I put monsters and super powers in America

"Yes, sir!"

……

Hawaii, hotel suite.

The atmosphere in the living room was as solemn as the sea before a storm.

Aaron, Louis, Tifa, and Jingxue sat together, no one spoke, only the monotonous "ticking" sound of the wall clock echoed in the silent room.

Atlas had been "asked" to leave for almost five hours, and there was still no news.

Finally, Louis couldn't hold back any longer. He suddenly stood up from the sofa and paced back and forth on the priceless Persian carpet like a violent lion trapped in a cage.

"No! We can't wait like this any longer!" He waved his fists, arcs of electricity dancing restlessly at his fingertips. "It's been so long! I wonder what those Homeland Security lackeys will do to Atlas! I don't believe their nonsense about 'assisting in the investigation'! We have to find a way to get him out!"

"How do we save him?" Aaron asked calmly. He sat on the sofa, his arms crossed over his chest, his posture erect, like a contemplative statue. "We don't even know where he's been taken. Even if we did, what would you do? Charge in directly? Then what? Be wanted by police and military forces across the United States? Don't forget, this is Hawaii, the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet, one of the most heavily defended locations for the US military. If we're exposed, we'll be walking into a trap."

"Then what do you say we should do?!" Louise was even more furious. "Are we just going to sit by and watch Atlas being interrogated like a terrorist?! Don't forget, without him, we'd probably still be hiding from the authorities, like rats crossing the street! We might even have been captured by those 'Super Maruns' long ago!"

The main dragon looked at the two "tough guys" in front of him who were almost quarreling because of disagreements, and spoke slowly.

He pointed to the wall clock, his tone as calm as if he was discussing today's weather.

"Everyone, just be patient. I bet Atlas will call within ten minutes."

"How do you know?" Louis looked at him in disbelief.

"Because they've arrested the wrong person." The Dragon Master shrugged. "What we did has nothing to do with Atlas. They can't find any evidence, so they can only detain him for 48 hours at most. Also, don't underestimate Atlas. He has connections and is well-connected. I believe he can find a way to get out of this."

"What if they torture him? Or... secretly transfer him to a place like Guantanamo?" Louis was still worried.

"That's even more impossible. Who do you think Atlas is? He's the heir to the Graham family and a shareholder in one of the largest military-industrial complexes in the United States. Touching him would be like touching the cakes of many people on Wall Street and in the Pentagon. Those people would never allow such a thing to happen." The Dragon Master analyzed slowly, "So, our best option now is to trust him and... wait quietly."

"I believe the other party also knows that he is just doing useless work. Maybe Atlas has already boarded the plane and returned first."

Just as he finished speaking, a rapid, unique encrypted ringtone suddenly rang from a satellite phone in the corner of the room!

That was the emergency communication device left by Atlas just in case.

Everyone's attention was instantly focused on the phone that was ringing non-stop.

Louis and Aaron looked at each other, and saw an indescribable shock in each other's eyes.

Aaron walked over quickly and pressed the hands-free button.

Atlas's familiar, steady and powerful voice came from the other end of the phone.

"it's me."

"Atlas! Are you okay?!" Louis was the first to rush over and shouted into the microphone.

"I'm fine." Atlas' voice carried a subtle hint of fatigue, but more of a calmness that suggested he had everything under control. "It was just a minor 'misunderstanding', and it's been resolved now. I'm on a plane back to mainland China, but I'm connecting through Los Angeles."

"Listen, all of you, split up immediately. Don't take my private plane; it's too conspicuous. Find yourselves, use disguised identities, buy different flights, and return to New York via different routes. Remember, leave no electronic traces, and use cash throughout. We must temporarily sever all ties until this storm blows over."

"Okay, we understand."

"Luif," Atlas suddenly called him again, his tone becoming a little strange, "Your birthday is June 5th, right?"

"Huh?" Louis was stunned and answered subconsciously, "No, Boss, you must have remembered it wrongly. It was May 6th."

However, the moment he refuted, a strong and inexplicable thought uncontrollably flooded into his mind.

