Miss Forensics – Chapter 64

Volume One: First Scroll

Beast

I sacrifice myself here, the flames will surely illuminate heaven and earth.

“Hey, have you received the money?” The secretary was in the car, calling the kidnapper. A plainclothes officer was driving in the front, and a technician and a criminal police officer were sitting with him in the back.

This was already one of the few forces Jiangcheng City Bureau could spare. As for Feng Jianguo, he had to stay behind to oversee the overall situation, and Zhang Jinhai also had other tasks.

Before departure.

Fang Xin was about to grab the investigation kit and run out when she bumped into Director Feng. She stopped in her tracks, “Director Feng…”

Feng Jianguo looked at the young faces of the technical investigation team, “Where are you going?”

Fang Xin tucked the investigation kit behind her, and Zheng Chengrui also shrank his neck, “Well…”

Duan Cheng stiffened his neck and took a step forward. He had never spoken face-to-face with such a high-ranking bureau-level leader before, so his face flushed red, and he was a bit nervous.

“Save… save people…”

“Just by you few?” Feng Jianguo frowned slightly. “You can’t fight, and you can’t carry.”

“I… Who said we…” Duan Cheng argued, but was pulled back by Fang Xin.

“It’s not me saying it, isn’t it an undisputed fact that the technical investigation team always comes last in the annual martial arts competition? However…” Feng Jianguo still made way. “I also want to see what Lin Yan has taught you all in the past six months. Lao Zhang!”

He shouted loudly.

Zhang Jinhai ran out from the locker room in full gear, fastening the buckle of his helmet as he ran. Wearing a bulletproof vest, he looked potbellied. He only stood at attention when he reached him, slightly out of breath.

“Here!”

“You lead the team! All of you, go to the armory and get your service weapons. You must bring Lin Yan back to me unharmed!”

“Yes!”

The entire technical investigation team was full of fighting spirit. A hint of a smile appeared on Feng Jianguo’s tightly pursed lips as he watched them run off, but then he added.

“You all must also… return safely.”

Duan Cheng, walking at the back, heard him. He turned around, gave him a big thumbs-up, his young face beaming with a sincere and beautiful smile, then he caught up with his teammates and disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Feng Jianguo then walked back into the training room, stood in front of the large screen, and monitored the two life-and-death assaults.

“This is how you wear a bulletproof vest. Fasten this properly, so it doesn’t fall off easily. This is a matter of life and death, be sure to check it thoroughly,” Zhang Jinhai said, tucking his gun into its holster and helping him adjust it.

Duan Cheng adjusted his helmet, still a bit unaccustomed to the weight. “I always thought Captain Zhang didn’t do fieldwork.”

Zhang Jinhai smiled. “Years ago, when I was your age, I went out every day. It’s different now. My life is also the life of my family, old and young. With more worries, I don’t dare to anymore.”

Zheng Chengrui finally managed to stuff his portly body into the bulletproof vest, panting heavily. “Okay… okay… let’s go.”

Fang Xin had already circled the entrance of the city bureau, pointing at the tire tracks. “Lao Zheng, check the surveillance on this road. These look like motorcycle tracks.”

“Okay.” Zheng Chengrui started working, holding the laptop with one arm. Duan Cheng drove the car over. “Let’s go, get in the car. We’ll check as we go.”

“Found it. It’s Lin-jie,” Zheng Chengrui said, zooming in on the image and giving them directions.

“Turn left at the intersection ahead.”

---

“Why only fifty million? Are you trying to make me kill the hostage?” the kidnapper roared in a low voice.

The secretary, holding a metal box, wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. “No, no, no, the company only has fifty million in liquid funds on its accounts. It’s all been transferred to you. The rest will be by check transaction.”

Only then did the man grunt in satisfaction. “Hmph. Fifteen minutes left. Put the money at the eighteenth electrical box on the Coastal Highway. Once I get the money, I’ll naturally release the person.”

The technician tapped on the computer, analyzing the waveform, and nodded at the secretary, signaling him to stall for time.

The secretary stammered, under the criminal police officer’s instruction, “I need to confirm that Miss is still alive, otherwise you won’t get a cent of this money.”

The other party paused, then merely repeated, “Once I get the money, I’ll naturally release the person.”

