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

"You look tired, Lynn," Kate said softly, her eyes full of concern. "Have you been pulling all-nighters again?"

"Almost." Lin En lowered his head and took a sip of coffee, his voice a little low. "This case is getting more and more complicated. Every step I take is like struggling in a quagmire. I don't know when I will see the light."

Kate stopped and turned to look at him. "You've done a great job, Lynn. You know what? The people you've rescued, and the families who've found hope, they all thank you. Even in the darkest times, you've been their light."

Lin En was slightly startled, then smiled. "You're always so encouraging. But I still feel like I haven't done enough. Whenever I see Allen's eyes, or look through the files of those missing persons, I feel like my efforts are insignificant."

Kate sighed and said slowly, "Lynn, you are a human being, not a machine. What you have achieved now is far beyond the reach of ordinary people. No one asked you to save the world, we just hope you don't overwhelm yourself."

Lin En was silent for a moment, then whispered, "You know what? Sometimes I really feel that I have too much responsibility. But I can't let go, because letting go means someone will be hurt."

Kate gently held his hand, her voice soft but firm: "You don't have to bear it all alone, Lynn. You still have me, Mark, and your team. We are all here for you."

Lynn raised her head and looked into her eyes. There was no doubt or pressure in those eyes, only a kind of trust and warmth that made people relax.

"Thank you, Kate." His voice was low and gentle. "I don't know if I could have made it this far without you."

Kate smiled slightly and jokingly said, "Since you are so grateful to me, then listen to me and learn to take proper rest, otherwise I will report you for overwork."

Lin En couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Well, today is just a short break. However, there will be a lot of work waiting for me next."

The two continued walking slowly along the park path, chatting about topics other than work. Kate mentioned a recent report she was writing about urban communities, and also touched on some lighter matters, such as Jamie's new hobby of collecting superhero comics.

"Jamie has been obsessed with Spider-Man lately. He's been trying to imitate him in front of me every day and says he wants to be a superhero too," Kate said with a laugh. "When I told him his current hero is Uncle Lynn, he actually blushed."

Lin En shook her head with a smile on her face. "He's a good kid with a heart of justice. Maybe one day, he can really become a superhero."

"With your guidance, he can definitely do it." Kate said, with a hint of expectation in her tone.

The sky gradually darkened, and the street lights began to light up. The soft light stretched the shadows of the two people very long. Lin En suddenly stopped and looked at Kate: "Kate, sometimes I really feel sorry for you."

Kate was stunned for a moment: "Why do you say that?"

"Because I dragged you into these dangers," Lynn whispered. "You could have been quietly doing your job as a reporter and living an ordinary life. But because of me, you became the target of the experimental organization and could be in danger at any time."

Kate patted his arm gently, her voice firm: "Lynn, I never regret facing these things with you. I am a reporter, and it is my mission to expose the truth. And, you should also know that I have never been the kind of person who would back down."

Lin En looked at her with a complicated expression: "I know. But I still worry."

Kate smiled and said in a relaxed tone, "Then protect me in your own way, Inspector. I trust you."

Lin En was silent for a while, and finally nodded: "I will."

The night breeze blew gently as the two continued their stroll along the path, chatting about topics that weren't particularly special but nonetheless felt heartwarming. Their relationship seemed to have quietly changed during this day's stroll. Their hearts grew closer, their understanding and dependence on each other grew stronger.

As they reached the park exit, Kate looked back at the quiet path and said softly, "Thank you, Lynn. Today is a rare moment of relaxation."

Lynn smiled slightly. "I should be the one thanking you, Kate. You taught me that no matter how busy I am, I should never forget the meaning of life."

They stood at the intersection and said goodbye. Kate waved and walked towards her car. Lynn stood there, watching her disappear around the corner, feeling a peace and contentment he had never felt before.

The experimental data that Lynn brought back to Manhattan was further decrypted by the technical department, and finally revealed some valuable information. A name on the list caught Lynn's attention: Eric Moore, a driver who had participated in the transportation of experimental materials.

Lynn immediately looked up Eric's address and background through the internal database and discovered that he had worked for a logistics company a few years ago, which was the main contractor for the transportation equipment of the "Daedalus" organization. Even more interesting, Eric suddenly resigned a year ago and his whereabouts have become unstable since then.

"This person may know everything we need." Lynn said to Mark, placing a brief file on the table. "His work experience is highly relevant to these experimental bases. We must find him."

"I can follow up." Mark took the file and looked at it carefully. "But will he be willing to cooperate? If he's too deeply involved, it might be difficult for him to speak up."

"We can only try," Lin En said, "If he really participated in the transportation, he must know some key information."

A few hours later, Lynn and Mark drove to Eric's current registered address, a small apartment building on the edge of Manhattan. The hallway was dim, and the air was filled with a stale, musty smell. They found Eric's door and knocked gently a few times.

There was a slight noise from the door, followed by a man's deep voice: "Who?"

"FBI, Detective Lynn." Lynn said bluntly, "We want to talk to you about your previous job."

The door was silent for a moment, then slowly opened. A haggard, middle-aged man stood at the doorway, his beard untidy and his eyes wary. His hands trembled slightly, clearly uneasy about Lynn and Mark's arrival.

"What do you want to ask?" Eric asked in a low voice, with resistance in his tone.

