A feeler for informal contact, from the Multiverse Coordination Committee

The air in Lynn's office was quiet.

On the light screen, the live surveillance footage of the Manhattan Community Library was displayed silently from twelve different angles.

"Municipal staff" in various uniforms were busy working in an orderly manner inside and outside the cordon, and everything seemed so normal.

Only Lynn knew that beneath those bulky firefighter suits lay the cold bodies of Asgard Undead Warriors, and that those "engineers" wielding exploration instruments were the most elite Centurion of the Stability Maintenance Office.

On the table is the preliminary survey report that Hela just submitted.

The report was brief, with only one conclusion: there was an unanalyzable energy shield beneath the target building, whose frequency characteristics were exactly the same as those of the B-15 when it self-destructed.

Hela concluded her report with a suggestion: Request an upgrade to the operation level and execute a forced entry.

Lynn tapped his fingers lightly on the words "forced entry" in the report.

He did not approve it.

Hela may not have fully learned from the Clock Shop incident, but she remembered it clearly. Trying to break through a trap built with rules using physical means is tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.

But simply surrounding them without breaking through isn't a solution either.

This kind of blockade might fool ordinary citizens, but it won't fool those behind it. Delaying will only give the other side more time to react, and even to set new traps.

Just as he was weighing the pros and cons and considering his next move, the communication terminal on the corner of the table emitted a very soft notification sound.

The red alert does not indicate an emergency; instead, the white marker signifies "attention required."

Lynn glanced at it.

Information source: Liaison Office.

Summary: A private letter, delivered through unconventional encrypted channels, has been received. It lacks an official seal and letterhead. Please provide instructions on how to handle this matter.

His fingers stopped on the table.

Unconventional encrypted channels.

It's the same one Gwen Stacy used to send the anonymous whistleblower letter last time.

He tapped the light screen, and the full text of the letter was retrieved and displayed on the main screen.

The letter was in a strange format; it was neither an official document nor a private letter, but rather resembled a memorandum without legal effect.

There is no title or appellation throughout the entire text; it jumps straight to the point.

"Some of our colleagues express deep concern regarding the recent contact incidents that occurred within your jurisdiction and the series of procedural frictions that have arisen as a result."

"Preliminary internal review indicates that Resolution No. 31 may have been interpreted beyond its authorized scope during its implementation, particularly in its implications for the ' Battleworld ' project, posing serious compliance risks and potential violations."

"To avoid escalating misjudgments and to facilitate the resolution of differences between the two parties within the framework of the rules, we propose an informal, unrecorded meeting with your representative."

"From: Multiverse Coordination Committee, a representative concerned with order."

Lynn read it word by word, his gaze lingering for a moment on the words "Battleworld," "suspected violation," and "no record left."

The office remained quiet.

He could imagine Gwen Stacy's caution upon receiving the letter. No official seal, no signature, yet it bore a frighteningly large label, its wording ambiguous, and traps lurking everywhere.

This letter was like a stone that fell from the sky; it was hard to tell whether it was a brick or gold.

But Lynn's lips twitched slightly upwards, almost imperceptibly.

He saw the real meaning behind the letter.

This is not a test, but a cry for help.

A distress signal sent by one faction to an external enemy when facing the crisis of being purged or annexed by another faction.

The "Battleworld" project is Kang's Achilles' heel.

The sender of this letter was clearly Kang's political enemy. They couldn't find any fault with Kang, or rather, the evidence they had wasn't enough to bring him down, so they needed an external force.

They need Lynn as a "victim" to make a big fuss about it.

Ideally, we should obtain irrefutable evidence that Kang has been pushing forward the "Battleworld" project without authorization, and expose it to that so-called "parliamentary consensus."

What a brilliant move—using someone else's strength against them, Drive the Tiger to Swallow the Wolf.

Lynn leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and quickly reviewed the entire situation in his mind.

Hela's idea of resolving the issue through force is a poor strategy.

Now, from within their ranks, someone has offered them a knife—a knife that can slice through a fortified Bastion from the inside.

This is the best course of action.

Solve military problems through political means.

He opened his eyes and pressed the Internal Communications to the liaison Liaison Office.

"Chief Stacy, come to my office for a moment."

A minute later, there was a knock on the office door.

Gwen Stacy walked in, holding a tablet terminal that displayed the letter.

"Sir, this document..."

"I saw it," Lynn interrupted her. "What do you think?"

Gwen Stacy was clearly prepared. She stated logically, "I think this is very likely a trap. The other side deliberately exposed internal divisions to lure us into contact. Their real purpose might be to obtain our core intelligence or to set up an ambush at the contact point."

"Secondly, even if there is indeed internal strife on the other side, it would be extremely risky for us, as an external force, to intervene rashly. We could very well be used as a tool in factional struggles and easily sacrificed afterwards."

Therefore, my suggestion is to refrain from replying for now and observe the situation.

Lynn listened without commenting.

He looked at Gwen Stacy, the young head of the Liaison Office, who had matured quickly after the Impact of her father's incident and her brief emotional breakdown.

Her analysis was sound and standard, without any flaws.

This is the safest answer a qualified department head would give.

However, this is merely a matter of being cautious.

"Your analysis is correct," Lynn said. "The risks certainly exist. But the opportunities also exist."

He stood up, walked to the light screen, and turned his back to Gwen Stacy.

Are we in a passive position now?

Gwen Stacy paused for a moment, then replied, "... Yes. Our energy supply has been cut off, our economy is under sanctions, and we have a ticking time bomb inside the library that could explode at any moment. We seem to have the upper hand, but in reality, every step we take is extremely difficult."

"Therefore, we cannot wait." Lynn turned around, his gaze sharp. "Waiting will only hand over the initiative to others completely. What we need to do is seize every opportunity to muddy the waters."

"A divided enemy is far easier to deal with than a united one. They want to use our strength; why can't we use their knife to kill those we want to kill?"

Gwen Stacy's breathing paused slightly.

She looked at Lynn and sensed a sharp edge in his calm eyes that made her heart pound.

It is the decisiveness to take all risks into account and be willing to step into them in order to obtain the greatest possible reward.

"I understand, sir." Gwen Stacy lowered her head. "I'll draft a reply immediately."

"No need to be too formal," Lynn instructed. "Since they said 'informal,' let's follow informal rules. The wording should reflect our 'reluctance' and 'deep concern.' Say that, to avoid escalating the situation, we agree in principle to conduct a 'preliminary information exchange.'"

"Yes."

"Furthermore," Lynn added, "Send over our preliminary investigation report on the B-15 deaths, along with the report on the dereliction of duty by the Stability Maintenance Office, as attachments."

Gwen Stacy looked up, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.

Sending an internal report of negligence to the enemy?

"This is called testing the waters," Lynn said calmly. "I want to see their attitude towards the death of B-15. I also want them to understand that we have cards to play too."

"I understand." Gwen Stacy nodded, preparing to turn and leave.

"Wait a minute," Lynn called out to her.

Gwen Stacy stopped in her tracks.

Lynn's gaze fell on the end of the letter on the tablet in her hand.

Did you notice the meeting place they suggested?

Gwen Stacy's expression instantly turned serious.

Of course she noticed.

"Yes, sir." Her voice was a little hoarse. "The location they suggested is the very Community Library we've sealed off right now."