American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

Chapter 182 Protecting Stacy's Family

Lin En took the watch and examined it carefully. It was an ordinary watch, but the dial was engraved with a line of tiny letters, as if it were some special mark. He suddenly remembered something: "This is... the logo of the Carlos Chamber of Commerce!"

Upon hearing this, the subordinate's expression changed: "Carlos Chamber of Commerce? Could it be... they did it?"

Lin En didn't answer, but he already knew the answer. He stood up and scanned every corner of the warehouse, trying to find more clues about the Carlos Chamber of Commerce. However, the place seemed to have been thoroughly cleared, leaving nothing behind except the killer's body.

"Officer Lynn, what should we do next?" The subordinate looked at Lynn, his eyes filled with confusion and anxiety.

Lin En took a deep breath and tried to calm his emotions. "We can't just give up like this. Since the Carlos Chamber of Commerce dared to do this, they must have their own motives. We must continue to investigate and find out the truth behind them."

The night was as dark as ink, the hustle and bustle of the city gradually fading under the cover of darkness, leaving only the occasional roar of cars and the faint glow of distant lights. Lynn stood at the police station window, his gaze piercing the drizzling rain, his heart swirling with unspeakable anxiety. He had just received an anonymous call. The voice on the other end was deep and urgent, claiming that Stacey's family was facing unprecedented danger. Stacey, the adoptive father who had given him warmth and love during his childhood, had now become his deepest concern.

"We can't just sit back and do nothing." Lynn turned around and looked firmly at his busy men. "Jack, take your men and keep an eye on Stacy's house immediately. Report any signs of trouble to me immediately."

Jack raised his head, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "Boss, hasn't Stacy's house always been safe? Why suddenly..."

Lin En interrupted him, her tone filled with unquestionable determination: "Don't ask why, my intuition tells me that this matter is not simple. We must ensure their safety, no matter what happens."

Seeing this, Jack stopped asking questions and immediately nodded in agreement: "Yes, Boss. I'll arrange for someone to go there right away."

As Jack hurried away, Lynn's anxiety remained undimmed. He knew full well that the danger facing Stacy's family was likely connected to a case he was currently investigating. That major case, involving gangsters and drug smuggling, had already put him on the brink of death many times, and the Stacy family might well become a pawn in their revenge.

As the night deepened, the rain intensified. Lin En sat in his office, his eyes glued to the map on his desk, silently planning possible emergency plans. Suddenly, the ringing of the phone on his desk pierced the silence of the night. Lin En grabbed the phone and said, "Speak."

Jack's urgent voice came from the other end of the phone: "Boss, it's bad! There are suspicious people near Stacy's house, and they are approaching the house!"

Lin En's heart tightened, and he immediately stood up: "Don't act rashly, protect yourselves, I'll be right there!"

After hanging up the phone, Lin En quickly put on his coat, grabbed the pistol and spare magazine on the table, and strode out of the police station. In the rainy night, his figure was like a flash of lightning, quickly disappearing into the vast night.

When Lynn arrived at Stacy's house, he saw Jack and several of his men hiding in the bushes not far away, nervously observing the surroundings. Lynn approached them and whispered, "What's going on?"

Jack pointed to a black car not far away and said, "That car just stopped in front of Stacy's house. A few people got out of the car. They didn't look like good people."

Following Jack's finger, Linn saw the men wearing black windbreakers, hats, and masks, clearly intent on concealing their identities. His heart sank, and he immediately realized they were likely targeting Stacy's family.

"We can't just sit there and wait for death," Lynn whispered. "Jack, take two people and go around from the back, and I'll attract their attention from the front. Remember, you must ensure the safety of Stacy's family."

Jack nodded in agreement and quietly moved to the rear with his two men. Lynn took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, and strode towards Stacy's door.

As he approached the door, the men in black suddenly turned around and stared at him fiercely. Undeterred, Lin En walked straight up to them and flashed his police badge: "I'm a police officer. What are you doing here?"

The leader of the men in black sneered, "Police? We're waiting for our friends. What's it got to do with you?"

Lin En sneered in his heart. These people were obviously lying. He pretended to be ignorant. "Waiting for friends? It's so late, will your friends come here?"

The leader's eyes flashed, as if realizing something, and suddenly waved his hand to signal his men to attack. Lin En, already prepared, quickly stepped back, pulling out his pistol and pointing it at them: "Don't move! Or I'll shoot!"

However, these men in black were clearly not to be trifled with. They quickly drew their weapons and engaged Lynn in a standoff. At that moment, Jack and his men suddenly appeared from behind and launched a fierce attack on the men in black. A fierce gunfight broke out in the rainy night.

Lynn dodged bullets while looking for opportunities to shoot at the men in black. He knew he had to kill them quickly, otherwise the Stacy family would be in greater danger. However, these men in black were well-trained and agile, making it difficult to kill them quickly.