The secretary glanced at the criminal police officer and continued, “I’m already on my way. You’ll definitely get the money. I need to confirm Miss is alive first. Let her say a word to me…”

The other party just repeated coldly, “Once I get the money, I’ll naturally release the person.”

The technician had been tracking the number, frowning at the flickering waveform on the screen.

The secretary wanted to say more, but the other party hung up with a Pa¹! The waveform was interrupted. The criminal police officer leaned over and asked, “How is it? Did you track them?”

The technician shook his head. “No, the call duration was too short. Besides, don’t you think his tone of voice is strange?”

“What’s strange about it?” The secretary was genuinely anxious and agitated now, unable to sit still. “Could you please ask the driver comrade to drive faster? It’s a matter of life and death.”

That fifty million was virtual currency. Only the box he was carrying contained genuine Renminbi². If the culprits checked the account, it would all be over.

“Except for the ‘hmph’ at the beginning, there were no more fluctuations in his tone. It was like he was reading lines, completely flat and straightforward.” The technician took off his headphones, his mind also troubled. However, the top priority was still to find Lin Yan first.

---

With Duan Cheng’s help, Fang Xin, carrying the investigation kit, climbed directly down the coastline from the destroyed guardrail.

The others all followed.

The surveillance footage ended abruptly here.

Duan Cheng, shining his flashlight, immediately spotted the motorcycle discarded in the grass.

“Look, Lin-jie’s bike!”

Zhang Jinhai ran over and touched the seat. It was completely cold, and there was blood.

One of the rearview mirrors was bent out of shape, and the other was shattered. There were also bullet holes on the bike’s body.

Following these clues, the further they walked into the fishing village, the closer they got to the site of the confrontation.

Overturned flower pots and seats were visible everywhere along the road. There were bullet marks on the ground and walls. Shops were closed, and the glass on the doors of many houses was broken.

The night was deep and quiet.

Duan Cheng simply raised his voice and shouted, “Lin-jie, where are you? Lin-jie?!”

Fang Xin pulled him. “Stop yelling! You’d be better off looking for clues with that energy!”

Zhang Jinhai pointed to a bloodstain in an open area not far ahead. “There’s a bloodstain. Let’s go check it out.”

Fang Xin took out gloves from the investigation kit and put them on. She dipped her fingertip in it and sniffed, “It’s human blood.”

She nudged Duan Cheng. “Can you tell which way she went?”

Duan Cheng looked around. It was pitch black, and the sea breeze was whistling. “How would I know… If Lin-jie were here, she’d definitely be able to tell…”

As soon as he finished speaking, several people looked at him in unison.

If Lin Yan were here, she probably would have slapped him long ago, “What use are you?”

But now, even though no one was scolding him, he felt his face burning.

All along, Lin Yan had been the main force of the technical investigation team in solving cases. She was skilled in both literary and martial arts, capable of fighting and killing. They looked up to her brilliance, finding it dazzling, but never thought of catching up to her.

Duan Cheng naturally felt that when it came to solving cases, well, there was Lin-jie for the brains and Captain Song for the brawn. The day would never come when he’d be needed.

He just needed to get through his internship smoothly, then follow the steps to take the civil service exam, become a junior clerk in an office, and secure an iron rice bowl³.

Who knew there would come a day when he’d have to face the scene directly. It turned out that really standing here, in Lin-jie’s position, facing the expectations of his teammates, vicious criminals, and a colleague whose life hung in the balance, the psychological pressure was so immense.

No one urged him. Everyone seemed to have no expectations of him at all. Zhang Jinhai got up and went to look for other clues. Fang Xin and Zheng Chengrui also got busy with their own tasks.

Duan Cheng gritted his teeth, looking at the pool of blood in front of him. He seemed to want to put his hand on it but then quickly pulled it back. For the first time, he proactively took out gloves from the investigation kit and put them on.

“Duan…” Fang Xin had walked some distance and wanted to call him to follow, but when she looked back, she saw him crouching on the ground, studying the bloodstain.

Duan Cheng bit the flashlight with his teeth, held a magnifying glass in his hand, and walked around the pool of blood, racking his brains⁴ to recall the contents of the book.

He tapped his head and stood up. “The edges are completely feathered. This is a pool of dripped blood.”

