The North American Gourmet Demon Handbook

Similarly, his eyes swept over his colleague Kate Mackenzie, but the sudden coldness of his eyes revealed his true attitude towards this colleague.

Mrs. Robert did not notice the sheriff's gaze because she looked at her husband in confusion, not understanding why he suddenly brought two such guests to visit.

"Ah, didn't Mr. Li say he wanted to invest in Fern Town? I think this is a great thing! As long as there are more jobs, those idle young people won't be idle every day, and those ambitious and hardworking young people won't be so eager to leave the town and run to the city..."

While muttering about the young people of Fern Town, Mr. Robert brought chairs and asked Mayor Vincent and Sheriff Larry to sit down.

Mayor Vincent seemed a little restrained when sitting, while Sheriff Larry was obviously a frequent visitor here, and his posture was very relaxed.

At this point, Mr. Robert continued, "But investing in our town always requires the approval of the mayor. I went to invite Mayor Vincent over. Then Mayor Vincent visited Sheriff Larry, and they all came to our house."

"Oh, no wonder you two came together!" Mrs. Robert clapped her hands and laughed, "Especially Mayor Vincent. It's been so many years since he's been home!"

"Ha, I'm here, aren't I?" Mayor Vincent said with a smile. In fact, he was mainly looking at the "investment consultant", Charlie.

The mayor was taken aback by Charlie's long black dress, which looked like it came from the 18th century - because there was a fireplace in the room, her red fur coat was hanging on the coat rack.

This black dress would have looked old-fashioned even on my grandmother, but it's thanks to this woman's youthful beauty and elegance that she's able to pull it off so well.

Mayor Vincent first praised Charlie's beauty, and then fell into further thought.

Is this what young people and the fashion world call retro style?

Well, this kind of dress would only be common in big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia or Chicago.

And the investors from Chicago...

Mayor Vincent's misjudgment of Li Shanze's origins isn't surprising. After all, Li Shanze's license plate reads IL, meaning Illinois. Furthermore, Li Shanze is Asian, and Asians tend to live in large cities.

The big city in Illinois is naturally Chicago.

The mayor already had a plan in mind. After a brief greeting, he quickly turned the conversation to the "investor" Li Shanze.

"Out of courtesy, I would like to confirm one thing with you first, Ms. Butner. Regarding that 'Mr.' Li, he is a gentleman, so I can call him he instead of they, right?" Mayor Vincent asked Charlie.

The first question raised by the mayor was not about whether Li Shanze's identity as an "investor" was credible, his economic strength, or what investment projects he was in, but about personal pronouns.

This question stunned Charlie.

Miss Witch couldn't even understand the question.

(Note: The United States actually uses the imperial system of measurements, which the British have abandoned. In theory, five feet seven inches should be used here. However, for ease of understanding, this book still uses metric units when describing relatively important measurements such as height.)

020 Dispute

"What did you say?" Charlie asked, puzzled. "I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand your question."

New York, the Democratic Party's stronghold, the world's financial capital, and the true center of the empire, is significantly different from the countryside. One important difference is that personal pronouns must never be mistaken.

Therefore, out of courtesy and to prevent himself from accidentally offending the investor "from New York", Mayor Vincent cautiously and repeatedly confirmed with Charlie the "real gender" of Li Shanze, a biological male.

However, what Mayor Vincent didn't expect was that he had expressed the wrong feelings completely.

Not only were Li Shanze and Xia Li not from New York, the center of the empire, but they also knew nothing about this chaotic trend.

Li Shanze is a savage "cannibal" who even comes from another world.

Although Charlie lives in Cleveland, she is a witch who never leaves her house and is devoted to studying witchcraft, oblivious to what is happening outside the window.

As for the articles about "awakening" that often appeared in Cleveland newspapers - the witch lady who received a seventeenth and eighteenth-century education thought they were regularly serialized jokes - those articles brought a lot of entertainment to Charlie.

So much so that when Mayor Vincent was carefully telling a "joke", Charlie didn't even react to what Mayor Vincent was saying.

Seeing Charlie's confused look, Mayor Vincent thought it was a problem with his accent, so he quickly clarified.

"Oh, sorry, Ms. Butner, please forgive my Appalachian accent."

The mayor apologized politely, cleared his throat, and asked the question again.

"What I want to ask is, this Mr. Li, um, Mr. Li, does he identify himself as a gentleman? Should I call him 'he' or 'it' -"

Before Charlie could say anything, Sheriff Larry had lost his patience.

He strained his neck and roared, "Put away your damn Democratic Party tricks! Mr. Li is an honorable gentleman! Of course, he's the only one to address him as such!"

"Damn it, men are men and women are women!"

After venting loudly, Sheriff Larry looked refreshed. He turned to Charlie, looking at this woman who showed her disapproval of gender diversity - her gesture of not understanding certainly meant disapproval, and strong disapproval - and his expression became friendly.

