Blazing Armor

Gong Yingxian said, “Answer my question again.”TiSfPsdldlGBnxKfGZZZaGEhwPUKVD

WFoMmCcTQWLMrVq

Zhou Chuan whispered, “I really don’t know who set the fire, and I don’t know the car owner either.”FgMmNWlFEgBKkYCpnVQNztmVwVeJAH

mWhNdIEQASZyKPt

“How did you all agree to commit arson and burn the car? Tell me everything from the start.”TjxXGnuelPgyFpZxRxOeEkylyQPrYM

ssRevUZlwPtCzMm

“Well… on Seraphim, someone posted saying they’d burn a car at a certain time and place, so I went to try my luck…”ktBAAdUUVXdOIUCHdvAMeirADzypsw

aRjdUoHWScYhoOv

“Bullshit!” Ren Yi cursed.kqCdRNUgxLNVylcxBCCIMFrTOqqicy

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Zhou Chuan instinctively crossed his arms to shield his face, visibly trembling in fear.czkvNSWVDDFLGDEioufhmmittStZGk

frBlnoOGgQhzLeM

Gong Yingxian coldly stared at Zhou Chuan. “Forum posts are designed to protect user information. No one would be stupid enough to write down exact crime details like time and place. It seems you didn’t listen to a word I said earlier.”GfYflEJAKUSIpRjqbHSCFzWzqPektc

SiyDZuqZMKoQMOE

Zhou Chuan stammered, “Someone sent me a private message…”VcWyifqDHamNZvvwodQcjcOmLKrSXh

WgvYPJrCFviATCd

“Where’s the message? Who sent it? What did it say?”HVOxYowJeclPYQVFXPjFglJVKzLLKa

EAomZrOOLGeWwqQ

“I deleted it after reading it. It was just the time and place. Both the post and the private message were anonymous.” Zhou Chuan’s voice grew softer and softer.YCpEPRMAUAyiDkagVrRKEDzpdScfUd

sCYIeCLtJUOrNgo

Gong Yingxian squinted his eyes. “Are you sure you want to protect someone you ‘don’t know’? If we don’t catch them, you’ll be held responsible for everything.”nKOeUZBeVnDAYdcdxyZcpknMqmyGUV

PCgfuKDYmPbSkeG

Zhou Chuan sneaked a glance at Gong Yingxian. “I-I didn’t do it. I just, just recorded the video.”xsVqdeVUphrAtVPZdvhpmkPPjFwmYF

WGjQYRXfVPpInJO

It wasn’t just Gong Yingxian; even Ren Yi now wanted to strangle Zhou Chuan.cgiZIJKnxREyebsZZEBRMwOcjChVDH

jcGuEefTPJCiPnM

Seeing Gong Yingxian’s face grow darker and darker, Zhou Chuan blurted, “Officer Gong, I want to cooperate, I really do! I just don’t know. Really! The guy was in his thirties, medium build, no obvious accent—that’s all I know.”NksrywiEWDYmAadBNszmcarzEJRRwc

ebhMPTGHbfmHvcm

Gong Yingxian stared at Zhou Chuan for a while, then suddenly asked, “Was the person who set the car on fire the same one who gave you the information?”iZFclKaaimgLOpSCJAAJVgzMDALWaZ

OFwBImhWcKnOHgW

“No,” Zhou Chuan quickly replied, but then immediately corrected himself, “I don’t know.”gpxTcTvlOEXvTCWblwbaYYnMDekLDc

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Ren Yi silently cheered. Gong Yingxian had caught the flaw in Zhou Chuan’s statement.sSZVCYhmrqnwlESSSaQnQKQJEGQRDL

jFHrbyQAHLAAeQW

Gong Yingxian sneered. “So, you know they’re not the same person. It’s not the arsonist you’re protecting but the person who gave you the information.”PiPUORWmSUZBdouvkUFVSonHtrAPLr

TTJFlMcZQHxqTWw

Zhou Chuan’s face turned pale, shaking his head. “I don’t know.”xwJvCpkGrBIRQjACuvxkqfAHjTfRJr

AuqjyDQUbmYrqIm

Gong Yingxian pressed further, “Why? Who is he? What’s your connection?”zQRMrpCfxNkakAZhaXYwDqDspRVjst

NEsxNOBqDEZQfmj

“I really don’t know,” Zhou Chuan mumbled with his head down. “It was anonymous. I don’t know him, and I don’t know the person who set the fire.”jZcgavlxUkceSkXgNiHSZyyXcSWdpJ

