The situation took a sudden turn. One moment, everyone had been talking amicably, and the next, a thrilling chase was underway.
Guan Xia was handling it fine, but Meng Lan was utterly bewildered. After the initial shock wore off, she was left in a daze. Glancing in the direction where the others had disappeared, then turning to look at the oblivious group still making their way down the mountain, Meng Lan hesitated before asking Guan Xia, "So… should we wait here, or catch up with the others and head down together?"
Guan Xia checked the time and gazed at the distant peaks before answering, "Given the slip-ups those two just made, there’s a high chance they’re involved in a homicide. They probably came to this remote wilderness to bury a body—who knows what evidence they’re carrying in those backpacks. Let’s wait a bit. With so many people chasing them, they won’t get far. We might even need to lend a hand later."
Meng Lan’s slightly clearer expression turned confused again. "What could we possibly help with?"
Guan Xia gave her a reassuring look. "Not you. Once the backup officers return, you should go down with them and rest. We’ll stay behind. I’ll contact you afterward, and we can talk properly then."
At the mention of "talk," Meng Lan’s eyes sharpened, though her expression grew solemn. After a moment, she nodded. "Alright."
Once Meng Lan was settled, Guan Xia walked over to Ji An, who was crouched on the ground examining a short axe.
Ji An studied it carefully, then put on gloves and stood up, holding the blade up to the sunlight for closer inspection.
Guan Xia leaned in, watching intently. "Ji An, what do you see?"
Ji An didn’t respond immediately. After a few minutes, she said, "This axe is old. The handle looks newer, but I think it was replaced later. Look at the blade." She carefully tilted it toward Guan Xia. "Notice anything?"
Guan Xia only needed a few seconds to spot it. "It looks sharp, but there are chips in the blade. What did this thing cut through—bone?"
Her mind raced with possibilities. Ji An’s voice was grim. "Not just the blade. Look at the handle—those stains. I’d bet they’re blood. My guess? This was their tool for dismembering the body—splitting tough bones, like joints or ribs."
Before Guan Xia could react, Meng Lan shuddered. "So this is the kind of ‘help’ you meant."
Meng Lan’s expression shifted between awe and pride as she glanced at Guan Xia, clearly imagining something.
Guan Xia immediately understood and couldn’t help but chuckle, patting Meng Lan’s head.
Ji An, still holding the axe, walked toward the bushes where the two middle-aged men had appeared earlier.
Guan Xia followed out of habit, while Meng Lan hesitated for a couple of seconds before tiptoeing after them, peering curiously.
Having worked with Xu Nian on cases before, Guan Xia had some experience. She circled the bushes twice, scanning the area, then returned to Ji An. "The trail doesn’t look freshly made. The vegetation here is sparser, and some bushes are flattened or hacked at—like someone forced their way through recently. Probably the path those two took into the mountains."
While Guan Xia spoke, Ji An was studying a tree. She suddenly pointed upward. "Look there. A mark."
Guan Xia frowned in surprise. "A mark? It’s not unusual in a place like this, but why so high? Normally, trail markers are placed where they’re easy to spot. This one’s the opposite. Maybe it was made long ago, and the tree grew taller over time?"
She glanced around the dense forest, feeling her explanation was flimsy.
Ji An shook her head. "I have a theory. Wait here—I’m climbing up."
She handed her gloves and the axe to Guan Xia, then rubbed dry dirt on her hands for grip before carefully finding footholds and scaling the tree with practiced ease.
Ji An’s movements revealed the lean, defined muscles usually hidden beneath her clothes—a sight that stirred envy.
Guan Xia watched with admiration, silently vowing to start working out as soon as they got back. She was getting a personal trainer.
The forest was thick, and even Ji An’s agility didn’t make the climb quick. Just as Guan Xia waited eagerly for her findings, Xu Nian’s voice called from nearby. "What are you all doing here? What happened?"
Turning, Guan Xia saw Xu Nian, Qi Bai, and Wang Yu hurrying over, slightly out of breath.
Once they reached her, Guan Xia explained the situation.
Qi Bai blurted, "No wonder we turned around and saw no one behind us. At first, we thought you were just slow or got tangled in vines, but after waiting forever, we knew something was wrong. So we told the guide and came back."
Wang Yu asked, "Where are the others? Still chasing?"
Guan Xia nodded. "Those two claimed to be tourists, but after what Ji An and I found, we think they’re locals—familiar with these mountains, probably from using them to dump bodies. It might take a while to catch them."
Xu Nian pulled out a pair of gloves and held out a hand. "Let me take that. Be careful not to hurt yourself."
