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. He then looked up and said, "It's engraved with 'BW,' which should be the abbreviation for the Blackwood family. Besides that, there are some symbols that are almost too small to see, probably their family crest."

Lynn pondered for a moment, then picked up the pocket watch and pressed the button on the side. With a click, the watch sprang open, revealing the hands and a hidden compartment inside. He pulled out a folded piece of paper from the compartment and unfolded it, discovering a set of coordinates.

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

Lynn frowned as he looked at the paper, then handed it to Mark. "Check the exact location of these coordinates and see if they're within the forest area."

Mark nodded and quickly went to the computer with the paper to check. A few minutes later, he turned back and said, "Detective, these coordinates point to a clearing deep in the forest, less than a kilometer from the hunter's cabin. According to satellite images, there are no buildings there; it should be a deserted area."

Lynn nodded, his gaze becoming even more stern. "It seems this is more than just a simple inheritance or rumor. Someone knows about these things and is very interested in them."

Kate said excitedly, "So, we're going to investigate that clearing next, right? Maybe we'll find more important clues!"

Lynn glanced at her, his tone still warning. "Kate, you can't act alone this time. If you want to go, you have to come with us and follow orders."

Kate raised both hands, making a gesture of surrender. "Okay, I promise. This time, I guarantee I'll stick with you guys."

Lynn sighed softly but nodded anyway. He knew Kate's persistence and understood that her curiosity had been completely ignited. Now, he could only ensure that she wouldn't cause any new trouble during the investigation.

Lynn turned to the other investigators. "Prepare a small team; we'll set off into the deep forest early tomorrow morning. Remember to bring the necessary equipment, especially metal detectors and surveying tools. I have a feeling this 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 crossed, smiling slightly. "Lynn, you have to admit, the story I dug up has potential, right?"

Lynn glanced at her and couldn't help but smile. "It does have potential, but hopefully, it won't turn into 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 his head and turned to leave, but a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

The next morning, Lynn led the investigation team to the forest entrance early, and Kate and Mark arrived on time. Kate was in casual clothes, carrying a small camera bag, with a look of excitement and tension on her face, while Mark was fully equipped, holding a portable metal detector.

"Ready?" Lynn looked at the two of them, his tone unquestionable. "We won't stay too long today, but we must complete the preliminary investigation before sunset. Kate, you must stay with the team at all times and not act on your own."

Kate rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement. "Got it, 'Detective.' I promise not to run around this time."

The team began to advance into the depths of the forest along the coordinates on the map. The surrounding trees gradually became taller and denser, the sunlight was blocked by the thick branches and leaves, and the air in the forest began to become humid and cold. Lynn walked at the front of the team, occasionally looking down at the map and GPS device in his hand.

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

Lynn waved his hand, signaling the team to stop. He looked around and found some strange traces scattered on the ground—like soil that had been turned over, and several patches of flattened grass.

"Someone has been here," Lynn said softly, his eyes alert. "But I don't know how long ago. Everyone be careful, continue forward."

The team finally reached the coordinates, which was a seemingly ordinary clearing, overgrown with weeds and low shrubs. However, as Mark slowly moved the metal detector over the ground, the buzzing sound became louder and louder.

"There's something here," Mark pointed to a relatively flat area on the ground, signaling everyone to stop. "Buried very deep, it shouldn't be ordinary waste."

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

Several investigators quickly took out their tools and began digging carefully. Kate stood aside, holding a camera to record the entire process, her eyes fixed on the progress of the digging. Her intuition told her that what was buried here must be related to the Blackwood family's secrets.

Soon after, the shovel hit something hard, making a crisp sound. The investigators stopped and gently brushed away the surrounding soil, revealing an iron box. The box was already rusty, but from its size and shape, it was clearly not an ordinary container.

"This is what we're looking for," Lynn said softly, squatting down to examine the box's lock carefully. "Fortunately, the lock hasn't been broken."

Kate couldn't help but take a step closer, asking excitedly, "What could be inside? More documents? Jewelry? Or other secrets?"

Lynn glanced at her, didn't answer, but signaled an investigator to carefully pry open the box with tools. The moment the lid was opened, everyone held their breath.

Inside the box were neatly placed several thick ledgers, a stack of old newspapers, and a small box filled with photos. More striking was a beautifully carved pistol, placed directly on top of the ledgers, appearing particularly out of place.

Mark said softly, "These ledgers look like financial records, but why would they be placed with a gun?"

Lynn opened one of the ledgers, his brow furrowed. "These are the Blackwood family's private accounts, recording some of their large transactions from their early years. But there are several abnormal fund flows, large amounts, and no clear source or destination."

Kate picked up the stack of newspapers, quickly flipped through them, and a look of shock flashed in her eyes. "These newspapers are all related to an old case—a large-scale financial fraud case, and the time is very close to the time of the Blackwood family's bankruptcy."

