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

"Have you gone to scout ahead?" Lynn asked.

“We sent two teams of plainclothes agents to observe, but they didn’t get too close,” Sarah said. “We weren’t sure if those three mutants had sensory abilities, and we didn’t want to alert them. But we did see people going in and out of that building, although they were too far away to confirm their identities.”

"And where is Victor himself?"

“I didn’t see him,” Sarah said, “but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t there. He might rarely go out, or he might be disguised.”

Lynn stared at the map, his mind racing as he formulated a plan. Three mutants, possibly including Victor himself. If they could capture them all, they could not only stop them from committing further crimes but also interrogate Victor to uncover his plans and other accomplices.

But this is also extremely dangerous. He had personally experienced the abilities of those three mutants—illusion creation, superhuman strength, and the woman's unknown abilities. Insufficient preparation could lead to even more casualties.

“I need to see all the surveillance footage and analyze their patterns of behavior,” Lynn said. “I also need detailed floor plans of the building—the entrances, the internal structure, the electrical and ventilation systems.”

“I’m ready,” Sarah said, then hesitated. “Lynn, are you sure you’re ready? I mean, you’ve just recovered—”

“I’m stronger than ever,” Lynn said, stretching his right arm—completely painless and stiff. “The training at Xavier’s School has prepared me to face the mutant threat. And we can’t wait any longer. Every day Victor stays under his control means more people could fall victim to him.”

It was already 9 p.m. when they returned to FBI headquarters. But the intelligence analysis room was brightly lit, and the entire team was waiting for Lynn to return.

“Welcome back, boss,” Reynolds walked over and extended his hand. “I heard you learned some new tricks at mutant school?”

“I’ve learned some,” Lynn said, grasping his hand and noticing the surprise in Reynolds’ eyes—Lyn’s grip was noticeably stronger than before. “Now, show me all the materials.”

For the next four hours, Lynn was immersed in intelligence analysis. He watched all the surveillance footage, studied the satellite images of the Red Hook District, and analyzed the movement patterns of the three mutants.

“They’re very professional,” Lynn told the team, pointing to the markers on the timeline. “Look here, after each operation, they leave the scene separately, returning to base in different directions, with counter-tracking measures along the way—changing vehicles, entering shopping malls and exiting through different exits, taking advantage of the complexity of the subway system. This isn’t self-taught; they’ve been trained.”

“Victor,” Sarah said.

“Yes, but that also means they have a fixed schedule and training plan,” Lynn said. “According to energy usage records, that building uses the most electricity between four and seven in the afternoon. That’s probably their training time. If we act during that period, we could likely catch all three of them at the same time.”

“Or it just happens to coincide with their peak training period,” Reynolds pointed out.

“It’s a risk,” Lynn admitted. “But if we wait until they’re resting to attack, we might only capture some of them, and the others will escape and warn Victor. I’d rather face three mutants in training than let any of them get away.”

He turned to the whiteboard and began to develop an action plan.

“We need three teams. The first, the assault team, led by me, will enter the building from the front. The second, the blockade team, led by Reynolds, will control all exits. The third, the support team, will stand by on the perimeter, ready to reinforce or pursue.”

“Weapon configuration?” a tactical expert asked.

“Non-lethal weapons will be the primary choice—stun guns, rubber bullets, tear gas,” Lynn said. “We'll avoid using lethal force unless the situation gets out of control. Remember, these three mutants are victims, not perpetrators.”

“But what if they resist?” Reynolds asked. “That guy with super strength, he almost killed you.”

“If they resist, we will subdue them, but the goal is capture, not elimination,” Lynn said. “And this time, we are prepared.”

He took several devices out of his bag—special equipment provided by the Xavier's Institute.

“These are anti-hallucination goggles,” Lynn said, holding up a device that looked like tactical goggles. “Designed by Dr. Hank, they filter out certain visual stimuli that trigger hallucinations. Not completely immune, but they reduce the effects of hallucinations. Every member of the commando team will be equipped with a pair.”

“And this,” he said, pulling out a metal bracelet, “a limiter, specifically designed for superhumans. Once worn, it emits electromagnetic waves that interfere with the X-gene of mutants, weakening their abilities.”

