Guan Xia left Shuangshi City without knowing how Lu Tingfeng was doing. After that night, she never saw him again. However, the barely concealed worry beneath Xu Nian's calm expression made it clear that their conversation had not gone well—Xu Nian's attempt to comfort him hadn't been as effective as they had hoped.
Sure enough, under Guan Xia's questioning gaze, Xu Nian gave a slight shake of his head. Though he didn’t say a word, his eyes were filled with concern.
Their brief exchange didn’t go unnoticed. Zhong Xiaoyu hesitated, clearly wanting to say something, but after glancing at Xu Nian and then Guan Xia, she ultimately held back.
Because of Lu Tingfeng’s sudden emotional breakdown, Xu Nian had to rush back to Yongquan City to keep an eye on him. Meanwhile, Jiang Yingyao, Qi Bai, and Wang Yu stayed behind to represent the Pingjiang District Bureau in assisting the task force with wrapping up the case and gathering additional information. As for Ji An, since Ning Ping'an had just been found, the only people left to care for her were an elderly couple who, despite their willingness, lacked the energy to fully take on the responsibility. So, for this trip to the orphanage, aside from Guan Xia, only Pang Le and Zhong Xiaoyu would be accompanying her.
Fortunately, these two were the most capable fighters in the group, so no one was overly worried. Still, they were repeatedly reminded to be cautious—to prioritize their safety and seek help from the nearest police station at the first sign of trouble.
The only flight from Shuangshi City to Quming City departed in the afternoon, so by the time they arrived, it was already evening.
Though the sun hadn’t fully set, the temperature had noticeably dropped. The golden hues of dusk painted the sky, but the beautiful scenery did little to lift their spirits.
After tossing their luggage into the trunk of their rented car, Zhong Xiaoyu couldn’t hold back her worry once they got inside. "Lu… Lu-ge, he’ll be okay, right? I was so concerned this morning that I called and messaged him, but he didn’t answer or reply. I’m really afraid he might do something reckless."
Pang Le had known Lu Tingfeng a bit longer than Guan Xia, though not by much. After racking his brain, he cautiously offered his limited insight. "He probably won’t. He might not be as steady as Xu Nian, but he graduated from the police academy and has been a detective for years. I doubt he’d do anything irreversible."
Perhaps Xu Nian’s confidence had rubbed off on Guan Xia, because compared to the two of them, who were too emotionally invested to think clearly, she remained remarkably composed. "Don’t worry. Xu Nian grew up with him—no one understands Lu Tingfeng better. If he says Lu Tingfeng will be fine, then he will be. We just need to give him time. Something this big… it takes a while to process."
Guan Xia’s certainty eased their anxiety somewhat. After a brief silence, Zhong Xiaoyu suddenly looked up and asked, "We were in such a rush when we split up this afternoon, and we didn’t even get to meet this morning. Did Xu Nian tell you where Lu-ge went?"
Recalling Xu Nian’s message, Guan Xia replied, "He went back to Yongquan City. Xu Nian said Lu Tingfeng was on the verge of a breakdown last night. He didn’t dare push too hard, and when he couldn’t stop him, he let him go—but not before making sure Lu Tingfeng was heading to Yongquan City."
Though Lu Tingfeng’s state sounded dire, Zhong Xiaoyu actually sighed in relief. "Yongquan City? Then he’s not in as bad a state as I thought. I remember him telling me once that if his sister’s case was ever solved and the killer caught, the first thing he’d do was visit her. You don’t know this, but all these years, he’s kept it bottled up inside. He never talks about it, but he’s always carried this guilt. He believes that if he hadn’t insisted on wanting a little sister, she wouldn’t have been born into this world just to suffer like that. It’s been years since she passed, but he’s never once visited her grave. Once, when he was drunk, he brought it up, and I asked him why. All I remember is him staying silent for a long time before saying two words: ‘No face.’ He even cried when he said it—thought I didn’t notice, but I did."
Zhong Xiaoyu’s voice grew heavier as she spoke. Though she hadn’t known Lu Tingfeng for long—just a few years—they had bonded deeply, especially after going through life-and-death situations together. In her heart, he was more than just a colleague; he was a comrade.
Guan Xia and Pang Le listened, unsure of how to respond. In the end, they could only sigh heavily.
After checking into a hotel near the orphanage, they should have taken the chance to catch up on much-needed sleep. But Guan Xia lay in bed, replaying recent events in her mind, tossing and turning until she finally gave up and sat up, silently rummaging through her bag.
Pang Le, unusually not scrolling on his phone, was staring at the ceiling lost in thought. Noticing Guan Xia’s movements, he sat up and asked, "What are you looking for?"
Guan Xia found what she wanted and, without answering, shook her sketchbook at him before settling at the desk in the corner and flipping to a blank page.
Seeing her ready to work, Pang Le’s curiosity was piqued. He slipped on his slippers and walked over. "Did you spot another suspect?"
Guan Xia poised her pen, then shook her head after a moment’s thought. "Not new. Just revisiting old leads. I’ve been reviewing every detail since we first uncovered that criminal organization, and I’ve picked up a few more clues. Figured I’d sketch them out while I have time."