"That's not right... Why do I feel like I was born on May 6th? It seems... it really should be June 5th. How could Mr. Atlas be wrong?"

He felt that there seemed to be a slight deviation in his memory, and even subconsciously wanted to agree, "Yes, it was June 5th."

But that strange feeling lasted less than half a second before it was dispelled by his strong willpower.

He shook his head in confusion, took out his cell phone and took a look at his electronic ID information.

"Yes, Atlas, it says May 6th. You must be mistaken."

On the other end of the phone, Atlas chuckled softly, but didn't insist. He just laughed it off, "Really? Maybe I've been too tired lately and mixed it up. Anyway, no matter what the date is, I'll definitely prepare a big gift for you this year."

After hanging up the phone, Louis and Aaron looked at the main dragon with admiration in their eyes.

"Hey! You're amazing! You even figured this out!"

The main dragon was delighted in his heart.

Aaron and Louis's previous anxiety and their surprise and admiration for himself just now made him gain more than 1000 wishes.

If he continues like this, it won't take more than a few days for him to earn back the willpower he used to buy the skills.

……

Indeed, from the moment the ability was granted until now, in just five hours, another 6000 points of Willpower had been acquired! While not much, this was Atlas's output alone! And that was without any intense conflict!

"It seems like we need to create more extraordinary people and let them mess around with each other. I can make a lot of money just by sitting there collecting rent."

He slumped back onto the sofa with a clear conscience, looking down at his phone.

Soon, a news headline from CNN, like a firefly in the dark night, instantly attracted all his attention.

"A large-scale racist riot broke out again in Charlottesville, Virginia! 'Alt-Right' groups and 'Antifa' organizations clashed in the streets, and the police have declared a state of emergency!"

68. Everything is going according to plan! (Two chapters in one)

"Waste! A bunch of hopeless losers who only know how to waste taxpayers' money!"

A violent roar was coming from a luxurious office in the seat of the highest power in the United States.

"A Ticonderoga! A Nimitz! And three Arleigh Burkes, all eaten as appetizers by a fucking dead sea lizard?! Thousands of our finest sailors, fed to a turtle! And all of this happened in front of the world's media! Is this the answer you, the Pentagon and the intelligence community, gave me?! Huh?!"

It was like a roar of thunder, echoing between the thick soundproof walls, making people's eardrums hurt.

"And that bullshit 'directed energy weapons'! Who the hell made that up?! You dared to brag about something like that at a press conference when there wasn't even a PowerPoint presentation?! Look! The whole world knows we were lying! Our government's credibility is now more shattered than that dismantled Aegis radar!"

"Now the whole world is laughing at us! Our 'whale hunting' operation has become the biggest laughing stock in the world! They say, besides using nuclear bombs to blow up fish, what else can we do?! Huh?! Tell me! What else can you do?!"

"Ah! That's right, the key is that the bomb can't kill it! The giant lizard has even resurrected in the harbor!"

"Didn't you all swear to me that a nuclear bomb would definitely kill him? How come not only did it not kill him, but it actually allowed him to evolve!? Can someone give me an explanation!?"

"Now, the whole world is laughing at us! That damn phone call from the Eastern power hasn't come yet!"

"I should fire all of you useless bastards! Every last one of you!"

Outside the door, in the red-carpeted corridor, the atmosphere was as oppressive as a tomb.

The United States Secretary of Defense, a military leader who is usually high-spirited and powerful in front of the media, is now like an ant with its feet burned in a hot pan, pacing back and forth in front of the closed oak office door, feeling anxious.

His dark suit, tailored by a top tailor, was wrinkled from his fidgeting movements. He raised his hand from time to time, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with a silk handkerchief, his eyes wandering through the crack of the door, trying to discern whether his name had been mentioned amidst the thunderous roar from inside.

"It's over... it's all over..." The Secretary of Defense's heart sank. "This mess is too big. I was the one who pushed for the 'Whale Hunt' program, and I also agreed to that damn 'directed energy weapon' lie. The President is furious right now, and he'll definitely find a scapegoat to appease public pressure both domestically and internationally... And I'm the perfect, most suitable scapegoat!"

