Up on the floor where Jane had been undercover, most of the police force stationed nearby had already withdrawn, leaving only a small team led by Zhu Yuan to clean up the scene.
On the high-rise building that had been infected by the Corruption, the investigating officers were all in low spirits.
After all, they had worked tirelessly all day, thinking they were about to catch a big fish, only to find out they had been played for fools.
No one would be happy in this situation.
When there was no one else around, Jane looked at her new captain apologetically. After a moment's hesitation, she spoke up:
"I'm sorry, Zhu Yuan. This failure is on me. I made so many officers' efforts go to waste, all for nothing."
Zhu Yuan, who was examining the corroded parts of the building, immediately retorted with a serious expression upon hearing Jane's words:
"Who said it was a waste of effort?"
Zhu Yuan stopped handling her inspection device and turned to Jane, who was remaining at the scene in the guise of a criminal to assist with forensics.
"This plan was clearly premeditated. It would have happened with or without you. But without your infiltration, we would have been caught completely off guard, and the Corruption would have caused far more severe consequences."
"Not to mention, you disregarded your own safety to lead all those Corruption chains to the rooftop, ensuring that not a single person was harmed in this attack."
Zhu Yuan's tone was earnest; she wasn't just trying to comfort Jane, she truly believed it.
"So, don't say you're sorry again."
Just then, a clear female voice suddenly came from nearby.
"That's right, Miss Jane. Regardless of the outcome, your role was crucial. You mustn't sell yourself short."
Having heard no footsteps, Zhu Yuan and Jane immediately gripped their weapons, whirling toward the source of the voice.
But upon seeing who it was, they both relaxed and let out a sigh of relief.
Yixuan was standing behind them, having appeared out of nowhere. Seeing them turn with weapons in hand, she showed no alarm and simply waved a greeting.
Seeing that it was Yixuan, who already knew Jane's true identity, Zhu Yuan clutched her ample chest in lingering fear.
Jane's identity was sensitive. No matter what, the fewer people who knew, the better.
After all, the fewer people who knew, the safer she was.
Zhu Yuan said with some trepidation:
"Miss Yixuan, please don't scare us like that. It would be bad if a weapon accidentally discharged."
Yixuan, however, was unconcerned, simply chuckling as she replied:
"Don't worry, even if a gun did go off, it wouldn't hurt me."
"No, that's not what I'm talking about…"
Yixuan ignored Zhu Yuan's helpless voice, her expression turning serious once more.
"Speaking of which, have you found their real target yet?"
At this, Zhu Yuan frowned in frustration and said:
"No, the entire Janus District is currently normal. We haven't received a single report of anything unusual."
"We've already assigned other officers to conduct a sweep, but without any leads, the investigation is progressing very slowly."
Yixuan frowned slightly, her fingers tapping gently. But as the tapping grew faster, her frown deepened.
Finally, she could only say with a hint of frustrated resignation:
"I don't know why, but my divination becomes incredibly blurry when it touches upon this matter, as if it's being interfered with. But regardless, Yunkui Summit will not stand by and watch while people commit such heinous acts."
But with no intelligence, the three could only continue to wait.
Just as the three of them were at a loss, Zhu Yuan's phone rang at a rather inconvenient moment.
With a slightly embarrassed glance at the other two, Zhu Yuan took out her phone from her waist pouch. But when she saw the caller was Andrew, she didn't decline the call despite being on duty, instead answering immediately.
"Andrew, did you catch another wanted criminal?"
Hearing this, Andrew was a bit taken aback.
They were supposed to be friends, so how did this become her first reaction?
Then again, it seemed like every time he contacted Zhu Yuan, it was because he'd caught some wanted criminal to exchange for a bounty…
Alright, case closed.
It was his own fault.
Well, he could try to change that impression later when he had time. Business first.
"Not exactly a wanted criminal... but if I'd let him get away, he definitely would've qualified. In any case, this is absolutely a major case."
After quickly figuring out how to explain the situation to Zhu Yuan, Andrew began:
"Zhu Yuan, have you heard of the Vanishing Wolves?"
