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

Chapter 243 never aroused suspicion from the outside world.

These words drew laughter and cheerful chatter from the living room. George breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "That's good."

That's good."

Lynn sat down and chatted casually with Gwen's friends. He discovered that Ellie was the lead singer of Gwen's band, with a cheerful and lively personality, while Kevin was a member of the school's science club, introverted but sensitive. The two occasionally mentioned Gwen's performance at school, saying that she was very opinionated in the band and always full of creativity.

“Gwen is very independent,” Ellie said. “Whether it’s academics or hobbies, she always finds her own direction. We all admire her.”

Hearing these words, Lynn felt a surge of relief. He realized that the little girl who used to follow him around when she was little had now grown into a decisive and capable young man.

That evening, after Gwen's friends said goodbye and left, the house returned to quiet. George sat on the sofa, rubbing his shoulders, and remarked with a sigh, "Gwen's friends are really nice; you can tell she's having a great time at school."

Lynn nodded and looked at Gwen, who was tidying up the table: "Yes, she's more independent than I thought."

I am proud of her.

Hearing this, Gwen looked up and smiled, "Brother, why are you praising me so much today? I'm not used to it!"

George chuckled and joked, "Your brother isn't used to you not needing him to take care of you yet."

The whole family burst into laughter.

That evening, Lynn offered to drive Ellie and Kevin home. Gwen wanted to come along, but Lynn patted her on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I'll get your friends home safely. You stay home with Dad."

Ellie and Kevin followed Lynn out of the house. The streetlights were dim, and the air was cool with the chill of early autumn.

The three chatted as they walked, and Ellie said with a smile, "You're such a good brother. Gwen always says you're very busy with work, but I didn't expect you to still take the time to drive us."

"Gwen is my sister, so naturally I have to take care of her friends too," Lynn said with a smile. "However,"

Sending you all home was also a way for me to have some fun.

Kevin glanced at Lynn with a hint of sarcasm and said, "Mr. Stacy, Gwen often mentions you. She says you're very capable."

Lynn smiled and was about to reply when several loud laughs suddenly came from the alley ahead, and a few thugs in loose-fitting clothes blocked the way. They were leaning against the wall in twos and threes, holding beer bottles in their hands and wearing malicious smiles on their faces.

"Hey, look who's here," one of the tall, thin thugs said lazily. "So late, and with a child? Sir, where are you headed?"

Lynn stopped, narrowed his eyes slightly, and gestured for Ellie and Kevin to stand behind him. His voice was calm and deep: "Just passing by, don't want any trouble."

"What a pity," another bald thug stepped forward, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, "We just wanted to have some fun. Leave something behind as toll money."

Lynn smiled calmly, stepped forward to block Ellie and Kevin, and said in a lower voice, "I'll say it again, don't cause trouble. Don't you want to know the consequences of messing with me?"

The tall, thin thug raised an eyebrow: "Oh, this gentleman's got some nerve."

Before he could finish speaking, he raised his hand and swung the bottle at Lynn. Lynn quickly dodged, grabbed his wrist, and with a deft move, snatched the bottle away. At the same time, he kicked Lynn's knee, knocking him to the ground. The other thugs, seeing this, surrounded him angrily, but Lynn was clearly prepared.

He dodged the bald thug's punch with a swift movement, then grabbed the man's arm and slammed him to the ground. Lynn then calmly glanced at the remaining men, his voice icy: "Want to try? I'm in."

The thugs were clearly taken aback by Lynn's agility. After exchanging glances, they retreated, cursing under their breath. The tall, thin thug got up from the ground, pointed at Lynn, and said menacingly, "You're ruthless. I'll let you off the hook today!"

After saying that, they quickly disappeared at the end of the alley.

Lynn breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Ellie and Kevin: "Are you two alright?"

Ellie stared at Lynn in disbelief, her eyes filled with admiration: "Mr. Stacy, what you just did was like a hero in a movie! So cool!"

Kevin exclaimed in amazement, "Seriously, I've never seen anyone resolve something like this so decisively."

