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

“I know the risks.” Lynn finally raised his head, his gaze resolute. “But if we don’t take this opportunity to investigate further, we may never get the key evidence. Charlie’s party is his only public event, and the gap when he’s away from his residence gives us the chance to infiltrate. Tonight, he will be temporarily vacant, and although his security system is tight, it’s not insurmountable.”

Mark gave Lynn a deep look. He knew that Lynn's calmness and decisiveness were often the reasons they could turn the tide in desperate situations. "Alright, since you're so sure, I'll trust you this once. Are you ready?"

“I’m ready,” Lynn said calmly. “We’ll act tonight.”

That night, Lynn and Mark led a small team of FBI agents, quietly setting off for Charlie's residence. Charlie had already left, heading to an upcoming party. His villa, still located in the suburbs, was surrounded by high walls and a multi-layered security system, giving it an air of seclusion. Through meticulous planning and precise execution, Lynn intended to uncover the villa's secrets while Charlie was away.

The convoy quietly drove towards the vicinity of the villa. Lynn and several agents got out of the cars and, under the cover of darkness, stealthily approached the wall of Charlie's house. The surroundings were eerily quiet, save for the occasional bark of a dog in the distance, adding to the desolation. Lynn stood on one side of the high wall, quickly scanning his surroundings to confirm there was no obvious movement. He and Mark swiftly leaped over the wall and entered Charlie's yard.

Lynn had already ascertained the layout of Charlie's residence through his earlier investigation. He knew that the main area of ​​the villa consisted of Charlie's private office and a basement, where many of his important business documents and personal files were stored. These documents might hold the key to uncovering the connection between Charlie and Scott.

“We’ll split up,” Lynn said in a low voice. “You and your team will investigate the basement, and I’ll check his office. We need to find all the evidence as quickly as possible.”

Mark nodded, instructing the other agents to proceed according to plan, while he led a group to quickly move to the other side of the villa. Lynn walked towards Charlie's private office, occasionally glancing back to observe his team's progress. The villa's exterior was simpler than he had imagined, but the interior was lavishly decorated; all the furniture and artwork appeared to be extremely valuable, as if they were symbols of wealth.

Upon entering the villa, Lynn quickly and discreetly made his way through the long corridor, finally arriving at a heavy wooden door. There was a simple lock on the door, clearly not complicated. Lynn gently opened the door and entered Charlie's private office. The room was simply yet elegantly furnished; several valuable paintings hung on the walls, and documents and files were piled on the desk.

He meticulously examined every corner, paying particular attention to seemingly inconspicuous folders. As he quickly flipped through a stack of documents, he suddenly noticed a small, unassuming box next to a telephone on the desk. Without hesitation, Lynn walked over, opened the box, and found a document that appeared to be a bill and several photos inside. Upon closer inspection, the document listed records of substantial financial transactions involving several overseas accounts. In the photos, Charlie and Scott stood side-by-side, seemingly posing for a picture at a private meeting. The two smiled, their atmosphere intimate.

Lynn quickly put the documents away, a surge of excitement rising within him. He had finally found crucial evidence. Undoubtedly, these documents proved a deep partnership between Charlie and Scott, and that the source of the funds matched what Alan had previously stated.

“I’ve found something.” Lynn contacted Mark through the headset. “I found some key evidence in Charlie’s office that shows a large flow of funds between him and Scott, possibly involving more illicit transactions. I need you to get back to the building as soon as possible to analyze these documents.”

Mark's response came quickly: "Understood. We found more documents and some unexplained money transfer records in the basement. We will be back as soon as possible."

Just as Lynn was about to leave the office, he suddenly heard footsteps in the distance. Lynn jumped, his heart pounding. Clearly, Charlie's security guards had begun their patrol. He had no time to hesitate, quickly leaving the office and hiding in a dark corner in the corridor. A few seconds later, several security guards in black uniforms walked by, the overhead lights casting shadows on them.

Lynn held his breath, waiting for the security team to pass by. Out of their sight, Lynn quickly crossed the corridor and returned to the door he had used to enter the villa. The night outside was still dark, and the air was filled with the scent of grass and dampness. He knew he had to get away as soon as possible and leave with the evidence.

He quickly returned along the planned route, and Mark and the other agents were also ready to evacuate.

"Did the operation go smoothly?" Mark asked from behind Lynn.

“Successfully.” Lynn nodded. “We’ve found some very important evidence, but this is just the beginning. Charlie and Scott’s collaboration is far more complex than we imagined. The next task is to connect the pieces of evidence and uncover their true plan.”

“I understand,” Mark said. “Then we need to speed things up and not give them time to react.”

Lynn was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Next, we need to analyze these documents as soon as possible to see what the real deals and partners behind Charlie are. Scott will not be caught so easily; we must be extra careful."

They quickly left the villa, carrying the evidence they had collected from Charlie's house, and disappeared into the night.

A few hours later.

As Charlie stepped through his front door, the hallway was dimly lit, and a faint, fresh scent filled the air; nothing seemed to have changed. However, his keen senses immediately detected something amiss. There were tiny marks on the doormat, clearly indicating someone had been there. The moment he entered the hall, he knew the place had been tampered with; someone had obviously been there. He didn't panic, nor did he show any anger. Instead, he casually removed his coat and calmly walked upstairs to his private office.

Secretary Lily stood by the door, her eyes filled with worry. Watching Charlie's unhurried pace, her unease deepened. She hurried towards him, her voice urgent: "Sir, the house...it seems like it's been ransacked. Look, all the documents have been moved, and things on the table are gone. Have the FBI agents come?"

