Chapter 1013

The police arrived very quickly; after all, it was a senator reporting a crime.

In the Federation, police have different attitudes when handling these matters depending on who is reporting the crime.

For reports from wealthy areas, their response time is often within a few minutes.

For reports related to politicians or government departments, police cars will be parked around the scene within three minutes.

But if it is just the middle class, this time might be a bit longer; ten minutes is a relatively reasonable time.

In ordinary communities or slums, the person reporting the crime can still do a few things they need to do after finishing the report.

According to some city regulations, the rule that police cars must arrive at the scene within fifteen to thirty minutes after a report shows that whether the police can effectively organize against crime during this period has nothing to do with the case itself.

As for those reports from dark-skinned people in the slums, they had better pray that the police do not shoot the reporter out of nervousness after arriving.

Although such things happen often.

After Senator Porter gave his name, sirens soon rang out in the surrounding blocks. The New Jincheng police have their own police channels, and they can easily notify nearby patrol officers to rush to the scene as quickly as possible.

Two police cars arrived. After the officers surveyed the scene and ensured that Senator Porter was not injured, they suggested that Senator Porter return to his home immediately, lock the door, and have his bodyguards take good care of him.

"We haven't obtained many witness testimonies from the surroundings, and this matter... you know, solving it takes time."

"We cannot ensure whether the suspect will launch a second attack on you. The best way to handle this now is for you to protect yourself first. Of course, if you need police cooperation, we will also arrange officers to protect you."

This was perhaps the most appropriate way to handle it; the officers did not even mention protecting Senator Porter at first.

For big figures like Senator Porter, their bodyguards are much more reliable than police officers, both in terms of equipment and professionalism.

Senator Porter had gradually calmed down by now, and his butler brought him a change of clothes.

He had already taken off the previous set of clothes, which were covered in the blood of the two poodles.

After changing into a full set of clothes at a roadside shop, he walked out with a slightly pale face, "I have a place I need to go now..."

He paused as he spoke, "I need to see my son. Someone called me and said he might be in danger."

"I kept calling him before I came out, but he never answered. I'm worried he's had an accident."

In fact, at this moment, the unease in his heart had already dissipated somewhat.

On one hand, it was because the police were all here, which gave him a sense of security.

On the other hand, if the target was him, then his son must be fine.

The officer was stunned after hearing this. He immediately asked for information about Senator Porter's son and then notified the police station.

The police station has patrol officers that can be dispatched throughout the city. Soon, information returned: Senator Porter's son, Mr. Porter Jr., a senator in the State Legislature, had not had any accidents.

When officers went to check on his situation, he was working in his office.

They soon found the reason why the phone could not get through: someone had cut the phone lines to those offices.

The State Legislature is not a closed place; anyone can enter, and as long as someone is dressed as a repairman, they can easily enter places that ordinary people cannot.

There was support from Senator Cleveland behind this matter, so Lanse's people easily found those phone lines and cut them all.

After hearing that his father had encountered such a thing, Mr. Porter Jr. was also anxious to talk to him, using a public phone booth.

"I heard you were attacked!", Mr. Porter Jr.'s voice carried a tone of anxiety.

As a politician, he knew very well that how far he could go depended on how far his father could support him.

If Senator Porter had an accident now, his chances of entering Congress would be infinitely reduced.

The political arena is not a gentle place; there is no warmth here, only naked strength.

Not all the families of those in the founding oil paintings of the Federation have been preserved; some people and their families have gradually disappeared in past struggles.

Perhaps the whole family had some accident and suddenly died.

It is also possible that the entire family suddenly disbanded overnight and went to live the lives they wanted.

The political arena is cruel, but this cruelty is masked by various civilized things, making some people who do not know the real situation inside believe that the political arena is a civilized place.

People will talk very politely, and everyone is a gentleman.

Actually, no. Everyone is a hunter and also prey. This is a hunting ground, and everyone is playing their own different roles.

There are many roles, but there are no good people among them!

Hearing his son's voice, Senator Porter finally let out a sigh of relief and loosened his tie, "I couldn't get through when I called you, which made me feel terrible."

"A phone call told me earlier that something happened to you, and then your phone wouldn't connect, and neither would your secretary's. I could only think the worst."

"Now I understand; their target is me."

Mr. Porter Jr. was confused when he heard this, "What have you done recently?"