"Are these things legal?" an agent asked worriedly.

“Using reasonable means of control is legal when dealing with armed and dangerous suspects,” Lynn said. “It’s not fundamentally different from using handcuffs or restraints; it’s just tailored to specific abilities.”

“When will we take action?” Sarah asked.

Lynn glanced at the clock—it was already one in the morning.

“Five o’clock this afternoon,” he said. “We’ll give you enough time to prepare, but not too long to give Victor a chance to find out. Everyone go back and rest for three hours, then begin preparations.”

At 2 p.m., the entire task force assembled in the underground parking garage.

Thirty FBI agents, divided into three teams, were fully armed. The assault team of twelve, including Lynn and Sarah, wore bulletproof vests and tactical gear, equipped with anti-hallucination goggles and various non-lethal weapons. The containment team of twelve was responsible for controlling all exits and escape routes around the building. The support team of six was on standby in armored vehicles.

“Remember,” Lynn told everyone, “our targets are the three brainwashed mutants and Victor Lane, who may be present. These three mutants are dangerously powerful but are victims; use non-lethal methods to subdue them. Victor is the mastermind, highest priority—capture him at all costs if there's a chance.”

“What about his mind control?” an agent asked. “If he’s around, he could control us.”

“Victor’s abilities require direct contact—eye contact, physical contact, or close-range voice transmission,” Lynn said. “Keep your distance, avoid looking him in the eye, and use the communicator instead of listening to him speak. If you sense anything unusual—dizziness, confusion, hearing thoughts that aren’t your own—evacuate immediately and report it.”

He paused, looking around at everyone: “This is a dangerous operation. We're not facing ordinary criminals, but a threat with superpowers. But we are the FBI, we are trained, we have the equipment, we have a plan. Trust your training, trust your teammates, trust yourself.”

At 4:45 p.m., the three teams arrived at the Honggou area.

They parked separately to avoid attracting attention. The target building was a three-story old warehouse with mottled brick walls and most of the windows boarded up; it looked no different from the other abandoned buildings around it.

But Lynn noticed the details—there was a faint light behind the wooden planks of some windows, hot air was coming out of the chimney on the roof, and most importantly, the lock on the side door was new, which didn't match its worn appearance.

"All teams in position," Reynolds reported over the radio. "The exits are sealed off."

“The support team is in position,” another voice said. “Ready to move in at any time.”

Lynn checked his gear—a Glock pistol, a stun gun, tear gas, anti-hallucination goggles, and the Xavier's communicator, hidden under his bulletproof vest.

"Assault team, prepare to storm in," he said into the communicator. "Three, two, one—action!"

Two tall detectives smashed open the side door with a battering ram, and the assault team quickly poured in.

The interior is an open space that used to be the main hall of the warehouse. But now it has been transformed into a training ground—mats are laid on the floor, various training equipment is hung on the walls, and there are some temporary obstacles.

In the center of the arena, three figures stopped moving and turned to face the intruder. Marcus, the young illusionist, immediately had a purple glint in his eyes.

Jason, a former soldier with superhuman strength, grips a metal barbell, his muscles taut.

Elena, the healer, stepped behind the two, her face showing a mixture of surprise and fear.

"FBI! Don't move!" Lynn yelled, pointing his gun at them. "Hands on your heads, kneel down!"

But Marcus has already unleashed his power.

Even with the anti-hallucination goggles on, Lynn still felt his vision begin to distort. The ground seemed to turn into flowing lava, the walls were bleeding, and the ceiling was crawling with spiders. But this time, the hallucinations were noticeably less realistic than before—the goggles were indeed effective.

"Illusion attack!" Lynn yelled to his teammates, "Stay calm, trust your gear!"

Jason didn't wait. He roared and hurled the metal barbell in his hand—weighing at least two hundred pounds—like a javelin at the commando team.

The agents dodged in time, and the barbell struck the wall, smashing a large hole in the brickwork.

"Use the stun gun!" Lynn commanded.

Four agents opened fire simultaneously, sending stun grenades hurtling toward Jason. But the mutant reacted with astonishing speed, rolling to dodge, and only one bullet struck his shoulder.