Lin En walked in and looked around the room. It was simple but clean. Several packed cartons were stacked in the corner, looking ready for a move. "You used to work for a logistics company, right?" Lin En said straight to the point. "That company handled a lot of shipping for experimental equipment. We're currently investigating where that equipment went and what it was used for."

Eric's expression changed instantly, his eyes wandered, as if he wanted to deny it, but in the end he didn't say anything.

Lynn continued, "We know you were involved in some of these transports. This isn't an accusation, but rather a plea for information. Believe me, Eric, if you don't cooperate, these people will find you and make sure you never get a chance to speak again."

These words seemed to hit Eric's soft spot. His body trembled slightly, and then he sat down weakly on the sofa, covering his face with his hands.

"I knew this day would come." His voice was low and hoarse. "Those guys... they're too dangerous. I quit to get away from it all."

"Then tell us the truth." Lynn's tone softened. "The more you know, the better we can protect you."

Eric was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "I did participate in a few transports. They asked me to transport equipment and some special cargo. Most of the time, we had no idea what these things were used for. But one time, I was assigned to deliver the cargo directly to a secret base they called 'Daedalus'."

Lynn and Mark looked at each other, and Mark quickly asked, "Where's Daedalus?"

Eric shook his head. "I don't know the exact address. The route they gave us was very complicated. We were asked to follow the navigation. We passed through several transfer stations along the way, and different people took over at each station."

Lin En patiently pressed the issue, "So, what's your impression of the surrounding environment? For example, the terrain, the climate, or any special buildings near the base?"

Eric frowned, trying to recall. "The base seems to be in a mountainous area. We drove a long way up the mountain road, and there were almost no people around. After entering the base, I saw some tall walls, a lot of surveillance equipment, and even a helicopter landing pad."

"What else?" Lynn continued to guide, "Did you hear them mention any place names or see any signs?"

Eric thought for a moment, his eyes suddenly brightening. "I once heard a security officer mention 'Black Rock Mountain.' I don't know if that's the name of the base, but we were definitely in the mountains at the time."

"Black Rock Mountain..." Lynn repeated in a low voice, then turned to Mark, "It sounds like a geographical landmark. We can check it on the map."

"One more thing," Eric continued, his voice tinged with fear. "They mentioned that 'Daedalus' is just one of the facilities. The true core of these experimental programs lies in more than one location. I don't know where the other bases are, but Daedalus is definitely their key node."

Lynn nodded and stood up. "Thank you, Eric. This means a lot to us."

Eric raised his head, a complex emotion in his eyes. “I don’t know if you can succeed, but if you can, please seek justice for those who were captured. Many of them… are truly innocent.”

"We will," Lynn said firmly.

After leaving the apartment, Lynn and Mark immediately returned to the office and began searching for information about Black Rock Mountain. They searched through geographic databases and maps and eventually found an area in the mountains about 200 miles from Manhattan that the locals called "Black Rock Mountain."

"This is an old mining area with almost no signs of development." Mark pointed at the map and said, "If the experimental organization wants to hide a secret base, this place is perfect."

"Then let's get moving." Lynn picked up her coat. "We can't waste any more time."

Although the road ahead was filled with dangers, Lin En knew that every step would bring them closer to the truth. Alan's face appeared in his mind, a silent encouragement that made him never back down.

Lynn and Mark drove out of Manhattan, following the route marked on the map, toward Black Rock Mountain. This mountainous region was dozens of miles from the nearest town, and the surrounding area was virtually uninhabited, save for desolate forests and scattered mining tunnels. The road became increasingly rugged, and the trees were so dense they almost blocked out the sunlight.

"This place is indeed a good place to hide a base." Mark said, looking out the window, "No ordinary person would come here casually, let alone go deep into the mountains."

Lin En gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "The more secretive they are, the more likely they are hiding something important. We have to be careful, this place is definitely heavily guarded."

They finally reached the area marked "Black Rock Mountain" on the map. The mountain range was steep and rugged, and the road was covered with gravel and weeds. Lynn parked the car in a secluded clearing and got out with Mark to check their equipment.

"Is the drone ready?" Lynn asked.

Mark nodded, pulled a portable drone out of its case, and connected it to the controller. "Ready. This is the latest model, equipped with a thermal camera and real-time transmission capabilities. It should help us find any heat activity."

After the drone took off, Lynn and Mark observed the surrounding terrain through the controller screen. The initial picture showed only dense woods and occasional cliffs, but when the drone passed over a steep mountain wall, they finally found some unusual signs.

"Look there," Mark said, pointing to an area on the screen. "The vegetation in that open space looks like someone has deliberately cleared it. Also, there are some hidden road marks here, like they were run over by vehicles."

"Keep zooming in and see if there are any more clues." Lin En urged.

The drone lowered its altitude, focusing its camera on the clearing. They could clearly see it was a secluded area hidden by trees, surrounded by a camouflage network, seemingly designed to block direct view from above. In one corner of the clearing, a structure resembling a metal gate was visible, with faint glimpses of cameras and other surveillance equipment.

"This is their entrance," Lin En whispered. "They hid their base in the mountains, and the entrance is very cleverly concealed. If it weren't for the drone, we might not have found it at all."

"The question is, how do we get in?" Mark asked. "The defenses here are obviously very tight. If we approach rashly, we might trigger the alarm."

Lin En frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "We have to find another entrance. Facilities like this usually have emergency exits or ventilation ducts. This may be our only chance to sneak in." (End of this chapter)