FWJJeCffoIKKmxM

Gong Yingxian tapped a high-quality pen against his notebook and spoke slowly, “Zhou Chuan, you graduated from a 211 university. I don’t know how you ended up like this, but you’re smart, capable of thinking. Haven’t you wondered why we caught you in the act?”MgqtvUgHuiWImoUvJMEDbDISjDMWio

ajwJURkWOjEZYas

Zhou Chuan’s shoulders shrank further.OUGtqsnwKpFqYaIlJTBcwxAUPuxFgr

PnZDybpPZtCQwiL

“Do you think someone who broke into a fire scene to film, got detained for 48 hours, and fined 200 yuan, is worth wasting police resources on to arrest? Let me be blunt with you—we’ve formed a special task force and have been investigating Seraphim for months. Three months ago, someone posted about an arson exchange on the Apocalypse forum, which is linked to another arson case.”MbnrSpygIEAItjwdfDNoKHfFUUzccL

PkFpVsRkIOESGoY

Zhou Chuan trembled all over, twisting his fingers as if desperately trying to suppress his reaction.uYYrGehTJaSKTznBdTpLBezHaDGoPc

gnztvQUZxyZRthH

Gong Yingxian and Ren Yi exchanged a satisfied glance—Zhou Chuan was starting to take the bait.THBagiQRjRAWUChUzRBBWpLBgGZSUg

ZifyDfcpqKlgHWT

“We’ve already narrowed down several suspects. If we keep investigating, do you think we’ll trace it back to your friends?”UrmHUOOhldYVoXPeWykEfsuiTZVUgl

FIwaGbmlfaqIUSq

Zhou Chuan pressed his lips together.EOTYaiKCPhpXfDLWJWLOIClhxjVNVJ

cRZnhfSnjHrzIYJ

“I told you from the start, I’m giving you a chance to redeem yourself because I know you’re not the same as those arsonists. You just wanted to make some money, but you’re too ungrateful to take the opportunity.” Gong Yingxian suddenly raised his voice. “Look at me!”HyJRtvvwNEedScznXcaufJwuaLnHVF

YNvFamgOlRwjMvq

Zhou Chuan snapped upright, staring in fear at the intimidating Gong Yingxian.nAGKrxfacZfKroVwHMarMDemFaUazm

XFRPjXDgIPmxoMy

“You burn a car, pay for the damages, and you’ll be out in a few years. But you know how serious that fire was,” Gong Yingxian growled. “If you protect him, you’re an accomplice, and you might spend the rest of your life in prison.”mAlEiOajWnwReXmJHpYzudoNnsJmjS

YbjoMBSiRjuzQpg

“What does that case have to do with me?!” Zhou Chuan shouted, his voice cracking. “I never even went to that neighborhood! Just because you’re a cop doesn’t mean you can falsely accuse me!”wYTErNXbUDAIGsGIhSvCxWCpCWMpdh

jjtmFNDGZuELcDQ

Gong Yingxian frowned, and Ren Yi’s heart nearly skipped a beat.EXIdGptadhYUwudhQkvrAxrulwvxJK

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The neighborhood?rGWvfyAohvfFbLahGOPLiYgpTKhuDP

OPReVvRlFOYDajB

Gong Yingxian had only mentioned arson in general, hoping to scare Zhou Chuan into believing they had been monitoring Seraphim for months and had gathered a mountain of evidence. If they could extract useful information, all the better. But they hadn’t expected Zhou Chuan to bring up a “neighborhood.”rdhskLzJIMBVGYHbMsjLYNqTIUSszO

mQPGsHlNPCOtzYo

There was only one major arson case confirmed in the past three months in a neighborhood—Wanyuan Community! Could the Wanyuan arson case be connected to Seraphim?!RHLrjSSvtPhFNICQDFpioqfSLkEnun

SdndiwsIYPlmqSH

Ren Yi turned away, afraid Zhou Chuan would notice any slip-up. His hand, now clenched into a fist inside his pocket, betrayed how fast his heart was racing.RVIZbZEfVfeMFYfSDTTdTiXoQPsFwh

qYryBWurjjTzgNm

Gong Yingxian took a deep breath, his expression remaining calm. “The Wanyuan Community arson case—are you sure it has nothing to do with you?”hdlIsKglDgwTfhSiqBNHnIOxkxUTtn

