Blazing Armor

Gong Yingxian was silent for a moment. “It’s not hard to put the mask out there, but I can’t predict what effect it will have. Right now, only the police have this video. For one, it involves confidentiality; for another, it would expose the fact that we actually know nothing about this mask.”dLYDfgUwbENOQEONPceLNzLMANeLzD

Dr. Pompeii replied, “Perhaps that’s actually beneficial. Let Purple Flame think you’ve bought into the mask’s authenticity and are desperate for clues. Then Purple Flame might keep playing up this mask, revealing more information in the process.”TPDATrQtsmaxItwdmqpsZJYsRVPvUl

Gong Yingxian thought for a moment. “The bureau has now formed a task force, and the case is no longer under Sister Yan’s lead. Since it’s police evidence, I need to report it before making any decisions.”EGJukWMIhYuGQGiQKYaENeeRubCAbm

“Is Xiao Tan still tracking Archangel?” Ren Yi recalled that the cybercrime division probably wasn’t sitting idle.bXEnpHHGBWVcNXvKirjXkkFJcGdhzA

“He’s been following closely. After months of undercover work, he’s successfully infiltrated a high-level VIP group.”aBGtYrkwzTGVdKHxBGmvcjMQGeiJHZ

“A high-level group? I remember Zhou Chuan and Xiao Tan mentioning these groups before. Entry depends on factors like activity level, spending, and loyalty.”DKsDGIjGgrFQqsPsiNpolFGWCdGzYG

“Yes, you can’t join on your own. The website scans data to identify people who fit the criteria, and someone will contact you and pull you into a more hidden network. But before that, there’s a test.”natHVuEEBQbbvyLcmnkvsHBAvWXOZO

“A test? What kind?”LzFOKFhrSAKDgiPGEXsDuksuEUFMaZ

“They test if you’re a genuine pyromaniac. They don’t require you to reveal your identity but will ask many questions—like how you discovered this obsession, what your childhood was like, detailed descriptions of your feelings toward fire, and if you have a collection. They also gauge your knowledge of infamous incidents.” Disgust appeared on Gong Yingxian’s face. “Xiao Tan has been mixing on Archangel’s forum long enough to know about these tests. He prepared a lot of material in advance, even got help from a psychologist, and managed to pass.”ypfcmHIqjUCkDZCUoCmCYMJygzysHD

“That’s fucking twisted,” Ren Yi cursed. “What kind of stuff is in these high-level groups?”IzHXbUtbRLQpIWpYbepKiJJmzGCZDz

“More depraved things,” Gong Yingxian said grimly. “On Archangel’s forum and live streams, they’re relatively restrained since they know police forces worldwide are watching. Most of it is just sharing fire-related content, and the live streams are typically like Zhou Chuan’s level—like exploring post-fire sites. Even arson live streams focus on burning objects that don’t involve property rights or violate criminal laws. Only about 10% are actual crimes—like Zhou Chuan torching a car, or Chen Pei burning down a residential area. But even targeting individuals is rare because Archangel isn’t hidden enough and risks being traced. However, in high-level groups, that ratio is completely reversed: 80-90% of it is real crime.”aLOcUZNUJMBmKfcsDdcCCEsocfpmIr

Ren Yi was momentarily speechless, and Dr. Pompeii’s face was equally grim.HDHnvcSQJprHbLMwcmJDcAkdeCUKUS

Gong Yingxian said, “There are several people managing that account now. Xiao Tan couldn’t bear the psychological burden alone. He hasn’t been in the group for long, and so far, he hasn’t uncovered any crimes committed within mainland China, but they’re reviewing older cases.”tEBNNpaqbxJfZHELdYqVGVTZFIvaUt

“Can they trace the members’ identities?”JWynzRIHWKqINezRcrQbczgDxJeclX

“It’s possible. As I mentioned before, all of their interactions are protected by Archangel’s advanced hacking defenses. Xiao Tan says they could breach the firewall, but that would alert them, so right now, they’re still gathering evidence and not ready to close in yet.”SALkPuObcLINPZqdPhynWuCIodnikx

Dr. Pompeii asked, “And no discussions have surfaced related to the Gong family case?”DZgjrTUpsPUOPwNVjWLjyOxztBvQQG

“There was some, because a while back…” Gong Yingxian glanced at Ren Yi. “I told you about it. Ren Yi and I were involved in a car-burning case, and the video was streamed live on Archangel, which attracted their attention. But so far, their discussions haven’t revealed any valuable clues.”zrLnVWsgIMMfCBavzQdneDXeKIKJSj

