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

“Based on the information we found last night,” Lynn finally spoke, “Kane has indeed abandoned the drug development and has chosen to hand over this information to Charlie. I suspect that Charlie may have already found a new laboratory for this project. We need to find this place as soon as possible.”

Mark frowned, his tone heavy. "Charlie's ambitions are beyond the comprehension of most. If he takes over this project, we may face a more complex situation than before. The forces behind Kane may no longer be the only threat; Charlie may have joined a larger, more dangerous organization."

Lynn nodded. "Indeed, Charlie's background is far more complicated than Kane's. If he really starts developing new drugs, then we're facing more than just a simple genetic modification project."

He turned to another page of the document, which listed Charlie's connections to a range of companies and organizations, including some internationally renowned research institutions and pharmaceutical companies. Lynn's fingertip paused on these names for a moment. "At least several of these companies and organizations are linked to global criminal organizations. If Charlie is involved, then the laboratories he controls are very likely hidden behind these forces."

“You mean, he might be working with these companies?” Mark asked, his expression serious.

“Yes.” Lynn nodded. “If Charlie is collaborating with these companies, his lab won’t simply be located in an abandoned place. Rather, it’s very likely to be some seemingly normal research facility, perhaps even with government support.”

Mark thought for a moment, "Then how do we find the exact locations of these laboratories?"

A calm glint flashed in Lynn's eyes. "We can start with these companies' financial records and trace the flow of funds. Only by finding the flow of funds can we determine the exact location of the laboratory."

“Okay, so where do we begin?” Mark asked.

Lynn picked up a piece of paper and showed it to Mark. "We can start with Noah Pharmaceuticals. They've worked with Charlie before, and the money flowing between them is very complicated. We need to investigate their financial records thoroughly and try to trace their connections with certain research institutions."

Mark nodded, his expression still grave. "I understand, Lynn. Next, I'll contact our inside source and obtain Noah Pharmaceuticals' latest financial records. You'll begin investigating Charlie's connections with these companies."

Lynn picked up a laptop from the table and quickly began searching for information related to Noah Pharmaceuticals. Through some complex database searches, he found a key financial flow clue: recently, Noah Pharmaceuticals had suddenly transferred a large sum of money to a research base in the Middle East. Lynn carefully examined the relevant transaction records; this payment did not seem to have a clear investment project behind it, but rather a transfer under the guise of "project research and development expenses."

“There must be something wrong with this money…” Lynn thought to himself as he quickly traced the funds’ destination. After several jumps through the records, he discovered that the funds ultimately flowed to a place called the “Demon Research Institute.”

Mark watched Lynn's actions and quickly memorized the name "Demon Research Institute." "This place is very likely the new laboratory that Charlie is setting up," he said.

Lynn nodded and quickly typed "Demon Research Institute" into a search engine. However, there was almost no publicly available information about this place, only some simple descriptions related to biotechnology. Lynn frowned; a research institute with this level of secrecy was clearly not an ordinary place.

“We have no time to waste,” Lynn suddenly decided. “Contact headquarters immediately, mobilize all resources, and find out the true location of the ‘Demon Research Institute’.”

Soon after, resources from FBI headquarters began to converge on Lynn and Mark's investigation. With the assistance of higher-ups, they successfully located the exact location of the 'Demon Research Institute'—a remote area in the southern United States, near a desolate desert.

“This place…” Mark muttered, looking at the map. “If Charlie really set up a laboratory there, it must be a very secretive place.”

Lynn nodded. "Yes. We must act immediately. We can't give Charlie any more time to prepare."

The two quickly prepared their equipment and operational plan, deciding to set off immediately for the southern desert region. The flight would take approximately five hours, but Lynn knew they couldn't wait much longer. Charlie's laboratory and pharmaceutical projects had far exceeded their control, and their only option was to find him as soon as possible and uncover his true motives.

As the plane took off, Lynn leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. His mind raced, replaying the complex relationship between Kane and Charlie, and the larger conspiracy lurking beneath the surface. Every step was fraught with danger, but he knew that only by uncovering the truth could they avert the impending catastrophe.

“Mark,” Lynn said softly, his eyes opening and his gaze resolute, “this time, we must succeed. We can’t let Charlie continue like this.”

Mark nodded, his eyes fixed on the view outside the window. "We will, Lynn."

The plane slowly descended at the airport in the southern desert. The temperature inside the cabin gradually rose, and the sandstorm outside seemed to foreshadow an unknown storm that was about to arrive. Lynn looked out the window and saw a vast desert stretching before him, the horizon almost merging with the sky. A few lonely buildings could be vaguely seen in the distance, completely devoid of the hustle and bustle of a city, giving him a sense of desolation and helplessness.

“We’ve finally arrived.” Mark sat down next to him and tightened his coat. “This place is really remote; it doesn’t look like a normal research base at all.”

“Yes,” Lynn replied softly, turning his gaze away from the window. “Charlie’s lab is probably well hidden, and he doesn’t want anyone to find it. This environment provides him with natural concealment.”

The plane came to a smooth stop. The moment the cabin door opened, dry air and blinding sunlight rushed in, instantly enveloping the two men. Lynn and Mark quickly disembarked. Through the vast desert before them, they finally spotted a simple building next to the airport. In the distance, there were indeed several buildings that looked like research facilities. Clearly, this was the place they had been searching for.

"This is the 'Elysium Research Institute'?" Mark couldn't help but ask in a low voice, looking around as if he couldn't quite believe his eyes.

“Very likely.” Lynn’s eyes were very calm. “We need to be careful; this kind of place is not simple.”

