Guan Xia was full of questions, her expression dazed as she read those lines over and over again, only beginning to process them slowly after the system interface disappeared.
What did it mean by "excessively divergent soul fluctuations"?
And what was this "fusion world of crime investigation stories"?
And why did it mention "ensuring the host's life safety"?
Perhaps from reading it too many times, Guan Xia felt like she could barely recognize the words anymore as she recalled what she had just seen.
Sprawling flat on the bed, she took a deep breath to calm herself before analyzing the situation seriously.
What concerned her the most were the words "fusion world of crime investigation stories."
Although her transmigration into this world had a rough start, thanks to the relatively well-developed modern social systems, she hadn’t ended up homeless. In fact, through cleverness and hard work, she had built a life she was quite satisfied with.
Guan Xia carefully reviewed her experiences over the years. While the journey hadn’t been overly turbulent, it had demanded all her effort. Most importantly, she hadn’t noticed anything particularly unusual.
In her understanding, a world based on crime investigation stories—especially one fused with who knows how many others—should be crawling with murderers and an unusual number of psychopaths. Yet, she had lived safely until the age of 25, encountering only one such case this year.
Guan Xia had previously speculated that the system might have been dormant in her mind ever since her transmigration, only activating now because the precondition—being questioned by the police—had finally been met.
Muttering the words "low-presence aura" a few times, she suspected that the reason she had survived unscathed in what sounded like a high-difficulty world was likely due to this protective effect.
In that case, her system wasn’t entirely useless after all.
The "divergent soul fluctuations" also made sense. After all, she wasn’t a native of this world. If a world operated on a certain frequency, then as an outsider, her presence would naturally stand out compared to the locals.
Once she pieced this together, Guan Xia suddenly felt a wave of despair.
She had once thought that even without a cheat-like advantage, she could live just fine after transmigrating. Even if she had a system now, she could use it sparingly, within her means. But now that she knew about the life-saving "low-presence aura," she had to reconsider her plans.
Rolling around in bed restlessly, her mind too preoccupied to sleep, Guan Xia stayed under the covers until Pang Le finally lost patience, pushed the door open, and dragged her out.
"It’s almost seven, Guan Xia," Pang Le said, pulling her up and standing with hands on her hips at the bedside. "Even if you’re not hungry, you can’t keep sleeping, or you won’t be able to sleep tonight!"
"If I’ve slept this late, I definitely won’t be able to sleep tonight anyway," Guan Xia grumbled under her breath, but obediently went to wash up under Pang Le’s urging gaze.
After breakfast and cleaning the kitchen, Guan Xia dug out her suitcase and started packing.
Pang Le, coming out of the bathroom after washing her hands, looked surprised. "In such a hurry? Are you leaving tonight?"
Guan Xia counted on her fingers. "I’ve stayed at your place for over a week. Now that the killer’s been caught, it’s time to go back."
Pang Le glanced outside. "But it’s already dark."
Guan Xia’s mind was entirely occupied with thoughts about the system. All she wanted was a quiet place to think, so even though she understood Pang Le’s concern, she kept packing without looking up.
Pang Le chuckled helplessly. "Fine, I’ll drive you back later."
This time, Guan Xia didn’t refuse.
She hadn’t brought much with her, so packing was quick. In just over ten minutes, she zipped up her suitcase and looked refreshed. "All set, let’s go?"
Pang Le was already waiting by the door, keys in hand. She took Guan Xia’s suitcase and led the way. "Let’s go."
It wasn’t until they pulled up outside Guan Xia’s apartment complex that Pang Le suddenly remembered something. "I think you left your hiking stick at my place."
Guan Xia had completely forgotten about it after days of disuse. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Never mind, just leave it there. We’re going camping this weekend anyway—you can bring it then."
"No problem," Pang Le agreed, carrying Guan Xia’s suitcase all the way to her door. After a few more reminders, she finally left.
Having been away on a trip for over half a month, then staying just one night before moving to Pang Le’s place, Guan Xia’s apartment wasn’t dirty, but a layer of dust had settled on the furniture.
She spent some time cleaning, even changing the sofa covers, before finally curling up in a corner with a pillow to sort out her thoughts.
But before she could even begin, her phone, tossed on the coffee table, buzzed.
It was a message. Guan Xia picked it up and was surprised to see it was from that detective.
Qi Bai: Ms. Guan, the case has been solved. Thank you so much for the two sketches you provided—they were a huge help.
Guan Xia had been worrying about how to maintain some connection with the only detective she knew. Seizing the opportunity, she quickly replied: You’re welcome! I’m glad I could help.
Remembering Pang Le’s comment that this detective, Qi Bai, was easy to talk to, Guan Xia hesitated for two seconds before asking:
Guan Xia: Sorry to bother you, Officer, but now that the case is closed… could you tell me why the killer targeted me?