Just as the two sides were deadlocked, Lin En suddenly had an idea. He deliberately exposed a flaw, making the leader think he had an opportunity. The leader was fooled and rushed over. Lin En seized the opportunity to grab his arm and threw him to the ground. At the same time, he quickly pointed the gun at the leader's head: "Don't move! Or I will kill you!"

The leader was intimidated by Lin En's aura and dared not move. Seeing this, the other men in black also stopped what they were doing. Lin En took the opportunity to shout, "Drop your weapons! Or I will shoot!"

Under Lin En's intimidation, the men in black finally chose to surrender. They put down their weapons and squatted on the ground obediently.

The night was as dark as ink, the FBI building ablaze with lights, a stark contrast to the darkness outside. Lynn stood before the glass window of the interrogation room, his gaze stern as he gazed at the men in black undergoing interrogation. Each of these men in black had once been a phantom on the dark web, carrying out covert missions unknown to the public. Until last night, they had been apprehended by Lynn and his team.

"Boss, these people are very stubborn and refuse to say anything." Jack walked out of the interrogation room with a frustrated look on his face.

Lin En frowned, feeling helpless. He knew these men in black were just the tip of the iceberg; the real mastermind was still hiding in the shadows, at large. Their only clue was the missions these men in black had received from the dark web.

"Do they really not know the identity of their employer?" Lin En asked in a deep voice.

Jack nodded. "Yes, Boss. They all said they were just following instructions from the dark web. They've never met their employers, and they don't know who they are."

Lin En took a deep breath and turned his gaze to the men in black in the interrogation room. They lowered their heads and remained silent, seemingly unconcerned about their impending fate. Lin En knew that although these people were hateful, they were merely pawns manipulated by the mastermind behind the scenes.

"Reexamine the case and see if we can find any breakthrough." Lin En ordered.

However, as time went on, the interrogation yielded disappointing results. The man in black maintained a firm silence, refusing to reveal any information about his employer no matter how hard he tried. This put Lynn and his team in an unprecedented predicament.

"Boss, what should we do?" Jack looked at Lynn, anxiety flashing in his eyes.

Lin En was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "We can't give up like this. The dark web may be mysterious, but it's not invulnerable. We have to investigate from the source and find the publisher of these tasks."

Lin En's words were filled with determination, as if he was trying to encourage himself and his team. However, he knew that the complexity and secrecy of the dark web made this mission almost impossible. But even so, he couldn't just give up.

In the days that followed, Lin En and his team conducted an in-depth investigation. They tracked the online activities of the men in black, analyzed their transaction records, and even attempted to infiltrate the dark web to find clues about their employers. However, every effort seemed to fall on deaf ears, with no response.

"Boss, are we going in the wrong direction?" Jack looked at Lynn with confusion in his eyes.

Lin En shook his head, his eyes firm. "No, we're not wrong. The dark web may be elusive, but as long as we persevere, we will eventually find clues."

At this moment, an unexpected discovery gave Lin En and his team hope. They found a frequently appearing account in the transaction records of the men in black, and this account seemed to be related to multiple missions.

"Boss, look at this account." Jack pointed at the account information on the screen, his eyes flashing with excitement.

Lin En took a closer look and slammed his hand on the table. "That's it! Let's track this account. Maybe we can find clues to the employer!" The team immediately took action, conducting comprehensive monitoring and analysis of the account. After a period of effort, they finally discovered the true identity behind the account—a mysterious figure hidden deep within the dark web, known as "Shadow."

"Shadow?" Lin En looked at the information on the screen and felt a strong premonition in his heart. "This person is very likely the employer we are looking for."

However, when they tried to further track down the "Shadow", they found that he had disappeared without a trace, as if he had evaporated from the face of the earth. Lynn and the team were once again in trouble.

"Boss, what should we do?" Jack looked at Lynn, his eyes full of helplessness.

Lin En took a deep breath and then spoke slowly, "We can't give up like this. Shadow may be cunning, but he will eventually show his hand. We must continue to monitor the dark web and wait for him to reappear."

As time passed, Lin En and his team devoted almost all their energy to tracking Shadow. They worked tirelessly day and night, analyzing data, investigating clues, and even repeatedly infiltrating the dark web to conduct undercover operations. However, Shadow seemed to be aware of their presence and refused to show up.

"Boss, are we too persistent?" Jack looked at Lynn, his eyes flickering with fatigue. "Maybe we should change direction."

Lin En shook his head, his eyes firm. "No, we can't give up. Shadow is our only clue. Only by finding him can we uncover the truth."

Just when Lin En and his team were about to exhaust all their energy, an unexpected news came: someone posted a new mission on the dark web, and the publisher of this mission was Shadow!

"Boss, look!" Jack pointed at the mission information on the screen, his eyes flashing with excitement.

Lin En looked at the screen, a strong premonition welling up in his heart. He knew that this was their only chance and they had to seize it.

