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

Chapter 197 Pressing forward step by step

"This place looks like some kind of abandoned place, but why is there someone guarding it?" Hans leaned against the car window, his eyes fixed on the warehouse door. He had counted four guards, all dressed in casual civilian clothes, but exuding a dangerous aura, especially the bulges around their waists, which clearly showed that they were hiding weapons.

"No one would guard a pile of scrap metal," Lin En replied, his voice low. He carefully observed the guards' movements through binoculars and noticed that they didn't seem to have a fixed patrol pattern, but rather a somewhat loose one. This looseness didn't come from laziness, but more like absolute confidence in the environment.

"Do you think the Holy Blood Alliance would hide their 'holy relic' in a place like this?" Hans said, chewing his gum with a hint of doubt. "Honestly, I think it's more like a drug trafficking site."

"Maybe, maybe not." Lynn put down the binoculars, reached for the pistol at his side, and skillfully checked the magazine. "But no matter what, we have to go in and take a look."

"You mean 'we'?" Hans raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Lynn, you know what I mean—I have no objection to running errands, but I don't want to get shot in this place."

Lin En glanced at him sideways, his eyes as cold as ice. "Stop talking nonsense. Move."

Hans muttered a few words, but still grabbed his weapon from the seat and followed Lynn out of the car. The two of them carefully moved along a narrow path outside the warehouse, trying to drown out the sound of the wind and the distant industrial noise. They walked around to the side of the warehouse, where a window was slightly open, and they could vaguely see the flickering lights inside.

Lin En pulled out a slender camera and poked it through the window. The screen immediately displayed a view of the warehouse interior. Several men were gathered around a shabby table, discussing something. On the table sat boxes filled with goods. However, from the camera's angle, the boxes' contents couldn't be clearly seen.

"They don't look like they're from the Holy Blood Alliance," Hans muttered, staring at the men on the screen. "They're dressed too casually. They don't have that... sense of ceremony that the Holy Blood Alliance has."

"It's certainly not the case." Lin En's tone was cautious, "But these goods may be our breakthrough."

Just as he was about to observe further, he suddenly heard the sound of a car engine in the distance. They both held their breath and turned their heads quietly. A few seconds later, a black SUV drove into the warehouse entrance and several people quickly got out.

Lin En's eyes instantly sharpened. This new group of people were completely different from the ones in the warehouse. They wore uniform black tactical uniforms, held rifles, and moved quickly and alertly. These were not ordinary thugs, but trained professional killers.

"This is interesting," Hans said softly, staring at the newcomers without blinking.

The newcomers entered the warehouse directly. A moment later, Lin En watched through the camera as a standoff ensued. The people inside the warehouse were clearly wary of the sudden intrusion of strangers, but instead of opening fire, they attempted to negotiate. However, the newcomers in black didn't waste any time, simply drawing their weapons and pointing them directly at the other party.

"This doesn't look like a deal," Hans whispered. "They're here to steal."

"Shut up." Lynn snapped, his attention completely focused on the screen.

Just as Lin En was observing carefully, the atmosphere inside the warehouse suddenly became tense—gunshots pierced the silent night! The man in black opened fire first, the bullet piercing the air and hitting the person at the table. Blood gushed out, instantly staining the ground red.

"Damn it!" Hans cursed. "They're fighting!"

Lin En didn't answer. He quickly put away the camera and gestured for Hans to follow. Taking advantage of the chaotic sounds of gunfire and screams in the warehouse, the two of them quickly slid along the wall to a side door. Lin En pulled a universal lock picking tool from his waist and opened the door in less than ten seconds.

The moment the door was pushed open, the sound of gunfire became clearer, the clink of bullet casings falling to the ground intertwined with people's shouts. Lynn and Hans quietly entered the warehouse, hiding behind a pile of scrap goods, and observed the situation inside.

The warehouse was in shambles. Most of the men guarding the goods were dead, leaving only two or three fighting back from behind cover. The men in black were well prepared, sweeping every corner with precision, pressing forward.

"Who are these people? They don't look like the Holy Blood Alliance." Hans whispered, and he gently used his fingers to push away a piece of wood that was blocking his view.

"Maybe a competitor." Lin En responded coldly, but his attention was not on these men in black, but on the goods on the table.

The crates had been overturned during the gunfight, and several items had fallen out—gleaming metal parts and pieces of strangely shaped stone carved with ancient symbols. This was no ordinary contraband, but something far more significant.

"We have to get those things." Lynn ordered in a low voice, his eyes cold.

"Are you crazy?" Hans lowered his voice to the lowest point, but his tone was full of disbelief. "Didn't you see what they were holding? Those weren't toys!"

"You can stay here." Lynn didn't argue with him any more. He pulled out his pistol and began to move quietly.

"Damn it, I hate your stubbornness!" Hans cursed, but still followed. He knew that if Lin En was allowed to take risks alone, he would definitely do something more extreme.