The axe, though short-handled, was deceptively heavy. Guan Xia handed it over and added, "Did anyone bring an evidence bag? If it fits, we should store it in a backpack. Carrying it around is exhausting, and we might need to track more clues to find the burial site."
Before she could finish, Wang Yu was already rummaging through his backpack. He pulled out a large evidence bag, and Qi Bai swiftly packed the axe inside before slinging it over his shoulder.
Meng Lan watched, impressed. "You guys bring all this on a hike? That’s dedication."
Wang Yu shot Guan Xia a knowing look. Qi Bai sighed dramatically. "If it were anyone else, we’d travel light. But with Guan Xia? We regret not packing more."
After this explanation, Meng Lan looked at Guan Xia with even more awe, though it was unclear what she was imagining in her head.
Xu Nian turned to Guan Xia and asked, "What have you all discovered?"
Guan Xia glanced up at Ji An, who was still intently studying something and showed no intention of speaking, before quickly summarizing the details they had uncovered about the case.
Xu Nian checked his watch and nodded. "Your judgment is sound. It seems we won’t be able to leave the mountain anytime soon. We just reviewed the map—the path we took up here is completely opposite to the direction of the 0217 massacre case. Even if the perpetrator is successfully neutralized, it’ll take our colleagues considerable time to reach us. They’d either have to cut through the mountains or descend and drive here. Besides escorting the two suspects we already have, they’ll also need to handle the two newly discovered ones. There’s barely anyone left to track down the burial site based on the traces."
"In short, we’re stuck working overtime," Qi Bai said cheerfully, stretching his arms and legs. "I knew things wouldn’t be simple when Guan Xia and Pang Le are involved. But what’s strange is, they were also at our last team-building event, and nothing went wrong then."
Wang Yu smacked his arm. "Use your brain. Think about where the last team-building was held and where we are now—camping in the wilderness."
Qi Bai’s eyes widened in realization. "Oh right, last time was at a suburban villa, and this time it’s a wild mountain. That explains it."
His lighthearted banter eased Meng Lan’s tension, and she listened with amusement.
After discussing the new clues for a while, Ji An’s voice finally rang out from above them.
"The markings aren’t recent," Ji An shouted to be heard, "but they’re not as old as we thought either. I’d estimate they’re about five or six years old. There are also newer, repeated carvings over the original marks to deepen them. Combined with the slip-ups from those two earlier, I’d guess this is an active local criminal organization—not too large, but not small either. We need to be careful. Other members might come looking if those two don’t return soon."
After speaking, Ji An descended swiftly, scanning the area as she climbed down.
Qi Bai gaped. "Sister Ji, you’ve done rock climbing before, haven’t you? That form and speed—definitely not an amateur."
Ji An gave a perfunctory nod and pulled out her phone, placing it in the center of the group. "Take a look. These are high-resolution photos I just took of the markings."
Even Meng Lan leaned in curiously, her head nearly touching Guan Xia’s as they studied the images.
Just as Meng Lan was about to voice her confusion, Wang Yu nodded thoughtfully. "Sister Ji’s assessment is spot on. From what I can see, these markings were indeed made in recent years and later reinforced. This suggests the organization operates frequently in this area. Based on typical criminal behavior, their base is likely no less than three kilometers but no more than fifteen kilometers from this mountain."
Meng Lan couldn’t hold back. "Why?"
Xu Nian answered offhandedly, "It’s the psychological safety zone for perpetrators after committing a crime."
He then unfolded a map and examined it briefly. "Within that radius, the nearest town is Shanchang County. That’s a sizable area. Just along this trail we’re taking down, there are three villages nearby."
Qi Bai sighed. "Another labor-intensive task."
But his tone quickly brightened. "Luckily, we’re from the neighboring city. This case isn’t under our jurisdiction—we’re just helping out for now. Once we locate the burial site and local reinforcements arrive, we can bow out gracefully."
Wang Yu, however, had a different thought. He glanced at Xu Nian. "Captain Xu, given the scale of this case based on the current clues, is there any chance we’ll get to stay involved?"
Xu Nian pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "If not for the 0217 massacre suspect we’ve already found, maybe. But with the mountain swarming with local officers and even the deputy bureau chief from the city’s criminal investigation division here, our chances are slim—even if Director Ren intervened."
Wang Yu looked disappointed, but Qi Bai consoled him. "What’s there to be upset about? We have Guan Xia. Think about all the complex cases we’ve handled since meeting her. If we miss this one, the next might be even bigger."
Wang Yu’s eyes lit up again, but Guan Xia shot Qi Bai an exasperated look and muttered, "Jinx."
Qi Bai chuckled. "You guys might be tired of cases, but I’ve been idle for over a month. Now that my leg’s finally healed, I’m itching for another investigation."