The team sprang into action, following the instructions in the mission information and arriving at a remote warehouse. It was empty, save for a desk and a computer. Lin En and the team quickly surrounded the warehouse, ready to await the Shadow's appearance.

Time ticked by, but there was no movement in the warehouse. Lin En and his team began to grow anxious, unsure if the shadow would actually appear. However, just then, the lights in the warehouse suddenly flickered on, and a figure in a black windbreaker slowly emerged.

"Shadow!" Lynn yelled, quickly pulling out a pistol and pointing it at him.

Shadow didn't seem surprised. He looked at Lin En with a smile and said, "Officer Lin En, we finally meet."

Lin En gripped his pistol tightly, his eyes stern. "Who are you? Why are you issuing those missions?"

Shadow smiled and then slowly said, "I'm just a middleman, responsible for connecting the employer and the task executor. As for who the employer is, I don't know."

Lin En frowned. "You're lying! You must know the employer's identity!"

Shadow shook his head. "Officer Lin, you're wrong. On the dark web, everyone is anonymous, and I'm no exception. I only know the content and requirements of the mission. As for who the employer is, I really don't know."

Lin En looked at Shadow, feeling a surge of helplessness in his heart. He knew that what Shadow said might be true. On the dark web, everyone was just a code name and a mask, their true identity always hidden behind the scenes.

"Then why did you issue those tasks?" Lynn asked again.

Shadow was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "Because someone is willing to pay, and I am just a tool to make money. On the dark web, there is no morality or justice, only profit and money."

As Lin En listened to Shadow's words, a surge of anger welled up in his heart. He knew that Shadow was merely a pawn of the mastermind, but his presence had only fueled the spread of evil. He had to eliminate this pawn to bring justice to the innocent victims.

"Shadow, you have committed an unforgivable crime." Lynn's voice was low and firm. "You must pay for your actions."

He pulled the trigger without hesitation. The gunshot rang out, and Shadow fell to the ground. However, Lin En felt no sense of relief. He knew that even though Shadow had been eliminated, the mastermind behind the incident was still lurking in the shadows, waiting for the next opportunity.

a few days later.

Sunlight filtered through sparse clouds, dappling the hospital corridor. Lin En stood at the door of the ward, holding a bouquet of flowers and a relaxed smile on his face. He had just returned from a stressful mission, but the fatigue he felt instantly dissipated upon hearing the news that his good friend Hans was about to be discharged.

"Hans, you are finally going to be discharged from the hospital!" Lynn pushed open the door of the ward, strode in, and placed the flowers on the bedside table.

Hans was sitting on the bed, his face pale, but his eyes gleamed with an unyielding light. He saw Lin En and smiled: "Lin En, you're here. Yes, I can finally leave this damn place."

Lin En pulled up a chair and sat down, looking at Hans with concern: "How is your recovery? What did the doctor say?"

Hans shrugged and said nonchalantly, "I'm fine, just still a little weak. The doctor said as long as I do a good job of follow-up rehabilitation, I'll be back to normal soon."

Lin En nodded, but he knew in his heart that Hans's injuries were far more serious than he had let on. During that mission, Hans had risked his life to protect him, and had been severely injured as a result. Lin En would always remember this friendship.

"Hans, I have a suggestion," Lynn said suddenly. "After you're discharged from the hospital, let's go to the fighting arena together. You need to recover your strength, and I want to practice fighting. What do you think?"

Hans was stunned for a moment, then a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes: "Fighting arena? What a great idea! I've been wanting to compete with you for a long time."

Lin En smiled. He knew Hans had always been passionate about fighting, and this proposal was exactly what he wanted. The two smiled at each other, as if they had returned to those passionate days when they fought side by side.

That afternoon, Lin En drove Hans to a fighting arena on the edge of the city. While the arena wasn't large, it was well-equipped and had a lively atmosphere. As soon as they entered, they could feel the strong aroma of male hormones.

"It's a nice place." Hans looked around, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Lynn, let's warm up first."

Lin En nodded, and the two began jogging and stretching in the venue to prepare for the next training. After the warm-up, they changed into professional fighting equipment and stood in the center of the fighting arena.

"Hans, are you ready?" Lynn looked at Hans with a hint of provocation in his eyes.

Hans grinned and said, "Of course. Come on, let me see if your strength has declined."

Before he could finish his words, the two men launched into a fierce attack and defense. Lin En's punches were powerful and fierce, while Hans's kicks were flexible and varied. They exchanged blows in the arena, the fight was difficult to determine.

"Lynn, your fists are still as hard as ever." Hans dodged a heavy punch from Linn and said with a smile.

Lin En smiled slightly: "You are not bad either. Your kicking skills are getting more and more powerful."

The two chatted as they played, seemingly transported back to their carefree training days. However, as the training progressed, Lin En gradually noticed that Hans's stamina seemed to be failing. His movements began to slow, and his breathing became rapid.

(End of this chapter)