Blazing Armor

After the police took away the package, the squad held another meeting to discuss the situation. They formed a temporary inspection team responsible for scrutinizing all materials, personnel, and vehicles entering the squad. Additionally, Qu Yangbo planned to go to the headquarters’ training base to request a fire dog.CEFJvUlInoBxYEcAzBFrMZIeiunAyK

KRogXsfGKstCQka

After the meeting, Ren Yi felt utterly drained. One meeting alone wasn’t exhausting, but the fact that Zi Yan was still out there, roaming freely, weighed heavily on his heart. Just one package had already caused unrest among the squad members.VPACHAPpFzZrMIpFyffPlddfxpfETq

LjVWyKCAZFYXLfP

Back in his office, Ren Yi half-lay on the sofa, lost in thought for a long time. For him, it was both internal strife and external threats. They were targeted by an arsonist crime organization, putting the safety of everyone in the squad at risk. Meanwhile, his conflict with Gong Yingxian had reached a deadlock, and he didn’t know if it could ever be resolved.oxHykOPnyDvEndaGFIbqrWLCKFoHcC

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The only slight relief was that his father was at least safe, freeing him from any worry on that front.hYlbccJzmNPrxIftUzDToSPGCKpiXj

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Thinking of his father, he was reminded of the Gong family arson case.VpgAtLRPxqMsapbJEcZEngKPgmdYiy

lYLGfaKHFcujyWT

At that time, his father was the captain of the fifth squadron, which meant he should have been the first to enter the fire scene. It was a principle in fire command: if you wouldn’t dare go in yourself, you shouldn’t send your soldiers in. So, even if his father hadn’t personally broken down the door of the Gong residence, he was certainly present at the scene.ZpUxlGIYAfQXsrMEnjdUpSJhbRiiNq

etdXtgwavvMtcof

Whether the door lock had been damaged was a crucial piece of evidence. But his father, obviously, didn’t remember; otherwise, he would have mentioned such an important detail. Ordinary people’s buried memories can be partially recovered through medical equipment and guided by psychologists. But with an Alzheimer’s patient, memories are lost pathologically. Even with hypnosis, he didn’t hold much hope.KvWeinYjNBhZrytHXVGqzJXThEOFZx

ZgBjWeNAUPxufSG

For now, finding any evidence of homicide would suffice. With proof of foul play, they could reopen the case. Currently, they could only access some materials and evidence within their job’s jurisdiction. However, if the case were reopened, they would be able to access all evidence and investigate everyone involved.EFzezNIFgeqZVyKiqdMwjNnukZeEgx

SJxWqazpXGEuGwr

This year marks the final year. Once the 20-year statute of limitations expires, this case will never see the light of day, and Gong Yingxian will never be able to move on. They must find the evidence.mkBlCHaPHFYrNazfZwkYsZjQFLByFg

WuyDtShMaVMMMdH

With this thought, Ren Yi sat up from the sofa, walked over to his desk, and spread out the documents from the archive box, scrutinizing each detail closely.lecNPoMAamKUgJCdvYKRJVmwaYgPCx

fOLUmgjFsvVUTSE

If his hypothesis was correct, then when the killer returned to the living room to set the fire, they would have needed to blend the accelerant with the one in the kitchen. Since gasoline creates flowing flames and leaves distinct burn marks on the floor, any irregularities in the burn marks of the accelerant would be an inexplicable inconsistency. But pouring gasoline onto an active fire is extremely dangerous, easily leading to self-immolation. If he were the killer, how would he have done it?YfalDzUViJauIRjSjKPFOySlFswNCb

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No matter how he thought it over, Ren Yi found this scenario difficult to achieve.aRUMXaUoikgTmYkwOQgmudrkSvIaNy

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Assume that the kitchen was already on fire, with flowing flames everywhere. However, no matter how gasoline spreads, it couldn’t flow from the kitchen to the living room without an incline. And if gasoline had flowed from the kitchen to the living room, the burn marks would reveal the direction of the fire’s spread, as the ignition point would leave the most intense burn pit, with the fire spreading outward from that origin.DYABfOrnMBMIXTAaRKwMgYPPzdSVGk

vmTKdnLdBIAaPQm

But the gas explosion in the kitchen destroyed much of the evidence, making the traces of the ignition point unreliable. Furthermore, a more prominent burn pit was found in the living room, making it appear as if the fire had started there rather than in the kitchen.QvCKJsxFHenMKixAxhzcUvlbZXMZCb