Upon hearing this, Charlie's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. He stopped and slowly turned to look at Lily. "Don't worry," he said, his tone calm and confident. "That was just something I deliberately showed to the FBI." Lily was stunned, completely unable to grasp the meaning of Charlie's words. She frowned at him, seemingly trying to find a trace of unease or panic in his eyes, but saw nothing. Charlie's gaze remained deep, and the smile on his lips grew even more confident, as if to tell her that everything was under control.

"You mean...you deliberately let them search my house?" Lily's voice trembled slightly, unable to believe Charlie would do such a thing. "But doing so would expose some things about us, what if they actually find something..."

Charlie smiled slightly and shook his head. "Lily, the FBI has been watching me for a long time. Do you think they don't know about my deal with Scott? They've been searching for clues, just can't find any evidence." He said, walking upstairs to his office. "This is all just to lower their guard, to give them a false impression. To tell them that I am indeed doing things they find suspicious, but at the same time, deliberately not leaving enough evidence. That way, they will focus more on these false leads and ignore what's really important."

Lily was stunned, her heart filled with shock and confusion. She knew Charlie to be incredibly intelligent and shrewd, every move he made in the business world calculated with extreme precision. But today, his words left her somewhat incredulous. "Isn't what you're doing... too risky? What if the FBI really starts investigating and discovers something they shouldn't know..."

Charlie stood by the window, gazing at the city outside, his eyes piercing the night sky. His shadow stretched long in the lamplight, appearing particularly cold and aloof. "Lily," he turned around and said slowly, "I'm not afraid of the FBI investigation. On the contrary, I'm waiting for them to investigate further, waiting for them to fully believe in the deal between me and Scott, waiting for them to think they've found a breakthrough. That way, they'll become even more engrossed in these false leads and won't pay attention to my real plan."

Lily looked confused, clearly still not quite understanding Charlie's intentions. Charlie walked towards her, his tone becoming even lower: "You must remember, Lily, the FBI's investigation cannot uncover everything. Their wisdom is limited, while the resources and information I possess far exceed their imagination." He paused slightly, his gaze sharp, "I am playing a game of chess, and the FBI is merely a pawn in that game; they cannot see the whole picture."

Lily was stunned, standing there unsure how to respond. She didn't understand what kind of game Charlie was playing. However, she was beginning to realize that this seemingly calm man harbored a far deeper and more unfathomable nature than she could comprehend.

"So, what do we do now?" Lily asked cautiously.

Charlie smiled slightly, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes. "Now, we'll begin the second step of our plan. The FBI's attention will be entirely focused on these false leads we've created, and all we need to do is continue advancing our real plan until everything is complete."

“But what about Scott?” Lily couldn’t help but ask. “He’s out there and hasn’t contacted you. Is that…”

“I’ll handle Scott’s situation myself,” Charlie interrupted her, his eyes hardening. “Everything he’s doing right now is under my control. You don’t need to worry; his every move is within my expectations. I’ve given him tasks to complete the work we need, and I remain the true mastermind behind the scenes.”

Charlie turned and walked to his desk, picking up a document at random. His gaze swept over the pre-arranged steps and plans. "This plan is not to be interfered with by anyone," he said softly. "Scott is just a tool. The final victory belongs to me."

Lily was still somewhat uneasy, but she knew this wasn't the time to question Charlie. She took a deep breath and decided to trust that he had considered everything. "Alright, let's proceed according to plan. Whatever you say, I'll do."

“Very good.” Charlie smiled slightly, his eyes deep. “Now, we’ll begin the second step: give the FBI an even bigger illusion, and let them delve even deeper into our fog.”

Meanwhile, Lynn and Mark, through FBI resources, had tracked down some of Charlie's recent suspicious activities and financial flows. However, Charlie was clearly prepared, and their every step of the investigation encountered significant resistance.

The following morning, Lynn and Mark sat in the command center of FBI headquarters, their desk piled high with Charlie-related documents and files. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, casting a chaotic glow on the table. Despite having found some seemingly valuable evidence the night before, Lynn couldn't suppress his anxiety—he felt everything had gone too smoothly, something seemed amiss.

Lynn picked up a document containing the information he had brought back from Charlie's house the previous night. The records, photos, and documents detailing financial flows had briefly given him the impression of a breakthrough. Charlie and Scott's relationship seemed to have been exposed, and the flow of funds was highly suspicious; everything pointed to a large-scale illicit network, and the collaboration between Charlie and Scott was undoubtedly deep.

However, as more evidence was gathered and compared, Lynn gradually became uneasy. Upon reflection, he realized his analysis of those documents might have been too hasty. Now, sitting in the command center, he began to understand that a deeper trap seemed to be hidden behind that so-called "evidence."

"Lynn, what's wrong?" Mark walked over and noticed that Lynn's face lacked its usual firmness and confidence; instead, it looked tired. He stood next to Lynn, looking at the documents on the table. "You think there's a problem?"

Lynn didn't respond immediately. Instead, he opened the folder on the table and began to carefully review the previous records and photos. "We've been tricked by Charlie," he said in a low voice, his brow furrowed.

Mark paused, clearly not expecting Lynn to say that. "You mean, the evidence is fake?" he asked, somewhat incredulously.

Lynn nodded, his eyes fixed on the transaction records. “These documents and photos look authentic, but something’s off.” He pointed to one of the fund transfer records. “The flow of funds seems reasonable, even matching what Alan said. However, a closer analysis reveals that the dates and times of each transaction were carefully arranged, seemingly deliberately revealing these clues to give us a false impression.” (End of Chapter)