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The rainy season in Chinatown comes without warning.

Suning stood under the neon sign of "Golden Gate Hotel," watching the rainwater gather into a turbid torrent in the drainage ditch, washing garbage and cockroaches into the unknown sewers.

He clutched the newly arrived letter from home—his father's handwriting trembled even more than before: "Your brother's tuition."

There was a suspicious oil stain in the lower right corner of the letter, as if it had dripped from the mother while she was cooking and crying.

"Watch where you're going!" A food delivery bicycle splashed water, and Suning nimbly took a half step back.

The body's instinctive reactions were still there, just like how, even though the system had stripped him of all his superhuman abilities, deep down he was still the king who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Suning knew that he had to consider the issue of immigration status next, since being an illegal immigrant would be a major obstacle.

However, after considering all the ways to obtain a green card, Suning did not want to actually slander his motherland.

Therefore, one could consider marrying a U.S. citizen, or perhaps seeking a sham marriage through an agency.

However, the agency fees are very expensive, and it's easy to get scammed. You should know that scammers will never be out of work.

In the following days, while working diligently at the Chinese restaurant, Su Ning carefully observed his surroundings, looking for an opportunity to leave Chinatown openly and legitimately.

Suddenly, her colleague Afang leaned close to Su Ning and whispered, "Su Ning, are you and Lin Xiu boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"what happened?"

"Keep a close eye on her! I think she's not as innocent as she seems."

"Leaving their homes to seek their fortune in America! Who can remain truly innocent? Even the innocent perish in the storms."

"You seem to have a pretty open-minded attitude."

However, just as Suning was racking its brains for a way out, its "female companion" Lin Xiu took action first.

With Suning's help, her English has improved by leaps and bounds, and she can now communicate with locals without any problems.

Then Lin Xiu met a white American man, and in order to get a green card as soon as possible, she decided to marry him.

Suning didn't feel anything was wrong after he found out, since in that particular situation there was no need to consider any moral issues.

Lin Xiu's engagement party was held on the second floor of the laundromat.

In the cramped apartment, a white man named Mike was repeating "I love you" in broken Chinese, his blue eyes radiating a pure and dazzling passion.

Su Ning noticed a fresh scar on his ring finger, which looked like it was caused by forcing a ring that didn't fit properly.

"I met him at a medical English training course." Lin Xiu handed over a glass of cheap champagne, her newly painted pink nail polish covering the cracks caused by the laundry detergent. "He's a retired military doctor who works at VA Hospital."

As the foam burst at the bottom of the cup, Su Ning remembered the immigration lawyer's bill she had secretly peeked at three days ago...

"All-inclusive sham marriage package: $15,000 (including two years of follow-up services)."

The ring Lin Xiu wore, set with artificial diamonds, was worth at most two hundred dollars in a pawn shop.

"Congratulations." Su Ning clinked glasses with her, deliberately letting the rim of his glass hang three inches below hers.

This young woman, who once saved countless lives on the operating table, has now become a powerful stimulant, injected into America's veins.

On his way back to the restaurant, he stopped in front of the "Good Luck Marriage Agency" window.

The yellowed flyer read "Green Card Sponsor Recruitment," and the photo next to it showed a smiling Chinese woman with a cigarette burn scar near her eye.

Many Chinese people cannot understand the lives of these seemingly glamorous people, unaware that it is all just a facade.

Special groups are not accepted by their fellow countrymen and are unable to integrate into the local society, so they only have their own interests on their minds.

On a rainy night when the store was closing, the immigration officer with the scarred fingerprint blocked Suning in an alley.

One of his uniform buttons was undone, revealing a snake tattoo on his collarbone, which appeared to be the mark of the Department of Justice's Internal Affairs Investigations Division.

“Kid, we know who you are.” The official tapped Su Ning’s social security card photocopy with his pen. “'Su Ning'? A ship belonging to the Fujian Changle Gang sank in Panama last year, but this name is not on the list of survivors.”

"and then?"

"I really dislike your calmness! You should be panicking."

“No need! At worst, I’ll be deported back to my home country. Actually, I’m already tired of my current life. If it weren’t for the huge high-interest loan, I would rather be deported immediately.”

“Young man, don’t be so pessimistic! America is the most powerful country on this planet.” The official pushed over a photo of Mr. Chen and a state legislator. “As long as you help me hold off Chen Jinfa, I’ll give you a U visa in three months.”

Suning suddenly laughed.

Suning naturally scoffed at this. Although all his abilities had been blocked by the system, a king is always a king, and he would never betray his compatriots.

"Sir, I will consider it carefully."

"I await your good news."

……

After returning home, Su Ning told Boss Chen about it, "Boss, today immigration officials came to me and asked me to keep an eye on your every move."

"Oh? Which one? I'm familiar with most of the immigration officers."

