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

Chapter 237 What exactly does he want?

Lynn smiled slightly, took a banknote from his pocket, and gently placed it on the bar: "I just wanted to know if he's been here recently, or if anyone has heard of him."

The bartender didn't touch the banknote. Instead, he moved closer, his tone icy: "Listen, people here don't like being watched by the police. If you're smart, leave now, or I guarantee your drink will be spilled on the floor soon."

Lynn showed no displeasure, simply nodding slightly. "Understood." He picked up his glass, turned, and walked to an empty table in the corner, sitting down quietly and observing the activity in the bar.

About ten minutes later, a thin young man sat down opposite him and said in a low voice, "I heard you're looking for the 'Heart of Flame'?"

Lynn's eyes lit up, and he nodded. "Yes. You know his whereabouts?"

The young man sneered and lowered his voice: "You really dare to come here looking for him? That name is taboo here; many people don't even dare to mention it."

"So why are you willing to talk to me?" Lynn stared directly at him, her gaze sharp.

The young man glanced around, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Because he's ruined us all. Every time he shows up here, he brings trouble. He's already disrupted the good days in the community. We just want to live in peace, but he always uses this place as his hideout, and as a result, everyone's lives are even harder."

"Has he been here recently?" Lynn pressed.

The young man shook his head: "He hasn't been here for a while. The last time someone saw him was at the old factory outside the community, but he disappeared quickly. Some people also say that he met with high-ranking members of 'Dawn,' but nobody knows the specifics."

Lynn frowned: "The old factory? Where exactly is it located?"

The young man hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "The abandoned industrial area at the intersection of 15th Street and Hudson Yards. But I warn you, that place is dangerous; you might not come out alive."

Lynn nodded his thanks, and as he stood up, the young man grabbed his arm and whispered, "Don't think that capturing 'Heart of Flame' will change anything. He's just a pawn. The real problem is those who manipulate him."

Lynn looked at him and said in a deep voice, "I know, but capturing him is the first step."

The young man let go and watched Lynn leave the bar.

After leaving the bar, Lynn found that it was completely dark, and there were even fewer pedestrians on the street. Even outside the mutant community, he felt an invisible hostility, as if every wall in the area was resisting his presence. This distrust was profound and painful, reminding him that these mutants lived in a forgotten world.

Lynn dialed Carter's number, briefly reported the situation at the bar, and instructed the task force to conduct reconnaissance of the industrial area. After hanging up, he looked up at the dilapidated buildings, but his heart was far from at peace.

the other side.

Kate's visit to the mutant community didn't start smoothly. She entered the streets with her press pass and microphone, only to find the hostility towards outsiders far deeper than she'd imagined. Pedestrians quickly avoided her at the sight of the microphone, some even turning and disappearing into alleyways.

She took a deep breath, composed herself, and walked straight into a small shop. The shop was dimly lit, and the shelves were piled high with miscellaneous items; it looked like a mix of a convenience store and a repair shop. Behind the counter stood a middle-aged mutant with prominent scaly skin. He glanced up at Kate and asked indifferently, "What do you want to buy?"

"Actually, I'm a journalist," Kate said carefully, placing her press pass on the counter. "I'm following up on the recent fires, and I've heard they're connected to the mutant community. I just want to get some background information."

The middle-aged man looked up at her face, remained silent for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "You want to write an article, right?"

"Are you trying to make us look more like criminals?"

“No, I want to tell the truth.” Kate looked him straight in the eye, her tone sincere. “I know people here don’t trust the outside world, and I know mutants are often treated unfairly. But if someone is using this anger to hurt innocent people, or even dragging people here into danger, don’t you think that needs to be exposed?”

The man's gaze softened slightly, but he remained cautious: "What do you want to know?"

Kate lowered her voice: "I've heard someone mention a mutant called 'Heart of Flame.' He seems to be a key figure in some of the fires. I just want to know his connection to this community, and whether it's possible he's hiding here."

The man's expression stiffened for a moment, clearly sensitive to the name. He hesitated for a second, then finally pointed to an alleyway outside the window: "Go ask at the old auto repair shop at the end of the street. The old man there might know something. He doesn't like the police, but he might say a few words to you."

Kate nodded, thanked him, and left the shop, following the signs to the repair shop. The repair shop was dilapidated, with several rusty cars parked outside. She pushed open the half-closed iron gate and found an elderly man with gray hair sitting inside, repairing an old engine with a wrench.

"Who are you?" the old man looked up at her and asked warily.

"I'm a reporter, Kate Bennett." She stood in the doorway, not approaching. "Someone told me you might know something about 'Heart of Flame.' I just want to know the facts and won't reveal your name."

The old man put down the wrench, looking at her with a complicated expression. "'Heart of Flame'? That guy only brings us trouble. He's not a hero here, even though some people idolize him."

"Has he been here before?" Kate asked tentatively.

The old man was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "He was here for a while a few weeks ago. He always appears and disappears mysteriously, but I heard he might be hiding in the cargo warehouse at the East Wharf recently, a remote place that nobody wants to go."

Kate quickly wrote down the address and said gratefully, "Thank you. I will be careful not to let this information be misused."

After leaving the repair shop, Kate immediately called Lynn. She knew she was on a dangerous path, but she also understood that this was the only chance to bring the truth to light.

When the call connected, Lynn's voice carried a hint of wariness: "Kate, did you find anything?"

“I just came from the mutant community,” Kate said in a low voice. “Someone told me that ‘Heart of Flame’ might be hidden in the cargo warehouse at the East Wharf.”

