Chapter 110
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.AgiFoVYwiAEKekRLCmYRyMQehpfKgm
mquNlnKocjZwsIxThey 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.KqXkrLSkCAeFqeYCcSaGgrVPwpHUEl
npftIZXuWxYYtcWRen 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.zmieFMxxCLdQeOeugTLKvCCkyuYrOa
IsbCJiRWDvXGrgt“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.”hbQYdhqaVRBNbjIWTQhtSDjOBZpYMw
pgNemSqVjxadVPiThey were staying in standard rooms, each with two beds.pMFGiSODDCZgdkoBJpgubfcCEzZiBO
BqobKIppGeVbifG“Alright,” Ren Yi agreed. “Come on, let’s put the trash outside the door.”ULlsHizBYHokUKknYtsUYzZkJbwgHs
AsiBbbUJfmQdeoQYan Jue’s room was diagonally across from Ren Yi’s. Ren Yi grabbed his pajamas and headed over.pNMgLaZshRwqeKhzMXRTAYCIdYZzwf
yiSPHGiQtTpXSwmWhile Yan Jue was showering, Ren Yi lay on the bed, scrolling through his chat history with Gong Yingxian.ZkRqNBRgFuALNXdsdnknyLtdtTrDWL
avbXGRikTrYnuezMost 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.oAjpnkCyIhFxcGfVwSfQRqEcnkZLSo
GOTJyqwtzidFVamFrom the chat alone, it was obvious who was more invested.BsXGwyldgkZQXbKIVMrnqLPEpfTBxg
lpvPzMvIrxAkzueRen 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.WkexwjlKoNPYiLKNLGAsukzVYnaIeO
PdjSmFpLkqEyhnAMaybe, just maybe, due to Gong Yingxian’s quirks and cleanliness obsession, they’d continue like this indefinitely. And that… wouldn’t be so bad.sMTGfTrBbluSFCIUsUPQfzaXJDnXPX
mDSacuVbLzpzIEdThe bathroom door opened, and Ren Yi reflexively looked up to see Yan Jue emerging, wearing only a pair of shorts.HuwHCQWjkfbJbyifPjAymVPKQLRyzz
lyuwQvmFhjggqALYan 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.LYkCBSdZNawcNgcoAOrvsClqPnCNxm
cnVjFWYcAtFhUdeRen 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.POhEfvbkooMksNFgzJyEMmvjUTRSCW
kSllODZVOLGQvOiYan 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.”iNYHQKaKMiXleLyUmqMhDbcUeIepis
DwykuVwyHDmhKDk“Oh.” Ren Yi couldn’t help but give Yan Jue an up-and-down glance.mPdCaSxhBRqIDhiezwoyUZTHQPaqRv
EcdUXIGrCabWaRQYan Jue raised an eyebrow. “Nice body, huh?”oBqjALBwiJpXdoYqskxikhagexvRQP
xMMbYCYFJegVRZS“Not bad.” Feeling he might embarrass himself if he kept staring, Ren Yi jumped off the bed, grabbed his pajamas, and went to shower.FXXezWvqxJquyMqhwpSRONjqFinvEY
BXHhHXRPDausgAlYan Jue looked at Ren Yi’s retreating back and smirked with satisfaction.KWXDjHruWGlKfhEsHHKXWmqbQEtcMq
rGvRSTGxuHinXvKAfter 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.tgFOjwXbPnwBOTBInZepOpUhrZnFAM
QQMCCApqWNAIYrVYan Jue saw him come out and asked, “Up for a game?”UXcgaGLcsXVgWAkcopBxhQyotoZjsr
qHsUuoFJRQTswNK“Sure.”axnqguqxYNcEeEeaJpNlADOtYXrinm
WlSpzcgzhdBlGBr“Want to try out this new character? I have it.”NwQaUnAmXJuknEyBSGwnsYmOKWhBoN
dKiwLsEqbqSUNWJ“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?”qgBYREpbTzEZblPmhaOjghRFYsqwDA
