Blazing Armor

After a day of study, they were specifically instructed not to go out for dinner gatherings. Everyone understood why, so there were no objections. However, this didn’t stop their enthusiasm for getting together. In groups of three or five, they ordered takeout to eat in their rooms, though they avoided drinking alcohol.iYhhdBHjPaFmqZPLpZdvMuSGBBnyeO

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They ate, chatted, and, before they knew it, it was quite late. A few squad leaders gradually took their leave, leaving Yan Jue to help Ren Yi clean up the table full of leftovers.xsMppfNcFwqtRNXHbNVZIbIKKYIekp

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Ren Yi complained, “The smell is way too strong—how am I supposed to sleep here tonight?” He opened the window to let the air circulate, and the cold winter wind stung his face—it was the coldest time of midwinter.iITNMvzgZimkFiSKrTyngnnZeoRDrX

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“This could give you a cold,” Yan Jue remarked. “Why don’t you sleep over at my place? The smell will clear out by tomorrow.”GLrcLZLvZLBXdzYjtGKvzwqcaljtub

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They were staying in standard rooms, each with two beds.NLGZbVnISALQayrdKcNxPFIdDMOyYd

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“Alright,” Ren Yi agreed. “Come on, let’s put the trash outside the door.”pkSbFbAOpUphukXKDyoAETNHRmdwdB

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Yan Jue’s room was diagonally across from Ren Yi’s. Ren Yi grabbed his pajamas and headed over.zkFfldYqSTeFGtyPYwqMsNbrutfluP

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While Yan Jue was showering, Ren Yi lay on the bed, scrolling through his chat history with Gong Yingxian.YzpsBEtIYUSqtsAVewrVMcSKjBUuCF

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Most of the messages were sent by Ren Yi to Gong Yingxian. Sometimes it was an interesting piece of news, sometimes a cheeky meme, and other times just a few casual jokes. Gong Yingxian sometimes didn’t reply, and when he did, his responses were brief and to the point, never using emojis or informal punctuation—hardly like a young person at all. Whenever the replies were long or detailed, they were inevitably about cases.jDuTDoUtWzRQVKzEiVadGzcHlmvLAK

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From the chat alone, it was obvious who was more invested.DoDbmvgcQinUiHkxLdYQPxdtcsDTge

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Ren Yi let out a bitter smile but consoled himself. Compared to an untouchable, secret crush, at least he and Gong Yingxian had shared all the intimate moments typical of a couple. He really ought to be content.IVKYFKrnRdkhpSmrlVvvhjXGdflJrK

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Maybe, just maybe, due to Gong Yingxian’s quirks and cleanliness obsession, they’d continue like this indefinitely. And that… wouldn’t be so bad.mAufQtXjWkFedAbiLnNShwzIfJKMiO

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The bathroom door opened, and Ren Yi reflexively looked up to see Yan Jue emerging, wearing only a pair of shorts.kPVljeUeHmNuYxZYhMtCXifXmJxJKR

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Yan Jue’s physique was incredible—broad shoulders, long legs, and a muscular build. His bronze skin radiated a healthy glow, like a solar battery charged with sunlight, exuding strength and vitality. Even the faint tan lines from his tank top added a touch of allure. He tousled his hair with a white towel, droplets of water scattering like a large dog shaking off after a swim.cZgJWCIolgfJYOWpiVJzmvExmFCOPX

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Ren Yi swallowed. He’d been in dorms since high school, taken countless group showers, and thought he’d grown immune to sights like this—unless the body was exceptionally attractive. And Yan Jue was also good-looking, after all.pvsyuiatbDTOXOElCbXernezNNxpkF

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Yan Jue tilted his head, shaking the water out of his ear as he looked at Ren Yi. “Your turn. I heard the hot water here isn’t reliable; if you wait too long, it might run out.”ZocFShwjqDZAZLiPSigUtzkzNryiOC

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“Oh.” Ren Yi couldn’t help but give Yan Jue an up-and-down glance.FRmKSaBfkdnpwMrQhMiQXZElJbNTJx

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Yan Jue raised an eyebrow. “Nice body, huh?”jaTBSJQJrrIDVmeOGkxoJVfBgVwimU

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“Not bad.” Feeling he might embarrass himself if he kept staring, Ren Yi jumped off the bed, grabbed his pajamas, and went to shower.yPEWQpLyJsaMVZmtDoWXiTbZOCTwuz

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Yan Jue looked at Ren Yi’s retreating back and smirked with satisfaction.rwdTZZUpDgFiNMuDgOaboAQxqWXBlw

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After showering, Ren Yi emerged in his pajamas. Although he appreciated Yan Jue’s physique, the competitive side in him felt a little downcast—every guy likes to compare, after all. Unable to match up, he opted to cover up, feeling a slight pang of frustration at the thought.eZHWzicyZNWIvarXlNJJUVYrxpgDGu

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Yan Jue saw him come out and asked, “Up for a game?”UiCwHBDMqXMCnlmRKVwCKKFqQiEQSm

