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

The forensic expert took the ring and examined it carefully with a magnifying glass. Then he looked up and said, "It's engraved with 'BW', which should be the initials of the Blackwood family. In addition, there are some small, almost invisible symbols, which may be their family crest."

Lin En pondered for a moment, then picked up the pocket watch again and pressed the switch on the side. The pocket watch clicked open, revealing the hands inside and a hidden compartment. He pulled out a folded piece of paper from the compartment and unfolded it to find a set of coordinates on it.

"Coordinates?" Kate leaned over to take a look, a hint of excitement flashing in her eyes. "Lynn, this might be the place where the Blackwood family buried their wealth or other secrets!"

Lin En frowned and looked at the note, then handed it to Mark: "Check the specific location of this coordinate to see if it is within the scope of the forest."

Mark nodded and quickly took the note to his computer to check. A few minutes later, he returned and said, "Inspector, these coordinates point to a clearing deep in the forest, less than a kilometer from the hunter's cabin. Satellite images show no buildings there, suggesting it's a deserted area."

Lin En nodded, his eyes becoming even more stern. "It seems this is far more than just a simple inheritance or rumor. Someone knows about the existence of these things and is very interested in them."

Kate said excitedly, "So, next we should go investigate that clearing, right? Maybe we can find more important clues!"

Lynn glanced at her, her tone still warning: "Kate, you can't act alone this time. If you want to go, you must come with us and obey our instructions."

Kate raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, I promise. I promise to follow you guys this time."

Lin En sighed softly but nodded. He knew Kate's persistence and that her curiosity had been thoroughly aroused. Now, he could only make sure she didn't cause any new trouble during her investigation.

Lynn turned to the other investigators: "Prepare a team and we will set off into the depths of the forest early tomorrow morning. Remember to bring the necessary equipment, especially metal detectors and surveying tools. I have a feeling that this matter is far from over." Several investigators nodded and left, leaving only Lynn, Kate and Mark in the room.

Kate leaned against the wall with her arms folded, smiling faintly, "Lynn, you have to admit that this story I dug up has great potential, right?"

Lin En glanced at her and couldn't help but smile: "It does have potential, but I hope it won't become a headache for all of us."

Kate raised her chin, her eyes flashing with excitement: "Don't worry, with you here, we can handle any trouble." Lynn shook her head and turned to leave, but a smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of her mouth.

The next morning, Lynn and the investigation team arrived at the forest entrance early. Kate and Mark also arrived on time. Kate was dressed in casual clothes, carrying a small camera bag, and her expression was both excited and nervous, while Mark was fully equipped, holding a portable metal detector.

"Are you ready?" Lynn glanced at the two of them and said in an unquestionable tone, "We won't stay long today, but we must complete the preliminary survey before sunset. Kate, you must stay with the team at all times and are not allowed to act on your own."

Kate rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement. "Got it, 'Inspector.' I promise I won't run around this time."

The team began to advance deeper into the forest, following the coordinates on the map. The trees grew taller and denser, blocking the sunlight through the dense branches and leaves. The air in the forest grew damp and chilly. Lin En walked at the front of the group, frequently glancing down at his map and GPS device.

"We're almost there," Mark said to everyone, turning back. The metal detector suddenly emitted a faint buzzing sound. "The metal reaction in this area is obviously stronger than before. There might be something buried underground."

Lin En waved his hand, signaling the team to stop. He looked around and found some strange traces scattered on the ground around him - like soil that had been turned over by someone, and a few patches of pressed grass.

"Someone has been here before," Lin En whispered, his eyes alert, "but I don't know how long ago it happened. Everyone, be careful and keep moving forward."

The team finally arrived at the coordinates, which were a seemingly ordinary open space surrounded by weeds and low shrubs. However, as Mark picked up the metal detector and slowly moved it across the ground, the buzzing sound became louder and louder.

"There's something here." Mark pointed to a relatively flat area on the ground and motioned for everyone to stop. "It's buried very deep, so it shouldn't be ordinary waste."

Lynn nodded and looked back at the investigator: "Start digging, but be careful not to damage anything inside."

Several investigators quickly pulled out their tools and carefully began digging. Kate stood nearby, recording the entire process with her camera, her eyes fixed on the progress. Her intuition told her that whatever was buried here must be related to the Blackwood family's secret.

Soon, the shovel struck something hard, making a resounding sound. The investigator paused and gently scraped away the surrounding dirt, revealing an iron box. The box was rusty, but its size and shape clearly showed it wasn't an ordinary container.

"This is what we're looking for." Lin En whispered, squatting down to carefully check the lock of the box. "Fortunately, the lock is not broken."

Kate couldn't help but take a step closer and asked excitedly, "What's inside? More documents? Jewelry? Or other secrets?"

Lin En glanced at her and didn't answer. Instead, he gestured for an investigator to carefully pry open the box with tools. When the lid was opened, everyone held their breath.

Inside the box were several heavy account books, a stack of old newspapers, and a small box filled with photos. Even more eye-catching was an ornately carved pistol, placed right above the account books, looking particularly out of place.

Mark whispered, "These books look like financial records, but why are they kept with a gun?"

Lynn flipped open one of the account books, his brow furrowed. "These are the Blackwood family's private accounts, recording some of their large transactions from their early years. However, there are several unusual flows of funds, large amounts, and no clear source or destination."