Qi Bai’s reply came almost instantly: It’s a long story. How about this—I’m off duty in a couple of days. If you’re free, we can meet up for a meal and talk?
If Guan Xia had been surprised by the first message, now she was downright thrilled. Talk about perfect timing—Pang Le was right. This detective, Qi Bai, wasn’t just a good person; he was practically an angel.
Guan Xia agreed immediately: Sounds good.
She thought that would be the end of it, but a few seconds later, another message arrived.
Qi Bai: I’ll bring a friend—a colleague. You’re welcome to bring someone too.
Guan Xia’s expression paused, then turned thoughtful.
Qi Bai might not know how many friends she had, but when she called the police—no, early this morning—the only person with her was Pang Le.
It seemed Pang Le’s charm truly knew no bounds. Even in such a rushed situation, with no conversation between them, and Pang Le wearing a nightgown and a shapeless old cardigan, Qi Bai had still noticed her.
Recalling Qi Bai’s appearance, Guan Xia couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for him. His figure wasn’t bad, but his looks were too ordinary for Pang Le’s taste. There was no way Pang Le would be interested.
Still, given Pang Le’s curiosity about detectives, Guan Xia didn’t refuse outright. Instead, she called Pang Le.
As soon as the call connected, Guan Xia got straight to the point: "That detective—the one who came last night when we called the police—invited me to meet up and talk about the case over a meal. He said I could bring a friend. You in?"
Pang Le chuckled, "Go, why not? I’m also curious why that killer would target you. And who knows, maybe the friend he’s bringing will be that ridiculously good-looking one. Even if I can’t pursue him, just admiring the view would be nice."
Guan Xia let out a sarcastic laugh. She should’ve known. Rolling her eyes, she agreed to inform Pang Le once the exact time was set, then quickly hung up.
After relaying Pang Le’s response to Qi Bai, Guan Xia lost the energy to overthink things.
After all, she’d just accidentally helped the police solve a case, her "low-profile aura" had recharged to 100%, and she’d even established a connection with the detectives. No need to panic—she’d take things one step at a time.
No matter how many ideas she had, she was still just an ordinary person. For the sake of her own safety, she didn’t dare—or want—to actively seek out danger.
The next two days kept Guan Xia swamped.
First, she visited her new apartment to check how the formaldehyde levels were doing. She sniffed every corner meticulously, confirming no obvious odors lingered, then replaced the withered houseplants she’d neglected. Satisfied, she returned to her current rental.
After arranging for the landlord to inspect the place and settling on a moving date and refund amount, Guan Xia happily began packing her belongings.
The small furniture and appliances she’d accumulated over the years had already been appraised by the landlord, so she didn’t need to move those. The rest was just odds and ends—but organizing them turned out to be a headache.
Hundreds of books, not to mention the random sketches she’d drawn whenever inspiration struck. By the day of her dinner appointment with Qi Bai, she’d only managed to pack half of it.
Struggling to shove a freshly packed cardboard box onto the balcony, Guan Xia rushed to shower and change, barely ready by the time Pang Le arrived to pick her up.
Grabbing just her phone and keys, she couldn’t be bothered with a bag and strolled leisurely to the neighborhood entrance.
Pang Le hadn’t brought her eye-catching red sports car today, opting instead for an unfamiliar white SUV.
Sliding into the passenger seat and buckling up, Guan Xia couldn’t resist asking, "Did you get a new car?"
She’d been busy these past few days—apparently, so had Pang Le.
Steering around a taxi waiting for passengers, Pang Le replied, "Nah, it’s Pang Qi’s. He left it here after staying for a couple days before flying off for some urgent business. Figured since we’re meeting detectives tonight, my usual ride wouldn’t be the best look. Might as well use his—no point letting it sit idle."
Pang Le might seem unreliable at first glance, but she was often more meticulous than Guan Xia.
Guan Xia hummed in acknowledgment, sneaking a glance at Pang Le’s outfit.
Usually dressed to the nines in luxe, head-turning styles, today she wore an uncharacteristically soft, light-colored dress with elbow-length sleeves, paired with flat, low-cut shoes—a surprisingly gentle look.
So used to her friend’s bold, glamorous style, Guan Xia found it oddly jarring.
Pang Le noticed immediately. At a red light, she glanced down at herself. "That weird?"
Guan Xia hesitated before admitting, "It’s pretty, just… doesn’t feel like you."
"Gotta blend in," Pang Le drawled lazily. "I checked out the restaurant they picked. Good food, but if I showed up dressed like usual, I’d stick out like a sore thumb."
Guan Xia got it, giving Pang Le an approving pat on the shoulder. "Classic you. Always so considerate."
