Friday, 11:30 PM, FBI Washington Headquarters, Investigation Team 13, Group Leader's Office.

Staring at the black ID in his hand, Luo An's mouth twitched, his face full of speechlessness. He looked up at Roland and asked:

"What's the meaning of this?"

Roland chuckled and explained:

"This is a gesture of goodwill from the CIA.

For the Sarls matter, Group Leader Luo An needs to lead his team out of the federation, and FBI's internal database might not be of much assistance.

With this ID, Group Leader Luo An will be able to directly access CIA's internal database to retrieve information, which is simpler and faster."

Luo An's eyes narrowed slightly, silently observing Roland for a few seconds, then he nodded and casually put away the black ID.

He had already acquired IDs from five other departments; the CIA's was just another one, and he didn't have to worry about being ordered by the CIA to undertake any missions, as Mr. Clement and FBI Director Robert wouldn't allow that.

Moreover, holding a CIA ID had its advantages, such as sometimes being able to disguise or shift the blame.

Apart from the CIA ID, there was also a disc inside a box amongst the documents.

Luo An, picking up the somewhat retro-style disc, asked:

"What's this?"

"Some information related to Sarls."

Roland took a sip of his coffee and answered:

"Like the FBI, the CIA database has levels of classification, and many pieces of intelligence cannot be accessed due to insufficient clearance, some information is not even entered into the system but preserved in paper form.

The content on this disc is information we couldn't access due to insufficient clearance, recorded on a disc by my supervisor for you.

The disc can be viewed only once, the content will be erased and destroyed after being watched."

"Wow."

Luo An raised his eyebrows, looked carefully at the retro-styled disc in his hand, and asked with a smile: Google seaʀᴄh NovᴇlFɪre.ɴet

"Your CIA gadgets are really comprehensive. Those movie-type gadgets like glasses or watches that self-destruct after the mission, are they real too?"

"I haven't seen a self-destructive watch, but there are indeed bomb versions designed like watches which can be detonated remotely."

Roland smiled, then he stood up, took out a metal box the size of a phone from his pocket, and opened it to reveal a thin metal piece the size of a fingernail.

"This is a positioning device that CIA agents wear when they're out."

Roland briefly introduced the metal piece, stating that it was developed by the CIA's tech department.

Due to energy constraints, the metal piece will emit a signal every 30 minutes, remaining silent for the rest of the time.

If there are signal jammers or similar devices at the site, the positioning device will fail to send signals.

After the introduction, Roland handed the metal box to Luo An, smiling and saying:

"My advice is, after leaving the federation, Group Leader Luo An should equip this positioning device and swallow it."

"Swallow it?"

Luo An raised his eyebrows, shook the metal box in his hand, and asked:

"Do all CIA agents have to ingest it during their missions?"

"About fifty percent, not if on a secret mission."

"Doesn't it accidentally get expelled from the body during a mission?"

"Our CIA tech department considered that issue, so it's designed accordingly."

Roland shook his head, replying:

"It definitely won't be expelled accidentally."

"And what about after the mission?"

Luo An spread his hands and asked:

"How do you get it out?"

Having been in the federation for so long, Luo An was encountering such high-tech products for the first time. He wouldn't believe it until he understood the specifics clearly.

"Uh..."

As Luo An posed his question, Roland showed an awkward expression on his face, lightly coughed, and responded:

"Most of the time, it will be naturally expelled within a month.

If you are concerned or in a hurry, you can use Smilen laxative."

"..."

Hearing Roland's response, Luo An's face expressed utter speechlessness, showing great disdain as he moved the metal box to the side.

Smilen laxative, a common drug within the federation, mainly used by doctors to stimulate the intestines, treating patients with constipation.

If used by non-constipation sufferers, its effects can only be described as explosive; those who can walk out of the bathroom on their own are tough individuals.

Avoiding further discussion on the metal fragment, Luo An had Mona find a computer capable of playing discs, and after Mona left, Luo An inserted the vintage-styled disc.

The disc contained photos and information of three Caucasians, two males and one female, all actually senior MI6 agents.

The CIA suspects that one of them might be Sarls' major backer, but which one specifically is currently unclear, and requires Luo An to investigate personally.

Just as Luo An was carefully reading the information about the three individuals, a knock on the door of the group leader's office was heard. Reesi then peeked in, waving a folder in her hand and smiling:

"Luo An, the official documents for setting up the special investigation team have been issued."

"Good."

After opening the folder and looking through it, Luo An grinned and stated straightforwardly:

"In half an hour, we'll knock off early today, everyone should go back and pack up well, we're setting off tomorrow!"

"No problem!"

Reesi responded loudly, and immediately left the group leader's office to announce the news.

Five minutes later, the contents of the disc auto-destructed, and Roland left the office area of Group 13.

Luo An arranged the CIA pass, metal fragment, the formation documents of the special investigation team in a line, thought for a moment with a sudden twist at the corner of his mouth, collected everything, and left the group leader's office.

————

The next day, at 8 am, Luo An lead Mona, Reesi, Winslow, Chenier, Michelle, and Roland, a temporarily added CIA agent, departing from Washington D.C by plane, heading to Texas, one of the southernmost states of the federation.

The plane was fast, and in four hours, everyone arrived in Texas.

The luggage of the group was not much, besides personal clothing and firearms and ammunition for protection, they didn't carry too many other items.

"Wow."

Walking out of the airport, seeing the bustling streets where everyone had pistols or rifles at their hips or backs, even a group not far away carrying long rifles while buying burgers; Mona's eyelids twitched:

"I feel like I've arrived in the 19th-century West."

"This is why the crime rate in Texas is lower than many other states in the federation."

Reesi chuckled, gestured to a patrolling officer nearby, patted Mona on the shoulder, and said:

"In Texas, if you're planning a robbery, it's more likely some irritable guy passing by with a rifle on his back who takes you down, rather than a police officer."

The firearm ownership rate among the civilians in Texas is about 600,000, firepower surpassing many small countries on Earth.

And 600,000 is just the number of registered, legal firearms; illegal ones are utterly unaccountable, with no one knowing exactly how many there are.

Renting a temporary eight-seater MPV, the group drove to a pre-booked hotel, and at 7 pm, Luo An, leading the agents of Group 13, headed to the hotel's buffet restaurant for dinner. Roland took a few bites of his steak and casually asked:

"The nearest border inspection station is less than 40 kilometers from here, when do we leave the federation?"

"Tonight."

After dinner, they returned to their rooms to rest, and at 11 pm, drove out of the hotel; Winslow drove them southward through the pitch-black night.

The further south they went, the more desolate the scenery on both sides of the road became; under the illumination of the car headlights, nothing but yellow-brown soil and withered short grasses were visible.

The wind outside the car was slightly restless, but inside the car was very quiet, except for Winslow who was driving, the rest were resting with their eyes closed, conserving their energy, no one spoke.

After a long silence, Luo An suddenly asked:

"Winslow, how far are we from the border inspection station?"

"About ten kilometers."

"OK, stop the car."

Upon this command, Roland, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened his eyes in confusion and then saw Luo An holding a black hood, used by kidnappers to cover the heads of their victims, and grinning at him.

Roland: "??!!"