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

Chapter 234 Attack on a Specific Target

Lynn's team worked through the night to analyze all the residue extracted from the arson scene. After detailed chemical and energy analysis, the technical department finally confirmed a crucial clue—energy traces left in the fire, bearing a unique mutant genetic characteristic.

The technician presented the results to Lynn: "Detective, we've discovered a high concentration of residual thermal particles. Their fluctuation pattern indicates a match for the abilities of a certain mutant. His codename is—'Heart of Flame.'"

Lynn frowned slightly: "'Heart of Flame'? That sounds like a professional operation codename."

The technician continued, "According to records in the mutant database, 'Heart of Flame' is a mercenary employed by extremists. His ability is to control and amplify flames, but he is not an independent actor; his presence is usually associated with the activities of extremist groups, especially in areas sensitive to mutant issues."

"Does he have a specific background?" Lynn asked.

The technician nodded and pulled up a file: "His true identity is still unknown, but there are rumors that he is a modified mutant who once worked for an underground organization. His appearances in the past few years have usually been accompanied by highly precise and devastating attacks."

Lynn looked down at the documents and said coldly, "So we're not dealing with an ordinary arsonist, but a highly trained killer. Finding him might unlock the motives behind the whole case."

Lynn assembled his team and set up an infographic about "Heart of Flame" in the operations room. The screen displayed his area of ​​operation and the cases he had been involved in over the past few years.

"'Heart of Flame' is not an ordinary mercenary," Lynn said, pointing to the map on the screen. "He mainly carries out destructive missions, never leaving anyone alive, but his actions always have a clear objective—his targets are either enemies of the mutant community or facilities closely related to mutant issues."

Carter flipped through the files and asked, "Detective, if he was targeting mutant enemies, why set fire to Manhattan? This fire seems completely untargeted."

"That's because we don't have all the information yet." Lynn pondered for a moment. "Perhaps the fire itself wasn't aimed at a specific target, but rather some kind of test, or a warning."

"Warning who?" Carter asked.

"It could be us," Lynn said in a low voice, "or it could be targeting those forces that are secretly opposing mutants. The key is who the mastermind behind 'Heart of Flame' is."

Meanwhile, Kate didn't stop her investigation. She used her connections to contact an anonymous source who claimed to be a member of the mutant underground network. He was willing to provide some clues about "Heart of Flame," but on the condition of anonymity.

Kate met her informant at a secluded café. The informant, wearing a hat and with his head down, said, "'Heart of Flame' isn't a person; he's a symbol—or more accurately, a code name."

There are likely several people operating behind this.

"What do you mean?" Kate asked nervously.

"The codename 'Heart of Flame' is well-known in the mutant community. He is a top assassin for the extremist group 'Dawn,' an organization that aims to overthrow the existing order and attempts to force the government to recognize the special status of mutants through violence."

"Dawn? What do they have to do with this fire?" Kate pressed.

"This fire is a signal that they may already be preparing for a larger operation. The appearance of 'Heart of Flame' is just the first step in their plan."

Kate was shocked by what she heard. She realized that this was not just an isolated incident, but a far-reaching conspiracy.

Kate did not hide the information she had obtained and contacted Lynn directly, informing him about the "Dawn" organization over the phone.

"Kate, this is dangerous." Lynn's voice carried a hint of displeasure. "You shouldn't be in contact with these people, especially without any protection."

“I don’t have time to think about that, Lynn,” Kate said firmly. “If Dawn is indeed planning something bigger, the public has the right to know the truth.”

Lynn paused for a moment, then said, "Alright, bring me all your leads. We need a complete understanding of Dawn's operational network, especially their relationship with Heart of Flame."

Soon after, Kate arrived at the FBI branch with her notes and recordings, sharing her findings with Lynn and his team. Through cross-referencing, Lynn finally found a breakthrough clue—a secret outpost of the "Dawn" organization was hidden inside an abandoned shipyard in Manhattan.

Lynn quickly assembled a task force to raid the abandoned shipyard. Before the operation, they conducted a precise reconnaissance and discovered multiple heat sources emitting heat within the factory, suggesting that members of "Dawn" were active.

As night fell, the operation began.

"Everyone, keep quiet," Lynn whispered through the headset. "Identify the target before proceeding."

The task force split into two groups: one responsible for perimeter surveillance, and the other, led by Lynn himself, entered the factory. A pungent, acrid smell filled the air, and the factory lights flickered, creating a palpable sense of unease.

"Detective, there's a device here!" a team member whispered, pointing to a metal box placed in a corner.

Lynn approached to examine the box and discovered a high-performance incineration device, seemingly designed to create a large-scale fire. He frowned. "They're preparing for the next attack."

Just then, an emergency alarm sounded in Lynn's earpiece: "Detective! We've detected a moving heat source. Its body temperature is far above normal; it's suspected to be 'Heart of Flame'!"

Lynn's gaze turned cold: "Locate him! I'll handle it."

Lynn led his team to track the target and eventually found him in a warehouse deep inside the factory. The figure stood in front of a pile of fuel barrels, surrounded by raging flames, as if the flames themselves were a part of him.

"Heart of Flame!" Lynn pointed his gun at him. "Put down the device, or I'll shoot."

The other person turned around, revealing a face distorted as if branded by flames, their eyes filled with anger and contempt: "You ordinary people always think you can control everything, but flames cannot be tamed!"

"This game is over," Lynn said coldly. "We know your plans, and we know about 'Dawn'. Surrender, or face the consequences."

"You think capturing me will end everything?" 'Heart of Flame' sneered. "This is just the beginning."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly raised his hands, and towering flames erupted from his palms. Lynn immediately rolled away to avoid them.

