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

Chapter 203 Sudden appearance
Lin En opened the secret door, and the cool night breeze immediately rushed in. With a sharp gaze and a gun tightly gripped in his hand, he was the first to stick his head out to observe the situation outside.

The enemy's footsteps echoed above the house, like hunters searching for hidden prey.

At this moment, Lin En suddenly jumped up, opened the secret door, and dragged an enemy in.

Lin En pinned the attacker against the wall, the handcuffs snapping tight with such force that the man cried out in pain. His face was pressed against the cold wall, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, yet he still wore a mischievous and sinister smile.

"You seem as tough as ever, Lynn." The man's voice was hoarse and full of sarcasm. "But you haven't gotten any smarter, have you?"

Lin En ignored his provocation, but increased the strength of his hands and said coldly: "Don't talk nonsense. You brought people to my house and opened fire, not for idle chat, right? Tell me, who is behind you?"

The man chuckled, his voice hoarse and raspy. "Behind? What 'behind' do you think I need? Lin En, you really overestimate yourself. What happened today has nothing to do with the Holy Blood Alliance or the underground organization. I'm here for revenge, nothing more."

"Revenge?" Lin En narrowed his eyes, his gaze as sharp as a knife. "Do I know you?"

"Of course I know you." The man tilted his head, revealing a mouthful of bloodied teeth. "Three years ago, when my business was going smoothly on the streets of the Bronx, you sent me to jail and, in the process, destroyed everything I had. In prison, I thought about you every day, thinking about how to make you pay for it."

Lynn finally remembered this man. Eric Delgado, the leader of a medium-sized criminal gang that made its fortune through drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and extortion. In Lynn's raid, Delgado was not only arrested, but his entire organization was uprooted, even its most secretive funds were seized.

"Delgado." Lynn whispered the name, his tone calm, but his eyes were as cold as the frost on a winter night. "The first thing you did after you got out of prison was to cause trouble for me?"

"Of course," Delgado gritted his teeth. "You ruined my career, and I'm going to make you pay. This is just the beginning, Lynn. You made me lose everything, and now it's your turn."

"So, you brought a few men and a few guns and thought you could defeat me?" Lin En sneered, released his hand, and pushed him into the corner. "You really overestimate your abilities."

"This is just the appetizer." Delgado panted, his eyes filled with venom. "I'll let you know the price of offending me. Your family, your friends... everyone around you will suffer with you."

Lin En's eyes instantly turned cold. He clenched his fists, but he finally restrained himself. "Threatening me is a foolish thing to do, Delgado." His voice was low and chilling. "You want me to deal with you? I'll satisfy you."

He turned around, walked to a nearby table, picked up his phone, and dialed a number. "Hans, bring the guy back. Yes, I caught an old dog, Eric Delgado. Put him in a special FBI holding cell. He has a lot to confess."

When Delgado heard this, the smile on his face froze instantly. He tried to struggle, but Lin En coldly kicked him back into the corner.

"Do you think I'll give you another chance to fight back?" Lynn's voice seemed to come from the abyss. "I'm going to make you disappear completely this time, Delgado. You will be held responsible for everything that happens tonight."

Kate stood not far away, witnessing the entire interrogation. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of shock at Lynn's tough approach and a strange admiration for him. She had met many law enforcement officers and interviewed countless cases, but this was the first time she had seen an agent like Lynn—calm, decisive, and ruthless, yet also harboring a deep desire to protect.

"So," Kate finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly, "these people... aren't from the Holy Blood Alliance?"

"No." Lin En turned his head and looked at her. His tone was calm, but with a certain cold undertone. "He's just a loser who wants to take revenge on me."

"What about your house?" Kate's eyes swept over the devastation around her. The windows were broken and there were bullet holes on the walls.

"It doesn't matter." Lin En said coldly, "The house can be repaired, but people can't die. I'm lucky tonight."

Kate opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end she just sighed, "Your life is much more complicated than I thought."

"If this can make you give up approaching me, I would be happy to do so." Lynn responded coldly.

Kate bit her lip and hesitated for a moment before saying, "You know I won't give up, Lynn. The more you show me these dangers, the more I feel this is an important story. This is not just about you, it's also about the Holy Blood Alliance and the truth about the dangers hidden in the shadows."

Lynn stared at her, silent for a few seconds, and then whispered: “Kate, if you continue to delve into these things, you will regret it one day.”

"I won't." Kate looked him in the eyes, her tone firm. "Besides, you won't let these things continue, right? You're someone who's willing to fight to change it."