Fang Xin walked over. “You…”

Duan Cheng suddenly shouted, pointing in her direction, “Don’t move!”

Startled, Fang Xin recoiled with her flashlight. Duan Cheng had already run over and crouched at her feet. “I know! Lin-jie went in this direction! Look, the feathering around blood drops from a person in motion is uneven in length, and the longer end indicates the direction of movement! This way!”

Zhang Jinhai was the first to run. “After them!”

---

“0202, this is 01…” Song Yuhang shook the communicator a few times. A crackling sound came through—electromagnetic interference. Communication was forcibly cut off.

She frowned, pulled a tactical knife from her boot, and carved an arrow on the nearby wall, partly to leave a mark for her teammates and partly to prevent herself from getting lost.

The rooms here were all identical in size and scale. She kicked open another room. Medical equipment was piled messily, and tables were strewn about haphazardly⁵.

Song Yuhang made a mark on the door with her knife, then tapped the communicator again. Still no response. In an instant, she remembered the course on countering electromagnetic interference taught at the police academy.

In hospitals, when entering CT rooms or X-ray rooms, doctors usually ask patients not to bring communication devices.

Firstly, to prevent interference with the normal operation of the machines, and secondly, cell phones would also lose signal due to strong electromagnetic interference.

Her communicator was the same. So, was it possible that she had walked into an area of electromagnetic interference, which was why she couldn’t contact her teammates?

Song Yuhang took out the communicator and extended the antenna. The crackling sound became more pronounced. She suddenly turned around, and in that instant, the static in the communicator became piercingly sharp.

She glanced back at the room she had just exited and then resolutely stepped back in.

Song Yuhang held her gun, with the flashlight underneath it. The light beam cut through the swirling dust, dividing the dark room into sections.

She scanned the room thoroughly again. There was no thermal imaging on her night vision goggles.

Song Yuhang breathed a slight sigh of relief. The static from the communicator hadn’t stopped since she entered this room. She picked it up and began searching around as if looking for a cell phone signal.

This seemed to be an abandoned doctor’s office. Dust-covered materials were strewn on the desk, the trash can was overturned, and moldy paper balls were scattered everywhere.

Song Yuhang stepped on several of them. When she moved the communicator towards a metal cabinet in the corner, it emitted a sharp, piercing sound that gave one goosebumps⁶ in the silent atmosphere.

She pressed the switch, stuffed the communicator into her jacket pocket, and began to push the cabinet, using all her strength⁷. The cabinet moved inch by inch, making a teeth-grating sound.

Song Yuhang panted heavily, drenched in sweat, her clothes completely soaked.

She simply took off her helmet, threw her service weapon and ammunition belt on the ground, turned her back, and pushed with her strong back muscles, slowly inching forward until it finally reached the base of the wall.

She wiped the sweat from her face. Before she could be happy for long, she was blinded by a sudden flash of red light.

After the metal cabinet was moved, something resembling an electrical meter box on the wall began to flash. A stopwatch dial was embedded in it, the time rapidly counting down.

Song Yuhang immediately pressed down on it. Cold sweat dripped down her forehead; she didn’t dare to breathe.

A pressure-activated bomb, triggered by a change in weight.

If she hadn’t been quick-witted and fast-acting and pressed her weight onto it, she would have been blown to smithereens⁸ by now.

Her arm, tensed against the wall, began to tremble slightly. The numbers on the stopwatch dial stopped at “10”.

How quiet was the surroundings?

Song Yuhang could hear her own heartbeat, growing increasingly intense, ready to leap out of her throat at any moment.

She swallowed hard. Her arm was already starting to ache; maintaining this posture for a long time was not easy.

To be honest, she was a criminal police officer. She had only touched upon demolition courses and didn’t have in-depth knowledge. Such delicate work should be left to bomb disposal experts. But now, she was in an electromagnetic interference zone, completely cut off from the outside world.

Neither Lin Yan nor that girl could afford to wait any longer.

Song Yuhang fumbled for the small knife in her boot with one hand and began to dismantle the meter box. Screws came off one by one. She gently lifted the back cover, and her pupils instantly constricted. A dazzling array⁹ of red, white, black, and yellow wires were tightly entangled.