They did not live together.

Not living together was certainly not the "independence" promoted by federal society, but because of work needs.

Both father and son are politicians—one is a Congressional senator, and the other is a State Legislature senator; it can be said that both are big figures.

Such big figures have to contact many people daily: capitalists, politicians, or others.

If they still lived together, these visitors might run into each other, which might make them feel awkward.

Just like when Mr. Porter Jr.'s friends come to visit him, they might run into his superior visiting Senator Porter; both would be very awkward.

So they lived separately, and not very close to each other.

This led to Senator Porter's first thought being to go to the State Legislature to see after he could not contact Mr. Porter Jr., because he would definitely be in his office on a workday.

Facing Mr. Porter Jr.'s inquiry, he thought for a moment and did not hide it. He also knew that if something happened to him, it would certainly not just be his own business; his son would also be affected.

"I have been anti-war recently..."

Mr. Porter Jr. was speechless when he heard this, "Why be anti-war?"

"We all know that this war has allowed the economy to rise again. Now the entire Federation is achieving economic recovery under a war economy. Being anti-war is anti-social, anti-human, Dad!"

He used the colloquial "Dad" instead of "Father," which shows that when facing this problem, he also expressed a view similar to that of ordinary people—what the hell are you kidding about?!

Senator Porter gave a bitter laugh, "I'll talk to you about this after you come back. Now that I can confirm you are fine, that is enough."

"I am going home now. If you are coming back, you had better follow a few more people. I cannot confirm if they are stopping here or if they will continue to attack and intimidate us."

Mr. Porter Jr. said "Hmm," "Okay, I'll finish the work in my hands and go back to find you later."

The two finished the call after a few simple words. The police chief also rushed over. After hearing the report from the officers at the scene, he realized immediately that this should be a "warning" from a political opponent.

Just as he was about to approach Senator Porter, the officer in charge of disposing of the two poodle corpses walked over and said something in his ear.

He was stunned, then nodded, and turned to walk toward Senator Porter.

Senator Porter knew the police chief; after all, this guy often appeared in local newspapers and was considered a big celebrity. A big celebrity and a big figure look similar, but in reality, they are very different.

He did not have a good mood when facing the police chief and was even a bit angry. He felt that the city was so terrible and that those people attacked a senator so unscrupulously, which was one of the manifestations of poor public security.

Perhaps sensing that he was not a welcome person from the other's undisguised expression, the police chief did not talk much, "Mr. Porter, my colleague just told me that the teeth of those two poodles had been pulled out, and their mouths had been sewn shut with needle and thread."

"I think this is very likely a hint, or perhaps a piece of advice, from the attacker?"

"If you have any clues, you had better tell me; this will be of great help to us in finding the person who attacked you."

Senator Porter fell into deep thought after hearing this. Teeth pulled out, mouths sewn shut—this was a very obvious hint to "make him shut up."

This also easily made him connect his own affairs, such as pushing for anti-war sentiments.

But could he say such things?

He looked at the police chief with a slightly mocking expression on his face; he knew what the police chief meant by suddenly saying this.

He wanted to "admonish" himself in this way. He, Senator Porter, was not a truly top-tier big figure in this city, so there was no need to put on a cold, high-and-mighty air in front of a police chief.

This was a "counterattack" Senator Porter rarely experienced, and it came from a police chief. He smiled and said, "I dare to say it, but do you dare to listen?"

Just one sentence made the police chief fall silent.

Senator Porter certainly dared to say it; he was a Congressional senator, as long as he had not done anything that made everyone hate him.

He was safe as long as he did not lose his status as a Congressional senator, but those people he named—those behind the scenes who dared to attack a big figure like a Congressional senator.

Did the police chief dare to know?

If he knew, would he become the next target of an attack?

They had used such relatively intense means when dealing with Senator Porter; would they not just find someone to shoot him a few times if they dealt with him, a law enforcer?

Seeing the police chief fall into silence, Senator Porter did not continue to make things difficult for him. He smiled, shook his head, and lowered himself directly into his car.

The entire motorcade soon left the scene.

The sheriff in charge of the scene walked over, "What should we do next?"

The police chief sighed, "What should we do?"

"Of course, handle it officially. Do what you should do, but don't take the initiative to investigate. There is insufficient evidence, understand?"

