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

Seattle City Hall.

Office building corridor.

Annie gripped her phone, her beautiful brows now furrowed into a tight knot.

She was in a pretty good mood today.

Last night's absurd yet exciting first intimate encounter with Lynn keeps flashing through my mind.

Every time I recall that kiss with the smell of tobacco, a faint flutter and an indescribable, strange excitement well up in my heart.

She didn't know what was wrong with her.

But this was an absolutely amazing experience unlike anything I'd had in the previous twenty years.

What's worse, she found that she not only didn't resist this feeling, but even vaguely enjoyed it.

The sense of anticipation in my heart grew stronger as the end of the workday approached.

However, this good mood was quickly shattered by a phone call from his father.

The phone call wasn't a greeting between parents, but a blatant interrogation.

As soon as the call connected, her father questioned her about why she hadn't contacted Evans yet.

This instantly irritated her, who was already resistant, and she stiffly repeated her point of view again.

"Annie, what you're saying is way too much."

The voice on the other end of the phone was calm and unhurried, carrying the composure of someone long accustomed to a position of power:

"You didn't even give Evans a chance to be alone, so how can you be so sure you don't have feelings for him? If there are any misunderstandings between young people, they can just sit down and clear them up. I believe Evans is the best choice for you."

Annie's eyebrows shot up, her chest heaving violently: "He called to complain to you? Ha, is he even a man?!"

"It wasn't Evans who called me, it was me who called him."

"So what? I saw him hugging and groping a Latina woman with my own eyes! You call that a misunderstanding? Don't forget, your daughter is a detective!"

After he finished speaking, there was a brief silence on the other end of the phone.

A moment later, Dad's voice came again:

"I believe it was a misunderstanding. Evans has already explained it to me. Besides... men, they're just playing along, it's normal to make a few small mistakes sometimes."

"Ha..." Envy laughed in anger, her eyes full of mockery: "Just like you were back then, Father!"

"How dare you!" The voice on the other end finally snapped, its tone turning icy and harsh.

"I heard you've been getting really close to some college student from Tokyo University lately, and they seem to have a very intimate relationship?"

"Envy, you must always be mindful of your status! You're not from the same world as those lowly peasants; you'd better keep your distance!"

"Ha, it was that bastard Evans who said it again, wasn't it? What a cowardly man with a heart smaller than a pinhead." Annie sneered disdainfully.

"That's not important! Did you hear what I just said?"

"I heard you." Annie nodded, but then her tone changed abruptly: "But that's my friend, not some peasant! Anything else? If not, I'm hanging up."

"etc!"

Seeing that her daughter wouldn't listen to reason, the voice on the other end of the phone became somewhat harsh: "Are you planning to go out and hand out parking tickets again?"

Upon hearing this, Annie's fingers tightened sharply.

His eye twitched slightly uncontrollably, and his face instantly turned ugly.

Clearly, this was not the first time she had suffered from the power and oppression of her own father.

"Put it on then! Do whatever you want!"

Annie's temper flared up completely, and she slammed the hang-up button.

She didn't compromise last time, and she absolutely won't give in this time!

"breathe……"

After hanging up the phone, Annie took several deep breaths to barely suppress the churning emotions in her chest.

Feeling a bit irritated, I fiddled with my phone screen. When my finger slid down to my contacts and saw Lynn's familiar number, I paused slightly.

The image of Lynn's face, with its mix of roguish charm and composure, instantly flashed into my mind.

Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming urge to call the other person and confide in them.

After thinking about it, she bit her lip, suppressed the thought, and turned back to her office.

Ten minutes later, as Annie was getting ready with her bag, she bumped into the chief at the corner of the corridor.

Annie forced a smile, greeted them, and was about to leave when the chief raised his hand and called to her, "Detective Annie, don't rush off, there's something I need to tell you."

Seeing the hesitant expression on her old boss's face, Annie's heart sank, and an ominous premonition arose within her:

"Chief, just tell me straight, is it... that they're going to transfer me to issue parking tickets again?"

Upon hearing this, the bureau chief's expression became even more awkward, and he even seemed unable to look Annie in the eye: "Ahem... no, that's not it."

"What is that?" Annie asked warily.

"It's like this..." The bureau chief cleared his throat and adopted an official tone:

"For the safety of Seattle residents and to clean up the neighborhood, the department is conducting an urgent special operation to eliminate criminal gangs."

"Following a high-level meeting, it was decided that an extremely important task to eradicate evil will be entrusted to you to lead and take charge..."

"A mission? And you want me to lead the team?"

Annie was stunned, her beautiful eyes filled with astonishment.

Letting her lead the team is a good thing.

But she quickly realized what he meant and frowned. "There are other conditions, aren't there?"

"There aren't really any conditions..."

The bureau chief's voice sounded somewhat unnatural and unsteady: "It's just that the timeframe given by the higher-ups is a bit tight."

"How tight?"

The bureau chief slowly raised three rough fingers.

"Three months?" Annie asked tentatively.

The bureau chief shook his head.

