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

The echoes from inside the warehouse reverberated in the empty space, but there was no response. Lynn felt a growing anxiety and nervously signaled his team to continue. Suddenly, they spotted Alan in a dark corner. He was being held captive by several bodyguards, with no obvious injuries, but his face was pale, suggesting he had been tortured.

"Alan!" Mark called out and rushed forward.

Alan slightly raised his head, saw Lynn and Mark, and a complicated look flashed in his eyes: "You've finally come." He coughed a few times, as if regaining some strength. "Scott won't let you get away with this so easily."

Lynn didn't say much, but quickly untied Alan's restraints and signaled to his teammates to protect him. "Don't talk anymore, Alan, come with us."

Lynn returned to the FBI building with Alan, exhausted both physically and mentally, though his face showed no signs of fatigue. As they walked down the building's corridors, guards and colleagues cast their gazes at them. Although Alan had been brought back and his condition wasn't good, at least he was safe now. Lynn didn't feel relieved; instead, he was more worried about Alan's future.

They entered the interrogation room. Alan was strapped back to the chair, a glass of water and some documents placed in front of him. The room was silent and tense; the sunlight from outside was blocked by the heavy curtains, and the air smelled of disinfectant. Alan's face was still pale, and although his eyes were somewhat vacant, he didn't show much panic. His lips trembled slightly, as if he was struggling to accept certain parts of Lynn's words.

Lynn sat opposite him, knowing that this wasn't just about Alan's life or death. More importantly, Alan had been deeply misled by Scott over the years, and behind everything Scott had given him lay an unfathomable conspiracy.

“You can tell, Alan, Scott doesn’t consider you one of his own at all.” Lynn’s tone remained unchanged, completely unaffected by Alan’s past as his enemy. “Do you think Scott saved you out of loyalty, or because he considered you a partner? No, he saved you simply because he was afraid you would expose all his plans.”

Alan's eyes flickered slightly, clearly not expecting Lynn's words. He lowered his head, avoiding Lynn's gaze, as if Lynn's words were a knife piercing his heart, which had always been loyal to Scott.

“How could you say that?” Alan finally spoke, his voice hoarse. “Scott…” He paused, as if thinking, “He has always been very good to me. He gave me strength and brought me back to life.”

"Brought back to life?" Lynn sneered, his tone becoming sharper. "What do you think Scott's purpose was in giving you power? Was it to give you back your life, or to make you work for him, to do whatever he needs you to do? Alan, you need to understand, Scott isn't saving you, he's controlling you. You're just a pawn in his grand plan, and he's only using you to achieve his own ambitions."

A flicker of doubt crossed Alan's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, trying not to be swayed by Lynn's words. "What you're saying is all part of the FBI's prejudice. Scott gave me a new life. He didn't let me live a miserable life like before. I will never betray him."

Lynn stood up, walked to Alan's side, lowered his head, and looked directly into his eyes. "Loyalty? What kind of loyalty are you keeping for a man who doesn't treat you like a human being? He's just afraid you'll reveal his secrets, afraid you'll become uncontrollable. You don't understand, he's already treated you as a tool, not a friend." Lynn's voice became low. "Listen to me, Alan, Scott doesn't care about you at all. He'll only use you to complete his missions, and once you're no longer useful, or he sees you as a threat, he'll never speak to you again, he might not even care about your life."

A fleeting look of surprise crossed Alan's eyes. He lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, seemingly caught in some kind of inner conflict. Lynn saw his hesitation and knew this was precisely the moment he was trying to get Alan to reconsider.

“Do you remember how he told you to be loyal to him? He even used those words to make endless promises to you, saying he would change your destiny. But all he changed was that you lived for his plan.” Lynn’s voice carried a hint of emotion, but remained rational and calm. “You think you are living for yourself, but in reality, you are working for him, completing every step of his plan.”

Alan's lips trembled slightly. He wanted to refute, but found himself speechless. Deep down, his loyalty to Scott had begun to waver. Although he still couldn't completely believe Lynn's story, a voice inside him told him that Lynn might have some truth to it.

"Do you really think he'll protect you forever?" Lynn's words struck Alan's heart like a hammer blow. "When you're no longer of use, he'll abandon you without hesitation, just like he would any other tool."

Alan looked up at Lynn's eyes, a hint of confusion in them. "Is what you're saying true? Scott, you really don't care about me?"

“See for yourself.” Lynn pushed Alan to a table against the wall and opened a document on the table. “This is Scott’s communication record with underground arms dealers before you were arrested. Your name is mentioned frequently. What do you think these people are after? Do you think they genuinely consider you a friend? They have only ever used you to achieve their own goals.”

Alan lowered his head, his eyes vacant and unfocused. Lynn saw this change and knew his words were beginning to stir something within Alan. He sighed deeply and continued in a softer tone, "Alan, Scott needs you to do the dirty work for him, and you've given him everything, but all you get in return are lies and indifference. What he wants has never been your loyalty, but your ability and your blind dependence on him."

Lynn paused, gazing at Alan with an indescribable heaviness in his heart. "You had no choice, Alan, but now you have a chance to change all of this. You can choose to leave him and live for yourself, not for him. You can also become yourself again, instead of continuing to be a pawn in his schemes."

Alan sat in the chair, his body seemingly stiff. He lowered his head, his face pale, his hands gripping the corner of the table tightly, as if desperately suppressing an inner turmoil. His eyes were closed tightly, the surging emotions within him leaving him feeling more confused and helpless than ever before.