Her heart pounded like a drum; all the blood in her body rushed to her head.

Song Yuhang’s hands and feet turned cold, and she panted heavily.

---

Lin Yan’s face was already close to the surface of the water.

She tilted her head up, gasping for the scarce fresh air.

Her hands and feet were bound and suspended. She couldn’t maintain this position for long before her neck started to ache.

Then, she was violently plunged down again, her entire head submerged in the water.

Caught off guard, she choked on several mouthfuls of water, struggled to lift her upper body, and coughed incessantly.

The slightest movement made the iron chains clank. Lin Yan pulled left and right, moving her wrists back and forth. Her fair skin was soon rubbed raw and bloody.

“Stop wasting your effort. Save some energy to think about your last words.”

It was that same voice.

Lin Yan spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva with a Pei! It dangled in mid-air. “F*ck your mother, shut up for this lady!”

“Or, if you beg me, and my heart softens—seeing as you’re not bad looking—perhaps I could spare your life.”

To avoid being submerged in the water again, Lin Yan kept her neck tilted up. Blood mixed with sweat trickled down her jawline.

She tugged lightly at the corner of her lips. “Listening to your voice and your sneaky, hiding-your-face manner, you don’t sound like a man. Sorry, this young lady doesn’t need any enoki mushroom¹⁰, ha.”

Only her wrists and neck could move on her entire body. Lin Yan moved her wrists, pulled on the iron chain, and managed to lift herself up a little.

When it came to verbal sparring, she had never been afraid of anyone except Song Yuhang.

The more it came to times like this, the less afraid she became. Song Yuhang said she was a wolf cub; then, a wolf’s nature was to become more excited upon smelling blood.

Even the blood loss accelerated the metabolism of the drug. She felt a slight recovery of her strength.

Looking at the shimmering seawater below, Lin Yan was confident she could escape.

“How about this, call that person who hit me just now. Are you accomplices? I think he’s pretty good—strong, powerful, must be great in bed.”

The voice paused for a moment. Although Lin Yan couldn’t see where he was, as it was pitch black all around, she could hear his breathing.

It seemed he was provoked.

Lin Yan licked her lips and decided to add fuel to the fire. “I say, you couldn’t really be a eunuch¹¹, could you? To deal with a woman like me, all alone¹², you had to go to such great lengths? First having a child stab me, then a water prison. You’re really lacking confidence, aren’t you?”

“How about this: you let me down, I’ll give you a one-hand handicap. Is that enough? If not…”

Before she could finish her words, the iron chain suddenly loosened, and Lin Yan plunged headfirst into the water tank. She didn’t even have time to take a deep breath before a large amount of saltwater rushed into her chest.

She struggled and coughed violently. Bubbles gurgled up from her nose and mouth to the surface of the water.

Lin Yan pulled at the iron chain, but it didn’t budge an inch¹³. She tried hard to hold her breath, wanting to float up. Looking up from the gloomy bottom of the water, that sliver of light gradually dimmed.

A steel plate slowly covered the top.

“Too bad. I’ve changed my mind now. I don’t want you to live until the ransom is paid.”

---

The demining pliers in Song Yuhang’s hand gently gripped the red wire. She let out a long breath. Deep breaths back and forth couldn’t alleviate her tension and anxiety.

Her palms were full of sweat, so slippery she could barely hold the demining pliers.

She gritted her teeth, withdrew her hand, wiped it repeatedly on her clothes, then picked up the white wire. In the quiet atmosphere, her breathing was as heavy as a bellows¹⁴.

“Which one should I cut? Which one? Which one!” she muttered to herself, her breathing erratic, drenched in sweat. Her clothes hadn’t been dry. Even more critically, the hand pressing on the bomb was gradually becoming numb and losing sensation. She didn’t know if she was using any strength, or too much.

This was very dangerous, equivalent to having one foot already in the gates of hell¹⁵.

Lin Yan, ah, Lin Yan.

She closed her eyes slightly and let out a long breath.

Give me courage.

I sacrifice myself here, the flames will surely illuminate heaven and earth. My teammates will also follow the marks I left and come here.

You will be fine.

And I will become the most insignificant, tiny star in this world, watching over you.

