After receiving the news from Xu Nian, Pang Le stayed overnight at Guan Xia’s place, not even having time to go back and fetch her luggage.
Initially, Guan Xia thought it would be like the case at the end of April—where the two of them would have to stick together until the case was solved. But the next morning, as Guan Xia was applying skincare and discussing with Pang Le when to go to her place to pick up her things, Xu Nian called.
"It’s fine now," Xu Nian said straight away. "Xia Wenguang followed you to the parking spot last night and watched you leave, but he didn’t take any further action. We monitored him all night just to be safe, and we’re certain he hasn’t targeted you."
Guan Xia was startled but then let out a huge sigh of relief. "That’s good, that’s good. You scared me to death."
She pressed further, "Isn’t he from Jianyang City? And according to the information you gave me last time, doesn’t he usually commit crimes between September, October, and November? Why did he come to Yongquan City in May?"
Xu Nian explained, "We recently uncovered a case in Quchun City from October 2021. A woman reported that she suspected she was being followed. The local police checked the surveillance footage near her residence and indeed found a suspicious man who seemed to be stalking her. However, the man was wearing a cap and a mask, deliberately avoiding the cameras, so his face wasn’t captured. The subsequent investigation turned up nothing, and the case was eventually dropped. The task force’s experts have confirmed that, based on his gait and posture, the man was most likely Xia Wenguang."
Guan Xia took a moment to process this. "So, after 2019, he was indeed following his usual pattern and preparing to strike again in 2021, but the woman’s alertness and report scared him off. But this is 2024—did he not act in 2023?"
Xu Nian replied, "He was in a car accident in late August 2023 and fractured his right leg. He was in a cast until early November."
Guan Xia finally understood. "No wonder he couldn’t resist coming out as early as May this time. Honestly, we should thank the driver who hit him in 2023—they indirectly saved a life."
She sighed. "Well, what a bizarre coincidence that I got caught up in this. I’ll just stay indoors until he’s caught."
Xu Nian paused before adding, "Actually, it wasn’t you. After analyzing the case, we believe Xia Wenguang was targeting Pang Le. Based on the previous cases, his victims are usually young women who wear light-colored dresses, don’t dye or perm their hair, and appear gentle and well-behaved."
Guan Xia was taken aback and instinctively glanced at Pang Le, recalling what they had worn the night before.
Pang Le had uncharacteristically worn an ethereal white dress and straightened her hair. She never dyed her hair, and after spending two hours on a natural-looking makeup look, she fit Xu Nian’s description of the killer’s preferred target perfectly. As for Guan Xia? She had left the house in a hurry, wearing a plain T-shirt and pants with no makeup.
From last night until now, Guan Xia had been puzzled about why her "protective aura" had seemingly worn off after barely ten days, only to realize it wasn’t her—she had just been collateral damage.
Relieved by this realization, Guan Xia felt her worries melt away. At least the "aura’s" rules, though still unclear, weren’t as short-lived as she feared.
After thanking Xu Nian and hanging up, Pang Le, who had been holding back her curiosity, immediately asked, "What’s going on? Was that Xu Nian?"
Guan Xia nodded, amused. "Xu Nian told me the killer followed us to the parking lot but didn’t go further. And he wasn’t after me—it was you."
Pang Le looked as if she had misheard, her expression blank for a moment before she muttered in disbelief, "What? He was after me? Well, his taste isn’t bad, I guess."
She added regretfully, "Too bad he didn’t keep following. A legal chance to beat someone up, just gone like that."
Guan Xia smacked her arm in frustration. "You’re actually disappointed? He’s a murderer—a serial killer! No matter how skilled you are, a knife can still take you down. Aren’t you afraid of slipping up? Guys like him are cunning, ruthless, and know how to evade detection."
Pang Le waved her off. "I know, I know. I’m not stupid—I value my life. But with the police watching, I felt pretty confident."
Guan Xia ignored her and changed clothes. "Now that the alert’s lifted, we don’t need to go to your place for your stuff. Are you leaving now, or after breakfast?"
Pang Le didn’t hesitate. "After breakfast."
Guan Xia took a bag of dumplings from the fridge and cooked enough for both of them.
As they were about to leave, Guan Xia remembered something and asked Pang Le, "By the way, do you know any retired or former police officers?"
Pang Le, bending down to adjust her white sneakers, glanced up and thought for a moment. "No, why?"
Guan Xia answered vaguely, "Just wanted to ask about something."
Pang Le eyed her suspiciously. "Is this about Lu Tingfeng?"
Guan Xia hesitated. She had a theory she wanted to confirm, and while it was somewhat related, it wasn’t the main point.
After a pause, she said, "No. The collaboration idea we discussed earlier wasn’t very reliable, so I thought of looking up similar cases online. But I didn’t find much, so I wanted to consult a professional."
Before Pang Le could respond, Guan Xia preemptively added, "I know Xu Nian is a professional too, but his team is busy with a case right now. I didn’t want to bother him with random questions."
Pang Le laughed. "You don’t have to explain so much. I just don’t want you interacting with Lu Tingfeng—other than that, I don’t care."
After slipping on both shoes, Pang Le frowned in thought before saying, "Actually, I remember something. A few years ago, my dad got really into tai chi sword and met an old man who retired from the police force. He used to share weird cases he’d heard about. Let me call my dad today to confirm, and I’ll let you know."
