Chapter 69

The night in Las Vegas remained as dazzling as ever, with the neon lights and the allure of luxury and excess. Cars, beauties, fine wines, and exquisite dishes—this place was a paradise as long as you had money.

Las Vegas was like a coin with two sides; one side was paradise, and the other was a dark hell. Hidden beneath this dazzling night sky was a crime rate that accounted for thirty percent of the entire country.

Robberies and murders could happen at any moment in the dark corners. At this moment, Li She's villa was brightly lit, and Lao Mao, Sanzhi Shou, Sijiao She, and Xiaobing had all arrived. They were eager to report the recent developments to Li She.

In the study, Li She sat with his legs crossed, a glass of 1983 Chateau Mouton Rothschild in his hand, the rich aroma of the wine slowly wafting out. Li She took a sip, seemingly savoring the wine's flavor, but in reality, since being transformed into a 'Drought Demon' by Jiang Chen, although he didn't have the intense craving for blood like a zombie, he had gradually developed a preference for red wine, which resembled blood. Although he didn't suffer from diarrhea like zombies when eating food, his desire for food had been reduced to the minimum. Now, the three of them still ate every day out of habit from their human days.

Lao Mao held his wine glass, looking at Li She with his legs crossed, feeling even more astonished. Originally, he thought Li She was powerful and his strength was unfathomable, but now, sitting in front of him, Lao Mao only felt a faint chill. Lao Mao was an expert in disguise and infiltration, skilled at concealing his presence, but he had never seen anyone like Li She, who only emitted a faint aura.

"Cough," Lao Mao cleared his throat and slowly said, "Boss, as you instructed, I have assumed another identity and integrated into the upper echelons of the West Coast, befriending many wealthy individuals. I have also taken on several hitman tasks based on the bars and helped Xiao San and the others sell military equipment. We have made a profit of seven million dollars during this period."

Li She swirled his wine glass and said softly, "Hmm, keep this money for development. You need to establish an intelligence network as soon as possible. Don't limit yourself to information from small-time criminals. Use your expertise in disguise to create multiple identities, and ideally, have our informants in the FBI, CIA, and other government departments."

Hearing this, Lao Mao nodded quickly, "Yes, I will get to it, Boss."

Seeing Lao Mao finish, Xiaobing spoke up, "Boss, the 'Infiltration' mercenary group has grown to forty-four members, all carefully selected. Our firepower and equipment have been significantly enhanced. We have completed four mercenary tasks recently, all with zero casualties. The 'Infiltration' mercenary group's reputation is steadily growing."

Looking at the enthusiastic Xiaobing, Li She encouraged him and said, "But remember, you are the general of 'Infiltration'! Mercenary tasks are just a side job. The most important thing is to have our own armed force. The United States is not the ideal place to develop our own armed force, so I suggest you go to Mexico! It's close to the U.S. and relatively chaotic, making it easier to establish a team."

Hearing the term 'general,' Xiaobing stood up and said respectfully, "Yes, Leader! I know what to do!"

When Xiaobing finished, Sijiao She quickly added, "Leader, the sales of military equipment have been growing rapidly under Lao Mao's expansion. Due to a lack of manpower, we have recruited many Chinese immigrants to help. Now, we can produce five hundred various firearms and about ten million bullets each month."

"Hmm, good, but it's not enough. External sales should just cover the costs. The main task is to supply Xiaobing and the others, and focus on developing high-end, lightweight weapons," Li She said.

Next, the group discussed the future direction of the organization under Li She's planning. The organization was now taking shape. "By the way, Leader, an organization called the 'Federal Emergency Management Agency' has been keeping an eye on us!" Sanzhi Shou said.

Lao Mao then recounted how John had disguised himself as a buyer to order military equipment. Xiaobing also mentioned that his mercenary group seemed to be under surveillance.

Li She pondered and said, "The Federal Emergency Management Agency? It seems the waters in the U.S. are deep. This organization likely has more power than the FBI. According to what you said, John Q. was once an FBI undercover agent, which means he is a top-tier operative. His entry into the Federal Emergency Management Agency indicates that this department is of high rank."

"Yes, I feel the same. After the last incident, I checked the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the FBI's computer system. This department is like a blank slate. However, many top talents and elite operatives around thirty years old have been transferred to this department," Sanzhi Shou said.

Every country has its trump cards, just like China. The visible defense systems are just a facade. Martial artists and psychics are the key to national defense.

