American comic book: I, with my abundant martial virtue, love to do good to others.

Chapter 203 Appears Suddenly

Lynn opened the hidden door, and the cool night air immediately rushed in. His eyes were sharp, and he gripped his gun tightly as he was the first to peek out and observe the situation outside.

The sound of enemy footsteps echoed above the house, like hunters searching for their hidden prey.

Just then, Lynn suddenly sprang up, opened the hidden door, and dragged an enemy inside.

Lynn pinned the attacker against the wall, his hand tightening with a "click," the force causing the man to cry out in pain. His face was pressed against the cold wall, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, yet a mischievous and sinister smile still lingered on his face.

"Looks like you're still as tough as ever, Lynn." The man's voice was hoarse, filled with sarcasm. "But you haven't gotten any smarter, have you?"

Lynn ignored his provocation, simply increasing the pressure on his hand, and said coldly, "Stop talking nonsense. You brought men into my house and opened fire, not just for idle chatter, right? Tell me, who's backing you?"

The man chuckled softly, his voice hoarse and grating. "Backstage? What do you think I need 'backstage' for? Lynn, you're overestimating yourself. None of this has anything to do with the Holy Blood Alliance or any underground organization. I'm just here for revenge, nothing more."

"Revenge?" Lynn narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife. "Do I know you?"

"Of course I know you." The man turned his head, revealing a set of bloodstained teeth. "Three years ago, when I was doing well in the Bronx, you sent me to jail and destroyed everything I had. I thought about you every single day in prison, thinking about how to make you pay for it."

Lynn finally remembered the man. Eric Delgado, the head of a mid-sized criminal organization that made his fortune through drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and extortion. In Lynn's raid, Delgado was not only arrested, but his entire organization was also dismantled, and even his most secretive funds were seized.

"Delgado," Lynn murmured the name, his tone calm, but his gaze as cold as the frost of a winter night. "The first thing you did after getting out of prison was to cause me trouble?"

“Of course,” Delgado said through gritted teeth. “You ruined my career, and I’ll make you pay. This is just the beginning, Lynn. You made me lose everything, and now it’s your turn.”

"So, you think you can take me down with just a few men and a few guns?" Lynn sneered, releasing his grip on him and shoving him against the wall. "You really overestimate your abilities."

1

"This is just an appetizer," Delgado panted, his eyes filled with malice. "I'll show you what the price of offending me is. Your family, your friends—everyone around you will suffer along with you."

Lynn's gaze instantly turned cold. His fists clenched, but he ultimately restrained himself. "Threatening me is a foolish thing to do, Delgado." His voice was low and carried a chilling coldness. "You want me to deal with you? I'll grant your wish."

He turned and walked to a nearby table, picked up his phone, and dialed a number. "Hans, bring him back. Yes, I caught an old dog, Eric Delgado. Put him in the FBI's special detention room; he has a lot to say."

Upon hearing this, Delgado's smile froze instantly. He tried to struggle, but Lynn coldly kicked him back into the corner.

"You think I'd give you another chance to retaliate?" Lynn's voice seemed to come from the abyss. "I'll make you disappear completely this time, Delgado. You'll be held responsible for everything that happened tonight."

Kate stood not far away, witnessing the entire interrogation. Her gaze was complex, a mixture of shock at Lynn's tough methods and a strange admiration. She had seen many law enforcement officers and interviewed countless cases, but she had never seen an agent like Lynn—calm, decisive, ruthless, yet harboring a deep protective instinct—before she could meet one.

"So," Kate finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly, "these people—"—aren't members of the Holy Blood Alliance?"

"No." Lynn turned to look at her, his tone calm but with a cold undertone. "She's just a loser who wanted revenge on me."

"And your house?" Kate's gaze swept over the mess around her; the windows were broken, and there were bullet holes in the walls.

"It's alright," Lynn said coldly. "Houses can be repaired, but people can't die. We were lucky tonight."

Kate opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end she just sighed, "Your life is much more complicated than I imagined."

"If this will make you give up on getting close to me, I'd be happy to," Lynn replied indifferently.

Kate bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "You know I won't give up, Lynn. The more danger you show me, the more important this story becomes. It's not just about you; it's about the Holy Blood Alliance, about the truth of the dangers lurking in the shadows."

Lynn stared at her, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said in a low voice, "Kate, if you continue to delve into these things, you'll regret it one day."

“I won’t.” Kate looked him straight in the eye, her tone firm. “And you won’t let this go on, will you? You’re someone who’s willing to fight tooth and nail to change it.”

