I was acting crazy in North America, and all the crazy people there took it seriously.

Chapter 143 A New Hero's Magnificent Performance

The "mentor" chosen for James Mason is the sole mentor of the "con artist course," codenamed "President."

By the way, the heroes still use aliases or code names, and James Mason's code name was given to him by the Boss—"British Counselor".

The "President" said he took a liking to James Mason because of this title, saying, "I can tell at a glance that you have great ambitions and my style!"

James Mason fell into deep thought—was there even a tiny bit of truth to what the “fraudulent” mentor said?
Unlike heroes like "Lucky Baron" and "Director" who had already made a name for themselves in the underworld, "President" was not a well-known legendary figure.

His past experiences are shrouded in mystery, and few people know about them.

However, it is clear from his lectures that he is an expert with rich "practical experience".

He said he had already trained enough green recruits at the academy, and this time, he was going to make a name for himself!

So this batch of students is incredibly lucky!
To be honest, James Mason was a little panicked at that moment.

……

Seattle, night.

Roy Ohmdes put the last box of US dollars into his underground vault and breathed a sigh of relief.

Roy was originally a police officer in Seattle. Two months after Prohibition took effect, he switched careers to become a more lucrative bootlegging agent, smuggling whiskey from Canada.

Although he switched sides, Roy gradually gained the support of the entire Seattle police force by giving gifts and money to his former colleagues.

You could even say that he's responsible for paying an extra salary to the entire Seattle Police Department every month.

After all, after changing careers, he earned more in a week than a beat cop would earn in 20 years. Which cop couldn't buy that?

The entire Seattle law enforcement system practically became a shield for his bootlegging business.

However, things have been turbulent lately. Rumors have been circulating from the East that Chicago gangs have begun to encroach on the West’s bootlegging market. Bootlegging dealers in each region are now either joining in or facing various forms of sabotage.

The nationally sensational "director" robbed fifteen banks, reportedly at the behest of the Chicago mob.

While most people only focus on the "chief's" legendary achievements, he was concerned about the broken financial chains of the fifteen bootleggers behind him, who were powerless to resist the encroachment of the Chicago mob.

Following this trend, the influence of Chicago gangs will eventually extend to Seattle.

Let's give it a try.

He prefers being a dog owner to being a dog.

Moreover, he is not afraid of underhanded tactics.

His liquid assets are now all stored in his impregnable underground vault; and his private residence is less than a kilometer from the Seattle Police Headquarters.

Even if the Chicago gangsters were audacious enough to rob Seattle openly, as long as he could hold out for a short time by relying on his sturdy mansion, the entire Seattle police force would quickly come to his aid.

He refused to believe that the Chicago mob could mobilize a more powerful armed force from thousands of miles away than the entire Seattle police system to deal with him.

Yes, we need to pay the police force a little more next month, so they won't become complacent.

……

"I heard that the police in Seattle get paid by bootlegging dealers!"

Just as Roy was having a peaceful dream, less than a kilometer from his private residence, at the Seattle Police Department, the "President" smiled and spoke to the police chief.

"No, absolutely not!" The police chief, covered in sweat, vehemently denied it.

"That's good. You know, our Bureau of Investigation's most important function is counterintelligence. We have clear evidence that Roy Omdes is a British spy who is using his identity as a bootlegging dealer to infiltrate and sabotage Seattle."

"President," he said slowly and deliberately, "as you know, our Bureau of Investigation's operation in Chicago last time didn't go very smoothly. This time, we've deployed our elite forces! We've been given a death order: we must complete the mission. If anyone tries to obstruct us..."

He lightly drew a line across his own neck with his right hand, declaring, "All of them shall be punished for treason, and executed without exception!"

The police chief's back was instantly soaked with sweat.

He dared not doubt it at all.

The other party had complete identification, and the agents they brought all had stern faces, cold eyes, and didn't say a word. The oppressive atmosphere they created was so intense that it made people feel uneasy.

Being a spy is not a trivial matter of taking a little bribe or turning a blind eye to bootlegging; it's a capital offense!

He dared not get involved at all, wishing he could immediately sever all ties with Roy.

“Very good, it seems you understand the bigger picture. Now, mobilize all police forces to provide perimeter security and maintain order behind our lines, seal off the relevant streets, and ensure that no spy accomplices escape.”

The "President" looked at the police chief with a half-smile, "We already have advance agents secretly surrounding Roy Omdes's residence. Surely no one in your police force would have tipped him off?"