“The one with the scar! Looks like the immigration bureau is after you.” He immediately showed her the photo. “The Internal Affairs Investigations Division is watching your relationship with the senator.”

Mr. Chen paused as he was counting the money.

The moment the bundle of banknotes broke, hundred-yuan bills scattered like snowflakes.

This old fox, who always said "harmony brings wealth," now had a fierce glint in his eyes, as if he were about to devour someone.

"Ah Ning"

"You've passed." Boss Chen kicked aside the broken pieces of the tape recorder and handed over a cup of warm jasmine tea.

The tea leaves unfurling into the shape of a lotus flower at the bottom of the cup is the highest form of hospitality in my hometown of Fujian.

It turns out that all of this was Mr. Chen testing Suning, and the immigration officials were all deliberately arranged by Mr. Chen.

However, Mr. Chen was very satisfied with Suning's performance and was prepared to help Suning gain a foothold in the United States.

After all, it's true that you need to help each other when you're traveling, and of course, Mr. Chen wasn't without his own selfish motives.

Observations over this period revealed that Suning is not only highly capable, but also courageous, resourceful, and ruthless, which is why the decision was made to give him an important position.

Late one night a week later, Mr. Chen took Suning to a brownstone building in Brooklyn.

Under the bright, operating table-like incandescent light of the basement, a middle-aged woman in a leopard-print dress is applying nail polish.

“Malina, the best matchmaking consultant.” Mr. Chen patted Su Ning on the shoulder. “I’ll cover the fees, but you have to do something for me.”

"..."

Just then, the woman threw a photo album at him.

Each page features photos of women of different ethnicities, priced like items on a supermarket shelf: Latina $8,000 (including a church wedding package), African American $6,500 (guaranteed fast divorce), White $12,000 (including two years of immigration home visit counseling)...

"I want the cheapest one," Suning said.

Malinda's red fingernails stopped on a certain page—the Chinese woman in the photo had a blank look in her eyes, but a standard smile on her lips.

“Emily, born in California, has a mild intellectual disability. Her uncle is a gang lawyer who can handle all the paperwork.” He poked at the bruise on the woman’s collarbone with his fingernail. “She’s very obedient and won’t cause any trouble.”

As the deal was finalized, police sirens sounded outside the window.

Taking the opportunity, Boss Chen whispered in Suning's ear: "A ship will be arriving in Miami next month. You'll be going to pick up a batch of 'special cargo'."

His breath smelled of betel nut and stomach acid. "Once this deal is done, you'll be even with me."

Are there any jobs that don't violate ethics?

"What? You've already come to America, and you still need to consider morality?"

"..."

"Su Ning, if you want to survive here, you can't think too much."

On the way back to Chinatown, Su Ning felt a crumpled newspaper in the gap between the seats.

In a corner of a certain section, there was an obituary for Lin Xiu's fiancé, Mike: "A nurse at a veterans' hospital died from a drug overdose."

The date of death was three days prior, the night of the engagement party.

It's obvious that Lin Xiu isn't as simple as she seems, or rather, no one who can come to this land is a simple character.

……

The Florida night wind, carrying the smell of the sea, blew into the truck cab, while the Eagles' "Hotel California" played on the radio. The intermittent signal made the guitar solo sound like some distant distress signal.

Su Ning held the steering wheel with one hand, while the other hand gripped the travel permit given to him by Boss Chen…

There was only one line of handwritten address on it, the ink smudged by sweat, like a winding snake.

In his rearview mirror, a Chevrolet without license plates had been following him for thirty miles.

"Tsk." Su Ning lightly pressed the accelerator, and the engine of the eighteen-wheeled truck emitted a deep roar.

He wasn't worried about the police; the transport documents provided by Boss Chen were airtight.

Even the car's GPS was "tuned" beforehand to ensure that no suspicious driving records were left.

What he really cared about was the person sitting in that Chevrolet...

Are they buyers? Or another group of people trying to double-cross them?

The radio suddenly switched stations, followed by a piercing static, and then a Spanish news broadcast: "...Police have seized a shipment of suspicious goods at the Port of Miami..."

Suning tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel twice, then turned off the radio.

He didn't care what the goods were.

He only cares about the green card two years from now.

Soon, Suning drove his truck to the Port of Miami, where he was about to face an unknown danger.

Warehouse 17 at the Port of Miami is tucked away at the end of a container maze. Two burly Latino men stand beside the rusty iron gate, their waists bulging—clearly not just for decoration.

"Chen's men?" one of them asked in a thick Cuban accent.

Suning nodded and handed over the travel permit.

The other person glanced at it, grinned, revealing gold-plated teeth: "Bienvenido a Miami, chino."
The warehouse was filled with cardboard boxes labeled "frozen seafood," but there was no fishy smell in the air, only a faint chemical odor.