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“Sure.”cpnitdPPkqadLSoBcColoGDpQAnIto

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“Want to try out this new character? I have it.”OnaWDsYGnPobOaFykXCNkicgdIKkKi

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“Yeah, sounds good.” They swapped phones, and Ren Yi looked at the character on Yan Jue’s screen. “Never played this one before. Which build should I use?”hQmLGqqPWuNEvQPCRAgrJTDBSBNNJh

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“Let me see.” Yan Jue jumped down from his own bed and lay down directly beside Ren Yi.NKATVxPhkrjnXEvGeAJQAbFLZxSOZN

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Ren Yi paused, passing his phone to Yan Jue while scooting a bit to the side. But it was only a 1.2-meter single bed—tight for one person, let alone two tall men over six feet. Move any more, and he’d fall off.BSOsuEmzDrHKRKGocXRrxOLahgFRKP

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Yan Jue, completely unfazed, selected the build and handed the phone back to Ren Yi.WsfLxyznWDoKUXosQfWBFyXkTlxeQe

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Right at the start, due to unfamiliarity with the character, Ren Yi quickly died three times, earning a couple of scoldings from his teammates.nBmAlAWFxaBfbVfEDKmieYnvaOjwgh

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Normally, Ren Yi would’ve snapped back, but this time he knew he’d messed up, so he only muttered quietly under his breath. Yan Jue snickered beside him.ALkVKtZkXCaEnKLsBSwCtKMWfdAcBG

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“Screw it, here, you take it back.” Ren Yi went to swap their phones again.GTbqrElNDGNDYubmEYWkSYyvOVUVrf

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“Hey, hold on.” Yan Jue’s fingers moved swiftly across the screen, but it wasn’t long before he, too, died.pPGUhBywsgaBxGBNDZgSbUtYbOzMXw

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As he waited to respawn, Yan Jue took Ren Yi’s phone, leaning close to demonstrate a few moves. Ren Yi listened intently, and when he looked up, he almost collided with Yan Jue’s face. Yan Jue, too, was staring directly at him without blinking.LCQrBDeQDICpXcLFmUCLfpSUzFWQDo

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Both froze, and a subtle, unusual tension filled the air.HbxUmUyazSDgamEGRGmjSygVyyZKrg

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Ren Yi’s radar sensed something, but he couldn’t be sure. He leaned back slightly, creating a bit of distance. “Let’s switch back. I haven’t had much time to play recently, and I don’t want my rank to drop.”ZAKOxSVHZsogccWhudrYRTlEZzmSmI

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Yan Jue cleared his throat, acting casual. “Alright.”MpAgWYkFEqvfTFPFOdHIEYZwfTnksq

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They swapped phones again and managed to win a game. Yet, throughout the match, their arms kept bumping into each other, making Ren Yi feel awkward. He’d lost the drive to continue playing. “It’s almost eleven. I’m getting tired. How about we call it a night?”JoPJpxcfTsTXOnxSzlbOOzOoEIHOub

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“Yeah, let’s sleep.” Yan Jue returned to his bed, lying on his side, his bright eyes watching Ren Yi in the dim light. “Hey, Si Huo, you know, that time at the amusement park… that wasn’t actually the first time we met.”lZYUIjnaxynNbgjJhphfhPfKrnECOb

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“Really?” Ren Yi replied absentmindedly, “We met at a previous meeting?”iYmwMwLqFpPYugxTCNQTkndaTvqteP

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“No, it was right after I got promoted to squad leader.”lmYtCDbBXPARbNoKgTxwBLzcgCHZpI

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“Then when was it?”otcMJkiuDWSIakbVgRORtjJldgSJCE

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“… Doesn’t matter. Goodnight.”CDPCiIDhcwtTpVAFxqSTzzRpYRduVL

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The last day of training was when everyone anticipated seeing the new equipment on display. Our country’s firefighting gear isn’t advanced enough, with much of the high-quality equipment imported, primarily from the United States and Germany.fUoVNRMsatHIPAerMqzPNmbrtWJvod

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This time, there were new water tankers, rescue ropes, gas masks, and various other tools, as well as instruments for rescue operations or fire investigations. Every year, the squad proposes procurement plans based on their needs and budget, but approval isn’t guaranteed. The more thorough the justification, the higher the chance of approval, so everyone took notes diligently.knpqkSYihWVPEcBArbGXLwgIFToWow

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When the presentation slid to the new gas mask model, Ren Yi froze.tIxzdEbUUqEKruvKKkbLLSJLgfQVxG

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The gas mask displayed on the projector was quite different from what they typically used. First, it was smaller, with a thinner and longer filter, and even came with a small air pouch that provided 5-8 minutes of emergency oxygen. This miniature mask was intended as a backup in emergencies and for navigating confined spaces.zfLIkUZvVsiwtIBbCitbktOKSsnjFq

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Ren Yi had seen such a gas mask-mini air respirator combo before, but what shocked him was how eerily familiar it looked—bringing to mind the bird-like mask that Zi Yan had worn!mqahRKRJbGJPCeNngpivEqnSKqgTqx

