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

Chapter 204 The Real Breakthrough

Lin En didn't respond, but opened fire quickly, knocking two mercenaries to the ground. The remaining few immediately dispersed, trying to find cover and return fire, but Lin En's movements were as fast as lightning. He changed his position almost instantly and fired again, knocking down another mercenary.

The only sounds in the warehouse were footsteps and the mercenaries' breathing. Kate, hiding behind a shelf, was stunned. She knew Lynn was an excellent agent, but witnessing his skill and precision in person still left her speechless.

A few minutes later, the last mercenary was knocked down by Lin En. He slowly put away his gun and walked towards Kate with a cold look in his eyes.

"Why are you here?" Lynn's voice was low and full of dissatisfaction. "Are you crazy, Kate?"

"I..." Kate was speechless, then gritted her teeth, "I'm following the clues! This is the key point of the Holy Blood Alliance experiment, I have to come."

"You almost died." Lin En's tone was still cold, with a hint of anger in his eyes. "Do you know who these people are? They came to silence you. If I hadn't come, you would be one of their corpses now."

Kate lowered her head, feeling ashamed and unwilling. She knew Lin En was right, but she didn't want to admit that her reckless decision almost hurt herself.

Lin En sighed and turned to look at the thin man lying on the ground. He squatted down to check his injuries, then stood up. "He's still alive, but he needs to be taken to the hospital immediately."

"He's a survivor of the experiment." Kate said quickly, "He knows a lot of things, Linn. We can't let anything happen to him."

"I know." Lynn nodded, then looked at her, "But you need to leave here. Now."

"But--"

"No buts!" Lin En's tone was like a knife. "Kate, this is my battlefield, not yours. You want the truth, and I will give it to you, but only if you stay alive."

Kate was stunned. She had never seen Lin En so direct and cold before. Although she felt unwilling, she finally nodded.

Lynn parked the car in a parking lot on the edge of Brooklyn, surrounded by dim streetlights and deserted streets. He gripped the steering wheel with both hands, staring straight ahead, his face calm and serious. Kate, sitting in the passenger seat, remained silent the entire way, seemingly contemplating something, and Lynn could sense the repressed mood permeating the car.

"We have to talk, Kate." Lynn finally spoke, her voice calm but with a hint of authority that could not be refused, "You can't do this again."

Kate turned to look at him, a wry smile playing on her lips. "What is 'this kind of thing'? An investigation? An expose? Or an attempt to help you?"

"You're throwing yourself into danger." Lynn's gaze finally turned to her, and the cold look in his eyes made Kate feel like she was being X-rayed. "You have no idea what you're facing."

"I know more than you think." Kate replied stubbornly, her voice low but firm. "The Holy Blood Alliance is a dangerous organization. They are conducting inhuman experiments, and you knew all this, but you hid it. Lynn, the public has the right to know this!"

"The public's right to know is one thing, but your life is another." Lin En's tone darkened, suppressed anger evident in his words. "You almost died in that warehouse today! If I hadn't shown up, do you think you would still be standing here arguing with me?"

Kate was stung by this, but she didn't back down. Instead, she looked back at him coldly, "That's because I'm doing something you dare not do."

Lin En frowned slightly, "What am I afraid to do?"

"Yes." Kate straightened up, her tone sharper. "You knew about the Blood Alliance's experiments, you knew about their crimes, yet you chose to operate in the dark. You always said these things were too dangerous to be made public. But have you ever considered that if more people knew the truth, if the Blood Alliance's actions were exposed, their resources, supporters, and hidden strongholds would be forced out. What are you waiting for? Their next plan? More innocent people being captured as experimental subjects?"

"You simply don't understand." Lin En's voice lowered, but it was filled with a gritted hardness. "This isn't something that can be resolved solely through news and public opinion. The Holy Blood Alliance's tentacles extend too far, and the resources and technology they control are more complex than you imagine. Revealing the truth will only cause more people to suffer, and you..." He paused, his eyes revealing an unconcealable worry, "You will become their target."

Kate laughed, but that laugh was filled with dissatisfaction. "Perhaps, I can take the initiative to become a target."

Lin En was stunned for a moment, and his brows frowned even tighter. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I'm not talking nonsense." Kate's voice became calm and firm. "I have a suggestion. You want to capture key figures of the Holy Blood Alliance, right? But they're hiding so deeply that it's almost impossible to find their specific action plans or bases. Why not... use me as bait?"

"What?" Lin En's tone suddenly became higher, and there was a hint of astonishment and disbelief in his eyes.

