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

Lin En frowned slightly. "Such a cold-blooded method, the murderer's goal is some kind of 'cleansing' rather than simple killing. These people are obviously not ordinary gamblers, they may be involved in some more complex underground transactions."

Mark led Lynn into the alley behind the casino. Compared to the bustling main street, it was much quieter, with few people passing by. The streetlights were dim, the ground was littered with scraps of paper and cigarette butts, and the air was filled with a musty smell. Lynn walked to the spot where the victim's body was found and saw police investigation markers and scattered items around.

"What clues did the police find?" Lynn asked in a low voice.

"The victim's name was Jack Harris, a gambler with a history of multiple criminal offenses. Preliminary investigations suggest he had contact with gangs behind the casino and was even suspected of participating in illegal gambling." Mark flipped open his notebook and continued, "However, the police haven't found any definitive evidence, and the killer's whereabouts haven't been confirmed."

Lin En squatted down and carefully examined the ground. His eyes swept across the ground and saw a tiny mark. It was a drop of fresh blood, which was obviously out of place with the surrounding environment. Lin En reached out and touched it. The blood seemed to have just flowed and was still wet.

"What does this mean?" Mark asked puzzled.

Lin En didn't answer immediately, but continued to examine the ground. He found an extremely subtle mark next to the bloodstain—the trace of a high-heeled shoe. Although it was blurry, it was recognizable as a woman's shoe. A hint of doubt flashed in Lin En's eyes: "The murderer was a woman?"

Mark frowned. "This situation is a bit strange. Women don't usually participate in such brutal killings. Also, judging by the bloodstains, the murderer didn't rush to escape. He seemed very confident in his actions."

"We can't draw conclusions based on just this one clue." Lin En stood up and looked around. "But this is indeed an important clue. Perhaps we need to start from within the casino and investigate everyone who has contact with these gamblers, especially those who may be involved in underground gambling."

Over the next few days, Lynn and Mark's investigation in Las Vegas deepened. They contacted casino managers and questioned people who had contact with the victim. Meanwhile, Lynn continued to search for details that might have been overlooked. Although the killer's whereabouts were secretive, every clue could lead them to the truth.

Meanwhile, Kate was also providing Lynn with more background information remotely through her news channels. She found some intelligence about the Las Vegas underground gangs, which mentioned some illegal activities related to gamblers, who might be the driving force behind the murder.

"It seems that this case is far more complicated than we imagined." Kate's tone came over the phone. "I found some information showing that there have been some gambling crimes in Las Vegas recently, and these cases seem to be related to the 'Blood Eagle' gang."

Lin's heartbeat quickened. He knew the name. The Blood Eagles were a well-known underground gambling and money laundering organization in the Las Vegas area. Their operations were usually very secretive, and the underlying profit chains were extremely complex. "Blood Eagles? There's a good chance this gang is connected to the case we're pursuing. Kate, keep monitoring this intelligence and see if there are any further leads."

After several days of diligent investigation, Lynn finally got a key clue that pointed to a core member of the Blood Eagle Gang - a gambler named Kyle Hopkins. Kyle was a frequent visitor to the casino and a friend of one of the victims. Although he was a harmless gambler on the surface, he secretly had close ties with the gang.

"We've found our target, Kyle Hopkins," Lynn reported to Mark. "He's connected to all the victims and is likely a member of the Blood Eagle Gang. We need to find him as soon as possible and figure out his connection to these cases."

The two decided to raid Kyle Hopkins's residence, hoping to find more clues about the case. However, when they arrived at Kyle's apartment, they found that Kyle had disappeared, leaving only a note that read: "You will never catch me."

Lynn couldn't help but feel uneasy. It was obvious that Kyle had noticed their approach.

Lin En stood on the streets of Las Vegas, silently gazing at the casino towers before him. His mind was filled with complex thoughts. Despite some progress in the case, no decisive clues remained. And the city itself was fraught with uncertainty: a massive gambling industry, a surging undercurrent of gangs, and the violence lurking in the shadows. Every step was fraught with danger. The killer's movements were as elusive as a ghost, and neither the police nor their investigative team seemed to be truly closing in on the truth.

Lin En knew that only by delving deeper could he uncover the truth. Perhaps the only way to get close to the murderer was to become a gambler and attract his attention. While this method was extremely dangerous, he knew that only by gaining access to the gambling world and the inner workings of the casino could he truly connect with the dark forces behind all this.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mark stood beside him, frowning, clearly concerned about Lynn's plan. "With your identity, is it really a wise decision to go to the casino and pretend to be a gambler? And you have to know that the murderer is aware of the police's approach. What if he is alert..."

"I know the risks." Lynn calmly interrupted Mark and looked at him deeply. "But we don't have much choice right now. I want to contact the murderer this way and attract his attention. Only in this way can I lure him out. Don't worry, I will ensure safety. Since he is good at hiding himself, we have to deal with it through his methods."

Mark hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded: "Okay, it's up to you. But you must be careful and don't put yourself in danger."

Lynn smiled slightly and patted Mark on the shoulder: “Don’t worry, I will.”

That evening, Lin En changed into ordinary clothes, transforming himself into an ordinary gambler. He wore no outward identification, no police identification. Just an ordinary man, he entered the glittering casino. The casino floor was a dazzling display of opulent decorations and dazzling lights. The atmosphere was bustling with activity, but Lin En's gaze remained calm and focused. He began to wander aimlessly, passing by a few tables, playing a few rounds, and tentatively chatting with those around him. Each step was unhurried, as if he were just another aimless gambler, blending into the bustling crowd. But within Lin En's mind, he had already developed a rigorous system of observation and judgment. He observed every detail, every action, keenly detecting any unusual movement.