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Ren Yi’s heart pounded wildly at this realization, chills running down his spine.UQfNrJzPtsVMNpuTFaCulfntweCNqm

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No wonder he’d always felt that the mask seemed familiar; it hadn’t been just his imagination.ZYrSTERXscEduxGYGgguQDcZDiDEDG

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He opened his browser and searched for photos of vintage gas masks, but there were so many types that it was hard to pinpoint a specific era. He had an idea and sent a message to Zhang Wen from the Fire Investigation Department, asking him to check the archives and see if he could find any old mask designs.zmspxHryJczgwzVCPSVdsoewBdFsdM

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Yan Jue nudged Ren Yi with his elbow and whispered, “What are you doing? Keep taking notes.”CPkVHzEnvrWzLqtsvjAwDZkyirOCol

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Ren Yi muttered a response, trying to keep a calm expression, though inside he was in utter turmoil.akYlkAFuMbdZrpCiByKWCtwWxGZsoT

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He had long suspected that the culprit must have been wearing firefighting gear to fabricate such a fire scene, so why hadn’t he thought that the bird mask Gong Yingxian saw might actually be…?WpnQbZtVSPLqbqzhRYexIJddRDoaTl

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When class ended, Zhang Wen sent him a file containing the iterations of masks used by the fire department over the past twenty years.sJSowbmqbyWijqloLDfpbGndmDtOmr

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As Ren Yi scrolled through the images, his heart grew heavier.aORvWdZZcKglqzxpCCRARbXeMXCWnz

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The more he looked, the more it resembled the one he’d seen…GDIqxvmCFgyHpdbaBbzKBMKgUxyIWN

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The newer masks had bulky, wide filters with various functional add-ons, resembling astronaut helmets, brimming with a high-tech vibe. But the older masks… did have a certain bird-like quality to them.SOFPjWdhcRsKrZGFdKJBpQTDakBptr

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A six-year-old child could easily have reimagined an unfamiliar object as something recognizable to them.jGjttrMkJWjoyYPJlKIFFbYjZydGTY

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Could it be that Gong Yingxian really mistook the culprit’s gas mask for a bird mask?AXdeoVGhjsHpOEnaCcbGwHtdZHcFzB

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Ren Yi felt his forehead tighten, his face turning visibly grim.ZwvTPVDpYyUtQUuImjVcvEdJIXPgTt

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Even though both Gong Yingxian and Qiu Yan had mentioned that there was likely an insider involved in this case, Ren Yi had always been subconsciously reluctant to suspect his fellow professionals. But could it be…?tFTgoFkrshuFqdifBtyMEmVKUotmIw

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Ren Yi took a deep breath, forcing himself to stop spiraling. Without evidence, he couldn’t let his thoughts run wild. Besides, back then, most of this equipment had been imported, so it wasn’t exclusive to firefighters. Although online shopping wasn’t as accessible then as it is now, it didn’t mean the equipment was impossible to acquire.glUBLhgKNOAvIqywddMAwCuXNDZYxR

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Still, throughout the entire class, Ren Yi couldn’t calm his mind.CAxGrsKDJpXZJLZZwPKmVYOrASljzf

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After class, Yan Jue asked, “What’s going on with you?”pzaHoEegwgAhmigrFRudVBeqlfulBs

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Ren Yi replied, “It’s nothing, just some updates on a case.”NWMlxnVkmWktjlPvVufdxjqFWcnZOW

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“Bad news?”jRbIVsamkqiAXNnTDZJnaBdAxNXTkj

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“…Not exactly.” Ren Yi sighed. “But the good news isn’t exactly lifting my spirits either.”oDSCKVusVIrkdgbOkYZkgRUQGihBox

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Yan Jue nodded, “Got it. If you need any help, just say the word.”ttgizTtwbrZtvlvVCoCLcAFpZIxoBy

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“Yeah, I need to make a call.” Ren Yi walked to the hallway and dialed Gong Yingxian’s number.MVMnvyFJGAphSDeKrRYvfvKySgmxDH

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“Hello.” Gong Yingxian’s pleasant voice came through, a hint of cheer in his tone. “Finished with class?”TboxngIUdcGjyTIQnXEdQPFwUdbpPk

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Ren Yi responded in a serious tone, “Yingxian, I have a question for you.”TyqhNxEcMiSNBczHMOvDcHkzQSNaAw

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The seriousness in Ren Yi’s voice immediately alerted Gong Yingxian that something was up. “Go ahead.”BsIKkQzzwtvxXrnhUUmjOiYYXkrOCy

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“The mask you saw back then… are you certain it was a bird mask?”qSIvxQXzSlDhyiWEaOOXEeEAunXhtz

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Gong Yingxian paused, startled. “What do you mean?”jlvITnvlyCOPXIDGopacFfOcgZBZiR

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“I suspect… it might not have been a bird mask.”cAkClfdtAmbBhsqaDYSICfGDstxVQM

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