Invasion of America

Chapter 5 Mist
"Hello, Teacher Helen. What can I do for you?" Zhou Qingfeng pushed open the door of the history teacher's office, and a faint aroma of coffee filled the air.

The female teacher was sitting behind her desk. When she saw the young man come in, she raised her chin and motioned him to sit down, "Victor, how did you provoke that guy Raul?
He called all the teachers in the grade early in the morning and said he would deduct your regular marks and ask you to get out of school as soon as possible."

The female teacher's voice wasn't too harsh. She put down her coffee cup, crossed her hands on the table, and waited for an explanation with a gentle look.

Zhou Qingfeng spread his hands and talked about what happened at the seaside restaurant last night. "Maybe I got his clothes dirty, or maybe something else made him dislike me."

The teacher was not surprised by this lame explanation: "Raul is just that kind of person. I don't know how I provoked him.

But don't worry, just go to class. But please don't skip classes anymore, or even if you get a sick note from Jennifer, the school doctor, you won't be able to do that."

The female teacher obviously knew that Zhou Qingfeng was not sick, so she didn't delve into it.

"Thank you!"

“My job is to care about the students.”

When Zhou Qingfeng heard the name "Raul," he pretended to be nonchalant and asked, "Teacher Helen, who is this Raul? How can he be so flamboyant in school?"

The female teacher sighed, leaned forward slightly, and said in a low voice: "Let me tell you a little secret, Raul has some gang background, and his brother is the leader of a local gang, and he has considerable influence.

He's a bit annoying, but he hasn't done anything wrong, so no one can blame him. The school can't expel him just because he's too involved, so everyone just has to put up with it."

Zhou Qingfeng listened thoughtfully, but the female teacher suddenly smiled: "However, there is good news.

Raul's brother was shot and killed in a police shootout last night. Without his backing, he should be more restrained."

"Gangster background?" Zhou Qingfeng said casually, "That's really good news."

The female teacher finally waved her hand and said, "Okay, go back to class. Don't skip class again. Don't let it happen again."

Zhou Qingfeng stood up and prepared to leave the office. His eyes accidentally swept across the wastebasket under the desk and caught a glimpse of a few torn lottery tickets.

He paused slightly and asked casually, "Did you also participate in last night's lottery event?"

"Hahahaha" the female teacher burst into laughter and said enviously, "More than 2.2 billion US dollars, who wouldn't be tempted?

I bought this at a gas station, but unfortunately I didn't win anything. I heard the jackpot is right here in Baitan. I really want to know who the lucky winner is.
If the news spreads, he will definitely move as soon as possible, otherwise it will surely arouse endless jealousy, even violent vendettas and robberies."

He does not mean that.

It was as if a flash of lightning flashed before Zhou Qingfeng's eyes, and he caught something in an instant.

He appeared calm and indifferent as he walked out of the office, but several shining images were surging in his mind, as if a huge puzzle was gradually taking shape.

As I walked out of the office, I saw two boys with bruised faces walking past me. They were still glaring at each other with anger on their faces.

The school police escorting them yelled as they walked: "You two idiots, you can even fight over a broken basketball.

If last night's super prize was in front of you, wouldn't you fight to kill each other?"

This sentence was like a loud bell, instantly waking Zhou Qingfeng up and finally connecting all the clues.

Lottery? Gangs? Last night's inexplicable gunfight? Raul is the brother of one of the gang leaders? There must be a connection.

There is a fact that seems to go against common sense - although American gangs are brutal, American police are actually more ruthless.

The existence of gangs is nothing more than a small group of people who band together for the same interests. They are not formed for the purpose of fighting and killing, but to seize territory and business.

Simply put, for money.

In contrast, the police are truly committed to maintaining public order and suppressing riots. Whether in training, organization, logistics, or equipment, the police have overwhelming advantages.

Especially the American police, they are so brutal.

"What gang leader would be stupid enough to confront the police head-on? No, it's impossible. This isn't a movie."

This is also the reason why Sheriff Congers was furious early in the morning - no matter how chaotic the security in White Beach Town was, it was not so chaotic that anyone dared to openly resist the law.

American police not only carry small pistols with them, they also like to carry rifles in their police cars.

Zhou Qingfeng saw with his own eyes that there was a rifle next to Sheriff Congers' driver's seat and a shotgun in the trunk.

But three people died and seven were injured in the early morning gunfight, and even a police officer was shot in the gunfight. This is absolutely unreasonable.

Unless there is something that the gangs are extremely jealous of, their first reaction when they hear the sirens will definitely be to run away, not to fight.

"Lottery ticket, it must be that lottery ticket." Zhou Qingfeng's thoughts became clearer and clearer.

Sheriff Congers said the two gangs were fighting over a deal, but his judgment was probably wrong - there was no deal, it was just a lottery ticket.

The timing also matched: the lottery draw was just after 11pm, and the gunfight also took place late at night.

The reason why Raul won the first prize was probably because he was the brother of a gang leader.

