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

Chapter 219 Unquestionable Determination

The day's excursion was much more relaxing than Lynn had anticipated. The island's scenery was breathtaking, the waters crystal clear, and the sun shone on the beach, casting a golden glow. Kate seemed completely immersed in the holiday atmosphere, chatting with the local guide and snapping countless photos. Lynn, meanwhile, remained unassuming and calm, accompanying her like a silent guardian.

But even in this environment, Lynn's mind couldn't completely calm down. He occasionally thought of Lisa, her expression in the bar, and her request. He knew that if Kate ever learned the truth, she would be devastated. His current silence was only delaying the revelation of the truth.

"Lynn!" Kate's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Lin En came back to his senses and saw Kate standing by a reef. She waved to him, "Come here quickly, the scenery here is amazing!"

Lin En walked over and stood beside her, his eyes sweeping across the sea. Waves crashed against the rocks, splashing countless tiny drops of water, and the sunlight shone on the water, reflecting a dazzling light.

"Very good." Lynn murmured.

Kate looked at his profile, a smile on her lips. "You know what? I think you're actually very suitable for a place like this. Quiet, peaceful, away from those dangerous missions and complicated cases."

Lynn didn't answer, but just nodded slightly.

Kate sighed and looked out to sea again. "I wish every day could be as simple as today. No complicated relationships, no unsolvable problems. Just sunshine, sea, and... friends."

Her voice dropped, but her tone was strangely sincere.

Lynn turned his gaze to her and after a moment's silence, he whispered, "Simplicity isn't easy to come by."

Kate smiled softly, "Yeah, but that's why we should cherish it even more, right?"

Lin En didn't answer, but looked into her eyes. There was no hidden emotion in those eyes, only a kind of frank purity. At this moment, he suddenly felt that his choice might be right.

Hiding Lisa's affairs would at least allow Kate to have more of these "simple moments." As for what happened next, he would try his best to find a better solution.

"Kate," Lynn whispered, her tone soft and gentle. "Some things are better the simpler they are."

Kate turned to look at him, not seeming to fully understand what he meant, but nodded. "I think you're right, Lynn. Some things don't need to be complicated."

The two stood on the reef, their eyes cast towards the sea. The sun shone warmly on them, and the sea breeze blew gently, as if temporarily blowing away all the complicated emotions.

The hotel at night was still immersed in the lazy atmosphere of Hawaii. The soft lights cast a relaxing warmth throughout the corridors and halls. Kate and Lynn walked into the hotel lobby one after the other, concluding their day's island excursion. Kate had a smile on her face, occasionally humming an indeterminate tune, and it was clear that she was in a good mood.

"I have to go back to my room and take a shower, then come down to chat with Lisa." Kate glanced at Lynn and said in a relaxed tone, "This trip was really great today, Lynn. Thank God, you finally didn't look so tense."

Lynn simply nodded, his face still as calm as ever. He instinctively remained alert, but didn't say much. He knew Kate was in a good mood, and he didn't want to ruin this rare moment of relaxation.

Kate took the room card and went upstairs. Lynn paused in the lobby, ordered a cup of coffee, and sat quietly in a corner, his eyes occasionally glancing toward the elevator. He was still thinking about Lisa, those unresolved questions hanging over his mind like a shadow.

About twenty minutes later, faint voices could be heard from Kate's room, but they soon became sharper, tinged with a hint of nervousness and unease. Lynn's intuition told him something was wrong. He quickly stood up, walked to the elevator, and pressed the button. The moment the elevator door closed, his hand had already quietly pressed on the holster at his waist.

When Lynn walked to Kate's door, he heard the conversation inside the room.

"Lisa! What on earth is going on?" Kate's voice was filled with anxiety and anger. "How did you get these scars on your arms and legs? Don't tell me this was just an accident!"

Lin En frowned slightly, knowing that Kate had discovered something. The air in the room seemed to become stagnant because of this conversation. He stood outside the door, listening quietly.

"Kate, stop asking!" Lisa's voice was clearly flustered. She tried to hide her emotions, but the more she did so, the more powerless she seemed. "I'm fine. These... are just minor accidents. It's no big deal."

"Accident? Do you think I'll believe that?" Kate raised her voice, her tone filled with a determination that was impossible to ignore. "Lisa, I'm your friend, and I know you're hiding something from me. If you don't tell me the truth, I won't let you go!"

The room fell silent for a moment, and then there was the sound of a chair being dragged, as if Lisa had sat down. Her voice became low and tired, "Kate, I really don't want you to get involved. This is my business, and I can handle it myself."

Kate's voice was still firm, but with a hint of sob. "Your business? Lisa, you're covered in wounds and pale as a ghost. You tell me you can handle it? Don't lie to me! You're destroying yourself!"

Hearing this, Lynn felt the need to intervene. He pushed open the door, and Kate turned her head sharply. When she saw Lynn, she was stunned for a moment, but quickly turned her gaze back to Lisa, "Lynn, you're here just in time. Please help me ask her what's going on."

Lisa looked up at Lynn, a complex expression flashing across her face, one of shame and panic. She bit her lip, her tone filled with resistance, "Lynn...you know this too, right? Don't let Kate know, please."

Kate's eyes moved back and forth between the two of them. She soon realized something and her tone suddenly became more nervous. "Lynn! What do you know? Did she just say you knew?"

Lin En stood at the door, silent for a moment, then walked into the room, his eyes calmly falling on Lisa. His tone was low and powerful, without any extra emotion, "Lisa, if you continue to hide it, it will only make things worse. Tell Kate now, otherwise you will lose her trust." Lisa's eyes instantly reddened, she lowered her head, her hands tightly grasping the corners of her clothes, as if trying to control her emotions. But in the end, she sighed deeply, her voice so low that it was almost inaudible, "Kate, I... I owe some people money, a large sum of money. Those people are not ordinary debt collectors, they... they are very dangerous."

