American variety show: The Godfather, the Peace Ambassador, what the heck?

Chapter 142 The game is over

After leaving Yuri's apartment, Luca hadn't walked far along the park when a car pulled up beside him.

Hobbs, this big guy, was crammed into the back row.

"Agent Hobbs."

"Let's talk in the car."

The car drove Luca away, and along the way Luca chatted with Hobbes about the intelligence on Yuri's side and the role Yuri played in this gold heist.

Luca: "Yuri has agreed to cooperate. You can keep an eye on him. You can also tell him directly if you have any requests. He has no other choice but to cooperate with us."

Luca kept it a secret from Simon, but revealed his hand to Yuri.

Yuri is a minor variable, but one that could hasten the end of this incident. Under the watchful eye of the Federation, Yuri has no choice, especially since he still depends on the Federation for survival. Once he antagonizes the Federation, his arms business will likely be over.

The junior officers of the international police force, bound by laws and regulations, could only watch helplessly as Yuri transported away the missiles and helicopters. However, in certain emergency situations, the United States could disregard these rules and regulations when dealing with Yuri.

Upon hearing the news, Hobbes nodded with a straight face, "It seems we can close the net now."

Luca nodded: "I will help Simon transport the gold to the transaction location designated by Yuri. You just need to wait there. Or, if you don't mind the trouble, you can go and find the gold all over New York State. Once Simon and I confirm the transportation time, we can tell you the location of the gold."

“To be on the safe side, I want both,” Hobbes demanded. “I need to know the location of all the gold, and you also need to transport it here in one go. I want to capture them all at once. If we arrest them one by one, they might tip each other off and escape. It’s much easier to strike them all together.”

“No problem.” Luca nodded. “I can get everything sorted out for you within five days at the latest.”

"Thanks," Hobbs grinned.

For some reason, Hobbes had initially approached Luca with a questioning attitude, but as he got closer, he found that he didn't have such strong conflicting feelings. He felt a little strange that he was able to sit calmly next to Luca and chat with him.

Perhaps it was because the case was about to be solved that the joy in my heart overshadowed other emotions.

While Hobbs was pondering the case, Luca glanced at the muscular man out of the corner of his eye, thinking that at this point in time, Hobbs shouldn't have any dealings with the Los Angeles biker gang or Brian.

He remembered that in the original storyline, the two sides first crossed paths in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when they went together to take down a Brazilian gang. At that time, Brian had already defected to the FBI and fully joined the Bald Guy biker gang.

After that, whenever Hobbs encountered a major problem that was difficult to solve, he would go to that biker gang for help, and he actually turned a small group of thugs who used to only steal trucks into a "biker special agent team" that fights international crime.

Driving a car through the sky and the sea. Luca's words sound somewhat magical.

The biker gang went out of business and Hobbs cracked down on crime. The two groups worked together more and more happily, their personal relationship improved, and they became "family".

Luca wasn't surprised that Hobbs was willing to cooperate with him, a member of the Mafia. The guy was indeed good at dealing with all kinds of criminals, using their power to deal with troubles.

Perhaps there will be opportunities for cooperation abroad in the future, Luca thought.

“Luca,” Hobbs suddenly asked, “you’re different from other Mafia members I’ve met. You’re the first person who’s willing to help the police.”

He turned his head to look at Luca. He himself had figured out Simon's identity and motives, but he still couldn't figure out Luca's real motives. If he were to describe him as helpful, Hobbes felt it was a bit of a joke.

“McLean is my friend,” Luca said directly. “He’s in trouble, and I won’t stand idly by.”

Just because of friends? Hobbes was a little surprised: "Your relationship is closer than I thought. No wonder he said you are a very good friend."

"I'm just offering help as much as I can, and someday they'll lend me a hand in return."

Luca's gentle smile caught Hobbes's eye. The burly man, who had dealt with many criminals, paused for half a second before nodding with a smile: "Luca, are you implying that I might need your help someday?"

"If that day ever comes, I will be very happy when you reach out to me."

