North American Detective: I am Proficient in All Kinds of Gun Quick Draws

Money is a man's courage.

But in the United States Federation, a nation disguised as a consortium of capital interests, simply having money on the books didn't actually grant much clout.

The difference lay in whether you possessed tangible industries, could influence the citizens' livelihoods, and could impact the votes for those legislators...

Thanks to Little Mike.

Dean now had such an opportunity.

Little Mike, in his efforts to treat his congenital disease, had focused most of his research on synthetic hormones. By chance, he had made three breakthroughs: "Intoxication," "Some Kind of Unknown Excitement Powder," and "Some Kind of Unknown Anesthetic Powder."

Dean didn't plan to touch the first one.

The last one had too many substitutes, and Dean felt its profit-making potential might not be very high.

But the excitement-enhancing substance in the middle was different.

Although Dean didn't know its global market value, the saying "men are youths until they die" wasn't just about a mindset—it also included some things that those in the know understood.

As the saying goes, it's only the ox that dies from exhaustion, not the field that's ruined by over-plowing.

Not every man is as strong-willed, proud, and robust in a tussle as Dean and you, dear readers. Especially as one ages, a man's 'little friend' also tends, under the ravages of time and the trials of one's own hands, to become listless and dejected.

At such times, a savior is needed.

What's the most profitable business these days? Essential needs!

This stuff is far more lucrative than drug trafficking.

Dean only hoped that Little Mike's discovery was effective, unique, marketable, and could be mass-produced.

Back in the city center.

Dean went to his rented safe house, turned on his computer, and started researching the materials listed in the formula.

The results were gratifying.

Perhaps Little Mike had been limited by his environment and resources.

The materials were not only common but also unrestricted for purchase. Except for some chemicals that required a purchasing agent, the rest were readily available through normal trade.

And compounding them was simple.

Little Mike had even designed a specialized extraction assembly line, allowing for foolproof operation and precise production.

Dean briefly reviewed the conditions and qualifications needed to produce special "health supplements." He found them complicated and troublesome; the clinical trial requirements and timelines, in particular, were daunting.

"Forget it."

Let's make a sample first and see how it turns out, to avoid getting excited over nothing.

Dean shook his head.

Aside from killing people and wooing women, he was nearly clueless about other matters, let alone business.

Even if the product was sound, handling this would definitely require a trustworthy and capable partner.

At this thought, two faces immediately surfaced in Dean's mind.

One was Niel.

Niel was a top management student, specifically groomed by her mother. She was knowledgeable, had practical experience from her family's business, and was poised to inherit her mother's company.

Her abilities and vision should be adequate, though she was still somewhat green and lacked real-world seasoning.

The key was that Niel was a woman.

Dean was supremely confident she wouldn't betray him!

A capable, efficient, and obedient female partner. The very thought was delightful.

The other person was Ross.

To be fair, this naive rich kid might be a bit simple, but he was undeniably good to those around him. Born into the aristocratic Campbell family of the Commonwealth, his connections were considerable.

If he partnered with Ross, the product Dean had could offer many advantages. As long as there were no major issues, it could quickly become profitable and expand globally. This would elevate Dean from an inconspicuous detective to a newly minted billionaire with tangible assets.

Moreover, Ross's status could also protect this wealth.

But after careful consideration, Dean immediately dismissed the idea of partnering with Ross.

Ross, that oddball, despite being a member of the main family branch, had little say due to his personality. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been left to drift in the United States at his age, even allowing himself to be duped by a gold digger and bullied by lowlifes.

If Dean partnered with Ross, earning a little money would be fine. But if the business scaled up, the first enemies he'd likely face would be Ross's own family.

Too high-risk.

Considering that one day he would need Niel to work hard for him, making money and securing status, Dean, that pragmatic old scoundrel, decisively took out his phone and called her.

Niel was undoubtedly thrilled by his call. "Dean, are you free lately?"

"Yes, actually, I'm at the hospital right now." He coughed weakly a couple of times. "COUGH. COUGH. Sorry, I got a little injured. Hope I'm not disturbing you. COUGH. COUGH."

"Oh my god!" Niel exclaimed on the other end, her voice tinged with tears. "Dean, what happened to you? Hold on, I'll come over to be with you right away!"

"It's nothing!" Dean quickly stopped her.

Good grief. By the time Niel got to Los Angeles, his wounds would probably have already scarred over.

He mustered his emotions and said, "Don't worry, baby. If I'd known this call would upset you, I'd want to go back one minute and smash my phone. And I really am fine. COUGH. COUGH."

"But this is the first time I've heard you like this!" Niel sniffled. "Dean, I'm so afraid that one day I'll get news you've died in the line of duty. I know saying this is insulting to you, but I still have to say it: Dean, quit your job! I'll take care of you!"

"No way!"

"But like this, I'm really worried. I even have nightmares..." Niel couldn't hold back her emotions any longer and began to sob. "Dean, you were my first man, and you'll be my last. I can't imagine what kind of despair a world without you would be, but I know I definitely don't want to go back to how things were before I met you. You're such a bad guy!"

Dean: ...

Seems like I overdid it.

