Blazing Armor

After a long silence, Ren Yi spoke again, “What about the basement? Is there any place down there that we might have missed?”EzYZXHVPJiGwBXZPJUuEGJNTghPtTI

lzmdGjIskbznbzk

“The only exit from the basement is the garage door. After the incident, the garage door was closed. If the killer intended to leave through the basement, they would have had to open the door from the inside and close it from the outside, which would require a remote control,” Gong Yingxian explained, showing a photo to both of them. “This is my father’s set of keys.”RNcPCNrQoTxxFHCQIIFSHnOStglrce

PHxRdDMQVkzOBpd

The photo displayed a set of keys, blackened with age, but the oval shape of a remote was still distinguishable.geKDWUjXjLrelzxXKSCVRchNkXHfVy

LxkVCqEjXHWExKg

“The guess Captain Ren proposed is currently the most probable,” Qiu Yan said thoughtfully, “unless…”eGzjWhDjvWGajcKOPjkXtTBaQNEwTU

ruqKOJyNxHAMCni

“Unless what?” Ren Yi’s gaze was still shifting between the model and the photo as he asked, head down.NvKCpPXbtFHWvzBWYMAGzsGvWslmMy

doJgOtAXuUkNXop

Qiu Yan and Gong Yingxian exchanged a glance. Gong Yingxian shook her head slightly and said, “Nothing, it’s unrealistic.”jFRzgkbYUoULgwNPBWExYhBJyKHRXT

FVRnrStkxgfvsiO

“Unrealistic guesses often turn out to be reality. We might as well discuss it together,” Ren Yi replied. “I don’t think my own guess is all that realistic either—there’s not enough evidence to support it. I’m hoping we can find more reliable evidence from these limited materials.”CtRmgLBSRDiAXNBwYqeCiCruaaqYRI

hBBEaePzMUraQQO

Qiu Yan pursed his lips. “I was just speculating about the possibility of someone familiar with the place committing the crime. This way, the killer might have had the chance to copy keys or the remote. But we investigated all suspicious individuals at the start of the case and ruled them out.”HoieBaSGscwmkCGIPSAeoWzpMoBbET

VLXkXEpJTqWXCZF

“Didn’t you both say that there might have been an insider among those involved back then? So a crime committed by someone familiar isn’t out of the question. But investigating after so many years might not yield much.”VvOMtydZPkrGEwpHMXYcuVEMfRQdfU

hIjFErUZCyEQXnf

“The biggest problem with this case was that it was initially assumed to be a suicide,” Gong Yingxian said. “In 1967, there was a famous serial murder case in the United States. Since the first few victims were found near Black Rock Mountain, the media dubbed the killer the ‘Black Rock Demon,’ subconsciously leading everyone to focus the investigation around Black Rock Mountain, ignoring similar cases elsewhere. In the end, it turned out that Black Rock Mountain was just one part of the killer’s journey.”VLxZHQcfFvqxefvJYWItpktoTsSYTS

YdinVYGiYXZskaj

Qiu Yan nodded. “Regardless of whether there was an insider at the time, the killer first staged the incident to look like a suicide, creating a preconceived notion for the investigators. The media then amplified this assumption. A series of later pieces of evidence repeatedly confirmed the possibility of suicide, making it easy to mislead people.”yOPmDgZCSIhrEeGubtpEIIJBIgGfSX

DIUaqPSgmqCfYwI

“I think we still need to find relevant individuals from back then and ask for more details,” Gong Yingxian said, looking at the information before her. “What we can gather from this material has almost been exhausted.”BhOcwEKeQfMxJkNRBzjtLPhlfqZxsj

zxkDAKQtBLsVUjy

“How do we keep this confidential?” Qiu Yan frowned. “Once we start investigating events from back then, it will be exposed.”FnwLqZctXZBGllEAbhmGSxiVaJEVmp

uQzCOSOGcYDWCFe

“We’ll have to do it under the pretext of investigating the Light of Glory cult. We’ll say that the two people we captured confessed to some things connected to that old case.”alcNaatjpOktXMMXObrtNGjNcBkHya

