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

Just as they left the building's back door, they heard the sound of vehicle engines ahead. Three black SUVs were approaching at high speed, and the armed men inside were ready to fight.

"Make contact!" Lynn warned. "Spread out!"

The four men immediately dispersed to different cover positions. The environment of the abandoned gas station provided some cover: abandoned cars, gas pumps, concrete obstacles, etc.

The first SUV stopped, the door opened, and four armed men rushed out. They were well-equipped and acted professionally, clearly having received military training.

“These aren’t ordinary criminals,” Marcus observed the enemy’s equipment and tactics, “they’re more like mercenaries.”

The militants began firing their automatic rifles, bullets striking the surrounding cover and sending sparks flying. Lynn and the others could only take cover and were temporarily unable to retaliate.

“Sarah, where are the mutants?” Lynn needed crucial information.

“In the second vehicle, he hasn’t gotten out yet,” Sarah sensed. “He’s gathering energy, preparing to unleash a massive attack.”

"What type of ability?"

“Explosive energy, very dangerous!” Sarah warned.

Sure enough, the rear door of the second SUV opened, and a burly man stepped out. His hands began to glow orange-red, and the surrounding air began to distort.

"An energy-explosive mutant!" Lynn identified the type of threat. "Everyone, spread out! Don't huddle together!"

The mutant raised his hands and fired an energy beam at Lynn's location. The beam struck the abandoned car behind Lynn, causing it to explode instantly, creating a massive fireball and shockwave.

Lynn was thrown back by the shockwave and rolled several times on the ground before coming to a stop. Although the energy absorption layer on his equipment reduced the damage, he still felt dizzy.

"Lynn!" his teammates called out anxiously.

“I’m fine,” Lynn said, struggling to his feet. “Keep fighting!”

Marcus retaliated against the militants from another angle, his tranquilizer dart hitting one of them precisely. However, ordinary tranquilizer darts had limited effectiveness against enemies equipped with protective suits.

Carmen used her speed to move quickly between different covers, attempting to approach the enemy. She used a stun gun, a weapon that could be effective even through protective clothing.

But the energy manipulator remained the greatest threat. His next attack targeted Marcus's position, and a powerful energy blast destroyed Marcus's cover.

“We need to focus our firepower on that mutant!” Lynn devised a strategy. “Sarah, what are his weaknesses?”

Sarah focused her attention on analyzing the enemy's energy patterns. "His abilities require a buildup period, and continuous use consumes a lot of stamina. I sense his energy briefly decreases after each attack."

“That’s our chance,” Lynn decided. “After his next attack, we’ll counterattack immediately.”

The energy manipulator prepared for his next attack, orange-red light gathering in his hand once more. This time, his target was Carmen's location.

“Carmen, watch out!” Lynn warned.

Carmen rolled away just in time, and the energy beam struck the spot where she had just been, leaving a smoking crater.

“Now!” Lynn seized the opportunity.

All four opened fire on the energy manipulator simultaneously. Lynn used EMF flares, Marcus used high-concentration tranquilizer flares, Carmen used stun flares, and although Sarah lacked long-range weapons, she precisely pinpointed the target's exact location.

The combination of attacks worked very well. The EMF chaff weakened the mutant's abilities, while the tranquilizer and stun grenades inflicted effective damage. The energy manipulator staggered, clearly severely affected.

But then a third SUV arrived as reinforcements. Six more armed men joined the battle, including a second mutant.

"What ability does the second mutant have?" Lynn asked Sarah.

"Speed ​​type, moves extremely fast!" Sarah warned. "He's closing in rapidly!"

Sure enough, a figure darted across the battlefield at an almost imperceptible speed. He was so fast that Lynn's eyes couldn't keep up; he could only see a blurry shadow moving by.

The speed mutant suddenly appeared behind Marcus, attempting to attack with a melee weapon. But Marcus reacted quickly, turning around and using his equipped tactical shield to block the attack.

"He's too fast!" Marcus shouted during the fight. "I can't keep up with him!"

Carmen immediately provided support, throwing a specially designed net projectile. This projectile deploys an electrified capture net, specifically designed to engage fast-moving targets.

