Hearing Chu Feng's explanation, Lin Qiu smiled knowingly, seeming to accept his answer. After all, when Marina had previously asked her about Chu Feng's tastes, she seemed to have vaguely mentioned this.
But then she quickly changed the subject and brought up another matter.
"The Agency's intelligence department took an interesting photo in Texas. I think you should take a look," she said. As she spoke, her slender, fair fingers handed over a photo.
Looking at Lin Qiu's smiling face, Chu Feng felt an inexplicable sense of panic.
Could it be? Had Jessica and the others been discovered?
Chu Feng took the photo, his gaze meeting Lin Qiu's inscrutable one. Upon inspection, he saw a somewhat familiar man holding an AA-12 shotgun.
The familiar runes on the shotgun made Chu Feng's heart skip a beat.
Jefferson, that bastard! What's he doing wandering around outside with a shotgun?
Since he'd been found out, Chu Feng no longer concealed it. After all, Lin Qiu and the others were core members of his organization. Besides, the exposure was limited to Texas—merely the tip of the iceberg.
Leaning back, he decided to reveal a little.
"That's right. The shotgun in that man's hands is from me. I support an Exorcist organization in Texas."
Chu Feng's admission finally confirmed Lin Qiu's suspicions.
"So, at the last meeting, when you said not to worry about a shortage of Exorcists, was it because of these people?" she asked.
"Uh... yes!"
Although his statement wasn't entirely accurate, it was close enough.
"How's their combat effectiveness?" Lin Qiu's abrupt change of topic caught Chu Feng off guard.
"Not bad. They should be a level above the Agency's average."
After hearing Chu Feng's response, Lin Qiu's face brightened.
"Their strength also meets the standards. It looks like the Texas branch of the Agency is sorted!"
"What do you mean?" Chu Feng asked, somewhat confused by Lin Qiu's words.
"Of course you wouldn't know, you hands-off boss!" Lin Qiu said teasingly, throwing a glance at Chu Feng.
"While you were missing, we just had a meeting about the Agency's expansion. America is too big, and the future resurgence of the Bizarre is still unclear. So, we plan to establish four regional Agency headquarters, one in each of the four cardinal directions of America. In the future, if a branch can't contact the main headquarters during a special situation, they can contact their nearest regional headquarters. Most importantly, this will help the Agency manage all its branches more effectively."
The plan Lin Qiu outlined made Chu Feng's eyes light up. The more he thought about it, the better it seemed. He knew that the future resurgence of the Bizarre would only grow more severe, until Hell and the Human World fully integrated. By then, the four regional Agency headquarters could become rallying points for human forces.
However, the managers of these four regional headquarters had to be people from the star map. Otherwise, based on Chu Feng's understanding of humanity, betrayal by the regional headquarters was a foreseeable event.
Looking at the star map in his mind, Chu Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, beginning to strategize about whom to bring into the open.
Nodding affirmatively, he said, "This idea is indeed excellent. I'll have them contact the Agency as soon as possible!"
"That's only natural. We're no longer the rookies we were when we first started!"
After her proud reply, Lin Qiu stood up. "Alright, I've reported the matter, so I won't disturb you, our hands-off boss, any longer."
Watching Lin Qiu's retreating figure, Chu Feng hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "Lin Qiu, why..."
Chu Feng's voice made Lin Qiu, who had reached the office door, pause. She turned around slowly, her eyebrows raised slightly.
"Why don't I resent you for hiding so much?" Lin Qiu, a faint smile on her face, continued before Chu Feng could respond.
"Actually, before, Taran and the others and I always thought you didn't have an ounce of a leader's demeanor! Lazy, hated working, and not a shred of ambition! You spent more time on the sofa in the break room than in your chair. Your personality, on the other hand, was very similar to that of an ordinary corporate drone."
Lin Qiu's words made Chu Feng feel a bit awkward. He knew he tended to be lazy, but surely it wasn't that bad...
"It wasn't until Amita's intelligence department made this discovery in Texas that we realized you'd always been hiding many things from us. Although that meant concealment and a lack of trust towards us, it allowed us to see you in a new light. You possess immense strength, never easily reveal all your cards, and always maintain a sense of mystery. Plus, you always maintain your disguise. That's what the boss of our Exorcism Agency should be like!"
"Uh..."
Watching Lin Qiu leave after saying this, Chu Feng sat on the sofa, dazed for a while.
"I can agree that I'm powerful... Not showing all my cards is just my habit, but disguises..."
He'd never really disguised himself!
Slumping into a comfortable position on the sofa, Chu Feng lifted his teacup and took a light sip.
Looking at the teacup, he muttered to himself, "Does enjoying life require a disguise?"
After eliminating so many Bizarre, establishing such a large Exorcism Agency, and earning so much money! Isn't it right to enjoy life a bit? A disguise? Heh. Impossible!
BANG!
Inside the White House, a broad palm slammed heavily onto a desk, its owner's anger palpable.
"This is illegal! This is a desecration of federal law!"
The old man sitting at the head of the table glanced coolly at his deputy.
"Mr. Comran, please don't be so agitated!"
"Sir, that Exorcist killed so many people in public! Shouldn't he be tried by the law?" Comran, immaculate in his suit, his meticulous demeanor betraying his high status, held up a smartphone. He pointed at the screen, his face somewhat flushed.
"He killed members of that cult, the Holy Advent Society!"
"But that Exorcist has no law enforcement authority! Those cultists should be tried in court, and a judge should decide their fate."
Seeing his agitated deputy, the current master of the White House frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
"Comran, that was New York. Their State Legislature has already passed the Cultist Act."
"But that act hasn't been through..."
"Enough, Comran!" The impatient old man cut his deputy off. "The federal government can't control that much anymore! If you don't want the Union to fracture immediately, you need to start showing at least basic respect to the state governments."
"Does that include desecrating federal law?" Comran's eyes widened in disbelief.
BANG! The old man's palm slammed heavily onto the desk.
"Yes! That's right! And besides, we need their help right now!"