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

Lynn Hall nodded gratefully, knowing that Jennifer understood the potential dangers of the situation.

Wolverine donned his leather jacket, carrying only the bare minimum of equipment—he seemed confident that his claws and abilities were sufficient to handle any situation. "Ready, Hall?"

Lynn Hall nodded, and the two walked out of the forestry station and into the snow-covered forest.

The Adirondack Mountains were unusually serene after the blizzard. Thick snow covered everything, branches were covered with glistening icicles, and when the sunlight pierced through the clouds, the entire forest seemed to be sprinkled with diamond-like sparkle.

Wolverine led the way, traversing the snow with astonishing speed and ease. Lynn Hall, despite his exceptional physical abilities, needed to exert himself to keep up. He noticed that Wolverine seemed to require no map or compass, navigating the forest purely by instinct and memory.

"Do you come to this area often?" Lynn Hall asked during their short break.

Wolverine surveyed the surrounding forest, a distant glint in his eyes: "More frequently than you imagine. This land holds special meaning for me."

He didn't elaborate, but Lynn Hall could sense the weight of it. For someone like Wolverine, memories are both a burden and a treasure, especially considering his exceptionally long life and complex past.

They continued on, passing through an area filled with ancient pine trees, their trunks so thick that it would take several people to encircle them.

“You mentioned you have a mutant sister,” Wolverine suddenly said, clearly remembering the personal information Lynn Hall had mentioned during their conversation last night. “Is that why you’re so concerned about mutants?”

Lynn Hall was slightly surprised that Wolverine had brought up the topic, but decided to be honest: "Partly. Emily's ability is so weak it's almost unnoticed—she can only slightly accelerate plant growth. But during the mutant panic fifteen years ago, that was enough to make her a target."

“Let me guess,” Wolverine’s voice was bitter, “thugs? Or so-called ‘concerned’ neighbors?”

“It happened all of those,” Lynn Hall recalled, his voice low. “It started with verbal threats, then graffiti, and finally, direct physical attacks. I was serving in the military at the time, and I immediately asked for leave to go home after receiving the news. When I arrived, I found our house burned down, my parents in the hospital, and Emily... she was hiding in the basement, terrified.”

Wolverine listened quietly without interrupting.

“That experience changed me,” Lynn Hall continued. “It made me realize how quickly fear and ignorance can turn ordinary people into monsters. It also made me understand that the system often fails to protect those who are perceived as ‘different.’”

"So you joined the FBI," Wolverine speculated, "trying to change the system from the inside."

Lynn Hall nodded. "I want to make sure the law truly protects everyone, not just the majority."

Wolverine was silent for a moment, then said, "A lofty ideal, though perhaps overly optimistic. I've seen far too many systems fail those who need protection."

“I understand your skepticism,” Lynn Hall said sincerely, “and it’s perfectly reasonable given everything you’ve been through. But I believe gradual change is possible, even if it takes time.”

Wolverine did not respond, but his expression softened slightly, as if he had a new understanding of Lynn Hall's position.

They continued trekking through the rugged terrain when Wolverine suddenly stopped, raising his hand to signal Lynn Hall to remain still. His nose twitched slightly as he sniffed the air like a wolf.

“Someone was here,” he said in a low, tense voice, “at most a few hours ago.”

Lynn Hall immediately went on alert, one hand lightly resting on his holster: "Black Crow's men?"

“Most likely,” Wolverine nodded, crouching down to examine the footprints almost entirely covered in snow. “At least three people, fully armed. They headed towards the drainage system.”

“This could change our plans,” Lynn Hall pondered, “if the drainage system has been discovered and its defenses strengthened.”

“We need to confirm,” Wolverine said briefly, beginning to follow the footprints but with more cautious steps. “Keep up, stay alert.”

Lynn Hall followed closely behind, and the two entered into a silent cooperative state, communicating through gestures and eye contact, minimizing unnecessary words. Lynn Hall noticed that despite Wolverine's massive size, he moved almost silently through the forest, like a true predator.

After about a kilometer, the terrain began to descend, leading towards a secluded valley. Wolverine suddenly stopped and gestured for Lynn Hall to lie down behind a large rock. The two carefully crawled forward until they could see the scene below.