He was able to obtain information before others could react and use his identity as a school teacher to take action in advance.

So, where is Raúl now? Is he aware of the lottery ticket?

The next class was physical education, and the classroom was bustling with activity.

The students headed to the locker room and retrieved their gym clothes and sneakers from their lockers.

Zhou Qingfeng packed his schoolbag slowly, his eyes swept around the classroom, and finally fell on a girl with a silver nose ring.

She was putting on makeup in front of a small mirror. The thick eyeliner and bright lipstick made her look particularly seductive, completely covering up her original purity.

Zhou Qingfeng took a deep breath, walked over and asked, "Marina, can I have you for a moment?"

The girl looked up and laughed in surprise, "Wow... a nerd actually took the initiative to talk to me? That's really unusual."

She closed the mirror and asked with interest, "Tell me, what's the matter? Don't tell me you want to date me. That's too scary. Asian guys are not in my hunting range."

Zhou Qingfeng ignored her teasing and asked directly: "Do you know about the gang shootout that happened in the early morning?

Are there gangs in Baitan Town? Who are they? Where is their sphere of influence? What kind of business do they run? How do they make a profit?

The girl was stunned for a moment, obviously disappointed. "You actually care about this? I thought you really wanted to confess to me."

She curled her lips, but still started talking, "There are quite a few gangs in White Beach Town, but the most famous ones are 'Swach' and 'Black Scorpion'.

They usually keep to themselves and each has their own territory. But last night, for some reason, they suddenly started fighting."

These words caught the attention of several students nearby. Soon, several more people came over to join the discussion, as if everyone had witnessed the gunfight.

Some said it was for territory, some said it was for division of the spoils, and some speculated that the woman of a big boss was robbed.

At this moment, the girl with the nose ring suddenly reached out and stopped a tall and fat boy who was passing by:
"Hey, Toto! Aren't you from 'Swaggy'? You should know something about it, right? Tell us."

The boy who was stopped was the one who blocked the door of the school bus that morning.

He also seemed to be a loner. His eyes swept among the gathered students and finally stopped on Zhou Qingfeng.

Zhou Qingfeng smiled and raised his fist: "Toto, thank you in the morning."

Tuoto was stunned, obviously not expecting Zhou Qingfeng to take the initiative to make peace. He hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand, clenched his fist, and gently touched it with Zhou Qingfeng's as a sign of reconciliation.

Seeing this, the girl with the nose ring smiled and patted Toto's shoulder: "Toto's brother is a core member of 'Swaggy'. If you want to get some good stuff, he's the right person to go to."

Zhou Qingfeng had no interest in the so-called "good stuff." He locked his eyes with Toto and asked, "The police said the two gangs exchanged fire because of a disagreement over a deal. Is that true?" Toto shook his head and lowered his voice, "My brother isn't a 'core member,' but my brother and I were definitely at the scene last night. The shootout wasn't caused by a deal at all."

At that time, everyone was drinking, chatting and bragging in the "Scorpion" tavern, and the atmosphere was quite good.

"Taverns are always messy, dimly lit, and filled with smoke. Everyone gets drunk, and it's common for people to yell at each other when they're not happy with something."

Toto's eyes were a little dazed, as if he had returned to that chaotic scene: "Then I don't know what happened, but suddenly someone started arguing.

At first there was just pushing and shouting, and then someone picked up a bottle and smashed it on the table, sending glass shards flying everywhere.

Tables were overturned, chairs were kicked over, and the pub was in chaos. But no one expected guns to be used, and everyone thought it was just an ordinary fight.

His voice gradually lowered, with a hint of fear: "When the fight started, my brother grabbed a bottle and prepared to rush over to help his companions.

But at this moment, the gunshot rang out.

With a 'bang' sound, everyone was stunned.

At that moment, the tavern was so quiet that even the sound of breathing could be heard.

Then, screams, curses, collisions, and footsteps merged into one, and everyone ran out like crazy.

I didn't dare to stay, and I didn't care about anyone else. I threw down the bottle and rushed out without looking back.

Toto’s voice trembled, his eyes filled with fear: “After daybreak, I arrived at school and found out that my brother had been arrested.

After we escaped, the people who stayed in the bar actually exchanged fire with the police who arrived. Three people died on the spot and seven people were sent to the hospital.

The pub was covered in blood and the police and ambulance lights flashed all night long. I have never seen such a horrific scene in my life.

The students felt as if they were there, and some of them couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Tuotu's expression became increasingly grim. It was obvious that this incident had dealt a heavy blow to him. He looked at Zhou Qingfeng and said:

"I won't stop you from getting on the school bus anymore. I don't want to be in a gang either... It's too scary. You could die at any time."

After he finished speaking, Toto turned and left the classroom, his back looking a little lonely.

Several students discussed the matter more heatedly, and Zhou Qingfeng grasped the key point of Toto's description - who started the fight in the pub and turned it into a gunfight?

