Chapter 113
After stepping out of the bathroom, Ren Yi’s legs felt weak, and he deeply regretted digging his own grave with this behavior.ErdmjBUhvAWPIQQIzzXdxjIxMtgHEq
GhsrzzmvakoQPSxHe finally learned his lesson and realized that Gong Yingxian was not someone to tease casually. Gong’s “normal mode” was already intimidating enough; when teased, it became utterly lethal.eNiXiCVDsMWPMirmjXLMRgTTnSQMcr
xoOZsCLGadBzYKPBut Ren Yi couldn’t help himself. He loved provoking and teasing Gong Yingxian. Seeing Gong either blushing or caught up in emotions filled Ren Yi with unparalleled satisfaction—of course, he had to deal with the consequences himself.IizXpgJitghgXFnDspkYZHsTeaTeKv
fWeyGAKJeSceUQFNoticing something odd about Ren Yi’s walking posture, Gong Yingxian reached out to support him.pTksxKRmeDOGcTGUyXqRvkWxFgBuzg
kXRLelXHhWjHcrHRen Yi immediately avoided him—he still had his pride to maintain.EJshUwVTWRRUkwQbvxjcDcSxbcrcTO
wDDHmRRZyTugTNyGong Yingxian asked softly, “Do you need to rest for a bit?”MhHDnekYybhevvxJTWvXdUAaqSjpfM
lWpUHQlwqmOkTkN“No need.” Ren Yi sneaked a glance at Gong Yingxian, mischief brewing in his eyes again. “I’ll go sit on the sofa for a while.”KkneTJelzAbqElJvEEBBqMpwsseWct
TPywXLJvyOetTEt“Alright.”fKVOLItSZGObbidaXzxNKOYbmZZSRN
nTibbGSjRdubTNzAs soon as they sat on the sofa, Ren Yi pounced on Gong Yingxian, finding a comfortable position to lie down.mXmYQzoDqLKEPucpJOtTFZWtXUOLKV
oEUhJdDhZoFfonxGong Yingxian smiled faintly, placing a hand on Ren Yi’s back and patting him gently.qmKOpVWyTMwcViHNlCKNFVMnrCEenz
YyHzaPsDyhfnTwRRen Yi’s ear was pressed against Gong Yingxian’s chest, and even through the fabric, he could feel the faint tremors of his heartbeat. That pulsating rhythm, so full of vitality, came from the person he loved. It stirred an inexplicable emotion in Ren Yi.pznmUXpWyvvnZZUvSqRHEqshJvomZp
tOhByNQpCoyVYvOGong Yingxian rested his chin lightly on the top of Ren Yi’s head. The soft, fluffy hair carried the fresh scent of soap, and the solid weight in his arms evoked a deep sense of responsibility.VUyfSiMccjeMVihFWnMGAWjpwdYpFp
xvFZavFxhNCGLOFNeither of them spoke for a long time, wishing for time to freeze at this moment.OkSbDfWISRIQjUfJewDRdBtSCNFLzX
uUGykOVUaNVelMeHalf-closing his eyes in a lazy haze, Ren Yi murmured sleepily, “It’d be nice if we didn’t have to go to work.”bhPGBFiehodQIuCRoVzLCeFKebVpgf
WBmemOnWBnBPYqO“I still have plenty of unused vacation days,” Gong Yingxian replied near Ren Yi’s ear.mcYyksiVSxBFLRkxDPXZVYVhPMTVHb
GMItZxfwZnTjsRj“Me too. I haven’t really used my vacation this year,” Ren Yi said with a faint smile. “Once everything settles, let’s travel somewhere warm, with a beach.”oWCFqjcQRWuuKVbrFKKBtUdUOTIuiQ
UVwyLNzNreXCrnW“Alright.”KjOMCaHEGPXCebBugQTwunzyBiiOfn
CnVfXNqqXqDTngK“I haven’t traveled since graduating from university,” Ren Yi said wistfully. “Back then, my mom had already passed away, and I’d just joined the squad. It was endless training and studying every day. Then my dad fell ill, and I couldn’t leave even if I wanted to.”mtAXhXuKSPLuDZWCxALnlIYktanofG
QziuzJisLgFKmFw“I rarely travel either,” Gong Yingxian admitted. It wasn’t that he disliked traveling, but being alone meant there was no one to share the experience with. Studying or working alone was more enjoyable by comparison.nzVNvKNimjqfaqyLHnIOSzTbQrkrqZ
SBdyzXkwWDSUxFr“Then let’s go together from now on.”ORtCdXkkJSdMTzTEBegTFZMlBFdSmC
CVSazCXhxWWGrgW“Together,” Gong Yingxian said earnestly.DxDiQdqiRIrIMcoOVwPVPlySRKdzwg
