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

Mark nodded: "Judging from where this money went, he's likely already paving the way for his departure. If we don't act quickly, we'll never get it back once he's transferred all the funds overseas."

Lynn put down the documents and quickly picked up the phone to call the liaison in the Treasury Department: "This is FBI Inspector Lynn Stacy. We have discovered a major financial irregularity involving a corporation. Please initiate account freezing procedures immediately. The target is the corporate account of the Stark Metals plant. This is an emergency involving a large amount of money fleeing the country."

The other end of the phone responded quickly: "Received, Detective, we will handle it immediately."

After hanging up, Lynn dialed another line, contacting the team responsible for monitoring financial crimes, explaining Stark's situation in detail, and requesting further tracking of the funds' flow.

Mark chimed in, "Detective, we need to consider this. Stark might have other plans. If it's just freezing the accounts, he might find another way to take the money."

Lynn nodded, his gaze cold: "You're right, we can't just rely on freezing accounts. I'll contact law enforcement at the border and airport to make sure he can't escape through other channels."

Subsequently, Lynn contacted security chiefs at the border control center and major airports, listing Stark as a key person to watch, and sharing information and materials about his recent activities.

A few hours later, the finance department informed them that Stark's company accounts had been successfully frozen, and the five million dollars were trapped inside, unable to be transferred out. Meanwhile, the financial team traced the funds back to a complex money laundering network destined for an offshore company in the Caribbean.

Upon learning the news, Lynn quickly dispatched a team to Stark's company office. He went personally with Mark to ensure there were no mishaps. When they arrived, Stark had clearly already been informed and was hurriedly organizing documents.

"Mr. Stark," Lynn said, walking into the office with a sharp, piercing gaze. "It seems you're very busy."

Stark's hand trembled slightly, but he quickly concealed his panic and said with a forced smile, "Detective, what brings you here?"

"I think you know," Lynn said coldly, "that your attempt to transfer five million dollars to an overseas account constitutes a serious economic crime."

Stark's face changed drastically, and his voice trembled: "I...I was just trying to keep the company's funds flowing smoothly! It's a misunderstanding!"

Lynn gave a cold laugh: "Flexible cash flow? Funds flowing directly to an offshore company is clearly an attempt to evade regulation. If you want to explain, you can do so in court."

Lynn then signaled to the law enforcement officers behind him to come forward and arrest Stark. His office was quickly searched, and all documents and equipment that might be related to the flow of funds were seized on the spot.

As he left, Lynn turned and glanced at the man who had once been high and mighty, now looking utterly dejected as he was being escorted to the police car.

Lynn stood in the Treasury Department's conference room, documents spread out on the table, surrounded by several colleagues and financial investigators awaiting his decision. The five million dollars frozen in Stark's corporate accounts were the most crucial funds in the case, and Lynn knew that this money would determine the outcome of this struggle.

“This money cannot simply be frozen and deposited into the government’s accounts,” Lynn said calmly, glancing around at the crowd. “It comes from Stark’s corporate operations, and this money actually belongs to the exploited and unpaid employees. Their rights must be protected first.”

A finance official frowned. "Detective, you know this requires legal proceedings. While I agree with you, we need time."

"Time?" Lynn's tone was low but firm. "Those employees have been owed wages for two years. They don't have any more time to wait. If the legal process is hindering the realization of justice, then we must find another legal and fast way."

After several hours of discussion and coordination, Lynn finally obtained special permission from his superiors to prioritize the use of a portion of Stark Industries' frozen funds for paying overdue employee salaries as a special project. Lynn personally participated in the fund allocation plan, working with the finance department to calculate the payroll and ensure that every worker received their due compensation.

The next day, a temporary payment window was set up outside the factory, and Lynn and a representative from the finance department arrived at the scene. One worker after another stepped forward, filled with doubt and unease, to receive their pay slips.

"Is this real?" An elderly worker with gray hair stared at the check in his hand, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Is this really all my wages from the past year and a half?"

Lynn stood to the side and smiled slightly: "Yes, it's true. Your hard work shouldn't be overlooked; this money rightfully belongs to you."

Some workers, clutching the checks, were almost moved to tears. They began to applaud spontaneously, and more people gathered around, creating a touching atmosphere. Some workers even came up and patted Lynn on the shoulder, thanking him for everything he had done.

"Detective, you are our true friend!" a young worker exclaimed excitedly. "If it weren't for you, we would never have received this money in our entire lives."

Lynn simply smiled faintly: "I just did what I was supposed to do. This struggle was about your courage, which made me see the problem. We just helped you achieve the justice you deserved."

Meanwhile, standing some distance away from the crowd, Kate held a voice recorder and notebook, documenting the entire incident. She already knew the complete details of the case from Lynn, and today's scene was exactly what she wanted to capture. The workers' emotions, Lynn's perseverance, and Stark's ultimate failure would all become part of her story.

After all the workers had received their wages, Kate stepped forward, her eyes sparkling with admiration and respect: "Lynn, you knew this would be explosive news, right?"

"I guessed as much." Lynn chuckled and looked at her. "But I hope you can explain the true meaning of this in your own way. This isn't about me, it's not about Stark, it's about ordinary people, their perseverance, their sense of justice."

Kate nodded. "Don't worry, I will."

A few days later, Kate's report was published on the city's largest news platform. The headline was "The Price of Justice: How an FBI Inspector Helped Workers Get Back Exploited Wages." The article detailed how Stark used complex methods to withhold workers' wages, how he attempted to abscond with the funds, and how Lynn and his team discovered and stopped it all. Kate also interviewed several workers, sharing their honest stories of how these wages changed their lives.

