Blazing Armor

The first day after the New Year holiday, Ren Yi received a call from Qiu Yan, who said there was progress in the case and that Ren Yi needed to assist in the investigation at the precinct.fgHXgVHyMePzNLAIUErHuXaEsyHUwf

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Ren Yi was silent for a moment on the phone, not agreeing immediately. Instead, he abruptly asked, “You knew, didn’t you?”dDHpUfnJqdebsPlZtvXtmamzEqRXaH

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Qiu Yan was stunned for a moment and didn’t respond.gchthZEArPNIHXHpuDKoYuFCIYSMMQ

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Ren Yi continued, “You suspect my father, don’t you?”ABHFkpIKPJVEGbrqYLnUiCLTiWYNgn

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Qiu Yan paused before replying, “I’m sorry, Captain Ren. I’m just doing my duty. But I had no knowledge of what Gong Yingxian did to the old captain. That was wrong of him.”LyKHdezgOFPkQVwttVykshCZGGtUwD

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“Then, after the hypnosis, was my father cleared of suspicion?” Ren Yi had never asked Gong Yingxian this question because even bringing it up would make his anger surge. He also didn’t want to hear an answer he didn’t want from Gong Yingxian. Although he had no doubts about his father, he also knew hypnosis couldn’t be used as evidence.hOBaxzuhjgKxYaTSvifreWNwuaVmkX

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“According to the hypnosis results, the old captain showed no irregular behavior,” Qiu Yan said earnestly. “From an emotional perspective, I don’t believe the old captain is a suspect either. But as a police officer, I have to verify every lead. The same goes for Gong Yingxian; he just used the wrong approach.”ZESLxfjmhpHGyiqPWUPDfKIssQVwzs

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Ren Yi said coldly, “Why didn’t you tell me from the start?”IasCqTzRROFaXJhXPINOaGQBkvpUCj

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Qiu Yan gave a bitter laugh. “It was too difficult to say. It would have been too hurtful. Our idea was to quietly verify it. If the old captain was cleared, then we could just pretend none of this ever happened.”VFeXwHpRmnohTRWcAKhBCaxEFMUXrg

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Ren Yi’s tone turned sharp. “You underestimated me. If you’d told me from the beginning, I might have been angry, but I would have respected the evidence. I would have focused on the facts, not personal feelings. I would have found a way to prove my father’s innocence.”cNNRZsVSQUvdHyFqCicOxOZmLKAetq

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There was one thing Gong Yingxian had gotten right: the on-site evidence was indeed unfavorable to the first firefighter who entered the fire scene. If Ren Yi had approached this matter more rationally, he might have harbored suspicions, too. In fact, he had already suspected the perpetrator might have a firefighting background. But from start to finish, he had never considered his father as a suspect.mupkvhYCsEZcfkMFSRqiwlRfXDfbfd

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After calming down over the past few days, Ren Yi knew the most important thing now wasn’t blaming Gong Yingxian but protecting his father’s reputation and finding the real culprit.EgsTVqNvChJAlxVqcYBSsqOlSEuKad

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“I’m truly sorry,” Qiu Yan said, guilt-ridden.yGLUXFkxwyAbZoPNCnDhoTFBMDJKgO

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“Is this trip to the precinct your request or his?” Ren Yi asked.nZIQLPVBnIZNLZvWHOcVaxfJXVXsGA

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“It’s the task force’s request.”xOgpMCAZmpVdudJWjXNVxAyRGtEFuc

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“Alright, I’ll go.”wGxrvGfHDrmRTiEyuzaERaxHjsiBJP

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After hanging up the phone, Ren Yi took leave and headed to the Hongwu Precinct.rbRjhXybgSQRfoubxCewuPZvYXOpQG

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Despite being mentally prepared, the sight of Gong Yingxian still caused Ren Yi’s facial muscles to involuntarily tense up.JxtyvBicctsWFDoapUSKWAjRovWVrt