Lynn chuckled and waved his hand, "It's nothing, just a minor incident. But you two must remember, in situations like this, the most important thing is to protect yourselves and stay away from danger. You won't always have someone to help you."

Ellie and Kevin nodded repeatedly, their admiration undiminished.

After safely dropping them off at home, Lin En walked home alone, the wind blowing through the streets bringing gusts of cool air. He recalled what had just happened, a faint smile playing on his face. Although it was just a minor incident, Lin En felt a long-lost sense of satisfaction in having fulfilled his duty to his sister's friends and given them peace of mind.

When he got home, Gwen was sitting on the sofa waiting for him. Seeing Lynn enter, she immediately stood up and asked, "Brother..."

Did they get home safely?

"Of course," Lynn nodded with a smile. "I also gave them a lesson on how to identify danger." Stigwin blinked and asked curiously, "What lesson?"

Lynn smiled without saying a word, patted Gwen's head, and said softly, "You should be more concerned about what they've learned than what I've taught."

That evening, Lynn sat on the sofa with a document in his hand, preparing to sort out some work-related matters. Gwen came out of the kitchen, holding a cup of hot cocoa, and sat down next to Lynn, handing him the cup.

"Brother," Gwen said with a smile, "Dad's birthday is coming up soon, have you decided what gift to give him?"

Lynn was taken aback, put down the documents in her hand, and looked up at Gwen: "His birthday? It's coming so soon?"

Gwen rolled her eyes and teased, "Are you too busy to remember Dad's birthday? Good thing I reminded you."

Lynn scratched the back of his head, giving an embarrassed smile. "I really didn't notice. And you? Are you ready?"

"Of course!" Gwen said proudly. "I made a photo album of us when we were little, and added some recent family photos. I think Dad will love it."

Lynn nodded, a hint of approval in her eyes: "Good idea, Dad will definitely be touched. But I'm not as creative as you, I really don't know what to give."

"Then you'd better hurry." Gwen looked at Lynn with an expression that said, "I'm helpless." "Dad's birthday won't wait for anyone."

Lynn smiled and shook his head: "Alright, I'll think of something tomorrow."

The next day, Lynn took some free time and dialed Kate's number. After the call connected, Kate's voice came from the other end: "Lynn? Why are you calling me at this hour? Is there another case?"

"This isn't a case," Lynn said with a wry smile. "It's my dad's birthday coming up, and I need some gift suggestions. You must have a lot of good ideas, right?"

Kate chuckled, seemingly intrigued by Lynn's "family troubles": "Oh, Mr. George's birthday? You certainly know how to get help. Does he have any particular hobbies lately?"

Lynn frowned: "Hobbies? To be honest, he's been busy with community affairs since he retired. He usually just watches the news and takes walks. Nothing special."

Kate pondered for a moment and said, "If that's the case, perhaps we can start by looking into his lifestyle habits."

For example, a comfortable massage chair? Or a custom-made watch engraved with a family member's name, representing the meaning of family.

Lynn nodded, finding Kate's suggestion practical: "A custom watch sounds good. Dad always values ​​time and likes practical things."

"Then it's settled," Kate said with a smile. "But don't forget, the most important thing about this gift isn't the price, but the thought behind it. If you have time, write a letter or record a short video message to accompany the gift; it's sure to touch his heart."

Lynn said gratefully, "Thank you, Kate, you always have a way of making things clear for me."

"Don't mention it, I'm looking forward to hearing Mr. George's reaction to the gift," Kate joked. "And remember to tell me what Gwen prepared, it might give me some more inspiration."

After hanging up the phone, Lynn immediately set about ordering a watch and began brainstorming a birthday video for George.

Following Kate's advice, Lynn found a century-old watch shop owned by an elderly watchmaker with gray hair named Howard. Although his shop was small, it was filled with various exquisite pocket watches and wristwatches, each exuding the weight of time.

Lynn pushed open the door, and Howard was intently repairing an antique pocket watch with a magnifying glass. Hearing the noise,

He looked up and said in a hoarse but gentle voice, "Welcome. How can I help you?"