“How many members are in this high-level group? Are there organized members?”cISVSXyUhxpWYiyhljvydDymUYuZgU

“Fewer than a hundred, but there’s more than one group. Most of them are Chinese. We suspect there are organized members, likely the group leaders, though we’re not certain.”jEENSExDEqogXWFsGslyuOIFlhaoWO

Dr. Pompeii remarked, visibly concerned, “This X-cult organization is truly a breeding ground for talented minds. High-IQ crimes like this are incredibly hard to tackle. I bet you’ve never encountered an organization of this kind before.”pTQqAFbIHZZOBUEZfzBpddaqPxOwwJ

“No, we’ve seen arsonists, and we’ve seen the X-cult, but never the two combined,” Gong Yingxian replied. “This is rare worldwide—at least I’ve never studied any similar case.”oUuLGAAQFINwFXYCvOUwnwHAJzGClS

“Most pyromaniacs act alone; they aren’t naturally social and tend to be societal outcasts, struggling to find acceptance. These kinds of people are prime targets for the X-cult’s brainwashing. Purple Flame sanctifies, glorifies, even deifies their hidden obsessions. Inside the organization, they receive praise, recognition, and honors. Outside of it, controlling others’ lives and deaths gives them a terrifying sense of power. It’s frightening because it fulfills their deepest, lifelong desires.”tCfJDkCwxTqnycIUUvKGOXVVlclLyk

Gong Yingxian spoke gravely, “That’s why the person we caught at the concert has been so hard to crack. He believes that Purple Flame understands, appreciates him, while his family only misunderstands, pressures, and looks down on him. And, unfortunately, that’s largely true.”UpkmTctMwOOxjqqIOqErvGImGwCTdT

“Is he showing any signs of normalcy now?” Ren Yi asked. “At least he helped you locate the amusement park and White Flame’s wife and daughter’s remains.”NEgwIUWxNXXfvcOSnPOGNHsLMRxNNy

“Yes, but it wasn’t out of a conscious desire to help. His mental state is extremely unstable; he’s fiercely loyal to Purple Flame and proud of the organization. We used provocation tactics to get him talking, and hypnosis to retrieve information from his subconscious. But this evidence only aids the investigation—it’s not admissible in court, which complicates things, making part of our findings invalid.”JukgikoRomuDdbNajUNoVKMfBybFmQ

Ren Yi chuckled, “He’s just a small fish. His main value is to lure in the big ones, and in that respect, it seems you’ve mined his worth quite well.”VTMfwJttzliOLxkMttmWntpzOautOg

“It’s a shame about the incident at the BBQ place…” Gong Yingxian said grimly, “But it doesn’t matter; it won’t be long before we catch White Flame.”boAbRkAFFzWGCksiXxZfHuzdRFBXoX

Dr. Pompeii replied, “Send me White Flame’s profile. I’ll study his background, which might be helpful for you.”tnwIZqCMKmUpujoBJrTnzIWanXacQa

“Alright.”UrbDOekiKwWFHeJTicHqVoXsZPEmsj

The three of them talked for quite a while, and it was already late. Ren Yi decided to head back to his unit; after recently being reprimanded, it was best to lay low for a while.UWOEEmvjQuAfjECucKYyxxKsOrJOHy

Gong Yingxian didn’t try to keep him, instead saying directly, “I’ll give you a ride back.”PUFfbKKuunAuymdcRqOQEtqWEPNSDy

“It’s so late; you should rest.”oLJrUDRwvFGrxeCiTrqIvCFxYsemON

“I’m going back to the division,” Gong Yingxian replied. “Sheng Bo, pack something for Captain Ren to eat.”rnzGMKVWZvnHvXsmHeLeSOxUNHYWus

“I prepared it long ago,” Sheng Bo said cheerfully, hauling a large pile of items into Gong Yingxian’s car.vpPzLYicOJmCSpNXQGgQYgvQSgrXJT

Ren Yi scratched his head, embarrassed. “Every time I come empty-handed and leave loaded down. I’m starting to feel a bit awkward.”XqvAkSrBVewNpLQKUIFqiZTJazjGhw

“Don’t be shy, Captain Ren,” Sheng Bo said with a smile. “You’re no longer just a guest; you’re family to the young master, just like Miss Qiu.”ymhCrSdhjzNDmLwfOiFPXEdYkClkrF