Speaking of which, Niel would make a good wife.

The moment this thought arose, Dean mentally slapped himself. What am I thinking? I barely have any money, I haven't even found solid footing yet, I still haven't fully dealt with my father's death in this lifetime, and I'm already daring to think about marriage!

When things are stable, then it would be more sensible to consider marrying Niel. By that time, Niel will probably have taken over her mother's business, perfect to bring to my family as a dowry.

"Dean, are you not talking because you're angry? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said such selfish things, and I definitely shouldn't try to restrict your freedom to be a detective. I'm sorry, please don't be angry."

"No, I'm not angry," Dean relented. "Niel, you don't understand. I used to be a detective because I wanted to find out the truth about my father's death. Now, it's because of you."

"I don't want the girl I love to end up with a husband who is just an insignificant detective. Nor do I want that after we're married, when you go out with your friends, they look at you with pity and scorn because of me. I... I just want to be worthy of you."

"Husband!!!"

Niel didn't hear anything else; her mind was consumed by the word 'husband'.

Dean said he wants to be my husband!!!

She wiped her tears, unbuttoned her collar slightly, and gasped for air to stop herself from fainting.

Oh God. I must be dreaming!

Hearing Niel's murmur on the other end of the phone, Dean couldn't help but chuckle.

I haven't even made my real move yet, and she's already this excited. This silly woman is too easy to fool... Pretty good. Suitable for a wife.

After a long while, Niel finally calmed down and realized she had lost her composure.

She went to her private lounge, threw herself onto the bed, and rolled around shyly a few times before feigning composure and changing the subject. "Dean, are you sure your injuries are okay?"

She didn't even dare to ask Dean if he had actually said he wanted to be her husband, afraid she might have misheard and shattered the beautiful dream.

First love often comes with a sense of unworthiness.

And Niel was particularly unlucky to have encountered Dean, this absolute scoundrel.

"Yes, I'm really fine. I called you because, lying in this hospital bed, I was thinking: if I were to die right now, what would I regret?"

"My answer is: I don't want to die!"

"Because if I died, I would never see you again, baby!"

"Dean..."

The call only ended when Dean's phone battery died.

After hanging up, Dean thought of Niel's sweet laughter, and a smile touched his lips.

Niel had promised him she would try to settle her affairs and come to Los Angeles to be with him before June.

It was now the end of January.

In other words, Dean had four months before Niel's arrival to complete the drug testing and determine if it was worth developing.

Enough!

After dealing with these miscellaneous matters, Dean returned to the hospital.

Although his healing ability was now greater than that of an average person, with the numerous wounds, big and small, on his body, it would be another week or two before he could remove the bandages.

He wasn't fit to go home looking like this.

The hospital was pretty good, too. The nurses spoke sweetly and were gentle. Crucially, the public covered the hospitalization fees.

Dean quite liked it here.

But his peace didn't last many days.

Harry, that bastard, showed up.

"Harry, finally decided to visit me?" Dean opened his mouth to eat a piece of apple offered by a nearby nurse, his tone sarcastic.

Since the case ended, this bastard had taken the money Dean gave him and had been living it up with Holz for days. He was visibly thinner; who knows how many girls he'd been "charitably assisting."

Harry looked enviously at the two nurses flanking Dean and yawned. "Buddy, I really wanted to visit you, but I'm a philanthropist. I can't sleep soundly until I've spent every last cent in my pocket."

Dean gave him the middle finger, then playfully patted the two nurses on their shoulders. "Alright, babies, chat's over. Come back tonight; I tell great bedtime stories."

"Then after the bedtime story, will we get those Chinese fried dough sticks you mentioned?"

"Of course! You can eat until you're stuffed!"

"HEE HEE."

The two nurses giggled and left the room, closing the door behind them.

Harry snatched an apple from the table and sat down. "Buddy, what Chinese fried dough sticks? Some new pickup line? So, how are the nurses in this hospital? Easy to get friendly with?"

"They're seasoned, cooperative, plus there's the uniform temptation. What do you think?" Dean shrugged. "Harry, spit it out. What's really going on?"

"Alright!" Harry raised his hands in surrender, looked up at the ceiling at a 45-degree angle, his face a mask of despair. "Dean, save me! Your jinx hit the mark! A woman showed up with a kid, looking for me!"

"WOW!" Dean whistled, a grin spreading across his face. "Buddy, did you come all this way just to tell me you're preparing for an appearance on a paternity test show? Tell me, what time is it on tonight? I'm willing to sit in front of the TV and admire Detective Harry's magnificent presence."

"Stop joking." Harry bit fiercely into the apple. "The kid really is mine. It was an impulse from over two years ago. I never expected she'd actually get pregnant and not have an abortion! If that were all, I would have borne it. But she actually wants to use this to blackmail me into solving cases!"

As he spoke, his haggard face filled with grievance. "Dean, can you believe it? I could have put up with paying child support, but she's actually forcing me to solve cases! FUCK! What's the difference between that and being forced to do those damn math problems?"

Dean: ...

Typical Harry! He's not only a degenerate himself, but even the temporary flings he finds are this bizarre.

This piqued his interest in the case Harry was talking about.