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

Sarah blinked, clearly not expecting Lynn's reaction. She quickly gathered her thoughts and began her report.

"Yes, Detective. First, regarding the bank robbery in the Bronx, we've identified three suspects, and one of their fingerprints was found at the scene. The technical department is analyzing the surveillance footage, and we expect to have results this afternoon."

Lynn sat behind his desk, listening attentively to Sarah's report. He took out a notebook and began taking notes of important information, just as he always did.

“Very good, continue,” Lynn said.

“Then there was the Manhattan cyber fraud case. We tracked down a suspicious server address in New Jersey. The cybercrime unit requested our assistance with an on-site investigation,” Sarah continued, her eyes constantly scanning Lynn’s reaction.

“Arrange for our people to work with the cybercrime unit,” Lynn said. “Anything else?”

“Yes, there's a suspicious disappearance on Long Island. A 19-year-old Chinese-American girl named Emily Zhang, a student at Columbia University, disappeared from her dorm three days ago without leaving a trace. Local police suspect it might be related to an interstate crime, so they transferred her to us.”

Lynn put down his pen and looked up at Sarah. "Tell me more about this girl."

Sarah opened the folder. "Emily Zhang, nineteen years old, majoring in biology. According to her roommate, she had recently been researching a project about mutant genes. On the night she disappeared, she told her roommate she was going to the library, but the library's surveillance footage showed she never went there."

Lynn's expression turned serious. "Mutant genetic research? Is she a mutant?"

“I’m not sure, but her roommate said Emily has some special abilities. She can sense other people’s emotional states, but she never talks about it publicly,” Sarah said.

Lynn nodded. "This case needs to be prioritized. Send a team to Columbia University; I want to speak with her roommate and advisor personally."

“Understood, Inspector,” Sarah said, then added hesitantly, “Inspector, about the Blackwood case…”

“The Blackwood case is on hold for now,” Lynn said calmly. “We’ve done our best, and now we just need to wait for the formal court hearing. Instead of wasting our energy there, we should turn our attention to those we can truly help.”

Sarah looked at Lynn and could sense a change in the detective. Yesterday, Lynn was filled with anger and frustration, but today he seemed unusually calm and focused. This change filled Sarah with both admiration and apprehension.

“Detective, are you really alright?” Sarah couldn’t help but ask. “I mean, what happened yesterday was a huge blow to everyone. If you need time to process this…”

Lynn looked up at the young female agent. Sarah's concern was genuine; her eyes were filled with worry for him.

“Sarah, I appreciate your concern,” Lynn said gently. “Yesterday was indeed a tough day, but that’s the reality of our profession. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but we can’t stop moving forward because of one setback. Those who need our help won’t wait for us to recover.”

Just then, there was a knock on the office door. Tom Wilson poked his head in. "Detective, the deputy chief wants to see you."

Lynn nodded. "Tell him I'll be there right away. Sarah, begin arranging the investigation into Emily Zhang's case. We'll meet in an hour to discuss the specific action plan."

Lynn walked out of his office and headed towards the deputy director's office. Everyone in the building was talking about yesterday's events, but when they saw Lynn, most of them stopped talking and looked at him with complicated expressions.

Deputy Director John McLaren was a 58-year-old veteran FBI officer with 30 years of law enforcement experience. His office, located on the top floor of the building, was simply yet imposingly decorated. When Lynn knocked and entered, McLaren was standing in front of a huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the bustling street below.

“Lynn, please sit down,” McLaren said without turning around, his voice sounding somewhat tired. “I think we need to talk about yesterday.”

Lynn sat in the chair at his desk. "Deputy Director, if you want me to take responsibility for yesterday's results, I completely understand."

McLaren turned around, his face weathered by time, his dark eyes revealing wisdom and experience. “Lynn, you misunderstood me. I’m not trying to hold you responsible; in fact, I think you and your team have done a very good job. Blackwood’s release wasn’t due to your mistakes, but rather the inherent complexities of our legal system.”

Lynn was somewhat surprised. "So what do you want to talk about?"

McLaren sat back in his chair. “What I want to talk about is the impact of this case on society as a whole. Last night, there were small-scale protests across New York. The mutant community feels betrayed, while the normal community feels justice has been served. This division is widening, and I fear there will be more serious conflict.”

“This is indeed a worrying trend,” Lynn admitted, “but I’m not sure what we can do to change it.”

“Perhaps we cannot change the attitude of the entire society, but we can ensure that the FBI remains neutral and professional during this sensitive time,” McLaren said. “I heard you returned to normal work today and did not dwell on the Blackwood case. That was a wise decision.”

Lynn nodded. "I think we should focus our energy on those we can truly help, rather than wasting time on things we can't change."

“Exactly,” McLaren agreed. “I also heard that you took on the case of Emily Zhang’s disappearance. That’s an excellent choice, demonstrating our equal concern for all citizens.”

“Emily Zhang is just a missing student. Whether she’s a mutant or not, she deserves our help,” Lynn said.

McLaren smiled. “That’s the attitude I wanted to hear. Lynn, I know yesterday was tough for you, but your performance today showed me the qualities of a true leader. Staying calm in adversity and persevering after setbacks—that’s the spirit the FBI needs.”

“Thank you for your trust, Deputy Director,” Lynn said. “I will not let you down.”

