Perhaps sensing something from Guan Xia's constantly shifting expressions, Lin Jinnan suddenly lost interest. Leaning back in the interrogation chair, she pursed her lips and said with boredom, "Talking to clever people is such a hassle. But it doesn't matter anyway. Meng Lan is so badly injured, it's uncertain whether she'll even pull through. If she really doesn't make it, since you care about her so much, you'll be heartbroken. And your heartbreak would be my joy. It's just a pity I won't get to see your grieving face."
As she spoke, Lin Jinnan propped her chin up and studied Guan Xia with renewed curiosity. "You know, I was curious about you for a while. How could a child have a personality like yours? Living like an ascetic every day, spending all your time buried in drawing. Aside from the occasional moments of vitality you showed in front of Meng Lan, the rest of the time you were as numb as a puppet on strings. In my experience, people like you, the quiet ones, either become perverted in their silence or explode from it. I once had hopes you might change. But later, I looked into you. You remained so rule-bound, so unlike a real person. It was utterly dull. So, I guided Meng Lan to discover your half-sister. And yet, you're still this uninteresting."
A rare look of puzzlement crossed Lin Jinnan's face as she asked, confused, "How can someone like you exist in this world? Why don't you feel jealousy or resentment? Seeing a face so similar to yours living a completely different life, how can you be so calm, even indifferent? Why?" She looked at Guan Xia, posing the question with genuine sincerity. "Why don't you care? How can you not care?"
This time, Guan Xia could answer Lin Jinnan's question without reservation. She said calmly, "Because my life is good now. I have money, time, and plenty of energy to do whatever I want. I'm too busy enjoying life to go looking for trouble."
Guan Xia spoke these words from the heart, but Lin Jinnan stared at her as if she were a monster. "I don't believe it. All humans have emotions and desires, hatred and resentment. No one gets bullied like that and doesn't think about revenge."
Guan Xia sighed inwardly, but her expression remained placid as she spoke. "Because you only see the suffering, so your world is surrounded by it. But most people in this world see not only suffering, but also joy and happiness. Suffering may cause temporary pain, but it's joy and happiness that support people in overcoming that pain. That's the fundamental reason we can maintain long-term peace without being engulfed by suffering."
Guan Xia spoke with sincerity and frankness. Of course, she didn't naively believe that a few words could change Lin Jinnan's long-warped worldview. She merely wanted her to know that if, from the beginning, she had seen not only hatred and resentment but also some love and joy, perhaps her life would have taken a different path. At the very least, if she hadn't been so deeply influenced by Wu Yang, with her intelligence and talent, she could have lived a very good life.
But a villain is a villain, and Guan Xia was ultimately disappointed. The moment her words fell, Lin Jinnan revealed a knowing smile and said, "So that's why you could never become one of us. It's fortunate I didn't waste too much time. Otherwise, after expending so much effort only to find I could never mold you into our image, I would have regretted it to death."
As she spoke, Lin Jinnan's expression turned wistful. "Actually, I do regret it. I should have persisted a little longer, with both you and Meng Lan. Then I might have discovered you sooner." Suddenly, a bright smile spread across her face, and she muttered to herself, "If I had found you earlier and killed you, then we'd probably still be fine now, wouldn't we? It's such a pity our ideal only just began; success was still so very far away. If only I had known earlier..."
Lin Jinnan seemed to abruptly lose all interest in the conversation, beginning to repeat those few sentences over and over. Her eyes still rested on Guan Xia, but her gaze seemed to look through her, not focusing on anything concrete, as if lost in memory or fantasy.
Guan Xia still had the patience to engage with her a while longer, hoping to glean more information. But Lin Jinnan remained trapped in that state, unable to break free. Even when Guan Xia and Captain Zhang took turns speaking to her, she acted as if she couldn't hear them, neither responding nor shifting her gaze, just endlessly repeating those same phrases. She seemed genuinely regretful for not discovering Guan Xia sooner and eliminating her, which led to their entire organization being uprooted.