"No! I can't just sit there and wait for death! I've worked so hard for this country and this party! I can't just be kicked out like this! I have to find a way... I have to find a way!"

Just when he was about to have a mental breakdown and even began to consider faking a heart attack and rushing to the hospital to avoid the spotlight, the encrypted phone in his trouser pocket vibrated slightly.

He frantically pulled out his phone, as if grasping at a lifeline. On the screen appeared a name he was all too familiar with: Atlas Graham.

"This old fox...why did he call?"

The Defense Minister walked to the end of the corridor, to a relatively quiet corner, lowered his voice, and answered the phone.

"Atlas, is that you?"

"My old friend," Atlas's unique, deep and magnetic voice came from the other end of the phone, "It seems that you have been in a lot of trouble recently."

The voice was calm without a trace of ripples, but it was like a precise scalpel, instantly cutting through all the disguises of the Defense Minister.

"However, before I worry about your situation, I'd like to ask why those Homeland Security lackeys of yours came after me. Don't tell me you don't know that my flight information and hotel information are not accessible to ordinary people!"

"I... I don't know! Atlas! I swear!" Upon hearing this, the Secretary of Defense broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly defended himself, "All my energy has been focused on the Western Pacific lately! The domestic intelligence system... you know, it's always been controlled by those CIA and FBI guys. They don't even need to go through me to investigate anyone! This is definitely them..."

"Okay, my friend, no need to explain." Atlas on the other end of the phone unexpectedly interrupted him in a tone full of understanding and gentleness.

The voice seemed to carry a strange magic, like a pair of warm big hands, gently soothing all the anxiety and fear in the defense minister's heart.

"I know your current situation is difficult. Internally, there are those damn bureaucrats hindering each other, and externally, there are those unpredictable extraordinary crises that keep emerging. It's really not easy to hold on to this position. I completely understand."

It was this simple "I understand" that instantly put the defense minister's heart at ease. He felt his nerves, which were about to break due to the immense pressure, finally feel an unprecedented relief at this moment.

"Oh my God... He... He actually understands me. He knows how difficult it is for me..."

A warm feeling of being recognized and having found a confidant instantly surged through his body. He even felt that the vague voice on the other end of the phone was so kind and so trustworthy.

"Atlas...you..." The Defense Minister was so moved that he almost cried. He solemnly promised into the microphone in a tone that was almost like an oath, "Don't worry! No matter who is behind this, I promise it will never happen again! I will personally order all federal intelligence and homeland security departments to give you...and your company, absolute, unimpeded trust!"

"That's good." Atlas chuckled. "After all, my friend, we're all in this together. Don't forget how many orders Palantir Defense, in which I'm a shareholder, secures from the Pentagon each year. And behind these orders, how much 'extra' revenue can you and your 'friends' on Capitol Hill generate."

"We have common interests. So, I'm here to help you."

"Help me? How can you help me?"

"It's simple," Atlas said, his voice becoming confident. "What the president needs right now isn't accountability, but a way to save face, an outlet to divert domestic conflict, and a target to reassert his tough stance."

"For example, double the number of 'Super Marun' troops? Use quantity to make up for the lack of quality?" Atlas suggested.

"It's useless! Now the media and the public are questioning whether our 'Super Marun' is just a showpiece! Even if there are more people, it's all in vain if they can't defeat the monsters!" The Defense Minister rejected the proposal irritably.

"Then let's change the battlefield." Atlas' voice carried a subtle, snake-like allure. "Since we can't defeat Leviathan right now, and we don't dare to easily provoke the hornet's nest of the Eastern power, why not turn our attention to our own backyard?"

"Our backyard?"

"Mexico...Colombia...those Central American countries that have long been ravaged by drug lords and violent crime." Atlas' voice was like the whisper of a devil. "Think about it, my friend. Let our 'Super Marun' troops, like gods descending from heaven, descend upon the lairs of those drug lords! Destroy their drug factories, eliminate their armed guards, and burn those damned coca plantations that stretch as far as the eye can see!"