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Since gasoline from the kitchen couldn’t have flowed into the living room, to make the accelerant traces appear seamless, gasoline would have had to be poured from the living room all the way to the kitchen. As long as there wasn’t much delay between the two ignition points, the burn marks wouldn’t show a noticeable time gap, which could be enough to deceive investigators.ISISHHXDYyrosXJIyroslIijmaCfkn

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But carrying gasoline close to an open flame? That’s practically suicide. Pouring gasoline onto fire triggers flashover, consuming the killer in flames in the blink of an eye.TvKLEGRqkkugfqOASOcnQvQTUpBPYc

JdzLMAOacoEHXeu

Ren Yi frowned. Had his assumption been wrong from the start? Was it not about the kitchen or the living room at all, and the killer had instead used another method to fake the scene?lEEkrsmHtDFCuvVcFFWjqjBAPdSOWL

gdVXtMyZtvKzsSc

What were they still missing?eCJjnGBfxNoEaGtWKubMjgdrNMlngr

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Ren Yi combed through the documents over and over, the entire afternoon slipping by unnoticed.SWiTFosvzeJDMPmrNFkQZEOPIZPzMM

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Before dinner, the squad received an alert—there was a fire in a family’s kitchen.JQJbjSOJdjrcBuvCieTctDuqXTJRRd

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It was a routine call, especially around mealtime, and Ren Yi rarely responded personally to these kinds of incidents anymore. But this time, he insisted on leading the team.XaPxabGCPCUJpNJkhjllrNxMzoSuVf

IiVxRIPNHNSvEHt

As they prepared to leave, Qu Yangbo quietly commented, “Aren’t you overreacting a bit?”XUmFVIeTfwSniqcVaxhbfrdlleLxFh

BBjFeHuKuYUAvOp

“I haven’t been around the squad much lately, and it’s a critical time. The guys will feel more at ease if I go.”bumbfLwiXivGLMRlZePljpEhcDcDuj

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“The team’s more composed than you think. It’s you who might need to watch not passing your tension onto them.”kYVnNdncUQyoPTUvuGPiqMaHgQWpIU

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Ren Yi frowned. “How do I seem tense?”rNRvHANXkLKfoefijIBLtDfJvBsrCR

IhvybmJodLLaGcm

“It’s not showing on your face, but it’s in your actions.”RNzlkWiTxUCbLdXZWaLQcktBrQjlpr

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Ren Yi glanced down at his fully equipped gear. It was unusual for him to suit up for this kind of call, and for a moment, he hesitated, wondering if he should still go.UIYwrrfqGzRUJPNotCrCOjqdFKDfuQ

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Qu Yangbo nudged him. “Let’s go for now; we’ll discuss it later.”ovGQFXDdmaPtzvlyRtIQQMLmySWEOD

mNbMTiEuoWdTZpe

They took only one truck. En route, Ren Yi called to instruct the reporting party to evacuate everyone from the building as quickly as possible.yteUiIeyDZsbszvAhPxSXgdMvgzbmt

PiosvlgjhcnYdBU

As the fire truck pulled into the complex, they saw a crowd gathered outside the building. Some were merely spectators, while others were clearly residents, standing in their pajamas after rushing downstairs.WgufaXCcbVwyJjfetWMbJFTQrSZdtF

DizBYbsJlonOOOu

“You’re finally here,” the homeowner, a woman, rushed over and pleaded, “Please, hurry and put out the fire! There’s a propane tank in the kitchen!”LiARtmVMhovdWMcsUXEdAAZZacNtcG

AzGRwzRLnDGNtTI

“Is there anyone still inside?”UXNHQYyjLBDSfJQqxdHhyIxiJGUmRE

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“No, we evacuated everyone from the building.”MpixbugKtMgSdfEsHMbzpDxOZeCKyb

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Ren Yi nodded, “Grab two extinguishers and come with me upstairs.”ywkTvZHKvqMaHXsJoSdgqOevOAuQYD

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The woman grabbed his arm, her voice trembling with fear, “There’s a propane tank up there. Please, be extra careful.”FhXgjwzzpOSWJZgupUWhxhnNwtooPS

GRVedWsThrdsVwR

Ren Yi reassured her, “Don’t worry, ma’am.”CIqLEwWThLfckXHJGqdNUXyiOCDvHU

iweyhmaHKzhQiki

If the fire had been caused by a gas leak, it would have exploded by now. Since it hadn’t, this meant the gas valve was intact. Though the propane tank was being exposed to high temperatures, increasing the internal pressure and the risk of explosion, there was still time to prevent it.maatiHWAIzXeCihDxhjdxLtpECpxSk

