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

“David, I know this is hard to accept,” Alyssa said softly, trying to control herself from being overwhelmed by his emotional outburst, “but this is the reality we have to face.”

"Why?" David suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with angry tears. "Why did Merlin save him, and yet he wants to harm her? She has never hurt anyone!"

Lynn slowly sat down opposite David, his voice calm and understanding. “According to our investigation at the hospital, Kingsley began to fear Merlin’s abilities after being healed. He couldn’t accept being healed by an ‘unnatural’ power and began to believe that Merlin was some kind of evil being.”

“Fear?” David’s voice was filled with anger. “He’s afraid of the person who saved his life?”

“Some people cannot understand or accept things they are unfamiliar with, even if those things are beneficial to them,” Elisa explained. “Fear is sometimes more powerful than reason.”

David stood up and paced back and forth in the room. Elisa could feel the turmoil raging within him—anger, pain, confusion, and a deep sense of betrayal. The energy field in the room became extremely unstable; even Lynn could feel the oppressive atmosphere.

“I’m going to kill him.” David suddenly stopped, his eyes burning with hatred. “I want him to feel the fear and pain Merlin felt before he died.”

“David, calm down.” Lynn immediately stood up. “I understand your anger, but revenge is not the way to solve problems.”

"Not the solution?" David turned to Lynn. "Then what is the solution? The law? The law protected Wilson, and the law lets the real murderer go unpunished!"

“And Kingsley is dead,” Elisa whispered a reminder. “He died two months ago from a recurrence of cancer.”

The news stunned David. His anger suddenly turned into a hollow despair. "Dead? He's dead?"

“Yes,” Lynn nodded, “and the timing was quite coincidental, shortly after the private investigators began investigating his relationship with Wilson.”

David slowly sat back on the sofa, burying his face in his hands. "So I didn't even have a chance to face him, a chance to ask him why he did it."

“Maybe this is a good thing,” Elisa said. “If you actually meet him, you might do something you’ll regret.”

“I’m already regretting it.” David’s voice weakened. “I regret not protecting Merlin better, I regret not discovering Kingsley’s true colors, I regret not…”

“David, this isn’t your fault,” Lynn interrupted him firmly. “You couldn’t have foreseen this betrayal. Neither could Merlin.”

Elisa could sense a subtle shift in David's emotions. While the pain and anger remained intense, the sense of desperate confusion was beginning to diminish. Knowing the truth, even the painful truth, seemed to have given him a certain psychological sense of direction.

“Why did Kingsley die?” David asked. “Was it really a recurrence of cancer?”

“We’re still investigating,” Lynn replied, “but it’s most likely a natural death. According to the doctors, he lived under extreme psychological stress, which may have caused the cancer to recur.”

"Psychological stress?"

“According to the private investigator’s report, Kingsley exhibited extreme fear in the days leading up to his death, saying that someone was following him,” Lynn explained. “He may have realized he was involved in a murder and began to fear the consequences.”

David remained silent for a long time, and Elisa could sense that he was struggling to process this information. The oppressive atmosphere in the room began to ease, replaced by a complex but relatively calm emotional state.

“So what do we do now?” David finally asked. “Wilson is alive and has legal protection. Kingsley is dead and can’t testify. What else can we do?”

“We will continue our investigation,” Lynn promised. “There is clearly a larger conspiracy behind this case. Wilson is just the executor; the real mastermind has not yet been exposed.”

"What's the meaning?"

“Wilson received $50,000 afterward and was able to hire expensive lawyers,” Lynn explained. “This indicates that someone provided financial support for this operation. We need to find this funder.”

Elisa noticed a positive shift in David's mood. Although the pain remained, a spark of hope was being rekindled.

"Do you really believe you can find the mastermind behind this?" David asked.

“I believe,” Lynn’s voice was filled with determination, “and not just for Merlin, but also to protect other mutants who might be threatened. If we don’t stop these people, they might continue to harm innocent people.”

"Is there anything I can do to help?" David asked. "I want to do something for Merlin."

Lynn looked at David and considered for a moment. "Most importantly, you must control your emotions and not let anger drive you to act impulsively."

"What's the meaning?"

“I know you’re angry, I know you want revenge.” Lynn looked directly into David’s eyes. “But if you use your abilities to harm Wilson or anyone else involved, you won’t get justice for Merlin; you’ll make yourself a criminal.”

David lowered his head, and Elisa could sense his inner struggle. The temptation of revenge was still strong, but reason was slowly gaining the upper hand.

“I understand your concerns,” David said slowly. “Yesterday I did consider using my abilities. Not just to solve the work problem, but also to get revenge on those who hurt Merlin.”

“But you didn’t do that,” Elisa pointed out.

“No, but the temptation was always there,” David honestly admitted. “After learning the truth, the temptation became even stronger. I wanted Wilson to feel fear, to experience the pain Merlin felt in his final moments.”

"Does that make you feel any better?" Lynn asked.

David considered the question. "Perhaps, for the time being. But in the long run, I know this is not what Merlin would want."

“Merlin used her power to save lives and bring hope,” Elisa said softly. “If you use your power to hurt others, even to avenge her, it is a betrayal of her memories.”

“I know,” David nodded. “And I also realize that if I become a person driven by hatred, those anti-mutant organizations will have achieved their goal. What they want is for us to become dangerous, to prove their prejudices are correct.”