Lynn was silent for a moment, then a hint of nervousness crept into her voice: "You went to ask him yourself?"

"Yes, I know you don't agree, but it's the only way," Kate replied. "I have no other choice."

Lynn sighed. "Kate, you're taking too much of a risk. If these people know you're looking for him, they could very well do you a bad thing."

"That's why I told you as soon as possible," Kate said firmly. "I'll be careful."

But you need to act quickly.

"Understood," Lynn said softly. "Thank you for the clue. Leave the rest to me. Don't go any closer to that area."

After hanging up the phone, Kate stood on the street, gazing towards the distant docks. Although she knew she had done her best, a nameless worry welled up inside her.

Lynn led the task force swiftly to the cargo warehouse at the East Wharf. The wharf was deathly silent and eerie under the cover of night, broken only by the occasional distant ship horn. They cautiously infiltrated the area around the warehouse, and only began their operation after confirming that there were no enemies around.

"Be careful, check every corner carefully," Lynn ordered in a low voice. The team members quickly spread out and carefully searched the warehouse with tactical flashlights and weapons.

The warehouse was in disarray, with crates and burn marks scattered on the floor. A faint smell of sulfur lingered in the air, indicating that it was indeed related to the "Heart of Flame." But after several searches, Lynn discovered a frustrating fact—the place was completely deserted.

"Detective!" an officer suddenly called out. Lynn strode over and found the team members stopped in front of a deliberately placed projection device. The screen was flashing red light, appearing to be a pre-recorded video.

Lynn frowned and gestured for the video to play. On screen, the figure of "Heart of Flame" appeared against a dark background, his face appearing particularly sinister against the backdrop of flames. A cold smile played on his lips as he spoke, "Detective Lynn, I knew you'd find this place, but you're always a step too late, aren't you?"

The team members looked at each other, but Lynn's eyes were even colder.

"You've been chasing the truth, but unfortunately, you haven't seen the bigger picture," "Heart of Flame" continues in the video. "This is just the beginning. My friends and I are planning a real revolution, an action that will shake the entire society. And you—you're just a petty law enforcement officer trying to stop the tide."

As he said this, his sneer deepened: "If you want to stop us, feel free to try. However,"

I advise you to save your own life first; you'll be so busy you won't be able to breathe in the days to come.

The image disappeared in a flash of fire, and the video abruptly ended.

Lynn was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Immediately gather all clues here, especially anything that might point to their next plan. Time is running out."

The team members began searching the warehouse and found some abandoned equipment and fragments of documents. After the technicians restored some of the documents, they discovered that a map marked several locations, one of which was in downtown Manhattan, but the date next to it was only two days later.

"Detective," Carter said, handing the map to Lynn with a serious expression, "they are clearly preparing for a large-scale operation, possibly in the city center."

Lynn looked at the map, his brow furrowed. "What are they targeting? The city center has too many critical facilities—a financial center, an energy station, a public transportation hub—each of which could cause massive destruction."

Carter nodded: "An attack on any one of these places would be enough to plunge the city into chaos. They're clearly testing us."

Lynn said in a deep voice, "We can't wait for them to make a move; we must strike first. Notify all departments..."

Strengthen security at these locations, and have the technical team analyze other markers on the map as quickly as possible.

Outside the warehouse, the wind whipped up dust from the docks, ruffling Lynn's clothes. He stood in the cold wind, his gaze icy and resolute. The other side was clearly no longer content with small-scale sabotage, but preparing for a major operation that could change the course of the war. He had to nip it in the bud before the storm arrived.

Just then, Lynn's phone vibrated. It was a message from Kate. She had obviously also learned of the failed raid; the message contained only one sentence: "They're already playing a bigger game. Do we still have a chance to turn things around?"

Lynn stared at the screen, remained silent for a moment, and then replied, "As long as we continue our operations, the storm will not engulf the city." He pressed send, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

the other side.

Kate sat in her apartment, a thick stack of documents and a laptop spread out on the table, an email from an anonymous informant flashing on the screen. Attached to the email were several documents revealing shocking transaction records. These records indicated that the activities of the "Dawn" organization were backed by multinational corporations and political forces.

She carefully read the documents and discovered that a company called "Cohen Industries" not only provided financial support to "Dawn" but also secretly supplied it with weapons, equipment, and advanced technology. Furthermore, there were records of close contacts between some executives of Cohen Industries and several prominent politicians in Manhattan. The documents even contained suggestive terms such as "strategic coordination" and "balancing of interests."

Kate's heart quickened. She knew that if the documents were authentic, then the so-called "Dawn" organization was likely not just an extreme mutant group, but a tool manipulated by certain political and business interest groups. They created social panic by funding violent activities to achieve some ulterior motive.

She dialed her informant's number, and the other person's voice was low and tense: "That's all I can tell you, Kate."

If you continue your investigation, you'll discover that their true motives are far more sinister than you imagine.

"What exactly do these people want?" Kate pressed.

The other person hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "They want to push through some mutant management legislation so their company can profit from it. More importantly, they need these acts of violence to make the public more fearful of mutants."

Kate gripped her phone tightly, a hint of anger in her voice: "So, this isn't just about violence from 'Dawn,' but a complete game of manipulating public opinion?"

"You're right," the informant sighed. "But Kate, you need to be careful. These people aren't just ordinary politicians and businessmen; they'll protect their interests at all costs."

After hanging up the phone, Kate fell into deep thought. She quickly organized all the documents, trying to piece together the whole conspiracy from a more comprehensive perspective. However, the more she read, the more shocked she became: these political and business forces were not only exploiting "Dawn," but might even be fueling deeper social divisions.