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

Chapter 204 The Real Breakthrough

Lynn didn't respond to her, but instead opened fire quickly, and two mercenaries fell to the ground. The remaining men immediately scattered, trying to find cover to return fire, but Lynn moved with lightning speed. He almost instantly changed position, fired again, and took down another mercenary.

The warehouse was suddenly filled only with the sounds of footsteps and the mercenaries' panting. Kate hid behind the shelves, utterly shocked. She knew Lynn was an excellent agent, but witnessing his skill and precision firsthand still left her in disbelief.

A few minutes later, Lynn took down the last mercenary. He slowly holstered his gun and walked towards Kate, his gaze icy.

"What are you doing here?" Lynn's voice was low and tinged with displeasure. "Are you crazy, Kate?"

"I—" Kate stammered, then gritted her teeth, "I'm following a lead! This is a crucial point about the Holy Blood Oath experiment, I had to be here."

"You almost died." Lynn's tone remained icy, his eyes flashing with barely concealed anger. "Do you know who these people are? They came to silence you. If I hadn't come, you would be one of their corpses by now."

Kate lowered her head, feeling both ashamed and resentful. She knew Lynn was right, but she didn't want to admit that her rash decision had almost ruined her life.

Lynn sighed and turned to look at the thin man lying on the ground. He knelt down to check the man's injuries, then stood up. "He's still alive, but he needs to be taken to the hospital immediately."

"He's a survivor of the experiment," Kate said quickly. "He knows a lot, Lynn, we can't let anything happen to him."

"I know," Lynn nodded, then looked at her. "But you have to leave here. Now."

"But—" "No buts!" Lynn's tone was like a knife. "Kate, this is my battlefield, not yours. You want the truth, and I'll give it to you, but only if you live."

Kate was stunned; she had never seen Lynn so direct and cold. Despite her resentment, she finally nodded.

Lynn parked his car in a parking lot on the edge of Brooklyn, surrounded by dim streetlights and deserted streets. He gripped the steering wheel with both hands, his gaze fixed ahead, his expression calm and serious. Kate, in the passenger seat, had been silent the entire way, seemingly brewing something, and Lynn could feel the oppressive atmosphere spreading through the car.

"We need to talk, Kate," Lynn finally spoke, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. "You can't do this anymore."

Kate turned to look at him, a wry smile playing on her lips. "What do you mean by 'this kind of thing'? An investigation? An exposé? Or an attempt to help you?"

“You’re throwing yourself into danger.” Lynn’s gaze finally turned to her, his cold eyes making Kate feel as if she were being scanned by an X-ray. “You have no idea what you’re facing.”

“I know more than you think,” Kate replied stubbornly, her voice low but firm. “The Holy Blood Alliance is a dangerous organization; they conduct inhuman experiments, and you know all of this, yet you keep it hidden. Lynn, the public has the right to know this!”

"The public's right to know is one thing, but your life is another." Lynn's tone turned cold, his words laced with suppressed anger. "You almost died in that warehouse today! If I hadn't shown up, do you think you'd still be standing here arguing with me?"

Kate was stung by his words, but she didn't back down. Instead, she looked back at him coldly and said, "That's because I'm doing something you don't dare to do."

Lynn frowned slightly. "Something I wouldn't dare to do?"

“Yes.” Kate straightened up, her tone sharper. “You know about the Holy Blood Clan’s experiments, you know about their crimes, but you choose to operate in the shadows. You always say these things are too dangerous to be made public. But have you ever considered that if more people know the truth, if the Holy Blood Clan’s actions are exposed, their resources, supporters, and hidden strongholds will be forced out? What are you waiting for? Their next plan? More innocent people being captured and used as experimental subjects?”

"You simply don't understand." Lynn's voice lowered, but it held a cold, hard edge, tinged with a gritted teeth. "This isn't something that can be solved by the news and public opinion alone. The Holy Blood Alliance's tentacles have reached too far."

The resources and technology they control are more complex than you imagine. Revealing the truth will only harm more people, and you—" He paused, a hint of undisguised worry in his eyes, "you will become their target."

Kate chuckled, but her smile was full of defiance. "Perhaps, I can deliberately become the target."

Lynn paused, then frowned even more deeply. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I'm not talking nonsense," Kate's voice became calm and firm. "I have a suggestion. You want to capture key figures in the Holy Blood Alliance, right? But they're too well hidden; it's almost impossible to find their specific plans or strongholds. So how about—using me as bait?"

"What?" Lynn's voice rose instantly, his eyes revealing a hint of surprise and disbelief.

