American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

The following day, Lynn and his subordinate, Agent Mark, hurried through the gates of the FBI's Manhattan branch office. A chilly morning wind blew, and pedestrians on the street wrapped their coats tighter and hurried past.

"Detective Lynn, you're back." The receptionist at the branch office greeted him with a smile. Lynn nodded and returned a brief smile.

"Any new information?" he asked as he walked into the branch's main office, with Mark following closely behind.

The atmosphere inside the branch was as busy as ever, with the footsteps of staff and the ringing of telephones mingling together, creating a tense and hurried atmosphere. Lynn walked towards his office, and Mark pushed open the office door, following closely behind.

"Please have a seat," Lynn said, gesturing to the chair in front of the table.

Mark didn't sit down immediately. Instead, he pulled a recent report from his folder and handed it to Lynn. "There was another vicious assault last night. The victim was a woman. She was attacked on the streets of Manhattan's East Side and stabbed multiple times. But what's puzzling is that the attacker didn't leave any obvious marks."

Lynn took the document, his brow furrowing slightly. "You mean, the killer didn't leave any clues?"

Mark nodded. "Yes, there were no fingerprints at the scene, the blood was dried, and the source of the murder weapon is untraceable. We suspect this incident is related to mutants."

Lynn's heart raced instantly. The word "mutant" kept him constantly on his guard. He had encountered several cases involving mutants before, and almost every one of them had brought him immense stress and trouble.

“Go on,” Lynn said gravely, staring at the victim’s photo on the report, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

“The victim’s name is Emily Harris, and she is a young nurse. The incident occurred at night, and witnesses said she had a brief altercation with a man dressed in black before the attack. But no one saw the man make a move.” Mark paused, seemingly searching for more clues. “We investigated the victim, and she had no enemies or contact with any criminal gangs. The only clue is her workplace—a laboratory that specializes in researching genetic mutations.”

Lynn stared at the document before him, remaining silent for a moment. His gaze shifted from the paper to the past, back to the scene of the mutant attack months earlier. He knew that mutants never acted according to convention; their powers were uncontrollable, and once out of control, the consequences would be unpredictable.

“We need to get to the scene immediately and find out more,” Lynn said firmly.

“Understood, Inspector.” Mark immediately stood up, ready to leave.

The two left the office and set off for the crime scene. As Lynn walked, he thought about the recent cases, each intricately linked to mutants. His suspicions grew stronger; what secrets lay hidden behind the mutants?
On the way to the crime scene, Lynn and Mark barely spoke. The city scenery rushed past the window; the streets of Manhattan were busy and crowded, pedestrians seemed to be pushed along by time, as if nothing could stop their pace. But Lynn's heart felt as heavy as if a boulder was pressing down on it.

Upon arriving at the scene, Lynn and Mark quickly crossed the police cordon and entered the crime scene. The area had been completely cordoned off, and the police were doing the final cleanup. Lynn glanced down at the ground; the dried bloodstains looked particularly glaring under the dim streetlights. A suffocating atmosphere filled the air, as if every inch of it was filled with sorrow and fear.

“This is the victim’s escape route.” A police officer walked over and pointed to several marks on the ground.

Lynn crouched down and examined the area closely. The bloodstains and scratches on the ground indicated that the victim had suffered greatly during her escape, but strangely, why hadn't the killer caught up with her? If the killer was a mutant, with their speed and strength, they could have ended it all in just a few seconds.

“Detective, do you think this is something mutants do?” Mark asked in a low voice.

“It’s possible, but we can’t rule out other possibilities.” Lynn stood up and looked around. “We need more evidence to find the connection between the victims and the lab, and to see if this case is related to those ‘human experiments’.”

The two continued their investigation at the scene for about an hour until a doctor in a white coat approached. She appeared somewhat flustered but maintained her professional composure.

“Detective Lynn, I’m Emily’s colleague, my name is Lily Winter,” the doctor introduced himself. “I know she seems to be having some trouble lately, so I was trying to find an opportunity to talk to her, but she refused my help.”

Lynn turned around and stared into her eyes. "What trouble has she encountered? Is it related to your research?"

Lily's face turned pale instantly. "She said some strange things to me. She felt like she was being watched, and even suspected that there was some improper research going on in the lab. But she didn't explain it clearly, and I thought she was just being overly nervous."

"Do you know which lab she works in?" Lynn pressed on.

“Of course, we work at the Institute of Biological Genetics, where there is a lot of research on mutants.” Lily paused, seemingly hesitant to continue. “However, Emily’s research direction has always been very special. She studies the differences between mutant genes and normal human genes, especially those genes that can significantly enhance physical abilities during mutation.”

Lynn raised an eyebrow. "So, you think Emily's research might have attracted some people she shouldn't have been in contact with?"

“I’m not sure, but she has indeed found something unusual in some of her research. She seems to have recently discovered something unusual, and has even begun to suspect that there may be illegal genetic manipulation within the lab,” Lily said in a low voice. “She seems to know something we don’t want to know.”

“Thank you, Lily.” Lynn nodded. “We’ll continue our investigation. You’d better keep a low profile for now and avoid getting involved.”

Lily nodded, her expression grave. She turned and left, disappearing into the crowd.

