Chapter 385: The Free Atmosphere of the United States, Where Nine Out of Ten People Are Armed

11 p.m., late at night.

A Mercedes-Benz van came to a stop about fifty meters from Infatuation Bar.

At the same time, several unmarked cars pulled up behind it. Inside were Walker and his team, fully armed and ready to provide backup at a moment’s notice.

As United States police officers, they were well aware that the more bustling the area—especially in a city like New York—the higher the risk of sudden terrorist attacks, particularly in nightlife hotspots like this.

Ironically, the small towns far from the city center, where everyone knew each other and the population was simpler, were often far safer and more secure.

Because of the potential danger, Chief Walker was on high alert. He kept touching the gun at his waist, drawing a bit of comfort from its presence.

After all, judging by Old Morgan’s earlier attitude, it was clear that he had placed immense trust in Su Ming.

If anything were to go wrong due to delayed support on his part, Walker figured he might as well jump into New York Harbor ahead of time to avoid facing Old Morgan’s wrath later.

Aside from Walker and the other U.S. officers, Lin Tian was also seated in the front passenger seat of the lead vehicle.

He held a walkie-talkie in his hand, maintaining real-time communication with Su Ming to ensure immediate response in case of any unexpected developments.

…

At that moment.

Su Ming and the others, all dressed in high-end designer clothing, were walking at a leisurely pace toward the dazzlingly lit entrance of Infatuation Bar.

It was 11 p.m.—prime time for nightlife.

Besides Su Ming’s group, a crowd of patrons of various races were lined up outside, ready to indulge in a night of debauchery.

Several burly Black security guards stood at the entrance. Their bulging waists clearly indicated they were carrying firearms, prepared for any incidents that might arise.

As the group approached the entrance, one of the guards stepped forward and raised a handheld scanner, speaking in a serious tone.

“Sir.”

“For the safety of all our guests, we need to conduct a quick security check.”

Su Ming didn’t say a word.

He simply raised his arms to the sides, signaling the guard to proceed.

At the same time, a female security guard approached Lan Jing and began a similar check.

However, the so-called inspection was far from thorough.

The guards merely waved the scanner over their bodies. Once no traces of gunpowder or explosives were detected, they were allowed to pass.

After the brief check, the guard stepped aside to let them through.

Su Ming and the others walked slowly through the dimly lit corridor. The thumping beat of DJ music was already pounding in their ears.

Bai Yu, dressed in expensive attire, looked puzzled by the lax security. He spoke with a hint of exasperation.

“That was it? Just a quick scan? What can they possibly detect with that?”

“If someone really wanted to cause trouble, there are plenty of ways to sneak in a gun or a bomb. Feels like they’re just going through the motions.”

Lan Jing, who had studied in the United States for several years, simply shrugged, unfazed.

“That’s exactly what it is—just for show.”

“The United States prides itself on freedom and human rights. Places like bars are full of all kinds of people, and most of them aren’t exactly saints.”

“If they actually enforced strict security checks, I wouldn’t be surprised if some extremist burned the place down. At the very least, there’d be a flood of official complaints.”

“To them, freedom and human rights are more important than life itself.”

As they chatted about the so-called freedom in the United States—where even gender identities had been categorized into 97 types—they reached the end of the corridor.

Flashing multicolored lights and deafening DJ music filled their senses.

In the main area, they could already see a crowd of patrons writhing to the beat in the center of the dance floor. Several women had even stripped down to just their underwear.

Meanwhile, in the booth areas, many guests were openly smoking weed.

Ever since the legalization of marijuana in the United States, addicts had become increasingly brazen—lighting up even in public venues like this without a second thought.

Just as Su Ming and the others were looking for a place to sit, a sharply dressed bar staff member approached Su Ming respectfully and asked,

“Good evening, sir.”

“Did you make a reservation? If not, would you like to order a drink?”

“There are only a few seats left, so your party may not be able to sit together.”

Su Ming glanced around the bar and found that business was booming. Not only were all the booths taken, even the scattered tables were nearly full.

As for the cheapest bar counter seats, they were already packed with guests holding beers.

However, with his wealth of experience, Su Ming didn’t seem concerned in the slightest. He gave a firm and unquestionable command.

“No reservation.”

“But I need a booth with a good view, and I don’t want anyone disturbing me or my friends.”

The staff member’s expression turned awkward. He glanced over at the seating area and shrugged helplessly.

“I’m sorry, sir.”

“We’ve been very busy these past few days. Without a reservation, I really can’t…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Su Ming pulled out an unlimited black card from his pocket and held it out, his face expressionless.

“Get me one of your VIP rooms that aren’t open to the public.”

“All expenses tonight go on this card. Don’t make me say it again.”

The staff member froze for a moment, then looked at the black card in Su Ming’s hand. His earlier hesitation instantly turned into delight.

As a staff member at a high-end bar, he immediately recognized the unlimited black card. He quickly gestured invitingly.

“Yes, of course.”

“Sir, please follow me. There’s one VIP room left on the second floor.”

When they reached the VIP room upstairs, Su Ming took a careful look around and confirmed that, compared to other seats, this one indeed offered the best view. It provided an unobstructed line of sight straight to the center of the stage.

Naturally, such prime spots were usually reserved for a select clientele.

Either they were wealthy enough to not blink at spending tens of thousands of dollars on a booth, like Su Ming with his unlimited black card, or they were powerful enough that even the bar’s owner wouldn’t dare offend them.

Under normal circumstances, the bar would rather leave these rooms empty than offer them to regular customers at a lower price.

After a quick assessment, Su Ming turned to the staff member and waved him off.

“Bring up a few bottles of your best liquor.”

“Have the bar mix a few cocktails too. And make sure no one messes with them.”

The staff member nodded repeatedly and rushed downstairs to place the order, already calculating how much tip he might earn from this guest.

After the staff member left, Su Ming turned to Bai Yu, Lan Jing, and Guo Ping. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he said in a low voice,

“This really is the land of freedom.”

“Just walking through that corridor, I already counted at least five guests carrying guns…”