In response to Lin Jinnan's final words, Guan Xia said nothing aloud, but she answered in her heart.
Even if she had known earlier, or even if Guan Xia had never existed, the fates of Wu Yang and Lin Jinnan would not have changed.
Guan Xia still remembered the original synopsis once shown on her system interface. In that version, there was no Guan Xia, no system, no external assistance whatsoever. Yet, Pang Le and the others still won in the end. After all, this was a crime investigation novel world. The villains might be monstrous and powerful, but ultimately, evil could not triumph over good. No matter what, victory would always belong to the side of justice.
They sat in the interrogation room a while longer, until Guan Xia and Captain Zhang were certain Lin Jinnan had completely lost the ability to communicate for the foreseeable future. Only then did they rise and leave, one after the other.
Director Gao, as usual, patted Guan Xia's shoulder, offering a few words of praise and encouragement before leaving with the other special task force colleagues. Captain Zhang followed as well. Now, only their own group remained in the small observation room.
During the interrogation of Lin Jinnan, Guan Xia had been apprehensive, and Pang Le and the others felt the same. Even with Guan Xia out and standing safely before them, Pang Le and Zhong Xiaoyu still circled her several times, inspecting her as if she hadn't just conducted an interrogation but ventured into a tiger's den, fearing she might have sustained even the slightest injury.
Qi Bai also voiced his lingering fear. "So we were actually that close to death. If Guan Xia had contacted Meng Lan a little earlier, or if Lin Jinnan had lowered her guard on Meng Lan a little later, the grass over our graves would probably be three feet high by now."
Guan Xia glanced at him but said nothing, thinking that in the original plot, Qi Bai's final outcome was indeed quite similar to what he described.
Wang Yu, for once, shared Qi Bai's sentiment. She nodded seriously and said, "Fortunately, everything happened just at the right time. Although the process was perilous, the outcome is perfect. We're all alive, while the criminal organization centered around Wu Yang and Lin Jinnan has collapsed."
Hearing the word "perfect," Guan Xia couldn't help but think of Meng Lan. She glanced at Xu Nian and asked, "Did Director Ren call you this evening? How is Meng Lan's condition? Has she woken up?"
The group's expressions, which had just begun to brighten with relief, dimmed again at this question. They all turned their concerned gazes towards Xu Nian.
Xu Nian, however, shook his head and said, "Director Ren sent me a message. Meng Lan hasn't woken up yet, but Lu Tingfeng and Meng Lan's sister have been staying by her side. Her condition hasn't worsened either. The doctor said Meng Lan has a very strong will to live, and coupled with her youth and good physical fitness, she's expected to recover and wake up before long."
No worsening was the best news. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Pang Le asked Xu Nian somewhat curiously, "It makes sense for Meng Lan's sister to stay with her, but why is Lu Tingfeng also staying by her side? I remember the two of them weren't close at all. When did they become so friendly?"
Xu Nian managed a faint smile and said, "Lu Tingfeng regrets arriving too late that day, which led to Meng Lan getting so severely injured. Director Ren has already told him it wasn't his fault, but he just can't shake off the guilt. He insists on staying until Meng Lan wakes up, saying otherwise he wouldn't have the face to see Guan Xia."
Guan Xia was baffled, wondering how this was related to her again.
Ji An, who had known Lu Tingfeng longer, understood him a bit better and explained, "Although solving the case of Lu Tingfeng's sister during the investigation of Ping An's case in Shangshuang City was somewhat accidental, from Lu Tingfeng's perspective, you still helped him immensely, even saved him in a way. That's why he feels so indebted. That's just how he is. He may seem careless and flippant on the surface, but he values loyalty more than anyone. Even though he wasn't close to Meng Lan and hasn't really opened up to you, in his eyes, you're already one of his own. Consequently, Meng Lan is too."