The electric shock should have knocked out an ordinary person, but Jason only convulsed for a moment before continuing to move. He charged at the two nearest agents, punching one of their riot shields with a single blow. The force sent the agent, shield and all, flying through the air, crashing into a wall and losing consciousness.

"Damn, he's too strong!" an agent shouted.

"Focus fire!" Lynn commanded, opening fire himself at the same time.

Multiple electric shock projectiles and rubber bullets struck Jason simultaneously, and this time it finally took effect. Jason collapsed to the ground, his body convulsing from the electric current.

“Put on the limiter!” Sarah rushed over, but just as she got close, the surrounding air suddenly became scorching hot.

Elena raised her hands; her abilities weren't just healing—Lynn realized this now—she could manipulate bio-energy. Healing was just one application of this ability, while attacking was another.

A white energy wave shot out from Elena's hand, striking Sarah's bulletproof vest. Sarah screamed and was thrown back, leaving scorch marks on her vest.

“Sarah!” Lynn shouted, but Marcus’s hallucination suddenly intensified.

This time, Lynn saw Victor's face, which kept replaying in every corner of his vision, those glowing blue eyes staring at him, his voice echoing in his mind: "Give up, Lynn. You can't win. You can't protect anyone."

“This isn’t real,” Lynn said through gritted teeth, forcing himself to focus on reality. He took off his goggles—if the illusion was this strong, the goggles would offer little help and would only restrict his vision.

He closed his eyes, relying on his hearing and instincts. During his training at Xavier's School, Logan had him fight in complete darkness, teaching him how to fight without relying on his sight.

He heard Marcus breathing about ten meters to his left.

He heard Elena's footsteps on his right, moving.

He heard Jason groan, fall to the ground but begin to recover.

Lynn opened his eyes, ignoring any hallucinations and focusing solely on the source of the sound. He raised the stun gun, aimed at Marcus's location, and fired.

The electric shock bullet hit its mark accurately, and Marcus screamed as his hallucination vanished instantly.

The moment his vision cleared, Lynn saw Elena treating Jason. A white light enveloped the former soldier's body, and his injuries were healing rapidly.

"Don't let her get treatment!" Lynn shouted, rushing towards Elena.

Seeing Lynn charging towards her, Elena panicked and raised her hand, unleashing another energy wave. But Lynn anticipated her move and rolled to the side at the last moment. The energy wave grazed his shoulder, only scorching a corner of his uniform.

Lynn rolled in front of Elena and swept her off her balance. As she fell, Lynn grabbed her wrist and fastened the restraint bracelet.

The bracelet emitted a low buzzing sound, and the light in Elena's hand immediately disappeared. She struggled to resist, but Lynn subdued her with grappling techniques.

“I’m sorry,” he said to her, “but you need to be stopped.”

The other agents seized the opportunity to rush towards Jason and Marcus, fitting them with limiters as well. The two mutants struggled violently, but after losing their powers, they were just humans who were slightly stronger than ordinary people, and were quickly subdued.

“Three targets are in control!” an agent reported.

But just then, a loud crash came from the ceiling.

Lynn looked up and saw that the second-floor floor had been punched through, and a figure jumped down from above—it was Victor.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Victor said, his eyes already gleaming with a blue light.

His power was unleashed instantly, and all the agents in the room felt immense mental pressure. Some agents with weaker willpower immediately froze, their eyes becoming vacant.

"Everyone, don't look him in the eye!" Lynn shouted, but it was too late.

Five agents lowered their weapons and turned to walk towards the exit, as if controlled by some command. The other three agents stood there, bewildered.

“Agent Lynn,” Victor turned to him, smiling, “we meet again. You look well recovered, even stronger than before. Training at Xavier’s School?”

“Release my men,” Lynn said, pointing his gun at Victor but not firing—there were too many agents around, and stray bullets could injure them.

“I can do more,” Victor said, his voice becoming low and rhythmic. “I can make them fight each other, turn this place into a slaughterhouse. Or—” his eyes fixed on Lynn, “you can let me leave, and I’ll release them.”

“You know I won’t do that,” Lynn said.

“Then we’ll just have to see if your willpower is stronger, or if you have more colleagues,” Victor said, then ordered the controlled agents, “Attack Lynn.” (End of Chapter)