"You heard right." Kate looked him straight in the eye, not shying away. "I'm a reporter. I can disclose some limited clues and draw the attention of the Holy Blood Alliance to me. They'll definitely think I know more and might even try to deal with me. And you—" She paused and pointed at Lynn, "You can use this opportunity to track down their people and catch them all in one fell swoop."

Lin En stared at her, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions—anger, shock, and a hint of helplessness. His fingers exerted a slight pressure on the steering wheel, his knuckles making an inaudible crackling sound.

"Impossible," he finally said coldly, "This plan is too crazy. You will get killed."

"No," Kate responded quickly, "You'll protect me, won't you?"

"Kate." Lynn took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger in her heart. "This isn't a game. If the Holy Blood Alliance really sets their sights on you, they won't let you live. Furthermore, they're not ordinary criminals. They act coldly and efficiently, without any hesitation. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

"That's why we need to break their disguise." Kate's voice was filled with urgency. "Lynn, don't you think we've been on the defensive? They're manipulating everything from the shadows, and we can only clean up the mess behind them. But if we make them lose their composure and reveal their flaws, we'll have a chance to fight back."

Lin En shook his head. "This is gambling your life on a chance. I won't allow this to happen."

"You can't control my decision." Kate's voice also turned cold. "I'm a journalist. I have the right to reveal the truth. If this means I have to take risks, that's my choice."

Lynn's fingers tapped on the steering wheel, his eyes becoming even colder. "You think this is a heroic act? This is reality, Kate. The reality is, the Holy Blood Alliance won't leave anyone alive. They won't just threaten or intimidate you, they'll kill you outright."

"Will you let them succeed?" Kate asked, her eyes fixed on Lynn. "I know this is dangerous, but it's the only effective way. We need a breakthrough, and I can be that breakthrough."

Lin En was silent, his jawline was tense, and his eyes were fixed on the front, as if he was thinking, or struggling.

"Lynn." Kate's voice softened slightly, but remained firm. "You know I'm right. You're fighting these people, and so am I. We both want the same thing, and that's to put an end to their crimes. If my plan can help you, then give me a chance."

Lin En finally turned his head to look at her. His eyes were still cold, but there was a complex emotion hidden deep inside. "You know, if this plan fails-"

"That's my responsibility," Kate interrupted without hesitation, "but if we succeed, we can save more people."

Lin En closed his eyes, as if he was suppressing some emotions in his heart with all his willpower. He knew Kate's plan was crazy and he knew he shouldn't accept it, but at the same time, he had to admit that this might be their only chance.

After a few seconds, he opened his eyes, his gaze becoming calm and resolute.

"Alright." His voice was low and hoarse, "But from now on, you have to listen to me and make no mistakes at any step. Otherwise, not only you, but I too will not be able to save you."

Kate smiled slightly, with a hint of relief and stubbornness in her eyes, "I'll listen to you."

The next day, the morning sun streamed in through the glass windows of the newspaper's high-rise building. Kate stood at her desk, clutching a freshly printed morning newspaper. The headline on the front page was eye-catching and glaring.

Her name, prominently displayed beneath the title, made her heart beat a little faster. Though she appeared calm on the outside, deep down she knew she had just stirred up a storm.

The article was carefully crafted, avoiding revealing excessive sensitive information or crossing the FBI's line, yet still revealing some of the crimes of the Holy Blood Coalition. She described the disappearance of civilians, suspected genetic experiments, and the dangerous organization behind them, leaving readers deeply shocked and unsettled. At the end of the article, she bluntly stated that she would continue to pursue the truth about the Holy Blood Coalition.

"Kate." A deep voice came from behind.

Kate turned around and saw editor-in-chief Frank standing at the door with a complicated expression on his face. He slowly walked in, also holding a newspaper in his hand.

"This article will cause a sensation," Frank said, his tone tinged with undisguised worry, "but it will also cause you a lot of trouble."

"I know." Kate nodded, her eyes firm. "But someone has to do it, Frank. If we keep silent, the truth will never be revealed."

Frank sighed and placed the newspaper on her desk. "Fine. You want to fight, but don't forget, war has a price. You better be prepared."

Kate nodded without saying anything. She watched Frank leave, her heart unwavering. She knew the article would touch a nerve with the Holy Blood Alliance, and that was part of her and Lynn's plan.

At the same time, dozens of kilometers away from the newspaper office, in a conference room hidden in a luxurious office building in Manhattan, the atmosphere was as cold as an ice cellar.

Several men and women in suits sat at a long conference table, their faces as gloomy as the sky before a storm. Before them lay a newspaper, the headlines on the front page piercing everyone's nerves.