After Ji An's explanation, everyone finally understood. Zhong Xiaoyu remarked with feeling, "Brother Lu really is one of a kind. Others talk a lot but do little, but with Brother Lu, it's all action plus a lot of nonsense. It's only because we've been through life-and-death situations with him and understand him a bit that we get it. To an outsider, they'd probably think he's got some serious issues and isn't a good guy."
Hearing Zhong Xiaoyu's words, the others didn't react much, but Guan Xia and Pang Le instinctively exchanged a glance, finding it quite relatable.
Wasn't that true? From their very first meeting, Guan Xia had pegged Lu Tingfeng as a scheming bad guy. If not for later coincidentally working with him again because of Xu Nian, she'd probably still be highly wary of him, afraid of being used without her knowledge.
Thinking this, however, Guan Xia couldn't help but glance at Pang Le again. She remembered that in the original storyline, Pang Le and Lu Tingfeng were a couple. But looking at the current situation, not only was there no spark between them, they practically had "not acquainted" stamped on their faces.
Guan Xia couldn't help but scratch her cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed. Could it be that she, this little butterfly, had inadvertently flapped her wings and blown away their destined connection?
Guan Xia thought about it and decided to find an opportunity to sound out Pang Le. If Pang Le intended to, as per the original plot, add a beauty like Lu Tingfeng to her collection, then she wouldn't mind quietly lending a hand. But if Pang Le really had no interest in that direction, then she could only apologize to Lu Tingfeng in her heart.
After letting her mind wander for a while, Guan Xia suddenly heard Xu Nian ask her, "I noticed earlier you only seemed to have interrogated Lin Jinnan halfway. Are you going to continue tomorrow? Or will you rest at the guesthouse tonight and head straight home tomorrow?"
The others also looked at Guan Xia curiously upon hearing this. Without a moment's hesitation, Guan Xia stated firmly, "I've been away too long. Anyway, the puzzles I wanted to solve are mostly cleared up. I can apply to read Lin Jinnan's interrogation transcript later once the case is wrapped up. So, I plan to set off for home first thing tomorrow morning."
"Then I'm going back too," Pang Le was the first to respond. "I miss my home, my bed, and my gym so much."
"What about you all?" Guan Xia looked at Xu Nian, then at Ji An and Zhong Xiaoyu, asking about their plans.
Zhong Xiaoyu flexed the muscles on her arm and said, "I'm naturally going home too. Even though I don't miss my dad much, I really miss my aunt. She called me a couple of days ago saying a new private kitchen opened near her place recently, with great food and a nice atmosphere. She wants to take me to try it. She also mentioned she recently renewed my annual membership at the gym I often go to, telling me to go if I want, and if not, she'd get me a card at another gym. Even though I'm somewhat of a little rich lady now, I can't waste money like that. So, I plan to go back and make use of the membership my aunt topped up for me, and then go hang out with Pang Le."
As she spoke, Zhong Xiaoyu somewhat reluctantly hooked an arm around Pang Le's neck, looking at her with bright, eager eyes, and asked, "So? Will you welcome me then?"
Pang Le grinned and patted her arm, "Welcome, of course welcome. After all, you're not just a friend anymore, but a comrade-in-arms who's been through life and death. I'll definitely welcome you with the highest standard I can think of."
Zhong Xiaoyu also chuckled happily, "That's more like it."
The two immediately became buddy-buddy, slinging arms over shoulders. Ji An found it amusing and casually patted Zhong Xiaoyu's back before looking at Guan Xia, "I plan to return to Shangshuang City too. Although Ping An's condition has stabilized somewhat, she was imprisoned for too long. Relying solely on Ning Xin's parents is still quite challenging. I'll take this time to properly accompany her."
Wang Yu, seemingly reminded of something, suddenly asked Ji An a question, "Sister Ji, now that Ping An has been found and Ning Xin's case is solved, will you return to the police force?"
Not only Ji An was caught off guard, but everyone else was also surprised, looking at Wang Yu with some astonishment.