At the bottom of the valley, half-buried among rocks and trees, was a building that looked like an old pumping station or waterworks facility, but had clearly been renovated. Two heavily armed guards stood at the entrance, wearing black uniforms and masks with black crow insignia on their chests. More unsettlingly, a person in special equipment stood beside them, emanating a faint blue glow.

“Mutant,” Wolverine whispered, confirming, “energy-controlled type, possibly electricity or plasma.”

Lynn Hall observed carefully and assessed the situation: "It seems the drainage system has indeed been discovered and controlled by the Black Crows. This changes our infiltration plan."

“Not necessarily,” Wolverine squinted. “They’ve only set up defenses at the entrance; they may not have complete control of the interior yet. We need to get a closer look, or capture a guard and question them.”

Just as Lynn Hall was about to respond, he suddenly saw Wolverine's body tense up, his nose twitched again, and a look of alertness flashed in his eyes.

“Someone’s approaching,” he warned in a low voice, “about fifty meters to our right rear.”

Lynn Hall immediately went on alert, but remained still, trusting Wolverine's senses. A few seconds later, he too heard faint footsteps and the sound of a branch snapping.

“A patrol,” Wolverine judged, “three people, two ordinary humans and one mutant. They smell like they have fire-based powers.”

Lynn Hall considered possible course of action: "Should we retreat to a safer location? Or set up an ambush?"

Wolverine considered for a moment: "Setting up an ambush is too risky; it might trigger an alarm. Let's retreat to that dense forest first and observe their movement patterns."

The two retreated silently, concealing themselves in a dense thicket of evergreen trees. A short while later, a three-person team appeared where they had been, just as Wolverine had described—two ordinary guards and a woman who was clearly a mutant, her red hair shimmering almost like flames in the sunlight.

“Flame,” Lynn Hall exclaimed softly, recognizing the red-haired woman he had fought at Phoenix Warehouse. Wolverine’s sharp gaze shifted to him: “You know her?”

“I encountered her during a raid in Manhattan,” Lynn Hall explained briefly. “A fire-type mutant, a high-ranking member of the Black Ravens. Extremely dangerous.”

Flame and her companions stopped on the hillside, looking down at the facility below. She said something Lynn Hall couldn't hear, then the group began to descend the hill towards the entrance.

“They’re increasing patrols,” Wolverine observed. “Maybe it’s because of last night’s blizzard, or maybe they sense a threat.”

Lynn Hall considered the new situation: "We need to figure out their patrol patterns and frequency. Perhaps we can use the next blizzard as cover."

Wolverine was about to respond when he suddenly stopped, his muscles tensing. His sharp gaze swept across his surroundings, and his nose twitched as he sniffed the air rapidly.

"What's wrong?" Lynn Hall asked in a low voice.

“We’ve been discovered,” Wolverine practically roared. “Someone’s tracking us.”

The words had barely left his mouth when a blinding red light suddenly shot out from the depths of the forest, striking a tree beside them and scattering wood chips everywhere. Wolverine and Lynn Hall immediately separated, seeking cover.

“It’s the Black Crows again!” Lynn Hall shouted, drawing his pistol and preparing to fire back.

“No,” Wolverine corrected, his voice tense, “the scent is different. It’s the Brotherhood of Mutants.”

Just as Lynn Hall was processing this information, another beam of red light shot out, this time even more accurately, almost striking Wolverine's shoulder. Wolverine growled and leaped into the air, charging towards the source of the attack.

“Stay here!” he shouted to Lynn Hall. “Let me handle this!”

Lynn Hall wanted to protest, but understood that in a battle between mutants, he could be a burden, or even risk injury. He chose to remain in his position, but was prepared to provide support.

Wolverine disappeared into the woods, followed by the sounds of fierce fighting—trees snapping, metal clanging, and human screams of pain. Lynn Hall cautiously moved to a position where he could observe but wouldn't be directly exposed.

In a small clearing, Wolverine was battling two mutants. One was a tall man capable of firing beams of red energy, and the other was a short, stocky woman covered in metallic scales. The fight was intense and rapid, exceeding the scope of ordinary human combat.