DflmhauGdbccHTU

“It has nothing to do with me!”GcLRgDYiEcLjonXOuRgLNjHxOSyfCE

ZHgjMofoYzQwenJ

“But you know who did it.”BJnzHKGPFUPXmcIGvycJAvjHUqWIAD

hBdeCbIJlfFsfwZ

Zhou Chuan’s eyes turned bloodshot, his entire face twisted with tension.ldIeCcOLAxAjqOFnzdzFtCixAIJVlA

TojkMharbCrGESt

“He killed six people, including a firefighter!” Gong Yingxian said icily. “Do you know what happens to someone who protects a murderer?”YCXxUFRiMWmXVZdwStXOvwKXKaNZdF

kkZawkFFgzKgEzS

“I didn’t protect anyone.” Zhou Chuan’s face turned a sickly, twisted shade, making him look even more frail. “They found their own arson exchange partners. What does that have to do with me?”XmuVNDMvvVnQHBbQuKElVEfURaQoDN

dJvpjLAShLuiTOk

Ren Yi strode over to Zhou Chuan. “Zhou Chuan, if the Wanyuan case is connected to the person who messaged you, this is your only chance to reduce your sentence. If you don’t tell us, we’ll find out eventually, and then you’ll be useless to anyone.”PEnIQubfAAiqnrpoyYtETCAiBthYGI

HaFqfjWNSjEOLdl

Zhou Chuan trembled, covering his face as he let out muffled sobs.NxmzUzAqpoYsIOjszYXzPiFihYiJOW

AdhokcsujxfziNH

“Speak!” Ren Yi barked.NDUGxnwtTZJuOzGyFKAAMrgBxgDvVe

kAFkSBxhtqUvxtZ

Zhou Chuan cried, “Just sentence me, I admit it! But if I talk, I’ll be dead.”fhuzwZSJGsHeRlxNXoiLpPjqIkXuCS

RpBvSWLrmGUzvKA

Gong Yingxian realized they wouldn’t get anything more today. He snapped his notebook shut with a loud “clap” and said coldly, “Suit yourself.” With that, he stood and walked out of the hospital room. Ren Yi shot a fierce glare at Zhou Chuan before following him out.PVaGoaSXVRTGLvwBCthlCtMLRBWbOI

LySNpFdKPvwGCWx

Gong Yingxian didn’t stop until he reached the hospital entrance. Once outside, he ripped off his mask and took deep breaths of fresh air.ZARNiIGfePfbAESaFrGcixWRlcycbj

fXthcTsGKvqmIMJ

Ren Yi looked at Gong Yingxian with concern, just about to speak, when Gong raised his hand to stop him and removed both his mask and gloves, tossing them into the trash. “I’m fine. Ever since I was hospitalized, my immune system has been getting stronger.” He glanced at Ren Yi, “I should ‘thank’ you for that.”fubrrcQTQPYrvUQbvaQJIfZXwhHJCA

AjmQLAuKsHoUIQa

Ren Yi caught the hint of reproach in his tone and winked playfully. “You’re welcome.”MTdZodmUBdUCBbdtBbdWWETbTQTDbT

meeHZwvkEzTodPi

Slowly putting on a fresh pair of gloves, Gong Yingxian frowned. “Zhou Chuan might really not know the person who set the car on fire, but he definitely knows the person who gave him the information, or at least has interacted with them online.”BKvUmyfHglmvHYlRgXuoMdfFSJaGae

BBKEWTuKesvWvVM

“I didn’t expect that bringing up the arson exchange would lead to such a surprising discovery. Do you think there could be a connection between the Wanyuan Community arson case and the car fire?”SCVEgikEnTANXHrGDejpWoONiwGBIb

mbQqeTDjfybDKxs

“It’s very likely,” Gong Yingxian reflected on Zhou Chuan’s reactions. “What he said at the end was interesting. The reach of this dark web in our country is deeper than we initially thought. It’s different from what I originally suspected.”fKkiMKLrMLVZZnNkLGiczYbVhtidDm

KevVJoKoqcnLGSN

“I didn’t expect it either. I thought that foreign website would mainly have traffic abroad. Zhou Chuan’s so scared of retaliation that he’d rather go to jail than talk, which means there’s someone or some group here in the country that terrifies him. He knows more than we imagined.”PXCNjjbIrgQadUIRfwjlFTcBwzxRZm

UepAVsQQbDBzatX

“If we make a bold assumption,” Gong Yingxian pondered aloud, “and the Wanyuan Community arson is connected to the car fire, is it possible that Unit 2209 in Wanyuan and that car were their arson exchange targets?”ifUdNKtiHVjfCvBbBmTplPvsprdXet