"Oh, ever since he and his Democratic Party started advocating for gender diversity, he's turned his back on us villagers! No wonder he hasn't visited Nick and Martha's house in years!"

Sheriff Larry said sarcastically, not even bothering to maintain a superficial cordiality: "In our opinion, there are only two kinds of people: either go to a gynecologist or a urologist! The rest of the scum should all be sent to a mental hospital!"

Looking at Charlie's retro and conservative long dress, the Sheriff was full of admiration for the younger generation Charlie.

No wonder Nick (referring to Mr. Robert, Nick Robert) praised these two young people all the way! If all young people in the United States were like them, the United States could return to its good old days. Then the United States would be saved!

The sheriff admired Xia Li very much, and at the same time, he also felt some admiration and affection for Li Shanze, whom he had never met before.

Mayor Vincent seemed accustomed to the villagers' complaints. He waited until Sheriff Larry had vented his anger with a smile before slowly saying, "Hey, we need tolerance and diversity! America is a diverse country that embraces everything."

"But you can't even tolerate the Lord!" Sheriff Larry continued his accusations without hesitation. "You even invited a production crew from the city! This crew openly uses the banner of 'Hunting Gods'. This is blasphemy! Those lawless young people not only messed up the town, but also made my boys run around!"

"But they also bring in consumption and tax revenue and create jobs. Thanks to them, otherwise your guys would have their wages cut next year." Mayor Vincent still had a smile on his face and looked very kind, but his tone was unyielding.

When Sheriff Larry heard Mayor Vincent threaten to cut police officers' salaries, he snorted coldly and fell silent.

"Hey, we're all old-fashioned. We should listen to the young people's opinions on this matter. Right, right, you two?"

Seeing that Sheriff Larry had calmed down, Mayor Vincent decided to press on and looked at Charlie and Kate with a smile.

In Mayor Vincent's view, young, biological women are naturally supporters of the Democratic Party and diversity.

However, the female police officer did not give the mayor any face. She shook her head firmly and said, "No, God only created men and women and let them live in the Garden of Eden. God did not create transgender people or people with fluid personalities. This is blasphemy against God and the devil's instigation! Please forgive me, I cannot accept this."

Kate's tone was firm, and her eyes seemed to be spitting fire.

"Well said, Officer McKenzie!" Chief Larry cheered, his surprise evident. "You are surprisingly devout!"

"Yeah, I also think that men are men and women are women, and there shouldn't be any other genders." Charlie answered without hesitation.

Tsk tsk, it seems this investor isn't from Chicago...

Mayor Vincent realized that he had made a preconceived mistake.

In the eyes of the mayor, Ms. Charlie Butner's ideas were as conservative as the long dress she was wearing - as if it came from the 18th century.

"Look, young people nowadays have begun to see through the Democrats' nonsense about destroying the country! It's time to put an end to your absurd political propaganda!" Sheriff Larry was in a good mood and continued to mock Mayor Vincent, venting his dissatisfaction.

Mayor Vincent didn't take the ridicule seriously at all. In fact, after confirming the investors' conservative tendencies, Mayor Vincent even breathed a sigh of relief.

At least it's much easier to deal with these conservatives - even the Democratic mayor of Vincent, who has been a member for over 30 years, actually finds it difficult to accept the sudden emergence of 97 sexual minorities.

So the mayor got into work mode and started chatting with Miss Witch, actually trying to get a feel for the "Li's Science Investment Group" indirectly.

"Where are you from, Ms. Butner?"

Charlie glanced at Kate subconsciously before answering, "Oh, I'm from Cleveland."

Is Ohio that conservative now?

Mayor Vincent muttered to himself, then nodded with a smile: "Ah, Cleveland, it's an amazing city. Many young people in our town choose to go to Cleveland instead of Philadelphia to work hard, such as Robert and his wife's son -"

"Don't mention that brat!" Mr. Robert protested dissatisfiedly.

"Okay, okay. Then, let's change the subject. Where is Mr. Li from?" Taking advantage of Mr. Robert's angry protest, Mayor Vincent naturally changed the subject and shifted the topic to Li Shanze.

How do I know where he's from? Who knows which ogre tribe he's from?

The witch didn't know how to answer for a moment.

At this moment, she heard an almost imperceptible sound, the syllables were very vague, and she could tell that the voice came from the female police officer Kate.

021 Blueprint

Kate really knows I'm a witch! She's trying to tell me using a voice that only wizards with enhanced senses can hear!

Although Li Shanze had guessed it long ago, Kate's whispering this time, although unsuccessful, still confirmed his guess.

This was like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, causing Charlie, who was originally immersed in the relaxed atmosphere of business flattery, to suddenly calm down.

"Chicago, Mr. Li is from Chicago." Miss Witch replied.

After she calmed down, her mind raced, ignoring the answer Kate had given—in fact, Charlie hadn't heard clearly what it was—and she immediately thought of the most appropriate answer from Li Shanze's license plate.

