Ark Chess Player.

Charlotte immediately said anxiously, "I'll talk, I'll talk—"

Seeing his expression, Lin Lu suddenly lost interest and said indifferently, "I don't want to hear it anymore."

"Eh?!!"

Charlotte wanted to speak up, he really wanted to speak up! But the other party seemed unwilling to heed his tattling.

Lin Lu slowly straightened up, flipping through the red notebook in his hand. The name Alexander Charlotte was written on the first three pages. This ledger was the true objective of the Hidden Dragon Squad's mission. Even Swire was merely a dispensable element in this mission.

"They injected special forces candidates with psychotropic drugs, causing them to fail the physical examination and become addicted to drugs, ruining their lives."

"They forced the former leader of the Hidden Dragon Squad to relinquish his position due to serious injury, threatened him with the kidnapping of his wife and daughter by mercenaries from Silverwing Company, peeled off the skin of the former leader's wife and daughter and sent it to his home, and used his power and connections to prevent him from seeking help, making him obedient. Afterwards, they kidnapped the three of them out of Lungmen, which led to the Guard Bureau's subsequent investigation yielding no results."

"As for colluding with Wenger, the president of Silverwing Corporation, persecuting innocent girls to serve powerful figures, and using force to coerce Lungmen citizens to provide conveniences, let's leave that aside for now. Based on just those two points alone, no matter how talented you are, I would never spare your life. Even I, when abducting people, would check their credit history. Even someone who hasn't paid off their Alipay bill for three months is far more lovable than you. People like you should be burning in hell."

Lin Lu acted as if he were a priest meticulously calculating people's sins, exposing Charlotte's evil deeds to the world.

Charlotte's eyes widened. He hadn't expected that Wenger, that bastard, would actually remember everything about him! They were clearly good partners who could share a ride during group activities, how could he betray him like that?!

"Wait, wait a minute, I can tell you about the Guard Bureau! I'll give you any information you want, please—"

"I've already said it, I don't want to hear it."

Lin Lu said calmly, then raised his foot and stepped on Charlotte's head, kicking her directly in the opposite direction.

"Crack."

The crisp, clear sound of the neck breaking echoed in the desolate, secret room.

Charlotte never imagined she would end up like this, dying in this place.

"How much truth can someone who can't keep a secret know?"

Lin Lu shook his head. His gaze fell on the silver-white gun on the ground. He picked it up and examined it. His digitized spiritual domain scanned the gun; there was one bullet left, an etched bullet.

"Cough, cough... Who are you?"

At the end of the secret room, the elevator doors slowly opened, and Swire, disheveled, crawled out.

Just as Charlotte was putting on a one-woman show in the office lobby, Lin Lu sighed inwardly and carried the seriously injured Swire to the elevator.

Since Lin Lu didn't have a Healer's Originium Arts trigger device, he couldn't directly cast a healing spell similar to Touch. He could only improvise, rummaging through Swire's handbag for ointment and bandages, thankfully she had prepared these medicines for the mission today.

Otherwise, Lin Lu would either have to carry her and jump from the sixteenth floor to deliver her to Rhodes Island in her severely injured state, or he could kidnap her, take her to a remote location, use the Ark Driver to transform into Gavial, and perform tranquilization treatment on Swire.

In his haste, Lin Lu disregarded the difference between men and women and tore open her tattered coat. However, to Lin Lu's surprise, the coat was made of surprisingly good material, allowing him to use all his strength.

After a simple application of ointment and the application of a hemostatic bandage, Swire was out of danger.

During this process, Swire didn't lose consciousness at first; she initially intended to resist. She was no weak woman; with her tigress-like personality, who would dare lay a hand on her? Swire fell silent until Lin Lu tore her coat open with his bare hands. Her clothes could even withstand the aftershocks of etched bullets; with this man's monstrous strength, tearing her to shreds wouldn't be a problem.

Moreover, the other party was not trying to humiliate her, but to save her.

Swire could only resign herself to letting the other person apply the ointment to her body.

Strangely enough, this person had very long and slender hands, very fair skin, and his technique for applying medicine was quite exquisite. His palms radiated an incredible heat... Originally, Shi Huaiya was staring intently at Lin Lu, trying to find clues from him, but as he touched her, she drifted off to sleep, sleeping very peacefully.

