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

Lin En smiled slightly, opened the car door and motioned her to get in: "You are my 'big case' today, why are you late?"

The two drove to a nearby cafe. Shortly after they ordered their coffee and sat down, a stylishly dressed, confident man suddenly approached Kate, smiling a bit too attentively. "Kate! What a coincidence! I didn't expect to see you here."

Kate raised her head, and the smile on her face froze instantly: "Bruce? Why are you here?"

"Of course it's for you," the man said without disguising anything, pulling out a chair next to Kate and sitting down. "I've been thinking about you lately, and since I happened to be free today, I came here to try my luck. I didn't expect to actually meet you!"

Lin En raised an eyebrow. He sat across from him, not saying anything, but his eyes grew a bit colder. He calmly sized up the familiar man.

Kate was obviously a little embarrassed. She tried to make her tone polite: "Bruce, I think you may have misunderstood. I have a friend today, so I'm afraid I can't accompany you."

Bruce completely ignored Kate's polite refusal and turned his attention directly to Lynn, giving what he thought was a friendly smile: "Who is this? Could this be your colleague?"

Lynn looked up and said in a cool but polite tone, "I'm Lynn Stacy, Kate's friend."

Bruce was slightly stunned, then smiled to himself: "Friends, that's okay. Kate and I have known each other for a long time, and I have always wanted to have the opportunity to get to know her better."

Kate was a little unhappy and was about to speak, but was interrupted by Lin En slowly: "Mr. Bruce, do you know Kate's occupation?"

Bruce obviously hadn't expected this question, but he replied nonchalantly, "Of course I know. She's a journalist, very talented."

Lin En nodded, her tone still calm. "In that case, you should understand that her time is very precious. Every minute and every second may be spent on digging out the truth. You are now occupying her only private time."

Bruce's smile froze for a moment, as if he didn't expect Lin En to be so direct, but he quickly regained his confidence: "Hey, friends, it's a rare opportunity to relax, it's good to chat more."

Kate finally couldn't help it. She put down her coffee cup and said in a colder tone, "Bruce, I think I've made it very clear. Today's arrangements have nothing to do with you. Please leave."

Bruce wanted to say something, but Lynn's eyes were already fixed on him. Her eyes were calm and sharp, as if silently telling him that if he continued to pester her, something even more unpleasant would happen.

Bruce finally gave in, stood up, and said with a wry smile, "Okay, Kate, I won't bother you anymore. But remember, you're always welcome to contact me."

After Bruce left, Kate rubbed her brows, with a hint of helplessness in her tone: "I'm so sorry, Lin, for letting you encounter this."

Lin En picked up the coffee, took a sip, and said calmly: "No need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. He just didn't know the limits."

Kate looked at Lynn and suddenly smiled: "Actually, you looked quite cool just now. Calm and reassuring."

Lin En put down the coffee cup, the corners of his mouth slightly raised: "This is one of the professional skills of the detective, to prevent unnecessary 'interference'."

The two smiled at each other, and there was a sense of relaxed tacit understanding in the air.

In the evening, Kate invited Lynn to her apartment. This was Lynn's first time stepping into Kate's private space. His eyes swept across the neat and warm living room, where bookshelves were filled with various books and the walls were hung with several news photos she had taken. Every detail revealed Kate's personal style.

"Sit down, don't be shy." Kate smiled, took off her coat and hung it on the hanger, then walked into the kitchen. "You're in for a treat today. I'm going to cook and fry the steak myself."

Lin En smiled slightly, sat on the sofa, and watched her busy figure: "Do you often cook for yourself?"

"Of course!" Kate raised her eyebrows, a hint of pride in her tone, "Although it's not often, my cooking skills are not bad."

Lin En nodded lightly and said nothing more, just leaning back on the sofa. From the kitchen came the sound of vegetables being cut and seasoning bottles colliding. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the tranquility of the moment.

However, less than ten minutes later, a burning smell suddenly wafted from the kitchen. Lynn opened her eyes abruptly, stood up and walked to the kitchen door, only to see Kate standing in front of the stove, frantically holding a spatula, constantly turning the steak in the pan, but one side of the steak had turned black.

"Oh, no!" Kate looked annoyed, and she felt even more embarrassed when she saw Lynn walk in. "Lyn, I...I think I over-fried it."