Kate's eyes widened, and the anger on her face was instantly replaced by shock. "Debt? Why are you in debt? Lisa, you never mentioned this to me!"

"Because I don't want you to worry!" Lisa raised her head, her voice trembling. "I know you'll be like this, Kate. I don't want you to get involved. Those people... they're thugs, gangsters. If I can't pay them back, they'll come after me. They've already come after me many times... These injuries are their 'reminders'."

Kate's face turned pale in an instant. She walked up to Lisa and tried to grab her hand, but Lisa subconsciously shrank back, as if she didn't dare to meet her gaze.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kate whispered, a hint of suppressed pain in her tone. "Lisa, you're my best friend. Do you think I would just stand by and watch something like this happen?"

"It's because you're my best friend that I don't want you to know!" Lisa's tears finally fell, and her voice choked. "Kate, your life is so good. You're a journalist and have your own goals and dreams. And I...my life is a mess. I don't want to drag you down."

Kate's eyes were red. She reached out and hugged Lisa, her tone as firm as a stone. "Lisa, no matter what you think, I will not let you face these things alone. We will solve it. No matter who those people are, they can't do this to you."

Lisa trembled slightly in Kate's arms, but said nothing.

Lin En stood aside, his gaze still calm, but with a hint of complex emotion. He knew Kate's character; she wouldn't just let it go, but this matter was far more dangerous than she imagined. If Lisa's debt was truly connected to the mafia, then things would be far from simple.

"Kate." Lynn's voice broke the silence in the room. He walked up to the two of them, his eyes flicking between Kate and Lisa. "This matter can't be solved by the two of you. If you try to contact those people directly, it will only make things worse."

Kate looked up at him, a hint of pleading in her eyes, "So what should we do, Lynn? We can't just do nothing, right?"

Lynn thought for a moment, then nodded. "I'll take care of it. But Kate, you have to listen to me. I need all the details—how much Lisa owes, to whom, and the other party's background."

Lisa lowered her head, hesitated for a moment, and finally whispered, "They're a local underground organization called the 'Cavanagh Group.' I owe them $25,000... because..." She gritted her teeth, "because of a previous investment that went wrong. I thought I could turn things around, but in the end, I got deeper and deeper into trouble."

Lin En's eyes darkened. He knew that this was far more complicated than it appeared on the surface. But at this moment, he had only one goal - to protect Kate and Lisa and prevent them from being swallowed by these dangers.

"I'll find out." Lynn's tone was as calm as a rock. "But from now on, Kate, you must follow my instructions. You can't act rashly, understand?"

Kate looked at him and nodded, but her gaze remained firm. "I'll listen to you, Lynn, but no matter what, I won't let Lisa face this alone."

Lynn didn't say anything else, he just nodded, then turned and left the room.

Even as the night deepened, the streets of Hawaii were still thick with the aroma of alcohol and the sounds of laughter. The lights of Bar Street shone brightly, and the colorful neon signs danced like musical notes on the wet ground. Behind each door, a different story unfolded: some toasted in celebration, others solitary, their heads bowed in sorrow. Kate and Lynn walked side by side down the street, their atmosphere at odds with the surrounding bustle.

Kate's expression was stern, her eyes filled with an unshakable determination. Lin En remained calm, though his steps were a bit heavier. He knew that tonight's operation would not be easy.

"Lynn, why didn't you tell me earlier?" Kate's voice suddenly broke the silence. She didn't stop, her eyes fixed on the front, but there was a hint of complaint in her tone.

Lynn glanced at her sideways, her tone calm, yet with a rationality that couldn't be ignored, "Because she doesn't want you to know. Lisa asked me to, she doesn't want you to get involved."

"But I'm her best friend!" Kate's voice rose slightly, and she paused. She turned to look at Lynn, her tone filled with pain. "She thinks she can handle these things on her own, but she can't. If you hadn't told me, how long would she have kept it a secret from me?"

"That's why I told you." Lynn's eyes, sharp as a hawk, fell on Kate's face. His tone was low but persuasive. "But Kate, you must understand that your involvement is likely to make things more complicated. You are too emotional. This kind of thing requires calmness."

Kate's lips were pressed into a straight line, clearly trying to suppress her emotions. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and then said in a slightly slower tone, "Okay, maybe you're right. But no matter what, I can't just watch her suffer like this. She's my friend, and I have a responsibility to help her."

Lin En didn't say anything else, just nodded. He knew Kate's character and there was no way he could persuade her to give up. He also knew that the dangers behind this matter were far beyond Kate's imagination.

They soon arrived at their destination bar. It was an unassuming place, even looking a bit shabby from the outside, but the neon sign at the door was still bright, and the sound of music and the noise of the crowd could be faintly heard from inside. Kate stood at the door, took a deep breath, and then turned to look at Lynn.

"Let's go in." She whispered, her tone revealing an unquestionable firmness.

Lynn nodded and pushed open the door of the bar.

The bar was filled with smoke and dim lights, the air thick with the smell of cheap alcohol and the clamor of chatter. Lynn's eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, memorizing every exit and suspicious figure. His intuition told him that this place wasn't as simple as it seemed.

Kate immediately spotted the owner standing behind the bar. He was a middle-aged man wearing a wrinkled shirt, with a shrewd yet impatient expression on his face. He was polishing a glass with his head down, occasionally glancing up at the customers, seemingly wary of everyone.

Kate walked straight to the bar and said in a cold tone, "We need to talk to you."

(End of this chapter)