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

Lynn sat in his seat, braiding Sophia's gray rabbit hair while enjoying the smooth, bumpy ride of the bus and the monotonous hum of the engine. His heartbeat had returned to normal, and his shirt, soaked with cold sweat, was slowly drying in the warm air of the bus.

Kevin remained in the back row, pretending to be asleep. Lynn glanced back at him and saw Kevin slightly open one eye, meet his gaze for a moment, and then close it again.

He's alright. They're all alright.

At least for now.

Sophia took the braided gray rabbit back, examined it for a while, and then announced, "No, this braid is thicker than the other. Uncle John, you didn't braid it well."

"Really? Shall I try again?"

"Okay, let's leave it at that. Rabbit said she doesn't mind."

Lynn looked at the little girl and couldn't help but laugh.

The bus crossed the Dona Pass, crested the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and began its slow descent into the basin below. The pine forests outside the window gradually thinned, replaced by gray-brown desert shrubs and exposed rocks. The air grew drier, and the sunlight changed from the soft gold of California to the incandescent hue characteristic of the Sierra Nevada, striking every surface with a harsh intensity.

On the distant horizon, the outline of Reno began to appear and disappear—several high-rise casino hotels swayed slightly in the desert heat, like an unreal mirage.

“We’re almost there,” Matt said. “About half an hour.”

Lynn nodded. He checked the time on his phone—5:40 PM. The battery had 11% remaining.

"What are your plans after you get to Renault?" Matt asked.

“Find a place to rest for the night,” Lynn said. “Continue east tomorrow.”

Do you know where Renault has places to stay?

"Let's just find any motel."

Matt hesitated for a moment. “My mother lives in Sparks, right next to Reno. Her house is big, with extra rooms. If you don’t mind—”

“No,” Lynn shook her head immediately, “I can’t go to your house. You’ve already helped me too much; I can’t get you all involved any further.”

Matt looked at him, but didn't insist. "I understand."

Rachel handed her a plastic bag from the front. "Here are a few sandwiches and some fruit. Take them with you for the journey."

"No need for this, you can keep it yourselves—"

“Here you go,” Rachel said gently but firmly. “You look like you need to eat something.”

Lynn took the plastic bag, momentarily speechless. His throat tightened, and his eyes welled up with tears.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions. "Thank you. I won't forget."

Sofia jumped off Matt's lap and took something out of her small backpack—a colorful braided bracelet, the kind of simple ornaments little girls make with silk threads, with red, blue and white colors interwoven together.

“Here you go.” She handed the bracelet to Lynn.

"What's this?"

"I made it up myself," Sofia said proudly. "The teacher said red represents courage, blue represents intelligence, and white represents... what does white represent again?"

“It represents peace,” Rachel said softly.

“Yes, it represents peace.” Sofia nodded. “If you wear it, no bad guys will catch you.”

Lynn stared at the small woven bracelet in silence for a long while.

He then took it and tied it to his left wrist. The red, blue, and white colors clashed somewhat with his rough skin, yet there was also a strange harmony to them.

“Thank you, Sophia,” he said.

The little girl gave a bright smile—the kind of pure smile that only children possess, untouched by any shadows.

The bus continued its journey across Nevada, the desert outside the window gradually transforming into a tapestry of deep purple and dark gold hues in the twilight. The setting sun hung on the western horizon like a molten copper coin, casting its last rays upon the vast land. Distant mountain ridges were edged with a fiery edge, while the earliest stars began to appear in the sky further out.

As dusk fell, the city lights of Reno came on, and the neon lights of the casino hotel flashed in various colors, like an oasis that never sleeps in the desert.

The bus entered downtown Reno and slowed down on a wide street. The street was lined with hotels, casinos, and restaurants, their neon signs illuminating the sidewalks in a kaleidoscope of colors. Several scantily clad women stood smoking outside a club, while a group of drunken young men staggered along the sidewalk as they emerged from a bar.

The bus eventually stopped at the Renault long-distance bus station platform.

The driver opened the car door. "Renault has arrived. Passengers, please take your luggage."

The passengers stood up and began to pack their belongings.

Lynn stood up too. He turned to look at the back row—Kevin was already sitting up straight, pulling his backpack out from under his seat. His face was still a little pale, but his eyes had regained some of their sparkle.

“We should go,” Lynn said to Matt and his family.

Matt stood up and extended his hand. "Take care."

Lynn grasped his hand and squeezed it firmly. The hand was warm and strong, conveying a trust and blessing that needed no words.

"Take care of yourself too. Take good care of your family."

Yes, it will.

Rachel stood up and nodded to Lynn. Her eyes were red, but she didn't say anything.

Sophia lifted the gray rabbit, turning its face towards Lynn. "The rabbit says goodbye."

Lynn bent down and gently squeezed the gray rabbit's paw. "Thank you for me, Rabbit. And thank you, Sophia. I'll keep wearing your bracelet."

“You absolutely must wear it,” Sofia said seriously, “otherwise it won’t work.”

"I promise."

Lynn straightened up and walked towards Kevin. Together they walked down the bus steps and onto Renault soil.

A night wind blew in from the direction of the desert, dry and cool, carrying a faint scent of dust and sand. In the distance, the neon lights of the casino painted the sky an eerie pinkish-purple, and the clamor of music and voices came from all directions, converging into a chaotic symphony of the night.

Lynn glanced back at the bus. Through the window, he saw Sophia pressed against the glass, waving her gray rabbit paws at him. Beside her, Matt, with his arm around Rachel's shoulder, was also looking in his direction.

Lynn raised her left hand, letting the red, blue, and white woven bracelet on her wrist flash under the neon lights.