This answer coincides with Mayor Vincent's guess - to be precise, both answers come from the same origin, the license plate number of the Ford Raptor.

At the same time, Kate Mackenzie nodded quietly to the mayor to confirm that what Charlie said was true.

But Kate's lips were tightly closed, her teeth were biting her lower lip tightly, and her middle finger and index finger were quietly crossed.

Humph, as long as this shameful and cunning ogre gives me even the slightest evidence of his crime, I will definitely arrest him!

Although she wanted to use the strategy of driving the tiger to devour the wolf, Kate still hated herself for having to cover for Li Shanze, so she swore in her heart.

Mayor Vincent didn't know all this. After getting the endorsement from the expressionless Kate, the mayor felt relieved. He nodded and felt relieved.

Seeing Charlie calm down quickly, Mayor Vincent praised her in his heart.

As soon as Ms. Butner mentioned her boss, she quickly transformed from an elegant and quiet young lady into a shrewd and capable investment consultant. It seemed that she was valued for her ability, not just for her beauty.

Under appreciation, even the old-fashioned and conservative evaluations were quietly replaced by elegance and grace.

With such a professional investment advisor, this boss must be a talented young man who knows how to appoint people to positions. It seems that the strength of this investment group should not be underestimated...

What's even better is that Ms. Butner has an old relationship with Robert and his wife, so she invited her boss to Fern Town to conduct a preliminary investigation before investing. This is a major advantage of Fern Town, and we must make good use of it!

Therefore, I must instruct Nick and Martha to take good care of their old friend and make sure not to let this investment go away!

An enterprise that can create hundreds of jobs is much more reliable than making a fortune by relying on internet celebrity variety shows.

Mayor Vincent quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind, considering the subsequent strategy and his blueprint.

As a mayor and a proud Fern man, Mayor Vincent would be furious every time he saw a poor and destitute person in town.

The dilapidated houses and the garbage piled on the lawns broke Mayor Vincent's heart.

He couldn't even connect this town, which was only barely covered with a bright surface and was almost dilapidated and left with only ashes, with the proud and happy hometown in his memory.

What Mayor Vincent finds most unacceptable are the children who were abandoned by their parents, had to wander between different foster families, and eventually had to drop out of Fern Town High School.

The spirit of these children did not remind him of the vibrant town of Fern at all, nor did they remind him of his energetic friends in his youth.

When they are forced to drop out of school, these children will be sent to alternative schools, and then at least 60% of them will be just one step away from prison.

Apart from having public service workers who work overtime for low salaries due to their love for their hometown make home visits, Mayor Vincent has no other way to do anything for them.

When did the town of Fern begin to be completely consumed by drugs?

Mayor Vincent had no time to think about this problem.

The mayor is unable to do much for the drug-addicted children or their parents because the town government's accounts are so tight.

You can drive to the next county to seek help at the Northwest Pennsylvania Behavioral Health Clinic, which has a drug addiction specialist, but Fern alone has a population of 8,000.

Of course, Vincent has a mature plan.

He plans to have every drug addict serve five years of probation, during which they must work and attend required meetings with a counselor.

By introducing and establishing a physical treatment facility in a small town, some practical treatment methods can enable early-stage drug addicts - especially children - to nip drug abuse and drug problems in the bud, rather than simply treating some symptoms as is currently the case.

Give Larry and his police department more money to combat drug trafficking.

Vincent has a lot of plans, but these plans are completely limited by one thing, that is, poverty. Now these plans are all like daydreams, Fern Town simply does not have extra income to do anything.

The mayor believes that his mission is to rebuild his hometown which is like ashes. To do this, he needs to introduce corporate investment. He must establish a decent foundation for revitalizing the town's economy, and he must do it as soon as possible.

For this reason, Mayor Vincent attaches great importance to Li Shanze's visit and regards this post-Christmas visit as an important opportunity to revitalize his hometown.

However, Mayor Vincent's perception of Li Shanze was far from the truth. He had no idea that an investor backed by the powerful and independent Officer Kate Mackenzie, a high-ranking police officer, was actually a con man on the run.

Perhaps Mayor Vincent's grand plan is bound to fail.

Mayor Vincent was still in high spirits. He earnestly asked his "investment consultant," Xia Li, "Excuse me, what projects does the Li Science Investment Group intend to invest in?"

How would I know this?

I can't answer about alchemy, folklore or witchcraft studies, right?

"Well, our group actually has many businesses and many possibilities. We need to examine them carefully." No matter how smart the witch was, she would be at a loss when faced with this kind of knowledge that she lacked, and could only try her best to perfunctorily answer.

Mayor Vincent was a little disappointed by the half-truthful answer, but he still played the favor card and tried hard to persuade them: "Can't you reveal a few directions, for Nick and Martha's sake?"

He also did not forget to wink at Robert and his wife, indicating that they should speak up for help.