America: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 288 Misunderstanding

After Jennifer and Eileen came downstairs, the group finished breakfast in the living room. Dominic then took the meteorite, packed his luggage, and went to work.

Zhang Ailun handed over the high-quality discs he had acquired yesterday to Sieg, instructing him to find the nearest post office to arrange air freight to Madison's private island.

"Okay, leave it to me." Sig was still reeling from the shock of the breaking news, never imagining that it was the Grand Master who orchestrated this whole thing. After learning the truth, he couldn't help but sigh, "Those guys really deserve to die!"

If he were to encounter Shuk, he might not choose to provide him with weapons support, but he also wouldn't call the police to stop the other party from taking action.

If we're talking about something else, it has to be the Grand Master, who always intervenes when he sees injustice and uses explosives to help.

I quickly finished my bread, tidied the table, and headed out with my collection of premium DVDs.

After resting for a while, Zhang Ailun went out and drove his Rolls-Royce Cullinan to the community address provided in the intelligence, intending to rescue the suffering director of the Communications Commission and get the FCC's satellite launch license sorted out.

After passing several blocks of traffic lights, I noticed that there were fewer pedestrians on the road, and the number of patrol cars and police officers seemed to have increased. It seems that what happened in the northern part of Los Angeles in the early hours of last night has more or less affected the situation in the southern part.

The Pentagon has activated the FBI's interstate investigation, and relevant departments must have also issued related tasks in order to clean up the city. Homeless people in various districts will be forced to move again.

When a dynasty prospers, the people suffer; when a dynasty falls, the people suffer. No matter how the upper echelons change, it seems that only the laborers and the poorest people are ultimately affected.

After driving to the community apartment and confirming the address was correct, the leader rolled down the window to try to communicate with the security personnel at the entrance. Unexpectedly, after seeing the Rolls-Royce luxury car, the security personnel didn't even bother to check it and let him through directly. The leader thus entered the community smoothly.

Is your work so sloppy?

Does driving a Rolls-Royce make you a good person by default?

What if I stole this car and I'm a terrorist?

If the head of the organization is a community management officer, his salary will definitely be deducted.

Zhang Ailun gave the other party a thumbs-up, rolled up the car window, and successfully entered the community.

After searching door to door until he found the apartment building, Zhang Ailun parked his car on the side of the road and got out of the car. He then encountered several young girls living in the community who were looking at his luxury car with amazement.

They spoke in hushed tones, jostled each other, and laughed and chatted. Then they all gathered around, greeted each other, and asked, "Sir, excuse me, is this your car?"

"That's right. Good morning, girls." Zhang Ailun smiled, turning to look at several young girls dressed in short sleeves, jeans, and white shoes. They were tall, hot, and full of energy; they seemed to be high school students?

It's so good to be young.

She's already so talented at 17 or 8.

Zhang Ailun shifted his gaze and asked, "Are you guys going to school?"

"We stopped going to school a long time ago."

Several girls chatted and laughed, saying in a prejudiced tone, "Only good girls would consider listening to lectures at this age, only knowing how to study and becoming bookworms. Young people should know how to enjoy life and have their own hobbies! Of course, truly capable people would have already started working and earning money by this age!"

"Really? Looks like you've all found high-paying jobs that suit you?" Zhang Ailun neither confirmed nor denied it.

It's not easy for college graduates to find jobs in society. Without a skill, they can only do low-level jobs. Even college graduates have to work hard to repay their loans for several years after graduation, for fear of being fired or losing their credit.

Most of the factory workers at Parker Company and the disciples of the Beggars' Sect had only a high school education, so it was easy for them to accept being assigned to work in the factory, since their wages and benefits were not as good as they were now.

After all, no matter how charismatic the leader is, he can't make others accept jobs that don't match their status and abilities. Excellent talent is selected through a rigorous process; every candidate has their place.

However, the Grand Master had already seen enough of the younger generation on the West Coast; they were basically all wasted. Anyway, it had nothing to do with him.

If there weren't so many people from the lower classes with only a high school diploma, failures who have spent their lives in the depths of despair, and elites who have been eliminated by various unexpected events, how would he hire employees with low wages? How would he continuously recruit talent from the streets to expand the beggar gang?

The black guy is unreliable, two-faced, and might even steal all your equipment at night and sell it as scrap metal to some black guy on the street. The Mexicans who cross the border are all people who couldn't make it back home; all they do here is make chicken wraps and wash dishes.

