Working as a police officer in Mexico

"We caught him as he tried to resist, but he was subdued. Eventually, we found a roster at his residence that detailed the officials who had accepted bribes from him, including cash, sports cars, gold, and others."

Before this, Phillips Cameron had surrendered, making Victor realize that many inside had fallen under the influence of money, and he planned to use this lead to launch an internal anti-corruption drive.

He picked up the document and glanced at the densely packed names.

The Deputy Director of the Tijuana Police Department, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture for the Northern Alliance, the Director of the Tijuana Immigration Bureau, and hundreds of others, many of whom held high positions.

"The Customs Director of Ensenada City accepted bribes exceeding six million US dollars, allowing drug traffickers' fishing boats to dock and smuggle about nineteen tons of drugs."

"And the border checkpoint director in Sonora State, embezzled over ten million US dollars..."

Each time George Smiley mentioned a name,

Victor's face turned a shade grimmer.

Slap!

He slammed the documents on the table, and the other party wisely shut up.

"Am I not good enough to them? Isn't the salary structure generous enough? Damn it!"

After Victor took office, public servants were paid a thirteenth-month salary, which was generous compared to the meager monthly wages dispensed by the previous Mexican Government. Take Phillips Cameron, the Director of Tijuana's Drug Enforcement Department, for example.

Just his salary was 140,000 Mexican Pesos a month, which equated to 30,000 US dollars according to the exchange rate, totaling 360,000 US dollars annually.

This was certainly a high salary, and along with performance bonuses, holiday allowances, and other subsidies, it would easily reach 400,000 dollars a year.

But even so, they still had to embezzle.

Is the drug trafficker's money that enticing?

One can only say, people are indeed bastards!

What you haven't got always unsettles you...

"Arrest them all, those who opened backdoors for drug traffickers, execute them all, withdraw any preferential treatment from the Governor's Mansion, expel their children from schools, deprive their families of any subsidies, confiscate everything!"

"If they resist, shoot them on the spot!"

"If it's just bribery and no drug trafficking, confiscate the illegal gains and proceed according to the law."

Clearly, Victor decided to let those involved in corruption "live," as trafficking was his red line.

After all, who in the world doesn't embezzle? Can you kill them all?

Of course, Victor's stance wasn't condoning it; sometimes, it's more like a "free-range" strategy, fatten you up before the slaughter, hey, and then we can pay the front-line troops again.

George Smiley responded affirmatively at the side, hesitating as he looked at Victor's grim face.

"Anything else? Spit it out, don't hesitate. Are you afraid I'll eat you?"

"In April, some of the European royal family will meet in London to discuss strategic policies about Mexico, and they have also invited many celebrities, including the leaders of the Italian Mafia family, guerrilla groups from Latin America, and… our own Southern Drug Dealer Alliance members!"

Good grief...

Feudal remnants + mafia + anti-government elements + drug traffickers!

What the hell are you trying to do?

A restoration?

Victor laughed immediately, "What about the United States? The United Kingdom? France?"

"They do not agree to participate openly, especially Brazil and Venezuela are protesting, claiming it to be a gathering of drug traffickers, demanding London explain, but there has been no news so far."

The word "openly" is quite mystifying.

It looks like they do not dare to mingle with these people openly.

The invited guests are too shameful.

Although we hate Victor and he's ruined our business, we can't say in front of the whole world, "We oppose Victor's drug enforcement!"

Then you will definitely get blasted by the public.

This world's mainstream still champions justice.

"I think we should deliver a deterrent! What royal crap, trafficking is a crime! They weren't tried after World War II, now it's time for reckoning," said George Smiley decisively.

Victor looked at him.

"Leave this matter to Hydra."

Heinrich Louis Bodmer + Reinhard Tristan Eugen together, tsk tsk...

Time for a London Storm!

George Smiley stood up straight, saluting and shouting, "Long live! Loyalty!"

...

Edison Michael Flores got out of his shabby car, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, looking very refined.

"Good morning, Director."

"Good morning, Director."

As he passed by, people greeted him, and he nodded with a smile. Entering the office, he told his secretary outside, "Mina, set up a morning meeting in half an hour."

"Right away, Director," the secretary quickly stood up and replied.

Flores entered his office and locked it, opened the bookcase next to him, removed several books, and slid open a panel inside - revealing heaps of US dollars, Hong Kong dollars, British pounds, and a golden sculpture of God?!

"Gentlemen, do you have an appointment? Hey, hey, hey, you can't go in..." his secretary's voice came from the door.

Flores furrowed his brow and hurriedly closed the panel.

There was a knock.

Panicking, he adjusted the books and looked around. Seeing no signs of disturbance, he opened the door to find several men in suits outside.

"Who are you?"

"Internal Affairs Investigation Department." The lead man presented his credentials.

Flores took it and glanced—at the mention of its affiliation with the Internal Affairs Bureau, his pupils contracted, for the Internal Affairs Bureau was known as the Thirteen Protectors.