Austin was in much better shape the further they got from the tall buildings. It was devoid of people though. After a while, the road became clear enough of debris that Shen and the soldiers reached a heavily protected vehicle convoy.
The Major pointed at different vehicles and told Shen whether they were HMMWVs, JLTVs, or trucks. The translation function of the Guardian System only explained what trucks were, as it didn't translate acronyms. Shen didn't ask more and just got on top of a "humvee," as the troops called the HMMWVs.
Some of the vehicles had mounted weapons, and the soldiers there carried bigger guns. Shen hesitated a little to approach them when he saw that.
"The personal rocket-propelled grenades aren't a danger unless you get too close because they are slow for someone who can move at your speed," the Major said. "The machine guns are more dangerous. If you don't want to get boxed between them, you can run beside the convoy or ride the last car."
"The last car sounds good, but not riding in it," Shen said. He didn't want to be trapped in such a tight place. However, this was an excellent opportunity to use mortal technology. "Can I sit on the rooftop?"
Cox laughed. "Of course. Can I sit beside you?" Shen nodded. In the corner of his eye, he saw the captured Fisher be placed in a vehicle.
"I would love to run tests of your power against our armored vehicles," the Major said, "but we need these beauties as intact as possible. I need to talk to some people before we get going. Feel free to stay wherever you want."
Shen found a fallen building that was both far enough to make him feel safe and close enough to let anyone see him. He sat on a second story and used his smartphone while waiting.
There were many more soldiers in that operation than Shen had expected. They came in groups and were over two hundred by the end. Two hours later, according to Shen's smartphone, they started leaving.
"Hey!" the Major yelled from below. "We're moving."
As promised, Shen rode on the last car's rooftop. Further down the road, they joined twenty other convoys of the same size, Shen's keeping on the back. There were also twenty flying vehicles that the Major called helicopters. He said their weapon system should pose no danger to Shen.
"If I'm not mistaken, your speed should make you safe unless you get targeted by some of our most advanced weaponry," the Major insisted. "I'm E-rank, and I could barely see you moving about as quickly as the carbine's bullet. That is fast."
Shen took the man's word of his safety at face value until there was evidence otherwise. "I didn't expect so many soldiers," he said, changing the subject.
"And despite our numbers, we still didn't find the civilian bunker or the Sorcerer King's troops," the Major said. "It's only a matter of time, but it's still frustrating."
The convoy kept moving. At some point, there was a checkpoint controlled by the military on the road. Shen paid some attention to the smartphone and some to the environment.
He suddenly recalled he could actually use the thing to make a call. He had been so impressed by the tech that he had completely forgotten about it.
He called Alicia first—the Eternal numeric system was also base ten, so the system directly translated the numbers he saw—but she didn't pick up. When he tried to call Sai, the call didn't go through.
"How do I make a phone call to India?" he asked the Major.
"You don't," the man replied. "India is a mess, like almost everywhere. Too many people in too little space given power is a recipe for disaster. Communications are down."
Shen recalled reading something about that online but hadn't known it was so bad. Further evidence of how important having the right information-gathering capabilities were.
After a while, he took a picture of himself for his social media accounts.
The Major had called this the information era. Alicia had also talked a lot about social media, and Fisher had gotten a lot of information from it. Shen found it wise to create an official presence online if he ever wanted to address the public. It would also help make his account credible to everyone he wanted to talk to.
Shen's next step was to contact the people from the tutorial who had given him their contact information. He prioritized Alicia. He explained things to her in an email—the Major wrote what Shen dictated—then contacted Sai through a similar email, asking him how he was. He sent friend requests to the others.
Shen thought for a little, then said, "Major Cox, would it be against the law or impolite to take a picture of me and this convoy?"
The Major looked at Shen for a while before lighting a new cigarette. "It would make you safer," he said at last, and it felt like he was hurting for saying so.
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Shen nodded in gratitude, stood up, turned back, and took a picture of himself, the convoy, and even some helicopters. He asked the Major how to write, "On my way to meet the General of the Army and the President," and posted it.
Fisher had been very vocal about how people used their social media accounts to signalize virtue, control expectations, or sell stuff. For all the boy's stupidity, he knew when most people were trying to manipulate him. Paradoxically, when he got himself under someone's control, it seemingly made it harder for him to see reason.
Some people Shen had sent a friend request to, started accepting it. They also told others who he was. An hour later, notifications filled his smartphone, and his follower count increased quickly.
People were very opinionated about his meeting with the US leadership. Most were optimistic. Some asked for proof that he was who he said he was. Shen ignored those because he could do nothing to prove it if his picture wasn't enough.
Fortunately, reporters soon said the White House sources confirmed a meeting with him. His social media accounts had been the first to say anything about that, with a picture of him on top of that, so it all but confirmed his identity. Soon, a checkmark beside his name verified he was who he said he was. He was surprised at their efficiency, to be fair.
