After hesitating for a while, Yan finally made up her mind and sent a message to Officer Zheng Yi.
To avoid making it too awkward, she first sent a cute dog sticker.
[Yan]: [Puppy peeking.jpg]
[Yan]: Officer Zheng Yi, are you still hiring part-timers lately?
Officer Zheng Yi didn’t reply immediately, but Yan wasn’t in a hurry.
She and Jue Jue sat in the fruit tea shop for a while, discussing their plans while sipping their drinks, which were now more than half-finished.
"Brother Fan hasn’t returned to the dorm yet. He’s been spending time with his daughter, touring the city, and only coming back today."
"Ping An went to Chang’an City for the winter break and won’t be back until today too."
"Yuan Ye already asked for my Steam wishlist in advance—my birthday’s coming up," Jue Jue said.
Hearing this, Yan sighed. "Same here. Ding Ling just asked about my shopping cart yesterday."
"If I don’t give them a wishlist myself, I’m honestly scared of what they’ll get me."
Yan could already imagine Ding Ling gifting her some mystical artifact, Sui Sui splurging on a six-figure bracelet, or the ultra-wealthy Bing Bing going all out…
She was genuinely overwhelmed!
Though among close friends, they might not care about the disparity in gift values when reciprocating, the gap was still hard for Yan to ignore.
"So we should just pick things ourselves—daily essentials, small decorations, or accessories, preferably around two or three hundred yuan."
"We can decide later whether to have dinner a day before or after the birthday."
Back in high school, birthday gifts were unavoidable whenever classmates celebrated. Almost the entire class would be invited to birthday parties.
Back then, the two of them had struggled with gift choices. Compared to their private-school classmates, their family backgrounds couldn’t compete, so they had to focus on personal preferences instead.
Brand-name pens, luxury perfumes, scented candles, high-end accessories, official anime figures, collectible dolls, or even blind box sets—these were safe choices, but they drained their wallets.
As scholarship students, they hadn’t paid a single cent during their three years of high school. In fact, they’d earned six-figure sums from various school scholarships. Combined with their parents’ allowances, Yan and Jue Jue had managed to keep up with the social expectations.
Some classmates, aware of their limited spending money, would deliberately request handmade gifts—like a painted fan, a scroll inscribed by the "academic genius," or even bringing their own stones for Jue Jue to carve seals. Eventually, seal-carving became a trend in their class, with everyone wanting one. They even ended up earning extra cash from commissions and overtime fees… Somehow, they’d accidentally made money from it.
Looking back now, it was all thanks to their classmates’ kindness.
Given their families’ wealth, they could’ve easily hired professionals for calligraphy, paintings, or seal carvings. Why wait for their classmates to do it?
All that talk about "academic blessings" or "love blessings" was just their way of discreetly helping them out.
The pedestrian streets and malls were crowded, and the evening subway rush was in full swing. Yan and Jue Jue boarded the train back to campus at 3 p.m.
Luckily, they found seats. By then, Officer Zheng Yi had replied.
With the subway noisy and packed, they quietly discussed while looking at the chat on Yan’s phone.
"She wants to meet, but she’s busy these next two days—Tuesday or Wednesday," Yan whispered.
"The performance is on Friday," Jue Jue reminded her.
Yan nodded slightly. "We’ll figure it out when we meet. Maybe we can arrange it on campus. With her abilities, she might notice something unusual."
Though Yan didn’t know the specifics of Officer Zheng Yi’s "aura," she was certain it had unique properties.
For now, she just hoped He Xing wouldn’t run into any trouble on campus—at least not before Officer Zheng Yi arrived.
…
Zheng Yi was currently in Bin City. The moment the old case involving the Xie family wrapped up, she immediately flew back.
This wasn’t because of a new case, but because her talent for sniffing out traitors was too valuable. With the upcoming World Forum in Bin City and a sudden influx of foreign visitors, a sister agency had requested her assistance.
Her "good-and-evil radar" had grown more powerful over time. Initially limited to a five-meter radius, it now spanned five hundred meters—especially effective against serious criminals.
However, using it to identify undercover traitors was trickier.
Some hadn’t committed any crimes yet; some even worked ordinary jobs to support themselves.
Through trial and error, Zheng Yi had gradually mastered the radar’s nuances.
She had just finished her rounds inspecting the venue for the day and finally had a moment to check her phone. When she saw the message on WeChat, her brows twitched slightly.
Especially when she noticed the question asking, "Are you still hiring part-timers?"
For a brief moment, Zheng Yi was at a loss.
Was this young couple suddenly short on cash and looking to earn some extra money? Or was their reaction time just a bit too slow?
