Since they were closest to the cave entrance, Guan Xia and the others were the first to hear the footsteps.
Everyone was on high alert, but within seconds, they relaxed again. Zhong Xiaoyu even sheathed her dagger, stood up, and said, "Reinforcements are here."
Guan Xia and the rest trusted Zhong Xiaoyu's judgment completely. Smiling in relief, they began packing their bags. Only Meng Lan couldn't resist asking, "We haven’t even seen them yet—how can you be so sure?"
Zhong Xiaoyu stretched her shoulders, casually slinging a large backpack over one shoulder. "With this many footsteps arriving now, who else could it be besides reinforcements?"
Sure enough, minutes later, a group of fully armed personnel rushed into the cave.
They were indeed fully equipped—bulletproof vests, weapons, helmets—their faces obscured, but the word "POLICE" emblazoned across their vests stood out prominently, radiating an immediate sense of security.
Perhaps it was the arrival of backup, or perhaps they’d finally had enough time to recover, but the rescued individuals—previously shell-shocked—now broke down in tears, crowding around the rescuers and babbling incoherently.
Guan Xia listened carefully as she checked her belongings, piecing together the story: their group had originally consisted of sixteen people who’d gone up the mountain. Four had been injured—three rescued by friends, while one remained at the shooting site. However, two of those three had fallen off the mountain during their escape, their current condition unknown.
Their group had been closest to the exit and fled at the first sign of danger. Even then, some had lost their footing during the escape—screams echoing, bodies unseen. It was only later, when counting heads, that they realized at least two were missing.
Guan Xia noticed how the survivors collectively stiffened for a split second when recounting this, before dissolving into loud sobs again.
She wasn’t the only one who sensed something off. Meng Lan’s expression turned subtle as she sidled up to Guan Xia, nudging her discreetly and nodding toward one person. "Look at him. His whole demeanor is off—like he’s exaggerating to hide something."
Following her gaze, Guan Xia spotted a young man in his twenties, his slightly long, wavy hair—once styled—now a disheveled mess from a night of fleeing.
He was the loudest of the criers, wailing dramatically, yet his posture was odd: hunched over, hands covering his face, his sobs audible but his expression and tears unseen.
"Brother Jiang called it," Pang Le muttered under his breath. "I’d bet those two ‘falls’ weren’t accidents. Let’s just hope they got lucky."
The realization made Guan Xia recall other odd details from the night before. Logically, survivors would cluster together for safety, but this group had scattered in small clusters. One girl in particular had been hyper-alert, sitting alone in a corner, flinching at any approach and only relaxing once the person left.
Last night, Guan Xia had been too preoccupied with Meng Lan’s words to pay them much mind. Now, scanning them carefully, her intuition—honed by experience—picked up on the discrepancies.
Six people had been rescued, but at least two seemed suspicious: the over-the-top crier and a tall, rail-thin young man.
Guan Xia’s expression darkened. Her instincts were never wrong. Those missing two hadn’t just fallen—they’d likely been pushed. The question was whether it was impulsive or premeditated.
This wasn’t the time or place for an investigation. They’d have to wait until they got down the mountain to discuss it with Xu Nian and the others.
Committing their faces to memory, Guan Xia shouldered her pack and stood aside, waiting for the police to organize their descent.
After finally calming the survivors, the highest-ranking officer shook hands with Xu Nian. "Dawn’s almost here," he said. "Check your gear—we’ll head down at first light."
No one objected. Some even took the chance to eat, replenishing their energy. But the fake crier suddenly erupted, "Why wait?! I want to leave NOW! That gunman could still be out there—what if he finds us? I can’t die here! I’m the only son in my family—I need to get down NOW!"
He grabbed at an officer’s arm, making Guan Xia and the others frown. Thankfully, the rest didn’t join in, though they watched the confrontation with tearful eyes.
The officer raised his voice slightly. "It’s too dangerous in the dark. Just wait half an hour—sunrise is close. Rest and eat something so you don’t collapse on the way."
The police had brought minimal supplies, all already distributed.
Most saw the logic, agreeing to follow orders. The three rescued girls sat back down to eat, but the men remained standing—the fake crier still arguing.
As tensions escalated, the lone girl suddenly shot to her feet, tear-streaked but sharp-tongued. "Why are you in such a hurry? Guilty conscience? Or do you need the dark to silence someone? You—"
The fake crier cut her off, frantic. "What nonsense! I’m just terrified! I need to get home—I can’t wait another second—I—"
Similarly, the young man who appeared to be faking his tears didn’t get to finish his words before the girl sharply cut him off. "I saw everything. Last night, I saw it all. It was you—you killed your girlfriend. She slipped and lost her footing, but before she fell, she grabbed your arm. You could have saved her, but you pried her fingers open and let her fall. If she’s dead, it’s because of you. You’re a murderer."