After leaving the deputy director's office, Lynn returned to his floor. He noticed the atmosphere in the office area was tense, with many agents whispering amongst themselves. When they saw Lynn, the whispers immediately ceased.

Sarah approached, carrying a folder. “Detective, I’ve set up the investigation team for the Emily Zhang case. Tom and I will be going to Columbia University with you, and two other agents will be analyzing her cell phone and computer records.”

“Great, when do we leave?” Lynn asked. “I’ve contacted her roommate and advisor in half an hour, and they’ve both agreed to the interview,” Sarah reported.

At that moment, Agent Michael Davis walked over. Michael was a 45-year-old veteran agent who had worked for the FBI for 18 years and was known for his straightforwardness and honesty.

“Lynn, I want to talk to you,” Michael said, his expression serious.

Lynn glanced at Sarah, then said to her, "Go and get ready; we'll meet later."

Sarah nodded and left. After she was out of sight, Michael said to Lynn, "Can we talk in your office?"

The two entered Lynn's office, and Michael closed the door. He sat down in the chair, staring into Lynn's eyes.

“Lynn, to be honest, I’m worried about you,” Michael said bluntly. “What happened yesterday was a huge blow to all of us. I thought you would be more angry or more frustrated than I am. But your behavior today has me puzzled.”

Lynn sat behind her desk. "How do you think I should behave?"

“I think you should act like a normal person,” Michael said. “You should be angry, you should want to fight back, you should want to prove Blackwood guilty. But you acted like nothing happened.”

Lynn was silent for a moment, then said, "Michael, I want to ask you a question. If I act angry and frustrated right now, if I focus all my energy on thinking about how to get revenge on Blackwood, will that help the missing girl? Will it bring those dead mutants back to life?"

Michael frowned. "Of course not, but..."

“Then why should I waste my time and energy on useless emotions?” Lynn interrupted him. “Michael, I thought a lot last night. I realized that as an FBI agent, my duty is not to pursue personal satisfaction, but to help those who need it. Blackwood is free for now, but that doesn’t mean the game is over. The legal process will continue, the evidence will continue to accumulate, and ultimately justice will be served.”

Michael looked at Lynn, sensing a change in the young detective. "Do you truly believe justice will ultimately be served?"

“I must believe,” Lynn said firmly, “because if I don’t believe, then I have no reason to continue doing this job. And even if Blackwood ultimately escapes punishment, every innocent person we save, every case we solve, is a contribution to justice.”

Michael was silent for a long time, then nodded. "I think I understand. But Lynn, don't completely suppress your emotions. Anger and frustration are normal; they can also be a driving force."

“I didn’t suppress my emotions, Michael,” Lynn said. “I just chose a more constructive way to deal with them.”

Just then, the office phone rang. Lynn answered it. "Detective Lynn."

“Detective, this is the technical department,” a young man’s voice came through the phone. “We’ve found some interesting information while analyzing Emily Zhang’s phone records. The day before she disappeared, she received a call from an unknown number, which lasted only thirty seconds. We traced the number and found it was a disposable phone, meaning the user cannot be tracked.”

Lynn's expression turned serious. "Any other discoveries?"

"Yes, her cell phone last gave a signal around 10 p.m. on the night she disappeared, located in an abandoned warehouse area near Columbia University. After that, the signal completely disappeared, possibly because the phone was damaged or blocked."

“Very good. Immediately dispatch a technical team to search that warehouse area,” Lynn ordered. “We’re there right away.”

After hanging up the phone, Lynn immediately stood up. Michael also got up to leave.

“Looks like you have a new case to handle,” Michael said. “Do you need any extra support?”

“Not for now, but please remain on standby,” Lynn said. “This case may be more complicated than we initially thought.”

Lynn strode out of the office and found Sarah and Tom in the hallway.

“Change the plan,” Lynn told them. “The tech team has found a new lead: Emily Zhang’s last cell phone signal came from an abandoned warehouse area. We’ll go there first to conduct an on-site investigation, and then go to the university.”

“Understood, Inspector,” Sarah replied. “The car is ready.”

The three walked quickly toward the elevator. The other agents, watching their hurried movements, could tell that something important had happened. This tense and focused working atmosphere was exactly what the FBI should be like, and it was the atmosphere Lynn hoped to maintain.

In the elevator, Tom couldn't help but ask, "Detective, do you think this could be a mutant-related case? Considering what's been happening lately."

Lynn looked at the young agent. "Tom, we can't let recent events affect our judgment of the case. Emily Zhang is first and foremost a missing person, and only secondarily a potential mutant. Our duty is to find her, regardless of her identity."

“But if she really is a mutant, then her disappearance might be related to…” Tom began, but was interrupted by Lynn.

“Then we will handle cases based on facts,” Lynn stated firmly. “We cannot investigate with preconceived biases. Every case should be based on evidence, not on speculation or political considerations.”

At 10:30 a.m., Lynn, Sarah, and Tom arrived at the abandoned warehouse area located by the technology department. It was situated on the banks of the Hudson River, about a fifteen-minute drive from Columbia University. The once bustling industrial area had been abandoned for many years, with only a few dilapidated brick buildings standing silently, like giants forgotten by time.

Lynn stepped out of the car and immediately felt the chilly atmosphere of the place. Although it was daytime, the tall buildings blocked most of the sunlight, casting the entire area in shadow. The air was damp and musty, and occasionally a few seabirds flew overhead, emitting mournful cries. (End of Chapter)