Lin En couldn't help but smile and walked over to her: "It seems that you need a little help."

"I clearly followed the tutorial!" Kate sighed and handed the spatula to Lin En. "Forget it, you do it. I give up."

Lin En took the spatula and lowered his head to check the situation in the pot. He quickly turned down the heat, removed the charred steak, and put another piece of meat back into the pot. Then, he took a few bottles of seasoning from the spice rack and expertly sprinkled the appropriate amount of salt and black pepper. At the same time, he greased the bottom of the pot with a piece of butter to ensure that the steak was evenly cooked.

Kate stood aside, watching Lin En's skillful movements, and couldn't help asking: "You look very experienced, I didn't expect you to have this skill."

While frying steak, Lin En chuckled softly and said, "Working in the FBI, I don't have time to eat out often. Sometimes after a mission, I go home and cook a simple dinner for myself, which is also a way to relax."

Kate held her chin and looked at him, a hint of admiration in her eyes: "It seems that I invited you to be my guest, but you ended up helping me cook. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be embarrassed." Lynn flipped the steak, making sure it was golden brown before placing it on a plate. He then mixed a simple mushroom sauce and poured it over it. "We can say we did this together."

Kate took the plate and looked at the perfect presentation, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes: "Cooperation? Well, then I'll just be responsible for making things more complicated, and you'll be responsible for making the finished product both beautiful and delicious."

Lin En put down the spatula, washed his hands, and turned to look at her: "If this is your 'troublemaking', then I'm happy to cooperate."

Kate smiled, brought the steak to the table, and invited Lynn to sit down with her. They raised their glasses and clinked them lightly.

"Cheers to this unexpectedly delicious dinner," Kate smiled.

"Cheers to friendship and cooperation." Lynn responded with a hint of warmth in his eyes.

After dinner, the two sat on the sofa. Kate held a glass of red wine and gently swirled the liquid in the glass. She looked at Lynn, her tone full of anticipation: "Lynn, I'm going to New York to attend a journalist conference tomorrow. Many well-known journalists will be there to discuss industry trends and share experiences. Do you want to come with me?"

Lin En raised his head and thought for a moment. "A press conference? Sounds good. However, I have to go back and check my work schedule first. If there aren't any important cases, I'll consider it."

Kate smiled and said cheerfully, "You're always so serious and demand too much of yourself. You should relax once in a while, change your environment, listen to other people's stories, maybe it will spark some new ideas."

Lynn nodded, but her tone remained rational. "That's a good suggestion, but you know the nature of my job. Unexpected events always take priority over plans." Kate took a sip of her wine and sighed. "That's true. The inspector's daily routine isn't as flexible as our reporters'. Anyway, I'm leaving early tomorrow morning. If you decide to go, you can contact me directly. I'll take you to meet some industry leaders, and maybe even give you some inspiration for your case."

Lin En smiled slightly and picked up the teacup. "Thank you for your invitation. In any case, I hope you can learn something new at the conference and win the limelight for Manhattan reporters."

Kate gently touched Lin En's cup and said with a smile: "Don't worry, I'm not just here to observe, I'm invited to share."

Lynn raised an eyebrow, a hint of approval in her tone: "It's really not simple, Kate. I hope your sharing will shock everyone."

Kate raised her eyebrows and smiled confidently, "Of course. Manhattan Chronicle reporters never disappoint."

The two continued chatting for a while, until the night grew darker. Lynn stood up to say goodbye, and Kate stood at the door, watching him leave with a hint of anticipation in her eyes. She didn't know if Lynn would show up at the conference, but she secretly hoped he would choose to put aside the burden of work and give her some breathing space.

The next morning, Lin En arrived at the office early as usual. Shortly after he sat down, the phone rang. It was the administrative director of the branch office.

"Detective, the New York FBI headquarters recently organized an advanced training program on interagency collaboration and new criminal investigation techniques. We've received an invitation, and the number of places is limited. Would you like to participate?"

Lin En held the phone, a smile unconsciously raised at the corner of his mouth: "When does the training start?"

"Headquarters has arranged a reception at 3 o'clock this afternoon. The meeting materials have also been sent to you." The supervisor explained.