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Gong Yingxian’s eyes were dim, his face somber, and he looked completely drained of energy. The moment he saw Ren Yi, a torrent of complex emotions surged in his gaze.NCffHnamkkvdddMMrdiKRcABTHFYdG

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Qiu Yan stood to the side, looking helpless and hesitant to speak.apiCLzjcCaJzDjsWeRkcolZwTEjHGE

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Ren Yi maintained a blank expression. “What do you need my cooperation on?”BdThCAwYcIQHvxLJQygmdzHzMcyckG

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“The footprints you found at the scene—” Qiu Yan began, “we’ve now traced them to a person. We suspect this individual deliberately sought contact with you in the past.”QRMLuFrbXzMssBTJhFqXBOzaTRqLdz

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“Contact with me?” Ren Yi frowned. “How do you know?”agsphqOXeBtlfqdPaxTxcNwcIZRdIi

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Gong Yingxian placed a photograph in front of Ren Yi. “Do you recognize this person?”lYqfuHVazdCjtoiKFyGwHyZnpnjqIy

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Ren Yi glanced at it. The photo showed a handsome teenager with a bright smile, seemingly in his teens. He shook his head. “No impression. Is he the owner of the footprints?”yBtibpCBorlXTanJNjyBLgvChDKDms

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“Yes, he’s a senior at Steinway High School,” Gong Yingxian replied.phAUOVWMkaGYPLVWwGXsqyGhWHRWXJ

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Ren Yi’s expression shifted slightly. “The same school as Fei Lan?”gZsKncHlocBqIBWAwbScHvtchvipXv

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Gong Yingxian nodded. “Fei Lan mentioned he’s quite famous at their school, something like the ‘school heartthrob,’ but they don’t know each other.”yAaKbDBXIVCcoEuHiihcphmudhxLfT

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“Have they ever had any interaction?”mgWxQtAGXCQtUtfXlRcgRpaisGCbRu

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“No.”ZMCMcFZHLmNOLFeriCNXqFOmoBKXUW

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“Then how do you know he’s had contact with me?”ppzzJGqGewxiZcNnQwLxhWeHhUMPLs

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“His route home from school happens to pass by your fire brigade. He once visited the station, played basketball with your firefighters, and acted as a team leader during a fire safety training exercise your brigade conducted at their school. He has a strong interest in firefighting and fire-related topics, and he’s shown a personal admiration for you,” Gong Yingxian explained.qEmUXKgoSTKQQOoIavuADEQPClDwMC

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Ren Yi froze. “Admiration? For me? How did you figure that out?”KNZzAZPFXAAvWubqBJDlOPMRqWDDbI

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“Most of it was uncovered by Xiao Tan through his social media,” Qiu Yan explained.OiZTBSJWAvBjklcrGmxVgrmZdjSSLk

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“His social media contains a lot about you,” Gong Yingxian said coldly as he turned his laptop screen toward Ren Yi. A video immediately came into view.LWCZJkRCtufavWzbtCbSuAeWWYaTis

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It was from an interview conducted by the publicity department during a training session last year. Ren Yi remembered the interview because he had been eating at the time and had specifically asked them not to include footage of him eating.OBwJSjnjxuuPnJMaBpQONUJnCsNTzw

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With a loud “clack,” Gong Yingxian pressed the play button, as if using all the force he could muster. The sound was sharp, almost laced with anger.SsJUpCtxCHhkdvMFlHfnFGPHPtudJc

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On the screen, Ren Yi saw himself and Yan Jue. At first, the two of them were eating. When the camera panned over, Yan Jue casually slung an arm around Ren Yi’s shoulders, pulling him into the frame. They joked and laughed, their camaraderie evident.uoneiIcZVDUmhfRyvAUZckkiAnaWld