A bald man wearing a gold chain walked over and patted Su Ning on the shoulder: "Chen said you are reliable."

Suning didn't say anything, but silently opened the truck's cargo container.

Ten minutes later, the cargo was loaded.

The bald man handed him a brown paper bag: "Your 'bonus'."

Su Ning squeezed the bag; inside was a stack of cash and a note—"There's work for you next time."

On the way back, the Chevrolet did not reappear.

Suning stopped at a gas station once, bought a cup of black coffee, and casually stuffed the brown paper bag into the hidden compartment under the seat.

He wasn't curious about how much money was inside, nor did he care what the "goods" actually were.

In this country, curiosity is a luxury, and illegal immigrants even have their lives rented.

They were very lucky throughout the journey. Suning was always able to anticipate the obstacles ahead and choose the safest route each time.

Mr. Chen was pleasantly surprised by Su Ning's abilities, but instead of assigning Su Ning any more missions, he continued to have Su Ning work at the "Golden Gate Hotel".

……

However, fate seemed to think his life wasn't dramatic enough.

On the third day after returning to Chinatown, Su Ning was chopping vegetables in the kitchen when A Fang suddenly rushed in, flustered: "Su Ning, there's a woman outside looking for you! She says she's your wife!"

"..."

Suning's knife tip landed on the chopping board.

Emily Chan – his “fake marriage partner”.

She was standing at the restaurant entrance, wearing a dress with a cartoon cat print and clutching a worn-out teddy bear in her hand.

Her eyes were somewhat vacant, but a naive smile played on her lips.

Behind her stood a Chinese man in a sharp suit, his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses sharp as knives.

Chen Zhiming.

A gangster lawyer, Emily's "uncle".

“Mr. Su,” Chen Zhiming’s voice sounded like a final statement in court, “we need to talk.”

That evening, the bitter smell of burning mugwort filled Suning's storage room.

Emily sat quietly on the edge of the bed, letting Su Ning insert silver needles as thin as hair into the acupoints on the top of her head.

“She had a high fever when she was a child, which caused minor brain damage.” Chen Zhiming stared at Su Ning’s technique, his tone tentative. “The doctor said the chances of recovery are very low.”

Su Ning didn't look up, but gently twisted the needle tip: "Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes 'unblocking the meridians,' and some damage is not irreversible."

"You also know about Traditional Chinese Medicine?"

“I learned some medicine from an old Chinese medicine doctor in my hometown, so I can try to get her to cure me.”

"I don't believe in traditional Chinese medicine."

"The magic of traditional Chinese medicine lies in its mystery! Sometimes it really can solve big problems."

"..."

In fact, Su Ning is a top-notch divine doctor, after all, he has experienced the baptism of countless worlds.

In those previous dungeon worlds, he once used a silver needle to paralyze an enemy's nervous system for three hours.

Now, all he needs to do is slightly improve Emily's blood circulation in her brain, and that will be enough to convince Chen Zhiming.

Are you really confident?

"There's no harm in giving it a try."

"Okay! But you have to be careful."

"Don't worry! I don't want to get shot dead by you."

"..." Chen Zhiming touched the pistol at his waist, feeling embarrassed.

Then Su Ning took out her treasured silver needles and began to administer the acupuncture under Chen Zhiming's tense gaze.

Twenty minutes later, Emily suddenly blinked, then pointed to the lucky cat sticker on the wall and clearly said, "The cat... is smiling."

Chen Zhiming's pupils suddenly contracted.

This was the first time in five years that she had actively observed the details.

"Suning, what do you want?" Before leaving, Chen Zhiming finally spoke, his tone no longer condescending but rather a cautious assessment.

Su Ning put away the silver needles and said calmly, "Meeting is fate! So I just wanted to help her."

Chen Zhiming stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Didn't Boss Chen tell you?"

"what?"

“Emily isn’t my niece,” Chen Zhiming pushed up his glasses. “She’s my boss’s daughter.”

Suning's fingers paused slightly.

Now, the game has been upgraded.

At this moment, Su Ning suppressed his inner joy and looked at the gangster lawyer in front of him, saying, "I haven't thought that much about it! I just want to get a US green card in two years and then start a new life in the United States."

"A green card is easy! Our gang can help you with that right now, and we can even give you a restaurant as a bonus, but on the condition that you can make Emily fully recover." The gangster lawyer said nonchalantly to Su Ning.

"Is Mr. Chen's statement true?"

Do you have any obligation to make us lie?

"Deal! I'll prescribe some traditional Chinese medicine for Emily later, and she'll be fully recovered after eight more acupuncture sessions."

"real or fake?"

“Mr. Chen, if I were lying to you, you would surely have countless ways to kill me.”

"Excellent! Indeed, a rare and intelligent person."

...(End of chapter)