As the night progressed, Lin En intentionally strayed from the usual gambling tables and activity areas, gradually making his way to a dark alley outside the casino. This path was quite secluded, rarely used, and away from the hustle and bustle of the casino. It led to the rear parking lot and employee passage. Lin En walked around the casino's main entrance to this alley, keeping his eyes alert and his steps light, trying to appear inconspicuous.

However, Lin En knew that such an action would be enough to attract the killer's attention. After all, he wasn't the only one familiar with the casino's rules. The killer likely had already realized that someone like Lin En couldn't be just an ordinary gambler. This decisive moment was destined to determine success or failure.

Just as Lin En had anticipated, as he crossed the path and reached the parking lot, he sensed something unusual behind him. The footsteps were soft, yet incredibly precise, as if someone was quietly following him. Lin En feigned composure, walking forward without hesitation until he reached a corner. He slowed his pace slightly, catching his breath, and tried to attract the other person's attention through subtle movements.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, Lin En heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching. He knew the murderer had finally struck. Then, he heard the man's footsteps suddenly quicken, almost running, rapidly approaching him. Lin En quickly turned around, leaning against the narrow wall, quietly waiting for the person to come.

As expected, the killer finally revealed himself, unable to contain himself. Just as Lin En was ready, the killer leaped from the shadows and lunged at him. Without hesitation, Lin En engaged the killer, leveraging his years of combat skills to quickly force him back and pin him to the ground with a well-aimed counterattack.

But the killer clearly wasn't going to surrender easily. He rolled over, quickly stood up, and, with his familiarity with the surroundings, quickly made his way through the dark corners and debris piles of the parking lot, disappearing from Lin's sight. Lin's heart tightened, knowing that the killer was clearly well-prepared and had extremely quick reactions, making him no ordinary violent criminal.

"He's running pretty fast," Lin En muttered to himself, quickly chasing after him without stopping. He circled the side of the parking lot, searching for any possible traces. After a few seconds, he finally found a clue left by the murderer in a corner - a dropped black glove, apparently accidentally left behind during his retreat.

Lin En leaned over to pick up the glove, quickly analyzing its significance. While the killer's escape had prevented him from obtaining further clues, at least this glove could provide some information. It not only proved the killer's identity, but also signaled that the battle between him and Lin En had just begun. Lin En didn't rush to leave, but instead carefully searched the surroundings, trying to find more traces and uncover the killer's escape route.

However, Lin En didn't find any other obvious clues in this dark alley. He knew that the murderer was very alert and had obviously realized that he had been exposed to the police's sight. Therefore, the next action would be more complicated and dangerous.

"It seems that I have to be extra careful." Lin En muttered to himself and decided to return to the casino as soon as possible to organize the clues at hand and formulate the next action plan.

Lin stood in the casino parking lot, reflecting on the chase. He knew the killer's swift escape was no accident; the complexity of this case far exceeded their imagination. The killer was not only cold-blooded and decisive, but also mastered the art of exploiting the environment to escape. This experience alerted Lin to the fact that this killer was no ordinary violent individual. Lin glanced around, feeling a surge of unease. The underground forces behind the casino had long permeated every corner of society, and the truth he and Mark were pursuing might even involve a much larger network.

After leaving the casino, Lynn decided to delve deeper into the Las Vegas underworld. Despite the police and his own team's diligent pursuit, the city's gangs were incredibly complex, and any direct conflict could potentially trigger a wave of even greater violence. Furthermore, while the victims were all gamblers, their deaths weren't necessarily driven by personal vendettas, but rather by more complex conflicts of interest.

Lin En decided to proactively contact the local gangs in Las Vegas, hoping to get more clues about the case through them. Although this method was extremely dangerous, he knew that the gangs behind the casinos would not kill the gamblers, and they would even prefer to see the gamblers lose more money to protect their own interests.

He first tracked down Henry Coleman, a renowned underground casino owner. Henry was a prominent Las Vegas gangster with longstanding ties to the casinos. Lynn had heard of Henry, and few dared to cross him. His casino was one of the most influential in the area, and Henry himself not only had deep connections with certain gang members but was even suspected of having ties to several international criminal organizations.

"You're looking for Henry?" A local intelligence officer looked at Lin En with a hint of caution in his tone. "Do you know who he is? He's not someone you can easily mess with here."

Lin En nodded slightly. "I know who he is. I heard that he has a lot of business dealings between casinos and gangs. I'm not here to cause trouble, I just want to understand something."

The intelligence officer frowned. "It's not as simple as you think. You have to be careful. Henry won't see you easily unless you have something to gain his attention."

Lin En looked at the intelligence officer, knowing he was reminding him not to act rashly. He said in a deep voice, "I don't intend to confront Henry directly. I just want to know some recent events, especially those related to the gambler's death case."

"Henry may not know what you're talking about, but he definitely has information channels and can find out some things." The intelligence officer nodded. "However, if you want to contact Henry, you'd better be prepared to pay. Without sufficient 'sincerity', he won't pay any attention to you."

Lin En suddenly realized that he couldn't rely solely on the police to push this matter forward. He had to find a suitable way to contact Henry. So, he decided to take a more covert approach, accumulating information through some external channels, rather than directly exposing himself. A few days later, Lin En contacted Henry through a local intermediary. (End of this chapter)