Although they are being watched, the expansion of 'Infiltration' cannot stop. Moreover, Li She, Wang Yuyan, and Li Yunluo have been transformed into 'Drought Demons' by Jiang Chen. Li She believes that in the real world, no one is his match.

"Don't worry too much. If we run into trouble, I will handle it. Regardless, continue to expand," Li She said.

After understanding the situation, Li She dismissed everyone. The most critical task now was to recharge the 'Thief's Order,' which was the foundation of his power. Only he could complete this task. Lao Mao, Xiaobing, and the others were his subordinates, but the 'Thief's Order' was his greatest secret, and he could not let anyone else know.

After Lao Mao and the others left, Wang Yuyan and Li Yunluo brought some snacks to the study. Seeing Li She staring out the window, Wang Yuyan softly asked, "Are you worried about the Federal Emergency Management Agency?"

Since becoming a 'Drought Demon,' Li She could hear any sound within a hundred miles without trying. Lao Mao and the others' conversation was naturally heard by Wang Yuyan and Li Yunluo.

Li She smiled and said, "I'm not worried about that. With our three's strength, no one in the U.S. can do anything to us. I'm just thinking about the 'Thief's Order.'"

"Li, do you need to recharge the Thief's Order?" Li Yunluo asked.

Li She nodded and said, "Yes, I need to recharge the Thief's Order. The energy conversion rate of the Thief's Order is very low. To travel to a higher-level world again, I need a large amount of energy."

The United States has the most nuclear power plants, not only proving that its nuclear industry is highly developed but also demonstrating its strong nuclear capabilities. The ability to develop lethal nuclear facilities for civilian use shows the extent of the U.S.'s nuclear reserves.

The U.S. has 117 nuclear power plants (one under construction), with 31 having a capacity of over 1.5 million kW. The largest, the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, has a capacity of 3.751 million kW.

The total annual electricity generation from U.S. nuclear power plants is 799 terawatt-hours, accounting for 20% of the world's total electricity generation. This shows how advanced the U.S. is as a major energy consumer, as energy consumption is closely related to development.

These numerous nuclear power plants are a paradise for recharging, but he couldn't drain an entire small nuclear power plant in one go like he did in China. If he did, he wouldn't be able to stay in the U.S. Although he is now a 'Drought Demon' with great power and is not afraid of the U.S. government, his 'Infiltration' organization would be suppressed and unable to develop.

With 117 nuclear power plants across the U.S., absorbing just one-tenth of the energy from each would amount to about 80 terawatt-hours. One terawatt-hour is equivalent to ten trillion watt-hours. Even absorbing just one terawatt-hour, based on the conversion rate of the Thief's Order, would yield one million energy points. With these energy points, he could enter a higher-level world and prepare for obtaining divine beast blood.

Li She's first target was the Vogtle nuclear power plant in Georgia. Located along the Savannah River, about 40 km south of Augusta, the plant covers 13 square kilometers. The two units began commercial operation in the late 1980s, with a total capacity of over 2,200 MW.

In August 2009, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a fourth early site permit and a first early site permit to Southern Nuclear for the construction of two new units at the Vogtle site, as well as a design certification for Westinghouse's AP1000 pressurized water reactor. In June 2009, the Vogtle plant became a demonstration site for the AP1000 units under NuStart Energy Development, meaning that Units 3 and 4 of the Vogtle plant would be the first in the U.S. to use the new AP1000 reactor. The plant is expected to receive NRC approval to begin construction in 2011.

The expanding Vogtle nuclear power plant became Li She's target. He first hacked into the Vogtle plant's computer system, prepared a Swiss passport, and a Caucasian mask. Then, Li She set off for Georgia. His first stop was Atlanta, the capital of Georgia. After a few hours of flying, Li She, disguised as a middle-aged Caucasian, stepped out of the Atlanta airport.

With a gold card from a Swiss bank, Li She checked into the Peachtree Plaza Hotel, the tallest building in Atlanta with 73 floors. The climate is warm, and the environment is beautiful, with white dogwood flowers blooming every spring, earning it the nickname "Dogwood City."

Staying in a luxury suite on the top floor, Li She looked out over the entire city of Atlanta, feeling a sense of superiority.

Enjoying the top-notch hotel service, Li She sipped on high-end red wine and ate a medium-rare steak. Since becoming a 'Drought Demon,' he had developed a unique craving for blood.