"This time, you might receive two medals."
As Zoe slurped Jack's homemade noodles, she revealed a pleasant surprise.
"Everyone involved in the operation will receive a Collective Excellence Award from the main office. They are also discussing whether to give you a separate Police Star."
Jack couldn't help but feel thrilled. Although the Police Star was just an internal LAPD medal, it was like a direct lift in the promotion path. If he truly received this honor, his police career would undoubtedly be gilded.
Seeing his little man looking at her with gratitude, Zoe quickly explained, "Don't look at me like that. Although I voted in favor, the first to propose it was Chief Superintendent Randy McPherson."
Jack was puzzled. He had never met this Chief Superintendent before. Why would such a big shot take notice of him?
Zoe covered her mouth and laughed. "You probably don't know how many eyes have been on you since you registered that Python revolver at the station, do you?"
Seeing his still-confused expression, Zoe continued to explain, "Chief Superintendent McPherson was a friend of Detective Rick Hunter back in the day. He even contributed to the custom fee for that Python. Your Uncle Hunter served in the LAPD for nearly 40 years, and many big names in the department owe him favors."
"As the main planner of this operation against the Southern Front, the name Jack Tavoler has entered the sights of many top people. Last night, both the Robbery-Homicide Division and the Metro Division were asking me about you."
"Oh, and Hondo seems to be interested in you as well. In his words, his team needs someone who uses their brain more than their muscles."
Jack's jaw dropped in surprise. He hadn't expected that, after struggling with social connections in his previous life, he would benefit from them in this world. Life is indeed unpredictable.
"Looks like I need to formally invite Uncle Hunter and Auntie over again. But before that, shouldn't I thank Chief Anderson properly?"
With that, Jack scooped Zoe up and, amidst her exclamations, carried her into the bathroom.
Hmm, that three-meter-wide bed was definitely a good buy, but it seems the bathroom needs a renovation too. The old double bathtub is a bit cramped for three people.
That evening, after seeing off two stunning beauties and busying himself with house chores, Jack wore a mysterious smile until a video call from Hannah jolted him back to reality.
"Hi, Ginny, how have you been?" Hannah's smile in the video was so wide it showed her laugh lines.
Jack sneered, "Hmph, only 149 days left. I'll count the days until your return and prepare a big surprise for you."
Hannah rolled her eyes, showing no concern for Jack's threat. They then chatted for a while, mainly about the specifics of yesterday's raid.
Actually, Jack found the whole thing quite perplexing. His original goal was merely to extract Zoe from potential danger through this plan. Success was secondary. Unexpectedly, the black-faced captain's superb acting fooled King Midas thoroughly.
Things escalated from there, even involving that accountant assassin. Fortunately, the ensuing trouble was handled by the FBI.
For the Wilshire Division, the potential turmoil from the Southern Front's collapse would be the Anti-Gang and Narcotics Division's problem. One of the few perks of being a basic patrol officer was not having to bear too much responsibility.
After hanging up with Hannah, Jack finished tidying up the house and began his daily exercise routine.
Recently, he had gained a lot. Yesterday's rewards aside, his persistent study and training had also boosted his attributes. His current mental strength had increased to 23 and his physique to 22.
His weight had gone up, though his body shape hadn't changed. Now weighing 90 kilograms, Jack suspected his bone density might have increased.
The new house's backyard was now equipped with some basic fitness equipment and two wooden dummies. Jack had also started a small vegetable patch, laying down ground cover.
Although Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate, mild year-round, it was still December. The nights were a bit chilly. He didn't expect much of a harvest, planting some scallions, ginger, garlic, water spinach, lettuce, and cherry tomatoes mainly to gain some gardening experience.
The regulations in America are strict. Front lawns must be regularly maintained, and you can't plant vegetables willy-nilly, or a disapproving neighbor might report you, causing trouble.
But the backyard was less problematic. Jack planted a ring of fruit trees near the wall—lychee, apple, loquat, orange, and grapefruit.
He even planted two mulberry trees, not for silkworms, but for the mulberries. The black-stained mouth from eating mulberries was one of his fondest childhood memories.
"Jack, you're only 22. Why do I feel like you've already planned your retirement life?"
The next day, John, who came to help renovate the kitchen, was dumbfounded seeing Jack fussing with the ground cover and fruit saplings in the backyard.
"I'm just finding a hobby. My dream retirement life is to have a small farm, plant some fruit trees, have a pond for fishing, and raise a few cows and two horses."
John rolled his eyes, speechless at his friend, who was young enough to be his son.
But after a busy day, Jack felt something was off. Former construction contractor John Nolan seemed to be just slightly above beginner level in carpentry.
Apparently, he was good at reading blueprints and directing but was on par with Jack in practical skills.
"Why do I feel like I got myself a supervisor instead of a helper?" Jack wondered aloud.
John smiled and replied, "After I had my own team, I rarely did the actual work. Mostly, I haggled with people."
Seeing Jack's puzzled look, he explained further.
"For instance, I might need to explain to a single mother of four why the kitchen renovation is delayed because the tiles haven't arrived, or persuade the bank to give me an extra week to gather the loan."
"So, when we first encountered a suspect holding a hostage, you chose to negotiate rather than shoot him in the head?" Jack pretended to have a sudden realization.
"Uh, actually, I was thinking of shooting his leg when he wasn't looking," John tried to redeem himself.
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