"Damn gang kids, just wait till I become a cop. I'll be chasing you every day."
In a shabby bathroom, Zhang Qingmo grimaced at his reflection in the mirror, inspecting the wounds on his face.
Now, his name was Jack Tavelor, a 21-year-old mixed-race man born in California.
Three years ago, in 2015, a fire in his apartment turned Jack into an orphan. He suffered brain death due to inhaling toxic fumes. If not for a soul from another world crossing over into his body, he would have remained in a vegetative state for life.
The mirror reflected a young, handsome face, marred by bruises and swelling. Ignoring these, his features rivaled the peak of John Lone in the old movie "The Last Emperor," and his profile was comparable to Keanu Reeves.
Jack's diverse ancestry was evident: his grandfather was Chinese, his grandmother was a Jewish woman from Hawaii, and his maternal grandfather married an Italian woman from England.
The soul that crossed over into Zhang Qingmo's body did not inherit any of the original memories, not even the language. Unfortunately, his poor English skills from his previous life left him struggling, turning a recently graduated high school student into a desperate illiterate.
If dealing with his stern, British-accented doctor wasn't enough, recognizing the pretty intern doctor next to him was unmistakable—Meredith Grey from "Grey's Anatomy," a show he had only seen a few episodes of but whose lead character's face was highly recognizable.
Adding to the confusion, his self-proclaimed uncle, Daniel, who didn't resemble him at all, turned out to be a cop from "Hawaii Five-0." Thus, the grumpy old doctor was indeed Dr. House.
A frequent viewer of American TV dramas, Zhang Qingmo realized he had landed in a bizarre, stitched-together world of TV shows.
Thanks to Dr. House, the explanation for Jack's lack of original memories and poor English was attributed to memory loss due to prolonged brain hypoxia. After a series of medical tests, he was discharged from the hospital.
Due to his age, Jack, now 18, managed to refuse living with his relatives on either side, choosing to live independently to avoid exposing his identity as a transmigrator. This decision was somewhat accepted, likely because his parents had eloped to Los Angeles, causing strained family relations.
From that day on, a middle-aged man from another world began living under the name Jack Tavelor in this peculiar world.
---
Three years swiftly passed. Using the small grocery store left by his parents, Jack, the soul from another world, successfully integrated into Los Angeles, the City of Angels.
"Jack, open the door. Are you okay?"
A hurried knock and a concerned voice came from the door. Jack quickly left the bathroom and opened the door.
Two beautiful women stood outside. One had a mature, cold, and striking appearance, while the other looked sweet and girl-next-door-like.
"Captain Anderson, Officer Hannah, welcome."
Jack held the door, smiling and bowing as he gestured for them to enter.
"Did those street punks trouble you again? Poor Jack, let me see your face."
Hannah, looking upset, pushed Jack onto the sofa and straddled him, closely examining his face for potential scars.
Jack made a pained expression and raised his hands to signal his innocence to Captain Anderson, who was smirking on the side.
He, a helpless young man, was no match for this overly enthusiastic Texan girl.
"Hannah, he's suffocating."
Captain Anderson, seeing Jack's distress, gently patted Hannah's shoulder, reminding her.
Though Jack was 185 cm tall, he weighed less than 70 kg, making him quite slender for an American. Hannah, with her impressive physique, was shorter by half a head but weighed nearly 65 kg, and her strength easily overpowered his.
"Hannah, I swear, once I pass police training, I'll spank you," Jack said, trying to shift the attention from his embarrassment.
Realizing her position might be inappropriate, especially with her boss watching, Hannah quickly got off and opened the fridge.
Captain Anderson sat beside Jack, her gaze seemingly scanning him unintentionally.
"Everything ready for tomorrow's police academy training?"
Jack nodded. Due to their unusual relationship, Anderson's arrangements were uncharacteristically blatant, not typical of Americans.
"How did you regain your reading and writing skills within a year and earn an associate degree in two? I believe in you."
"I just think you should smile more often," Jack teased, seeing the blush on her face, enjoying the thrill of flirting with his future superior.
Sensing the growing tension, Hannah looked suspiciously between them.
"Hannah, help Jack move his things to my car. Give us five minutes."
Hannah, obeying her superior, left with the box of Jack's belongings.
Once alone, Anderson straddled Jack's lap, lovingly stroking his wounds before giving him a passionate kiss.
"Captain Anderson, you don't have to..."
"Call me Zoe. Don't you want to help me? We need high-quality recruits, and I promised your uncle Daniel I'd take care of you."
"Why become a cop? With your learning ability, you could easily get into Caltech. You're only 21."
Jack gently patted her on the backside, stopping her. "We've discussed this. I have my reasons. You should go before Hannah gets suspicious."
Zoe playfully wiggled on his lap before reluctantly standing up.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow. I'll have those punks dealt with."
"After I graduate, I'll handle them myself. Remember to lock the door."
Feeling the lingering scent of the sea, Jack sighed, still aroused by Zoe's departure. After calming down, he checked his healing wounds in the mirror, leaving only faint marks to avoid suspicion from Zoe.
His miraculous healing ability came from a golden finger called the Detective Development System. It had been locked since his arrival, showing only two attributes: Spirit 15 and Physique 8, along with three skill trees—Professional, Life, and Language Skills—all initially grayed out.
Gradually, as Jack improved his English, a gray English icon appeared in the Language Skills tree, hinting at the right direction for growth. Seeking advice from his uncle Daniel, he was introduced to Zoe Anderson, who had just taken over the Wilshire District police station.
Over two years, Jack integrated into the community, maintaining a clean record and gaining an associate degree. Zoe provided support, introducing him to Officer Hannah for shooting practice and ensuring his safety through her connections.
Their relationship naturally developed, with Zoe mentoring him in police work, leading to an inevitable romantic involvement.
Jack's efforts paid off, adding new skills to his system, with Spirit increasing to 18 and Physique to 12. Last week, Zoe handed him his police academy acceptance letter, finally activating his system.
Ignoring the somewhat restrictive system notifications, Jack spent his sole system coin to upgrade his healing skill, ensuring he could handle any training injuries. This remarkable ability allowed precise healing, but it temporarily drained his Spirit, requiring sleep for recovery.
After locking the door and another healing session, Jack fell into a deep, restful sleep.
---
At 7 AM, Jack woke to his alarm, called Zoe, and unlocked the door. He prepared breakfast with the last ingredients, just as Zoe arrived.
Smelling the food, Zoe's eyes lit up. "It's been a while since I had your breakfast. What's in it? It smells amazing."
Following his principle of never explaining Chinese cuisine ingredients to Americans, Jack smiled, "If you woke up in my bed every day, you'd always have my breakfast."
Zoe playfully pushed him and started eating.
Half an hour later, carrying his packed belongings, Jack left the apartment with Zoe. As they drove off, he glanced back at the elderly couple now running the grocery store.
"Thinking of your parents?" Zoe misunderstood, gently caressing his cheek.
"No, just saying goodbye to my past."
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