Unlike the brightly lit, spacious hall with its painted walls and tiled floor, this hidden, inconspicuous passage was rough and narrow—less than a meter wide and not even a meter high. It was impossible to walk upright, and even crouching was a struggle. After following Captain Zhang for just a few meters, Guan Xia couldn't help but switch to crawling on all fours.
The walls of this passage were pure, natural stone, not finely finished, showing uneven marks from manual excavation everywhere. After crawling only a short distance, Guan Xia felt a sharp pain in her knees from prolonged contact with the rough rock.
Guan Xia was no stranger to hardship, so she endured the pain, pushing herself with all her might to keep up with Captain Zhang without falling behind in the slightest.
They crawled for what felt like an eternity before the young male officer relaying messages ahead of Guan Xia suddenly stopped. Then, Captain Zhang's voice came from a bit further ahead: "There are fiber fragments and traces of blood. The fibers look like they were torn from clothing. As for the blood, it appears to have dried long ago. It probably doesn't belong to the criminals who fled earlier. My guess is it's from people who passed through this tunnel even earlier."
As soon as Captain Zhang finished speaking, the young officer chimed in, "Captain, that's our assessment too. Given how well-hidden this passage is, we suspect it was used by Wu Yang, Lin Jinnan, and their group during their escape."
"Good work," Captain Zhang praised. Then, the crawling team moved forward again, everyone falling silent and focusing on the arduous trek ahead.
If Guan Xia were crawling alone in this narrow, deep, underground tunnel, her mental state would likely have crumbled before long. But having several companions, with flashlight beams cutting through the gloom from both ahead and behind, kept her relatively steady. Even with no one speaking, only the sound of increasingly labored breathing, her mind remained calm. She was preoccupied with thoughts of how long the tunnel was, where it led, and when they would finally reach the end, leaving little room for fear or panic.
Eventually, to distract herself from the growing, sharp pain in her knees and elbows, Guan Xia let her mind wander.
One moment, she remembered that in her haste to find the hidden entrance to the criminal organization's lair, she had completely forgotten about the others. She hadn't even called Xu Nian or Ji An. She wondered where they were now, if they had made any discoveries, and whether Captain Zhang had left them any messages—hoping they wouldn't be worried sick looking for her.
The next moment, she fantasized about how she would enjoy life once this case was over and Wu Yang was captured.
Catching up on sleep was definitely priority number one. Although she hadn't kept track, Guan Xia felt like it had been ages since she slept in. This period felt more grueling than her university days juggling coursework and illustration deadlines. But with victory in sight, it didn't seem quite so unbearable.
After sleeping, she'd think about where to go for fun. A visit to Pang Le's place was a must. Her previous trip to Shangshuang City was for the investigation, but she could make another trip later. She remembered promising to go hiking and camping with Pang Le, but it had slipped her mind entirely last time due to the rush.
Guan Xia's thoughts drifted aimlessly until a sudden realization struck her—something she had completely forgotten.
She recalled seeing three soul auras tinged with blood-red in Li Village, besides Li Feng. Initially, she thought they were helpers sent by Wu Yang or recruited by Li Feng himself. But during the subsequent interrogation, Li Feng never mentioned them, and no other related suspects were caught in Li Village. It seemed that when she had time later, she would need to return to Li Village. Since she knew about them, she had to try and bring them to justice, if only to recharge her "halo" a bit.
Guan Xia's thoughts wandered further and further, almost envisioning her retirement life, when this crawling journey finally showed a glimmer of its end.
It was Captain Zhang's voice from the very front: "I see light, and I hear voices. Must be the exit. Judging by the tone and content, it's our own people. Everyone, push on! We're almost out."
These words were undeniably uplifting. Guan Xia, whose entire body had gone numb from crawling, felt a surge of excitement and mustered every last ounce of strength to press forward.
After crawling for another unknown length of time, the team finally stopped for the last time. Captain Zhang's voice came again: "We're at the exit, comrades. There's a ladder, quite steep. Be careful climbing up, don't fall. I'll be at the top to help you."
When the person ahead of Guan Xia exited the narrow passage, she finally saw the exit in full. It was equally narrow, only allowing one person through. The passage led upward; it was less a passage and more like a hole. Fixed to one wall was a long, steep wooden ladder. Each rung was indeed set higher than normal. Guan Xia felt a wave of trepidation just looking at it, mentally calculating whether her leg length would suffice.
In fact, Guan Xia wasn't wrong. Although each step upward gave her a feeling of tendons stretching in her thighs, it was within her limits, making the climb not too arduous. However, it was not friendly to the wounds on her knees and elbows. It was only then that Guan Xia noticed both her knees and elbows were scraped raw from friction against the hard stone. The fabric of her pants had stuck to her legs with dried blood, and while some blood on her elbows had crusted over, fresh, thin streams still trickled down with the upward motion of her climb.