Hearing this, Zhu Yuan's initially confused expression instantly brightened.
"What?! Andrew, you have intel on the Vanishing Wolves?!"
"Just that their leader, at the behest of Hank from DGA Entertainment, attempted a kidnapping and murder. They sent a lot of guys, but I've already handled them and have his brother under control."
Andrew gave a concise summary of the situation and then sent his location coordinates.
"I have solid evidence now. I suggest you immediately request your superiors to authorize Hank's arrest at the concert rehearsal venue. Also, you should get over here as soon as you can."
Andrew sent a photo. A clear image of a very much alive Ryza pinned to the ground appeared on her screen.
And in the distance, several bodies lay on the ground. Zhu Yuan could vaguely recognize them as the core members Jane had previously reported.
With this intelligence, Zhu Yuan instantly understood why the Vanishing Wolves had drawn the Public Security's attention here.
After replying with a quick "I'm on my way," she hung up.
She took a deep breath. With this, she owed Andrew yet another favor.
After all, under the original circumstances, even with extenuating factors, it would have undoubtedly been a failed mission.
Now, not only was she cleared of any fault, but she had also earned merit.
Looking at Jane and Yixuan beside her, Zhu Yuan's mood, upon learning the matter was resolved, lifted completely. She immediately pulled them both towards the police car downstairs.
On the way, she even grabbed Qingyi, who was secretly sipping tea from a teapot in the distance.
At the same time, Zhu Yuan gave orders to all the officers conducting searches on-site.
Aside from the necessary personnel left to guard the scene, everyone else was to move out immediately and head to the rehearsal venue Andrew mentioned to make the arrest.
Receiving their new orders, the previously dejected officers were instantly reinvigorated.
The gloomy atmosphere vanished. They dropped their equipment, accepted the mission, and began rushing downstairs.
In her excitement, Zhu Yuan even forgot that Yixuan could fly.
Yixuan didn't resist being pulled along by Zhu Yuan; from her reaction, it was clear she had found a major lead.
However, she was more curious about the name Zhu Yuan had mentioned on the phone, so Yixuan asked:
"This Andrew you just mentioned… who is he?"
As she was rushing down the stairs, Zhu Yuan suddenly felt her waist being grabbed, and then her feet left the ground.
She turned her head to see all four of them being carried by a Xuanwu bird made of ink, flying straight out of the window and down to the ground.
And Yixuan, who was holding her waist, had a trace of curiosity about her earlier question in her amber, glass-like eyes.
Organizing her thoughts for a moment, Zhu Yuan began to explain to Yixuan.
"Andrew is the owner of the Starlight Smithy I mentioned before. He often manages to catch wanted criminals who are hidden extremely well. He's already resolved the Vanishing Wolves' plot."
Hearing this, Yixuan was slightly surprised, but she immediately replied happily:
"Oh? That is excellent. I was just thinking of meeting him, and now I have the chance. Truly killing two birds with one stone."
Recalling the earlier discussion between Zhu Yuan and Jane, Yixuan couldn't help but ponder to herself:
"Skilled in both forging and planting, yet also proficient in combat? To be able to capture criminals that even Public Security has to issue bounties for, his strength must be considerable…"
Although the police car assigned to Zhu Yuan's squad was a small, beetle-shaped vehicle, it had no problem carrying four people.
After checking in, Zhu Yuan pushed the car's speed up to a hundred within the city limits.
Even though the destination was quite far, thanks to the superb driving skills she had honed chasing criminals, they reached Andrew's coordinates in just over thirty minutes.
But as she bypassed a heavy truck and entered the clearing, seeing Andrew—bored to the point of verbally describing music to Astra Yao—and the traces of battle around him, Zhu Yuan couldn't help but freeze on the spot.
Andrew had said they sent quite a few people, and Zhu Yuan had assumed they were just some poorly equipped thugs.
But now, seeing the scene.
That military-grade heavy autonomous tactical unit, the Typhon, was already something normal police couldn't handle.
In Public Security's books, a force in New Eridu possessing such equipment isn't usually called a gang.
They're usually called rebels.