Lynn didn't respond. He turned and walked towards the door, handing Delgado, who was being held by the handcuffs, to Hans, who had just arrived. Kate stood there, watching his retreating figure, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

The morning sunlight streamed through the blinds onto Kate's desk. Her hands gently traced the keyboard, and after typing the final paragraph, she let out a long sigh. The headline on the screen was striking and eye-catching: "Brooklyn's Dark Night: FBI Agent's Home Attacked, the Truth Behind the Scenes Remains Mysterious." Her writing was bold yet nuanced, recounting the attack while cleverly leaving ample suspense, compelling the reader to follow the story.

"Well done, Kate," she whispered to herself, then uploaded the file to the newspaper's system and clicked the "submit" button.

About half an hour later, her desk phone rang; it was her editor-in-chief, Frank.

"Kate," Frank's voice was deep, but one could hear the barely concealed excitement, "the article you just submitted—it's perfect! I've already asked the layout department to put it on the front page tomorrow morning; it's definitely going to be the most significant news of the week."

Kate smiled slightly. "I'm just recording the truth, Frank. You know, these are the stories readers want to see."

"The truth is part of it, but your writing style is key." Frank paused, seemingly suppressing his excitement. "Anyway, this is headline news, and an exclusive at that. We have to give you a reward. Your bonus has been approved and will be in your account soon."

"Thank you, Frank." Kate's tone was modest, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile. At this moment,

She felt a sense of professional satisfaction.

"However," Frank's voice suddenly turned serious, "Kate, do you know this report might cause trouble? You mentioned the Holy Blood Alliance, the attack, and Agent Lynn—these are all extremely sensitive topics."

"I know." Kate turned to look out the window, sunlight falling on her golden hair. "But if we're afraid of trouble, who will chase the truth?"

Frank chuckled. "I knew you'd say that. Alright, Kate, keep up the momentum, but be careful. The people behind these stories don't want them exposed."

"I'll be careful." Kate hung up the phone, leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and slowly exhaled.

As evening fell, Kate pulled up in front of an unassuming street-side bar. This was an intelligence exchange point she had learned about through an informant, a gathering place for all sorts of people—from ordinary thugs to valuable informants—where she could always uncover something.

Kate pushed open the door and went inside. The bar was dimly lit, and the air was thick with the smell of cheap alcohol and tobacco. Her gaze swept across the room, quickly settling on a man sitting in the corner. He was wearing a gray hoodie, his face hidden in shadow, and he was holding a beer in his hand.

Kate walked straight over and sat down opposite him.

"Kate Miller." The man looked up, revealing a sharply defined face with a slight, disdainful smile. "Long time no see."

"Roy." Kate smiled slightly and placed her bag on the table. "I need some information."

"You're always like this, getting straight to the point." Roy took a sip of his beer, a wary glint in his eyes. "But lately, you've been attracting some attention. I heard you wrote an article about the Holy Blood Clan?"

Kate wasn't intimidated by his tone. She leaned back in her chair, her voice calm and resolute. "You know, what I do is never a secret."

"This time it's different." Roy put down his glass, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice. "Kate, do you know what kind of organization the Holy Blood Alliance is? Do you really understand what you're challenging?"

"I know they are part of an underground criminal network that infiltrates drug trafficking and arms smuggling."

"And then there are those so-called 'rituals.'" Kate looked directly at Roy, her eyes resolute. "And they're doing something even more dangerous, like experiments involving mutant genes."

Roy's expression instantly turned serious. He glanced down at the table, then looked up at her again. "Where did you hear all this from?"

“I have my own sources.” Kate didn’t reveal more, but tentatively asked, “Are you aware of these experiments?”

Roy hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I've heard some rumors. The Holy Blood Alliance has indeed been experimenting with something recently, apparently to enhance the abilities of ordinary people, but almost all of those experiments have failed, and the side effects are terrible."

"It failed?" Kate frowned. "Are they experimenting with human lives?"

“Yes.” Roy’s voice lowered. “They kidnapped people from the streets and slums and used them as test subjects. These people disappeared and never came back.”

Kate's heart sank. She clenched her fists. "Where are they conducting these experiments?"

"I don't know about that," Roy shook his head. "But I've heard that some of the people who participated in the experiment escaped alive. If you can find them, you might be able to dig deeper."

"Where are those people?" Kate pressed, her voice urgent.

"Rumor has it that a few survivors are hiding in an abandoned warehouse in West Brooklyn," Roy said in a low voice. "But I must warn you, Kate, these people are mentally unstable, and the Blood Brotherhood won't let them live much longer. If you go looking for them, be careful not to give yourself away."