“You heard me right.” Kate looked him straight in the eye, without flinching. “I’m a journalist. I can reveal some limited clues to get the Holy Blood Alliance’s attention. They’ll definitely think I know more, and they might even try to get rid of me. And you—” She paused, pointing at Lynn, “you can use this opportunity to track down their people and wipe them out.”

Lynn stared at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions—anger, shock, and a hint of helplessness.

His fingers applied slight pressure to the steering wheel, his knuckles making a barely audible clicking sound.

"Impossible," he finally said coldly. "This plan is too insane; you'll be killed."

"No," Kate replied quickly. "You'll protect me, won't you?"

"Kate," Lynn took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger, "this is not a game."

If the Holy Blood Alliance truly has their eye on you, they won't let you survive. Moreover, they're not ordinary criminals; their actions are ruthless, efficient, and without hesitation. You have no idea what you're messing with.

“That’s precisely why we need to break through their disguise.” Kate’s voice held a hint of urgency. “Lynn, don’t you think we’ve been on the defensive all along? They’re manipulating everything from the shadows, and we can only clean up the mess behind them. But if we throw them off their guard and expose their weaknesses, we’ll have a chance to fight back.”

Lynn shook his head. "This is gambling your life for a chance, and I won't allow it to happen. You can't control my decisions." Kate's voice also turned cold. "I'm a journalist, and I have the right to uncover the truth. If it means I have to take risks, that's my own choice."

Lynn tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, his gaze growing colder. "You think this is some kind of hero's charade? This is reality, Kate. The reality is, the Blood Brotherhood won't leave anyone alive. They won't just threaten or intimidate you; they'll kill you outright."

"So will you let them succeed?" Kate retorted, her gaze fixed on Lynn. "I know it's dangerous, but it's the only effective way. We need a breakthrough, and I can be that breakthrough."

Lynn fell silent, his jawline taut, his gaze fixed ahead, as if he were thinking, or perhaps struggling.

"Lynn," Kate's voice softened slightly, but remained firm, "you know I'm right."

You're fighting these people, and so am I. We both want the same thing: to end their crimes. If my plan can help you, please give me a chance.

Lynn finally turned to look at her, his eyes still cold, but with a complex emotion hidden deep within. "You know, if this plan fails—'that's my responsibility,'" Kate interrupted him without hesitation, "but if it succeeds, we can save more people."

Lynn closed his eyes, as if using all his willpower to suppress some emotion within him. He knew Kate's plan was insane, and he knew he shouldn't accept it, but at the same time, he had to admit...

This may be their only chance.

A few seconds later, he opened his eyes, his gaze becoming calm and resolute.

"Alright." His voice was low and hoarse, "But from now on, you have to listen to me, and you can't make a single mistake. Otherwise, not only you, but I can't save you either."

Kate smiled slightly, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and stubbornness. "I'll listen to you."

The next day.

The morning sunlight streamed through the glass windows of the newspaper office building as Kate stood beside her desk.

I held a freshly printed morning paper in my hand. The headline on the front page was striking and glaring.

Her name was prominently displayed below the headline, which made her heart race. Despite appearing calm on the surface, deep down she knew she had just stirred up a storm.

The article was meticulously crafted, revealing neither excessive sensitive information nor crossing the FBI's red lines, yet subtly exposing some of the Holy Blood Organization's crimes. She described the disappearances of civilians, suspected genetic experiments, and the dangerous organization behind them, leaving readers deeply shocked and uneasy. At the end of the article, she stated unequivocally that she will continue to pursue more truths about the Holy Blood Organization.

"Kate." A deep voice came from behind.

Kate turned her head and saw Editor-in-Chief Frank standing in the doorway, his expression complex. He slowly walked in, also holding a newspaper.

"This article will cause a sensation," Frank said, his tone carrying a hint of undisguised worry, "but it will also bring you a lot of trouble."

"I know," Kate nodded, her eyes resolute. "But someone has to do it, Frank. If we continue to remain silent, the truth will never be revealed."

Frank sighed and placed the newspaper on her desk. "Fine. You want to fight, but don't forget, war comes at a price. You'd better be prepared."

Kate nodded, saying nothing more. She watched Frank's departing figure, her resolve unwavering. She knew this article would touch a nerve with the Holy Blood Alliance, and this was part of her and Lynn's plan.

Meanwhile, dozens of kilometers away from the newspaper office, in a conference room hidden in a luxury office building in Manhattan, the atmosphere was as cold as an icebox.

Around the long conference table sat several men and women in suits, each with a face as somber as the sky before a storm. A newspaper lay before them, its front-page headline piercing their very souls.