But the next second, delight spread across Zheng Yi’s face.
She had always said—when had her poaching ever failed?
Talent was about to fall into her hands.
Recruiting them would be as easy as turning over her palm.
With just a light swing of her metaphorical shovel, she’d scoop out the prized asset from someone else’s pot.
Zheng Yi was in high spirits, though tomorrow’s work assignments had already been handed down, leaving her no time to meet with the couple just yet.
"Could it be that the Special Case Unit’s informant fees are too low?" she wondered.
That didn’t seem right. Just yesterday, she had met with Lan Ruo and even seen "Xie Jin" at the Special Case Unit.
This was Zheng Yi’s first time encountering a "ghost victim." She’d heard that Lan Ruo would be making a sizable donation on Xie Jin’s behalf, hoping to sponsor both the Cold Case Unit and the Special Case Unit.
Barring any surprises, the funds would go to the Special Groups Support Foundation—essentially, subsidies for resources consumed by ghost victims. Of course, she’d also heard there were other species involved, though the specifics weren’t clear to her.
Given the couple’s family backgrounds—at least based on the information Zheng Yi had—they shouldn’t be hurting for money.
Maybe they were just restless and looking for something to do? Taking on another part-time job?
Or perhaps they’d run into a problem the Special Case Unit couldn’t solve?
Zheng Yi’s thoughts raced. After all, the Special Case Unit dealt with unusual cases involving non-standard suspects. Ordinary cases fell under the jurisdiction of local police.
She kept her speculations to herself. Her contact with the couple was through public social apps, not internal platforms, making further communication difficult. She’d have to wait until they met to see whether they genuinely wanted part-time work or had something else in mind.
Time flew, and soon it was Tuesday. Coincidentally, Yan had been wondering where to meet Officer Zheng Yi when the latter suggested Bin University herself.
It was just the start of the semester, and both Yan and Jue Jue had three classes on Tuesday, so they settled on 5 PM.
After their last class ended, they’d have half an hour to walk over and grab a bite to eat.
[Yan]: How will you get onto campus? The school’s tightened security—visitors need approval, and students use facial recognition.
[Zheng Yi]: I’m here on assignment, so I have a security pass.
[Yan]: 0-0
Yan and Jue Jue met Officer Zheng Yi at the university gates. She looked just as she had the last time they’d seen her—wearing an unremarkable down jacket that blended into any crowd. Even on a college campus, Zheng Yi’s face gave no hint of her age, easily passing for an upperclassman.
"Offi—" Yan caught herself mid-word.
They were on campus, and Zheng Yi was here on some kind of assignment. Calling her "Officer" outright might draw unwanted attention.
"Sis Zheng, over here," she quickly corrected.
Zheng Yi waved casually at them, hands stuffed in her pockets as she ambled over.
"Long time no see."
She stopped beside Yan, eyeing the couple’s backpacks with a slight raise of her brows.
"Just got out of class? Haven’t eaten yet, right? Show me around your cafeteria?"
Yan had been fretting over how to broach the subject with Officer Zheng Yi, but the latter seemed far more at ease than she was.
After a moment’s thought, Yan said, "Let’s go to the smaller cafeterias near the Agriculture and Engineering colleges. Fewer familiar faces there."
Her dorm usually ate at the South District cafeteria, but when she and Jue Jue were together, they picked whichever dining hall suited their mood.
At this hour, classes were already over. Though Yi Zhi was in the Agriculture College, she usually took food back to her dorm in the evenings, so there was little risk of running into her.
Hearing Yan’s preference for a less crowded spot, Zheng Yi’s eyes flickered with understanding. She nodded agreeably.
"Guests follow the host’s lead. I’ll go wherever you take me."
Curious, Yan asked, "Sis Zheng, you’re here on assignment? Is it… a case?"
Given Officer Zheng Yi’s line of work, the fact that she had a security pass set Yan’s mind racing.
Had a senior committed suicide over winter break under suspicious circumstances? Or was there another case with hidden complexities?
"Nothing like that. Just routine security—your school’s hosting a foreign dignitary," Zheng Yi replied succinctly.
Mostly, she was here to screen for potential threats and suspicious individuals, but there was no need to go into detail.
Yan glanced at Jue Jue—she wasn’t the type to keep up with such news.
Zhu Jue spoke up then: "There should be. There’s a forum coming up soon. The Foreign Languages Department’s been recruiting student volunteers, but I’m not sure who exactly is coming."
Yan rubbed her chin. If they were sending Officer Zheng Yi for security, the visitor must be a big deal—definitely overkill for a minor event!