GIRPFynlLTZvmxk

Qiu Yan replied, “Alright, but this needs to stay confidential, and you can’t be directly involved. We can’t be certain how deeply the people from back then are tied to the case. If you go, you’ll definitely be exposed. I’ll let Cai Qiang make the arrangements.”ogPechpLBzAyQhbAnvQaTvYwWIryIc

plWwKqhnHTozsBm

“Understood,” Gong Yingxian said. “I’d also like Xiao Tan to look into their financial records from that time.”ipQbQYFKPptsxrpOMCOdPotBZyniPv

rVwokatZFlVaqGZ

“Keep it discreet,” Qiu Yan said, stifling a yawn. “Let’s wrap it up for today. We’ll review this material carefully again—maybe we’ll find new leads. But right now, pursuing Ziyan clearly offers more to go on, so we should focus our main efforts on that organization.”tpnvmjtaMFNXzhwTicAGfWDeNqUgsi

ZdQJrXUceWfggMk

The two nodded in agreement; Ziyan had become the focal point of all their cases.XFDIwGplYYInRsudkGotOAglOlhKQO

mkcvBegiygivtUT

“I’m going to get some rest. Tomorrow morning, let’s meet at the precinct.”GfOcPpVwalUBfGTFlOSrygNvzVcebq

oOziUuteuDlQAfe

“Go ahead, Sheng Bo prepared the incense you like,” Gong Yingxian said gratefully. “Goodnight, Sister Yan. Thanks for all your hard work.”zYxRYpxZnqeMTrjlzBuOdKDlWaPBUY

biUtKzqWjNdOPOt

Qiu Yan blinked. “This is nothing. You all should get some rest too.”bYHBVtQaWwxaEqDHKDowOavXBCBdJj

pRtcsehKGTbzSzr

“I’ll head back to the division then,” Ren Yi said, turning to follow Qiu Yan, not wanting to be left alone with Gong Yingxian.PquJfgnilioVPvFdUOTGkicyIqIDNI

CRXFXReQjPUwWvM

“You stay,” Gong Yingxian’s voice called out behind him.JJhoinHDAwGLBoOtIyquJZUzXunAqV

MpxIqICqClcOjXc

Ren Yi halted.qIUgcwBQXMLSQtewabdkmhMLVpTetc

cWRKUrQcgopPDaw

Qiu Yan glanced back at them, smiled helplessly, and walked away.QjERBIaEKsqETVLhblJGuRyWXAfbcw

sErQyHLDWlMqaRb

Ren Yi turned around, his gaze calm. “Do you need something?”PIYsGCfUzTPFMfXxUZThfDeZuVYJWQ

DWkVTKwpYUlXOoD

For a moment, Gong Yingxian wasn’t sure why he’d called Ren Yi back. He’d only noticed Ren Yi’s eagerness to avoid him, which stirred up a frustration he couldn’t suppress. He replied irritably, “It’s past two in the morning. What are you going back to the division for?”TZDaetGYgrzmhSPyWFWcrRqOTJhtfd

szAiINVKmmDbsBH

“Two in the morning isn’t that late.”iCQWdYhIbDimkNPjqXkbWPtkNQwtIP

eNEJoCopZNUhBDq

“Stay here and rest. I’ll take you back at dawn.”nAAuLswDTvhQxqquEonYePDCwzbAbo

seMghWjIYoicdLj

Ren Yi knew it’d be hard to find a ride here, and if Gong Yingxian insisted he stay, he’d really have no choice. “Fine, I’ll go rest.”JBjccMPHrXlatxZgoIgxtcPLDaNxnH

uQVTWoOABywjxif

“Wait.” Gong Yingxian subtly pressed his lips together, hiding an unexpected blush. “That thing you promised… when?”DvapFtTMUpLOZtKPBdoPPksPkMfsRZ

iIzNbtsRklNBTEz

Ren Yi took a deep breath, lowering his voice. “Are you serious about this?”RhXaclNntyXoftYlPVAvJGQYvlEzlV

ItHlwBhhRdctJVZ

“What, you think I’m joking with you?” Gong Yingxian retorted angrily.UjSZimzuXARKiFkhxwDilULCGgWlnu

tRNleQAgXNfSPFH

Ren Yi shrugged, trying to appear casual. “I think your request is rooted in… maybe a need for revenge? Or maybe just curiosity? Or, like how your doctor uses fire exposure therapy to help you desensitize, you’re impulsively considering this as a way to deal with your homophobia? I’m not sure, but I feel like deep down, you don’t truly want this.”nYBmdehKLdZeSuHqjBUIkRaUQHsxEp