Shen got too many messages to deal with. Clans had people who dealt with the general public and filtered what was relevant, and he would need someone to do that for him, too.
"Major," Shen said, "you're going to jail for helping me. Would you like to join me instead?"
It was dishonorable of the Major to go against his superiors' orders. However, he was helping Shen. Shen was thus honor-bound to make the offer.
Cox shook his head. "I'm a patriot. I love this country and all it stands for. I protected you from it for its future, not for you. Sorry."
Shen nodded. It was honorable that the man would bear the consequences of his actions at least.
Nothing noteworthy happened for the rest of the trip to the meeting place.
----------------------------------------
Eventually, their humvee slowed down while the convoys kept going.
"We're nearing the meeting place," the Major said. "Let me know if you want to veto it."
Shen nodded. Ten minutes later, they arrived at a huge operation.
Far ahead, the vehicles that had gone ahead created a big line, almost a wall, with hundreds of others. The soldiers were all outside or operating the mounted weapons. There were also dozens of war tanks, helicopters, and even jets flying over the region.
A woman and a man were standing ahead of the others, both armored.
If what the Major said was true and Shen could outrun the most common projectiles, that arrangement wasn't there to protect the two people. Instead, it was there to tell Shen the US would go to great depths to hunt him down if anything happened. They also challenged him to have the stamina to survive the ire of an entire nation.
"This looks fine," Shen said.
He didn't wholly trust Cox's words, of course. But he had to take this step sooner or later unless he wanted to live like a hermit, fearing mortal civilization until he could crush them. He refused to live like that.
The humvee stopped at some distance. Shen got off and was surprised when the Major didn't follow.
"That is way above my pay grade," the man said with an apologetic smile. "Good luck, Rising Star. May you tread your Path with honor."
Shen smiled at the quote of what he had told the people in the tutorial, though he felt sad when he recalled his father had told him to walk his path with love instead. "Likewise."
He turned and walked toward the President and the General of the Army. When he was close enough, he Inspected them.
| Elizabeth Richards Lorian (F) | 100 / 100
So she had also gone through the tutorial. She was wearing a blue plate armor that Shen estimated to be at least F-tier. She was tall, all her features hidden.
| Oliver MacArthur (E) | 110 / 110
His plate armor was gray, probably also F-tier. He was shorter than Lorian and also hidden by the armor.
The two of them were around five hundred feet away from their troops. Shen stopped thirty feet away from them, clasped his hands in front of himself, and nodded.
"Feng Shen greets the President and the General of the Army of the United States of America," he said with his Lion's Roar controlled to reach them without yelling.
The woman stepped forward. To Shen's surprise, she came until she was a few feet away from him, even though that position was slightly unsafer for her. The man followed. "Madam President, please—" he started.
"Oh, shoot it, McArthur," she said. "By all reports, he could kill us anyway." She took her helmet, showing an old lady with short black hair and brown eyes. "I'm Elizabeth; this is Oliver." She offered Shen her hand.
Shen noticed many people pointing cameras at them—he had seen the objects on the internet. He guessed her courage and gesture were a statement to the public. Probably even their presence here instead of sending a representative was a calculated move—though not as bold as it might be seen. After all, Shen had never shown any uncalled-for aggressiveness in the tutorial.
Shen took her hand and shook it anyway.
He had no desire to wage war on the US—or anyone, for that matter. Instead, he had four goals.
First, get to his clan's ancestral ground on Earth. He would find a message there if the Feng Clan had been crushed after his father's betrayal. That would let him know how far to go with his next goal.
Second, establish a group. He needed a social media manager at the very least already. His needs would only increase from now on, especially if he found himself needing to remake his clan.
Third, protect Earth. He was honor-bound to protect his fellow humans.
Fourth, find out what the Chinese cultivator knew. Shen was curious, but only slightly. The more he thought about it, the less he believed he needed to know about the cultivator. He couldn't discuss the Eternal Empire with them anyway, not with the Guardian System hearing about it. It might even be best to stay away to avoid the temptation to go against that Imperial decree.
None of those goals went against allying himself with the US, as a handshake might suggest would happen. If anything, having one of the world's strongest nations as a friend would make everything easier.
"Mister Feng Shen, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Please forgive my little discussion with General McArthur. Destiny would have it for two strong-headed, no-nonsense people to be at the helm in this time of crisis."
"Please forgive my insubordination, Madam President," McArthur said while offering his hand for Shen to shake next.
Shen took the "little discussion" for what it truly was: a show of unity. The two might disagree on things, but each party knew their place when it mattered. McArthur had said he was sorry almost immediately, even though he had done nothing wrong by warning his superior of the dangers of her actions.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Elizabeth Lorian, General McArthur," Shen replied. "What did you want to talk about?"