, hard hot dogs and unpalatable white food, and most of the time he was struggling to make ends meet.

Where in my life have I ever seen such delicious and visually appealing Eastern cuisine?

The aroma of the hot pot broth was so strong that his mouth was practically watering.

"Hahaha!"

Seeing Mike's greedy look, Lynn not only showed no displeasure, but instead burst into laughter, waving his hand with great gusto:

"Have you been waiting long? The pot's boiling! Eat up, eat your fill! Nobody's leaving until they're full! Eat, eat, eat!"

"Really, Boss?"

Mike's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this.

This is not an exaggerated metaphor, but an extremely realistic adjective.

Lynn even saw with his own eyes that Mike's cloudy eyes brightened by more than one degree in an instant, as if they had built-in high beams!

"Of course it's true! Eat! This meal is specially to treat you two!"

Seeing Old Mike's eager actions, Lynn made no attempt to hide his praise:

"The reason we were able to wipe out the Blood Wolf Gang so easily this time is largely thanks to Mike!"

This wasn't just Lynn saying something flattering at a dinner party; it was an undeniable fact.

Although he spearheaded the plan against the Blood Wolf Gang.

However, most of the covert operations and information dissemination related to the homeless in the early stages were accomplished by Old Mike, who ran himself ragged to coordinate and complete the task.

Not only that.

In front of the Rusty Anchor Bar, he precisely threw that worn-out shoe at Will Cross, the leader of the Blood Wolf Gang, successfully igniting a key moment of anger.

Furthermore, outside an abandoned warehouse at the Port of Seattle, a crucial shot was secretly fired, directly plunging the Blood Wolf Gang into the abyss of annihilation.

These crucial operations were all performed by Mike.

Its importance is absolutely self-evident, and it is undoubtedly the MVP!

"Thank you, Boss! Then I won't be polite!"

Mike was starving.

Since he didn't know how to use chopsticks at all, he simply acted like a savage, holding a long wooden chopstick in each hand and stabbing two slices of fatty beef rolls into the ground like he was stabbing fish.

Regardless of whether it was hot or not, they dipped it in sesame sauce and stuffed it into their mouths.

While wincing in pain from the heat, they made satisfied smacking sounds.

The comical and incredibly vivid scene of them eating made Lynn laugh out loud.

He didn't correct Mike's technique on how to use chopsticks, since it was too difficult for a Black person.

Instead, he turned to Kane, who was sitting upright to the side, and called out, "Kane, you eat too!"

Kane's role in this operation is undeniable.

Although he rarely intervened personally, he always provided covert protection.

When they make a move, it's sure to be a resounding success!

The best example is his single-handedly capturing Mark, that high-ranking official.

"The boss eats first."

Upon hearing this, Kane's cold and stern face turned extremely serious, and he lowered his head slightly and shook his head respectfully.

The words fell.

Old Mike, who was enjoying a hearty meal with his mouth full of beef balls, suddenly froze in mid-air.

He stared wide-eyed at Kane, who was putting on an act, his lips twitching violently.

Suddenly, even the most delicious sliced ​​beef in my mouth didn't taste good anymore.

Although Old Mike's mouth was full of food and he couldn't speak, his incredibly expressive eyes perfectly conveyed his inner grumbling.

It sounded like he was shouting wildly.

Damn it! Are you a dog? No, I was just enjoying my meal, and you think you're so well-behaved, so you think you're so loyal?

Faced with the vicious look that seemed to want to devour him from Old Mike, Kane remained unmoved like an iceberg, not even blinking.

However, a subtle, almost imperceptible curve appeared at the corners of his resolute lips, and a hint of smugness flashed in his eyes.

It was as if they were responding from afar.

You think you can outmaneuver me for the boss's favor? You're still too green!

"Hehe, you guys eat yours, I'm not that hungry right now."

Lynn chuckled lightly, not caring about the petty squabbles between his two right-hand men, but finding it quite amusing.

I casually picked up the large glass on the table and took a big gulp of the chilled craft beer.

The cool, refreshing beer slid down Lynn's throat and into his stomach, and the invigorating coolness made Lynn feel incredibly comfortable.

Although he drove himself to Haidilao today, he didn't care at all.

This is different from the extremely strict zero-tolerance policy for drunk driving at the University of Tokyo.

In the magical United States of America, to some extent, there is no such thing as an absolute rule that drunk driving will always result in arrest.

Especially in Washington state, where Seattle is located.

As long as you don't drive dangerously by making sharp turns, you can even drive while drinking in front of the police.

If you do commit a traffic violation due to drinking, don't worry.

Because the law here stipulates that drivers have the right to refuse SFSTs (Site Sobriety Tests) conducted by traffic police on the street!

Of course, a normal person wouldn't refuse if they only drank a little bit.

Because this sobriety check, which is regarded as a golden rule by American police, often seems very trivial.

Generally, there are three items in the on-site test:

First, the horizontal gaze nystagmus test (HGN): This involves a police officer waving a pen or finger in front of your eyes and observing whether your eyes involuntarily tremble or jump when following the movement of an object.

Second, the Walk-and-Turn test: You are asked to walk nine steps along a straight line on the side of the street, then turn around on one leg and walk back.

Third, the One-Leg Stand test: Stand on one leg with the other leg raised six inches off the ground while counting aloud from 1001 to 1030.

Undeniably, these three tests can catch some drunkards, but they are all those who are too drunk.

For people with slightly better physical fitness, as long as they don't drink to the point of alcohol poisoning and become unconscious, they can easily pass these three ridiculous tests with their eyes closed.

So, having a little beer is no big deal.

Just as Lynn was leisurely sipping his wine and enjoying this moment of tranquility...

suddenly!

