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

Chapter 168 My Prohibition Bureau Also Wants to Recruit Heroes
"What? Holding the Prohibition Bureau accountable ended up with increasing their budget?"

News of the congressional hearing spread like wildfire through Washington and across the country.

Damn it! All the headlines and press releases I prepared are now useless!

All the media were puzzled. Shouldn't the Prohibition Bureau have been severely criticized and then ordered to get back at them?

What is this? Are we rewarding them for poor performance and the resulting losses?

Or is there some shady deal behind it, or is it simply that the congressmen have collectively lost their minds?
Well, that's as if the members of Congress are always on high alert.

In short, the media are already sharpening their knives.

However, before the media could even target the members of Congress, the Prohibition Bureau took the initiative and quickly held a press conference for the national mainstream media to explain the situation.

Commissioner Robert presided over the meeting personally. He looked even more haggard than when he was in Congress, with heavy bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept all night.

He began by reading a prepared statement thanking Congress for its understanding and support, then changed the subject and began to review the enormous sacrifices made by his colleagues in the Prohibition Bureau in recent years, especially during the Southern campaign.

His voice choked up and his eyes quickly reddened when he mentioned those names that would never return.

Then, just as all the reporters raised their cameras, ready to record how he would defend himself, something unexpected happened—Commissioner Robert seemed to be struck by some great grief and burst into tears again!
His tears flowed like a burst dam, streaming down his cheeks and mixing with his uncontrollable snot. He didn't bother to wipe them away, letting them stain his somewhat worn suit.

He cried so hard that he was trembling all over and almost collapsed on the podium, needing his assistant to support him to keep his balance.

The cries were hoarse, filled with endless grievances, like those of a child abandoned by the whole world.

The reporters in the audience were completely stunned!
After a while, the camera shutter clicked wildly, capturing this unprecedented scene.

If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, who would believe that a senior federal official could have such a horrific emotional breakdown in public?
If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, who would believe that a person's tear ducts could be so developed?
This scene is so impactful!
Looking at the commissioner on stage, crying her heart out and completely losing her composure, many reporters who were originally prepared to be aggressive were speechless, their mouths agape.

Anger? Questioning? Mockery?
He's crying like this, how can you still be so heartless?
Be yourself!

The next day, the front pages of major newspapers were almost entirely filled with large photos of Commissioner Robert weeping bitterly.

Everyone seems to understand the predicament of the congressmen.

What else can I do? He's crying so hard, of course I'll forgive him!

Even The Sun, a newspaper that has always been at odds with the Prohibition Board, while showcasing a series of photos of Commissioner Robert with tears and snot streaming down his face and his expression contorted, still expressed some sympathy in its comments.

"Despite the Prohibition Board's incompetence, it's hard to say anything more harsh when you see their director crying like this."

"All I can say is, poor kids, even though they're useless, they really tried their best!"

The public also expressed their understanding, saying that it must have been incredibly stressful for a grown man to cry like that in public... look so pathetic!
Other federal departments that witnessed this were left bewildered.

Is this okay for riding on a horse?
Of course it worked; Commissioner Robert's "tears offensive" was an unprecedented success.

Not only did the additional budget from Congress arrive smoothly, but public opinion also temporarily shifted towards "sympathy and understanding."

However, everything has its pros and cons. The increased budget did not lead to a surge in staff.

On the contrary, thanks to the extensive media coverage of the Southern massacres and Robert's own emotional and tearful account, the entire United States now knows that Prohibition Bureau agents are almost the most dangerous profession in the country!
Probably second only to the "hero" who kills anyone who touches him!

In the past, it could attract some young people with dreams of justice, but now even these people are deterred.

Commissioner Robert was embarrassed to discover that the Prohibition Bureau had gone from being "poor in money" to being "poor in manpower"!
What's the point of having a lot of funding if there aren't enough people to carry out the mission?
Faced with a desperate situation where no one was available, Commissioner Robert was cornered.

As the saying goes, when things reach an impasse, they must change; change leads to progress. Commissioner Robert, in a flash of inspiration, conceived a bold, even insane, idea!

At a high-level internal meeting, he solemnly presented his vision:

"Since no one is willing to come, why can't we recruit those 'heroes' to serve us? Let's use heroes to fight heroes!"

"Recruiting heroes?!"

The members of the Prohibition Bureau present were almost collectively dumbfounded when they heard this proposal.

Everyone knows that those lawless "heroes" were the ones who caused the most damage to the Prohibition Board and made them lose face!

Starting in Chicago, the Prohibition Board had an irreconcilable feud with the "Heroes"!
Now, the commissioner actually wants to let the wolf into the house?

But after Commissioner Robert explained his seemingly crazy but actually well-thought-out plan in detail, everyone felt that it didn't seem to make any sense.

First of all, the two explosions in the south overturned everyone's judgment on the illegal liquor industry in the south!

From setting the trap to the clean and efficient retreat, it's clear that they are a well-organized, meticulously planned, and highly efficient group!
The Prohibition Board should be prepared to tackle tough challenges.

Even so, this tough nut is still relatively easier to crack.

Because in the West, the toughest nuts to crack are even tougher, and there are unclear and ambiguous connections with the Bureau of Investigation.

In the East, the tough nuts to crack are even tougher, and there seems to be some connection with the top levels of the federal government...

Well, I can't say any more about that.

In short, when tackling the tough challenges in the South, you only need to tackle the challenges themselves; you don't need to deal with the complexities behind them.

What? You don't want to gnaw on any bones?
Do they really think those lawmakers in Congress who oppose Prohibition don't exist?
Let's get back to tackling tough challenges. And what's needed most when tackling tough challenges is someone who isn't afraid of death?
Those "heroes" who are willing to do anything for money, aren't they the best candidates?
After hearing this, the subordinates, who initially thought it was utterly absurd, actually began to think... it might actually be feasible?
Everyone also caught the commissioner's unspoken message—the Bureau of Investigation can collude with powerful figures, the top brass of the federal government can collude with powerful figures, so why can't our Prohibition Bureau collude?
Not all heroes have a grudge against the Prohibition Board!
That leaves only one concern: Congress just increased their budget, and they're already using it to recruit "heroes" for law enforcement. Is that acceptable? Will the media understand?
Upon hearing this, Commissioner Robert sighed softly and said in a defiant tone:
"If Congress or the media raise questions at that time..."

"Then I can only... cry some more."

Everyone was filled with awe and respect!

The commissioner's sacrifice was truly immense!

……

(End of this chapter)