Then he turned and walked with Kevin into the Reno night. The Reno night possessed a raw, vibrant energy. Neon lights surged from all directions—red, blue, gold, green—painting the streets a flowing palette of colors. The air was thick with the smoky aroma of barbecue, the malty scent of beer, and the dry, dusty smell unique to the desert. A burst of boisterous laughter echoed from the entrance of a casino in the distance; several drunken tourists staggered out of the revolving doors, nearly bumping into a homeless man pushing a shopping cart.

Lynn and Kevin walked south along Virginia Street, avoiding the brightly lit casinos and hotel entrances. They turned into a quieter side street lined with old motels and pawnshops, their facades dim and half-burnt-out light bulbs on their signs.

“We can’t stay here too long,” Lynn said.

"Where to?" Kevin tightened the straps of his backpack. "They've set up checkpoints on Highway 80, who knows if there are any in other directions."

"I need to contact someone."

Kevin turned his head to look at him. "Who?"

Lynn didn't answer immediately. He stopped in front of a motel with a neon sign that read "Vacant" and looked around—the parking lot had seven or eight cars, mostly with local license plates, nothing suspicious. A dim light shone from the windows of the motel office, and an old television set inside flickered with a blue light.

“Settle down first,” Lynn said. “I’ll go in and get a room; you wait outside.”

He walked into the office. Behind the counter sat a thinning old man, tilting his head to watch a late-night talk show, the canned laughter emanating from the television. Hearing the doorbell ring, the old man slowly turned around, looking at Lynn with a completely uninterested expression.

"Need a room?"

"A twin room."

"49.99 yuan per night, breakfast not included. 50 yuan deposit. Check-out time is 12 noon; an extra 20 yuan will be charged for late check-out."

Lynn took out a few crumpled bills from his pocket, counted out a hundred dollars, and placed them on the counter.

The old man picked up the money, looked at it, then took a key from the drawer and tossed it on the counter. "Number 207, third room on the left after going up the stairs."

Do you have a payphone?

The old man gestured with his chin towards the window. "There's one over at the parking lot, but it's often broken."

Lynn took the key, went out and called Kevin. The two of them went up the iron staircase on the outside to the second floor. The corridor was filled with the smell of musty carpet and disinfectant. The wallpaper on the walls was curled at the edges, revealing the grayish-white plaster underneath.

Room 207 was cleaner than expected. Two single beds were covered with faded blue sheets, and a lamp and a well-worn Bible sat on the bedside table. The window faced the parking lot, and drawing the curtains blocked out most of the light. The bathroom was small, but the shower had hot water.

As soon as Kevin entered the room, he threw his backpack on the bed, collapsed onto another bed, and stared blankly at the water stains on the ceiling.

“I’m about to have a heart attack,” he said, his voice hoarse. “When we got to the checkpoint, I thought we were going to die.”

"But we didn't die."

"That bald guy almost recognized you. If it weren't for that little girl—"

“Don’t think about it,” Lynn interrupted him. “It’s all in the past. Now I need you to do something for me.”

Kevin sat up. "What is it?"

"Do you still have that laptop in your bag?"

Kevin pulled a silver-gray laptop from his backpack and handed it to Lynn. "The battery's less than half full, and I didn't bring a charger."

Lynn took the laptop and opened the lid. The blue light from the screen was particularly glaring in the dim room. He connected to the hotel's free Wi-Fi—the signal was only one bar, but it was barely usable.

He opened his browser and entered a website address. It was an encrypted communication platform within the FBI, accessible only to agents with specific privileges. A login screen appeared; he entered his codename and a 16-digit dynamic password.

"What are you doing?" Kevin leaned over to look.

"Contact person."

The system verification was successful, and he entered a minimalist text chat interface. The online list contained only a few green dots. Lynn glanced at the codenames, his gaze settling on one—"Nighthawk."

He opened the private chat window and typed a line:

"Frank, it's me. Red Fox."

After sending the message, I waited about thirty seconds. The other party's reply popped up.

"My God. You're still alive?"

"Barely. I'm in Renault and need help."

The other person typed very quickly. "Headquarters has listed you as a missing person. Deputy Director Brooks issued an internal notice two days ago stating that you encountered an accident while on a mission in San Francisco and your whereabouts are unknown. Do you know how many people are looking for you?"

Lynn's fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment. Brooks. The name made him frown. "Frank, listen to me. The San Francisco branch isn't safe. The fraternity has infiltrated the local law enforcement system, including parts of the FBI. My operation in Chinatown was betrayed; they knew my identity and mission details beforehand."

The other party remained silent for more than ten seconds.

Are you sure?

"One hundred percent. They even set up illegal checkpoints on Highway 80 to stop long-distance buses and search me. Frank, this isn't some small-time local gang; this organization's infiltration extends far beyond our expectations."

Another silence followed. Then—

What do you need?

“I need someone, someone I can absolutely trust, to drive me back to New York. I can't go by air, I can't go by rail—they might have informants at those points. The highway is the least conspicuous option.”

"Back to Manhattan headquarters?"

“Yes. I have crucial evidence that I must hand over to the chief in person. It cannot be transmitted through any electronic channel; the risk is too great.”

The other party replied quickly: "I have someone in Reno. Diana Waters, Agent JF-2271. She's been in the local office for three years and has absolutely no connection to the mess at headquarters. I swear on my professional reputation she's clean."

How can you be so sure?

"Because she's a new recruit I trained. On her first day, she even wore her holster backwards; I personally taught her how to write a search warrant application. This girl is so honest it's heartbreaking; you can trust her."

Lynn looked at the text on the screen and weighed his options for a few seconds.

“Okay. Have her come see me tonight.” He sent her the hotel address. “Tell her the code word is ‘Philadelphia winter,’ and the reply is ‘Warmer than Chicago.’”

“Roger that. Lynn—be careful.”

"You too. Clear all records after the call." (End of Chapter)