The net exploded in the speed mutant's path, the electrified net successfully capturing the high-speed target. The electric current caused the mutant to convulse, and his speed immediately decreased.

"Great opportunity!" Lynn aimed his tranquilizer gun at the mutant trapped in the net and hit him with a single shot.

Currently, only the wounded energy manipulator and six ordinary armed personnel remain on the battlefield. Although still outnumbered, the situation has become more manageable without the threat of mutant superpowers.

“We need to end this quickly,” Lynn reminded his teammates. “There may be more reinforcements on the way.”

The four began employing more aggressive tactics. Marcus used his strength advantage to charge directly at the nearest group of enemies. His protective gear could withstand a certain amount of bullet damage, allowing him to fight at close range.

Carmen flanks from the side, her stun weapon proving effective at close range. Lynn provides cover fire while directing the overall tactics.

Although Sarah lacks direct combat abilities, her perception provides a significant advantage to the team. She can anticipate enemy movements, attack intentions, and even sense enemy fear and fatigue.

“The enemy on the right is almost out of ammo,” Sarah provided crucial information. “The one on the left is reloading.”

With this real-time intelligence, the four men's tactical coordination became more precise. They launched attacks while the enemy was reloading, subduing the armed personnel one by one.

Five minutes later, the battle ended. All enemies were subdued without any fatalities.

"Area secure," Lynn reported to command via radio. "Outposts cleared, vital intelligence obtained."

“Roger that, Hall Team,” Deputy Director Stone’s voice came through. “Excellent work. Retreat to the assembly point immediately; the main assault is about to begin.”

The four began their retreat, while a medical team arrived to treat the wounded enemy. Although they were the enemy, the FBI's operational principle remained to minimize unnecessary casualties.

On the retreat, Sarah told Lynn, "Your tactical coordination was excellent, especially in dealing with multiple threats."

“Your perception is key,” Lynn replied. “Without your real-time intelligence, we couldn’t have ended the battle so quickly.”

“The four of us coordinated very well,” Marcus added. “It felt like a team that had been training for a long time.” “This is just the beginning,” Carmen reminded everyone. “The battle at the main base will be much more difficult.”

Less than ten minutes after returning to the rendezvous point, Lynn's team's brief rest was interrupted by an emergency communication.

"Hall Team, emergency!" Deputy Director Stone's voice came through the radio, his tone unusually tense. "The second assault team has encountered significant resistance; a member is seriously injured and requires immediate support!"

Lynn immediately stood up. "Roger that, our location?"

“One kilometer northeast of your current location, in the western factory area of ​​the main base,” Deputy Director Stone quickly reported, “the second team was ambushed while raiding the weapons depot. Team leader Thomas Wilson was seriously wounded, and they are trapped inside the factory.”

Thomas Wilson was a veteran agent Lynn knew, from the Chicago field office, with fifteen years of combat experience. If even he was seriously wounded, it meant the enemy's resistance was much stronger than expected.

"What's the enemy situation?" Lynn asked while checking the equipment.

“At least three mutants, including a high-risk target with corrosive abilities,” Deputy Director Stone’s voice was even more serious. “The second team is currently pinned down inside the factory’s main workshop and unable to retreat. Thomas’s injuries are severe and require immediate medical attention.”

“We’re off right away,” Lynn decided, then turned to his teammates, “Get ready, this mission is more dangerous.”

Marcus had finished inspecting the weapons. "Corrosive? That means our equipment could be damaged."

Carmen was also adjusting her equipment, "and being trapped means the terrain is disadvantageous to us, while the enemy occupies advantageous positions."

Sarah closed her eyes and sensed the surroundings. "I can feel strong energy fluctuations in the distance; it's definitely dangerous. And there's an energy source rapidly weakening; it might be that seriously injured teammate."

This information made everyone realize the urgency of the situation.

“We need medical support,” Lynn requested over the radio, “to send Dr. Emily with us.”

“Emily is on her way and will meet you midway,” Deputy Director Stone responded. “Also, be careful of that corrosion user, codenamed ‘Dissolve.’ His ability can melt most substances, including metal and concrete.”