Lynn was pleased with David's rationality. "Absolutely right. The best revenge is to prove them wrong, to prove that mutants can be a positive force in society."

“But I can’t even manage my own life right now,” David said with a wry smile. “My work is a mess, I’m struggling financially, and I’m emotionally unstable. How can I prove anything?”

“Take it one step at a time,” Elisa encouraged. “You’ve already taken the most important step—you’ve chosen to believe in justice, not revenge.” “And you’re not alone in this fight,” Lynn added. “I will continue investigating this case until the truth is revealed. In the meantime, I will also help you resolve other issues.”

"What's the meaning?"

“Regarding your work situation, if you have indeed experienced discrimination based on your mutant identity, we can provide legal assistance,” Lynn explained. “The FBI has a dedicated department for handling discrimination cases.”

A glimmer of hope flashed in David's eyes. "You really want to help me?"

“Of course,” Lynn said firmly. “Protecting civil rights, including the rights of mutants, is our duty.”

Elisa could sense a significant change in the atmosphere of the room. David's emotions remained complex, but the oppressive despair had noticeably lessened. Hope and trust were beginning to sprout anew.

“I have a question for you, Inspector Hall,” David said. “Why are you willing to do so much for a mutant?”

Lynn considered the question for a moment. “Because it’s the right thing to do. Merlin was a good person, and she shouldn’t die helping others. You are a good person too, and you shouldn’t suffer extra pain because of your wife’s death.”

“But many people don’t think that way,” David points out. “Many people see mutants as a threat.”

“That’s because they don’t understand,” Elisa said. “Fear often stems from ignorance. When people truly understand mutants and see how people like Merlin use their abilities to help others, their perspectives will change.”

“But change takes time,” David sighed.

“Yes, it takes time,” Lynn nodded. “But that doesn’t mean we should give up. Every small act of justice, every successful collaboration, is part of the change.”

David walked to the window and looked at the night view outside. Elisa could sense that his emotions were gradually calming down. Although the pain was still there, it was no longer the overwhelming despair.

“You know what?” David turned around, “this is the first time in months that I haven’t felt completely hopeless.”

“This is a good start,” Elisa said with a smile.

“I think I understand now why Merlin was always so hopeful,” David continued. “She knew there were good people like you in the world. Even in the face of malice and prejudice, there are still people willing to fight for justice.”

“Merlin herself was that kind of person,” Lynn said. “She brought hope to the world in her own way. Now, you can continue her work.”

“Me?” David asked doubtfully. “What can I do? I can’t even manage my own life right now.”

“You can be an example of how mutants can find strength in loss and remain kind in suffering,” Elisa explained. “You can help other mutants facing similar challenges.”

“I’m not ready to help others yet,” David said honestly. “I still need time to recover.”

“Of course, no one expects you to do all that right away,” Lynn said understandingly. “But the important thing is that you now have direction, you have hope.”

David nodded, then said, “I want to assure you of one thing. I will not use my abilities to hurt anyone, including Wilson. I know that's not the right path.”

“This assurance means a lot to us,” Lynn said sincerely. “It also shows that you have begun to recover from your pain.”

“I also want to assure you of something else,” David continued, “I will cooperate fully with your investigation and provide any information that may be helpful. I am willing to testify or do anything else if you require it.”

“Thank you for your trust,” Lynn said. “This will be very helpful to the progress of the case.”

Elisa could sense a significant shift in David's emotional energy. The overwhelming sadness and anger were still there, but now tempered by a more balanced emotional state. Hope, trust, and a sense of rediscovering purpose in life were beginning to blossom within him.

“I have a question,” David said, “Is it possible for me to join the mutant support group you mentioned now?”

“Of course,” Alyssa said happily. “I’ll contact Professor Xavier tomorrow to arrange for you to meet with the other mutants.”

“I’m a little nervous,” David admitted. “I haven’t interacted with other mutants in a long time.”

“That’s normal,” Elisa reassured her. “But you’ll find it very helpful to talk to people who understand your situation.”

“And you don’t need to share your story right away,” Lynn added. “You can do it at your own pace.”

“Thank you,” David said sincerely. “The truth you told me today was painful, but it also gave me a sense of relief. At least now I know what happened, and that someone is seeking justice for Merlin.”

“We will continue to work hard,” Lynn promised, “and we will keep a close eye on your situation. You are not alone in this.”

As Lynn and Alyssa were about to leave, David suddenly said, "Wait, I want to show you something."

He went to the bedroom and returned a few minutes later with a small box. "This is one of Merlin's most prized possessions."

Inside the box was a letter, looking somewhat worn. "This is the first thank-you note she received, from a little girl she healed," David said softly. "Whenever Merlin doubted whether her abilities were truly beneficial, she would read this letter."

Elisa took the letter and gently unfolded it. The letter was written in a child's innocent handwriting: "Dear angel sister, thank you for making my cancer disappear. Now I can play with my friends, run, and laugh. Mom says you have magic, but I think you just love us very much. I love you too."

“She really is an angel,” Elisa said softly, tears welling in her eyes.

“Yes, she is.” David’s voice was filled with pride and sorrow. “That’s why I can’t let hatred destroy her memories. That’s why I must choose the right path.”

“Merlin would be proud of you,” Lynn said. “Her spirit will continue through your choice.”

As they left David's apartment, the night sky was dotted with stars. On the way back, Lynn and Elisa both felt a deep sense of satisfaction. (End of Chapter)