The two then headed towards a small reception room in the airport, where a pre-arranged FBI support vehicle was already waiting. While adjusting his equipment, Lynn briefly asked his contact, "We've confirmed the coordinates of the 'Elysium Research Institute' and are now commencing operations. Can you provide any intelligence?"

The contact, an FBI agent in his forties, replied in a low voice, “Lynn, our intelligence analysis confirms that the ‘Elysium Research Institute’ does exist, but they have implemented extremely strict security measures. We can’t even get detailed information from satellite images. According to underground intelligence, the security system there is quite complex; no outsiders can easily approach except for the laboratory staff.” “Security system?” Lynn frowned slightly, clearly alarmed by this intelligence. “What type of facilities are inside? Are there access records?”

“Yes, there are entry and exit records.” The contact nodded. “But these records are different from regular management systems. They reportedly use highly encrypted facial recognition and fingerprint authentication, so no one except specific individuals can enter.”

Lynn pondered for a moment, then turned to Mark: "It seems we need to prepare for a very complicated situation."

“I understand,” Mark replied. “We need to split up and try to avoid revealing our whereabouts.”

The contact handed them two portable devices. "These are satellite-connected monitoring systems that can provide real-time feedback on basic scene monitoring. Although we can't directly obtain detailed internal images, they should be helpful for monitoring the surrounding area."

Lynn nodded and took the equipment. The contact continued, "Furthermore, recent intelligence indicates that the research projects within the 'Elysium Research Institute' are highly classified, and the outside world knows almost nothing about it. However, we have uncovered some connections between it and global pharmaceutical companies, and even criminal organizations. Clearly, this place is far from simple."

“Alright,” Lynn said in a deep voice, “We’ll set off immediately once we’re ready.”

They donned camouflage clothing and black hoods, carefully checking their equipment to ensure everything was functioning properly. The desert sun blazed down on their skin, but without hesitation, they swiftly headed towards the 'Elysium Research Institute'.

The car drove across the desert plains, with almost no living things or buildings around except for the occasional sand dunes. The air was dry and hot, and the sun scorched the earth, as if every inch of land was being relentlessly oppressed.

“Lynn, do you really think Charlie would choose this place as his laboratory?” Mark suddenly broke the silence. “There is absolutely no external support here, and the equipment is incomplete. It doesn’t look like a suitable place for research at all.”

Lynn was silent for a moment, a deep light flashing in his eyes: "It is precisely because of the harsh conditions here that Charlie chose it. No one will easily disturb this place, and no one will realize that the secrets of the potions and other projects he is developing are hidden here. In addition, no one outside knows the details inside, so Charlie can freely conduct his experiments here."

Mark nodded, clearly understanding Lynn's meaning: "So this place is like a hidden fortress, where Charlie's laboratory and his plans can proceed perfectly without any interference."

The two continued driving forward, the scenery outside the car window remaining almost unchanged; the vastness of the desert created an overwhelming sense of oppression. Finally, the car reached a secluded valley, where several low buildings and intricate fences formed the overall outline of the 'Elysium Research Institute' in the distance.

"We've arrived," Lynn said softly, his eyes fixed on the research base hidden in the desert.

Mark didn't say anything more, quickly got out of the car, adjusted his equipment, and Lynn led him towards the wall ahead. The wall wasn't high, but it was surrounded by extremely complex cameras and alarm devices. Lynn raised his hand to signal Mark to stop. He carefully observed the surrounding environment, held his breath, and slowly took out a portable device from his pocket to begin scanning the surrounding signals.

“The security system here is more complex than we imagined,” Lynn said in a low voice. “They not only have real-time monitoring systems, but also infrared detection and acoustic detection equipment. We have to bypass these devices, otherwise, once the alarm is triggered, the entire base’s defenses will be activated immediately.”

Mark glanced around, a wary glint in his eyes. "Then how do we get in?"

Lynn searched around for a while and finally found a broken fence in a nearby corner, indicating that the security personnel here might have overlooked this area. He directed Mark to walk there, and the two carefully passed through the gap and entered the outer area of ​​the base.

“They’re inside,” Mark said in a low voice, a hint of excitement in his eyes, but he didn’t let his guard down.

Lynn didn't respond immediately, but instead carefully observed his surroundings. The facilities inside the base were far more modern than he had expected, and although located deep in the desert, they seemed unaffected by the scarcity of external resources. The ground was flat, and the buildings appeared sturdy and heavily fortified. Clearly, this was more than just a simple laboratory; it was likely a research institution with an extremely high level of security.

"Let's go," Lynn commanded in a low voice, leading Mark quickly toward a building inside the base.

As they approached the building, Lynn suddenly stopped and gestured for Mark to stop as well. "Did you hear that?"

Mark frowned, listening intently. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. "It's footsteps."

Lynn quickly crouched down and silently approached the building's wall. He carefully observed his surroundings and noticed a rhythmic sound of footsteps approaching from a distance, clearly from patrolling security personnel.

“We have to go around,” Lynn whispered, quickly directing Mark to another path. The two carefully followed the edge of the base, bypassing the patrols, and finally arrived at an entrance.

“We’ve arrived,” Lynn said softly, then scanned the security lock system on the door with his device. As the device operated, he extracted the password, quickly entered it, and the door opened gently.

“Go inside,” Lynn said to Mark.

The two entered the laboratory and immediately felt a chilly atmosphere. The air inside was exceptionally fresh, a stark contrast to the heat outside. The long corridors were lined with various high-tech devices and experimental equipment. Clearly, this was not just an ordinary laboratory, but a high-end research institution. (End of Chapter)