Invasion of the United States

As a senior intelligence analyst at the Department of Homeland Security, Dias has been so busy these days that he doesn't even have time to catch his breath, and he has no mind to deal with Zhou Qingfeng.

The shadow of the stock market crash has not yet dissipated, and a more severe crisis is permeating the air of Washington D.C., which can no longer be ignored.

Dias has been in meetings all these days, with his briefcase always stuffed with two thick analytical reports, ready to submit one at any moment.

The cover of the first report is printed in blue, with a neat title: "Limited Impact Analysis of the Virus on the United States Economy."

Inside, it elaborates—"Excess mortality helps alleviate pension pressure, short-term bearish effects have been exhausted, and in the long run, it will be of great assistance in solving the fiscal deficit."

The data charts are flashy, with curves twisting like a joyous snake. It even confidently predicts at the end: "The economy will rebound within six months, and the stock market has bottomed out."

The second report, however, seems like its mirror image, with a glaring red cover: "Virus Spread and Economic Recession Risk Assessment." SourceddirectlyfromMV6LEMP6YR.

Its content coldly warns—"Virus out of control will bring immense public pressure; excess mortality may trigger an economic panic recession, and the United States' global image and leadership will suffer irreversible damage."

The text exudes a doomsday chill, and the appendix lists a series of shocking numbers: the unemployment rate could soar to 20%, and GDP may shrink by one-third.

The State Council, Ministry of Finance, Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency, even the Department of Homeland Security...

All government agencies are working around the clock to prepare materials, like a group of children busy building sandcastles, gearing up for the secret inquiries from Congress and the White House.

At each meeting, the projector light shines on the white wall, below are faces full of exhaustion and numbness.

The documents pile up like mountains, coffee cups stack up over the table, and the air is filled with a mix of sweat and the choking smell of tobacco.

Yet, all these inquiries during meetings are useless. No one wants to take responsibility, everyone is passing the buck, each with two reports in their pocket, just waiting to act based on the higher-ups' preferences.

Whichever report the higher-ups favor, that's the one that gets submitted.

The Treasury Secretary slams the table, calling the stock market's surge a "miracle," the Health Secretary mutters that the pandemic "isn't that severe," and the Secretary of State is busy announcing to the world that "everything is under control."

The most sensible decision now is immediate nationwide immunization to delay the virus outbreak and buy time for a more effective response.

The development and production of RNA vaccines are very fast, and the cost is low. The United States military's secret research team knows they made a mistake and is now working hard to remedy it.

Yet, a group of cunning individuals collectively acts dumb, refusing to order nationwide control, looking like clowns in a circus performing a farce.

Dias stands at his office window in the Department of Homeland Security Building, overlooking the rolling traffic on Nebraska Avenue.

As dusk falls, the car lights form a twinkling river of light in the twilight, but all he sees is a gray haze of fatigue.

The pandemic is as urgent as an out-of-control train, yet the situation is as disorganized as a pile of loose sand, and no one is willing to step up to clean up the mess.

The ministers are busy shirking responsibility, the lawmakers are busy putting on a show, and that "blonde guy" in the White House is busy tweeting, each acting like a trickster, making do day by day.

In the office, the phone on the desk keeps ringing, he doesn't bother to answer; the email notifications on the computer feel like death chimes, he doesn't bother to check.

Efforts seem to have been for nothing; hard work has led back to square one; half a lifetime of scheming has turned out to be useless.

"No fear of enemies like gods, but helpless with superiors like pigs."

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At night, JP Morgan's armored vehicle delivers one million US dollars in cash to Old Lady Grey's villa.

Two heavy iron boxes contain banknotes of different denominations, weighing dozens of kilograms. It takes two guards to lift them.

Along with the cash is a batch of 'X' virus RNA vaccines that require cold storage—these vaccines are rapidly spreading among the elite circles; without them, it's up to one's body to withstand the virus.

The bank is quite considerate of high net-worth clients, able to get whatever is needed.

Lucy, with some medical skills, takes out the vaccine to inject the family members who need it—Zhou Qingfeng doesn't need it; his body has already merged with the virus.

"Although Dongda has not yet developed the vaccine, they are preparing to implement lockdowns. Why is the United States so slow to react on this matter?" Lucy complains after injecting her grandfather.

Old Lady Grey, having completed her injection, presses the blood spot on her arm and sneers, "Because the people in Congress and the White House are waiting to shift the blame, otherwise their approval ratings will drop."

Hammer sighs at this; having lived long, he has seen much. Being clever yet losing everything is too common for him to even comment.

With the help of the bank's connections, Zhou Qingfeng spent money to get vaccines for everyone around him.

This includes Kelly at Dongda, the Gray Shark in the shelter, Old Juan who returned to Mexico, the Kongges family hiding in Panama, and the wandering Xiao Jinlang.

He even asked Old Xiao if he could deliver ten thousand doses of 'X' virus vaccine to the employees of 'Electric Flight.' After all, the vaccine itself is not expensive.

Old Xiao shook his head, indicating that unapproved vaccines cannot be used domestically. Unless... the people are taken to Hong Kong, Macau, or abroad.

Zhou Qingfeng's thought on this is... it's not impossible.

In his past life memory of the apocalypse, the "X" virus outbreak happened like a sudden blizzard, catching the entire world off guard in an ice storm, severely straining medical resources.

Now with his intervention... the country is at least three months ahead in preparation. Although there is no vaccine yet, at least there are lockdowns.