She remembered again not long ago in Wuli Town, she had asked Lin Yan, “If one day, I also…”

Lin Yan shook her head and covered her lips with her hand.

Actually, in that moment, I should have been braver and pounced on her to kiss her.

That way, when this day truly came, there would be no regrets.

As Song Yuhang thought this, the demining pliers had already loosened the plastic sheath of the white wire. She panted heavily, her eyes slightly red. Just as she was about to exert force and cut, she suddenly saw another dial behind the parted white wire.

No light, no timer.

Song Yuhang released the demining pliers, bit the flashlight with her teeth to illuminate it—a small combination lock dial.

She breathed a slight sigh of relief, joy appearing on her face.

Lin Yan, you truly are my lucky star.

But, what is the password?

Song Yuhang didn’t dare to enter it randomly, afraid that a wrong input would lead to another annihilation.

She thought for a moment, quickly organizing the clues of the entire case in her mind.

Setting aside the fact that Lin Yan was kidnapped, it’s highly probable the culprit did it to divert the police’s attention and buy time.

And why would Lin Yan be looking for him?

Because it’s inextricably linked to the Chunan case.

He is a suspect in the “White Whale Case.” Could it be possible that he also killed Chunan many years ago? After all, he fits the age profile of the killer.

If that’s the case, his motive is crystal clear. From beginning to end, he wanted to save the child abandoned by Wei Lihong.

The mining accident happened twenty years ago, one month after that child was born.

The time of the mining accident was…

The black words on white paper¹⁶ from the county gazette¹⁷ she had read in Wuli Town reappeared one by one before her eyes.

1998, December 5th.

Song Yuhang murmured, then counted back one month, gritted her teeth, and decisively pressed a series of numbers.

---

Some say life is a river, constantly moving forward, constantly forgetting.

Those departed people or memories will one day completely disappear into the torrent of time.

And before dying, people often remember these things.

Before darkness descended, many vague fragments surfaced in Lin Yan’s mind: wandering the streets and alleys with her mother before she was three, picking up meat buns others had thrown on the ground to eat.

There was also the first night after arriving at the Lin family home, locked out in the pouring rain by Lin Cheng.

Being beaten, scolded, despised… these were common occurrences.

Many years passed in a blur like this, until finally, someone reached out and pulled her out of the mire.

“Lin Yan, does it hurt? Be strong, don’t cry.”

In the darkness, those eyes suddenly opened.

But what she saw was another person, extending both hands towards her.

“Lin Yan, look at me, think again, don’t die…”

“Lin Yan, you are no longer fighting alone.”

“Lin Yan, I’ve thought it through. What about you?”

“Lin Yan, when the case is closed, I’ll drink with you.”

Bubbles escaped from between Lin Yan’s lips and teeth. She struggled with all her might, seizing the golden three seconds as the underwater pressure reached its limit, and slammed the thumb-thick iron chain on her wrist against the water tank.

Her whole body smashed against it, again and again. The Peng peng peng! sound echoed in the warehouse.

The man couldn’t laugh anymore. Is she crazy?

Lin Yan indeed was crazy. She had sought death many times, but the desire to live had never been so strong.

She smashed with the iron chain, rammed with her shoulder, banged with her head, kicked with her feet, resorting to every conceivable method.

Finally, a small crack appeared on the transparent glass. Lin Yan grabbed the iron chain, wrapped it around her wrist, and slammed it hard.

Crash—

Under the immense pressure and her violent impact, the glass shattered on cue.

Lin Yan instinctively protected her head and was violently thrown out by the gush of water and broken glass shards.

She rolled and fell to the ground, covered in wounds¹⁸.

Lin Yan tilted her head up, gasping for fresh air, feeling an unprecedented sense of relief. Her chest heaved up and down.

She turned her head to look into the darkness, her eyes dark and bright—the joy of surviving a disaster, the madness after tasting blood, and brimming confidence.

Gritting her teeth, she slowly climbed up from the ground, treading on glass shards. The iron chain was still attached to her, but she could move much better than before.

She even pulled the knife out from her shoulder in one go. Blood splattered¹⁹, dripping down her black tight-fitting clothes.

She seriously suspected this person was an idiot²⁰ for leaving her a weapon.

Lin Yan licked the blood from the knife’s edge, her eyes alluring and scorching, her chin slightly raised.

