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In reality, Henry didn't wait long. Tom's conversation with the guests ended fairly quickly.
It could also be that they had been talking for quite a while before Henry arrived—he wasn't sure. All he knew was that by the time he entered, Tom's chat with the visitors was just about over.
As a result, Henry's delayed use of his super hearing only caught one sentence: someone saying something like, "Find the target as soon as possible."
If he really wanted to, Henry could dive into the jumbled memories stored in his super brain and reconstruct the earlier conversation between Tom and the guests. It wasn't impossible.
But he just didn't care enough. While gossip is part of human nature, it only gets interesting when it involves scandals or sex. Eavesdropping on some dry business negotiation? Not worth it. It's not like he planned to be some kind of corporate spy.
The conversation inside soon wrapped up, and the two guests didn't linger. They left directly.
Henry didn't go out of his way to pretend he was immersed in his magazine, nor did he deliberately look at them when they came out. He just acted like a normal person—glancing up at the sound of movement, then returning to his reading.
But the two men wore soured expressions, as if the whole world owed them money. As they passed, they deliberately stared at Henry, clearly trying to match his face to some image in their minds.
Henry didn't look up, but he was acutely aware of their actions through his senses.
What especially caught his attention was one of the men—his eyes blinked in a way that startled Henry. They didn't close horizontally like a human's, but vertically, like a bird's nictitating membrane. That detail chilled Henry, though he didn't show it.
Another mutant. What the hell is going on with this world...
The two odd guests finally walked out the door. As if on cue, Tom's voice called out: "Hey, Henry, you finally decided to come. Get in my office."
Putting the magazine down, Henry walked into the office. He found Tom tidying up glasses left behind by the previous guests. Tom then handed Henry a cup of hot coffee and gestured for him to sit.
Henry flopped into the chair without caring if it still held the warmth of the previous occupants.
Being so casual in a small place like this was natural—most people wouldn't notice such little details. But Henry did, partly due to the habits from his previous life before transmigrating.
Otaku like him often maintain a bit of cleanliness in their private spaces. At the same time, they avoid disrespecting others' space. That's why he noticed these subtle things.
Once Henry got comfortable, Tom pulled out a thick kraft paper envelope from a drawer and slid it across the desk toward him.
"All the documents are inside. Check them. Ask if you have any questions."
Henry emptied the contents onto the desk.
Aside from the passport, which he recognized immediately, the rest of the documents were unfamiliar. The covers looked different, but globally the format hadn't changed much from what he remembered from before his transmigration. That's how he could still identify them.
He recognized the words on some items but had no idea what their specific functions were.
Seeing Henry's confused look, Tom began explaining politely. He categorized the contents one by one, pointing to each.
"You recognize the passport, that's good. This here is your Social Security card and related documentation. You're officially an American citizen now. That's your birth certificate."
He tapped on another document. "Holding this means you've also inherited a pile of taxes. You'll want to talk to an accountant about that. He'll explain how much the government expects you to cough up. Think of it as protection money to maintain your legal status."
Tom added with a smirk, "So don't blow all your cash. Tax evasion is more serious than breaking the law. The IRS? They're worse than the FBI. They won't kill you, but they'll bleed you dry and auction you off just to collect."
He continued, "This one is a work permit and employment certificate. Since you might've already cashed a check, I asked Old George to prepare a salary slip for you. In the future, make sure you photocopy your checks before cashing them. That helps with taxes."
Tom pointed to another item. "Here's your driver's license, and this is the car's title and transfer paperwork. The license plate's been assigned to you—no need to change it."
"All of these are legitimate legal documents. The FBI won't find anything wrong. So, if you ever decide to go rogue, don't ruin this identity. Some of these documents are very hard to get."
Henry looked at the pile thoughtfully before asking, "Is it really that simple?"
"This is Alaska," Tom replied. "Aside from us, Hawaii, and Saipan—these disconnected territories—it's relatively easier to get all this stuff done. Hawaii's under too much surveillance due to tourism. But here? Nobody's rushing to check anything."
Tom explained further, "The government offers special policies to maintain these remote exclaves. In practice though, enforcement's way looser than on the mainland."
He added, "When I say 'don't worry about the FBI,' I mean everything's legally watertight. But if someone really wanted to find a loophole, they probably could. So just don't give anyone a reason to look that hard. You get what I'm saying?"
"Got it," Henry replied, carefully putting the documents away.
Once everything was packed up, Tom shifted to small talk.
"You planning to take that bundle on George's boat?"
"If it gets fed to the king crabs, don't come asking me to replace it. Even starting over would be tough—the system already has your data now."
Henry chuckled, then replied, "I met George this morning. He said the Annie Two-One won't be back for another two days. No work today. Since he's looking out for me, I'd rather stick with him than look for another boat."
Tom nodded in approval. "Smart choice. Sticking with the right person matters more than chasing short-term gains. Not many young folks get that anymore."
Henry laughed. "End of the day, it's all about the money. If that 'right person' tries to keep you around with empty promises and no pay, you sticking around?"
Tom grinned. "Of course not. Just like you said, it's about making money."
Then he changed the subject. "So, you're free today. Want a quick job? Earn a little extra?"
"What kind of job?"
"Just go check out a place. Confirm something. Not far—you can be back today."
Henry raised an eyebrow. "Is it related to those two guys who just left?"
"Maybe yes, maybe no," Tom said, deliberately vague.
"Then forget it. I have a bad feeling about them."
Tom didn't push. He just raised his hands and said, "Fair enough. Your choice."
Henry glanced at him sideways. "Didn't think you moonlighted as an intel broker."
Tom laughed. "In a place like this? If you can't get on a crab boat, you have to find other ways to survive. If I didn't get seasick, I'd be a captain by now—hell, maybe even own a fleet."
"Buy a boat and hire someone you trust to run it," Henry suggested.
Tom just smiled, shaking his head. "The waters run deep around here, Henry. You wouldn't understand."
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