"If you really investigate something, are you going to arrest them, or am I?"

He glanced at the sheriff, who immediately shrank his neck.

Being a law enforcer in New Jincheng is not a good experience; there are too many big figures here, and no one knows if the person passing by on the street is a big figure.

If it really was investigated who orchestrated all this, for example, a certain senator, do you dare to arrest them?

No, no one dares to do that.

Because before you make the decision to arrest him, everyone will stand on the opposite side of you, including the police chief's direct superior, the mayor.

The chief waved his hand and dived directly into his car to leave the scene; he was really fed up.

Senator Porter soon returned home, and his son also returned home quickly. The father and son sat in the study, just the two of them; even the butler was not here. They had some secret things to talk about.

"I...", neither father nor son spoke immediately at first; they were both thinking, deep in thought.

Just as Senator Porter opened his mouth to say something, the phone on the desk suddenly rang with a "ding-a-ling-a-ling."

After he and his son looked at each other, he picked up the receiver and put it to his ear, "This is Porter."

"Senator Porter?"

"I heard you were attacked. I hope it didn't cause you any injuries."

"Has the person who attacked you been caught?"

The voice in the receiver was very familiar; he did not even need the other party to state their name to know who it was.

There was a stiff expression on his face, but his tone sounded gentle, "Senator Cleveland, thank you for your inquiry. I am fine, I am not injured, and the person who attacked me has not been caught."

"That is truly good news. I hope it won't affect your work. I will pressure the police station to find the criminal as soon as possible and give you, and the people of New Jincheng, an explanation."

"It is truly despicable!"

Senator Porter hummed with a forced smile, "Thank you very much for your concern and your call."

"That's good. I won't disturb your rest. Having suffered such an attack, I believe you definitely need to rest for a few days."

"Right?"

Senator Porter did not answer immediately, but after thinking for a moment, he said in a tone of sighing, "Yes, I need to rest for a few days. My nerves are a bit tense."

"I will bring my colleagues to visit you after work is over."

"Then, see you later?"

"See you later."

Senator Porter put down the phone and then looked at his son. The father and son looked at each other, and Senator Porter's eyes gradually softened. He sighed, "The caller was the perpetrator."

"Senator Cleveland?", Mr. Porter Jr. asked. This name was a very resounding name to him, and to almost everyone who cared about politics.

Currently, Senator Cleveland's political group already occupied seventeen seats in Congress.

One-third of the entire Congress belonged to Senator Cleveland's faction, which had already set a Congressional record!

And the reason he could create such a "miracle" was because Senator Cleveland was very generous.

It is said—just said—that the dividends distributed within Senator Cleveland's own political faction every year exceed one hundred million.

Seventeen people splitting one hundred million?

And that is only what they have heard of; as for those they have not heard of?

Would it be even more?

It is no wonder that the allies of their political group are increasing; he gives too much!

Moreover, behind this war, the rapidly expanding industrial groups and the military-industrial complex also stood behind Senator Cleveland.

Because he not only advocated participating in the war on the Tanfeite Continent, which originally had nothing to do with the Federation, but also advocated further annexing Xiang Yalan.

In a plan he put forward, he mentioned that the Federation should become the navigator of world civilization. To maintain world peace, the Federation needs the ability to suppress local wars anywhere at any time.

What does this mean?

This means he is continuously expanding the Federation's war potential, which means the military-industrial complex and industrial groups will have more orders and profits!

How could they not follow Senator Cleveland? The benefits and interests these military-industrial complexes give Senator Cleveland are unknown, but they must be much more than one hundred million!

So when Mr. Porter Jr. discovered that his father's opponent was the hottest person in the political arena, the shock on his face and the expression of looking at an idiot were almost impossible to hide.

He wanted to speak several times, but because the idiot in front of him was his father, he did not know how to speak!

Senator Porter could certainly read the changes in his son's expression and emotional reaction. He waved his hand, "Say whatever you want to say."

"How could you... make such a judgment and decision to stand on the opposite side of Senator Cleveland?"

Senator Porter sighed, "Although I am a senator, I am already washed up, understand?"

"After the election following the end of the war, I will have to leave the Senate. They are no longer willing to invest in me."

"I can't just act like those... lower-class people and take the initiative to circle around them wagging my tail, can I?"

"And who do you think I am doing all this for?"

"Myself?"