Invasion of the United States

The professor seemed to be hatching a secret plan, his tone serious yet tinged with excitement: "Victor, you personally took Deputy Director Harden to 'end-of-life care' yesterday.

A few hours later, he died of multiple organ failure.

However, when Harden was brought in, he was already so swollen and unrecognizable that the emergency personnel had no idea about his true identity.

Even after his death, he was sent for cremation as an unidentified body."

Professor Hart lowered his voice, adding a hint of allure: "Victor, your head shape and facial structure are almost identical to Harden's.

With just a little makeup and some adjustments to your eyebrows and hair, along with skin aging treatment, you can perfectly impersonate him.

I have Harden's complete retinal and fingerprint records, and I can get you a custom set of contact lenses and fingerprint gloves."

The professor thought for a bit, then added: "As for your accent being quite different from Harden's, that wouldn't be a problem either.

You can explain it away as simply being in recovery from a serious illness; your voice could be a bit husky."

Zhou Qingfeng was thunderstruck upon hearing this, exclaiming, "You want me to impersonate the Deputy Director of the Internal Revenue Service?

How could that possibly go unnoticed? There must be a lot of people in the bureaucracy who know him and are familiar with him! Isn't this sending me to my doom?"

Professor Hart gently shook his head, revealing a sly smile. "The United States' bureaucratic system is almost half-paralyzed now.

At least in Washington D.C., most civil servants are either hiding at home in self-isolation or are already bedridden.

Now, as long as you can perform your duties, you'll likely be given a heavy workload, and rarely will you return to your original position.

For example, who cares about tax collection at the Internal Revenue Service? The most critical issue right now is healthcare."

The professor continued to explain: "Besides, Harden was originally an official from Tennessee and was temporarily assigned to Washington D.C. just a month ago. Almost no one here truly knows him.

The reason I got to know him is that he just happened to live next door to me."

Having said so much in one breath, Professor Hart left Zhou Qingfeng still feeling as if his mind was in complete chaos, as if bombarded by countless fragments of information.

However, the professor's last statement struck him like a precise arrow straight to the heart—

"By serving on the 'Medical Efficiency Committee,' you can justifiably leave Washington D.C. on 'official duty.'

I don't need you to hold that position for long, three days, five days, at most a week. Once you've done the dirty work, you can find a chance to slip away."

-----------------

200 Independence Avenue, Washington D.C., in the Hubert H. Humphrey Building.

This is a building of sharp lines, square and sturdy, like a silent giant rock standing quietly in the heart of power, watching over the White House and Capitol Hill in the distance.

The office of the United States Department of Health and Human Services is located here, currently at the epicenter of the nationwide epidemic storm.

Zhou Qingfeng changed into a crumpled dark suit, with unnatural wrinkles on the collar and cuffs, as if it had been dug out from some forgotten corner of a wardrobe.

He drove out from the dark and damp underground hospital of Capitol Hill, slowly parking at the steps of the "Ministry of Health" building.

Shanni, dressed in a professional suit, followed closely behind Zhou Qingfeng, looking extremely tense, glancing around like a startled deer.

Seeing the uniformed guards, her steps became stiff and slow as if chained by invisible chains, softly calling out: "Victor, Victor..."

Zhou Qingfeng had already reached the guard kiosk at the building entrance, had to stop, and sternly looked back at the flustered Shanni. Love this story? Show your support on M9VLEMPYR.

Shanni snapped back to reality as if waking from a dream, hastily tugging at the slightly tight hem of her skirt, whispering frantically: "Sorry, Mr. Harden, I... I forgot."

Zhou Qingfeng was not wearing an oppressive protective suit, merely a casual disposable medical mask.

When he reached the guard, he even proactively removed his mask, revealing the face carefully "modified" by Professor Hart to pass through the facial recognition system at the entrance.

The cold camera scanned Zhou Qingfeng's facial contours, yet the electronic screen flashed a glaring red cross, along with an icy electronic voice, denying his entry request.

A guard, fully clad in protective gear, with his face completely obscured by goggles and a mask, immediately approached, formally inquiring, "Sir, is there anything I can assist you with?"

"My name is Oliver Harden, Deputy Director of the Treasury Department's National Tax Bureau," Zhou Qingfeng spoke with a slightly hoarse voice, sounding fatigued, exactly as Professor Hart had suggested earlier.

"I am here under orders to report to the Ministry of Health to take the position of a committee member on the 'Medical Efficiency Committee.' There should be an appointment for me on your visitor list."

Professor Hart, having deep expertise in the medical field, possessed various materials and techniques to cleverly alter human appearances.

The disguise he personally crafted for Zhou Qingfeng surpassed even Lucy's makeup skills, with every detail striving for authenticity.

Shanni served as a close assistant, responsible for maintaining Zhou Qingfeng's appearance as necessary, while also providing basic medical knowledge as a contingency.