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

Chapter 214: Caught him so quickly?

"I'm a reporter, Lynn." Kate spread her hands, a hint of helplessness in her tone. "This is my job. Besides, the shooting is over, the murderer has been subdued, and the scene is not dangerous."

"Maybe not, but you know what kind of people this kind of case would attract." Lin En's voice was low, with an undeniable coldness. "Reporters, onlookers, and even possible accomplices. This chaotic scene is far more complicated than you imagine."

Kate sighed helplessly, "Lynn, you know I can't not come. This is big news, and—"

"And you think it's your responsibility." Lynn interrupted her. There was no anger in her voice, only a calm exhaustion. "Kate, I know what you're thinking. But I'm here today, not to stop you, but to ensure your safety."

Kate looked at him, stunned for a moment, then the corners of her mouth rose slightly, "So, you came here for me?"

Lin En didn't answer, but just looked at her quietly. His eyes were deep, filled with some emotion that she couldn't fully understand.

Kate lowered her head and smiled. "Well, since you're here, I can't chase you away. But you have to promise me - don't interfere with my work."

"I won't interfere." Lin En's voice remained calm, but there was a hint of vigilance in his eyes. "But if there is any danger, I will take you away immediately."

Kate nodded and turned to walk towards the cordon, with Lin En following silently behind her. His steps were steady, and his eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings, like a beast ready to pounce on its prey at any time.

The area around the cordon was already crowded with reporters and onlookers. Kate skillfully raised her press card and negotiated with the police, and was quickly allowed to enter. Lynn stood not far away from her, quietly following her steps, as if she were just an accompanying colleague.

The scene in front of the school was depressing: several police cars were parked at the main entrance, several officers were talking in low voices, bullet holes were faintly visible on the school walls, and there were a few covered-up bloodstains on the ground. The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Kate took out a recorder and began to communicate with the police officer at the scene. "Could you please reveal the identity of the murderer? Why did he choose this place as his target?"

The officer glanced at her and spoke cautiously, "We're still investigating. The murderer is a former student of this school, twenty years old, who was recently expelled. The motive is unclear at this time, but it may be related to his recent mental state."

"How is the victim?" Kate asked, a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Three people have been confirmed dead, including a teacher and two students, and five others have been injured, one of whom is in critical condition."

Kate nodded and continued taking notes. Then she glanced towards the school gate and said softly, "Can I go in and take a look?"

"I'm afraid not. This is an investigation area." The officer shook his head. "If we have more information, we will notify the media."

Kate didn't continue to fight for it, but turned and left, joining other reporters near the cordon to collect information. She seemed calm, but the worry between her brows did not dissipate.

Lin En followed her the entire time, his eyes scanning everyone around him like a hawk. He rarely interrupted, simply paying attention to everything going on in his own way.

"Lynn, you really don't have to follow me." Kate stopped and looked at him, with a hint of helplessness in her tone, "I'm already used to dealing with this kind of situation."

"I know you can handle it," Lynn replied calmly, "but I'm not leaving."

Kate smiled helplessly and stopped trying to persuade them. They continued to circle the cordon. Kate interviewed some witnesses and parents, recording many details. As time passed, the police began to clear the scene, and the media's scope of activity was further reduced.

Just as Kate finished her last interview, a seemingly ordinary man squeezed through the crowd. He wore a plain black jacket and had an unremarkable face, but his movements seemed unnatural. His hands were in his pockets, and his eyes were wandering, yet he carried a strange nervousness.

Lin En's eyes locked onto him instantly. His intuition told him that this person was no ordinary bystander.

"Kate," Lynn whispered, a warning in her tone, "Stand behind me."

Kate was stunned for a moment and was about to ask what happened, but she saw Lin En quietly standing in front of her, staring at the man.

The man seemed to notice Lin's gaze, and the expression on his face became more unnatural. He suddenly took something out of his pocket - in an instant, Lin pulled out a gun.

"Stop!" Lin En shouted loudly, pointing the gun at the man.

The crowd screamed instantly and everyone fled in all directions. The man was so scared that he stood there and the thing in his hand fell to the ground - it was a folding knife.

The police quickly rushed over, pinned the man to the ground, and handcuffed him. Lynn slowly lowered his gun, his eyes still as sharp as a knife.

Kate stood aside, witnessing all this, her heart still beating fast. She looked at Lin En with mixed emotions in her eyes, "How did you know about him?"

"Intuition," Lin En replied coldly. He then turned to look at the man being taken away by the police and said in a low voice, "He's not a reporter here, nor is he an ordinary bystander. His actions gave it away."

Kate looked at Lin En, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes, but more of a complex and helpless look. She understood that Lin En's alertness saved her life, but it also made her realize that the world she lived in was more dangerous than she had imagined.

"Thank you, Lynn," she said softly, her tone sincere.

Lynn didn't respond, just looked at her and put the gun back on his waist.

As night fell, Kate and Lynn sat in silence in the car on their way back. Kate stared out the window, her mind racing, while Lynn drove intently, a hint of vigilance still lingering in her eyes.

"Lynn," Kate finally spoke, her voice low and soft, "Why are you always so protective of me?"

Lin En didn't answer immediately. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. After a few seconds, he spoke, "Because I know no one will protect you. And I'm here to make sure you're safe."

Kate looked at his profile, a faint smile on her lips, "You know what? You're not as cold as you act."

Lynn didn't respond, but simply stepped on the accelerator and the car drove into the Brooklyn night.

It was a Brooklyn afternoon, sunlight filtering through a thin layer of clouds onto the streets. Kate stood outside a cafe, her reporter's notebook in hand, looking over the clues she'd taken from her morning interviews. The streets were bustling with people and cars, but she remained focused on her work, seemingly oblivious to the clamor around her.

