45: Chapter 45 The Shadow of Washington

There was no follow-up yet regarding the anonymous email. But over in Washington—things were getting increasingly active.

It wasn't just one person. It was coming from several directions at once.

First, there was a "routine inspection" from the Federal Department of Agriculture.

Three people. Wearing suits and leather shoes. Carrying briefcases. They claimed they were here to "inspect whether the cultivation process of Oak Golden Ear complies with federal standards."

Chen Yifei cooperated. Park Ji-yeon accompanied them the whole time. The result of the inspection—everything was in compliance.

Then came an "environmental assessment" from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Another three people. They said they were here to "assess the impact of Oak Town's industrial development on the surrounding ecology."

Chen Yifei cooperated again. Old George accompanied them the whole time. The assessment result—everything was normal.

Then came a "tax audit" from the IRS.

This time there were only two people. But their eyes—were sharper than the previous two groups combined.

"Mr. Chen, the growth rate of your personal income—is quite rare in the historical data of the IRS."

"I just have good luck." Chen Yifei smiled.

"We would prefer to believe—it is due to proper management. But if it is convenient, could you provide the complete financial records for the past eighteen months?"

"Of course."

Hannah had prepared all the documents in advance. The accounts were clear and distinct. The source of every penny was traceable—system income was disguised as "agricultural consulting fees" and "investment returns," all perfectly legal.

The auditors went through the books for three days and found nothing.

But when they left, the team leader glanced at Chen Yifei.

"Mr. Chen—what you are doing is remarkable. But we will be back."

Chen Yifei smiled slightly.

"You are welcome anytime."

After the door closed, his smile disappeared.

Three waves of people. Agriculture, environment, tax. Nominally, they were routine inspections. In reality—

"Someone is pushing this in Washington." Hannah stood beside him, her voice very low.

"Who?"

"Not sure. But to be able to send out three federal agencies simultaneously—this person's influence is at least at the Congressional level."

"Monsanto?"

"It's possible. But it might not be them." Hannah thought for a moment, "It could also be someone who wants to exploit the underground resources of Oak Town. Your anonymous email—might be related to this."

Chen Yifei walked to the window.

He needed help.

Not the kind of help involving execution like Jack's.

He needed help at the Washington level—connections.

He remembered a business card in his Great-Uncle's iron box.

The name on the business card was James Warren.

Position: Member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

On the back of the card was a line of handwritten text—"Dashan, this is my last friend in Washington. If you have any trouble, you can look for him. —Old Jie"

Great-Uncle's handwriting. Chen Yifei recognized it.

He dialed the number on the business card. It rang three times. It connected.

"Hello, this is the Warren office."

"Hello, I am Chen Yifei. The Mayor of Oak Town."

A two-second pause.

"Chen... how is Dashan related to you?"

"My Great-Uncle."

The other end of the phone was silent for three seconds.

Then, a middle-aged man's voice came through—gentle, but carrying a sense of unquestionable power.

"Mr. Chen. Dashan told me about you. He said—'If you receive a call from his grandson, it means he has encountered trouble.'"

"I have indeed encountered trouble."

"Tell me about it."

Chen Yifei took fifteen minutes to explain the situation.

Federal inspections, anonymous emails, the shadow of Washington. After listening, Warren was silent for a few seconds.

"Three waves of people coming at once—this is not normal regulation. Someone is testing your bottom line."

"Testing what?"

"Your resources. Your political connections. Your weaknesses." Warren's voice became serious, "Mr. Chen, you have developed too quickly. Going from a ghost town to a star town in one year—in the eyes of some people in Washington, this is not a miracle."

"What is it?"

"It is a piece of fat meat."

Chen Yifei gripped his phone tightly.

"How should I handle this?"

"Short-term—I will help you block it. I still have some old connections in Washington. I know people in the Department of Agriculture and the EPA. I will let them know—Oak Town has someone looking after it."

"What about long-term?"

"Long-term—" Warren paused for a moment, "You need your own political capital. You cannot rely solely on others for protection."

"You mean—"

"Running for office." Warren said, "No matter what level—town councilor, county commissioner, state legislator—you need a political identity. Once you have an identity, you have a layer of armor."

"I'm not ready yet."

"No one is ready before they run for office." Warren laughed, "Everyone prepares while they are fighting."

Chen Yifei thought for a moment.

"Mr. Warren."

"Just call me James."

"James. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Dashan helped me a lot. This is me paying back a debt." Warren's voice softened, "Take care of yourself. And take care of that town. Dashan loved that place very much."

"I will."

The call ended.

The next day.

The federal inspection team suddenly withdrew.

No explanation. No notification. They just—left.

Hannah checked—it was said that a high-ranking official from the Department of Agriculture personally intervened, saying "The inspection of Oak Town has been completed, no need to continue."

Warren's actions were fast.

But Chen Yifei knew—this was only the first round.

Those people would not just let it go.

They would find another way to come back.

He needed to become stronger, faster.

Running for office.

Chen Yifei looked out the window.

The construction site for the expressway was still under construction. Bulldozers were roaring.

The Governor had said—"When your town gets a little bigger, you can think about it seriously."

Warren said—"No one is ready before they run for office."

The two sentences swirled in his mind a few times.

Perhaps—there was no need to wait until it was "a little bigger."