When Lynn walked out of the FBI building, it was already dark. The Manhattan night sky was adorned with colorful neon lights, creating a captivating scene. The streets were filled with the constant noise of cars and pedestrians; the bustling city never truly rested. Lynn glanced at his watch; it was already seven o'clock in the evening, and his stomach was beginning to whine, reminding him that he should eat something. Today's case, though seemingly without a direct breakthrough, had kept him on edge with every detail. He looked up at the city's skyscrapers, seemingly searching for a moment of peace. "Lynn!" A familiar voice suddenly broke the silence behind him.

Lynn turned around and saw Kate walking towards her from the street corner. Her steps were always so hurried, carrying the keen sense unique to a journalist. Kate had brown curly hair, wore a simple black coat, and always looked radiant, her eyes sparkling with an undeniable intelligence.

"Kate, why are you so late?" Lynn smiled, his gaze involuntarily sweeping over the notebook in Kate's hand, guessing that she must be here to interview him again.

Kate didn't respond directly, but instead raised an eyebrow at him. "You're always so mysterious. Every time a case ends, you disappear immediately. Is there a new case coming up?" She smiled playfully, seemingly used to Lynn's calm and reserved demeanor.

Lynn paused slightly, a thought flashing through his mind. Kate was a reporter, and although he always tried to avoid discussing work with her, some things couldn't be hidden from her. "Just some ordinary cases, nothing noteworthy," he said casually, changing the subject, "What brings you here today?"

Kate clearly didn't believe him, but she didn't press further, just smiled. "I just came from the editorial office; I haven't finished writing tomorrow's news report yet, so I happen to have some free time today. I might be able to help you investigate something, or even just let you grab something to eat and rest." She paused. "You look very tired, Lynn; you really need to relax."

Lynn looked into her bright eyes. Although he knew Kate meant it out of concern, his unease made him hesitate. "I'm fine, it's just that today's case was a bit tricky."

Kate didn't press further, but instead patted his shoulder. "Let's go have dinner and give ourselves a break." Her tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

Lynn hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. "Okay, I'll have dinner with you tonight." He knew that Kate's enthusiasm was sometimes hard to refuse, and besides, she was his friend; having dinner and chatting would be good.

The two entered a small restaurant not far from the FBI building. It was a place Lynn and Kate frequented. Although it looked unassuming, the food was delicious and the environment was relatively quiet, making it suitable for chatting.

They sat down, and Kate ordered two simple dishes. Lynn, though not very hungry, still ordered a glass of water. The two sat by the window, watching the city lights gradually shift outside, while the atmosphere inside felt warm and tranquil.

“You know what?” Kate suddenly broke the silence, “I interviewed a mysterious expert today about mutants. That expert seemed to know a lot of things, and even said some things that made me uneasy.”

Lynn's heart skipped a beat, and his expression subtly changed. "An expert? What did he say?"

Kate nodded, leaned closer, and lowered her voice. "He said that mutant abilities are evolving in ways we can't understand, and some mutants can't even control their powers. You know, lately there have been more and more strange things happening in Manhattan, and I suspect it has a lot to do with mutants."

Lynn frowned, a strange sense of unease rising within him. "Mutants? Aren't you overthinking this? What does this have to do with the case we're investigating?"

Kate shook her head slightly. "I know you don't like talking about these things, but Lynn, you know there are always some inexplicable parts in recent cases. I know you're an FBI agent and can't just give your opinion, but I think as your friend, I have to remind you. You should pay more attention to these cases; some things might really be the work of mutants."

Lynn took a deep breath and looked out at the night view. He knew Kate wasn't exaggerating; mutant incidents were indeed increasing, and many of these cases had unanswered questions. If this case was indeed related to mutants, then they would face an even more complex struggle.

"Kate, are you starting to believe in mutants too?" Lynn asked softly.

Kate didn't answer immediately, but lowered her head to think for a moment. "To be honest, I don't know either. But these cases are beyond our normal understanding. If they really are mutants, then we need more information, more evidence."

Lynn was silent for a moment, then finally nodded. "I will do my best to investigate."

“I know you won’t overlook any detail.” Kate smiled slightly, her eyes filled with trust in Lynn.

The two continued eating, Kate occasionally discussing work-related matters with Lynn, but Lynn's mind was elsewhere. He would frequently recall the laboratory, the strange genetic research, and even Emily's death. His intuition told him that Kate's concerns were justified, and that none of this was a coincidence.

After the meal, the two walked out of the restaurant together, and Kate insisted on taking Lynn home as usual. "You look really tired today, go home and get some rest. Tomorrow, don't let work overwhelm you."

Lynn smiled at Kate. "Thank you for your concern, I understand." He turned to go into his apartment building, but heard Kate say softly, "Lynn, remember to tell me everything. I'll help you investigate, just let me know if you need any help."

Lynn stopped and looked back at Kate's earnest eyes, feeling a warmth in his heart. Although he didn't want Kate to get involved, her insistence made him realize that some things, perhaps, couldn't be borne alone.

“Okay, Kate. Thank you,” Lynn replied softly.

Kate nodded and watched Lynn walk into the stairwell until he disappeared from her sight before she turned and left.

After returning home, Kate took off her coat and casually hung it behind the door. Leaning back on the sofa, her gaze lingered on the hazy night sky outside the window, her mind still replaying her conversation with Lynn. Although Lynn never liked talking about mutants, Kate knew he understood her intuition about the case, especially with the increasing number of strange events making it impossible for her to ignore possible connections. She took out her phone from her bag, reviewing last night's interview transcript and some information about the lab, but the vague thought kept recurring in her mind: mutants. (End of Chapter)