Kate nodded, then took some bills out of her bag and placed them on the table. "Thank you, Roy."

Roy grabbed the banknotes, gave a wry smile, and said, "You're a smart man, Kate, but I hope you don't take too many risks this time. The Blood Brotherhood won't hold back."

Kate stood up, her eyes shining with unwavering determination. "The truth always comes at a price, doesn't it?"

She turned and walked out of the bar, the cold night wind blowing on her face, but her steps did not falter in the slightest.

Night falls over Brooklyn's West Side, where abandoned warehouses stand like silent tombstones.

Buried beneath were countless untold secrets. Kate stood outside one of the warehouses, her breathing slightly rapid. A biting wind seeped in through the cracks in the broken walls. Her flashlight beam flickered in the darkness, illuminating the iron gate before her, covered in rust and traces of fingers.

She knew in her heart that this was the place Roy had mentioned, where those who had undergone the Holy Blood Alliance experiments might be hiding. But she also knew that this investigation was fraught with danger, and if her identity were exposed, she might not even have a chance to leave.

Kate took a deep breath, gripped the small recorder tightly, and slipped it into the inside pocket of her trench coat. She gently pushed open the iron door, the hinges creaking loudly, instantly putting her on edge. She glanced around to make sure no one had noticed her intrusion before cautiously stepping inside.

The warehouse interior was even more desolate than she had imagined. Broken planks and rusty iron frames were scattered everywhere, and the air was thick with a musty smell, along with a barely audible stench of blood. Her gaze swept over several wooden crates piled against the wall, their surfaces marked with indistinct letters, seemingly shipping markings for some kind of medicine or equipment.

Just then, she heard a low cough coming from deep within the warehouse.

Kate's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't back down. Instead, she gripped the flashlight tightly and slowly walked toward the direction from which the sound came. She tried to walk as quietly as possible, but each step on the gravel sounded like a drumbeat.

As she approached a corner, the beam of light illuminated a face—a gaunt man hiding behind a pile of tattered cushions. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes bloodshot, and he exuded an aura of decay. He looked up sharply at the sound of Kate's footsteps, his gaze filled with terror and hostility.

"Don't move!" the man suddenly growled, raising a rusty metal rod and pointing it at Kate.

Who are you? Don't come near me!

"Don't be afraid." Kate quickly raised her hands to indicate that she meant no harm. "I'm a reporter, I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to know what happened to you and help you."

The man's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, but he still didn't lower his weapon. "Reporters? Bullshit reporters! You have no idea what's going on here! You can't save us!"

"I know what you've been through." Kate's voice lowered as she tried to calm him down. "The Blood Brotherhood experimented on you, didn't they? I know they used some kind of drug—something related to mutant genes."

The man's eyes widened slightly, clearly affected by Kate's words. His hand trembled slightly, and the metal rod loosened its grip a little. "You—how do you know all this?"

"I'm investigating them." Kate took a step closer, her voice becoming more sincere. "I know they use ordinary people as experimental subjects, modifying you with those drugs, but these experiments have huge side effects, right? Your body—your mind—is having problems, isn't it?"

The man's face grew even paler. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but just then, the warehouse door was suddenly flung open with a loud bang.

"Found it! This is it!" A rough voice came from outside, and then several fully armed men in black rushed in. They were armed with automatic rifles and had cold eyes; they were clearly professionally trained mercenaries.

Kate's heart clenched, and she immediately lunged towards the wall for cover, trying to suppress her breathing. The thin man, on the other hand, trembled with fear, gripping the metal rod tightly.

"Damn it!" Kate cursed inwardly. Clearly, these people were there to silence her, and she had just walked right into their line of fire.

"The target is over there!" a mercenary shouted, raising his gun to aim at the man in the corner.

The man let out a desperate roar and charged forward, brandishing the metal rod in his hand, but before he could get close, he was shot in the shoulder and fell heavily to the ground.

"Stop!" Kate couldn't help but shout, but her words only drew the attention of the mercenaries.

"There's another woman!" one of the mercenaries sneered. "Grab her!"

Kate took off running. The warehouse was cramped, and the shelves and broken boxes were her only cover. Bullets whizzed past her ears, striking the metal racks with a piercing thud. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest, but she knew that stopping meant certain death.

Just when she felt she had nowhere to run, a low gunshot rang out from the other side of the warehouse, followed by a familiar voice: "Put down your weapons, or die."

Kate stopped abruptly and turned to see Lynn emerge from the shadows. His gun was firmly aimed at the nearest mercenary, his expression cold and composed.

"You?" Kate was taken aback, not expecting Lynn to appear so suddenly.