King Of War: Starting with Arms Dealer

Joe Ga believed that the FBI wasn't intentionally targeting him; the agents trailing him were just doing their routine duty, following him to prevent him from doing anything extreme.

After all, Joe's criminal record was a mile long!

The agents trailing him had no malice, but you can't discount the faction within the FBI associated with Rashiri.

These people were using the FBI's resources to keep tabs on Joe and his team, then relaying the intel to mercenaries for premeditated ambushes.

Joe and his crew had already developed countermeasures for situations like this—keep changing their route.

After the same tactic was employed twice, the other side would act exactly as anticipated, heading to a 'bottleneck' location for a planned ambush.

Normally, driving from Los Angeles to Sacramento wouldn't take that long, but Joe and the crew didn't arrive at the luxurious hotel they'd reserved until midnight.

When no one was paying attention, a low-key black sedan picked up Grace and the baby who had followed Joe to the location.

Once Joe confirmed Grace was safely escorted away, he finally let go of his worries.

His meeting with Tom Reed was scheduled for tomorrow night at 8:00 PM. The old man would be hosting an extravagant gathering at his farm.

Reed claimed it was to welcome Joe, but Joe knew better—it was Reed's gambit to publicly cement Joe's relationship with the child, putting an end to the surrogacy issue surrounding Grace once and for all.

Joe figured he wasn't taking a loss, so he decided to suck it up and deal with it.

Just as he was considering getting some rest and officially heading out at midday tomorrow, there was suddenly a knock at his suite door.

Walking over and opening the door, Joe found the person knocking was the on-duty 'Dart,' with FBI Deputy Director Cooper standing behind him.

Frowning at Cooper's exhausted and unkempt appearance, Joe scanned his gaze over Lesler and a few other agents behind him, then shook his head and said, "What are you doing here?

I've been invited to a gathering, and I haven't broken any laws.

You've been tailing me all the way here, and I'm starting to lose my patience. The fact that I haven't called to complain is only because we used to work together."

Cooper let out a weary sigh and said, "Hu Lang, let's talk...

I need to know what's going on, or what's about to happen."

Joe glanced at Dorian and Ayu, who had stepped out of a nearby room. Without much care, he stepped aside and said, "Come in, then..."

He motioned towards Lesler and said, "You stay. Everyone else, head downstairs, or get yourself another room.

I'm not a damned criminal; I don't need this many people watching me."

Cooper, worn out, waved his hand, signaling his team to comply. Then, he and Lesler entered the suite's living room. Without hesitation, Cooper grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the mini-bar, poured himself a full glass, and downed it.

Joe exchanged a brief greeting with 'Dart,' ushered Dorian and Ayu into the room, and turned his attention back to Cooper, whose face was full of misfortune. Chuckling, he said, "Buddy, you look awful..."

Cooper gave a wry smile, sank into the sofa, and said, "Hu Lang, let's not beat around the bush—what exactly are you trying to do?

You've been rerouting the whole way, but haven't given any warnings to the FBI agents trailing you.

Hu Lang, I need to know what's going on. Your cautious behavior is making me really uneasy."

Looking at Joe's amused-yet-unreadable expression, Cooper sighed and said, "Hu Lang, we've worked together before. I know your style!

I'm not really your enemy, and investigating you wasn't my idea...

Right now, you don't have any official backing. If any conflict arises, it'll only give your attackers an opportunity.

Hu Lang, don't let this spiral into something uncontrollable...

The election is just days away from wrapping up. Tell me what's going on, and we'll figure out a way to handle it—can we make that work?"

Joe studied Cooper, who had practically delivered himself to his door, and grinned as he said, "Someone wants me dead. They don't want me meeting Tom Reed.

You know why better than I do!

I'm just making some efforts to keep myself safe—surely no one could hold that against me, right?"

Hearing this, Cooper exchanged a somber look with Lesler before he sighed and said with utter resignation, "I knew it. I knew it would come to this—the worst-case scenario, yet again!"

Cooper looked at Joe seriously and said, "Hu Lang, a fight can't break out at this stage. I can arrange for protection to ensure you safely get to Tom Reed's farm and meet him.

Just make it past the election voting—once it's over, everything is done."

Joe glanced at Cooper, who always approached him with a bureaucratic mindset, and shook his head in regret. "Buddy, your attitude is really disappointing!

You know full well that it was an internal leak from the FBI that exposed my whereabouts, but instead of investigating that, you've come to restrict the movements of someone who may very well be the victim...

You want to limit my actions!

Your so-called 'protection' would more likely turn me into a target for my enemies!

You and I don't have any deep grudges—in some cases, I rather admire your principled approach to staying professional.

But this time, you've picked the wrong side."

Cooper stood up wearily, shaking his head. "Hu Lang, you're free to engage in combat with your enemies here in America without clearance, but when you do, I'll arrest you for it, which will only give your enemies the chance to brand you a 'criminal.'"