Who will help whom is still uncertain. I have a feeling you'll encounter more trouble than I will, all sorts of international criminals trying to destroy the world. Luca thought to himself that cooperating with Hobbes in the future would be about defending world peace.

—For example, preventing a technological crime that could infiltrate the world's information networks, or preventing an organization from releasing biological or chemical weapons that could pollute the globe.
Luca felt that the world he lived in was not safe at all, and that even without aliens, it was always facing destruction.

We need to make those who like to cause trouble follow the rules.

Five days later, one afternoon, Luca returned to the cabin outside New York and talked to Simon, who was recovering from his injury, about the current situation. He also arranged for Simon to leave the next day—by using a garbage truck to hide the gold in a stinking pile of garbage. Luca would handle everything on the way.

After Simon confirmed the news, he then coordinated with Yuri to arrange the time and place for receiving the goods—the port of Boston, the transport ship, and Yuri leaving the United States under the guise of transporting arms, while also taking the gold with him.

That evening, all the remaining garbage trucks loaded with gold headed to Boston from various locations.

Luca and Simon traveled together in one of the trucks to their destination.

As night fell, cars sped along the highway, the numbers on the road signs pointing to Boston getting smaller and smaller. Simon breathed a sigh of relief, and even Luca next to him looked more pleasing to the eye.

The smell from the garbage truck was really unpleasant.

Luca laughed and said, "Don't worry, garbage won't spoil gold. At most, it'll just smell a little bad, but it's still gold."

"As long as it can be transported out smoothly, you can put it in anything."

Simon stretched out one leg and leaned back in his seat. "Because gold is one of the most chemically stable metals, everyone likes stable and controllable things that won't explode, corrode, or suddenly deteriorate one day."

Luca remained noncommittal; gold does indeed have these properties that allow it to hedge against inflation. "How's your injury?"

"It's nothing serious."

Simon shook his head, looking at the faint outline of Boston ahead, his eagerness growing stronger.

I'll be able to leave soon!
Boston Harbor.

Yuri stood on the beach, the cigarette in his hand burning even faster in the sea breeze, just like his dwindling patience.

Of course, this wasn't just about the gold. The frequent harassment from Interpol made him very impatient. Although the other side hadn't obtained any evidence yet, those flies were always buzzing around him. If he accidentally rolled up his sleeves one day, they would swarm up and crawl all over his arms.

There have been just too many upsetting things lately. Yuri sighed, touching the thick bulletproof vest under his shirt, finally feeling a sense of security. He could already picture the scene: when Simon arrived with the gold, the police, already prepared, would be like fish in a barrel. The mercenaries would be furious, and a bloody battle might break out.

"But you really can't blame me. I actually really want gold."

If he pulls off this job, he might be able to retire early and never have to worry about his wife finding out he's an arms dealer again.

Yuri sighed, raised his head, and met a pair of eyes not far away.

McLean glanced at Yuri, then turned to David beside him, "How much longer until Old Pigeon and the others arrive?"

"We've already entered the city."

David was communicating with intelligence via his mobile phone and walkie-talkie. "We've confirmed that quite a few garbage trucks are on their way to the dock."

"Nice!" McLean exclaimed excitedly. "It's finally coming to an end, David. We've done a great job helping the country recover the gold, haven't we?"

"Don't be too happy yet. At best, we've made amends." David rubbed his temples, looking annoyed. "Don't forget that Simon tricked us all. He stole the gold right under our noses. We're the ones who have to take the blame for that. It's already pretty good that we've found the gold."

McClain looked dejected. "At first, I thought he came specifically to seek revenge, but it turns out his real purpose was gold. The only saving grace is that despite Simon's bombings, they only damaged some buildings and didn't cause any major casualties."

"If it weren't for those bombs, we wouldn't be in such a passive position."

David still feels a lingering fear when he thinks about it. The bomb weighed over two thousand pounds, and thankfully it wasn't all detonated in New York. To be honest, David would have preferred that Simon was just a gold thief, not a terrorist who wanted to bomb New York.