"Three weeks?" Annie's voice rose a few decibels.

The bureau chief kept his mouth shut and shook his head.

Annie's eyes widened in disbelief: "Three days!"

"Yes! Just three days!"

The bureau chief nodded emphatically, his voice growing increasingly unnatural:

"Within three days, you can temporarily call upon any of the other mobile teams in the bureau, except for those who are responsible for routine patrols."

"In short, in three days, you must lead a team to completely destroy a local gang, and that gang must have more than twenty members!"

Upon hearing this, Annie's mood plummeted from cloud nine to rock bottom.

three days?

To dismantle a gang of more than twenty people?

Is she being treated like Gotham's Batman, or like Azu from The Boys?

There are indeed countless gangs in Seattle.

However, successfully uprooting a gang within a mere three days would be a tough task for either the DEA or the FBI.

They are just ordinary police officers and detectives, not fully armed SWAT teams (Special Weapons and Tactics Teams)!

To accomplish this in three days is simply a pipe dream.

Seeing Annie's almost murderous expression, the chief suddenly lowered his voice to comfort her:

"Envy, I know this mission is incredibly difficult, but you also know that I, as the director... am not free to do it myself."

The elderly Black police chief gave him a knowing look of helplessness.

Annie clenched her teeth and remained silent.

Of course she knew who was behind it.

The bureau chief sighed and continued to hint, "Sometimes, just admitting your mistake and softening your stance to your family can instantly solve even the biggest problems, right?"

It would have been better if they hadn't said that.

Upon hearing this, a surge of anger immediately rose within Annie: "I accept this mission!"

With a cold remark, Annie immediately turned and strode away without looking back.

Watching Annie's stubborn back, the director shook his head helplessly:

"This is terrible! How is this mission possibly going to be completed...?"

……

Annie walked out of the building with a dark expression.

The night breeze blowing in her face cleared her feverish head considerably.

Immediately, a sense of regret arose in his heart, and he felt that he should not have agreed so easily.

This was destined to be a mission that would end in utter defeat.

But the thought that abandoning the mission would be tantamount to bowing down to that dictatorial father and even having to see that disgusting Evans made me realize the importance of the mission.

The slight regret in her heart vanished instantly!

Even if she were reassigned to handing out parking tickets every day, she would never back down!

Biting her full lower lip, Annie took out her phone again.

The screen remained displaying Lynn's phone number.

For some reason, she pressed the call button as if possessed.

But the moment the dial tone came through the receiver, she snapped back to reality and frantically pressed the hang-up button.

However, the next second.

But you didn't have to cut me off!

Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing...

The cell phone rang abruptly and seemed particularly jarring.

Annie paused, glancing at the caller ID; the string of numbers made her gasp slightly.

But after hesitating for only a moment, she slid the answer button.

As soon as the call connected, Lynn's sexy voice, tinged with a languid and deep tone, came through the receiver:

"Good evening, beautiful Officer Annie. What brings you here, calling and then hanging up?"

"No...it's nothing."

Annie stuttered for once, her eyes darting around: "I just accidentally clicked the wrong thing."

"Oh? You ordered the wrong thing?"

Lynn chuckled, her tone clearly teasing: "Then I'm so sad and disappointed. I thought the generous and beautiful Officer Annie was going to invite me to dinner again tonight."

"My treat?"

Annie was stunned for a moment, even wondering if there was something wrong with her ears.

"Yeah, don't you still owe me a favor?"

"But...but I've already changed it!"

"Haven't I already repaid the favor I owed you?"

"You still owe me," Lynn said matter-of-factly, "Didn't I already pay you back last night, with interest?"

boom!

Upon hearing this, Annie's mind instantly and uncontrollably recalled the drool-slicked kiss from last night.

Her cheeks flushed instantly, the blush spreading from the back of her ears all the way down her neck.

He bit his lip hard, unable to utter a single word of rebuttal for a long time.

Seemingly sensing the awkwardness on the other end of the phone, Lynn chuckled and decided to stop while she was ahead:

"Okay, I'm just kidding. I've made a reservation at Haidilao in the Red Hook area. See you there in a bit."

Upon hearing this, Annie was somewhat bewildered: "Wait! I haven't even..."

"Beep beep beep—"

The only response she received was a busy signal.

Annie gripped her phone, her brows furrowing slightly as she muttered her displeasure under her breath:

"You domineering guy, I haven't even agreed to go yet..."

However, at this moment, even she herself did not realize it.

A bright smile had crept onto the corners of her lips, and the gloom that had preceded her seemed to have dissipated considerably.

……

Red Hook Street Center

Haidilao is one of the few authentic Dongda hot pot restaurants in the Seattle area.

Of course, the so-called "authentic" is only relative, and it can't compare to the taste of the University of Tokyo's local cuisine.

In America, Chinese hot pot is not some kind of street food.

Aside from a few wealthy street urchins, most of the diners here are well-dressed, high-income individuals.

The reason is simple: Dongda Hot Pot is a popular choice for ordinary people.