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Since that conversation with Yan Jue, the two had only exchanged New Year greetings over WeChat and had no further contact. Ren Yi had been deliberately avoiding him. Looking back now, perhaps it was just his imagination, but Yan Jue’s gaze at the time did seem… different.rAkCAnYhdMASqEQaBOypfyVRgFErJR

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Suddenly, two large hands pressed down on either side of the laptop. Ren Yi recognized those hands immediately—elegant and pale, as if crafted by an artist, untouched by the mundane world.yepbvxZaIlLWBTzKFfrsUOMeihDtmb

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He looked up to find Gong Yingxian staring at him with sharp eyes.POFnXfJBbmvPirvyBQqnaohlwWRwml

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Leaning on the desk with both hands, Gong Yingxian’s tall frame blocked the light from the overhead lamp, casting Ren Yi in shadow. His voice was icy as he said, “Did you know? This video of you and him has a massive number of views online. A lot of people say you two are… a perfect match.”mXMVwbpMygJOYwcfjirUFEVFQiwLii

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“Yingxian!” Qiu Yan barked sharply.pzGJcRuJHvUTxolWsPImAgdunJDmZu

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Ren Yi narrowed his eyes. “I’m here to assist with the case. Let’s not talk about unrelated topics.”WTagUPPJLyzMxeMPsVVtRsgHfTblmX

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Gong Yingxian struggled to suppress his fury. Ren Yi’s coldness toward him now, contrasted with his warmth toward Yan Jue in the video, filled him with resentment and jealousy. Taking a deep breath, he said in a low voice, “We suspect he’s been following you and other firefighters. He’s overly attentive to your deployments and collects all news about you.”HMhnJtkTbqKVKUKHmGYDQbufyADlnM

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“A stalker? A fanatical admirer?”xrFRyPJnamUKtnKSArSkOEbPZCXlKs

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“Perhaps both.”dTgFvhGjfGFAocTJDxIwANXKJbCmXQ

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“Have you questioned him yet?”BTgNLTlpYCNBKwDAJCJiwFXOlZRLqU

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“Not yet. He’s a minor, so we have to proceed cautiously.”MzIejiaBmCwFHKNkeVgvUqvjxBNNxn

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“What’s there to be cautious about? He was at the crime scene.”CpbmebhWvDCwChUqzjaQxnEGsqZwCN

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Qiu Yan nodded. “We’ve already contacted his guardian today. They’ll bring him to the station later to assist in the investigation. Honestly, the reason we asked you to come is that during the questioning, your presence might help. Observing his reactions and attitude toward you could be critical to the case.”ThwIWqxWqrnOAHDpGnDGyBOTCMfuho

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“Alright,” Ren Yi agreed, though he couldn’t quite connect a seemingly cheerful and sunny teenager with an extremist cult. Moreover, Steinway was an international school filled with wealthy students, which didn’t fit the profile of an arsonist. Perhaps there was some misunderstanding.kRJXqVPxjVPBquMzCeeStdWaLDDgOL

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Qiu Yan checked his watch. “He should be here by now. Captain Ren, I’ll go talk to him first. I’ll call you when we need you.”DwDiYPYSDavxSHTrDinKPDcVuccUts

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Ren Yi nodded.sJgzTtuuqHFDUyXuTpqHpGuALeknuj

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As Qiu Yan reached the door, he paused, turning back to look at Gong Yingxian. His gaze signaled for him to follow, but Gong Yingxian acted as if he didn’t notice and remained rooted in place. With a resigned shake of his head, Qiu Yan opened the door and left.EBqwYtXflWhlkmkcjidAmxmYfhTtkz

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Now, only Gong Yingxian and Ren Yi remained in the room, along with a suffocating silence.eXdCcyMkNWSQoXGiVyXcSMEIDtIsDY

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Gong Yingxian sat down next to Ren Yi without a word, his posture stiff and upright. He didn’t look at Ren Yi or say anything, as though simply being close to him was enough.EfnptERHAZhDWToPZkMtwTjhxrxZoF