Ji An was also taken aback. After thinking for a few seconds, she said somewhat hesitantly, "I've never really considered this question before. But now that Ping An is back, I really should think about it. Let me give it some time. I'll tell you all once I've made up my mind."
Everyone showed expressions of surprise and delight. Zhong Xiaoyu especially looked like she wanted to say something but forcefully held back, instead patting Ji An's back reassuringly with a bit more force.
Having asked Ji An that question, Qi Bai easily thought of Lu Tingfeng and couldn't help but look at Xu Nian with some expectation, "Captain Xu, now that Brother Lu's sister's case is also solved, can he come back too?"
Xu Nian, as if he had already considered similar questions, wasn't surprised but just shook his head, "You know your Brother Lu, don't you? His thoughts are all over the place. Who knows if he'll come back? If you want an answer, you'll have to ask him yourself."
Qi Bai said somewhat disappointedly, "Alright then. Once we're back in Yongquan City, I'll ask him then."
As if suddenly remembering he hadn't answered Guan Xia's question, Xu Nian abruptly turned to look at her and said, "Although Wu Yang and Lin Jinnan have been captured, there's still a lot of work to completely dismantle the entire criminal organization. Director Ren didn't mention it, but I discussed it with him. We'll be following Captain Zhang to Jianyang City next. We'll return to Yongquan City only after the entire case is fully wrapped up."
Guan Xia wasn't surprised to hear this, just smiled and said, "It seems we won't be seeing each other for a while then. I wish you all smooth sailing. We'll have a proper gathering once you're back in Yongquan City."
Before Xu Nian could answer, Qi Bai immediately agreed, "Great, we still owe each other a night of drinking until we drop! And Sister Ji and Xiaoyu, you can't be absent either. On the day of our gathering, you absolutely have to show up; you're also among the major contributors."
Ji An didn't speak, just smiled and nodded. Zhong Xiaoyu lifted her chin and said, "Do you even have to say that? How could such an important occasion be missing me? Don't worry, we'll definitely arrive early and drink all of you under the table, haha."
Even though the gathering wasn't even on the horizon yet, the two of them started competing, each boasting about their drinking capacity, determined to outdo the other.
The others watched curiously for a while at first, but soon they were yawning one after another. Wang Yu then suggested, "It's already past 1 a.m. I checked, the earliest flight from Linchang City to Yongquan City is at 8:20. If we go to the guest house now, we can still get a few hours of sleep."
Except for Qi Bai and Zhong Xiaoyu, who were still arguing about who could drink more, everyone else nodded, "Alright, alright, let's go back to sleep. We're exhausted."
Leaving the two energetic ones behind, Guan Xia and Xu Nian led the way out.
While going downstairs, Guan Xia suddenly remembered something and asked Xu Nian again, "By the way, how are your injured colleagues? Have they passed the critical stage?"
A faint smile appeared on Xu Nian's face as she said, "It was a close call, but they're all awake now. Except for one whose injury location will affect his future frontline work, the others can return to duty as soon as they fully recover."
Xu Nian was genuinely happy for her colleagues, but Guan Xia found it hard to smile. For a criminal police officer, no longer being able to work on the frontline and having to transfer to a logistics position was already a very serious consequence.
Perhaps sensing Guan Xia's sadness, Xu Nian gently patted her shoulder in comfort. "Compared to the results of our work, this outcome is already quite perfect. At least everyone is still alive; no one sacrificed their life."
Only then did Guan Xia perk up a little. Yes, although there were imperfections, compared to the original plot's ending, this could be considered perfect. At least everyone was alive, and the future was still promising.
Guan Xia walked out of the office building, looked up at the high-hanging bright moon, and suddenly felt her mood lift.
All the gloom had passed; they had already welcomed a bright tomorrow. Not to mention, the future was promising. When Meng Lan wakes up again, it will be the best ending.
She liked this ending too.
End of Main Story.
The main story ends here. There will be a few extra chapters/epilogues next. Thank you to every little angel who followed along this far. Love you all.