The options of bombing New York and causing countless deaths and injuries, or having the gold stolen, are both extremely serious. If forced to choose one, who knows if those lunatics, having failed to steal the gold, might bring the bombs from the ship to downtown New York to force the government to hand over the gold.

David shook his head, feeling that the current result was quite good. New York had not suffered too many casualties, the gold had been recovered, and Simon was about to be eliminated. From the result, David preferred the current outcome.

A moment later, David received the message.

Garbage trucks have already arrived.

The first to arrive were Luca and Simon, along with a few mercenaries, in two or three vehicles.

The group was on the dock with Yuri's friend, who complained to Simon with a speechless expression: "Sometimes I really can't tell if you Germans are joking or telling the truth. Next time, please remind me that this is not a joke, so I can be mentally prepared."

"People often use a joking tone when they tell the truth."

Simon, limping and being supported by one of his subordinates, was now on the verge of victory. He reverted to the Shakespearean dramatic tone he used when playing games with the police: "If I say 'Simon said,' in a more serious tone, then you'd better watch out."

Luca watched them talk silently from the side.

Simon says: When you set rules by beginning with "XX said," all participants must abide by your rules, and the probability of participants violating the rules is forcibly reduced by 10%.

[Learning Requirements: Bond level must be close friend or higher; 100 skill fragments required]

The "Simon Says" game forced McLean and the entire New York Police Department to participate, abide by the rules, and honestly play the game to defuse bombs.

Luca felt that this skill was somewhat similar to the "God said" in the Bible, "Let there be light," and then there really was light in the world.

I hope that one day, when I sit at the high table, everyone will have to abide by the rules that "Luca said".

Soon after, more and more garbage trucks arrived at the dock, unloading the glittering gold from the garbage heaps and loading it into the cargo boxes that Yuri had prepared beforehand—Yuri wouldn't say that these boxes were all prepared by the police.

Everything proceeded smoothly, and when all the gold was finally loaded and ready to be loaded onto the ship, Simon finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It's time to leave.

He found Luca: "Pigeon, I'm so sorry to have dragged you into this. Where will you go from now on? Is there still a place for you in New York?"

Luca smiled. "I might take my gold and go to a peaceful place."

Where in this world is there any peace? Simon shook his head, took out the blood pact from his robes, and handed it to Luca:
"Pigeon, although we can't be on the same path, at least this collaboration was very pleasant. I would rather it was a tragedy of the times that prevented us from standing together."
I regret that I cannot go with you to a hotel in mainland China to have the document notarized for the time being. However, once I have settled down, I will contact you through a hotel in another part of mainland China. You can also take this document to any hotel in mainland China; it contains my fingerprints and blood, the contract is established, and they will recognize it.

Luca took the blood pact, lifted the lid, and Simon's bloody fingerprints were clearly visible inside.

[Bond: Close Friend]

[The Simon Theory Unlocked]

Simon turned and left: "Goodbye, pigeon. If you ever find yourself in dire straits, you can come to me."

Luca held the blood pact tightly, and Simon's figure gradually disappeared under his deep gaze, until the clicking sound rang out and bright searchlights lit up the surroundings, illuminating the scene as if it were daytime.

The lights converged on Simon, making him seem like the main character taking center stage.

Simon abruptly stopped and turned around in astonishment, only to see a group of police officers surrounding Luca not far away.

They passed by Luca and headed straight for him. At that moment, Simon's pupils shrank to the size of pinholes, and he swayed involuntarily, staring incredulously at the blurry-faced youth.

Is Luca in cahoots with the police?

In an instant, many thoughts flashed through Simon's mind, and he realized that he had subconsciously accepted a fact: the greedy Mafia would not let go of that gold.

But the reality is quite the opposite.

Simon gave a bleak smile, realizing that he had never truly understood who Luca was.

Until the intersecting figures of police officers blocked his view, fully armed McLean strode up.

"Simon, your mother's game with Fuck is over!"

(End of this chapter)