But in Seattle, this is definitely a high-end place.

A meal can easily cost several hundred US dollars, so it's not something just anyone can afford to eat every day.

The second floor.

The best-located window seat.

From the floor-to-ceiling windows here, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire Hong Gou district at night.

Lynn stood quietly by the window, one hand in his pocket, overlooking the sinful city below.

Follow his gaze.

Across the street corner, the Rusty Anchor Bar, flashing dazzling neon lights, came into view.

Knock knock knock—

A gentle knock on the door interrupted Lynn's thoughts.

"Enter."

The door to the private room was gently pushed open, and Annie, wearing large black sunglasses, entered.

The moment Lynn saw Annie's OOTD (Outfit of the Day), an undisguised look of amazement flashed in her eyes.

Annie wasn't wearing her uniform tonight.

She wore only a very simple pure white shirt on her upper body.

The size seemed to be a size too small; the tight fabric accentuated her stunningly full curves.

Even the most basic style exudes a sophisticated, ascetic allure when worn.

The shirt hem was casually tucked into a pair of tight denim shorts.

Those straight, long, and slender legs, as white and luminous as the finest ivory, were now completely exposed to the air.

She was wearing a pair of boldly designed transparent strappy high-heeled sandals.

The translucent instep and delicate toes painted with burgundy nail polish are faintly visible.

It's a very simple everyday outfit, but it looks like it's from Paris Fashion Week.

It's a perfect blend of fiery and capable.

"Why did you choose this location?"

Seemingly feeling a little uncomfortable under Lynn's intense gaze, Annie took off her sunglasses, pulled out a chair, and sat down opposite Lynn.

The warm light in the private room shone on her delicate and sculpted face, making her bright red lips appear crystal clear, like ripe cherries.

It evokes a primal urge in anyone who sees it, a desire to pounce on it and savor it thoroughly.

Lynn withdrew her gaze, smiled, and returned to her seat.

"Didn't you say you really like Chinese food? Speaking of Chinese food, you can't miss hot pot."

"Really? Then I'll have to have a good taste tonight."

Annie's face lit up, but she seemed to suddenly remember something upsetting.

The light in his eyes flickered for a moment before fading away, and he absentmindedly fiddled with the cutlery in front of him.

"What's wrong?"

Lynn keenly sensed something amiss and leaned forward slightly: "What happened?"

"It's nothing, just some work-related troubles."

Annie shook her head, clearly unwilling to say more.

Lynn didn't reply, but just sat quietly in place, staring intently at Annie.

Annie felt a chill run down her spine from his piercing gaze, and she even became somewhat restless.

"We've already gone that far..."

Lynn suddenly raised an eyebrow, her tone tinged with resentment: "You still treat me like an outsider?"

"Pah! Who did that with you!" Annie blushed and couldn't help but spit lightly.

But Lynn's interruption eased her tense and depressed mood considerably.

"Ugh!"

With a sigh, Annie put down her chopsticks and shook her head helplessly: "Fine, the bureau just assigned me a disgusting task..."

Under Lynn's patient and persuasive gaze, Annie quickly revealed the entire perverse mission assigned by the director.

Of course, she deliberately ignored her father's oppressive authority.

"Three days... to destroy a fully-fledged gang?"

As Lynn pondered Annie's words, his expression became slightly strange, and his eyes flickered incessantly.

A moment later, he crossed his hands under his chin, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes:

"This sounds like a tricky situation, but... maybe I can help you."

"What? You?"

Annie looked up abruptly, staring at Lynn in disbelief, then seemed to hear something utterly unbelievable:

"Don't joke around, Lin. This isn't some turf war you see in the slums; this is taking down a real, armed criminal gang!"

Lynn looked directly into Annie's blue eyes, his tone serious and low:

"I never joke about serious matters. I can help you complete the task perfectly and even make you a great contributor, but..."

He deliberately dragged out the last syllable: "But you have to agree to one condition."

"What are the conditions?"

Although deep down she didn't think Lynn could help her.

Upon hearing the word "conditions," Annie remained wary.

"I haven't decided yet."

Lynn's lips curled into a wicked smile, his eyes burning as he looked Annie up and down: "I'll talk to you when I've thought it through."

That undisguised, aggressive gaze sent shivers down Annie's spine.

She leaned back awkwardly, rolled her eyes in annoyance, and said, "I think we should forget about it."

She didn't believe Lynn had any way to solve the problem at all.

Even for SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics Team), this was a slightly tricky mission.

Lynn was not surprised to notice Annie's gaze, but he remained calm.

Suddenly, he lunged forward, almost stepping over half the table.

In an instant, the distance between the two was reduced to less than half a foot.

At this distance, he could even clearly smell the pleasant perfume on Annie's body.

Similarly, at this distance, his [natural body fragrance] effect will be maximized.

"Beautiful Officer Annie."

Lynn's eyes narrowed slightly, his deep, husky voice possessing a certain allure that could bewitch the soul:

"You don't want your second time leading a team to end in failure, do you?"