YuOkWSyexaVsyGq

“Oh, so now you think you know what I want?” Gong Yingxian’s tone was dripping with sarcasm.wxVFKtdFjQBgezFtkawRZfvRodfulc

MUnuMIZKIGaESqm

“At least I know you’re straight, and you’ve dealt with trauma. I’m just going to assume this is mere curiosity. I was curious too, back when I was developing. It’s normal for boys to try satisfying that curiosity during puberty—reading, watching, dating young, discussing with friends. You didn’t have those experiences, since you don’t engage with people. In this area, you’re at least a decade behind. I understand your desire to explore now, but do you really think I’m the right person for it?”sohWPIvLCzfxZHTUPckWNIxRhMdxSz

hfOcsunJGvCaDuQ

Saying this made Ren Yi’s heart ache. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be with Gong Yingxian; who wouldn’t want to connect fully with someone they care about? He was just afraid—afraid that if it worked, he’d lead Gong Yingxian down a path he was never meant to take. And if it didn’t work, he feared seeing a deeper, rawer rejection in Gong Yingxian’s eyes.bgpwaLlNzLriTPIvWMDVxACdFjESfF

PvqeOIuIhxFUZYj

Imagining the possibility of Gong Yingxian pushing him away in disgust at a crucial moment, saying he was “disgusting,” was more than Ren Yi could bear.jiksNrcuJZqCnErUPXJwpfexLbqgyL

ssJkRUjjiJquMsc

Gong Yingxian looked at Ren Yi, holding back his anger. “Do you think I don’t know? I *should* be with a woman, right? But adjusting to anyone’s closeness is hard enough as it is. You managed to ease me into it, using the guise of friendship. The physical contact we’ve had already goes beyond anything I’ve shared with anyone else. Why make it harder by looking elsewhere?”lVLazulyghdpjbSrYIhzjPdyhdOSWS

JvYfDBaGtQvpzsd

Ren Yi wanted to mask the pang in his chest with a smile, but he couldn’t manage it. Not only could he not smile—he couldn’t even figure out how to respond to Gong Yingxian’s words, which felt like a dagger to the heart.aNbSdmmiMyirYRGnwjarkXGRtElIxF

UEBltGLQxAObLMZ

Seeing the wounded, uncomfortable look on Ren Yi’s face stirred conflicting feelings within Gong Yingxian, a strange mixture of sympathy and satisfaction. Even he couldn’t understand his own tangled, twisted emotions.NIXKYBJhjcyUNLHSNQymzDadyVGAhi

EbEBEgVJuTakUlO

Ren Yi nodded slightly, and for a moment, he thought, *to hell with it.* He didn’t care anymore. “Alright, since you say that, it looks like you won’t back down so easily. Let’s test it, then—see if you *really* want this. Or rather, if you even *can.*”qteGvPMxgJIXmiHILTmiHgmBhjKDoj

DSVCIpWZFFGrGCp

Gong Yingxian met his gaze. “How do we test it?”NDUczthHxxLMOieSCGAwYyqqmythUq

grTWOMHMqompwhO

Ren Yi stepped closer, and as Gong Yingxian tried to stand from his chair, Ren Yi placed a firm hand on his shoulder, pressing him back down.VAWYJFQwnPuVqfztcLYVmVzzzqBshx

liQEXGnnlbfDyHQ

Bending down, Ren Yi gripped the armrests, leaning in closer, bit by bit, until their noses almost touched, their breaths intermingling.dvqBSgaYkbpyEhbbwEIwcfSiNHtlDS

DdcTSRygdJSFYyx

Gong Yingxian’s heart pounded wildly as he looked into Ren Yi’s face, so close and growing larger with every inch. He saw his own reflection in Ren Yi’s clear eyes, which brimmed with an intensity that unsettled him.FUbjmuGWvGznBNJncvRbMpzqRBVZNK