Lin En stood at an ice cream stand not far away, looking down at the flavors on the counter. The owner, a woman in her fifties, was slowly explaining her "secret recipe." Lin En's expression remained as cold as ice, but he tapped the counter lightly, indicating that he was going to choose a simple vanilla flavor.

At this moment, Kate's eyes suddenly shifted from her notebook. She had only subconsciously glanced at the street, but was deeply attracted by a figure in the distance.

It was him. Even if it was only for a moment, even if he wore a low-knit hat and a seemingly ordinary gray coat, Kate recognized him. The hurried yet alert gait of his feet, the slightly lowered head that kept glancing around... she couldn't mistake him. This was the description provided by the police that morning of one of the suspects in the shooting—a possible accomplice of the killer.

Kate's heartbeat quickened. Her journalistic instincts told her she had to follow this man. But at the same time, her rationality reminded her that this was a dangerous situation. But she didn't hesitate for long and ultimately chose the first response.

"Lynn!" She called out subconsciously, but Lynn obviously didn't hear her at the moment. He was still standing in front of the ice cream stand, lowering his head to take out change from his pocket.

Kate gritted her teeth and didn't wait for him. Instead, she picked up her bag and quickly chased in the direction the man had disappeared. She weaved through the crowd, trying to slow her pace to avoid being noticed. At the corner of the street, the man's back reappeared, and he quickly crossed the road, as if deliberately avoiding something.

"It's definitely him." Kate whispered to herself, her fingertips tightly gripping the bag strap, her eyes fixed on the target.

She knew her decision was not rational, but she also knew that this might be an opportunity to break the deadlock in the case.

At this time, Lin En was picking up the ice cream he had just bought from the ice cream stand. He turned around and was about to walk towards Kate, but found that the place where she was standing was empty.

His brows furrowed instantly, his eyes swept around, and soon caught sight of Kate's back - she was walking quickly towards the corner of the street, her movements hurried and focused.

Lin En's eyes suddenly became sharp. He dropped the ice cream in his hand and quickly followed.

Kate, what are you doing again?
Kate followed her target carefully, trying to hide herself in the crowd. She saw the man walk into a secluded alley, his movements becoming more nervous, and he looked back from time to time.

Kate stopped at the entrance of the alley, hesitated for a second, but finally stepped in.

The alley was dimly lit, and the air was filled with a damp, musty smell. The target's footsteps echoed clearly in the narrow alley, but soon, the sound stopped.

Kate held her breath, pressed her body against the wall beside her, and secretly peeked out.

The man stopped at the end of the alley, seemingly dialing a phone. His voice was low and hurried: "...I've left as planned...No, I won't go back...These reporters and police are watching...It's impossible to be safe..."

Kate tried to catch every word, but suddenly, a soft sound of footsteps came from behind her.

"Kate." Lynn's voice was low but cold, coming from behind her.

Kate was startled and turned around to see Lin En's stern face. His hand was on his waist, obviously holding a gun.

"What are you doing?" Lin En asked in a low voice, his eyes full of unquestionable questioning.

Kate was about to explain when she was interrupted by the target's action. The man had obviously noticed the movement and turned around suddenly, his eyes scanning the dim alley. The moment he saw Kate and Lynn, a flash of panic flashed in his eyes, and then he ran away.

"Bastard!" Lynn cursed under his breath, drew his gun and chased after him without hesitation.

"Lynn!" Kate called out, but Lynn had already disappeared down the alley.

Kate hesitated for a second, then followed.

The chase in the alley was like a battle. The target was clearly familiar with the area, nimbly weaving through the narrow passages, occasionally leaping onto walls or over obstacles. Lin En followed closely behind, his steps steady and swift, never letting the target lose ground.

"Stop!" Lin En shouted in a low voice, with a sense of oppression in his voice.

The man glanced back, a hint of cruelty flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly took out a knife from his pocket and threw it at Lin En.

The blade cut through the air, and Lin En quickly dodged to the side. The knife grazed his shoulder and left a cut on his coat. He did not stop, but instead approached the target even faster.

At this moment, the target suddenly climbed over a low wall, and Lynn followed closely behind and landed steadily.

The two rushed out of the alley and entered an abandoned factory area. It was empty and messy, filled with broken equipment and debris, making it a complicated chase scene.

Lynn's eyes were fixed on the target, but just as he was about to get close, the target suddenly pulled out a pistol from behind an abandoned box and pointed it at Lynn.

"Don't come over!" the man roared, his tone full of fear and despair.

Lynn stopped and raised his hands, his expression chillingly calm.

"Put down the gun." Lynn's voice was low and powerful, like an invisible oppression.

"Don't force me!" The target's hands were shaking, and he was obviously not good at using weapons. "I just want to leave! Don't force me to do anything stupid!"

Lynn's eyes were sharp as a knife, and he slowly took a step forward. "You've done something stupid. Now your only choice is to put down the gun and come with me."

The target's eyes were filled with fear, and his fingers were trembling on the trigger, but just as he hesitated, a clear sound of footsteps came from the side.

"Lynn!" Kate's voice sounded from not far away.

Lin En's eyes instantly became more fierce, and he shouted loudly: "Kate, don't come over here!"

The target was distracted by Kate's voice. Lynn seized this moment, acted quickly, rushed forward, snatched the opponent's gun with precise movements, and knocked him to the ground.

The target struggled on the ground, but Lynn grabbed his hands and locked him up with the handcuffs he carried.

Kate ran over to them, staring at the scene in amazement, "How...how did you catch him so quickly?"

Lynn stood up, pulled at his coat that had been torn by the knife, and gave Kate a cold look. "Because you shouted, I almost got shot."

(End of this chapter)