They don't have the expertise to fly or repair airplanes. It would require the expertise of the Plain White Banner's Angsa.

Thanks to those in positions of power who do nothing but occupy their posts and never look down, well done, please continue!

Even this middle-class family's neighborhood has been ruined? This is something the leader didn't expect.

One of the hot girls couldn't help but ask, "You don't look that much older than us, how do you earn enough money to afford a luxury car? Is your family very rich?"

"Maybe I'm just lucky?" Zhang Ailun chuckled. "I live alone. I bought this car through my own hard work, and I also co-own a bar and a recycling company."

"This is so cool! Can I add you as a contact?" The girl with the nose piercing exclaimed, quickly took out her phone, and leaned over, wanting to add the leader as a friend.

The Grand Master also smelled a milky aroma. Wait, that smell seems familiar…

"Oh! I knew you'd be tempted to find a sugar daddy!" Before the leader could even recall where he'd smelled it before, the girl next to him couldn't help but chime in, also reminding Zhang Ailun, "She has a boyfriend, and he used to be a street urchin. You'd better not get too close to her!"

"Can you all shut up?" the girl said irritably. "I just want some advice from rich people."

She turned back to Zhang Ailun, her eyes pleading, and said, "Sir, you don't mind, do you?"

The leader of the sect certainly wouldn't mind; adding her as a friend was just a matter of convenience. He glanced at her profile and photos, which were mostly everyday snapshots and not as revealing as he had imagined. And, most importantly, her age was listed as that of an innocent 18-year-old high school girl.

Then, on the next page, I saw someone I knew.

Wait a minute, isn't that Elena, the Parker Company employee? The 19-year-old with a baby?

What a coincidence! Does she live here?

Zhang Ailun was a little surprised. He had thought the milky scent was something a girl naturally possessed, so it was alright.

The other person's workplace is not exactly close; they would need to drive there themselves or take several buses to a bus stop in the suburbs.

The head of the organization felt that as the boss, he needed to provide some assistance to the families of his employees.

"There's no such thing as a free lunch. I bet you just want to ride in a Rolls-Royce," a few girls nearby teased.

"Stop talking nonsense. Don't you want to experience it? It's just about making friends. Don't think about it in such a dirty way," the girl said irritably.

"Girls, if you want to have a better life, take my advice as someone who's been there: stay away from those delinquent teenagers on the streets," Zhang Ailun said.

"He's not a delinquent. Although he hangs out on the streets, he works hard with his own hands and has earned the appreciation of his boss, so he works at a legitimate auto repair shop," the girl argued.

"Really? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend your boyfriend. I spent some time on the streets before, and that's probably just the stereotype they gave me." Zhang Ailun smiled.

"Which district are you from?" the girl asked curiously.

"District 5," Zhang Ailun said.

"District 5? You said you used to hang out on the streets, so you should know Juankin, right?" the girl asked again.

"...I guess you could say we know each other. We're fairly familiar with each other. But we've never spoken face-to-face." Zhang Ailun's expression was strange; he hadn't expected to hear his own name from a high school girl.

The Grand Master has really gotten into trouble.

"My boyfriend works at the auto repair shop owned by Juankin. My cousin told me that the company he works for is also owned by Juankin, and his Rolls-Royce is exactly the same as yours. What a coincidence!"

The girl chuckled and said, "This must be the car you stole! Since you say you know Juan Jin, but you're not him, I'm pretty sure you're just bragging! Listen, I've already taken pictures of your car's license plate and you, and I've even added you as a friend. Don't try to deny it! Stay where you are, or I'll call the police!"

"..."

When the leader saw the other party take out his phone to take pictures and threaten him, he instantly lost his composure.

That's such a coincidence!

"Okay, I'm actually Juan Jin." Zhang Ailun decisively laid his cards on the table and stopped pretending. So this girl had an ulterior motive for approaching him?

I was just saying, surely it's impossible that all the middle-class families living in this apartment complex are single-parent families with failed parenting like Shuke?

The city is indeed full of tricks.

"I don't believe you." The girl giggled. "You're full of lies; you're definitely not a good person. Be honest, my boyfriend'll be here soon!"

"..."

Zhang Ailun took a deep breath.

I should have just admitted it.

"Your cousin's name is Elena, right? I'm your cousin's boss. Parker Company is my business. What's your boyfriend's name? Maybe you can call him now and have him talk to me. This car really is mine," Zhang Ailun said earnestly.