AwUNpTnGJyCDAzK

Ren Yi took a deep breath, letting his emotions show—feelings he’d kept buried for so long, now visible in his eyes. His gaze traced every detail of Gong Yingxian’s face with tenderness before finally settling on his lips. In a low voice, he murmured, “Do you even know what it’s like between men?”cGFTnhKqquJiTutiXPVKhHIpzergxQ

mDRmgJCgTIodwac

“…Yes,” Gong Yingxian whispered.urhsELReeMuTeSPBsEhSaSdhhFEsMu

ZrLcwnkGNDpZnKW

“How do you know?” Ren Yi reached out, brushing the pad of his thumb gently across Gong Yingxian’s lower lip.zutJELdpUJjdlMVFlySHuJeBDXFHyu

bIuOYZeMpEsGkXF

“I absorb knowledge without bias,” Gong Yingxian replied, his voice barely audible. Ren Yi’s long lashes, like small fans, stirred up a breeze in Gong Yingxian’s chest. And the small mole on Ren Yi’s nose—like a tiny black hole—seemed to pull him in, stealing his breath.BUgtqQgUpJdqXyuaqOSxuyfbQrScOT

ItugJqaRhcjqMSp

“Then can you imagine it—with me?” Ren Yi leaned in closer, their noses brushing, as if testing the fragile boundary between them.FoVnjhPIwMvOmLSkiToKsQHwMxlBVx

dvwJRDvCrLedzRg

Gong Yingxian gripped the armrests tightly, his heartbeat pounding so fiercely it felt as if it would burst from his chest. Heat surged through his veins, leaving him flushed and restless. He had never felt this tense before; everything about Ren Yi—his warmth, his gaze, his scent, his voice—flooded his senses, dizzying him.EGvdvigpZnMKkwAEoPYXRnepZeNqEA

hqsRjfCaIbsbPhh

For the first time in his life, he understood what it meant to be utterly lost in passion.gfmfLOBiLJkFoPKmHDRKcYehfDtxKy

JuRpaSXbbiCMXxf

Ren Yi chuckled softly. “Do you dare?”zFqSXVkzwHGYniTrqcalvijftseYGY

TrGRXbjTOtRUnbs

Gong Yingxian’s Adam’s apple bobbed as a fine sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead. He was embarrassed by his own reaction, feeling as if he’d confirmed Ren Yi’s words—he was as shy and inexperienced as a teenage boy.gxxGYkMMVwXOClMSeBrEoDHwvFQsKl

wDHEWGKAsgFknsk

How humiliating!JSkczNbBecXxnjhwdJrngsduJKOEiT

DuZElxGnIsHWZqW

Ren Yi leaned in even closer, leaving less than a finger’s width between their lips. His voice was gentle yet intense, “Yingxian, I’m going to kiss you.”yvZPwYCQALnQXvXdPJZDmeUuUXVCAw

sYbwJREhHViRQrj

As Ren Yi moved closer, Gong Yingxian’s body instinctively leaned back, not in avoidance but more as if, in his yearning, he was paradoxically overwhelmed by the moment’s approach.cxZyJbumRrbpWekwuLJDebqcVQKHXr

OXvFtNSyHTlXddL

Finally, his back pressed against the chair, with nowhere left to retreat.hxsrPHwPfnxkzyOQdpfZzWcOktzeGx

fKvuUjAuWGbknWg

As Gong Yingxian backed away, the fire in Ren Yi’s eyes gradually dimmed. Returning to his usual demeanor, he offered a faint smile. “See? You can’t handle it,” he said, beginning to pull back.ETROkGJiaaQgPBdzNUUlPTVZFSAcYi

VUrAjCLqTMRqfcL

But Gong Yingxian seized his hand, fixing him with a fierce, unwavering stare.PhmTOcAeBCDaRimFLHRajKkfFkyHdf

UXxHueGnkAqaKjE

Ren Yi pulled his hand away forcefully, gritting his teeth. “Don’t you get it? This isn’t what you want. You can’t even stand kissing me, let alone anything more intimate. I don’t understand why you’re forcing this. Just let it go!” With that, he turned and strode away.TVtFXlrWgNaIjbqkPyoFMcedjkvbUK

DgVEriQRSKOXcgh

Gong Yingxian’s expression twisted, a surge of heat rushing to his head. In a flash, he leapt up from the chair, crossed the space between them, grabbed Ren Yi by the shoulders, and spun him around. With his other hand, he gripped that narrow jaw and leaned down, crushing their lips together in a fierce, unrestrained kiss.VdxSIXmdUpAnzMvRXXtFwhzLPZejOn

BceOOplYjJNfcey

The world stood stillQsEwMkddMWQNMnETktZzbWOejjDMko

dBfFOUOkKwfPcVA

Kipzi – O_OQEndeKRxNFwEKyWrzvwNBKIXGFCqQl

xDRlWunbtZFurwH