A line of small text about light quality quietly appeared directly in front of the retina:

[Adoration +30]

"Oh?"

Lynn was not surprised to see the 30 points of admiration that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Instead, the corners of his lips curled up slightly, and he nodded with great satisfaction.

Good, it seems Annie has already seen the parking ticket she stuck on Mark's forehead.

And he was very satisfied with the generous gift he had given!

That's right, Mark, whose hands and feet were disarmed, and several Blood Wolf gang members in that Rusty Anchor bar.

He arranged for people to leave them at the entrance of the SPD (Seattle Police Department).

These are all blatant, monumental achievements, and also Annie's lifeline in meeting her targets.

How could it possibly be wasted in the sewer?

Given the extremely ambiguous relationship between himself and Annie, he naturally had to do everything in his power to help her.

In this city where the police are the biggest institution of violence.

The higher the other person's rank and the greater their power, the more help they will provide to you in the future.

Of course, besides considering interests, there is also a crucial selfish motive.

He wanted to use this timely and romantic gift to finally break down the last hazy barrier between them!

cough cough.

Not only on a psychological level, but also on a physical level.

Just as Lynn's thoughts were drifting, the small print on the light screen before him gradually changed:

[Affection has reached LV2!]

[The phased reward selection has been triggered!]

Option 1: You can directly upgrade your existing [Natural Fragrance (Beginner)] to [Natural Fragrance (Intermediate)]

Option 2: Forgo skill upgrades and randomly draw a brand new survival skill!

[Please make your choice as soon as possible, host...]

"It actually upgraded..."

Lynn's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his breathing became slightly heavier for a moment.

Almost the instant the system options popped up, I had already made my decision.

"Naturally fragrant body scent (intermediate)! Naturally fragrant body scent (intermediate)! Naturally fragrant body scent (intermediate)!"

Lynn repeated the words frantically in her mind three times in a row.

Without any hesitation, without any difficult choices.

【Natural body fragrance】This seemingly unorthodox skill can unleash nuclear-weapon-like power in certain situations.

Upgrade to the higher level is absolutely the priority; there is no turning back!

As for the reason...

Well, there's absolutely no need for any grand or impressive reasons.

I simply love this survival skill that drives all women crazy.

It's definitely not because of some kind of fantasy deep inside.

I need to use this skill to successively win over the icy policewoman Annie and the cold and glamorous mature woman, Park Soo-yeon...

Even more women in the future.

Absolutely not.

Lynn is a respectable person, not the kind of person who does things casually.

Of course, when they get carefree, they're not human.

Amidst a flurry of thoughts, a smile appeared on Lynn's face.

With a thought, he directly brought up his personal panel.

[Host] Lynn

[Age] 30 years old

[Height] 183cm

【Weight】 70kg

【已解锁情绪】感恩 LV3（400/500）、愤怒 LV1（20/200）、恐惧 LV2（40/300），敌意LV1（5/200）、爱慕LV2（20/300）、尊敬LV1（60/200）

[Skills] General Medical Skills (Advanced), Street Fighting (Intermediate), Natural Fragrance (Intermediate), Leadership Aura (Beginner), Killing Intent Radar (Beginner), Firearms Proficiency (Beginner)

……

"Oh?"

When Lynn's gaze fell on the "weight" column, her eyes lit up.

My eyes even welled up with tears of relief, and I almost couldn't hold back the tears that streamed down my face.

70kg! 70kg!

Finally! I've finally broken the 70kg mark!

The system works really fast!

Thanks to the profound enhancement of my physique and muscle density from the warm current I experienced when I upgraded [Street Fighting] to intermediate level.

My weight has finally stabilized at 70kg, going from that extremely unhealthy, skin-and-bones state!

Although his height of 185cm and weight of 70kg still make him look a bit thin.

But when he takes off his clothes, he has a well-defined, muscular physique.

At least when I walk down the street, I'm no longer the American undead warrior that could be blown away by a gust of wind.

Tsk!

After clicking his tongue, Lynn continued to look around, and after a moment he couldn't help but nod in satisfaction.

As of now, all the [Emotions] categories on my own panel have been successfully upgraded to LV1 and skills have been obtained.

He now possesses six major survival skills.

He can be described as a versatile warrior who combines firearms, hand-to-hand combat, medical skills, body odor, danger perception, and the protagonist's aura.

Among them, the general medical skills brought about by the emotion of gratitude have reached their pinnacle and been upgraded to the highest level.

Meanwhile, [Fear] and the [Street Fighting] and [Natural Fragrance] that were just drawn from [Admiration] have all steadily entered the intermediate level.

Looking at the six impressive and reassuring survival skills on the system panel.

Lynn felt that he was terrifyingly strong at that moment.

I even felt like I could beat a cow to death!

If we were to use specific combat strength as an analogy...

If he were to fight a top-tier killing machine like Kane, who has crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, without using firearms and with his bare hands, it might be quite difficult and the outcome uncertain.

But if it's a seasoned veteran like Old Mike who only knows street fighting, then he can easily take him down with one hand.

You can absolutely beat them to a pulp!

"call……"

Taking a deep breath and closing the panel, Lynn was in a great mood. He raised his glass and tilted his head back to drink a big gulp of ice-cold beer.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing through the clear French windows to the bustling yet sinful scene outside, a fleeting glint in his eyes.

A moment later, Lynn slowly put down his wine glass, a smile full of ambition and confidence curving his lips:

"Seattle... your king is about to truly rise."

[Adoration +10]

Just then, a line of small, luminous characters reappeared before my eyes.

"this……"

Lynn was suddenly stunned, her expression somewhat bewildered.

Another ten points of affection?

It must have been provided by Annie.

But this time, who provided it?

……

P.S.: The storyline-driven approach isn't getting very enthusiastic from the audience...