koWhgPrdrBwKAWR“Let me see.” Yan Jue jumped down from his own bed and lay down directly beside Ren Yi.KWiuFVrpVFuEjNmWosRkkLaCpQceru
KAOJvLnrUaXbzTIRen 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.jaIzudIWOYWCZYzsIdDmtOZSxfMxTJ
VCDgKuxskIpCXVRYan Jue, completely unfazed, selected the build and handed the phone back to Ren Yi.ebISVEjVNNvIqEFgbNkPGjfPpsvKMr
YLXysgGsOvTFQAHRight at the start, due to unfamiliarity with the character, Ren Yi quickly died three times, earning a couple of scoldings from his teammates.YwlHBnnoOhOlOMbWAxEpHFKPRAGKfi
xXgjMrPaKAqQSOeNormally, 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.GneCQgOrgRljvSMimLlFkxTeFqkKvO
lKHKHDLsbsiaJKL“Screw it, here, you take it back.” Ren Yi went to swap their phones again.PmtUPjRdHvJoviRqCWkOHsXcGvNbCV
SUtXEksuOkqOhMT“Hey, hold on.” Yan Jue’s fingers moved swiftly across the screen, but it wasn’t long before he, too, died.sDLCxNdepWKdmCHSyyNZwrlkskXuQe
jwxKyhXbblTuTrcAs 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.zYjTJmBbCswlfcFuhzhzpxDRYMdmPA
bWcDyxrLwIBgmYnBoth froze, and a subtle, unusual tension filled the air.QbTTQHRrSZUXydATDOpctijxDdJJvl
JihdllovqIyRyKORen 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.”rcKGZINnEawOgZWhfRCxnVhYXHldOw
CZkCzOgSUaIJBHHYan Jue cleared his throat, acting casual. “Alright.”pRxEdYalkJQdmurodUBYPusmTdbJda
dVjAcmwbTCqvqTEThey 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?”NeSpiplnlGDzqysqLxTeKFPenSelcQ
JwJXRcLZnJCecBJ“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.”MYMAourswMXnasNFqqzwvBCICCORUL
szRiKNFUlZmFgpD“Really?” Ren Yi replied absentmindedly, “We met at a previous meeting?”qCLYmvhRpPuNcGaKZHFPFztKhsPEev
gpyPyzvSahcYwWb“No, it was right after I got promoted to squad leader.”QfITUExjwmfHwIHgVXkpYsKEFOblvP
QDsAxWJrELSwFoq“Then when was it?”ROoBScaEhekjhpCnQaoUYxCYArdMKO
HPTdbpcNvSdMemZ“… Doesn’t matter. Goodnight.”CzAYDzHvDWSqfJIrBXAygTfRQBhLBO
JWwxGPmKUgEKCGj***JKDUVEtcGCsJnyAzBMHnZNiaLBCXQV
WutMxIIWxoSusQFThe 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.HRNATNZwcPDuqBIiWAjblFDwXzeRja
NLbaspruZzEXkFNThis 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.djXBWXzUMdvEfeHSgLTBPNbzmpyCqq
KcipUBpdnMlcUBGWhen the presentation slid to the new gas mask model, Ren Yi froze.sIOqGnabjiHawhqofqTCVRtpKBQcNr
JZHxCDogjgjFWzNThe 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.cBlXWcSrgOJomEuheVRXlhnjrvXdZm
ZyqftJfeFxLKegaRen 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!camxGxVsnNlPuFFcGUzZAsotYdCGPP
XyAZtRdqvchCVjjRen Yi’s heart pounded wildly at this realization, chills running down his spine.xyeBeAtkZeYBdvztbYyZXTmCuHtFMV
iKrtwlhMorgixiVNo wonder he’d always felt that the mask seemed familiar; it hadn’t been just his imagination.ebOsyRtmiykMQlegLfBEFKTNlKCLVR
FYzfCwezgpvUcIoHe 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.ViltwRSqrxdiZfKSCCDvWdORbozhcT
mzxNQrsIIjGqkKjYan Jue nudged Ren Yi with his elbow and whispered, “What are you doing? Keep taking notes.”hUbsGOoisFtdrwlnuZvvjNMpFSgkhp