Lin's movements were swift and precise, as he chose a covert route, avoiding the center of the gunfight. His target was clear—those boxes. Although he didn't know what they were, his intuition told him that they were inextricably linked to the Holy Blood Alliance's plan.

As they approached their target, Lin En suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him. He immediately took cover, and Hans quickly scrambled closer to the wall. Seconds later, a man in black approached with steady steps, his rifle warily sweeping the surroundings.

Lin En was quick-witted and swift-handed. He waited for the man to get close, then struck him with a sharp knife, striking his throat with a precise blow. He then dragged him behind cover. The man in black struggled a few times before collapsing. Lin En quickly pulled out his rifle.

"What a violent art." Hans sneered in a low voice, but his eyes were full of admiration.

"Shut up and don't waste time." Lynn warned him and continued to move forward.

At this time, the gunshots gradually subsided, and the situation in the warehouse began to become clear - the men in black obviously had an absolute advantage. After the last guard of the warehouse was killed, the men in black began to clean up the battlefield and put the goods back into the boxes.

Lynn knew he didn't have much time. Just as the man in black approached the cargo, he decisively jumped out from behind the cover, aimed his rifle accurately at the nearest enemy, and pulled the trigger.

Gunfire rang out again! Lynn shot and killed the man in black closest to the cargo, then rolled to another bunker, avoiding the counterattack fire from the others. Hans also opened fire at this moment. Although his accuracy was not as good as Lynn's, his bullets successfully suppressed the enemy's actions.

"Hurry, get the goods!" Lynn shouted.

"You're asking me to die!" Hans complained as he rushed over. His movements were much faster than his words. He pounced on the boxes, lifted one of the boxes containing stones with all his strength, and then quickly retreated to the shelter.

"Go!" Lin En opened fire to provide cover while moving towards the warehouse exit.

The men in black were clearly thrown off balance by their sudden attack, but they quickly adjusted themselves, raining bullets down on the two men. Lynn and Hans dashed out of the warehouse at alarming speed, rushed back to the car, then quickly started the engine and drove away.

"What the hell did we steal?" Hans gasped in the car and raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

Lin En opened a corner of the box and looked at the stones emitting strange light and the metal devices engraved with symbols inside. His eyes became more solemn.

"I don't know," he said slowly, "but they're important enough that people would kill for them."

And just then.

A young man suddenly ran past them, and the familiar tattoo pattern on his body attracted their attention!
The neon lights of the bar hurt people's eyes in the night, and the smell of alcohol and tobacco wafted from the edge of the street. The young man who was following Lin En and Hans hurriedly walked, his shadow appearing and disappearing in the dim alley.

"Don't let him get away!" Hans shouted breathlessly, chasing after Lynn with his gun in hand. He could have complained, but this time, he knew time was too precious and there was no time for nonsense. The young man was obviously familiar with the area. He was like a nimble mouse, weaving in and out of the narrow alleys, knocking over trash cans from time to time, trying to create chaos and stop his pursuers. But Lynn was obviously not someone who could be easily shaken off. His steps were swift and his breathing was even, like some kind of predator staring at its prey. The lights in the alley flickered, and he could even hear the young man's panicked breathing.

"Turn the corner! Don't let him enter the alley!" Lynn shouted, his voice low and powerful.

Hans immediately understood what Linn meant. He made a small detour and quickly rushed out from another fork in the road, blocking the young man's escape route. The young man braked suddenly, almost hitting Hans, and then turned sharply to escape back to Linn. However, just as he turned around, a hand like an iron clamp had already grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him back.

"Alright, you've run enough?" Lin En pressed the young man against a stained wall, his tone as cold as a knife. The young man struggled, but it was clear that his strength was exhausted and he couldn't break free from Lin En's control.

"Let me go! I don't know what you are talking about!" The young man's voice was full of fear, but also a bit stubborn.

Hans came closer, panting and wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Oh, this is quite a sports meet. Boy, you run pretty fast, but you still have to tell us—what's with that Holy Blood Alliance tattoo on your body?"

"I don't know what you are talking about!" The young man continued to struggle, but to no avail. His back was pressed tightly by Lin En.

"Don't waste time." Lin En directly pulled open the young man's coat and ripped open the worn T-shirt from his shoulders. A dazzling red pattern came into view - it was the symbol of the Holy Blood Alliance, an exquisite dagger pattern surrounded by blood-dripping wings.

"You still say you don't know?" Hans reached out and poked the tattoo, deliberately applying force. "This isn't something you can just find at any tattoo shop."

"Listen! Listen!" the young man's voice trembled, obviously terrified. "This tattoo is fake! I'm not from the Holy Blood Alliance! I really am not!"

"Fake?" Lynn frowned, but he didn't loosen his grip. "Who would get a Blood Alliance tattoo just for fun? This isn't some motorcycle gang trick, kid."