Lynn didn't respond. He turned and walked to the door, handing the handcuffed Delgado to Hans, who had just arrived. Kate stood there, looking at his back, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

Morning sunlight streamed through the blinds onto Kate's desk. She gently stroked her hands over the keyboard, finalizing the last paragraph with a long sigh. The title on the screen was eye-catching and captivating: "Dark Night in Brooklyn: The FBI Agent's Home Was Attacked, and the Truth Behind It Is Confused." Her writing was bold and nuanced, recounting the events of the attack while cleverly leaving enough suspense to keep you wanting to follow the story.

"Well done, Kate," she whispered to herself, then uploaded the file to the newspaper's system and hit the "Submit" button.

About half an hour later, her desk phone rang. It was Frank, the editor-in-chief.

"Kate." Frank's voice was low, but his excitement was unconcealed. "The manuscript you just submitted... is perfect! I've asked the typesetting department to put it on the front page tomorrow morning. It will definitely be the most important news of the week."

Kate smiled. "I'm just recording the truth, Frank. You know, these are the stories readers want to see."

"The truth is part of it, but the way you write it is key." Frank paused, as if trying to suppress his excitement. "But then again, this is top news, and it's exclusive. We have to give you a little reward. Your bonus has been approved and will be deposited into your account soon."

"Thank you, Frank." Kate's tone was modest, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise. At this moment, she felt a sense of professional satisfaction.

"However," Frank's voice suddenly turned serious, "Kate, do you know this report could cause trouble? You mentioned the Holy Blood Alliance, the attack, and Agent Lynn... These are incredibly sensitive topics."

"I know." Kate turned to look out the window, the sunlight falling on her golden hair. "But if we are afraid of trouble, who will pursue the truth?"

Frank chuckled. "I knew you were going to say that. Come on, Kate, keep up the momentum, but be careful. The people behind these stories don't want them to be told."

"I'll pay attention." Kate hung up the phone, leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.

In the evening, Kate's car stopped in front of an unassuming street bar. This was an intelligence exchange point she had learned from her informant, where all kinds of people gathered - from ordinary thugs to valuable informants, and there was always something to be found here.

Kate pushed open the door and walked in. The bar was dimly lit, and the air was thick with the smell of cheap alcohol and tobacco. Her eyes swept across the room, quickly locking onto a man sitting in the corner. He was wearing a gray hoodie, his face hidden in shadow, and he was holding a beer in his hand.

Kate walked over and sat down across from him.

"Kate Miller." The man raised his head, revealing a sharp-edged face with a hint of contemptuous smile on the corner of his mouth. "Long time no see."

"Roy." Kate smiled slightly and put her bag on the table. "I need some information." "You're always like this, getting straight to the point." Roy took a sip of beer, his eyes wary. "But you've been attracting attention lately. I heard you wrote an article about the Holy Blood Alliance?"

Kate wasn't frightened by his tone. She leaned back in her chair and said calmly and firmly, "You know, what I did was never a secret."

"This time, the situation is different." Roy put down his glass, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice. "Kate, do you know what kind of organization the Holy Blood Alliance is? Do you really understand what you're challenging?"

"I know they're part of an underground criminal network that's infiltrated into drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and those so-called 'rituals'." Kate looked directly at Roy with a firm gaze. "Moreover, they're conducting something even more dangerous, like experiments involving mutant genes."

Roy's expression instantly turned serious. He glanced down at the table, then looked back at her. "Where did you hear this?"

"I have my own sources." Kate didn't reveal more, but asked tentatively, "Do you know about these experiments?"

Roy hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I've heard some rumors. The Holy Blood Alliance has been experimenting with something recently, seemingly to enhance the abilities of ordinary people, but those experiments have almost all failed, and the side effects are terrible."

"Failed?" Kate frowned. "Are they experimenting on human lives?"

"Yes." Roy's voice dropped. "They grabbed people from the streets and slums and used them as test subjects. These people disappeared and never came back."

Kate's heart sank, and she clenched her fists. "Where do they do these experiments?"

"I don't know about that." Roy shook his head, "But I heard that some people who participated in the experiment escaped alive. If you can find them, you might be able to dig deeper."

"Where are those people?" Kate asked urgently.

"Rumor has it that there are several survivors hiding in an abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn's West Side." Roy's voice was still low. "But I have to warn you, Kate, these people are mentally unstable, and the Holy Blood Alliance won't let them live for long. If you go looking for them, be careful not to expose yourself."

Kate nodded, then took out a few bills from her bag and placed them on the table. "Thank you, Roy."