“Come, you coward hiding in the darkness.”

As if hearing movement outside the door, the man, hidden in the darkness, glanced at her, showed no desire to fight, and, having pressed some unknown switch, a door appeared on the wall.

He turned and ran. Lin Yan lifted her foot to rush out but was tripped by the iron chain and fell heavily to the ground. She roared in anger and hacked at the iron chain with the knife, sending sparks flying.

“F*ck! Damn it²¹! Break for me!” Lin Yan raised her hand again and again. The knife’s edge quickly dulled, and several white marks were slashed onto the iron chain.

She panted heavily, looked at her left hand, a ruthless glint flashed in her eyes, and she raised the dagger high.

“Don’t!” a woman’s sharp, slightly choked voice cried out.

Song Yuhang raised her hand and fired two shots. One sent the dagger in her hand flying, and the other hit the iron chain.

Sparks flew, and Lin Yan fell to the ground.

Song Yuhang rushed over and held her tightly in her arms. “Lin Yan, Lin Yan, Lin Yan, ah…”

She caressed her cheek, wanting to brush aside her sweat-soaked hair. It had only been a short day, but she already looked inhuman²²—her face covered in blood and grime, the corners of her eyebrows and eyes bruised purple.

Small cuts from the glass were on her face, blood oozing out.

And the bloodstains at the corners of her lips couldn’t be wiped clean no matter what.

Song Yuhang held her and burst into tears. “Lin Yan, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m late… I’m late… I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

She repeated these three words over and over, hot tears falling into the crook of her neck.

It was probably this moment.

Lin Yan watched her, who had never broken down or lost control, crying like a child.

She suddenly believed the words Song Yuhang had said to her.

But… now is not the time to reminisce.

Lin Yan tremblingly reached for her wrist, pulled down the hand caressing her face. She gritted her teeth, panting, to force out a complete sentence.

“Go… go after him… save… save the person…”

Song Yuhang shook her head, wiped away her tears and snot, and picked her up. “No, no, I’ll take you to the hospital first. No, no… you can’t go on like this…”

Due to excessive blood loss, her lips had begun to turn pale, and her entire face was as white as paper, without a trace of color.

Lin Yan, using her last ounce of strength, pushed her and roared, “Get lost!”

Song Yuhang didn’t let go, holding her tightly in her embrace, and roared back, “I won’t get lost! Even if you hit me or scold me, I won’t get lost! Even if you kill me, I f*cking want to be with you!”

Lin Yan hadn’t died from the torment, but she was almost angered to death by this sudden confession.

Too direct²³.

It really didn’t sound like something she would say.

And her actions today were not like the usual calm and wise Song Yuhang.

It was precisely because of this contrast that Lin Yan’s eyes warmed, and though she should have been angry, tears flowed down.

No one spoke again. Song Yuhang’s face was burning²⁴, but she couldn’t bear to let go of Lin Yan, not even for a minute or a second.

She never wanted to experience that feeling of being on tenterhooks and constantly worried²⁵ again.

Only in this moment—to hell with²⁶ solving the case, to hell with the criminal suspect—only Lin Yan was her whole world.

In the quiet atmosphere, only the gradually intensifying heartbeats could be heard.

Lin Yan closed her eyes slightly. So tired. She even had a slight urge to just fall asleep like this.

But she couldn’t.

Justice has not yet been served.

The truth has not yet come to light for all to see. Chunan’s body hasn’t even been fully found, let alone being laid to rest peacefully.

Lin Yan bit her tongue to keep herself awake. Song Yuhang also let go of her.

The two looked at each other silently in the darkness, staring intently into each other’s eyes.

Song Yuhang cupped her face and, this time, without the slightest hesitation, kissed her deeply.

A person who had never been in a relationship naturally wouldn’t have any kissing skills. It was unpracticed, almost like two battered and bruised beasts licking each other’s wounds by biting.

When they separated, both tasted blood on the tips of their tongues.

Especially Lin Yan, who hissed lightly and touched her slightly swollen lips.

Song Yuhang’s gaze remained on her, scorching and fervent. She licked her lips, as if not yet fully satisfied.

Damn it, I always thought I was ruthless enough, but there’s someone more ruthless than me.