That was what she told Pang Le. The truth was, her mind had been too restless, so she’d checked her "halo intensity log" and noticed that with every outing, there were always one or two negative values from brief encounters—small deductions that added up over time.
Since sleep was out of the question anyway, and these criminals still at large would have to be caught eventually, she decided to shift her focus. It was a way to pass the time.
So, for the rest of the night, one sat at the desk sketching diligently while the other kept her company. Strangely, the busywork calmed them both.
By the time dawn broke, pale light seeping through the gap in the curtains, Guan Xia finally set down her pen, rubbing her eyes and stretching before glancing at the noticeably thicker sketchbook.
Pang Le, who had stubbornly stayed up with her, let out a yawn. "Damn. I thought we’d been busy enough since June—barely a moment to breathe. Every suspect you’ve flagged so far has been caught. And now you’re telling me there are still more out there?"
He flipped through the night’s additions. By now, he was used to Guan Xia’s occasional shocking revelations, so while his words were exaggerated, his expression betrayed no disbelief.
Guan Xia deftly brushed off the question with practiced ease. "Maybe it's from working on cases with Xu Nian so much. Now when I recall people I’ve met before, everything feels a bit off. Anyway, I’ve sketched them out. Whether there’s really something wrong or not, we’ll have to wait for Xu Nian and the others to investigate when they have time."
Pang Le didn’t suspect a thing and nodded in agreement. "Definitely. I used to be a complete amateur, but after spending so much time with Xu Nian’s team, I’ve picked up a lot of investigative experience. Most importantly, my brain feels sharper now. Turns out you really have to use it—otherwise, it just rusts from sitting idle."
The two chatted aimlessly as they finished washing up and changed clothes. Pang Le couldn’t be bothered with makeup, only diligently applying sunscreen before following Guan Xia to knock on Zhong Xiaoyu’s door.
The moment the door opened, the three of them exchanged glances and nearly burst out laughing.
Zhong Xiaoyu also sported dark circles under her eyes, looking utterly exhausted, as if she hadn’t slept all night—a perfect match for Guan Xia and Pang Le’s disheveled states.
The corners of their lips twitched in unison. Zhong Xiaoyu slipped on her shoes and grabbed her phone, asking, "You two couldn’t sleep either?"
Pang Le hummed in confirmation. "No wonder we’re such good friends. Let’s grab some breakfast and get to work. I’m beyond curious about that orphanage now. It looks so ordinary, just like any other orphanage in the country. How did it produce so many criminals?"
Though Guan Xia was technically from Quiming City, she felt little connection to it compared to Yongquan City. Even now, being back here, she felt like an outsider. Every word she spoke carried a hint of unease, as if members of that criminal organization lurked in every shadow, silently watching them.
Her lack of security made her hyper-aware of her surroundings. To reassure herself, she occasionally tapped into the system’s shared vision. Fortunately, with the Kangjian Medical Center case resolved, her halo intensity had reached an astonishing new level, allowing her to use the ability without hesitation.
The bad news was that this world truly lived up to its reputation as a fusion of crime investigation stories. Even in a small city like Quiming, Guan Xia’s system-enhanced vision revealed an unsettling number of criminals in her line of sight.
The good news was that, judging by the distance, they were all far away. This meant their surroundings were safe—they hadn’t been exposed to the criminal organization yet. At the very least, they hadn’t stumbled into the worst-case scenario Guan Xia dreaded.
This realization lifted her spirits slightly.
After a hurried breakfast, the moment they got into the car, Zhong Xiaoyu warily locked the windows, ensuring their conversation wouldn’t be overheard. Adjusting the air conditioning, she said, "By the way, I never got the chance to ask—if we do find something wrong with that orphanage today, what’s the plan?"
She glanced back at Guan Xia and added, "I remember hearing from Sister Ji that you two have worked cases here before. Are you familiar with the local police? Without Xu Nian and the others around, will they fully cooperate with us? We can’t possibly handle this alone, right?"
Pang Le clearly hadn’t considered this, pausing at the question with a worried look at Guan Xia.
Guan Xia hadn’t thought about it either, only now realizing that while she’d come to uncover the truth about the orphanage, deep down, she still believed it was innocent. In her memories spanning over a decade, Mother Chen’s busy figure, gentle smiles, and the kind expressions of the staff were all real, vivid.
It was hard for her to imagine these people—so ordinary, so unremarkable—could possibly be part of that criminal organization.
Only when Pang Le’s warm hand covered hers did Guan Xia snap out of her thoughts. She realized she’d been trembling slightly, as if resisting the truth.
Meeting Pang Le’s concerned gaze, she forced herself to rally. "We have worked cases here before. We’re not exactly close with the local police, but we know each other. If the orphanage really is involved, I believe they’ll cooperate fully."
Zhong Xiaoyu finally buckled her seatbelt and started the car. "Good. It’s just that your earlier theories were so unsettling. I’m really worried Quiming City might be one of that organization’s key territories. After all, the late Wu Xingxian was from here, and the suspicious Wu Yang is too. At this point, I’m starting to wonder if that orphanage is one of their recruitment hubs."
Until Guan Xia could confirm it, there was no way to answer. Exchanging a silent glance with Pang Le, she could only remain quiet.