QXgcTulpoOphPis

Ren Yi’s face darkened at the thought. The mere suggestion sent chills down his spine, and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.PWhTTTxbDHtWauEpcZgPLIVTdaRQNl

VGLoQvydVRlIytP

“If that’s the case, then all the alibis of the Wanyuan Community suspects are useless,” Gong Yingxian continued, pulling out his phone. “Hello, Yan-jie, I’ve made some new discoveries. Can you check something for me…”wNzTbxINrKtRFVLvnsEpqgMscXmCWx

MkoNrSYQoWARmOc

As Gong communicated with Qiu Yan about the case, Ren Yi stood by, still stunned by the earlier hypothesis. He hadn’t yet shaken off the unsettling idea.tfqgBqRUFjEquRNAYwkKNDedwHBKZZ

LocCVuqPdOCkVFM

As a fundamentally good person, he found himself repeatedly shocked by the depths of malice some of his fellow humans could exhibit.xltNRIbmcignglZJaeVGVhFbICnrZT

OFplzuJFvvdBkPV

After the call, Gong Yingxian returned to Ren Yi. “You don’t look well.”mlSmICPUluytSMIPbsOKSnXsyEoemv

umiarLrjgVYnCpL

Ren Yi sighed. “That man in black who set the car on fire—he could be 2209’s neighbor.”nfzqsSPhdMowDpORsrhEIrppaopzWH

AHAztPGUuoPLciq

“Exactly. That would explain why he seemed like a first-timer, why he wasn’t interested in money from livestream donations. I’ve asked Yan-jie to bring in suspects who match the profile for further questioning. If this guy is just an ordinary person with no criminal background, he won’t hold up under pressure.”lSFOOutGjEFtMQnckBGhHncAtksaav

djEUdXxMCjcfmbN

“Maybe…” Ren Yi hesitated. “But when that guy was under the threat of getting caught, he lit the car on fire with his own hands, just to create chaos and escape. That kind of cold, bold, and reckless behavior isn’t something just anyone could pull off.”IgFayRPcHMSGNdoAZzKjQPCseBAROu

HWpcJQDcbQOJVhQ

Gong Yingxian thought for a moment. “You’re right. Technically, he didn’t need to do that. All he did was pour gasoline on the car—an attempt. With a good lawyer, he might not even have to go to prison. But he chose to risk everything and flee, which means he was absolutely terrified of being caught. Whatever would happen if he were caught was worth the risk he took to escape.”FdWLqwCVcOQtLOskqEYGMucLkrmFED

vcNmHkyMmzHXSxK

“It seems more likely now that he’s connected to the Wanyuan Community case,” Ren Yi remarked.XQaVMZwcGIsZugmJRmgEjrxdQZvdZF

BQqIDWiadoEhxiv

“No matter who it is, I will catch them,” Gong Yingxian said, locking eyes with Ren Yi. “You don’t need to be afraid or worry. I’ll drag those scum hiding in the shadows out into the light.”bwzAcRVVeHVnKQlWkmRUNAjdxxfUWG

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Ren Yi smiled. “I’m not afraid, and I’m not worried. I believe in you.”pKxSwtZnVgztHnXQyCnuASyBNqglbS

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Gong Yingxian felt a sudden stir in his heart. To cover it up, he glanced at his watch. “Let’s go. I’ll head back to the station and drop you off at your unit.”lTuWAaqexGlZUJKaLrGkkbZfUbGZUk

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“OK.”CXFRKCCXaXLEefVmTSGBSfYmflNWRc

jmOWuvYcJRcEKIW

The two continued discussing the case as they drove, and the more they analyzed it, the more it seemed like the two cases were connected. The police had gathered a lot of important information, but there were still gaps, as if they were missing one crucial thread that would tie all the clues together and reveal the truth.UBEMAbMdADCSTICIWbUhMPkLwckGjT

gxJySfkiOznsDcY

When they arrived at Ren Yi’s unit, he grabbed Miao Miao’s cage and stepped out of the car, casting a deep look at Gong Yingxian. “See you.”BRyuUaRwKOcYTDKmnSFPSIiUdBhSua

VshvWetwnfateOo

Gong nodded.XmanIMIGwSvunPYClxQnaYorCsaLlp

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Ren Yi walked a few steps, then turned back.OxIGtmlAIVETDRgMspFpXoBbHQqJZb

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Gong lowered the car window.XLdQAGMmFNexesEBFunnCpgFRnQsnK

