North America Gunman Detective

Chapter 1531 - 821: Interests (Part 2)

Jimmy smirked: "I'm not a scientist, how would I know what's inside the Earth. But after all, it's just a novel, so let's just enjoy it."

Nia softly said: "The novel might be fake, but there really is another world in reality. Roland comes from another world. What is it like over there? What unique landscapes are there? I really want to see it."

Jimmy's head was buzzing. When Roland used the portal to return, Nia found out about the other world, but since she was pregnant at the time, Jimmy was also worried about her safety. It took a lot of effort to calm her down and stop her from daydreaming. Now, her interest has been piqued again by a novel.

The Dark Tower World where Roland lives is very dangerous. In Roland's words, while there are still many ordinary people there, they basically live precarious lives, never knowing when an accident might occur.

The variety of monsters there is vast, and very few can be killed by ordinary people. Many have special abilities, and for the average person, just surviving an encounter with one of these monsters is difficult. However, because the world is so large and the population is relatively small, ordinary people don't necessarily face disaster; they might live their entire lives without seeing one at all.

Jimmy: "Roland's world is different. That world is already on the path to decline, there are too many dangerous monsters. A novel is just a novel; protagonists have plot armor, allowing them to survive and explore the world. But for ordinary people like us, we'd probably die in the first wave."

Jimmy steered the conversation back to the novel. He himself didn't fall into the category of ordinary people. While not a complete Gunman, his self-preservation skills were strong. But Nia is a complete ordinary person template. If they really went to the Dark Tower World, as soon as one or two waves of monsters showed up, Nia would be in trouble.

In truth, Jimmy was also quite interested in the Dark Tower World. It's just that he wasn't one to think of himself as a protagonist. He was more of a day-to-day person, as long as his life was going well, he didn't care about chaotic matters. Although exploring and developing a new world might yield many resources and create more value, in such a dangerous world, it's better not to.

Nia: "But I really have an interest in Roland's world. What do you think about having Roland bring a camera to capture some of the scenery over there for us?"

Jimmy sighed, "Do you really want to see it?"

Nia nodded: "Have you been there?"

Jimmy: "No, I'll talk to Roland about it later."

The two sat side by side, looking at the novel in Nia's hands, chatting about the described Earth's Core World and monsters to pass the time. Jimmy's restless hand moved until Nia couldn't stand it anymore and tossed the book aside.

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

This time, Roland wouldn't just stay for a day or two and then leave again. There was plenty of time. Jimmy wasn't in a hurry to discuss it with him. His vacation wasn't particularly long, and after a few days of rest, he had to return to the office for work.

On the first day back, Jimmy tidied his office, then visited Ruiz's office. After chatting for a bit, others came by to get Ruiz's sign-off and discuss cases, so he couldn't occupy Ruiz's time and soon left.

Ruiz's attitude was still clear: no cases would be assigned, just stay put and no one will cause trouble. Moreover, he was advised not to cause trouble for others. It's that simple.

Of course, it was best if he could clock in on time so that no one could find fault. Peacefully collecting a paycheck wasn't a big deal for the office.

Before leaving, Ruiz reminded him that if he had time, he could chat with Dave, and it wouldn't hurt to show up more in front of the boss.

This reminded Jimmy that since joining the Support Team, apart from initially loafing and pestering everyone, he hadn't properly visited these big shots. Not just Dave, Hughes also needed a visit.

Checking the time, in the afternoon, Jimmy contacted Woody to help prepare a batch of good liquor for use in the upcoming days. Various types and gift boxes were needed. Just carrying a bottle of wine seemed inappropriate.

Daily life was quite dull, so Jimmy simply opened the remote monitoring software on his computer to check the baby room surveillance at home. The little one, a few months old, spent over half a day sleeping, not in long stretches but broken into several naps, each one to two hours long, sometimes three to four hours at most. For parents, it was the most painful period since it was hard to get a good night's sleep.

Fortunately, Nia is on extended leave now. Although her maternity leave is over, she's not bothered about the salary, so taking a few more months off wasn't a big deal. As long as Kevin remained in his position, no one would fuss over it.

In the evening, Jimmy took a bottle of red wine from a bar and visited Hughes' house. Hughes' state post-retirement was completely different from when he worked. Back in the office, he seemed to have endless energy. Now, with white hair, he opened the door holding a small pair of scissors, having been trimming plants.

The long-absent friends hugged upon meeting, and Jimmy handed over his gift. They moved to the small garden at the back of the house to sit and chat leisurely.

Hughes took two beers from the side and handed one to Jimmy, saying: "You've been causing quite a commotion lately."

Jimmy shrugged: "Which incident are you referring to?"

Hughes: "Los Angeles."

Jimmy was somewhat surprised, but thinking about it made sense. That case that almost got Jimmy tangled was the aftermath stirred up by Dave and the rest. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been such a hassle. Being in New York, Hughes probably knew at least some of what Dave and the others were up to. "You should talk to Dave about that. It had little to do with me. After investigating for a while, I tossed it to the Los Angeles office. How did they handle it afterward?"

Hughes: "They caught that lawyer. After that, it was over."

Jimmy sneered. They certainly handled it neatly without implicating anyone later or delving deeper. His initial meddling seemed utterly ineffective. But why did Hughes say it caused a big commotion? Seems like someone paid a hefty price behind the scenes.

Jimmy: "Doesn't matter. Once the case was passed on, it had nothing to do with our New York office. They can handle it however they like."

Hughes: "You're 32 or 33? I can't remember."

Jimmy: "33, why?"

Hughes nodded: "You're still quite young..."

Jimmy immediately waved his hand: "Alright, I get it. Did someone talk to you about this?"

Hughes remained calm: "I meant, you don't need to do much now. Take your time, and maybe by 40 you'll reach Ruiz's position."

Jimmy rolled his eyes. "40, good grief, pushing it several years forward. By then, little Liam will be in elementary school getting into fights. "I get it, I understand. As long as others don't bother me, I'm happy to earn a paycheck without much effort."

Hughes: "Just make sure you don't cause trouble for others. Alright, I've said what needed to be said. Now, let's talk about something cheerful. Interested in a side gig? You know I'm with the former Agent Association now, and we occasionally hold events with social groups. Want to come as an instructor or something?"

Jimmy: "About what?"

Hughes: "Introducing the work of the FBI, and training them in safety awareness, not involving anything confidential."

Jimmy: "Sure, just give me a call when needed."

Hughes smiled. Even at his level, retirement never means completely resting. On one hand, it's for himself. On the other, it's paving the way for those who come after. It's the same for others too. That's how one ensures control at certain levels.