The young man’s face instantly paled, and he frantically tried to speak, but the girl gave him no chance. She then turned her piercing gaze to the tall, lanky young man beside him, her voice just as sharp. "And you—I saw you too. Just because Tian Xuan was running ahead of you, you pushed her out of the way for slowing you down. She lost her balance and rolled down the steep slope. You’re a murderer too. Both of you are murderers."
The girl’s sudden accusations instantly heightened the tension in the cave. The police officers who had arrived as backup subtly repositioned themselves, encircling the two accused young men. One officer stationed himself protectively beside the girl, close enough to shield her yet ready to lunge forward and restrain the suspects if needed.
Xu Nian and the others moved in without hesitation, their expressions unsurprised. Jiang Yingyao positioned himself in front of the two other girls, while Qi Bai and Xu Nian quietly blocked the cave entrance, cutting off any possible escape routes in coordination with the other officers.
Sensing the shift in the atmosphere and the officers’ movements, the two young men grew visibly panicked. The one who had been pretending to cry earlier blustered, "You’re spouting nonsense! It was pitch black out there—all we had was the dim light from our phone flashlights. How could you possibly see anything? You’re making this up! When Xiaoyue slipped, she did grab my arm, but I didn’t pry her off. I tried to save her! Her hands were sweaty from panic—she couldn’t hold on, and that’s why she fell!"
The girl remained unmoved by his excuses, letting out a cold laugh. "Then how do you explain the scratches on your arm? From what I observed, your girlfriend didn’t have long nails or manicures. Those deep marks couldn’t have happened unless you forced her grip open. You’re heartless. You didn’t even hesitate. A few seconds of hesitation could’ve saved her. You probably didn’t notice, but another girl and I were already rushing toward you when it happened. That’s how I saw everything. I heard the commotion and ran over just in time to watch you pry her fingers loose and let her fall. You even nervously asked if I’d seen anything. Of course I saw it all—but you were stupid enough to believe me when I said I didn’t."
The young man’s face twisted in fury, but the moment he lunged forward, several officers immediately tackled him to the ground. Within seconds, he was handcuffed, powerless to resist.
The girl then turned her attention to the tall, skinny young man, her voice dripping with disdain. "Don’t even bother trying to lie. The marks left by a slip and a push are completely different. This is a wild mountain with few tourists, and it didn’t rain last night. The evidence you left behind will be perfectly preserved. The police will find out everything once they investigate."
Compared to the first young man, the lanky one had a weaker resolve. His face turned ashen, his lips trembling as if he wanted to speak, but no words came out. Instead, he broke down sobbing. "I didn’t mean to… I really didn’t mean to kill anyone! I was just scared—I wanted to run faster. I just wanted her to move out of the way. I never thought she’d lose her footing and roll down the mountain…"
His near-confession prompted the officers to act swiftly. They restrained him roughly, cuffing him without hesitation.
With two of the six rescued individuals now arrested, Xu Nian and the others exchanged glances, their expressions briefly contorted in disbelief before settling back into stoic masks.
Guan Xia watched as the two were led away, feeling a mix of satisfaction and regret. She had only just begun to suspect something was off, but before she could act, they’d already been caught. She hadn’t played any part in their capture, so her "halo" wouldn’t gain any energy from this.
By the time the chaotic scene settled, dawn had begun to break outside. The sun hadn’t yet risen, but the sky had shifted from black to a clear, cloudless blue, mirroring the previous day’s perfect weather.
One of the backup officers checked the time and announced, "It’s light out now. Let’s head down."
As they led the handcuffed men out, Guan Xia overheard one of them muttering under his breath, "I can’t go to jail… I just graduated. I haven’t even started my career yet. I can’t go to jail… I can’t…"
His words carried an unsettling desperation, and the officers tightened their grips, veins bulging from the strain.
But no one expected the sudden, violent outburst that followed. The moment they stepped out of the cave, the previously compliant young man suddenly rammed into the officer on his right, knocking him off balance, then kicked the other officer between the legs. Guan Xia and the others immediately realized what he was trying to do.
Despite the suddenness and ferocity of his attack, the two officers reacted with practiced precision. One blocked the kick with a swift leg raise before sweeping the young man’s feet out from under him, while the other recovered from the shove and tackled him to the ground. Within moments, he was subdued once more.
As they hauled him back up, one of the officers smacked him on the head in frustration. "Now you’re scared? What were you thinking earlier? Couldn’t even protect your girlfriend—instead, you let her fall to her death. You’re pathetic. Not even fit to be called a man."
