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

“Deliberately leaving clues?” Mark frowned. “You mean Charlie knew we would investigate this and deliberately went through the motions?”

“That’s right.” Lynn pondered for a moment. “I was too naive before. How could someone as smart as Charlie not have anticipated that we would trace these fund flows? The evidence seems perfect, but upon closer analysis, it becomes clear that the data in the documents doesn’t make sense. Some transactions didn’t go through formal bank clearing but instead flowed through an underground channel we had never encountered before.”

Mark took a deep breath, realizing the seriousness of the situation. "In other words, Charlie deliberately set this trap to make us mistakenly believe that his cooperation with Scott had been exposed."

Lynn nodded, his tone heavy. “We were deliberately led in the wrong direction. Charlie knew we were investigating him; he anticipated we would uncover these leads and then deliberately presented us with false information. He knew from the beginning that such evidence would make us believe Scott’s deal had been exposed, and we fell for his trick.”

Mark paused for a moment, pondering Lynn's words. "So, what do we do next? If this evidence is unreliable, where should we begin our investigation?"

“We need to re-examine all the clues.” Lynn stood up and began searching through the documents. “The routes we followed before weren’t entirely correct. Now, the only way is to go back to the source and find out where Charlie’s money really went. We need to find the clues that aren’t in the documents.”

Lynn took a deep breath, his gaze hardening. "We need to start with Charlie's core partners, especially his high-level connections. Since Charlie knows we'll be investigating these documents, he'll definitely hide the real evidence even more deeply."

Mark nodded. "Okay, let's start again. Let's begin with Charlie's partners and see if we can find more compelling evidence."

Just as Lynn and Mark were about to continue their investigation, the phone rang. Lynn glanced at the caller ID; it was the head of the FBI's technical department. He quickly answered the call.

“Lynn, the situation has changed. We just detected something new through our cybersecurity system.” The head of the technical department said urgently, “Charlie’s account made an unusually large transfer in the past few hours. We didn’t intervene immediately because the transaction appears to have been conducted using very sophisticated covert methods.”

Lynn's eyes narrowed. "A large transfer? Where did it go?"

“We cannot fully confirm the destination of the funds at this time, but we are certain that this transaction did not go through any traditional financial channels. It is very likely a transaction between Charlie and some underground organization. We have begun to investigate, but we need your further intervention.”

Lynn's heart raced; this was clearly a breakthrough in their re-examination of the case. "Okay, keep tracking it down and give me a detailed report. I'm going with Mark to Charlie's private network center now to see if we can find any more specific leads there."

Lynn hung up the phone and turned to Mark: "The latest lead is here. Charlie is making deals with some underground organizations. This is exactly where we need to investigate further."

Mark immediately agreed: "Understood, we'll go now."

The two quickly left FBI headquarters and drove to Charlie's private network center. This area was surrounded by many high-tech companies and private enterprises; typically, such places had extremely tight security systems, with sophisticated surveillance and data protection measures. Charlie clearly didn't want to leave any trace, and his private network center was one of the core elements of his behind-the-scenes dealings. Lynn knew this was the most likely place to uncover Charlie's true plans.

They arrived at their destination in the late afternoon. The city skyline looked exceptionally beautiful in the afterglow of the setting sun, but Lynn felt a sense of unease. They entered a complex of buildings surrounded by high walls, a high-security area. Several uniformed security guards watched them from the outside, seemingly accustomed to Lynn and his team's arrival.

“This is Charlie’s private network hub; we have to be careful,” Lynn whispered to Mark. “Charlie must have set up a lot of obstacles; we can’t let them know we’re investigating.”

Mark nodded and silently prepared the equipment. The two cautiously entered the building, walking through deserted corridors, almost deserted. Lynn had heard many times that the security system here was extremely complex, but he believed that with the FBI's resources, they could find a breakthrough.

Stepping into the data center's main control room, Lynn's gaze quickly swept across the monitor screens, confirming the data transmission routes. This data circulated globally, with almost every line encrypted, but Lynn was already accustomed to this complex environment.

“Here.” Mark suddenly pointed to a screen displaying a high-risk money transfer record. Lynn narrowed his eyes; the flow of these funds had put him on alert.

“This deal is far too large, far exceeding the scale of Charlie’s previous transactions.” Lynn frowned, pointing to the record. “We need to decipher this data as soon as possible to see the specific target it points to.”

Mark rapidly operated the computer, decrypting the data. The data on the screen was gradually unlocked, and after a few seconds, Mark's finger stopped at a crucial point: "This is... a money flow route to an international bank account," he said softly, his eyes filled with surprise. "This money didn't go into Charlie's account, but flowed into a mysterious, unmonitored account."

Lynn's gaze sharpened. He moved closer to the computer screen and pointed to a line of text: "Who owns this account?"

“We need to investigate further; there’s almost no information about this account outside of our records.” Mark stared intently at the screen. “However, I think there’s a strong possibility that Charlie is connected to a larger international criminal organization.”

Lynn took a deep breath, and an idea flashed through his mind: "This is the final breakthrough in Charlie and Scott's collaboration. We must hurry and find the person behind this mysterious account."

Lynn and Mark continued to stare intently at the data on the screen, the atmosphere in the office growing increasingly tense. Time seemed to stretch out, each second filled with pressure. Mark's fingers flew across the keyboard, glancing at the data on the screen every now and then, trying to find more clues.

“This data is too complicated.” Mark gritted his teeth, almost muttering to himself, “There is no traceable real-name information behind the account; it’s all covered up by intermediaries.”

