Though the four of them had exchanged many plausible theories about their current findings, the lack of concrete evidence made it impossible to confirm anything for now.
Pushing her sketchbook away, Guan Xia picked up her milk tea and took a sip, lost in thought. "We've discussed this for a while now, so I think it's time to address the next question—should we investigate further? And if so, how? Or should we play it safe and report all the new clues like before to avoid tipping off the suspects?"
After posing these questions, Guan Xia shared her own opinion. "I think we should report it. Compared to that criminal organization, anything we do is like an ant trying to shake a tree. Honestly, I'm even a little worried that Meng Lan's confession to us might have drawn their attention."
Ji An pondered for a moment before saying, "Just to be safe, I think you should call Meng Lan. Based on our speculation, the organization might still be monitoring her. If it really is that middle-aged woman, she must already know Meng Lan well. Any sudden change in Meng Lan's behavior could raise their suspicions."
Guan Xia checked the time—it was already past 4 PM. Meng Lan had likely landed and might even be home by now.
"Alright," Guan Xia nodded. "I'll call her soon. From the gas leak incident, we can tell Meng Lan has a real talent for acting. As long as she's mentally prepared, I’m sure she can fool that woman."
She paused, then added, "The problem is, we still don’t know who that middle-aged woman really is. It’s been a day—I wonder if Xu Nian and the others have found anything."
After a brief discussion where they freely shared their doubts and theories, Guan Xia stepped aside to call Meng Lan.
As expected, Meng Lan had already arrived home. She’d spent her flight time reviewing and carefully considering the recent events, and she fully agreed with Guan Xia’s assessment. She promised to maintain her act and ensure the organization’s observers wouldn’t notice anything amiss.
After giving Meng Lan a few more reminders, Guan Xia hung up and noticed a missed call—from Xu Nian.
Just as she was about to call back, Xu Nian rang again. The moment she answered, he said, "Guan Xia, are you done on your end? We’ve run the sketch you drew through the database and got some matches, but there are quite a few. We’re still narrowing them down. As for that website link, cybersecurity tried accessing it today, but it’s already dead. They must’ve changed domains. The team’s still working on tracing it to see if they can recover any old data."
Guan Xia listened carefully before summarizing their own findings. "We’ve made some new discoveries. Remember that sketch I sent you earlier? The young woman we saw at the airport after returning to Yongquan City from the Fuan City case—the one who might be part of Lu Manqing’s organization?"
There was a brief pause as Xu Nian recalled. "Yeah, what about her? Does it relate to Meng Lan’s case?"
Guan Xia smiled faintly—Xu Nian was as sharp as ever. "Yes. She and the middle-aged woman I drew last night were both spotted in Meng Lan’s neighborhood on the day of the gas leak."
Though brief, the implications were heavy. Xu Nian took a moment to process it. "Seems this is even more complicated than we thought. Do you have anything else planned? If not, why not come to the station? We can discuss this face-to-face."
Guan Xia glanced at Pang Le and the others for confirmation. After getting their nods, she replied, "Alright, we’ll pack up and head over now."
After gathering her sketchbook and the torn-out drawings, Zhong Xiaoyu grabbed the snacks, Pang Le locked the door, and the four of them headed for the elevator.
On the way, Ji An’s phone kept buzzing with messages. As she typed rapid replies, her expression grew increasingly grim.
Zhong Xiaoyu couldn’t help but ask, "Ji-jie, who’s messaging you? Lu-ge? Did he find something new?"
Ji An shook her head. "No." After finishing her reply, she scanned the area to ensure no one was nearby before lowering her voice. "An old colleague from the criminal investigation team. They just took on a new case in Nanxi District, Shuangshi City. A female body was unearthed based on a tip from locals. Estimated time of death was five to six years ago. The victim was around 35 to 40 years old."
Zhong Xiaoyu’s eyes widened. "Could it be related to the case you’ve been investigating?"
Ji An nodded solemnly. "I have a bad feeling it might be. I was planning to take the last flight back tonight, but my colleague said the Nanxi team might confirm the victim’s identity in the next few days. They advised me to wait so I don’t waste a trip."
Zhong Xiaoyu patted her back reassuringly. "Your colleague’s right. You’ve been chasing this case for nearly four years—a couple more days won’t hurt. If it really is connected, I’ll go back with you. I bet Lu-ge will come help too."
Hearing this, Guan Xia and Pang Le exchanged a glance before speaking almost in unison: "We’re coming too."
Ji An turned to them, and Guan Xia quickly added, "Ji-jie, if it were any other case, fine. But this is yours. We’re friends—how could I not go?"
"Me too," Pang Le chimed in. "I’m strong. I’ll be useful."
Ji An forced a smile. "You’re really too kind..."
Before she could finish, Pang Le cut in with a frown. "Ji-jie, what kind of talk is that? We’re practically family now. You’ve helped us so much—it’s only right we return the favor."
Though touched, Ji An still thanked them sincerely.
Once in the car, Guan Xia stole a glance at Ji An’s expression before tentatively asking, "Ji-jie… is now a good time to tell us about your case?"
Zhong Xiaoyu turned in surprise. "Ji-jie, you haven’t told them yet?"
From Zhong Xiaoyu's tone, Guan Xia could tell that even if she didn't fully understand the case Ji An was investigating, she knew most of the details.