Kate picked up the stack of newspapers and quickly flipped through them, her eyes flashing with shock. "These papers are all related to an old case—a large-scale financial fraud case that occurred very close to the time of the Blackwood family's bankruptcy." Lynn's expression grew more serious. He slowly said, "If these accounts are related to that financial fraud case, then there may be a larger conspiracy behind the Blackwood family's bankruptcy."

Mark gently touched the pistol and whispered, "Maybe this gun is someone's last 'negotiation tool' in this conspiracy."

Lynn nodded, carefully placed the pistol back into the box, and closed the lid. "Take it back to the police station. These things need further analysis. Kate, this discovery is indeed important, but you can't interfere with what happens next. What's involved here may be more complicated than you think."

Although Kate was a little reluctant, she nodded and said, "Okay, I won't interfere. But Lin En, you have to promise me that you must tell me once there is any progress."

Lin En looked at her and sighed softly: "Okay, try your best." He knew that Kate's persistence would not fade easily, but he had to do everything he could to ensure her safety while uncovering this long-buried secret.

On the way back to the police station, the car was completely silent. Kate sat in the back seat, occasionally looking down at the photos in her camera, her eyes filled with curiosity and excitement. Lynn sat in the passenger seat, clutching the account book, her brow furrowed, as if she were already contemplating her next move.

"Lynn," Kate finally spoke up, "Who do you think the funds flowing through these ledgers point to? The Blackwood family was once very powerful. Whoever brought them down must be extraordinary."

Lin En closed the account book and glanced at her sideways. "Kate, we've only seen a few snippets so far, so we can't draw any conclusions. The flow of funds in the account book requires expert analysis, especially those unusually large transfers. If there's truly something fishy going on, we'll need time to confirm the authenticity of these records."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like I'm giving up my curiosity. But you know I won't give up easily, especially when I come across such an exciting story."

Lynn chuckled, but then her tone turned serious. "I understand your curiosity, but Kate, this may involve a wider range than we expected. Financial fraud, missing family wealth, hidden guns... Putting these things together means there may be unsolved connections behind the scenes."

Kate shrugged. "So, you need me to stay out of trouble, right?"

Lynn nodded, his tone softening. "At least for now. This isn't just news material; it's about a major crime that occurred decades ago and may have been covered up. If you intervene too soon, you could expose our actions and put yourself in danger."

Kate leaned back in her chair and sighed. "Okay, I'll follow your instructions, but you have to remember that I'm not the kind of person who will sit idly by forever."

After the convoy arrived at the police station, the account books, guns, and other items were quickly taken to the evidence room. Lynn immediately assembled a team of financial investigation experts to analyze the contents of the account books. He also contacted the archives department to retrieve records related to the Blackwood family bankruptcy and financial fraud case, hoping to find more clues.

A few hours later, the expert team returned with their preliminary analysis. Standing in the conference room, Lin En listened to an analyst's report: "Detective, there's definitely something wrong with these ledgers. Several fund flows are very similar to those in that financial fraud case, and the funds appear to have ultimately ended up in an offshore bank account."

Lin En frowned and asked, "Can the specific information of the offshore account be found?"

The analyst shook his head. "It's unclear at this point. These records are too old and have been disguised in multiple layers. But what is certain is that these funds are directly related to the Blackwood family's bankruptcy. It can even be said to be one of the main reasons for their downfall."

Lin En pondered for a moment, then asked, "Where's the gun? Any clues?"

Another forensic expert replied, "It's an early 20th-century pistol with the Blackwood family mark on it. Judging from the marks inside the barrel, it's been used, but it's been so long that we can't be sure of the specific circumstances."

Lynn nodded. "This means that someone not only took away the Blackwood family's wealth, but also may have forced them to surrender through threats of force or other means."

Mark asked from the side: "Lin En, could this be related to the people we just arrested? The people behind them may know the truth, so they hired people to dig up this evidence."

Lin En's eyes turned cold. "It's very possible, but they're stubborn and haven't revealed any valuable information yet. However, the existence of offshore accounts shows that this isn't just a local issue. We need to expand the scope of our investigation."

Kate stood outside the meeting room, watching the discussion inside through the glass window with a complicated look in her eyes. She knew that Lynn had not let her participate in this part in order to protect her, but her professional instinct told her that there was a shocking truth hidden behind this matter.

After the meeting, Lynn walked out of the room and saw Kate still waiting for him. He stopped and whispered, "Kate, I know you want to ask more, but now is not the time. This matter is bigger and more complicated than you imagined."

Kate crossed her arms and smiled slightly. "I don't intend for you to tell me all the details. I just hope you'll be careful. Lynn, this kind of case can easily touch upon people and things that shouldn't be touched."

Lin En nodded, his voice low and firm: "I will be careful. But you also have to promise me that you won't interfere for the time being. When there is something suitable for public disclosure, I will be the first to tell you."

Kate sighed and finally nodded: "Okay, I promise you. But if you need help, don't forget that I'm your reporter."

Lin En smiled slightly and said, "Of course I won't forget." Then he turned and left, continuing to devote himself to this bottomless investigation.

As night fell, Lin En's office remained brightly lit. His desk was piled high with copies of account books, old case files, and police analysis reports. A whiteboard was covered with lines connecting clues and points of doubt. He stared at the whiteboard, tapping his pen repeatedly on the table as he mentally reconstructed the case's details.

Mark knocked on the door and walked in, holding a new report. "Detective, we've found something. Although those suspects are very stubborn, there are several text messages on their phones that mention a name - Vincent Railton. This person seems to be their employer." (End of this chapter)