When I get better, I’ll make Song Yuhang pay.²⁷

Song Yuhang seemed to see through her thoughts, picked up the service weapon from the ground, and loaded two more bullets. “Save it. It’s more like I’ll be the one to take you down.”²⁸

As soon as her words fell, the ceiling burst open with a Peng! and someone fell through.

Song Yuhang instantly aimed her gun at him. “Who?!”

Duan Cheng fell until he was dizzy and seeing stars, and subconsciously raised his hands in surrender. “Me… It’s me, I surrender… Don’t kill me…”

Lin Yan looked up. The other members of the technical investigation team were all crouching at the edge of the hole, holding flashlights and looking down at them.

“Captain Song, Lin-jie…” Fang Xin was so moved she was about to cry.

Zhang Jinhai triumphantly put away the detonator. “See, I told you, this amount would definitely blast it open.”

Zheng Chengrui adjusted his glasses. “Ginger… ginger truly is spicier when it’s old²⁹.”

Song Yuhang lowered her gun, a hint of a smile on her lips. “It’s great that you’re here.”

Several people rappelled down from the rooftop one by one. Fang Xin untied the rope and took out simple first-aid supplies from the investigation kit to bandage Lin Yan’s wounds first.

Zheng Chengrui helped Duan Cheng up from the ground. He had fallen so hard his butt was “blossoming”³⁰, and he was limping and cursing under his breath.

“I told you I’m afraid of heights and didn’t dare to jump, but you still made me go first! Where’s the revolutionary camaraderie³¹?”

“Comrade Duan Cheng.”

Now, whenever he heard the word “comrade,” he instinctively wanted to stand at attention and salute, his body tensing up.

“Yes!”

“Obey the organization’s arrangements.”

“…”

Should I overthrow this evil organization that kicked me off the rooftop despite my pleas?

While they were making a commotion over there, Song Yuhang had already put on her helmet and was ready to go. She squatted down, took one last look at Lin Yan, and wanted to reach out and pinch her cheek.

Fang Xin was there, so Lin Yan felt embarrassed and brushed her hand away. Though her lips were still swollen, she was already starting to act like she didn’t know her³².

Song Yuhang chuckled. “Don’t forget, we’ll drink together. I’ll be waiting for you…”

Before she could finish speaking, Lin Yan was already flustered with embarrassment, a faint blush appearing on her pale face.

“Hurry up and get lost!”

Song Yuhang didn’t delay any further and turned to run.

When she came, she was in utter despair³³, thinking she would never see her again, or that Lin Yan would never see her again.

Now that they had both survived the ordeal, that kiss had filled her entire body with strength, soothing her limbs and bones³⁴ with incomparable comfort, even sending a warm current through her internal organs³⁵.

This time, not for ideals, not for loyalty, she fought only for Lin Yan.

This was a power Lin Yan had given her, a power called love.

After Song Yuhang left, the other members of the technical investigation team also helped Lin Yan up. Fang Xin bandaged the wound on her shoulder.

Lin Yan looked at their faces. “How did you find this place?”

Zheng Chengrui was about to open his mouth to praise Duan Cheng when Duan Cheng spoke first, scratching his head and smiling sheepishly, “Hai³⁶, wasn’t it all thanks to me? Good thing I’m smart and figured out your direction of travel from the bloodstains. My confidence has soared! I think next year, forget about taking the assistant medical examiner exam, I’ll have no problem even with the chief medical examiner exam!”

Fang Xin: “…”

Zheng Chengrui: “…”

Zhang Jinhai: “…”

Lin Yan couldn’t bear it any longer³⁷. “Bloodstain analysis is a required course for freshmen. You’re a fifth-year senior, don’t you have any f*cking clue³⁸?”

As she spoke, she coughed twice more and seemed to want to stand up.

Fang Xin pressed her down. “Don’t move, Lin-jie. This injury of yours must be treated at the hospital. We’ll take you to the hospital.”

Lin Yan leaned on her hand and stood up unsteadily. “I’m fine… I’m worried about Song Yuhang going after him alone…”

Duan Cheng quickly grabbed her other arm and put it over his shoulder. “Who said she’s alone? You still have us.”

“Yes, you still have us.”

---

LP: Re-translated on May 20, 2025

---

---