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Ren Yi grinned. “Next Saturday afternoon, I’ll be waiting for the grand arrival of Dr. Gong.”wgzDLzEuHqzETRgrGFDhmEMjIbZiaq

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Gong Yingxian smiled slightly.GBpuBgJjAyPeUIOsdeEhThXVkVhyEM

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Humming a little tune, Ren Yi returned to the station.YRMeDcVfTeSOcTFWoFYjXvgMjclOMz

hEOHJoeIuljTnbX

He put down Miao Miao’s cage and yelled, “I’m back! Why aren’t you guys coming down to give me a hero’s welcome?”WUvyOaPakxXxdHthRsmbIXeRFtaQNI

epBmBkkkGMuzYGF

Ding Qing poked his head out from the second-floor railing, joking, “Do you need us to play some music and toss flowers too?”CkqpVAlQRcitfKVOuGpOmmUYxCptGs

KHHRUFWlfqGniDL

“Or find you a bride to walk down the path of life,” Gao Ge added, also sticking his head out.xweRLHFAkNOzDDWJFYjhZeqQPEoHAa

FcYjrBzZklBMXgd

Ren Yi lightly kicked the cage at his feet. “I officially announce that I’ve found someone to take care of for the rest of my life. This is—”xPjebkXKNIgHsyRPJOIxNcQdSwmCQG

hfpkOTNmqNUqBNo

Suddenly, the alarm blared.UwPbTMBaiYYmEjyJpgcjjAWJmhaSKq

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The firefighters immediately rushed from all corners of the unit toward the garage, and Ren Yi bolted after them.tHmUSrgeViQZNTBSLzxQilYULifoLP

vUgYrqMIqzYyQmo

The dispatcher handed over the call sheet. “Captain Ren, there’s been an accident involving a chemical transport vehicle on Pobo Road. There’s a risk of leakage.”icMfqvoNujElBAyXFRLITCsfuBqnbw

kfZYUlWCEIBaGJN

“Has Central notified Liu Bing?”MWpBRbpSdigKjImCixGJZWfGMkGLtJ

PSXTSjTFStbBONv

“Yes, he’s on his way, but traffic’s bad, and he might not arrive for another half hour.”YqrNKSaVtizCDYOBJGLMepxYJZhiYX

rEOqAxPAvKIzaEn

“We’ll go first. Push them to hurry.” Their fire station had a team specially trained for handling hazardous chemicals, but there were limited specialized units available. The nearest one was still nine kilometers away, and Phoenix Unit only had basic equipment for dealing with hazardous chemicals, such as hazmat suits.fHFYcxqmcvrPQRdEbTrfnpxSjqYbZJ

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As Ren Yi boarded the fire truck, something occurred to him. He quickly pulled out his phone and called Gong Yingxian.zcbWjeooxzAGQxBdFWdGccKNwNHsXT

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“Hello?”YaRxypQMWJzMbFjuNkantTlIWQyDXU

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“Dr. Gong, how far have you gone?”PUqtWdcTsdwJUSWTtaMXczJCcTqenX

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“Not far. Why?”tOrluZUokBavlQvTfcWGUlgbxLQULi

IDzkeFoDzlriSPu

“A chemical transport vehicle crashed on Pobo Road. The driver’s injured and unconscious, and the caller couldn’t clearly describe the contents. We’re not sure what we’re dealing with. Can you…?”SONzJmlvLNIcEDgpRfuVbnkfBGpjlm

HfsLqbPfKfsbSyH

“I’ll head over right now.”hhYNNfExcOiunrYtgigWnJWXsIPiff

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“It’s at the intersection of Pobo Road and Nanxiang Road. You’ll see it when you get there.”yFcuXSyXNOzYzuONjMUMbqconufxxQ

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“Got it,” Gong Yingxian replied. “Ren Yi, don’t approach before I arrive.”DsfkvpkgyUJTLRCatnufWyJywXZCPY

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Ren Yi responded, “Don’t worry, we’re prepared.”KnTVPCbONURcKouNQgnybcwSwqkoQi

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“I’m serious. I have a good understanding of the types of factories operating in the suburbs of Beijing. The most commonly used chemicals in these factories are, without exception, explosives.” Gong’s tone was firm and commanding. “Before I get there, evacuate the area and stay clear. Promise me.”LFhbwqZZAPPYWnFKqvVpmAevIiMBDy

PyXWdUKsgNkxFDB

Ren Yi hesitated for a moment. “Alright.”RlaXtqyOAqZgwzNsUIgNoseSIxFUkx

BNIUKkYBvmHKfCG