Swire had no idea how long it had been since he had slept so soundly.

Unfortunately, her sleep was quite short. She heard a series of mournful howls outside, a familiar voice – Charlotte's! Not only that, Swire also heard another unfamiliar voice.

The other party calmly listed Charlotte's crimes one by one: harming colleagues and murdering superiors' families to seize power. Swire was furious. If the Guard Bureau officers knew about these things, even with Charlotte's powerful background, she wouldn't escape death. These were the things the Guard Bureau hated most. In the past, countless officers' families had been implicated and brutally murdered in the fight against organized crime; this had become a deep-seated fear for everyone in the Guard Bureau.

Charlotte's actions were undoubtedly rubbing salt into the wounds of the Guard Bureau. Once this is exposed, no one can save him!

Immediately afterwards, Swire heard a very clear sound of bones breaking.

This made her burst out of the door involuntarily. Even if he was a traitor to the Royal Guard, he should be dealt with by the Royal Guard!

"...Your wounds haven't healed yet, aren't you afraid of dying?"

Lin Lu looked at Shi Huaiya, who was wearing a tattered coat, and couldn't help but sigh.

Lin Lu had deliberately closed the elevator door to prevent Shi Huaiya from being seen in her partially concealed state, but he hadn't expected her to still rush out. She's a girl, shouldn't she be more careful about herself?

“If you wanted to kill me, you had countless opportunities to do so, but you saved me.”

Swire wasn't stupid; she knew her limits. She wouldn't dare charge out like that. She didn't even take out her chain hammer, because she knew that even in her prime, she couldn't possibly defeat this person.

“I have three questions for you,” Swire asked candidly.

"Please speak," Lin Lu said without refusing.

"Did you kill all the mercenaries here?"

"Yes."

Swire took a deep breath. She hadn't expected the other party to admit it so readily, as if crushing a few insects—it was nothing to worry about.

“My subordinates, they…” Swire trembled, raising her emerald eyes to gaze at the indistinct monster shrouded in shadow before her. “Were they also—”

"No."

Lin Lu shook his head and pointed his right hand, which was holding a silver-white gun, towards the door.

"She should recover in about two or three days. I've always admired honest fools," Lin Lu said with a light laugh. It was precisely because of Swire's almost incomprehensibly honest character that he gained Lin Lu's approval and thus stepped in to save her.

Lin Lu didn't really care about Swire's background or whether she could bring him any benefits.

"So, my last question is..."

Swire took a deep breath, catching her breath, and squinted, trying to see the face in the shadows.

Are you the Doctor from Rhodes Island?

Chapter 272 The Record of Injustice Rectified (4K)

Are you the Doctor from Rhodes Island?

Swire asked, carefully observing the person shrouded in shadow before her.

Whether someone is lying can be determined by their tone of voice, changes in facial expression, arm movements, and muscle tension—all factors that can help in making a judgment. However, these are now ineffective because the black mud oozing from the other person's body obscures their features, making even their face unreadable.

"...You're even dumber than I thought."

Lin Lu smiled; he suddenly became even more interested in the person in front of him.

Not only was he hopelessly upright, but he was also so stupid that Lin Luxin felt a protective instinct towards him.

"Is it your professional instinct to ask a masked murderer about his true identity?" Lawyer Lin kindly reminded him.

“…I know this is dangerous, and I know this action will offend you and may even reignite your murderous intent towards me.” Swire steadied her still slightly weak legs, showing no fear whatsoever, even though the person in front of her could easily defeat everyone.

“But I have to do it.”

A voice echoed in Swire's heart.

She had to find out something, otherwise she would be trapped in this building for the rest of her life.

Swire made many guesses today, unsure if they were correct, because these ideas were so crazy, even outrageous. But reality is often more unbelievable than imagination; the waters of Lungmen were too deep, and she was already half-submerged. If it weren't for the person in front of her pulling her out of the water, perhaps today would have been the anniversary of her drowning in her ideals.