Lynn's brow furrowed deeply, clearly increasingly uneasy about the discovery. "You mean, there's almost no identifiable clue behind this account? How could we possibly find any trace of anything from it?"

“That’s right.” Mark nodded. “This account is practically a black hole. It has no regular banking records and no direct flow of funds. All transactions are conducted through multiple virtual accounts, transferred layer by layer, with absolutely no direct connection.”

Lynn's gaze grew increasingly grave. "This is Charlie's method. Layer upon layer of concealment, making it difficult to uncover clues even with ordinary investigative techniques. It seems we must change our approach and dig deeper." "What do you plan to do?" Mark asked, pausing his work and turning to look at Lynn.

“We need to find some witnesses who are more directly related to Charlie.” Lynn’s voice was low and firm. “The flow of these funds is too secretive for us to track through the regular financial system. We need to rely on more specialized leads, such as Charlie’s business partners or his network of contacts.”

Mark raised an eyebrow slightly. "You mean looking for Charlie's old friends? Or people who might have worked with him before?"

“Yes.” Lynn nodded. “Charlie’s business empire must have a core group of people who follow him. If we can find someone among them who can provide direct evidence, that will be the breakthrough. Moreover, I think that Charlie’s connections with those underground organizations are far more complicated than we thought.”

Mark pondered for a moment, seemingly realizing what Lynn meant, "You mean, Charlie has a much larger force backing him, possibly even some unknown gangs or international criminal organizations?"

“It’s entirely possible,” Lynn said coldly. “The backing behind these financial flows may not be simple. Charlie is a smart man; he’s not just a business tycoon, he’s more like a commander in a meticulously planned grand scheme. And what we’re facing now is not just the dark side of finance, but a global conspiracy.”

Mark took a deep breath. "So what do we do next? How do you plan to find these people?"

Lynn didn't answer immediately. Instead, he picked up a photograph from the table. It showed Charlie with a group of people at a high-end dinner party. Lynn's eyes were fixed on one person in the photo. This person didn't seem particularly remarkable, but Lynn sensed that he was someone special.

“I’ve seen this man in some intelligence reports before.” Lynn pointed to the man in the photo. “He is Charlie’s personal advisor, named Jack Kane. He has worked in the financial industry for many years and has extensive connections with some high-ranking political figures.”

Mark's eyes lit up. "Jack Kane? I remember him as a financial expert who has been involved in some political donations and multinational corporate mergers and acquisitions."

“That’s right.” Lynn nodded. “Kane isn’t just Charlie’s advisor; he’s also been involved in some of the more clandestine financial circles. We have to find him and see if he can provide any more information about the collaboration between Charlie and Scott.”

“But Jack Kane is a bit mysterious.” Mark frowned. “He has never liked to appear in public, and his relationship with Charlie has always been very low-key.”

“The more low-key he is, the more attention he deserves.” Lynn’s eyes were sharp. “The more someone hides behind the scenes, the more important their role often is. Kane must know many secrets that we don’t.”

"Shall we go find him now?" Mark asked.

“Yes.” Lynn nodded. “I have already arranged for several informants to search for Kane’s whereabouts. We need to find him as soon as possible.”

A few hours later, Lynn and Mark met again in a small FBI conference room. Several photos and documents were spread out in front of Lynn, and Mark had obtained some of the latest intelligence about Jack Kane.

“We’ve found him.” Mark looked up, a hint of excitement in his eyes. “Kane was recently spotted at a private club in Los Angeles. According to our informants, he’s been in contact with some political figures and business leaders.”

“Los Angeles?” Lynn pondered for a moment. “The social circles here are complicated. Kane is likely using this opportunity to maintain connections with other powerful people. We must get to Los Angeles quickly, find Kane, and figure out his true relationship with Charlie.”

Mark quickly organized the information. "We've already contacted the local FBI team, and they're ready to cooperate with our operation."

Lynn nodded. "Let's go, we can't waste time."

As evening fell, Lynn and Mark's plane finally landed at Los Angeles Airport. With the assistance of the local FBI, they quickly arrived near the private club Kane frequented. This location was in a high-end business district of downtown Los Angeles, surrounded by luxurious hotels and upscale shopping malls. The club's exterior was understatedly luxurious, and its security system was extremely tight.

“It looks like the security here is even more complicated than at Charlie’s house.” Mark frowned. “It’s not realistic for us to just barge in; we need to find a more discreet way.”

Lynn surveyed the surroundings, his gaze settling on a small alleyway next to the club. "We can go around through this alley and try to avoid attracting attention."

They cautiously made their way through the alley to the club's back door. After confirming no one was around, Lynn took out a special device and easily unlocked the electronic lock. The two quickly entered and began searching the corridor for Kane's trail.

The corridor was dimly lit, filled with a strong scent of perfume and smoke. Lynn and Mark kept a low profile, walking stealthily until they reached the door of a quiet room. Low voices could be heard outside; clearly, people were talking inside.

Lynn gestured for Mark to be quiet, and the two quietly approached the door, eavesdropping through the crack. Hearing a familiar voice, Lynn frowned slightly. "That's Kane's voice."

"Are you sure he'll hand that document to me?" Kane's voice was calm and deep.

"Don't worry, Charlie has agreed. He trusts you," another voice replied. "We just need to wait for the right time to move on to the next step."

"Next step?" Kane's tone became more composed. "You mean, that plan? Let me tell you, this is no simpler than before. Charlie's partners have begun to waver, and anyone could become a potential threat. We must deal with everything as quickly as possible; there can be no mistakes." (End of Chapter)