Lynn nodded, walked to the counter, and told Howard her idea: "I'd like to order a watch as a gift for my father. His birthday is coming up soon, and I'd like a custom watch engraved with our family's names. I wonder if you can make that here?"

Howard put down his tools and scrutinized Lynn for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. He suddenly smiled. "You're Lynn Stacy, right? I've seen you on TV. You're a detective, aren't you?"

Lynn paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "That's right, I am."

Howard put down the magnifying glass and slowly stood up: "I've heard quite a bit about your story. Since it's your father's birthday, I'm naturally willing to help. However, I don't need a fee this time."

"Why?" Lynn asked curiously, "Your cooking is so good, I'm willing to pay you the price you deserve."

Howard waved his hand and sighed, "It's not about the money. I just hope you can do me a favor."

Lynn frowned slightly: "What kind of help?"

Howard's expression turned serious, and his voice lowered: "My daughter Martha has been abused by her husband. She's tried to leave, but each time he threatens and even uses violence to force her back. I'm too old to protect her. I know you're an upright man, and if you'd like, I hope you can help her escape this predicament."

Lynn's eyes instantly turned serious: "How is your daughter now?"

Howard shook his head, his eyes filled with pain: "She called me yesterday, and she sounded very weak. I'm worried she might not make it much longer. But I don't know what else to do—"

Lynn nodded, her tone firm: "Mr. Howard, I will help you. Please give me her address, and I will handle this as soon as possible."

A flicker of gratitude crossed Howard's eyes. He took out a piece of paper, wrote down Martha's address, and handed it to Lynn with both hands: "Thank you, Inspector. I know I'm being presumptuous, but this is my only hope."

Lynn took the note and said reassuringly, "Don't worry, I'll do my best to ensure her safety. However, you should also be prepared that if she wants to leave, you'll need to provide her with a safe place."

Howard nodded: "As long as she's safe, I'd be willing to let her stay at the store."

After leaving the watch shop, Lynn immediately called Mark and briefly explained the situation. Mark replied promptly, "Understood. I'll check her husband's background. If there's a history of domestic violence, we can take action."

Lynn hung up the phone, feeling a heavy weight in her heart.

Lynn and Mark began investigating Martha's situation, first contacting her neighbors in hopes of finding clues through their descriptions. However, to their surprise, almost all the neighbors spoke highly of Martha's husband.

"Oh, John? He's a really nice man. He always helps us move things and gives us little gifts on holidays," a middle-aged neighbor said with a smile. "He and his wife always seem very loving."

"Martha? She rarely goes out, but she's always very polite whenever I see her," another neighbor added. "I've never heard of them having any conflicts. They're very quiet; I've never heard them argue."

These descriptions made Lynn and Mark frown even more. Clearly, Martha's husband, John, was adept at concealing his true nature. He presented an impeccable public image, yet his domestic violence never aroused suspicion.

"This guy is smart," Mark said in a low voice. "He knows how to control the situation and prevent the neighbors from discovering his true colors. We need to find more direct evidence, otherwise it will be difficult to bring him to justice."

Lynn nodded, his gaze growing even colder: "No eyewitnesses, and the neighbors didn't hear anything unusual, this is indeed troublesome. But the more cautious he is, the deeper his crimes must be. We must find Martha and hear her own account."

The two decided to check out Martha's place first. Upon arriving at the ordinary apartment building, Lynn knocked on the door, but no one answered. After a while, a thin woman peeked out from under the door—it was Martha.

Her face had faint bruises, and her eyes were darting around; she was clearly very nervous.

"Ms. Martha, I'm Lynn Stacy, FBI Inspector. This is my colleague, Mark." Lynn showed her badge and spoke as gently as possible, "We're here to help you; your father is very worried about you."

Martha's eyes immediately welled up with tears, but she quickly wiped them away with her hand, her voice filled with fear: "You shouldn't have come. If he finds out, he'll be even angrier."