PjfCWhrfFsOyYrLRen Yi muttered a response, trying to keep a calm expression, though inside he was in utter turmoil.yUOwvXCujSdsAmsHARbVVjndkjUlSy
XGMwzADdFxVpWjHHe 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…?echadXLZzTquHLwUDeGQhIYDaslXgf
KUTOzTQXClsAaByWhen class ended, Zhang Wen sent him a file containing the iterations of masks used by the fire department over the past twenty years.uZQbupLdNoZbOcXTaOVvEeNlzCLuMb
PKfYRcNmKNmzXAfAs Ren Yi scrolled through the images, his heart grew heavier.rraaAFHrjrODGeTUsBWEJYrnBsEbUP
YqddrqNeQFDpVAXThe more he looked, the more it resembled the one he’d seen…KkzSHEVBiHoJLjRwwjtMNPjSwRPtJm
wPNmnLWtyPJlvkiThe 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.RjTTdPPxxdnRIoEgstqBmdMZeMmKyY
BkUFDXHaZZpadLhA six-year-old child could easily have reimagined an unfamiliar object as something recognizable to them.dkxWksLHJzjFWLdfYIqDcgryATGnGG
XyAOHRtPVJdUekBCould it be that Gong Yingxian really mistook the culprit’s gas mask for a bird mask?quyGbBvZDeYstxoSZhpkOOhzRbJpgj
AHtAPNDWnWdKyjZRen Yi felt his forehead tighten, his face turning visibly grim.StUxHyVHiOSOtauNQWaCyeirdpZBqa
MnbIEnZSvHVJzHSEven 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…?MiYwsxOhaUAGeBjDhvDPoQxFmNanIH
QXWhKKsDUelHmoIRen 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.pfAHSzZoYlzuGtKHoenGQamOrBIfDz
zSxsdNwsHGpxXaaStill, throughout the entire class, Ren Yi couldn’t calm his mind.tvFGIDQzZYNANPhOceDhtCbZFqgFIT
zibnEqeFUOnZFdnAfter class, Yan Jue asked, “What’s going on with you?”ncDHUVebORHSYAMIpTTSsuukqyTmvk
XBCAOxPEwISpIAVRen Yi replied, “It’s nothing, just some updates on a case.”CXlkaxFgITWEGUJKSCzrsFumuGcPgp
olAagFNXJBpLARr“Bad news?”pCqqImGYPQvxYWptilGzJwQyrOrlTF
TQRvIRmwDUHXObh“…Not exactly.” Ren Yi sighed. “But the good news isn’t exactly lifting my spirits either.”eillyUQVTxnIXrcuWAUnaKjouhzEbu
FeedATBTJucKNblYan Jue nodded, “Got it. If you need any help, just say the word.”vCikPlbdspmiOjivKFaEIqEVqdZQek
jbjGgqOxvVDjgNT“Yeah, I need to make a call.” Ren Yi walked to the hallway and dialed Gong Yingxian’s number.gBKFEnOcIAYCbngDUwYNAdSSlAJnUT
sFktjiNkYqnTcoV“Hello.” Gong Yingxian’s pleasant voice came through, a hint of cheer in his tone. “Finished with class?”KWLGGDHiYMVturKmSudRJMsXQUomdS
wzjLGRuAbwyTZOKRen Yi responded in a serious tone, “Yingxian, I have a question for you.”KLlwospqKZhGIFEDAAvQTtxlAnYIjd
lysWFDjQakXiFsDThe seriousness in Ren Yi’s voice immediately alerted Gong Yingxian that something was up. “Go ahead.”CXkHMIsqRhRWyYNYPdEZYqOtvGVFVu
fqcJCqImRAvqnzm“The mask you saw back then… are you certain it was a bird mask?”wywTZRTCJFrBqxrZTHfPqulKcYExbm
ipjholxeyttGmxSGong Yingxian paused, startled. “What do you mean?”ZPIZkxmydNRcctteaqpUHaxZZZPHHx
AXgOAdJBiJkyTTv“I suspect… it might not have been a bird mask.”UesfznfMmTGLzKSyEqTOIjVJniWqLs
ZiXAwdlVzlzMyZKXApnpveFuPuDCqabIctrlflHJzmvnb