Lynn stood beside him, knowing that he needed time to think, to break free from the shackles in his heart. Scott had given Alan many things, but had also robbed him of his own existence. Alan's mind and body were firmly bound, and now, only he himself could make the choice.

“You need to know that no matter what choice you make, Lynn will always be here,” Lynn said softly, a hint of comfort in his eyes. “You are not alone. If you decide to stop working for Scott, we will help you. But if you choose to continue serving him, there will be no turning back, and Scott will not give you a second chance.” Alan slowly opened his eyes, his face weary, a complex mix of emotions swirling within them. He remained silent for a long time, simply gazing intently at Lynn, as if assessing this completely unfamiliar world. A wavering began to stir within him, a wavering that made him uneasy, yet also carried a long-lost sense of relief.

Finally, Alan spoke, his voice low and hoarse: "If I leave him, can I start over?"

Lynn nodded, her eyes filled with determination: "You absolutely can. You are not Scott's slave; you have your own choices and your own future."

Alan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. At that moment, a long-lost power seemed to awaken within him; however, this decision was undoubtedly difficult. Perhaps he hadn't completely relinquished Scott's control, but at least Lynn's words had given him a chance to re-examine his fate.

“I…” Alan finally said slowly, “I want to think about it some more.”

Lynn didn't force him; she simply nodded in understanding. "Anytime is fine; you have the time, but I hope you can make the best choice."

Silence fell in the room again. Alan's eyes gradually deepened, as if he were silently struggling with his past.

A night of silence passed, and Alan remained seated in that cold, hard chair, gazing at the dim sky outside the window. The streetlights outside were faint, and occasionally a few cars drove by, their engines churning. The air remained heavy, the only light in the room coming from the desk lamp, casting a dim, yellowish glow. Alan's eyes were vacant, his hands still gripping the edge of the table tightly, as if he were making a difficult decision.

The past flooded his mind like a tidal wave. Scott's face, the loyalty and trust he had given everything for, and the promises that had changed his destiny—all were mercilessly torn apart. Every word Lynn spoke was like a sharp blade, slicing through the layer of ice that had been firmly held in his heart, causing him immense pain.

“You don’t understand,” Alan had said to himself countless times, and the words had echoed in his mind for days. “Scott gave me strength; he brought me back to life.” But today, in Lynn’s eyes, he saw a different version of himself, someone blinded to the truth. Scott had never truly considered him a friend or partner. Alan had thought himself an indispensable part of Scott, but now he understood that he was nothing more than a pawn, a pawn that could be discarded at any time.

Lynn was right. If Alan remained loyal to Scott, he would ultimately become a tool, not a true individual. At that moment, Alan felt as if he had emerged from an endless fog. Although he didn't fully understand how to face the future, he knew at least that it was time to make a choice.

He took a deep breath, reached for the water glass on the table, and took a sip, only to find the water incredibly bitter. He pondered Lynn's words, as if he were standing at a crossroads, neither wanting to be controlled by Scott again, nor wanting to lose everything and fall into a dark abyss.

After a long while, Alan finally stood up and slowly walked to the window. He placed his hand on the windowsill, his gaze piercing through the glass to the distant city. The bustling streets and the constant flow of traffic seemed irrelevant to him. His heart felt empty, as if he had lost everything he held dear. He hadn't fully decided whether to betray Scott; even deep down, Alan still hesitated. But he knew that if he didn't stand up, he would never change his fate. Those past promises were no longer a source of strength, but rather shackles binding his life.

Just as Alan stood silently by the window, there was a knock at the door. Lynn's voice rang out: "Alan, it's time to talk to me." His tone was still calm, yet it carried an undeniable firmness.

Alan lowered his head, took a deep breath, turned and walked to the door, opening it. Lynn stood in the doorway, his expression still calm, though his eyes held a hint of anticipation. He didn't urge him, nor did he show any impatience; he simply waited calmly.

“I…I want to tell you something.” Alan’s voice was choked with emotion, as if he had finally made a decision after struggling all night. “It’s about Scott.” He paused, as if organizing his thoughts. “He mentioned a name, Charlie the tycoon.”

Lynn's eyes lit up slightly. He didn't interrupt Alan and waited quietly for him to continue.

“Charlie the tycoon? You mean that globally renowned financier?” Lynn finally spoke, his tone revealing obvious concern. “You know him, don’t you?”

Alan nodded, his eyes somewhat bewildered: "Yes. Scott mentioned Charlie to me during a conversation. I remember he seemed to be trying to reveal something, but he didn't go into details. At the time, I didn't realize what that meant. Charlie has a huge influence in global financial networks, and a lot of illicit funds flow through his channels, and Scott seems to have some kind of connection with him."

Lynn's heart raced. That name, like a flash of lightning, illuminated a corner of his mind. He thought rapidly, information from his memories surfacing one by one. Charlie—this name was inextricably linked to countless business empires and money laundering networks, and there had been many rumors surrounding him, but no one truly knew Charlie's inner workings. For Scott, if he had a business relationship with Charlie, then there might be an even larger chain of interests hidden behind it.

“Could you elaborate?” Lynn looked at Alan, his eyes filled with concern. “What is the connection between Scott and Charlie? Has he revealed any important information?” (End of Chapter)