The first condition was expected, but the second was somewhat surprising.
"Director Harvey, I don't understand what you mean."
"Fools who worship demons? You mean cults. If the President is involved with a cult, why don't you arrest him?"
"Evidence, understand? How can we arrest him without evidence? He's the President!"
Jack slammed his fist on the table. "Damn bastards, like primitives hiding in the sewers. They don't use phones or computers; they communicate through magic. How can magic be evidence? Who can prove it?"
Luke asked, puzzled, "With the FBI's capabilities, it shouldn't be difficult to find a few wizards skilled in magic, right?"
"If wizards were useful, I wouldn't be coming to you. Do you know what a summoning ritual is?"
Luke, of course, knew, but wouldn't admit it. "Sorry, I'm clueless about magic."
"Those bugs use a summoning ritual from black magic. I don't understand the specifics, but it's very troublesome and difficult to track, even for highly skilled mages."
The old man sighed deeply. "Over the years, many official agencies have investigated them—the FBI, CIA, Argus, local police—but no matter what methods they used, they couldn't find any clues."
Luke picked up his wine glass, swirling it gently, and said thoughtfully,
"After three years of investigation, there can't be absolutely no clues."
Jack nodded. "You're right, there is a small lead. We've generally located the cult's headquarters in the primeval forest northwest of the Mississippi River. The natural environment in that area is very harsh. I've sent four teams in, and not one has come out unscathed."
He sighed again, his face filled with the sorrow of a man concerned for his country.
Luke remained unmoved, took a sip of red wine, and continued,
"If it's so dangerous, why not send the army?"
Jack snapped, "Kid, stop dragging your feet. Just tell me, can you do it or not?"
"Of course not. Risking offending the President to go into a primeval forest to catch a cult for an empty promise? Do you take me for a fool?" Luke sneered.
"And that forest, don't think I don't know anything. It's not just filled with all sorts of wild beasts, but also strange entities like specters and vengeful spirits. Ordinary people going in are just asking for death, and soldiers are no exception."
"Others might die, but you certainly won't."
Jack leaned forward, a strong smell of alcohol wafting over. "Linda Danvers has been living at your place, that damn alien. She killed seven of my men, and I haven't settled that score with you yet."
Luke spread his hands. "Then go! Why don't you? Let your people—supers, mutants, special forces, assassins, and so on—all go trouble her, arrest her, interrogate her thoroughly. Don't worry, I won't interfere."
His sarcastic words deeply stung the old man, whose stern old face twisted and contorted like an enraged lion.
Luke's lips curved upward, his mockery growing more pronounced.
"Why don't you go? Because you don't dare. You bunch of useless people, you can't even deal with Hecter, how dare you provoke her? If she wanted to, she could flatten the FBI in five minutes, including the White House.
In a way, you should thank me. Because of my existence, she hasn't retaliated against your previous actions."
"Director Harvey, if you want to cooperate, you first need to recognize your place. In front of me, you have no room for negotiation, understand?"
Having said that, he dropped his napkin and turned to leave.
His boots clattered on the floor. As he neared the door, a voice called from behind,
"Wait a moment!"
Luke turned around and smiled faintly, "Is there anything else?"
Jack Harvey pointed to a chair and said wearily, "Name your conditions!"
Luke's lips curved, and he sat back down.
"That's more like it. If you're asking for help, don't play games. Do you think I'm a three-year-old who will meekly submit after a few shouts?"
"I can give you information about the aliens, even deal with that so-called cult, and find evidence against the President. But you have to agree to two conditions: first, guarantee Emily's promotion to department head by the end of the year, a real head, not an honorary position; second, I want to enter the Red Room laboratory and take some things."
The old man was shocked. "How do you know about the Red Room laboratory?"
"I don't want to answer childish questions. The first condition can be postponed, but the second must be carried out immediately. Also, don't even think about moving things out before I get there. If I find out..."
His expression turned cold, and a terrifying aura instantly descended, making the old man, who had weathered countless storms, shiver.
"This cunning kid is indeed not an ordinary person!"
Jack Harvey muttered to himself, head bowed, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. After a while, he spoke,
"The items in the laboratory are state secrets. With my authority, I can only give you a small portion."
Luke smiled. "I don't need much, only two things: Promethium metal and a box."
"A box? What box?"
"Don't play dumb. You know very well."
Jack Harvey stared intently at Luke. "You know the origin of that box?"
"I can only tell you it came from an alien civilization. As for the rest, to be honest, I don't know either."
"What do you want the box for?"
"Research."
The old man said gravely, "The Red Room laboratory has the world's top scientists. You could join them and research it together."
Luke laughed speechlessly, as if he had encountered something very amusing.
"Your group of scientists, even if you gave them a thousand years, they wouldn't be able to unlock the box's secret. On this planet, only I can open the box." His tone shifted, and he added,
"Even I will need a long time to decipher its secrets."
Jack Harvey didn't believe his nonsense at all, yet he couldn't refute it. The box was incredibly sturdy; even the highest frequency ion cutter couldn't do anything to it.
It was an enigma, a technological marvel of a higher civilization, far beyond what Earth's current technology could touch.
"Perhaps we can let this kid try."
Jack Harvey's mind stirred, and he said slowly,
"I can give it to you, but you must promise to give me the first-hand data you obtain after deciphering it."
Luke shrugged. "No problem. When do we leave?"
"The sooner the better, preferably right now."
"Okay, right now."
An hour later, at the Coastal City military airport, a fighter jet took off, speeding southeast. After two hours of flight, it landed near the Arizona desert.
After getting off the plane, they took a Humvee and drove about twenty miles through the night to reach a military base built on the Gobi Desert.
"Let's go, the box is inside."
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