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The kitchen fire was on the third floor. Ren Yi led Cui Yisheng and Ding Qing up the stairs in a few quick strides. The apartment was already filled with smoke as they made their way to the kitchen.gZrOfRtQSygZzIBWABtuLpUQCnqiro

mBWbFQlEGtIckhp

The flames on the stove had risen over a meter high, licking upward and blackening half the kitchen. The fire was spreading across the ceiling, and flames were already flickering at the top of the propane tank.fKGOsYxhqUffdTIKutouOOlUfbhcQZ

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The rubber valve cover had melted under the heat, causing the tank to sway slightly as the pressure inside increased. A dangerous hissing sound came from the valve.sLwDnLVtIFIXdiOiKbMJiSpuXQAglp

IEspNgxbGsPvAGV

“Damn, the valve’s loose!” shouted Cui Yisheng, and he and Ding Qing quickly opened their extinguishers, spraying the area.plzUVVbIBMSJhCFfDHbIGVGXyMYkEC

IkkmLbfRwQCmArG

This hissing sound signaled a loose valve and leaking gas. If the gas mixed with air and encountered an open flame, an explosion was inevitable. The top priority was to get the cylinder away from the fire as quickly as possible.BfwwCqdyPmQWNcwXkQYVmZiDOdcRmq

OBZEmKtpHYLEKMP

Ren Yi glanced around, grabbed a dish towel from the counter, soaked it under the faucet, and threw it over the top of the propane tank to suppress the flames temporarily. Then, he lifted the propane tank onto his shoulder and dashed down the stairs.fJGrxPNLxGiiHkXwqoIIIfTEiSEsYC

HizngaZKxDutRdO

As he emerged carrying the still-burning cylinder, the crowd scattered in fear. Ren Yi set it down on the ground, and one of the squad members used an extinguisher to douse the flames in a few quick bursts.gyzrLvNbhfQwYSxlSCMKRzjaLfHDtL

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Ren Yi waved a hand. “Don’t worry, everyone, it’s safe now.”CdyOUwFpLlJGecuKLFYqbRaBIxBhPb

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The kitchen fire was soon extinguished as well. Cui Yisheng and Ding Qing used a clothes rod to poke at the kitchen ceiling, ensuring no residual flames were left smoldering before they left.paOQmoeosulVSSIiyYNyZJSvMzYIRy

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“Thank you so much, firefighter!” The woman started clapping, and the crowd in the complex broke into a round of applause.OChoPmJrcEgGFYlhekrarvBSzmdlsj

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“You guys are awesome!” two female students cheered as they filmed with their phones.xAJDIoFdFsIJhlIqVbYvqGqTDKuEXR

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A nearby male student muttered enviously, “It’s not that big of a deal—they’re wearing fireproof suits. If I wore that, I’d go in too.”RMYSQINSxFVmmyfLcyisFQAJQhvHtE

WZKzoQlRDNVCdDn

“Yeah?” one of the girls retorted. “But could you carry a propane tank?”MvsfCevJuNPNCazhXGJuTeuQZWnYnl

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“Hahaha!”tvtiMJYyaAaAgCOhzogiJuuSpIJQaV

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A young squad member quietly muttered, “It’s fire-resistant gear, not fireproof. Big difference.”DeUGmyfenrCKfAyvqgNzSzGDwfkgKT

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Hearing their conversation, Ren Yi froze.UqxxCPBPoHwixJZKmbKLXiZfcivAMn

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Normally, he wouldn’t think twice about the chatter of a few kids, but something the boy said struck him. Their firefighting gear wasn’t fireproof, only resistant to flames. In the event of an explosion or collapse, the gear wouldn’t make much difference. However, it did provide protection against regular fires, shielding them briefly from flames or high heat.EJuDnqQuPHJsbQjtoqiyKdEtOJbGei

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For major fires, they had heavy-duty aluminum foil suits that could withstand up to a thousand degrees of heat. As long as they weren’t in direct flames, these suits allowed movement in extreme temperatures, though they were cumbersome and seldom used.chYIOtRUmcEIyIAQhYnYIgdOXjONoY

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In a residential fire like the one at the Gong residence, someone could easily navigate the blaze with this type of equipment if they had it on hand.deRLRClbVAUtwOnDXMjHLlDUNvrCFP

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Ren Yi’s expression darkened. Eighteen—no, nineteen years ago—there wasn’t online shopping. Obtaining a suit like that wouldn’t have been easy.AvDFQcTLRqwAVgkfDztpujOntqsQZR

