Two sudden incidents, both quite thorny and enough to make one's scalp tingle just thinking about them, left Guan Xia and Pang Le with little to do but wait for updates. After discussing it briefly in the car, the two eventually went their separate ways.
Though the trip to Fu'an City hadn’t been long, Guan Xia felt as if she’d been away for ages. With her knee still injured, she had to pause her workouts, so she slept like a log for two full days before finally feeling somewhat recovered. It had been over two years since she last pulled an all-nighter after finishing her comic, and suddenly enduring several sleepless nights left her utterly drained.
Her mind was no longer as tense, but whenever Guan Xia had downtime to binge shows or read novels, she couldn’t help but recall the young woman she’d seen at the airport that day. On top of that, Ji An had left without a word, leaving Guan Xia restless no matter what she did.
Pang Le was clearly in the same boat. Even though he’d returned to his usual routine, hitting the gym daily, he couldn’t resist calling Guan Xia every now and then. No matter how casual their conversations started, they always circled back to those two unsettling matters.
Fortunately, Xu Nian soon delivered an update—though it wasn’t what Guan Xia had expected.
"No cases at all?" Guan Xia asked, surprised, after Xu Nian finished relaying the findings.
"Right," Xu Nian replied over the phone. "I checked with Director Ren, and to be thorough, he also consulted the deputy director in charge of criminal investigations at the municipal bureau. In the month before that woman left, Yongquan City hadn’t seen any murders with clean, efficient methods that suggested an experienced killer. We also did a quick background check on the woman. Her name is Yao Qingyan, 33, from Yongquan City. She owns a small bar on Taoli Road. Due to her line of work, her social connections are relatively complex, but she has no prior record or suspicious financial activity. However, we did uncover something unusual."
Before Guan Xia could press further, Xu Nian continued, "Yao Qingyan’s father, stepmother, and stepsister all died in a car accident eight years ago. The crash was caused by a driver running a red light. All three victims succumbed to their injuries. The vehicle involved in the accident was found three days later, but the driver was already dead. Based on the scene and a suicide note, it appeared to be a suicide, but a second autopsy revealed suspicious marks on the driver’s body, suggesting he was actually murdered."
The twist was startling, and Guan Xia immediately connected the dots. Hesitantly, she ventured, "Could this be how that organization recruits its members?"
Lu Manqing’s case had escalated due to his silencing, and while Guan Xia didn’t know the specifics, just from Feng Xingping, Zhang Weiyan, and now Yao Qingyan, it was clear this pattern wasn’t an isolated incident. Lu Manqing must have had a similar case tied to him.
Recalling the general details of Feng Xingping and Zhang Weiyan’s cases, Guan Xia speculated, "The three who died in the crash were Yao Qingyan’s father, stepmother, and stepsister. Did all three have some grudge against her? What about her mother? Is she still alive? Was her parents’ divorce amicable? And the driver framed as a suicide—was he silenced? Was the case ever solved?"
Even as she asked, Guan Xia already sensed the answer.
Sure enough, Xu Nian said, "The case remains unsolved to this day. As for Yao Qingyan’s mother, she passed away when Yao was ten—also in a car accident. Her father was driving at the time, and they were arguing when he sped into a streetlight, causing the car to flip and catch fire. Yao’s father escaped alone, making no attempt to save his wife. Bystanders tried to help but were too late—her mother burned to death inside the car."
Guan Xia was speechless for a long moment before finally murmuring, "Her mother’s death was so horrific, and her father was not only responsible but also stood by and watched his wife die. No wonder Yao Qingyan hated him. But what about the stepmother and stepsister? Were they collateral damage, or were they involved in her mother’s death too?"
Xu Nian didn’t answer directly, instead adding, "Forensic tests later confirmed that Yao Qingyan’s father and her stepsister were biologically related—she was actually his daughter from another relationship, making her Yao’s half-sister."
Guan Xia exhaled sharply. "No wonder all three ended up dead. Oh, right—if there are no cases in Yongquan City tied to Yao Qingyan, what about her destination city? The police must have been tailing her. It’s been days with no updates, so she probably wasn’t there to kill anyone."
Xu Nian said, "According to colleagues in Yuntian City, they’ve been surveilling Yao Qingyan since she landed, but nothing suspicious has turned up. Aside from catching her boyfriend cheating on her first day at the hotel, she’s mostly been shopping."
"Cheating?" Guan Xia’s expression turned odd. She remembered Yao Qingyan’s hurried strides at the airport—if she wasn’t rushing to kill someone, then she must have been in a hurry to confront her unfaithful partner.
Xu Nian confirmed, "To verify, Yuntian’s team checked the man’s details. They were indeed in a relationship, though it hadn’t been long—less than six months."
Hearing that timeline and recalling Yao Qingyan’s flawless figure, Guan Xia couldn’t help but scoff. Not only was the guy a scumbag, but he also had no appreciation for beauty. With someone as stunning as Yao Qingyan, how could he still cheat?
After that brief distraction, Guan Xia refocused entirely on Yao Qingyan. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Even though the current evidence doesn’t paint her as suspicious, the unresolved case tied to her reminds me too much of Feng Xingping and the silenced Lu Manqing. Didn’t you say Lu’s case was escalated, with a provincial task force formed? Would Yao Qingyan’s appearance count as a new lead?"
Xu Nian replied, "The provincial bureau is already aware. I don’t know if they’ve taken action, but judging from Director Ren’s hints, Yao Qingyan has likely been added to the task force’s investigation scope."
That put Guan Xia at ease. An organization of that scale was something she dared not provoke, but as long as it remained intact, it was a constant source of unease—especially with a suspected member spotted in her own city. At least they weren’t in the same district, or she might’ve seriously considered selling her place and moving elsewhere.