The girls huddled together and discussed it for a while before reluctantly taking out their phones to call their boyfriends and explain the situation.

"Did someone steal my boss's car?"

A surprised voice came from the phone; even the Grand Master couldn't tell who it was from the loud voice.

The girl said, "That's right, I rode in this car when I went to the store to find you last time! The license plate number and tires are correct."

"WTF, give him the phone!!" The Beggar Clan disciple couldn't stand it any longer.

The girl handed the phone to the leader, looking at him defiantly. Zhang Ailun reluctantly took the phone and, without waiting for the other party to speak, said in a deep voice, "It's me. Juan Jin, who is this?"

"Boss, is that really you? Then it's alright..."

The other party recognized the leader's voice and was immediately shocked. He quickly admitted his mistake, "It's all a misunderstanding, boss. I thought your car had really been stolen. Please don't fire me!"

"Don't worry, I'm not that petty, and you did nothing wrong. But no one would be so bold as to steal my car on the street, and I wouldn't park it outside anyway. How long have you been working? You've already found a girlfriend? And a high school girl? That's pretty impressive, much better than Sieg!"

Zhang Ailun praised her, chatted for a bit, and then handed the phone back to the girl.

Seeing the girls' surprised looks, the leader immediately shrugged and said, "I already told you, I am Juan Jin. You didn't believe me, but now you do."

"You never said your boss was Asian. Juankin's name sounds Mexican. You made me lose face for no reason," the girl immediately complained to her boyfriend.

The other party was speechless. But the misunderstanding was finally cleared up.

"Doesn't your cousin live with you?" Zhang Ailun asked again.

"She lives in another district," the girl answered honestly.

"Okay, since you're so kind to help me, just let me know if you need any help in the future. Anyway, you already have my contact information," Zhang Ailun teased.

The girl was a little embarrassed. "We have something to do, so we'll be going now. Bye-bye, Mr. Jin."

"You can call me Hamburg, that's fine too." Zhang Ailun smiled, now he knew to call him Mr. Jin.

"Hampshire, bye-bye." The group waved and quickly left.

Watching them leave, Zhang Ailun fell into deep thought.

After regaining my senses, I hesitated for a moment. Right, why did I come here?

Oh, right, we came here to rescue people.

He immediately turned and went to the apartment door, knocking. After a moment, the door opened, revealing a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, who looked at the leader with a puzzled expression. "Who are you looking for?"

"Hello, ma'am, is this Dis's house?" Zhang Ailun recalled the supervisor's personal information mentioned in the intelligence report.

He looked at the woman in front of him closely. She was in her early twenties, neatly dressed, and pretty. She seemed quite normal, not like someone with a mental illness.

"This isn't Dis's house. You've got the wrong person," the woman said, preparing to close the door.

Zhang Ailun, however, keenly heard sobbing coming from inside the house. He immediately reached for the doorknob. "Wait, I think I heard someone inside. You said this isn't Dis's house, could it be your husband's?"

"This is none of your business, sir. Please don't harass me, okay? This is my home. If you don't leave, I'm going to call the police," the woman said, displeased.

"Fine, then go ahead and call the police. Let's see if the officers arrest you or me."

Zhang Ailun looked at her with a smile, took out his phone and searched for a photo. It was a missing person notice posted online by a mental hospital, with a reward of $500.

He held the photo directly in front of her eyes. "Morina, is this you?"

"This isn't me, you've mistaken me for someone else." The woman looked flustered. She immediately used all her strength to grab the door and try to slam it shut.

However, the door remained firmly shut. She looked up at the leader in surprise, only to see Zhang Ailun holding onto the door with one hand, smiling slightly: "Sorry, I am a little stronger than the average person. Would you like to invite me in? Thank you!"

He yanked the door open and squeezed inside. The woman panicked slightly. "Hey! I didn't invite you to my house!"

"Stop making excuses, this isn't your house at all, this is Dis's house." Zhang Ailun walked in and glanced at the living room. Good heavens, has this place been broken into?

Although it was indeed a case of a thief breaking in...

From the outside, the apartment looked fine—a two-story detached house in a decent location, priced at least $600,000. But upon entering, I found the kitchen a complete mess, with leftover food still in the pots and pans. Clothes and underwear were strewn all over the living room floor, along with garbage bags and empty soda cans.

Looking back at the neat and clean woman, and then at the surrounding environment, it was hard to reconcile the two.

(End of this chapter)