The report attracted widespread attention from the public as soon as it was published.

Lynn pushed open the restaurant door, and Kate was already seated by the window, sipping coffee and flipping through her notebook. Hearing footsteps, she looked up and smiled, "Lynn, being five minutes late isn't like you."

"Don't even mention it," Lynn said helplessly, sitting down and taking off her coat to drape over the back of the chair. "I just got out of the police station, and my phone was ringing off the hook all day."

Kate raised an eyebrow and asked innocently, "Oh? What happened?"

Lynn gave her a wry smile and said, "You still dare to ask? After your report went viral, everyone in the police station used that article to make fun of me. 'The righteous detective,' 'The hero of the working class,' and some people even said I should be given an award."

Kate couldn't help but laugh out loud, putting down her notebook. "I was just writing down the facts. What, does the heroic detective not like being praised?"

Lynn sighed, picked up the water the waiter had just brought and took a sip: "It's fine to like praise, but you've portrayed me in too glorious a light. The public might think I'm a perfect person, but I know I'm just doing my job. If you elevate me so much, what if I do something wrong one day? With so many people watching me, it would be terrible if I fell."

Kate grinned and winked. "Then don't fall. Stay true to your standards and continue being the embodiment of justice—isn't that your forte?"

Lynn put down her water glass and shook her head helplessly: "I'm really fed up with you. Do you know how much attention that report attracted? Today, there were reporters waiting outside the police station trying to interview me, as if I were some kind of idol star."

“That means you did a good job,” Kate said bluntly. “The public needs a role model, not bureaucrats hiding in their offices pointing fingers. You’ve shown what real law enforcement should do—take concrete actions to help ordinary people get what they deserve.”

Lynn looked at Kate, sighed, but there was a hint of gratitude in her eyes: "That's a nice thing to say. But I don't want to be any kind of role model. I just want to do my job quietly, away from the spotlight."

Kate smiled slightly, her tone softening: "Lynn, you may not care, but for those workers, your actions changed their lives. You not only recovered their wages, but you also gave them hope. No matter what you think, this is meaningful, and your name is linked to that meaning."

The latest novel is first published here!

Lynn was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "Okay, Kate, you win. I admit, I'm quite satisfied with the result this time, even though the process was exhausting."

Kate smiled and raised her coffee cup: "That's more like it! Come on, let's celebrate for our 'righteous detective'!"

Lynn rolled her eyes, but still picked up her water glass and gently touched hers. They smiled at each other, and the atmosphere relaxed.

"But seriously," Lynn put down her cup, her tone slightly teasing, "next time you write a report about me, could you be a little more low-key? Don't make the whole city know me."

Kate tilted her head with a mischievous grin: "Keep a low profile? You mean 'the unsung hero detective'? That sounds pretty good."

Lynn sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation: "Never mind, I shouldn't have brought this up with you."

Kate laughed, a sly glint in her eyes. "Lynn, don't be so modest. You're more deserving of recognition than you think. The public needs to see someone doing the right thing, and you are that person."

Lynn didn't say anything more, just shook her head, but a smile involuntarily appeared on her lips.

Kate stirred her coffee, then suddenly spoke in a lighthearted tone, "By the way, Lynn, I've been going through our newspaper's old files lately and found something interesting—have you heard of that hunter's cabin in the eastern forest?"

Lynn looked up, his brow furrowing slightly. "Hunter's Lodge? You mean that supposedly haunted place? That was a few years ago, I've actually heard of it."

A flicker of excitement crossed Kate's eyes: "Yes, that's it! Legend has it that an old hunter mysteriously disappeared from his cabin there. Later, the people in the forest said they heard strange noises every night, and some even saw shadows moving in the windows. The files mention that the police investigated at the time, but ultimately nothing came of it."

Lynn put down his coffee cup, his expression noticeably more alert: "I don't remember much about that case, but one thing is for sure, it wasn't as simple as 'haunting.' It could be due to human intervention, or something else, but it was definitely not a supernatural event."

Kate leaned back in her chair and said with a smile, "I don't care about the supernatural stuff, I just find it kind of interesting. You see, readers like this kind of thing. If I could go and see for myself, I might even be able to write a great report!"

Lynn's eyes darkened, and his tone became serious: "Kate, this isn't a place you can just go exploring. That forest has complex terrain, and rescue would be difficult if something went wrong. Besides, what will you do if there's any real danger, going alone?"

Kate waved her hand dismissively, "Don't be so nervous. I'm not stupid. Going during the day with equipment and a map will definitely be fine. Besides, if there's any real danger, do you think I can't run away?"

Lynn sighed, a hint of helplessness in his voice: "Kate, you're always too confident in your adventurous spirit. You know, not all dangers can be foreseen, especially in places like that. Even if there aren't any 'ghosts,' someone might still use that place for shady things."

Kate stared at Lynn, a sly smile in her eyes: "So, are you worried about me, or do you think I can't handle this?"

Lynn looked at her helplessly: "Both. I don't deny that you're smart, nor do I deny that you're brave, but intelligence and courage cannot replace safety. I suggest you don't get involved in this, or at least, don't go alone."

Kate picked up her coffee cup, took a sip, and said with a determined look in her eyes, "Okay, I promise you, I won't go alone. But if I find any valuable clues, you have to come with me to investigate."

Lynn raised a hand to rub her temples and sighed, "Kate, you're always like this. Every time I talk to you, I feel like I get a few more gray hairs." (End of Chapter)