Lin En nodded and said in a straightforward tone: "Okay, I will participate. Thank you for the notice."

After hanging up the phone, Lynn's mind flashed back to the press conference Kate had mentioned last night. This opportunity gave him a good reason to go to New York and accompany Kate.

Not long after, Lynn called Kate.

"Hello, Kate, it's me."

"Lynn?" Kate's voice was filled with surprise. "Why are you calling so early?"

"I just happened to have the opportunity to go to New York," Lynn explained in a relaxed tone. "There's a study program at headquarters starting this afternoon. I thought, since we're going to the same city, how about we go together?"

Kate on the other end of the phone was visibly stunned for a moment, then laughed: "Are you deliberately making excuses? But it's good, traveling together will save me from being bored alone."

"It's settled then." Lin En said with a smile, "I'll pick you up downstairs at your house in a while, remember not to be late."

"Don't worry, Inspector." Kate's tone was a hint of teasing, "Don't keep the reporters waiting for you."

At 11 a.m., Lin En drove his car and parked downstairs of Kate's apartment. Kate had already packed up, carrying a small suitcase and wearing a light-colored windbreaker, looking smart and elegant.

"You've got a good handle on the timing, Inspector," Kate said jokingly after getting in the car. "It seems the FBI's efficiency is still trustworthy."

"Of course." Lynn started the engine and looked ahead, "Just like a reporter's punctuality."

The two of them drove to New York, the atmosphere in the car relaxed and pleasant. They chatted about Kate's topic and the training program Lynn would be attending. Kate was clearly curious about the inner workings of the FBI, asking questions from time to time, which Lynn patiently answered.

A few hours later, the car drove into downtown New York City and Lynn took Kate to the venue of the press conference.

"Call me after this afternoon," Lynn said, a look of concern in her eyes. "If the time is right, I'll take you to try an authentic New York dinner."

Kate gave a playful smile and waved her hand: "Okay, Inspector, it depends on whether you have time."

Seeing Kate walk into the venue, Lynn felt a sense of relief.

Kate's meeting ended at 7pm. She walked out of the venue with a relaxed look on her face and saw Lynn waiting for her at the door with a cup of hot coffee in her hand.

"Inspector, you're so punctual." Kate took the coffee with a smile, obviously in a good mood. "The meeting ended smoothly. Everyone enjoyed my sharing."

"Of course." Lynn smiled slightly. "You're the ace reporter of the Manhattan Chronicle. Now that you've accomplished your mission, it's time to reward yourself with a nice meal."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "That sounds good, but I hope you won't disappoint me."

Lin En smiled and took her to the car, and the two of them soon arrived at a restaurant famous for its exquisite French cuisine. The soft lighting and quiet atmosphere here created a relaxing atmosphere just right.

They ordered a few signature dishes, accompanied by champagne, and the atmosphere at the table became increasingly relaxed and cheerful. Kate talked about interesting things in the meeting, and Lynn shared some of her experiences in the training. The two smiled at each other from time to time, as if everything was heading in the perfect direction.

However, just as the dessert was served, there was a sudden noise outside, accompanied by the sound of broken glass and screams, and people rushed into the restaurant through the windows, their faces full of horror.

"What happened?" Kate put down her knife and fork and asked with a frown.

Lin En stood up and quickly looked around: "Stay here and don't move. I'll go out and take a look."

He walked through the panicked crowd and out of the restaurant. On the street, he saw a mutant waving his hands. The surrounding streetlights and cars were overturned by a powerful aura, sparks flew from the wires, and the crowd fled in all directions.

The mutant roared, "Stop oppressing us! I want everyone to know that we mutants are also human beings, with dignity and rights!"

Lynn frowned and quickly pulled out his ID, motioning to passersby nearby to get out of the way. He then approached the mutant and said calmly and firmly, "I'm from the FBI. Calm down! No one wants to hurt you. If you have any questions, we can sit down and talk."

The mutant turned around and saw Lin En, a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, but his emotions clearly took over and he roared, "Talk? We've been talking for decades, and what's the result? We're still being excluded and discriminated against!"

"I understand your anger." Lin En slowly approached, his voice low, "But your current behavior will only make people more afraid of you, which will not solve the problem. Stop, let's find a better way." (End of this chapter)