TlCdaJNuiPOfozW

“Captain Ren,” Ding Qing called out. “Are we packing up?”mGzYkInwhILXFAcAokYoOkLlVhZiQd

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Ren Yi asked, “All clear?”jvswKaCIVSKkaUhTlFkzMMGIlkzMat

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“Yeah, checked everything. The fire’s completely out,” Ding Qing replied with a grin. “We’ll still make it back in time for dinner.”rJqVNCzdeeiQNchmWoJKMBntKdlcKR

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“Let’s pack up, then.”vsCLtrmoJYlKDGrgymBNVjvLgLkuGB

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When they returned, Ren Yi messaged his new theory to Gong Yingxian and asked if there had been any updates on Wang Rui’s investigation and interrogation.UdQSCHuNhAaFmEoOzfzFevKbXZVhxQ

zuWjbomqWkFjzJw

Later that evening, Gong Yingxian called back, explaining that they had tracked down Wang Rui’s family. Wang Rui remained highly resistant, and psychological experts were now working to deprogram him with his family’s cooperation.sEtMamSsLznEZSqJvHMkEwIEagcyEm

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“What about the package? Any leads?”OUzjFIpfJjAgpnxSUQCnHtvttoduqB

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“Nothing definitive yet, but we found the location where the bombs were made.”euEtVGwmanFJxXUEgXobeRqpLniNaA

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“Where?”PLdDjSsTRuggkRJZEBcdsuMKDtNfEx

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“An abandoned amusement park beyond the Sixth Ring Road. When we arrived, it was clear they had left in a hurry, leaving behind many materials and tools. These give us several leads to follow. Yan Jie just managed to get a code name from Wang Rui for the bomb maker.”VmrKCEIIzjZRRicXkzKzPtKpWJfAqC

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“Oh?”zndUTLTWXhXqvTbsLcvxFgZRqZwHaI

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“‘White Flame.’”znDjxAkESvoKYRrhBTyOKAZelZjGSg

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“A high-ranking member, just as we thought. This guy is fucking dangerous. Let’s hope these leads help you find him soon.”gPmlpkzmZmFQefrhcjvDCNTBmSFQJq

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“Of course,” Gong Yingxian paused. “How confident are you in what you just proposed?”hpMcEChZMeKVMdqDUxuaYdwhpuKVLi

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“It’s hard to say. We’re still missing crucial evidence.”bAPKCmhjxUqCmDqYScBXnaVnvflchO

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“… I mentioned to you once that I suspect there’s a mole within the investigation team.”NNgmqtGnMTklZjnbynFEBZGvzdwrTE

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“Right. Have you uncovered anything?”esZALsoVGWBNjgkcYtjtGvIEWAsXHV

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“Not yet. But… that equipment you mentioned, it should be accessible within the firefighting system, shouldn’t it?”COcALCmLncESpEhDgUqpfesHZXllAh

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Ren Yi froze for a moment. “Are you suggesting there could have been an issue within the fire department back then?”UAfzbnFqeXUsSEySIJrPLSfPudQHcL

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“Is it impossible?” Gong Yingxian said calmly. “This case involves much more than we originally thought.”pCsphmxqTbcvMdlpacYScsqbDAVWCJ

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Emotionally, Ren Yi found this line of thinking hard to accept. But logically, Gong Yingxian made sense. If someone had tampered with the scene and misled the investigation, it would explain why the case was so hastily closed as a suicide.XljdFJArVbJXYYduaCFGtKgDRdObnA

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“I don’t know, but you’re right—we can’t dismiss any possibility.”zHtrMvdZwTevatBOmruDOaupnOZJjf

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Gong Yingxian paused. “Is there any chance your father remembers anything about the door lock?”DJvUvHessFRwHVStnSEjOwfXAzeGLB

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“That crossed my mind today as well. But he hasn’t mentioned it, so he must not remember.” Ren Yi sighed. “His memory is strange—sometimes he recalls trivial things from decades ago, yet sometimes he can’t remember what he ate for lunch. What he can remember is completely random.”JtmhlfeVjZufXQTxOfrPjiomcVKBoO

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“His treatment plan is close to being finalized. During the process, I’d like to have a doctor assist with his memory. Maybe he’ll recall something.”XKAEjCeNzzmDYDSjFKhdOIwtkfezWZ

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Ren Yi replied, “It’s worth a try. But as he said himself, his dispatch report would probably hold more details than his memory.”DmphIObBgNSyYRpGcaPlorFUMidYUm

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“We’ll start there and see.”UoBXWzCKJbIwRvFipbLPnGFPJZIYxw

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