This is very important.

Once you understand the key people and events, you are only one step away from the truth.

Zhou Qingfeng wanted to catch up with Toto and ask him about it, but Raul's scurvy face appeared outside the locker room and yelled at the students, "It's already class time, what are you doing in the corridor?"

The students immediately scattered. Only Zhou Qingfeng remained standing, staring at them provocatively.

Raul took a few steps forward, approached Zhou Qingfeng, and growled, "Boy, what are you doing standing here? You should go to class."

Zhou Qingfeng suddenly smiled and said, "It's nothing. I'm very happy that you are still working hard in school."

These nonsensical words left Raul stunned.

At this moment, Sheriff Congers, who had taken a short break, pushed through the cordon set up by the police and returned to the "Scorpion" bar in the town.

Although the bodies and wounded had been sent away, the bar was temporarily closed after the shootout, and chaos broke out inside and outside.

This damn place looks like it's been swept through by a storm.

Tables and chairs were toppled here and there, some overturned, others leaning with broken legs. The tablecloth had been torn off and lay crumpled on the ground, having been walked on countless times.

Broken wine bottles were scattered on the floor, bloodstains were everywhere on the walls, and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood mixed with the pungent smell of alcohol, which was nauseating.

The wine rack behind the bar was also affected. The neatly arranged wine bottles shattered into pieces. The amber liquid mixed with the dark red blood was a testimony to the madness of last night.

The decorative paintings on the wall were hanging crookedly, and some had even fallen down, with the glass of the frames shattered all over the floor.

In the corner, an old jukebox was smashed beyond recognition, with records scattered on the ground like abandoned memories.

Bullet marks can be seen everywhere on the walls, the bar, and even the ceiling.

The air seemed to still echo with the aftermath of gunfire, low and suppressed, as if an invisible hand pulled Congers back to the terrifying moment a few hours ago.

He stood in the middle of the bar, his eyes sweeping over the mess on the floor, his heart full of doubts.

Gang fights are not uncommon in this small town, but a life-and-death gunfight like the one last night is anything but ordinary.

Congers knew that there must be deeper reasons behind this bloody conflict.

"What on earth happened at that time that made these guys crazy?"

Congers muttered to himself. He had been a police officer in the small town for more than a decade and had seen too many conflicts between gangs, but he never believed in superficial explanations like "drunken impulse."

In his opinion, alcohol was at most a fuse, and the real powder keg had long been buried in some invisible corner.

"They are all a bunch of old drunkards with good alcohol tolerance. How could they get dizzy after just a few drinks?" Congers walked towards a luxurious booth in the bar.

It was a semi-enclosed location, which allowed for a slanted view of the bar lobby while also providing a certain degree of privacy. It was obviously a favorite place for gang members.

He stood by the booth, his eyes falling on the remaining wine glasses and cigarette butts on the table, as if he could see the scene of last night through these traces.

"According to the surveillance footage, the deceased, Tochi, entered the bar at 10:50 pm and chose this booth. About half an hour later, he got into an argument with Maxim, another deceased person who was sitting at the same table."

Congers turned and looked at an overturned table across from the booth. Its legs were broken, and bottles and glasses on the tabletop were shattered on the floor. The blood had dried and turned a dark brown color.

"According to the injured James, the two men were chatting happily, and the quarrel and fight came very suddenly."

"Maxim tried to leave the bar, but Tochi stopped him." Congers's gaze extended along the booth to the bar door, as if he could see two figures pushing each other.

"The two men knocked over several tables along the way and called on their companions to join them. The situation got out of control in an instant and the bar was in chaos."

Congers paused in the middle of the bar, his gaze fixed on a bloodstain on the floor. "To stop Maxim, Tochi pulled out the dagger he carried and stabbed him in the back."

"Seriously injuring someone, just this one blow, is enough to send Toki to jail for twenty years.

But he never got the chance to go to jail. Before he collapsed, Maxim pulled out his pistol and shot Tochi in the head."

Congers's frown deepened. He squatted down and carefully examined the bullet holes and bloodstains on the floor, his suspicions growing deeper.

"Ordinarily, the conflict should have ended at this point."

He whispered, as if questioning himself, "But the reality is just the opposite. The people present are fighting even more fiercely. They pulled out knives and guns and fired at each other desperately."

He turned his gaze towards the bar's kitchen. "At this moment, the third victim appeared. A bar waitress was shot more than a dozen times and eventually collapsed at the door of the bar's kitchen."

"This doesn't make sense."

“Maxim, who started the shootout, was only stabbed once, and Tochi was only shot in the head.

Why did an ordinary waitress get shot with more than a dozen bullets? Those guys lying in the hospital must not be telling the truth. "

Congers's eyes swept through every corner of the bar, searching for the hidden truth. He knew that this gunfight was far more complicated than it seemed.

And behind the silence of those gang members lying in the hospital, there must be a bigger secret hidden.

(End of this chapter)