The four quickly left the rendezvous point and headed towards their target. This time, they didn't have time for a careful infiltration; speed was their top priority.

During their advance, Lynn made contact with the trapped second group via radio.

“Captain Wilson, this is Hall, we’re on our way to provide support,” Lynn called out.

Intermittent voices came through the communicator, with intense gunfire in the background. "Hall. Thank God we're trapped in the main workshop. Thomas is badly wounded. They have three mutants, one of whom can melt our cover."

“Hold on, we’ll be there in five minutes,” Lynn promised. “Protect Thomas.”

"Also, be careful, they have a tunnel system underground. They might attack from below," Captain Wilson's voice trailed off.

Communication was interrupted.

“The situation is worse,” Lynn reported to his teammates. “They’re not only being suppressed from the front, but they also have to guard against underground attacks.”

Just then, a figure emerged from the ruins ahead—it was Dr. Emily. She carried a medical kit and looked ready.

“I’m here,” Emily said succinctly. “How is Thomas?”

“Seriously wounded, exact details unknown,” Lynn replied. “We need to break through the enemy's encirclement to reach them.”

“My healing abilities require direct contact,” Emily explained. “You must ensure that I can safely approach the wounded.”

The five continued forward and soon came into view of their target factory. It was a large, abandoned manufacturing plant with multiple buildings and towering chimneys. From the outside, flashes of gunfire could be seen inside the main workshop, indicating a fierce battle was underway.

“Sarah, get a sense of the enemy's deployment,” Lynn requested intelligence.

Sarah focused. "There are five of us in the main workshop, one of whom is showing very weak vital signs—it should be Thomas. The enemy is positioned in three locations: two mutants on the second-floor platform, and one mutant and four regular armed men on the ground floor."

"What's the situation underground?"

“There’s a mobile energy source underground, possibly an enemy moving through the tunnel system,” Sarah continued sensing. “The number is uncertain, but there are at least six.”

Lynn quickly devised a rescue plan: "We'll split into two groups. Marcus and Carmen will draw fire from the front, while Sarah, Emily, and I will flank from the side, heading straight for Thomas's position."

“The frontal firepower is too strong. Can the two of us handle it?” Marcus asked worriedly.

“We don’t need to defeat them, we just need to distract them,” Lynn explained. “Once we’ve rescued Thomas, we’ll all retreat immediately.”

The operation began. Marcus and Carmen approached from the factory's main entrance and began firing at the enemy. Their attack immediately drew the enemy's attention, and the mutants on the second-floor platform began to retaliate towards the main entrance.

Lynn, Sarah, and Emily broke into the factory through a side window. The situation inside the main workshop was worse than they had imagined: most of the machinery was corroded, there were traces of molten metal on the floor, and the air was thick with a pungent chemical smell.

“That’s ‘dissolving’,” Sarah said, pointing to a figure at the far end of the workshop.

The mutant was about forty years old, of medium build, but his hands emitted a corrosive green glow. He was launching a corrosive attack on the cover of the trapped FBI team, and the solid metal bunker was slowly melting.

“Thomas is there,” Lynn said, having spotted the target.

Thomas Wilson lay behind a makeshift bunker, a visible wound in his chest, his face pale. Captain Wilson and three other agents were desperately trying to protect him, but ammunition was clearly running low.

“We need to deal with the Corruptor first,” Lynn judged, “otherwise he’ll continue to destroy cover.”

But just then, the ground suddenly began to shake, and two armed men rushed out from an access panel in the workshop floor. The underground attack had begun!

"Watch out!" Sarah warned in time.

Two underground enemies, armed with automatic weapons, began firing at Lynn and his companions. Lynn quickly rolled behind a nearby machine for cover, with Emily following behind him.

“Sarah, how many enemies are still underground?” Lynn asked.

“At least four more are coming up,” Sarah sensed a growing threat, “from different exits.”

Sure enough, enemies began appearing in several other locations within the workshop. This was a meticulously planned ambush; the enemy utilized the tunnel system to attack simultaneously from multiple directions. (End of Chapter)