Guan Xia felt both grateful and a little embarrassed. "Thank you so much, Pang Le. I—"
Before she could finish, Pang Le playfully shoved her head. "Have you been watching too many dramas lately? Why are you getting all sentimental? Cut it out—saying thanks between us is just insulting."
Guan Xia immediately stopped, and Pang Le grinned in satisfaction.
The two of them went downstairs together. Pang Le drove off, while Guan Xia took a short walk around the neighborhood. Seeing that it was about time, she began her morning workout as usual.
However, today, perhaps due to lingering paranoia, Guan Xia couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her as she jogged. But whenever she turned to look, she couldn’t spot anyone suspicious.
It was Sunday, so the neighborhood was livelier than usual. Elderly residents strolled with their grandchildren, some carried groceries, others chatted leisurely, and a few played with their kids—all behaving perfectly normally.
To confirm whether it was just her imagination, Guan Xia mechanically ran another lap, her full attention focused on her surroundings. She carefully observed everyone in her peripheral vision but found nothing out of the ordinary. Only then did she finally relax.
Still, just to be safe, Guan Xia hesitated for a few seconds after returning home before deciding to call Xu Nian.
Xu Nian answered with his usual greeting, "Guan Xia, what’s up?"
Guan Xia waited a few seconds. When the familiar system interface didn’t appear, she replied, relieved, "Oh, nothing. My phone must’ve dialed you by accident in my pocket. Sorry about that, Xu Nian."
Xu Nian, ever good-natured, said, "No problem. As long as you’re okay. I’ll hang up now, but call me if you need anything."
Setting her phone aside, Guan Xia sank comfortably into the couch.
Though she’d cursed the system countless times in her mind for activating so late after her transmigration, she had to admit—ever since learning that this world was a fusion of crime investigation stories, the system’s passive function had given her a sense of security, allowing her to gauge whether danger lurked nearby.
Pang Le had always been efficient. After promising to call her dad that morning, she delivered a phone number by evening.
Before Guan Xia could even open the message, Pang Le called.
Pang Le said, "I had my dad talk to his old friend. You can ask whatever you want. Dad says the old man retired from the military and then worked at a police station his whole career—handled more bizarre cases than you can count. When I called Dad earlier, he even shared one: back in the day, the old man caught a drug addict in his district who, when high, loved wiping down cars in the neighborhood with a ragged cloth. Over time, residents stopped parking in the garage to avoid him, leading to constant fights over street parking. The security and property managers got so fed up they tracked the guy down, only to realize he was a drug user. After his arrest, the residents spent years complaining about the security and management."
Guan Xia couldn’t help but laugh. "Seriously? If he was so diligent, why even take drugs?"
Pang Le chuckled. "No idea. But Dad said during the interrogation, the guy insisted he wasn’t wiping cars—he was ‘giving beautiful women baths.’"
The two of them laughed for a while before Pang Le urged, "Enough chit-chat. Call the old man soon if you have questions. Any later and he’ll be heading to bed."
Guan Xia checked the time—nearly 9 PM—so she hurriedly pulled out the case photos she’d collected online over the past few days, all from areas she’d lived in or visited. After carefully reviewing them twice, she dialed the number.
She already had her excuse ready. Now, she just needed to test her theory.
The phone rang for over ten seconds before an elderly man answered loudly, "Hello, who’s this?"
Guan Xia held the receiver slightly away from her ear. "Hello, my name is Guan Xia. I—"
Before she could finish her prepared introduction, the old man cut in, "Oh, it’s you! You’re Pang Le’s friend, right?"
Guan Xia quickly confirmed, "Yes, that’s me."
The old man said, "Her dad called me earlier. I know why you’re calling. Go ahead—what did you want to ask?"
Her carefully crafted lead-in wasn’t even necessary. Thrilled, Guan Xia waited a few seconds. When the system interface still didn’t appear, she delivered her rehearsed excuse: "Well, sir, I’m an artist. Pang Le mentioned you spent your career in law enforcement, with vast experience combating crime. I was hoping to learn from you..."
The old man was indeed enthusiastic. He spoke animatedly for over an hour, only hanging up when his wife repeatedly urged him to sleep.
Before the call ended, Guan Xia even heard him grumble, "Finally found a young person willing to listen to my stories, and you just had to interrupt. Unbelievable."
The old man had enjoyed himself, and so had Guan Xia. Unlike the grim cases Xu Nian and the others often dealt with, the stories shared were lighter and oddly amusing.
In fact, Guan Xia was so engrossed she nearly forgot her original purpose—until she glanced at the stack of photos on the coffee table and snapped back to reality.
Despite the days that had passed, Guan Xia couldn’t shake her unease about Lu Tingfeng triggering the system despite having left the police force.
At first, she wondered if the system had a bug or an overly broad definition of "police." But recalling how the system had previously provided detailed suspect profiles and clues, she doubted it was that unreliable. Then, while reading a crime novel recently, an idea struck her.
In the story, the protagonist left the force after a case but later teamed up with another detective to solve crimes. Though no longer an officer, his dedication to justice remained unchanged.
That’s why she’d made tonight’s call. She believed the old man, even retired, still held the same convictions as in his youth.
If the photos could trigger the system but the old man didn’t, what set him apart from Lu Tingfeng? After a moment’s thought, Guan Xia landed on an answer: action.
Of course, this was just a hypothesis. To confirm it, she’d need to test the photos with Xu Nian once he was free. If it worked, her theory would hold.