Speak of the devil—as soon as Qi Bai finished speaking, Guan Xia heard distant, chaotic voices approaching.
When they grew closer, she recognized Zhong Xiaoyu’s voice. "Thought you could run? This whole mountain’s crawling with cops and armed police. Where’d you even go? And pulling a knife on us? Bet you regret that now. Lucky we held back, or you wouldn’t even be walking down—might not even make it to an ambulance."
Amid Zhong Xiaoyu’s relentless scolding, the group finally emerged from the bushes into view.
Guan Xia rushed forward first, scanning Pang Le and Zhong Xiaoyu anxiously. "Are you two okay? No injuries?"
Zhong Xiaoyu slung an arm around Pang Le’s shoulders proudly. "Injured? With our skills? They’re the ones who got hurt. Not a scratch on us—go ahead, check!"
She then spun Pang Le around forcefully. Pang Le rolled her eyes skyward before turning back to Guan Xia with a smile. "Relax, I’m fine. But what I said earlier came true."
Guan Xia was startled, scrambling to recall what "flags" Pang Le had raised.
Before she could remember, the sight of the two middle-aged men being escorted out made it clear.
The seemingly honest-looking man had a dagger embedded in his upper arm—a dagger Guan Xia recognized instantly. It was the one Zhong Xiaoyu had given Pang Le earlier in the cave.
The memory clicked. Pang Le’s exact words had been: "I’ve got a feeling this dagger’s gonna come in handy today."
Guan Xia looked between Pang Le and the man, fighting back a laugh. Pang Le’s intuition was eerily accurate. If she predicted it’d be used, it certainly was.
Guan Xia couldn’t help but ask in a hushed voice, “What’s going on? Why are knives involved?”
Zhong Xiaoyu gestured toward the several backup detectives and said, “Look at what they’re carrying. It’s not that we wanted to use knives—those two tried to fight back. They were cunning, hiding their daggers in tricky spots and launching a sneak attack. In the heat of the moment, Pang Le threw one like a throwing knife, hitting an arm. That’s how we all made it back unharmed. Honestly, those two are lucky. If the ambush had succeeded, it wouldn’t have been an arrest—it’d have been a shootout. Don’t forget, they were armed with guns.”
Guan Xia glanced at the two detectives walking behind the apprehended middle-aged men, each holding a gun in one hand and a gleaming dagger with a blood groove in the other. A shiver of fear ran down her spine.
While Guan Xia was asking questions, Xu Nian also approached Jiang Yingyao, asking nervously, “How are you, Jiang? Everything alright?”
Jiang Yingyao chuckled and shook his head. “No problem. With so many of us—guns, knives—I was just there to make up the numbers. Didn’t even get to do anything. Zhong Xiaoyu alone took down one of them. The other looked harmless but turned out to be a real brute. Still, he was pinned down in no time, with Pang Le backing us up. It wasn’t even close to being a close call.”
Xu Nian finally relaxed and gave Jiang Yingyao a firm pat on the shoulder before stepping aside to coordinate with the backup officers.
About ten minutes later, Xu Nian returned. He glanced at Meng Lan first, then said, “They’ve reported the two new suspects. Command’s orders are to escort all four back, along with ensuring the safety of the other civilians down the mountain—both are top priorities. Any extra manpower will be diverted to this new case. Even though we’re technically tourists, we’ve been temporarily reassigned. Until local colleagues arrive, we’re responsible for securing the scene and tracking any traces to locate the burial site.”
Guan Xia frowned. “Won’t those two talk? If we could get them to confess, we wouldn’t need to go through all this trouble—just take them straight to the site.”
Jiang Yingyao shook his head. “The officers tried interrogating them on the way back. They’re tight-lipped—didn’t make a sound even with their injuries. No reaction to any questions. We’ll probably need interrogation experts from the municipal bureau or even the provincial department to crack them.”
Qi Bai sighed. “Figured it wouldn’t be that easy. Let’s get to work. It’s almost noon—the sooner we find the burial site, the less our colleagues have to work after dark.”
Xu Nian checked the time. “Let’s share all the clues we’ve found and get started.” Then, as if remembering something, he looked at Meng Lan. “Oh, I’ve already arranged with the officers. Meng Lan, you’ll go down the mountain with them—no need to catch up with the main group. They’ll take you wherever you need to go, whether it’s the bus station or a car rental. Just choose whatever’s convenient.”
Meng Lan hesitated, casting a worried glance at Guan Xia before murmuring, “Be careful.” Then she nodded at Xu Nian and hurried after the departing officers.
Once Meng Lan was gone, the group spoke more freely. Wang Yu quickly summarized Guan Xia and Ji An’s earlier findings, then spread out a map to outline their theories about the case. After pairing off, they got to work.