At this moment, walking through the school gates toward the campus, Zheng Yi found herself moving against the flow of professors and teachers heading home after work, as well as students going out for evening fun.
Strolling through the university grounds with keen interest, Zheng Yi kept her "Morality Radar" active, watching as countless little "safe" dots flickered across her vision.
"Zheng Yi, did you go to police school before?" Yan initiated the conversation.
"Yes," Zheng Yi nodded.
"At Xia Country Public Security University in Ning City."
There was a time when Zheng Yi wondered if her parents naming her "Yi" (justice) had somehow destined her to encounter incidents throughout her life.
Like the time she tripped a fleeing thief on the street—only to later be tracked down by the grateful victim and hailed as a "young hero who stood up for justice."
Or when she shielded a fellow student from a flasher on the bus, then took advantage of a familiar bump in the road to deliver a well-aimed kick to the creep's groin before calmly instructing the driver to stop at the nearest police station.
Helping elderly pedestrians cross at traffic lights, punching out bullies who tried to extort classmates, borrowing a phone from bystanders to call the police—it was all in a day's work for her.
Zheng Yi never considered these acts particularly heroic. To her, it was simply a matter of stepping in when she saw injustice.
But the gratitude piled up—victims thanking her at home, at school, even her hometown police station awarding her the title "Guardian of Justice."
And on the day she received that commendation, Zheng Yi gained her golden finger—the "Heaven-Sent Justice System."
Originally, she hadn't given much thought to her future career. An ordinary life with enough income to get by would've sufficed. Her parents had successfully transitioned their martial arts school into a new business and clearly didn't expect their daughter to inherit what might soon become a failing venture.
But with "Heaven-Sent Justice" now part of her life, Zheng Yi decided—she would become a police officer. That was the best way to honor this gift.
Good steel should be used for blades, and serving as an officer would let this system shine brightest.
So step by step, she walked this path—living up to her name, Zheng Yi, by upholding justice.
"You went to Public Security University? I heard from a high school friend that years ago, there was this legendary upperclasswoman—aced every subject, had professors fighting to mentor her, but chose to join the frontline police force right after graduation. Then she just... disappeared into some classified work," Yan said, eyes sparkling.
Zheng Yi coughed lightly. "Mhm."
Back in college, she hadn't yet learned the value of keeping a low profile. With the system's help mastering every subject, topping every class came easily.
She'd also tested the system's abilities relentlessly—always alert in public, using her Morality Radar to scan surroundings. Grabbing wanted criminals while out shopping with classmates became routine.
Of course, she couldn't explain the radar. Claiming she'd memorized the entire fugitive database only spawned wilder rumors—like her brain being a walking intelligence vault. To this day, professors at her alma mater still used her as an example to inspire new students.
Now, Zheng Yi had embraced discretion.
In her line of work, standing out was the last thing you wanted.
She casually shared a few unclassified cases with the young couple—some involving special circumstances, others famous unsolved mysteries circulating online.
As Yan and Jue Jue listened, Zheng Yi's retelling focused on evidence, motives, methods, outcomes, and sentencing—methodical and grounded, stripped of the dramatic twists and speculative flair found online. It just made police work sound exhausting.
By the time they finished talking, they'd reached their destination—the cafeteria building.
But then, Yan, Jue Jue, and Zheng Yi all froze.
Yan and Jue Jue spotted a familiar face. "Brother Fan?"
Lin Fan—Jue Jue's roommate, the legendary reborn special forces king—was inexplicably loitering near this cafeteria.
This location wasn't close to the northern district. Besides, Lin Fan was notoriously unfussy about food, never going out of his way for meals.
Yet here he was, seemingly not for the cafeteria but the print shop by its entrance.
Lin Fan stood at the print shop's doorway. When he noticed the trio, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
Justice—the younger version of Justice herself—why was she here? And with his roommate and his girlfriend?
Zheng Yi studied her Morality Radar, her gaze sharpening.
The young man with military bearing appeared acquainted with her two companions.
On her radar, he registered as an ally—marked red, indicating he belonged to their side, though she didn't know which branch.
Meanwhile, just steps away inside that print shop, the radar's specially tagged "bounty" symbol—denoting a 500,000 reward target—was blinking insistently.
She understood why the young couple had reached out to her and why they insisted on meeting at this particular cafeteria.
Five hundred grand was on the line.
A job had come in—and with it, money.
This wasn’t within the Special Case Unit’s jurisdiction, which explained why they’d contacted her instead.
But now the question was: The person on the other end was clearly a colleague from some department or another. Should she take the job for herself—or let it go?
