Chapter 102: Wanted for Treason

Just as the Falcon Investigation Team was being drawn into the mystery of Ghost Island, a far greater trouble had already arrived at their doorstep. Of course, they were unaware of this at the time. The situation was as follows:

During the fierce battle with the pirate group that day, members of the Dark Organization had actually been embedded within the pirates' ranks—or rather, the group consisted entirely of the Dark Organization and the Palal people who had recently defected to them. Some of them recognized Lin Xiaofeng and wanted to take action, but since Lin never actually engaged in the fight, they missed their chance.

However, Lin Xiaofeng had no idea he was being targeted. As he navigated his motorboat alone from the Galicri Islands toward Ghost Island, a trap was already being set for him.

To Lin Xiaofeng, the voyage from the Galicri Islands to Ghost Island went smoothly—even more smoothly than he had imagined. Even his landing on Ghost Island was effortless; no one stopped him at all.

To be honest, Lin felt a sense of unease from quite a distance away. As he approached the island, he could already see the modern city in the distance. Unlike the primitive style of the Galicri Islands, Ghost Island possessed the air of a modern metropolis. Although the foundations of the coral reef archipelago were not particularly stable—precluding the construction of skyscrapers—the small, high-rise buildings scattered across the mirror-like sea looked like captivating pearls. Beyond the main island and the surrounding reefs, buildings had even been constructed within the lagoon, giving it something of the feel of Venice.

According to the Palal people of the Galicri Islands, Ghost Island had been nothing more than a tropical tribal nation at the beginning of the year. Yet, in just over half a year, a modern city on the water had risen in the South Pacific. To the Palal, whose scientific and productive capabilities were extremely underdeveloped, this was nothing short of miraculous, which explained their sense of awe.

However, for Lin Xiaofeng, who had grown up in Jiangcheng, he felt little of that. His only concern was that if people could build a city with such complete infrastructure in such a short time, the security must be exceptionally tight. He feared he might be denied entry or even detained.

Upon reaching the shore, Lin Xiaofeng found his worries entirely groundless. There were no patrols to be seen, and he walked ashore with complete freedom.

He patted the handgun at his side—it was still there. Emboldened, Lin walked deeper into the city. The further he went, the stranger he felt. Why was there no one here? Was this another "empty city strategy"? There was no need for such an elaborate ruse just to greet him.

After turning three blocks, Lin finally saw a living soul: a woman in red lying on the side of the road, looking as though she were in pain and injured.

Lin hurried over, and to his surprise, he realized he knew her!

"Nana? What are you doing here?" Lin asked, both surprised and shocked.

The woman in red saw someone approaching and reached out with her uninjured hand, gripping Lin's arm tightly. "Save... save me..." she whispered in a weak voice.

Sensing an unusual amount of strength in her grip, a thought suddenly occurred to Lin. He struggled to pull back, but the woman held on even tighter, her strength seemingly greater than his own.

"Who exactly are you?" Lin asked, warily drawing his pistol.

The woman in red remained silent.

"Speak! What is your purpose? Where did everyone go?" Lin continued to demand.

"Believe me, if you don't tell the truth, I'll end you right here!" Lin threatened.

Finally, the woman in red spoke, her voice weak and trembling with tears. "Xiaofeng, don't you recognize me anymore?"

With that, she collapsed.

Now it was Lin's turn to be stunned. He stared at the girl on the ground. Was she actually Zhao Nana? Was she the "Young Master" who had been impersonating her? Or had someone specifically found an exact double to set a trap for him?

It has been said since ancient times that heroes have a hard time resisting beauty. He didn't even consider himself a hero, so it was even harder. Should he save her or not?

He looked around to ensure no one else was there and decided to save her. Regardless of who she was, he could ask her about the situation on Ghost Island once she woke up. An entire city without a single shadow—it was just too strange.

Little did Lin Xiaofeng know that this single act of kindness would bring him catastrophic trouble.

Thousands of miles away, the Ministry of State Security of the CHN received an email. The subject was an accusation of treason against Lin Xiaofeng, a senior investigator from the Jiangcheng Branch. Although the content was brief, the attached photos made the case look ironclad. Some photos showed Lin letting go of the Palal people who had joined the Dark Organization, while others showed him saving the woman in red—who happened to be the "Young Master" of the Dark Organization, Zhao Zeyi.

They checked Lin Xiaofeng's location and confirmed he was not on his mission in Jinling City, but on a remote, deserted island in the South Pacific.

In the absence of testimony from the parties involved, even those who wanted to defend Lin found it hard to convince others. All signs pointed to his defection. Moreover, with evidence piling up, it became difficult to distinguish truth from fiction.

The day after the arrest warrant was issued, the Dark Organization forged a recording of Lin Xiaofeng and posted it online. With that, the charge of treason was firmly sealed; he could not wash his name clean even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

At this moment, Lin remained oblivious. Communication channels between Ghost Island and the outside world were extremely limited, and he had no time to contact anyone. The woman in red had woken up once and then passed out again; he had learned nothing of value.

He had spent the last two days traversing the entire island, confirming it was indeed completely deserted. The fuel in his motorboat was running low, meaning he had no means of escape.

Long Ge and Damin received the news of Lin's defection while they were on their way to Ghost Island. Despite the overwhelming evidence, they firmly believed Lin was incapable of such a thing. However, the authorities had already issued orders, approving their investigation and adding a mandate: to capture the traitor, Lin Xiaofeng, alive.

They were only a few hours away from Ghost Island now. Damin and Long Ge were filled with anxiety, desperate to uncover the truth.

"Xiaofeng, oh Xiaofeng," Zhang Xinmin whispered to himself, "please, don't let anything happen to you."