Not to mention the two autonomous Logger Mechs and over a dozen mercenaries in full military gear.
With this much firepower, they could have faced a small military unit head-on without issue.
But now, all of it had been reduced to scrap metal scattered around the clearing, and from the marks on the wreckage, it was clear almost everything was taken out in a single blow.
The devastating scene was vaguely familiar, reminding her of the military's Sentinel-type she had seen in front of the Aegis research institute.
Just like these, it had been taken out in practically one hit.
However, the vastly different wounds made Zhu Yuan dismiss the connection.
After all, one was sliced in half by a blade, while these were all pierced clean through by a spear.
And under Andrew's foot was none other than Ryza, the one he'd mentioned on the phone.
As she and Qingyi helped him up from either side, she noticed his limp, boneless demeanor. Assuming he was trying to feign illness to escape punishment, Zhu Yuan frowned and barked at him sternly:
"Now! Tell me everything you know, down to the last detail! Do that, and you might get a lighter sentence!"
Ryza looked at Zhu Yuan, then instinctively glanced at Andrew to check his attitude.
Seeing him nod, he once again spilled everything he knew like beans from a bamboo tube, selling out everyone and everything without a second thought.
While he was confessing to Zhu Yuan, Jane approached Andrew, while the unnoticed Yixuan went to inspect the battlefield.
"Yo, little shop owner. Haven't seen you in a few days. What's a blacksmith like you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"
Knowing Jane was teasing, Andrew wasn't annoyed.
"Hey now, I've got too many mouths to feed at home, the smithy's not cutting it anymore. Just had to pick up some side work, y'know? Running into this whole mess was a complete accident, I swear."
To add credibility to his story, Andrew pointed directly at Evelyn, who was busy making calls and preparing evidence nearby.
"If you don't believe me, ask Evelyn."
Seeing Andrew's insistent winking and signaling, Evelyn instantly understood that his police friend didn't know about his hidden identity.
So she played along, saying:
"That's right. We were short-staffed, so Andrew has been our temporary security for the past two days."
Seeing Evelyn cooperate so seamlessly, Andrew gave her a silent thumbs-up in his mind.
But Jane just raised an eyebrow and said teasingly:
"How is it that trouble follows you everywhere you go? Are you sure you're not the one causing it?"
Although Jane was joking, her words caught Andrew off guard for a moment, and he didn't quite know how to respond.
Thinking back, he realized she was right.
The past few days felt cursed; it really did seem like trouble erupted wherever he went.
Even a simple bodyguard job that he thought would be a walk in the park had turned into a huge mess.
Of course, Andrew wasn't about to admit that out loud.
"No way! I'm a model citizen, a pillar of the community!"
Just then, Zhu Yuan, who had been taking notes on the spot, walked over with a frown.
"Andrew, there was a... slight incident during Hank's arrest."
Hearing this, Andrew's brow furrowed, and he immediately said:
"The arrest failed and he got away? I'll go after him myself. I guarantee he won't get far."
Zhu Yuan quickly shook her head.
"No, no, the arrest was successful. It's just that something strange happened…"
She then played a video from the body cam footage from the scene.
As the police entered the hall, an incredibly loud and bizarre noise blared from the speakers, so loud that the video showed the entire building seeming to shake with it.
All the officers on site thought the suspect was making some kind of last stand, but after a cautious investigation, they found nothing.
The subsequent arrest went smoothly, and the suspect, Hank, was taken into custody.
The biggest mystery was that sudden audio clip.
During questioning, Hank insisted that he was nervous and accidentally hit something. While plausible, it felt a little off.
But no matter how thoroughly they searched, they found nothing else out of the ordinary in the vicinity.
In the end, the officers at the scene had to drop it.
Andrew thought back to the sound he had just heard; it felt faintly familiar.
But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't place it.
After pondering for a good while with no leads, Andrew decided to give up.
Anyway, Hank was caught and couldn't cause any more trouble. The leader of the Vanishing Wolves was now a wanted man and would be arrested on sight.
Andrew considered the situation. This little interlude in his commission should now be completely over.
_____
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