Guan Xia estimated she climbed for another ten minutes or so before finally seeing the circular, light-filled opening. A face peered down from above—it was Xu Nian, whom she hadn't seen for several hours. He wore a rare expression of mixed excitement and anxiety. Only when Guan Xia grasped his outstretched arm did he let out a sigh of relief and ask, "How are you? Are you okay?"
Guan Xia was too exhausted to speak. She managed a weak shake of her head in response, then, using the strength from Xu Nian's pull, she heaved herself up and out of the hole completely.
The moment Guan Xia's feet touched the ground, she was surrounded. Perhaps noticing the wounds on her knees, Xu Nian simply scooped her up in a horizontal carry and set her down on a chair in the corner. Ji An promptly came over with a small first-aid kit and crouched in front of Guan Xia.
"I was wondering where you two disappeared to. So you were off doing something big," Qi Bai said, scratching his head with a somewhat good-natured expression. "But why did you two have to go in person? Why not wait for the pursuing Armed Police to relay the news and just drive directly to the exit?"
Hearing this, Guan Xia finally understood how Xu Nian and the others had managed to wait for them at the exit ahead of time.
Guan Xia gasped with some effort, speaking sincerely, "The situation was urgent at the time, and I didn't have time to think. Seeing Captain Zhang chase after them, we instinctively followed."
To be honest, Guan Xia also felt a bit of regret. Had she known this hidden passageway had such harsh conditions, she definitely wouldn't have followed if she'd been thinking rationally. But now that she'd already crawled through it, there was no point dwelling on it.
She looked down at Ji An and Wang Yu carefully treating the wounds on her knees and elbows. Even though their movements were gentle, Guan Xia still grimaced in pain, but she didn't forget to ask Xu Nian, "What kind of place is this? How far did we actually crawl? Are we still within Jianyang City?"
Xu Nian's gaze lingered on the wounds on Guan Xia's knees for a long time. Hearing her speak, he finally looked up and replied in a very gentle tone, "It's a machinery factory. The main equipment has been relocated, and it's now only used as a warehouse. We're still within Jianyang City, but it's already in the suburban area. A bit further east is Quanle City. It's about twelve kilometers from Longbei Mountain."
When Guan Xia heard the number "twelve kilometers," she was utterly stunned. She never imagined that she and Pang Le had followed Captain Zhang for such a long distance. No wonder her knees and elbows were rubbed raw. Thankfully, both she and Pang Le were wearing long pants. Although their tops were short-sleeved, they weren't constantly in contact with the ground. Otherwise, given that distance, Guan Xia feared the friction might have scraped down to the bone.
Thinking this, Guan Xia sighed, "To escape, Wu Yang and that Lin Jinnan really went all out. We're injured, and they probably aren't much better off."
Jiang Yingyao said, "Not necessarily. You went in completely unprepared, while they knew in advance they'd need to use this passage to escape. They likely protected vital areas."
Hearing Jiang Yingyao's words, Guan Xia realized he was right and immediately felt even more resentful, gritting her teeth. Since these two had prepared such a long escape tunnel, why didn't they just make it a bit wider? Digging it so narrow, was it even easy for them to pass through?
Perhaps Guan Xia's expression was too obvious, as Xu Nian easily guessed what she was thinking and said, "An escape tunnel twelve kilometers long would take one or two years just for surveying, positioning, and preparation. Even digging something this narrow wouldn't be quick. If it were any longer, and construction was still ongoing after other Longbei Mountain recreational facilities were finished, it would definitely arouse suspicion."
So it could only be dug this crudely. Guan Xia understood the implication of Xu Nian's words, sighed, and continued to grimace as she watched Ji An and Wang Yu disinfect and apply medicine to her wounds.
Before Guan Xia's wounds were fully treated, Zhong Xiaoyu arrived carrying Pang Le, placing her on another chair beside Guan Xia. As she did so, she said, "You two, really... looking for hardship where there was none. Twelve kilometers! Look at the wounds on your knees. It's lucky the weather's turned cool and you weren't wearing skirts, otherwise you'd be heading straight to the hospital."
Ji An also added, "This time, you two were indeed a bit reckless. There were so many people on Longbei Mountain, why did it have to be you two non-core personnel stepping up? Especially you, Guan Xia. Don't you know your own physical condition? Look at these mangled wounds. It's going to take a long time to heal properly."
Ji An was usually a woman of few words with a good temper, but now she couldn't help scolding Guan Xia a bit before continuing to gently apply the medicine.
Zhong Xiaoyu leaned over to look and said, "The wounds are a bit serious, but fortunately no tendons or bones are damaged. However, with injuries in these particular spots, you're in for a lot of pain in the coming days."
Guan Xia was now genuinely and deeply regretful. Feeling somewhat guilty, she exchanged a glance with Pang Le and quickly changed the subject.
"Where's Captain Zhang?" Guan Xia asked, looking around for her. "How is she? Are her injuries serious? And what about the two armed police officers and two criminal police officers who went into the tunnel first to apprehend the suspects? Did they catch them? Are the suspects still alive?"