Roy grabbed the bills and gave a wry smile. "You're a smart man, Kate, but I hope you won't take too many risks this time. The people of the Holy Blood Alliance will not show mercy."

Kate stood up, a determined look in her eyes. "The truth always comes at a price, doesn't it?"

She turned and walked out of the bar, the cold night wind blowing on her face, but her steps did not hesitate at all.

Night fell over Brooklyn's West Side, its abandoned warehouses like silent tombstones, burying countless untold secrets. Kate stood outside one of them, her breathing quickening. A chilling wind seeped in through the cracks in the damaged walls, bringing a biting chill. The beam of her flashlight flickered in the darkness, illuminating the iron door before her, stained with rust and scratched with finger marks.

She knew in her heart that this was the place Roy mentioned, and that those who had been experimented on by the Holy Blood Alliance might be hiding there. But she also knew that this investigation was fraught with danger. If her identity was exposed, she might not even have the chance to leave.

Kate took a deep breath, gripped the small tape recorder tightly in both hands, and slipped it into the inner pocket of her windbreaker. She gently pushed open the iron door. The hinges creaked sharply, instantly setting her nerves on edge. She glanced around, making sure no one had noticed her intrusion, before cautiously stepping inside.

The warehouse interior was even more desolate than she'd imagined. Broken planks and rusted iron frames were scattered everywhere, and the air was filled with a musty smell, with a faint hint of blood. Her eyes swept over several wooden boxes stacked against the wall. The boxes were covered with blurry letters, seemingly shipping labels for some kind of medicine or equipment.

Just then, she heard a low cough coming from deep inside the warehouse.

Kate's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she held the flashlight tightly and slowly walked towards the direction of the sound. She tried to make her steps as light as possible, but the sound of each step on the gravel made her feel like beating a drum.

As she neared a corner, the beam of light illuminated a face—a thin man, hiding behind a pile of tattered mattresses. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes were bloodshot, and he exuded an air of desolation. He looked up at the sound of Kate's footsteps, his eyes filled with fear and hostility.

"Don't move!" the man suddenly growled, raised a rusty metal stick, and pointed it at Kate. "Who are you? Don't come near me!"

"Don't be afraid." Kate quickly raised her hands to indicate that she meant no harm. "I'm a reporter. I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to understand what happened to you and help you."

The man's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, but he still didn't lower his weapon. "Reporters? Bullshit reporters! You have no idea what's going on here! You can't save us at all!"

"I know what you've been through." Kate lowered her voice, trying to calm the other person. "The Blood Covenant experimented on you, right? I know they used some kind of drug... something related to mutant genes."

The man's eyes widened slightly, clearly touched by Kate's words. His hands trembled slightly, and the metal rod loosened its grip a little. "How...how do you know all this?"

"I'm investigating them." Kate took the opportunity to take a step closer, her voice becoming more sincere. "I know they use ordinary people as experimental subjects and use those drugs to transform you, but these experiments have huge side effects, right? Your body...your mind is in trouble, right?"

The man's face turned even paler and he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but at this moment, the door of the warehouse was suddenly kicked open with a loud noise.

"Found it! It's right here!" A rough voice came from outside, and then several fully armed men in black rushed in. They were holding automatic rifles and had stern eyes. They were obviously professionally trained mercenaries.

Kate's heart suddenly tightened, and she immediately dove for cover against the wall, trying to hold her breath. The thin man, trembling with fear, clutched the metal rod tightly.

"Damn it!" Kate cursed in her heart. It was obvious that these people were here to silence her, and she happened to run into the gun.

"The target is over there!" a mercenary shouted, raising his gun and pointing it at the man in the corner.

The man let out a desperate roar and rushed forward waving the metal stick in his hand, but before he got close, he was shot in the shoulder and fell heavily to the ground.

"Stop!" Kate couldn't help but shout, but her words only made the mercenaries turn their eyes to her.

"There's a woman!" One of the mercenaries sneered, "Catch her!"

Kate ran, the warehouse cramped, shelves and broken boxes her only cover. Bullets whizzed past her ears, hitting the metal shelves with a sharp thud. Her heart beat so fast it threatened to burst, but she knew stopping would mean death.

Just when she felt there was no way to escape, a muffled gunshot came from the other side of the warehouse, followed by a familiar voice: "Drop your weapons, or die."

Kate stopped abruptly and turned to see Lynn emerge from the shadows. He aimed his gun steadily at the nearest mercenary, his face grim and composed.

"You?" Kate was stunned. She didn't expect Lynn to appear suddenly.

(End of this chapter)