"Kate Miller." The man sitting in the main seat spoke slowly. His voice was low and hoarse, as if it came from underground. "Has anyone heard of this name before?"

No one answered. The conference room was completely silent, with only the sound of gentle breathing echoing.

"How could a reporter dig up so much?" another middle-aged man finally spoke, his voice filled with anger. "That's impossible! Our actions have always been secretive, leaving no traces!"

"If there's no 'trace,' where did this report come from?" the woman sitting to the right asked coldly, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "Maybe there's a problem within us. Someone isn't doing what they're supposed to do."

"Enough." The man at the head table raised his hand, quelling the argument. His cold gaze swept over everyone present. "This woman has thrust the name of the Holy Blood Alliance into the spotlight. This is an unacceptable mistake. The question now is—how should we deal with her?"

"Kill her." A bald man sitting at the table said coldly, "Just do it and make her disappear. This is the simplest solution."

"Easy?" The woman sneered. "She's a public figure now. She just published an article like this, and many people are watching her. If she dies, all eyes will be on us. Do you want to give the FBI more excuses to interfere in our affairs?"

The bald man snorted and said nothing more.

"I don't agree with getting rid of her outright," an older man said slowly. His voice was steady, yet laced with cunning. "But we can silence her. Find her and make her realize that she knows too much, and that this knowledge will only destroy her."

"You mean threats?" the bald man snorted disdainfully. "Threats are useless against someone like that. She's a journalist and loves taking risks. Threats will only make her bolder."

"Then let her see with her own eyes what true fear is." The older man narrowed his eyes. "If she is not afraid of death, then make her afraid of living."

The conference room fell silent. Everyone was weighing the pros and cons, but the man at the head of the table remained silent. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, as if playing some silent melody.

"We can't act rashly," he finally said, his voice uncomfortably low. "She has supporters behind her. There are too many carefully crafted parts in this article, clearly not something she, a single reporter, could have accomplished alone. This means—" his gaze grew sharper, "her source of intelligence is likely from the FBI."

This silenced everyone. Everyone realized that if the FBI was really behind all this, then things were much more complicated than they had imagined.

"Find her." The man in the main seat said slowly, "Don't contact her directly, but investigate everything about her - friends, family, living habits, even what kind of coffee she drinks every day. We need intelligence to know where her weaknesses are. And then -"

His eyes swept over the crowd coldly, "Let her know that those who target us will not end well."

No one in the conference room spoke, only nodding silently. Their shadowy operation had been going on for years, and no one would allow a reporter's name to end their plans.

Hours later, Kate sat in her apartment, her nerves slightly frayed. Her laptop was open, displaying readers' comments on the article. Many applauded her courage, but she knew that behind this support lay a potentially deadly threat.

The doorbell rang suddenly.

Kate's heart skipped a beat. She slowly stood up and walked towards the door. She hesitated for a moment before carefully opening the door.

Lin En was standing outside the door. He was wearing a dark coat, his eyes calm, but with a hint of nervousness hidden within them.

"We need to talk," Lynn's voice was low.

"Come in." Kate opened the door and let him in.

Lynn walked into the living room, looked around to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary, and then closed the door.

"You did a very bold thing." He turned and looked at Kate deeply.

"You mean the article?" Kate raised an eyebrow, her tone slightly provocative. "Isn't this our plan? To attract the attention of the Holy Blood Alliance?"

"It's a plan, but you might have attracted more attention than we anticipated," Lin En said solemnly. "The leaders of the Holy Blood Alliance are meeting to discuss a plan to deal with you. They've made you their number one target."

Kate's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't flinch. "That means the plan worked, doesn't it?"

"You've successfully attracted their attention, but the price could be your life." Lin En took a step closer, his voice becoming even deeper. "From now on, your every move will be under their surveillance. They will test you, intimidate you, and even use the people around you against you. You must understand how dangerous your situation is."

Kate was silent for a moment, then raised her head and looked at Lynn with a firm gaze, "I understand. But I also understand that if I don't take this risk, there will never be a real breakthrough. Lynn, we both know that this is not just my battle, it's your battle too."

Lynn didn't respond, but just sighed deeply. He knew Kate was right, but he also knew there was no turning back.

"From now on, I will protect you in secret," Lin En finally said, his tone revealing a determination that would not be refused. "But remember, this is a game of cat and mouse. And we must make sure we are not the mouse."

Brooklyn was shrouded in silence at night, the city lights shimmering faintly through the mist. Outside Kate's apartment, a few cars occasionally passed by, but otherwise, the streets were deserted. An inexplicable sense of oppression hung in the air, as if the entire night was filled with the prospect of some danger.

(End of this chapter)