"I'm just a delivery man! I don't even know what the Holy Blood Alliance is!" The young man was almost in tears. "Someone paid me to get this tattoo, saying it was to scare the street thugs and make them think I have backers. I really don't know what these tattoos mean! I'm just an errand boy!"

Hans scoffed, tilting his head to look at the young man. "Oh, that's a great story. The question is, why should we believe you?"

"You can check my record!" the young man was so anxious that he was incoherent. "I have no criminal record. I'm just an ordinary person! I've never even touched a gun! I don't know why you are targeting me... but I really have nothing to do with those crazy people!"

Lin En was silent for a few seconds, staring at the tattoo, his eyes as deep as an ancient well. His intuition told him that the young man before him did not seem to be a member of the Holy Blood Alliance. His grip loosened slightly, but his tone remained cold and hard: "Who asked you to get this tattoo?"

"I don't know his name!" The young man shook his head vigorously. "It was a guy wearing a hat. He paid me a few hundred dollars and asked me to go to an underground tattoo shop. He said that as long as I showed my tattoos, no one would dare to mess with me."

"Underground tattoo shop?" Hans frowned. "Address."

"In an old warehouse on Ninth Avenue. There's a red light on the door," the young man replied quickly. "But I swear, I haven't seen him many times. I don't even know his name!"

Lynn and Hans exchanged a glance. Lynn let go of the young man and pushed him aside, but his eyes remained sharp. "Listen, if you lie, we will find you soon, and then you won't have it easy."

The young man nodded repeatedly and raised his hands to indicate that he would not do anything rash. "I really didn't lie to you, God is your witness! I'm just an ordinary person. Please, don't let me get involved in this kind of thing!"

Lin En said nothing more. He straightened his coat and turned to walk towards the exit of the alley. Hans looked at the young man, shrugged, and quickly followed him.

The two returned to the car. Lin En sat in the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel, and pondered for a moment. Hans sat in the passenger seat and whistled softly, "So, do you think what that guy said is true?"

"He doesn't seem to be lying," Lin En said coldly. "He doesn't even know who we are, let alone anything about the Holy Blood Alliance. It's unlikely that he could pretend to be so convincing."

"So what should we do?" Hans unwrapped a piece of gum and put it in his mouth, leaning lazily against the back of his chair. "Should we just go to that tattoo parlor? I bet there's probably some dirty little secrets hidden there."

Lin En nodded, but his eyes remained alert. He started the car, and the headlights tore a crack in the shadows at the end of the alley. "If that place is really connected to the Holy Blood Alliance, we might be able to find some clues."

Hans raised an eyebrow, opened the glove box, and pulled out a spare pistol. "I hope this won't be another gunfight. I don't want a bullet to fly past my ear again."

Lynn ignored his complaints and the car quickly merged into the Manhattan night traffic.

Less than twenty minutes later, they arrived at the address the young man had mentioned. It was a dilapidated industrial area on Ninth Avenue, a row of low-rise warehouses that looked particularly desolate in the darkness. The only source of light was a rickety red light hanging on the doorway of one of the warehouses, emitting a dim glow.

"Looks like the right place," Hans muttered, his hand on the gun, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

Lin En got out of the car and walked briskly towards the warehouse. He stopped at the door and knocked on it with his hand, the sound short and strong.

A few seconds later, a middle-aged man who looked like a tattoo artist poked his head out from the crack of the door, a hint of impatience on his face. "It's closing time, and there's no appointment—"

Lin En raised his hand and flashed his ID, then said coldly, "FBI, open the door."

The man's expression changed immediately. He quickly opened the door, but positioned himself against the doorframe, trying to appear calm. "What's the problem, Agent?"

Lin En pushed him aside and walked in with Hans. Inside was a dimly lit room with tattoo designs hanging on the walls, various tattoo tools on the table, and several cans of dirty-looking ink.

"You gave a young man a tattoo of the Holy Blood Alliance." Lin En got straight to the point, his tone cold. "Who asked you to do this?"

Cold sweat immediately broke out on the man's face, and his eyes began to wander around the room. "I don't know what you are talking about... This, this place has many guests every day, I can't remember-"

"Don't talk nonsense." Hans raised his hand and pointed at his chest. "Lying will only make us more rude."

The man's expression changed several times before he finally sighed, "Well...someone paid me to do this. He didn't tell me the name, just that he wanted to scare people. It's just a business deal, I don't know the details!"

"What does that person look like?" Lin En pressed on.

"He was wearing a black hat and a black coat, and he was quite tall... He was very cautious and didn't let me look at him for too long."

Lin En's gaze did not relax, staring at the man intently, "What else did he say?"

"He said... he said this was just a warning, and the real trouble hadn't started yet. He also told me to shut up, otherwise—" The man didn't continue, but his eyes revealed everything.

"He's from the Holy Blood Alliance, right?" Lynn asked in a low voice, with a hint of danger in his tone.

(End of this chapter)