"We can't defeat Leviathan, and we don't dare to touch the great Eastern power... Could it be that we can't even deal with a group of Mexican drug traffickers who can't even be considered a regular army?!"

"It's easier to handle it diplomatically. We can act in the name of joint drug control! Mexico and those banana republics won't dare to say 'no'!"

"During Operation Super Marun, have them bring drones and cameras to capture their heroic performances! Then make a promotional video and broadcast it in the media!"

"Our people will definitely be excited!"

The defense minister's eyes lit up instantly!

"That's right! Why didn't I think of that!"

"This is a genius idea! This plan is absolutely perfect!"

First of all, we have a legitimate reason! Combating cross-border drug-related crimes is a just act that no country or media outlet can morally criticize.

Secondly, the risks are manageable! The drug traffickers' armed forces are nothing more than a bunch of natives armed with fire sticks compared to the modernly trained and exoskeleton-equipped "Super Maruns"! This is a complete dimensionality reduction attack! A guaranteed win!

Most importantly, the spectacle is spectacular! "Super Marun" descends from the sky, raids the drug lord's lair, gliding unscathed amidst a hail of gunfire, and finally, with a massive explosion, razes the entire criminal estate to the ground! This scene is more thrilling than any Hollywood action blockbuster! Then, let those boastful reporters at Fox News spin it, and wouldn't this be a grand victory that enhances our nation's prestige and saves the world?!

"Great! What a great idea! Atlas, you are really my good brother!" The defense minister's voice began to tremble with excitement.

"Don't worry, my friend. I have more good news for you." Atlas chuckled and threw out his last and most deadly bait.

"As for those 'vigilantes'... you don't have to worry too much. I've been close friends with the father of that 'Lightning King,' Louis Mangione, for many years. You could say I watched that kid Louis grow up."

"Perhaps I can use this connection to try to contact him. I believe that although he acts in an extreme way, he is, at heart, a patriot. As long as we can show him enough 'respect' and 'sincerity', it is not impossible to convince him and the 'vigilante group' behind him to 'guest star' for the federal government at certain critical moments."

Upon hearing this, the defense minister was so overjoyed he almost lost himself. He felt like he wasn't talking to Atlas, but to God! His previous despair and fear had long been washed away by this successive stream of good news!

He hung up the phone with many thanks, took a deep breath, and regained the confident and calm expression of a military leader. He adjusted his tie and collar, then, with a firm step, knocked on the heavy door of the Oval Office again.

----

Gulfstream G650ER private jet, inside the cabin.

Atlas hung up the phone, casually threw the specially made encrypted phone on the blue coffee table, then leaned back on the soft blue sofa, closed his eyes, and smiled a mixture of fatigue, nostalgia, and control.

Now, his exclusive main seat has been changed to a blue theme, and decorated with many feathers. He also gave up his dark custom clothes and changed them into an indigo one.

"Over the phone, the effect is indeed much lessened. I have to use more rhetoric and logic to pretend that I am thinking about him, and cleverly hide my true purpose under these seemingly 'reasonable' suggestions."

"But... the result was good. The Federation has become a hound, led by the nose by my hand, and has completely stopped paying attention to me. Furthermore, I've successfully implanted a completely new concept in their minds—that 'vigilantes' are controllable and can be exploited. This will undoubtedly buy Anduriel more space and cover for its future development and operations."

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but express sincere and pious gratitude in his heart to the mysterious "Lord" who gave him this power.

The sunlight from outside filtered through the porthole, casting a patch of mottled light and shadow on his well-defined face with Indian features, making his eyes, which were always as deep as an eagle, appear even more elusive.

He tapped his knee lightly with his index finger, with the confidence and composure that only top chess players possess, as if everything was under control.

He seemed to have seen how he would use the power bestowed by the great "Lord" to lure those foolish opponents into his carefully designed trap step by step in this chaotic and opportunity-filled chess game called "Sodom", and ultimately dominate this destined destruction and... rebirth.

"I thank the Lord, thank the great Father for giving me strength and the opportunity to personally participate in and even take the lead in all of this."

"And everything is going according to plan!"

……

Hawaii, resort hotel suites.