"I've always been curious about why Lungmen District 5, the weakest area in terms of defense, was able to hold out against the nighttime attack launched by the Reunion Movement. Not only that, but Lungmen District 5 also had the lowest casualty rate. Even if Hoshiguma went to support them, no matter how strong she was, she couldn't stop hundreds of Reunion Movement soldiers. She would have been worn down by the sheer number of people and ultimately suffered a crushing defeat."

Swire's face appeared somewhat pale in the dim light, but the will contained in his eyes shone brightly.

“I questioned the police officers who were stationed in Lungmen District 5 at the time, but the Hoshiguma Group was somewhat vague and unwilling to tell the truth. However, the Fourth Squad, which was stationed in the area, replied that they were able to survive this time entirely because the Rhodes Island people held off the Reunion Movement on the front line. I asked the leader of the Fourth Squad for the combat log report, but their superior could not produce it and could only provide a verbal account.”

As Swire spoke, he observed the other person's attitude. The other person showed no impatience, nor joy or sorrow, but listened quietly, like a tree hollow, listening to the myriad thoughts in the other person's heart without complaint.

Swire then continued with relief, "On the battlefield, Rhodes Island's commander, the Doctor, is like a god. He can foresee the future, even predicting when the enemy's attack will arrive in a matter of minutes and seconds. His orders are like a father's reprimand, forcing everyone to obey. He is the most authoritative person in my memory; he seems capable of becoming anyone and replacing anyone."

Swire recalled the fourth squad leader's verbal report and recounted it from memory.

At that moment, she thought to herself, "No wonder such an operational report would be thrown into the shredder by the Fourth Squad's direct superior. This kind of alarmist reporting, which sounds like it's been brainwashed by a cult, would cause panic within the Guard Bureau if it were allowed to spread."

This is why Rhodes Island's achievements are downplayed; they did too well, even excessively.

“If the members of the Fourth Squad aren’t lying, if all of this is true, then…” Swire boldly stepped forward, facing Lin Lu directly, her aura unwavering, “The Silverwing Security Contractor’s hunt against Rhodes Island might be because Rhodes Island has touched the interests of certain people in Lungmen, or perhaps someone can’t tolerate the existence of Rhodes Island with so many infected employees. And you, Rhodes Island’s Doctor, the biggest reason you so blatantly destroyed the Silverwing Security Contractor is that you want everyone in Lungmen to see clearly what the end will be for those who attempt to persecute Rhodes Island!”

Shi Huaiya stood confidently within three steps of Lin Lü.

She looked up and met the cobalt blue eyes hidden in the shadows.

Swire was completely unaffected by the concentrated scanning of the digitized spiritual realm, because she believed that her actions were all justified. Her heart was as clear as a mirror, and she was not afraid of anyone's scrutiny.

I am right—at least that's what Swire thinks.

"..."

Lin Lu extended his left hand.

Swire instinctively wanted to back away, but could she dodge? She stiffened slightly, then decided not to dodge anymore and instead stood tall and proud, facing the attack head-on! Even if she were to die, Beatrice Swire would choose to die standing up, rather than being mocked and killed in a panicked escape.

However, the expected punch that could take down a child with one blow did not arrive.

Lin Lu pulled Shi Huaiya's loose, tattered coat tighter around her, covering up her exposed skin, and then gently patted her shoulder.

"Perhaps you're even smarter than I thought. Excellent, our Army Without Borders needs talent like you!"

Lin Lu affectionately put his arm around Swire's shoulder, and the swirling black mist that flowed freely around his body consciously avoided Swire, not touching her.

Swire frowned. She wasn't the type to let anyone touch her body so easily. Aside from family, she'd never hugged anyone else, let alone in such an intimate position… But she inexplicably felt a sense of security around this person, involuntarily relaxing her tense nerves and subconsciously wanting to rely on him. Even though this man had recently killed Charlotte and even slaughtered an entire building of mercenaries—a veritable serial killer—she was still alive.

Is this the legendary Stockholm syndrome?!

Swire was alarmed; this was a complex where victims developed feelings for their perpetrators, even going so far as to help them. This emotion caused victims to feel affection, dependence, and even assistance towards their perpetrators.

Hostages develop a psychological dependence on their captors. Their lives are in the captors' hands, and they are deeply grateful for being spared. They share the fate of their captors, regarding their captors' future as their own and their safety as their own. Therefore, they adopt an "we are against them" attitude, viewing their rescuers as enemies.

