Chapter 144: Bonuses and Activity Funds

After a crude treasure-chest opening animation reminiscent of a browser game, the system chest yielded two potions of strength and one potion of hemostasis.

At this moment, Roan’s system inventory contained 2 stamina potions, 2 antidotes, 2 hemostatic potions, 4 strength potions, 1 agility potion, 1 weakness potion, 1 sleep potion, 1 water-breathing potion, and 1 fire-resistance potion.

There had originally been nine stamina potions, but ever since he discovered that a small portion of the potion remains in his body permanently after consumption, Roan had developed the healthy habit of downing one every morning after breakfast.

Stamina potions: for physical fitness and multifaceted enhancement—they are worth having.

After placing the two new potions into his inventory, Roan was lazily preparing to watch the ongoing press conference to see what compliments the Deputy Director would heap upon the Special Investigations Unit 5 in front of the press.

Suddenly, Augustus pushed open the office door, his belly protruding as he walked into the unit with a wide grin.

"Roan!"

Augustus waved his hand and shouted, "Come to my office!"

"Okay."

Inside the team leader's office, Roan sat down. Augustus smiled and handed him a folder, getting straight to the point: "Congratulations, Roan. Your bonus has doubled again—and this time, it’s tripled."

Roan opened the folder and saw the notification stating that his $1,500 bonus had been tripled to $4,500. He grinned immediately. "Thank you, sir."

Watching the smile on Roan’s face, Augustus felt a wave of emotion. Although Augustus had worked in the Criminal Justice Division for years, this was his first time serving as the leader of the Special Investigations Unit 5.

Before this, he had a general understanding of FBI agents' salaries and bonuses. After all, the Criminal Justice Division frequently dealt with FBI personnel who committed crimes due to financial motives. Most ordinary FBI agents relied on their monthly base salary, and the frequency of receiving bonuses was directly tied to the number of cases they closed. Generally speaking, it wasn’t much.

When Unit 5 was first established, Lacey and Ryder hadn't even seen a single bonus. Yet, not only did Roan get a bonus every month, he even managed to get them tripled!

Furthermore, Augustus glanced down at another folder in his hand, which contained notifications for the monthly bonuses of the entire Unit 5 team. A smile spread across his dark face. This was a major reason why Augustus grew increasingly fond of Roan and why he granted him so much autonomy when solving cases.

Roan not only made money for himself; he led the entire team of agents to make money as well!

However, the bonus was only one reason for Augustus’s smile. The notification that truly made him feel excited and thrilled was another one.

Roan took the folder Augustus handed him and opened it curiously. It read: The operating budget for Special Investigations Unit 5 has been increased by one-third.

Seeing this, Roan’s eyes lit up. He looked up at Augustus and asked, "Sir, this is..."

"This is a notification just issued by the Special Agent in Charge." Augustus nodded, grinning so wide his back teeth were visible. "Corbett felt that our unit was understaffed and poorly equipped, so he specifically approved a new budget for us!"

Although that was the official reason, both men in the office knew immediately that this money was a reward from Corbett specifically because Roan had solved the bombing case so quickly.

Thinking of this, Augustus looked at Roan with increasing satisfaction and asked loudly, "Roan, do you think any of our equipment is too old and needs replacing?"

"Absolutely!" Roan nodded with a smile and replied, "The coffee machine and coffee beans next to the office area..."

He was tired of the bitter coffee every day and really didn't want to endure it anymore.

Augustus waved a hand: "Replace them!"

Roan’s eyes brightened, and he continued: "Our chairs..."

He had happened to see a very comfortable office chair a few days ago.

Augustus didn't even blink: "Replace them!"

Roan tilted his head and thought: "Our computers?"

The current computers in the unit were hand-me-downs from the previous generation of Unit 5. He didn't know if Mona and the others found them usable, but Roan felt that even watching a movie or video was incredibly laggy.

Augustus was silent for a moment, then gritted his teeth: "Replace them!"

After all, upgrading computers was for the sake of solving cases more efficiently. It was one thing not having the funds before, but now that they had the money, not upgrading would be hard to justify.

Roan thought carefully again, then his eyes suddenly lit up: "Our unit's SUVs?"

The SUVs in the parking lot downstairs were also leftovers from the previous team. While they didn't have any major defects, they had plenty of minor ones. Besides, Roan felt that when he drove them, they weren't fast enough—they couldn't reach the speeds he desired.

Hearing this, Augustus fell silent for a few seconds, then shouted: "Roan!"

"What is it, sir?"

"Get out!"

"..."

Seeing the twitch at the corner of Roan’s mouth, Augustus was also speechless. This money was only a one-third increase on the original budget, not a doubling of their funds.

Roan smiled, placed the folder back on the desk, and was just about to turn and leave the office to share the news with the rest of the unit when Augustus suddenly remembered something. He slapped his forehead and said, "Wait, Roan."

Roan turned back in confusion, and Augustus handed him another folder. "Remember that man, Ogden?"

"Of course." Roan nodded. Ogden was the bombing suspect with a $400,000 bounty on his head.

"He has been sent to court." Augustus said, handing over the folder. "The bounty has been cleared. $100,000 will be deposited into your account before you get off work tonight."

After all, Lacey was the one who discovered and captured Ogden, so she would naturally take the lion’s share. However, since the primary leads were discovered by Roan, he was entitled to $100,000.

"Thank you, sir." Roan’s lips curled upward as he held the folder. "I’ll let Lacey know."

Augustus nodded and waved his hand, signaling that Roan could leave.

Back at his desk, Roan began to calculate his recent earnings. First, a base salary of $3,000, then the tripled bonus of $4,500. Next was the $400,000 reward for solving the serial bank robbery case, followed by his first month’s salary as a security consultant of $12,000. Finally, there was the $1,000,000 bounty from the CIA case...

Counting it all up, it totaled a staggering $1,419,500.

Looking at the number in his account, Roan’s face was full of smiles. Without hesitation, after work, he drove his Chevrolet toward Wall Street.

It was roughly 2005, and Roan remembered that Apple’s stock price was only around $50 at the time. Thinking about how the stock price would surge to $705.05 after Apple launched the iPhone 5 in the future, Roan’s eyes gleamed with intensity.

*Ring-ring—*

Just then, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

Roan picked up the phone and frowned, as the number displayed was one he had never seen before.