Lynn's expression became even more serious. He said slowly, "If these accounts are related to that financial fraud case, then it means that behind the Blackwood family's bankruptcy, there may be a bigger conspiracy hidden."

Mark gently touched the pistol and said softly, "Maybe this gun was someone's last 'negotiating tool' in this conspiracy."

Lynn nodded, carefully put the pistol back in the box, and then closed the lid. "Take it back to the police station; these things need further analysis. Kate, this discovery is indeed very important, but you can't interfere with what happens next. The things involved here may be more complicated than you think."

Although Kate was a little unwilling, she still nodded. "Okay, I won't interfere. But Lynn, you have to promise me that once there is progress, you must tell me."

Lynn looked at her and sighed softly. "Okay, I'll try." He knew that Kate's persistence would not easily fade, but he had to do everything possible to ensure her safety while uncovering this long-buried secret.

On the way back to the police station, the car was silent. Kate sat in the back seat, occasionally looking down at the photos in the camera, her eyes filled with curiosity and excitement. Lynn sat in the passenger seat, holding the ledger in his hand, his brow furrowed, as if he was already thinking about the next step.

"Lynn," Kate finally couldn't help but speak, "Who do you think the fund flows in these ledgers will point to? The Blackwood family was once prominent, and the person who could bring them down must be extraordinary."

Lynn closed the ledger and turned to look at her. "Kate, we've only seen some fragments now, and we can't draw conclusions yet. The fund flows in the ledger need expert analysis, especially those abnormal large transfers. If there really is a problem behind it, we also need time to confirm the authenticity of these records."

Kate raised her eyebrows. "That sounds like you're telling me to put down my curiosity. But you know I won't give up easily, especially when I encounter such an exciting story."

Lynn chuckled, but then his tone turned serious. "I understand your curiosity, but Kate, the scope involved this time may be wider than we expected. Financial fraud case, missing family wealth, hidden guns... These things put together mean that there are likely still unresolved connections behind them."

Kate shrugged. "So, you need me to stay away from these troubles, right?"

Lynn nodded, his tone softening a little. "At least for now. This is not simple reporting material, but a major crime that may have been covered up decades ago. If you intervene too early, it may expose our actions, or it may put yourself in danger."

Kate leaned back in her chair and sighed. "Okay, I'll listen to your arrangements, but you have to remember that I'm not the kind of person who will always stand by."

After the motorcade arrived at the police station, the ledgers, guns, and other items were quickly sent to the evidence room, and Lynn immediately convened a group of experts specializing in financial investigations to begin analyzing the contents of the ledgers. At the same time, he also contacted the archives department to retrieve relevant records of the Blackwood family's bankruptcy and financial fraud case that year, hoping to find more clues.

Several hours later, the expert group sent preliminary analysis results. Lynn stood in the meeting room, listening to a report from an analyst. "Detective, there are indeed problems with these ledgers. Several fund flows are very similar to the fund flows in the financial fraud case that year, and the final destination of these funds seems to be an offshore bank account."

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

The analyst shook his head. "It's not clear yet. These records are too old and have been disguised through multiple layers. But what is certain is that these funds are directly related to the Blackwood family's bankruptcy, and can even be said to be one of the main reasons for their downfall."

Lynn pondered for a moment, then asked, "What about the gun? Are there any clues?"

Another forensic expert replied, "That's an early 20th-century pistol with the Blackwood family's logo on it. Judging from the marks inside the barrel, it has been used, but the time is too long, and it is impossible to determine the specific situation."

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

Mark asked from the side, "Lynn, could this be related to the people we just caught? The people behind them may know these truths, so they hired people to dig out this evidence."

Lynn's eyes turned cold. "It's very possible, but their mouths are hard enough, and they haven't revealed any valuable information so far. However, the existence of the offshore account shows that this matter is not just a local issue. We need to expand the scope of the investigation."

Kate stood outside the meeting room, looking at the discussion inside through the glass window, her eyes complex. She knew that Lynn didn't let her participate in this part to protect her, but her professional instinct told her that there was a shocking truth hidden behind this.

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

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

Lynn nodded, his voice low and firm. "I'll be careful. But you also promise me, don't interfere for now. When there are parts 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 there's me, a reporter."

Lynn smiled slightly. "Of course I won't forget." Then he turned and left, continuing to plunge into this bottomless investigation.

As night fell, the lights in Lynn's office were still on. His desk was piled high with ledger copies, old case files, and police analysis reports, and the whiteboard was marked with connection lines of clues and doubts. He stared at the whiteboard, tapping the table with the pen in his hand, repeatedly sorting out the ins and outs of the case in his mind.

Mark knocked on the door and walked in, holding a new report in his hand. "Detective, we found something. Although those suspects have hard mouths, there are a few text messages on their phones that mention a name—Vincent Relton. This person seems to be their employer."

(End of chapter)