Swire's current situation is similar to that of someone with this masochistic tendency. He saved her when she was in her most dangerous moment, bandaged her wounds, and gently covered her exposed skin. He even executed the villain who almost killed her, just like a late-night drama on Longmen TV. When the female protagonist is in danger, the real male lead makes a dazzling appearance... Wait, is this the suspension bridge effect?

Although my heart is beating really fast right now, it's just because I'm scared!

"What is an army without borders? Aren't you the Doctor from Rhodes Island?!"

Swire adjusted her mindset, shaking off unrealistic thoughts to avoid getting further and further astray.

"To eradicate all injustices in the world, for the people, for myself, and for all living beings," Lin Lu blurted out. He was stunned as soon as he finished speaking; he had never had such a thought at all.

Beside him, Swire's head felt like it had been struck by lightning; thunder roared in his mind, and his words seemed to be endlessly looping in his ears.

Wow, that's incredibly arrogant!

You really dare to say that!

Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you have some skills! There are always people stronger than you, and there's always something beyond your reach. If you're so capable, show me how to solo Lungmen! Even I only set my sights on things within my capabilities!

Poetry and elegance breed resentment and anger; this is probably the indignation of a top student encountering a genius.

"Here, let me show you."

Lin Lu did not deny that he was a doctor from Rhodes Island. He turned the red book in his hand to Swire and showed her the first three pages to divert her attention.

With the help of the dim light, Swire could barely make out the ugly, cursive-like characters on it. They were truly awful, like a primary school student's scribbles... Hmm? Hmm hmm hmm! ?

"This is—a record of corruption by a high-ranking official in Lungmen?!"

Swire's eyes widened. She knew who the people listed were and what their positions were. The red book recorded their crimes in considerable detail, even including contact information for witnesses who might be useful, clearly noting the times and locations.

This is a death note targeting the villains of Lungmen, every stroke of which outlines the blood of countless victims.

"What do I need to give you in exchange for giving me this book of injustices?"

Swire's voice was cold and clear; all traces of Stockholm syndrome and girlish sentimentality had vanished from her heart, leaving only pure integrity.

"The Record of Washing Away Wrongs? The Record of Washing Away Wrongs... What a name, what a name." Lin Lu smiled, closed the Record of Washing Away Wrongs in his hand, and asked in return, "What do you need this Record of Washing Away Wrongs for?"

"Of course, it's to seek justice for those poor people who have suffered so much at the hands of the powerful and wealthy!"

Swire suddenly stood up straight, her body trembling, and her wounds showed signs of reopening, showing just how angry she was.

Lin Lu silently watched her, flipped through a few pages of the "Record of the Clearing of Wrongs" in his hand to show her, and then closed it again.

"I don't know most of the people listed here, but I can at least understand their positions and identities. Basically, half of the powerful and wealthy people in Longmen are in here. Even those whose names are hastily written down are from well-off families, understand?"

Lin Lu released his grip on Shi Huaiya's shoulder, took two steps back, and pressed his hands against the Record of Wrongful Convictions: "It wouldn't be difficult to execute all the people recorded in this book. But you want to expose their crimes to the world, you want to bring them to justice, you want to punish them with the laws of Longmen, you want them to spend the rest of their lives in Longmen Prison..."

"You'd be better off thinking about how to get me arrested and thrown in jail."

Lin Lu sighed, “They represent more than just themselves. The power behind them, their connections, their backgrounds… If you were to bring all of these people into the open, then… the wealthy and powerful families and high-ranking officials of Longmen recorded in this 'Record of Injustice Rectification' would see you as an irreconcilable enemy. They would use every means to try and kill you. If they couldn't kill you, they would use political means to smear you, ostracize you, cut off your connections, bring you down, and plunge you into the abyss. Don't think that just because you're the daughter of the Taigu Group, even Wei Yanwu couldn't handle you on his own!”

Lin Lu laughed, his laughter filled with unspeakable sarcasm.

Lin Lu was not only mocking Shi Huaiya, but also Wei Yanwu.

What a Wei Yanwu! What a Governor Wei! What a… CEO of Longmen!