Ji An said, "The case I'm looking into is a bit complicated, but since we've got new leads, it's time to fill them in."
Pang Le was about to start the car when she paused mid-motion, turning an eager gaze toward them.
Zhong Xiaoyu couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, I'll drive. You two listen carefully—we might be flying to Ji An's hometown in a couple of days."
After switching seats and waiting for Pang Le to buckle up in the passenger side, Ji An began, "The case I'm investigating happened in 2019, just three years after I graduated from the police academy. It's complicated because the two missing persons still haven't been found—neither their bodies nor the identity of one of them."
Guan Xia pricked up her ears, afraid to miss a single word.
Ji An continued, "The missing persons were two females—one adult, 36 years old at the time of disappearance, and the other a child, only four. At first, I suspected human trafficking, but after over a year of investigation, I found nothing. Later, surveillance footage showed a wanted drug dealer near the victims' neighborhood, so I started suspecting it might be a revenge crime."
Guan Xia's eyes widened, her attention locked on the words "drug dealer" and "revenge."
Pang Le also looked startled. "A drug dealer? Then the missing persons' relatives must be…" She trailed off, but Guan Xia understood, her heart tightening.
Ji An clarified, "It’s not quite what you’re thinking. The adult woman’s ex-husband was a high school teacher—they’d divorced years before her disappearance. The girl wasn’t biologically hers either; she was adopted. But the woman’s younger sister and brother-in-law were narcotics officers, as were the missing girl’s biological parents. Three of the four were my classmates at the police academy."
Guan Xia felt a little overwhelmed by the flood of information. After a moment to process, she ventured, "So you mean… the girl was first adopted by the missing woman’s sister and brother-in-law, and then after they…" She hesitated, skirting over the word, "…she was adopted by the missing woman? That’s why you initially suspected trafficking before shifting to the drug dealer revenge angle?"
Ji An shook her head. "Yes and no. The adoption process was complicated. Let me skip to what happened after. This discovery was why I later resigned. The girl’s biological mother was my dormmate at the academy—we even interned at the same precinct. After graduation, I returned to my hometown as a detective, while she went back to hers as a narcotics officer. Her childhood sweetheart shared the same dream—they married, and I attended their wedding. But less than two years later, when their child wasn’t even one…"
Even years later, Ji An struggled to stay composed. She took a deep breath before continuing.
"After they died, I wanted to adopt the child myself, but another classmate stepped in first. She thought my workload and unmarried status made me ill-suited to raise a child. Her older sister, unable to conceive due to a congenital condition, desperately wanted a child and insisted on adopting the girl, promising to love her as her own. She even flew to my classmate’s city to make her case. With my job keeping me tied up, I eventually gave up after several discussions."
Pang Le couldn’t help interjecting, "Honestly, given the circumstances, your classmate’s decision was the most logical. Who’d expect drug dealers to be so ruthless, targeting a child years later?"
"What happened next?" Guan Xia pressed. "Did the drug dealer lead to any breakthroughs?"
Ji An replied, "The Shuangshi City police formed a task force. They tracked down not just that dealer but also dismantled several small drug rings. But no matter how they interrogated him, he denied ever seeing the missing pair or committing abduction. No trace of them was ever found."
"So you resigned," Pang Le said, "to focus entirely on finding them."
Ji An nodded. "But it’s been almost five years now—no body, no leads. Today, when I heard the news, I was torn between hope and dread."
Guan Xia gently patted Ji An’s back. They all understood—the thrill of a new clue warring with the fear that the body might belong to one of the missing.
If the adult, the only one capable of resistance, was dead, what chance did the child have?
The thought alone made Guan Xia’s chest tighten, and she refused to dwell on it further.
As they talked, Zhong Xiaoyu drove them to the Pingjiang District precinct where Xu Nian and his team were stationed.
While Zhong Xiaoyu was a first-timer, the other three knew the place well—Pang Le even exchanged greetings with the security guard.
After parking, they led Zhong Xiaoyu straight to Xu Nian’s office.
When they entered, the team was buried in work, heads down, photos spread across their desks as they painstakingly compared details.
At the sound of the door, everyone looked up. Qi Bai was the first to leap to his feet, grinning. "Finally! Our expert Guan Xia is here—save me, I’ve been staring at photos for hours. I’m going cross-eyed!"
He darted over, eagerly pouring water and pulling out a chair for her.
Xu Nian rose with a resigned smile, but the moment he noticed Guan Xia’s expression, his demeanor shifted. After a quick glance at Pang Le and the others, he asked, "What’s wrong? Did something happen? Need help?"
Qi Bai, mid-transfer of his photos, froze and walked over, face serious.
Wang Yu and the others also gathered around.
Qi Bai said, "We’ve been through life and death together—don’t hold back. If there’s anything we can do, just say the word."
Wang Yu also said, "Is it about the case? Our squad is already working on solving it based on your findings, so there's no need to hold back."
Jiang Yingyao remained silent but nodded in agreement.
Guan Xia was still processing the series of revelations from Ji An, her expression not yet fully composed. Seeing this, she couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated.
After subtly glancing at Ji An twice, Guan Xia noticed her giving an almost imperceptible shake of the head. Realizing Ji An intended to wait until the results were confirmed, she added, "We’ve actually made some discoveries, but nothing’s certain yet. Once it’s verified, I’ll definitely share it with all of you."
Only then did the tension in the room ease slightly.