The thought struck her as oddly familiar, and after a few seconds, she realized why. Not long ago, she’d been relieved that the organization’s suspected headquarters was in another city. Now, she was just glad its members weren’t in her neighborhood. Had her tolerance really increased that much in such a short time?
After some random musings, Guan Xia began analyzing whether her system could be of any use regarding the cold case connected to Yao Qingyan. After just a few seconds of thought, she gave up. That case was from eight years ago—back then, Guan Xia was still in high school in her hometown, Quiming City. She hadn’t even been to Yongquan City, let alone discovered any clues.
Once she confirmed that Yao Qingyan wasn’t going to commit murder and was already under the surveillance of the task force, Guan Xia put the matter out of her mind entirely. Her focus shifted entirely to Ji An’s safety, whether her investigation was progressing smoothly, and when it might conclude.
Several days had passed since her "halo" had last recharged. According to Guan Xia’s personal schedule, it was about time to start preliminary investigations for the next cold case revival.
She wanted to ask Ji An about her situation but feared distracting her. After hesitating for a long time, she finally set her phone down.
While trying to patiently wait, Guan Xia received another call from Xu Nian. This time, it was about a team-building event for their Second Unit. Qi Bai had been impatiently waiting, constantly complaining in the group chat, so they had finally managed to set a date.
Xu Nian also explained to Guan Xia, "Originally, we planned to hold the team-building right after returning. The location was already booked, but due to some adjustments in our unit’s work, Director Ren held several days of meetings for us. We only just freed up time in the last couple of days."
"Work adjustments?" Guan Xia was surprised and curious. "Are you getting promoted?"
Xu Nian chuckled. "Actually, it’s somewhat related to you. But since it’s not finalized yet, I can’t say much. However, from Director Ren’s tone, we’ll know the results by tomorrow at the latest. So, we can talk about it in person tomorrow."
Guan Xia knew Xu Nian wasn’t the type to play coy—if he said it wasn’t the right time to discuss, then it really wasn’t. She didn’t press further and simply agreed with a smile.
After hanging up, she mentioned the team-building event to Pang Le, and soon, the next day arrived.
This time, Pang Le didn’t drive, instead riding with Guan Xia in Xu Nian’s car. By the time they reached the destination, the rest of the Second Unit had already gathered.
The team-building was held in a villa area near Cuiping Mountain, a place specifically designed for leisure and vacations. The villas weren’t far apart, but the high walls between them ensured privacy. With the distant green mountains and fresh air, even Guan Xia, who had been feeling somewhat anxious, found herself relaxing as she sat down on a chair in the courtyard.
Despite still wearing a cast and needing crutches to walk, Qi Bai’s enthusiasm hadn’t dimmed in the slightest. By the time Guan Xia and Pang Le entered the courtyard, the grill was already set up, and Qi Bai was happily tending to the charcoal with one leg propped up, ensuring it stayed at the perfect temperature for barbecue.
Grinning broadly, he greeted the two cheerfully before returning to his task.
Guan Xia glanced around and moved to sit beside Wang Yu to help, but Wang Yu swiftly handed her an orange and pressed her back into a chair. "You’re our VIP today. This team-building is mainly to thank you—we can’t have you working. Just sit back, relax, and chat with us. That’s help enough."
Feeling awkward about sitting idle, Guan Xia tried to insist, but just as her fingers brushed against a skewer, Wang Yu called out, "Captain Xu, I can’t stop Guan Xia—she insists on helping! You talk some sense into her!"
Guan Xia froze mid-motion and turned to see Xu Nian walking over with an amused expression. "If you can’t stop her, what makes you think I can?"
Still, he obliged, saying, "Wang Yu’s right. This event is to thank you. We’ve already divided the tasks beforehand—your only job is to rest."
Just as Guan Xia was about to protest, Xu Nian paused and added, "But if you’re really bored, I can show you something."
Her curiosity piqued, Guan Xia asked, "What is it?"
Xu Nian excused himself for a few minutes and returned with a file folder. Handing it to her, he pulled up a chair beside her and began deftly threading meat onto skewers. "Ji An called me a few days ago and asked for this favor. She said she might be away for a while, and since no one else was free, she had to ask me."
As Xu Nian spoke, Guan Xia already had a hunch. Opening the folder, she confirmed it—inside were basic details about some cases.
Xu Nian reassured her, "Don’t worry, none of these case files are classified. They’re all selected based on your life trajectory over the years. Take a look and see if anything jogs your memory."
As Guan Xia skimmed through the documents, she suddenly remembered Xu Nian’s words from the previous afternoon. "By the way, yesterday you mentioned adjustments in your unit’s work and said the results would be out today. So? Any updates?"
Before Xu Nian could answer, Wang Yu eagerly cut in, "It’s settled! From now on, we’re officially your partners. Whenever you need us, we’ll be there."
Guan Xia blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Xu Nian explained, "Director Ren made adjustments to our unit based on your unique circumstances, and the city bureau has approved it. No matter where you uncover case-related clues, as long as there’s a direction for investigation, we’ll assist in pursuing it. If it’s outside Yongquan City, we’ll coordinate with local police to ensure the case progresses without interference."
Guan Xia stared at him, stunned. "What? That’s possible?"
Beyond shock, she felt a strange sense of unreality. She knew Director Ren trusted her, but she never imagined it would go this far—directly assigning Xu Nian’s Second Unit to support her in solving cases. Was this what it meant to live in a world blending crime fiction and reality? The boldness of this decision was nothing short of breathtaking.