"Kate Miller," the man in the head seat spoke slowly, his voice low and husky, as if it came from beneath the earth, "Has anyone heard of that name before?"

No one answered. The conference room was deathly silent, save for the faint echo of breathing.

"A reporter, able to dig up so much stuff?" another middle-aged man finally spoke, his voice filled with anger. "That's impossible! Our operations are always covert; we never leave a trace!"

"If there are no 'traces,' where did this report come from?" the woman sitting on the right asked coldly, her tone tinged with sarcasm. "Perhaps there's a problem within our ranks. Some people haven't done their jobs properly."

"Enough." The man at the head of the table raised his hand, stopping the argument. His cold gaze swept over everyone present. "This woman has thrust the Holy Blood Alliance into the spotlight. This is an intolerable mistake. And the question now is—how should we deal with her?"

"Kill her," a bald man sitting at the table said coldly. "Just do it, make her disappear. It's the simplest solution."

"Simple?" The woman sneered. "She's a public figure now. She just published an article like this, and a lot of people are watching her. If she dies, all eyes will be on us."

Are you trying to give the FBI more excuses to interfere in our affairs?

The bald man snorted and said nothing more.

"I disagree with eliminating her outright," the older man said slowly, his voice steady.

But with a hint of cunning, he said, "But we can shut her up. Find her, make her understand that she knows too much, and that this knowledge will only ruin her."

"You mean threats?" The bald man scoffed. "Threatening people like that is useless."

She's a journalist who loves adventure; threats only make her bolder.

"Then let her see for herself what real fear is." The older man narrowed his eyes. "If she's not afraid of death, then let her be afraid of living."

A silence fell over the conference room. Everyone was weighing the pros and cons, but the man at the head of the table remained silent. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, as if playing some kind of silent melody.

"We can't act rashly," he finally spoke, his voice low and unsettling. "She has supporters. This article has too many carefully crafted parts; it's clearly not something a journalist could have done alone. This suggests—" his gaze sharpened, "that her intelligence source is very likely the FBI."

This statement silenced everyone. Everyone realized that if the FBI was indeed behind it all, things were far more complex than they had imagined.

"Find her," the man at the head of the table said slowly. "Don't make direct contact, but investigate everything about her—her friends, family, habits, even what kind of coffee she drinks every day. We need intelligence to know where her weaknesses lie." Then—his gaze swept coldly across the crowd—"Let her know that those who target us will not have a good end."

?

No one spoke in the meeting room; they just nodded silently. Their shadowy operations had been going on for years, and no one would allow a journalist's name to end their plans.

Hours later, Kate sat in her apartment, her nerves slightly tense. Her laptop was on, displaying reader comments on the article; many cheered for her courage, but she knew that behind that support might lurk a deadly threat.

The doorbell rang suddenly.

Kate's heart skipped a beat. She slowly stood up, walked towards the door, hesitated for a moment before carefully opening it.

Lynn stood outside the door. He was wearing a dark overcoat, his gaze calm, but with a hint of nervousness.

"We need to talk," Lynn said in a low voice.

"Come in," Kate said, opening the door for him.

Lynn walked into the living room, looked around to make sure there was nothing amiss, and then closed the door.

"You did something very bold." He turned around and stared intently at Kate.

"You mean the article?" Kate raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in her tone. "Isn't this exactly our plan? To attract the attention of the Holy Blood Alliance?"

"It's a plan, but you've attracted more attention than we anticipated," Lynn said in a deep voice. "The Holy Blood Alliance's higher-ups are meeting to discuss how to deal with you; they've made you their number one target."

Kate's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't back down. "That means the plan succeeded, doesn't it?"

"You've successfully attracted their attention, but the price could be your life." Lynn took a step closer, his voice growing even lower. "From now on, your every move will be under their surveillance. They will test you, intimidate you, and even use the people around you against you. You must understand how dangerous your situation is."

Kate paused for a moment, then looked up at Lynn with a determined gaze. "I understand. But I also understand that without taking this risk, there will never be a real breakthrough. Lynn, we all know..."

This isn't just my battle, it's your battle too.

Lynn didn't respond, but just let out a long sigh. He knew Kate was right, but he also knew there was no turning back on this path.

"From now on, I will protect you in secret," Lynn finally said, his tone revealing an undeniable determination. "But remember, this is a cat-and-mouse game. And we must make sure we are not the mouse."

Brooklyn was shrouded in silence at night, the city lights glowing faintly in the thin mist. A few cars occasionally drove by outside Kate's apartment, but the streets were deserted.

An inexplicable sense of oppression permeated the air, as if the entire night was waiting for some kind of danger to descend.