“If that happens, then I’m afraid I have to suspect that your entire Seattle Police Department has been infiltrated by spies, or even that they’ve collectively betrayed the country!” The police chief was sweating profusely, swallowed hard, and shook his head frantically: “Absolutely not, I will definitely keep everyone in the force in check and will not interfere with your Bureau of Investigation’s work in any way!”

“Very well! In that case,” the “President” stood up, resuming his serious, businesslike expression, “‘British Counselor’!”

James Mason jolted, immediately straightened his back, and tried his best to tense every muscle in his face to avoid revealing any sense of absurdity in his heart. He replied in the coldest tone, "Yes, sir!"

"You will lead the team to the target's residence immediately to carry out the arrest mission! If there is resistance, the use of lethal force is authorized!"

James Mason tried his best to stay calm and straightened his feet: "Yes, sir!"

Meanwhile, the police chief wished he were deaf.

British counselor? A British diplomat who was recruited?
It seems that Roy has really done something incredibly serious!

He became even more determined to cooperate and sever all ties.

……

Roy Ohmdes was awakened by his panicked men.

"What? The Investigation Bureau? They're here to arrest me? To accuse me of being a traitorous spy?"

Roy was completely stunned, as if he had been slapped on the forehead with a huge black pot.

"Impossible! What kind of spy am I? I'm just a damn liquor smuggler! I don't even know where Washington is, how could I have betrayed any country? This must be a mistake! Or a frame-up!"

Roy, still in his pajamas, screamed his innocence, "Hold them off! Don't let them in! I need to call Jackie (the police chief) for help!"

But his subordinate cried out, "It's too late, the police are all surrounding us..."

Roy rushed to the window, pulled back a corner of the curtain, and after just one glance, he felt a chill run through his body, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Outside the window, the police, who were supposed to be protecting him, had surrounded his mansion from a distance.

At the front of the police line stood the uniformed, stern-faced agents of the Bureau of Investigation.

Indeed, the tide has turned against them.

If Roy's men still had the courage to resist when they saw heavily armed and menacing FBI agents, they knew things were really serious when the police officers who used to be their brothers and had received countless benefits from them all turned against them and surrounded them.

Selling bootlegging alcohol might get you a few years in jail at most, and you could even get your sentence reduced by pulling strings; but if you're involved in "espionage," that's treason, a serious crime punishable by death (that's what the agents are saying)!
Everyone was following Roy to sell bootlegging for money, not to risk their lives and their families by committing treason!

We've been wronged!

After a short standoff, Roy's men's morale completely collapsed, and they offered almost no respectable resistance.

The Bureau of Investigation agents stormed in and captured Roy, who was still confused and futilely protesting his innocence.

Then came the search for evidence.

The agents took matters into their own hands, and the underground vault was opened in no time. Boxes of banknotes were used as evidence, sealed, and then loaded onto official vehicles by the expressionless "agents."

The "President" was still praising the police chief, saying, "Not bad, your police force cooperated well this time. I've heard rumors that you're colluding with spies, but that's probably just slander from some people with ulterior motives."

"It must be a slander! Absolutely a slander!" the police chief said firmly.

“Then we will take the main culprit, Roy Omdes, and these important pieces of evidence back for further investigation. His henchmen will be temporarily handed over to your police station for detention; I trust you will do your best.”

The "President" made the arrangements, then added seemingly casually, his eyes conveying a meaningful look.

"By the way, this espionage case has far-reaching implications. You're familiar with confidentiality regulations, aren't you?"

The police chief's heart skipped a beat. Could it be... that he wanted him to handle the "beginning and end" properly?
Just how serious a crime did Roy commit?!

The police chief dared not be negligent, nodding repeatedly like a chicken pecking at rice: "I understand, I understand. We will do our best to keep everything confidential and handle all follow-up work, and we will never let any information leak out!"

With the "full cooperation" of the Seattle Police Department, the Bureau of Investigation's "law enforcement" convoy, carrying "important spy" Roy and a car full of "evidence," left downtown Seattle under the cover of night, both in a grand procession and without making a sound.

Once the city's outline was far behind, the "President" shed his stern and cold bureaucratic mask and cheerfully instructed James Mason in the car, "Counselor, go knock this guy out. We'll split up as planned and retreat along the predetermined route!"

Roy, who was tied up, gagged, and thrown into the back seat of the car, was struck dumb upon hearing these words!
This is...this is a scam?!
James Mason, his face still tense, replied, "Yes, sir!"

Looking at his serious expression, the "President" couldn't help but chuckle and praise him, "Seriously, Counselor, you really do a convincing job as a secret agent!"

James Mason: "..."

……

(End of this chapter)