Wolverine's fighting style is both savage and precise. His adamantium claws slice through the air like knives, each attack brimming with deadly accuracy. His movements are so fast they're almost blurry afterimages, as he nimbly dodges energy beams while constantly seeking opportunities to close the distance with his opponents.

The energy shooter—whom Lynn Hall mentally named "Red Eye"—constantly unleashed destructive beams of light, each capable of easily destroying a large tree. He kept his distance, knowing that Wolverine would be at a disadvantage if he got too close.

The woman with the metallic scales took a more direct approach, engaging Wolverine in hand-to-hand combat. Her scales seemed capable of withstanding Wolverine's claws, though each impact produced a piercing metallic scraping sound. Her strength clearly surpassed that of an ordinary human, allowing her to lift and throw small tree trunks as weapons.

Lynn Hall witnessed a duel that transcended the realm of conventional combat. Every move Wolverine made was calculated, exploiting the environment, his opponent's weaknesses, and his own abilities to create an advantage. He deliberately positioned himself between MetalGirl and RedEye, preventing the latter from firing freely without harming her comrade.

Wolverine suddenly accelerated, charging towards Red Eye with astonishing force. MetalGirl tried to intercept, but Wolverine anticipated this, changing direction at the last moment and using a fallen tree trunk as a springboard to attack from the side. Red Eye hurriedly turned around, but it was too late—Wolverine's claws slashed across his arm, causing a deep wound. Red Eye cried out in pain and staggered backward.

MetalGirl roared and charged at Wolverine, the two clashing once more, the sound of claws striking scales echoing through the forest. Lynn Hall was astonished to see that although Wolverine's attacks left scratches on MetalGirl's skin, the wounds began to heal almost immediately—she too possessed some kind of regenerative ability.

The battle rhythm suddenly shifted, and Wolverine seemed to adopt a more aggressive strategy. He allowed Metalgirl to approach, deliberately taking a heavy punch from her, but simultaneously grabbed her arm and used his weight and strength to slam her to the ground. In the instant she tried to get up, Wolverine's claws were already pressed against her throat, almost piercing her skin.

"Enough!" Wolverine roared. "What do you want, Brotherhood members?"

Despite being injured, Red Eyes maintained his attack stance, gathering energy in his hands: "Let her go, or I will—"

“What can you do?” Wolverine interrupted coldly. “Can you shoot me before I slit her throat? Want to take the gamble?”

Lynn Hall held his pistol but kept observing, understanding that this was a matter between mutants and that his intervention could complicate the situation.

The tense standoff lasted for a few seconds before Red Eyes lowered his arm, the energy fading: "We're just scouting, like you. Eileen sent us to investigate Black Raven's activities."

“Eileen Sharp?” Lynn Hall couldn’t help but ask, peeking out slightly from his cover.

The two fraternity members immediately looked in his direction with alarm.

“Federal agent,” the metallic woman hissed, her eyes filled with hostility, “I knew I’d caught the stench of the government.”

“He’s with me for now,” Wolverine said, his voice laced with warning, but he slightly loosened his grip on MetalGirl. “Now, tell me what Erin wants.”

Redeye seemed hesitant, but under Wolverine's intense gaze, he finally spoke: "She believes Black Crow is conducting experiments related to Weapon X, using kidnapped mutants. Our mission is to gather intelligence."

“Coincidence? I don’t think so,” Wolverine said skeptically. “Why would Brother suddenly be interested in Weapon X?”

“It wasn’t sudden,” the Metal Woman retorted, her voice still defiant despite the claws still gripping her throat. “Raven—the leader of the Black Ravens—was once one of the scientists at Weapon X. Eileen has been tracking him for a long time.”

This information visibly shocked Wolverine; his claws tightened involuntarily, causing MetalGrey to hiss slightly. Lynn Hall was also surprised—this was crucial information they hadn't obtained before.

“Raven is a scientist at Weapon X,” Wolverine repeated in a low voice, a painful memory flashing in his eyes. “What department? What specialty?” (End of Chapter)