Although everyone was a bit angry and resentful about Guan Xia and Pang Le's reckless actions this time, Xu Nian still answered seriously, "Captain Zhang has already had her wounds treated and has started coordinating support personnel. The suspects are injured but alive and have been taken to the hospital. The two armed police officers and two criminal police officers are also fine. Out of everyone, you two have the most serious injuries."
Guan Xia felt guilty again and glanced over at Pang Le's wounds. They looked about the same, but perhaps because Pang Le was more accustomed to injuries, she didn't seem to be in as much pain as Guan Xia appeared to be.
Taking advantage of the treatment time, Guan Xia asked for the latest updates on the case.
Xu Nian told her that the entire Longbei Mountain area was now completely sealed off by the police. Almost half of Jianyang City's police force had been mobilized, and everyone was incredibly busy. The organization's headquarters was also filled with personnel. Criminal evidence and clues were as numerous as hairs on an ox. Apart from the nine criminals who died, not a single one had escaped. Even Zhong Xiaoyu, who was guarding outside, had helped subdue one, though she used a bit too much force and dislocated the arm of the criminal who tried to bolt out.
Director Gao, who was overseeing operations at the Municipal Bureau, immediately called in additional personnel from county and town levels upon receiving Captain Zhang's message. It still wasn't quite enough, so they were actively coordinating with several nearby cities for support, and more personnel would arrive soon.
Before Captain Zhang, Guan Xia, and the others emerged, Xu Nian and the rest had already arrived at the exit with the newly organized personnel. Surveillance footage from nearby roads with visible cameras was being retrieved. If things went smoothly, within an hour or two, they might discover traces left by Wu Yang and Lin Jinnan during their escape.
Hearing Lin Jinnan's name, Guan Xia remembered the information Pang Le had found earlier. Longbei Mountain was developed under Lin Jinnan's responsibility, meaning she oversaw the digging of this hidden escape tunnel. Although she had already suspected and confirmed this, thinking about it now, Guan Xia still found it hard to believe. Why was someone as intelligent and capable as Lin Jinnan so utterly devoted to Wu Yang?
Pang Le obviously shared the same confusion and couldn't help saying, "This Lin Jinnan is truly loyal to Wu Yang. Even now, she's still running with him. Who knows what kind of potion Wu Yang gave her? It's like she doesn't even care about her life. Given the crimes she's committed, even if she isn't shot on sight during capture, she'll eventually face the firing squad."
"No one knows," Zhong Xiaoyu said. "If you're really that curious, ask her yourself when they're caught. Right now, I'm more curious about what exactly they were trying to achieve by going to such great lengths."
Wang Yu finally finished tending to the wound on Guan Xia's elbow. Standing up and packing the first aid kit, he said, "Before you all came out, Captain Xu and I studied the map. The area we're standing on now is northeast of the entire Jianyang City. While there's no concrete evidence yet, both Captain Xu and I suspect Wu Yang and his group will likely continue fleeing northeast. But what lies northeast of Jianyang City? What's worth such a desperate rush?"
Zhong Xiaoyu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Not fleeing south but east... Based on what I know about the habits of fleeing criminals, if they can't escape by plane immediately, most prefer heading south. After all, some areas along that border are where two countries share a single mountain range. Even with tight control, the instability across the border offers chances to slip through. It's the optimal choice for fugitives. But now they're heading east? What's in the east? The sea? Are they planning to escape by boat?"
"Escape by boat? To where?" Pang Le chimed in. "The island nation across the way? Then catch a flight from there? That seems more complicated than going south."
"Maybe it offers better odds? More safety?" Jiang Yingyao speculated. "We still don't know how many people Wu Yang took with him. But judging by this complex escape method and that hidden tunnel, I'd estimate the group is small. Probably besides Lin Jinnan, there are one or two others—definitely not many—likely close enforcers like Lin Jinnan for protection. With just a few people, trying to cross the southern border illegally could mean being picked clean the moment they step over."
"That does sound plausible," Guan Xia said. "It seems they must be carrying a large amount of cash with them. Otherwise, after all this time, if they had a phone on them, we could have located them by now."
"That bastard is really good at running," Qi Bai couldn't help but add. "And exceptionally good at laying smoke screens. Besides the large-scale diversion to draw police attention, there were convincing body doubles and that tunnel hidden deep within the mountain, stretching twelve kilometers. If Guan Xia hadn't discovered it early, they might have truly gotten away. But now it's better; we have a general idea of their escape direction. With some time, there's a good chance we can catch them."
Guan Xia glanced at the knee wound now smeared with a dark brown antiseptic, taking a deep breath. She deeply hoped to capture Wu Yang and Lin Jinnan alive. There were simply too many unresolved questions, especially concerning the Quming City orphanage. She still had no idea how many people who left that orphanage had been recruited by Wu Yang into his organization, or what roles they played within it, what important or trivial tasks they carried out.
Until she figured it out, Guan Xia wouldn't sleep soundly. After all, it was the place where she grew up. She genuinely hoped every child from then on could grow up healthy, free from burdens and any predatory intentions.