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Ren Yi, on the other hand, was incredibly uncomfortable, unable to sit still. He felt the heat radiating from Gong Yingxian as if it were a palpable force.lxhiXpStKmHjkhEZASimWoLzlBqEoA

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Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and stood up to leave. The moment he moved, Gong Yingxian shot to his feet. “Where are you going?”eEWtGWimtXZilOZoBXmtCFAGBMoYlL

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“Bathroom.”yjvincIfnqotITLzUUZOwQLxqXoThe

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Without asking, Gong Yingxian followed him.QzSVUGCxZBgLrsAantisZKYIlbYZOu

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Ren Yi walked a few steps before stopping and turning back. “What are you doing?”mZKsrSqWnfDarZRjsPeGYIZRXlycao

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Gong Yingxian stared at Ren Yi, his gaze unwavering. In a low voice, he asked, “Are we just going to keep being like this?”NwyjuHSyUZeHBkGNdTqZPgcOHmdTQe

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“You don’t have to,” Ren Yi replied.HzQdJtmGLtVhvHmzcDSmAGVSTTCoPV

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“Then can we make up?” Gong Yingxian’s eyes were fixed on him, a glimmer of innocence flickering within them.bawkVzsPRkClRYFuZBEjPFNAgQONUG

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Ren Yi took a sharp breath and let out a bitter laugh. “I used to think you were just socially inept. Now I realize you lack empathy. You’re too cold. You can’t understand other people’s pain, and you don’t care about the harm you cause. You’re not truly remorseful for hurting my father. Your apology is just a way to appease me.”eWmtAYurdnGGAssULWDuOKiLdRPpoP

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Gong Yingxian’s expression shifted slightly as he defended himself. “It’s you who let personal emotions cloud your judgment. If you could step outside the framework of familial bonds and look at this case objectively, you’d see just how suspicious your father is.”puBRAtSQWhBYxiJofnmfUNWjFyJSDq

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“Even if he’s suspicious, you had no right to subject him to deep hypnosis!” Ren Yi growled. “You knew it was illegal, which is why you tricked me into signing a liability waiver!”iotsnfuFjHTUJaBosGSfcKCnPCLovT

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Gong Yingxian lowered his gaze and softly said, “The liability waiver was Dr. Pompeii’s requirement.”JomuctoGjhQcCvngUgzuMaKMQhGMZY

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“So, Dr. Pompeii didn’t know that this was done without the consent of a guardian, right?” Ren Yi grabbed Gong Yingxian by the collar. “You used this waiver to deceive me into signing it and then tricked Dr. Pompeii into performing unconventional medical procedures. All of this just to achieve your own goals. And now, you dare to look innocent and ask me not to be angry? Do you truly not understand the gravity of what you did, or do you simply not care?”IcgXCLWtFQvtgNjwBeLLwsylKjsdkS

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Gong Yingxian opened his mouth, but no words came out.hdeQxaMeQTZEZdiHKOluVyWMlbPjcV

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“I’ll do everything in my power to protect my father’s reputation. If it’s about solving the case, I’ll cooperate fully. But between us…” Ren Yi steeled himself, spitting out words that seemed to cut like knives. “There’s no need for any further contact.”JOIyHGxQJbOFvnlFgdBIIXBRGvKKSQ

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Gong Yingxian’s face instantly turned ashen. He gritted his teeth and said, “No. I will never agree to that!”CLwZgAFdMTTNRXXeGIAMvaKtTVGmFa

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“This isn’t for you to agree or disagree with.”JTTrjqnpIjNeZRzfLeCvoAeWPunJYa

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Gong Yingxian stepped forward, blocking Ren Yi’s path. His face was cast in shadow, concealing most of his emotions. In a low voice, he said, “Ren Yi, you worked so hard to step into my world. You can’t leave it anymore.”wexXOBGWwWBYGynsDJXVIaWjqmdswq

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