Lynn dodged the raging flames as the temperature inside the warehouse rose rapidly, filling the air with a strong smell of sulfur. The Heart of Flame stood beside the fuel barrels, his hands radiating a blazing orange-red light, as if flames were surging from his veins.

"You can't catch me, Inspector!" Heart of Flame sneered, casually waving his hand as a wall of fire swept across.

In an instant, Lynn was cornered.

Lynn leaned against the cover, quickly analyzing the situation. He knew that a direct confrontation was not a wise move. Heart of Fire was perfectly suited to this environment, and his abilities had clearly been enhanced, far exceeding the power of ordinary mutants.

"Why did you do this?" Lynn shouted, trying to stall for time. "What does hurting innocent people really prove?"

"Innocent?" Flameheart's laughter was laced with rage. "Those so-called innocents climbed up over our corpses! They enjoyed privileges, while we mutants were stripped of everything!"

Lynn sensed the anger and pain in his voice and tried to guide him: "If you really want to change this, violence will only make things worse. You should know that such behavior will only make more people hate mutants."

Flameheart's expression faltered slightly, but she quickly became even more agitated: "You don't understand at all! You only know fear!"

Only then can we make those who are high and mighty bow their heads!

Taking advantage of Flameheart's momentary emotional lapse, Lynn leaped from behind cover, aiming his weapon at the fire suppression system above the warehouse. He pulled the trigger, the bullet striking the valve precisely, and white fire-extinguishing foam sprayed down from the ceiling, quickly covering the entire warehouse.

The Heart of Flame was suppressed by the foam, and the flames gradually weakened. He roared and frantically waved his hands in an attempt to reignite the fire, but the chemical reaction of the extinguishing foam greatly reduced his abilities.

Lynn seized the opportunity, quickly approaching Heart of Flame and aiming his stun gun at his leg. With a "sizzle," Heart of Flame shuddered, fell to his knees, and the flames around him were completely extinguished.

"It's over," Lynn said coldly, fastening the specially made restraints to Flameheart's wrists. "You have nowhere to escape."

Heart of Flame, panting heavily, still shone with unyielding spirit: "You think you can stop the rise of the Dawn by capturing me? We are the judges of this corrupt society. You cannot stop us."

Lynn was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "The Judge? You're just another tool for manipulating violence." After the Heart of Flame was taken over, Lynn's team began cleaning the warehouse, searching for more clues. Carter walked over, holding a yellowed map.

"Detective, there's something wrong here." Carter pointed to the markings on the map. "This isn't just the Heart of Flame's hideout; it's also the Dawn organization's operations center in Manhattan."

Lynn took the map and examined it carefully. He noticed that it marked the locations of several Manhattan landmarks, with numbers and dates next to each location.

"This is an attack plan," Lynn said coldly. "They're not just trying to create chaos; these numbers could be a countdown to the operation."

Carter nodded: "If these plans are implemented, the entire Manhattan will be thrown into panic."

"Gather all documents and send them to the technical team immediately," Lynn ordered. "At the same time, increase security measures at these target locations."

Meanwhile, upon learning that Lynn had successfully captured Flameheart, Kate rushed to the FBI headquarters.

He tried to gather more information. However, Lynn remained cautious when facing her.

"Lynn, you have to tell me what happened," Kate insisted. "The public needs to know the truth."

Lynn shook his head: "Kate, now is not the time. We have just obtained some crucial intelligence, and if we disclose it rashly, it will only cause panic."

“But you know, there are deeper issues behind these attacks,” Kate said, looking him straight in the eye. “People need to understand, not just for safety, but also to change the prejudice against mutants.”

Lynn sighed and finally conceded: "Fine, but you can only report on what has already happened, not on future action plans."

Kate nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Lynn."

Just as Kate began writing her report, Lynn's team uncovered even more shocking facts while analyzing the Dawn organization's plans. They were not only planning to attack Manhattan, but also attempting to cripple the city's energy system through cyberattacks, causing widespread chaos.

Lynn realized that time was running out. He assembled his team, quickly devised a countermeasure plan, and contacted the Department of Homeland Security to request reinforcements.

"We must completely destroy this organization before they take their next step," Lynn said firmly.

During a conversation with Kate before the operation, Lynn's tone was particularly heavy: "Kate, this time it might be more dangerous than ever. If Dawn succeeds, their extreme methods will push the relationship between mutants and ordinary people into an irreparable abyss."

Kate looked at him and said softly, "I believe you can stop them. I will report on this no matter what, so that people know how much you have sacrificed to protect this city."

Lynn nodded: "This is not only for protection, but also to ensure that everyone, whether mutant or ordinary, can live equally. This is our responsibility."

Kate sat in a dimly lit café, opposite a man in a hoodie whose face was almost entirely hidden in shadow. An untouched cup of coffee sat on the table, and his fingers tapped nervously on the surface.

"Kate Bennett, right?" the man asked in a low voice.

"It's me." Kate nodded, trying to make her tone more even. "I heard you have clues about the 'Heart of Flame,' and I'm willing to listen."

The man said in a low voice, "No one knows 'Heart of Flame's' real name, but I know he was employed by a company called Cohen Industries. This company appears to be a legitimate business, but it actually has close ties to the mutant underground network."

Kate quickly pulled out her notebook: "Cohen Industries? Why would they hire 'Heart of Flame'?"

"Sabotage, assassinations, even planning attacks against specific targets," the man continued, his eyes wary. "They supposedly recruit mutants with offensive capabilities to carry out dirty deals for them. And 'Heart of Flame' is one of their most dangerous employees."

Kate frowned. "Why are you telling me this? It sounds dangerous."

The man sighed, a hint of anger in his voice: "Because I used to be a member of Korn Industries. After leaving them, I realized that what they did using mutant abilities wouldn't bring about any change; it would only make things worse."