Ren Yi smirked to himself.pRbBtlSlNMrDOWjmAjGMHkaZkCQFCx

As Gong Yingxian and Sheng Bo organized the trunk, Dr. Pompeii walked over to Ren Yi, smiling as he said, “Captain Ren, Yingxian has mentioned you on the phone several times. You have a very significant, positive impact on him.”CKiAKnMKnTyVymJNiXHnZclzoPWKWo

“Haha, really?” Ren Yi chuckled. “Sometimes, I’m not even sure.”NQyxDdVYJDtrylcIJIrarbrZOLEZTg

“It’s true. I think you’ve been more instrumental in his recovery than I have.”VwYriBcHHZTCAEAQinUaAsSLTlOrcV

Ren Yi was startled. “Don’t be so modest, Doctor; you’re the one who actually healed him.”cThgBLtFVqgwWiwpDVhMBHeCpqDgNE

Dr. Pompeii smiled, “I only performed the surgery. You’re helping him with the recovery. You might not know what he was like when he first returned. Compared to then, he’s much better now. If he hadn’t come back with an MIT doctorate, the police academy probably wouldn’t have accepted him.”NVlzJoxlHcOFYbOFjaAaTWLqFBQSEm

Ren Yi couldn’t help but recall his early interactions with Gong Yingxian. Back then, Gong was much colder, guarded, and distant. Now, he had integrated smoothly into his work and personal life. Indeed, he had come a long way.IXmxUSxpYtSGgpXJTqaGzgHzolOQRy

Dr. Pompeii patted Ren Yi on the shoulder and said in a low voice, “However, regarding your feelings, I’ll keep a cautious perspective.”dizRTKPFWkyNLIKXOdhCWEblETRYRk

Ren Yi’s face changed, and he tensed up immediately.AncoHqSdvIOECPlbiZCFIYSnlrskVG

“Love can lift someone to heaven or drop them into hell. I hope you both approach it with caution.”ebdZkmQMPcPZTEFnGjHsHGQnUKZXrL

Ren Yi stammered, “We… it’s not….” Faced with Dr. Pompeii’s piercing gaze, he found himself at a loss for words.jVchMsECqEFzchXirMbcvMKkTRPAcx

“I’m speaking from my perspective as Yingxian’s doctor, and perhaps it sounds cold, but I constantly monitor his mental state. The greater your positive influence, the more potential there is for a negative one. In my view, your relationship is risky, yet it offers a mix of ‘risk and reward.’ Overall…” Dr. Pompeii paused, “I hope beautiful things stay beautiful forever.”QasAEHSeYeRtWvoWomCxbaBWopQtDN

Ren Yi felt his heart pounding yet was puzzled by that last remark.tnGfQwkARDBtvQlJjSQVQckRFfNYFG

He understood that Dr. Pompeii was warning him. In fact, Dr. Pompeii and Qiu Yan shared the same worry—that he might hurt Gong Yingxian. From their perspective, Ren Yi was a fully developed adult, while Gong Yingxian was still somewhat of a child, at least in terms of emotions.twxMHCoXwHZUaGusVZrtxhdDIXDrvP

Ren Yi himself was just as uncertain, unsure whether everything he’d done to reach this point was right or wrong. But regardless, he could only keep moving forward.GfEAciFKpWuXBqSPeERZSwPLyxKyYX

There was one thing he was certain of, though—he would never hurt Gong Yingxian.YJXlHubdjHfgiCmuzFslYhLqfkrXKz

Gong Yingxian walked over, a hint of anxiety in his eyes. “What were you two talking about?”jreaKYHOQEptPaOwmjZlUCXeqYXZWE

Dr. Pompeii raised an eyebrow. “We were talking about how adorable you were as a kid.”WNVBlLhkeDxepRUvbpNWWpBOGnHiCs

Gong Yingxian frowned.ntSxqOhPhqjiAsuIOTljnDwevZDkjr

“Haha, just kidding,” Dr. Pompeii laughed. “I would never reveal a patient’s privacy so casually.”YTtgoQiMdzUGFIhrCtdImcYjRgpAXu

Gong Yingxian exhaled, relieved. He didn’t want to look less imposing in front of Ren Yi. “Ren Yi, get in.”YFkkXAMDYJrffDwtqmOMVCecksVDUW

Ren Yi extended his hand to Dr. Pompeii, saying, “…Thank you.”CFgTFAMAVwnLmiBWRxefyIKZGwxVBn

Dr. Pompeii grasped his hand firmly, smiling slightly.AlosYWrOBJNLytzuOutJzlThYzXAnS