iQyWGtQXOIoKqgsRen Yi felt a warm glow in his chest, as if his entire heart was wrapped in sunlight. He felt weightless, buoyed by an indescribable lightness and joy.qtfwtWHPQihJVyWBxPuOyafomVYJJi
BNfKmeLZrMNzrjJThey embraced each other for a long time. Ren Yi struggled internally, reluctant to leave, but duty called. He reluctantly got up from Gong Yingxian’s arms and said helplessly, “I really have to go now.”DUJppoiwXcHbIinxVsIYbEXqSkkPbv
joHygOrOWDhZMtcGong Yingxian couldn’t hide his disappointment. “Alright.”bPteHDTKZQzIhEgDtgZdeEgmlyxFQF
AtwwQQHZhCSoNoPRen Yi kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll miss you too.”ayQRwRuvlYpnFGFusDXJlYRYFNybSo
MNZeSFnTfillAsdGong Yingxian touched his cheek, a satisfied smile forming at the corner of his lips. “Let’s go. I’ll drive you back.”CZSrHWereQciizLnLGwgahrPbLzRaH
tMLezUglQKQLYINOn the way, Gong Yingxian drove deliberately slowly. It was rush hour, and the traffic was heavy, so the not-so-far distance took a long time.HuFIczhLBeLyLQjIEHgIhhULrTWoPA
YYfInnqVfjcLqVFWhen they arrived at the squad, the two lingered in the car, sharing kisses for a long time.ZXPSFUoZjVbColKEaqYajianHOnEyX
BvlXIepduqCHZuDBreathless, Ren Yi asked, “Do you think anyone outside might see us? Like, the officers assigned to protect me?”hJIkPyVEwgsksuitbVbvWJbvolRJGP
nUBmSMwcscUtNJi“They won’t.” Gong Yingxian lightly brushed his lips against Ren Yi’s. “The car’s modified. Unless someone presses right up against it, they can’t see in.”OptmJEvSgVlOsNmuggNuEkBNEAMCQJ
NtMajidMxgstgsoRen Yi chuckled. “Modified? What did you do to it? Turn the trunk into Doraemon’s treasure chest? Is it bulletproof?”VYGCmjCytCUeJcRgGSOEhaXHNigXbq
uDaNTfgZhOMhFaA“Yes.”FpPQEAZICiFZlUUIbnhTgZmcUTHsFs
fDGbYZYTyUenDRk“…Yes?”LDwwBAwXWiYNqRiGmdJmCdTtnTGmzu
hmGeUiNdUGRoYVm“Bulletproof.”qmyLiyxQLsaiHYwoTYZEmUYkimsAOX
VSFOLUAUjhfrCwcRen Yi stared, wide-eyed. “Are you serious?”kruagjvHGxUHCuUapttSICtMnIxLcS
QLgOahQtTokxtGn“Of course.” Gong Yingxian replied calmly. “Other than how it looks, almost everything in this car has been modified. But it’s designed to appear normal.”ZqtIRsEQsPvsBoScrUFSOrbkyzDcCx
PGZcTHmuVpfJMZu“You rich people really know how to play.”tGHgCgjHKFZrUegEXDLDrTVmlyzRrl
uvpiYJHHUBnMkrO“If you like it, I could modify your car too—”ABHkaxiTCiECCglNslvKyHWnmTbpPw
uJGfOOiceWTBPjv“No, no, my car’s just fine.” Ren Yi cut him off and gave him a heavy kiss. “I’m leaving now.”lmDiJZyZyeZlXjZRUpagGghzQsLJku
upPmWugaJRvpmsTGong Yingxian nodded, watching as Ren Yi stepped out of the car and walked toward the squad building. Leaning back against the seat, he let out a relaxed breath, his tongue brushing lightly over his lips, which still carried the lingering warmth of Ren Yi’s kiss. His gaze was filled with indescribable tenderness.OhvEMVQOZSOshIgFElrjCWevtrRqal
QgiYTEDsoXUZSwoRen Yi headed straight into the garage, spotting a group of people maintaining the equipment. Just as he was about to speak, the alarm suddenly blared.cqgLVhRftCNGcSIhADKBcurnTKWDYy
rGzupMRaqUJDktKSun Dingyi pointed at Ren Yi and laughed. “Captain Ren, this one’s specially for you.”OoqrCMnjInCrtvxpNJRnDpQlcCpRDE
dUJODTmTVJJmEdSRen Yi threw his bag to the ground. “Let’s move!”SiCqfAVCpWxalGKeJBlMAbHiLQiJjF
qZHUmeFSiYWtTnPThey quickly began suiting up as a dispatcher ran over. “Captain Ren, there’s a fire at Wenhui Mall.”CUnEjFwtMFlbdyaRpbOnYXBmJftUfC
tzWjKjWXkdZvYND“Wenhui? The one on Dayu Road?” Dayu Road wasn’t part of his district, but it was still within Hongwu District. Even if he wasn’t as familiar with other teams’ malls, he had a working knowledge of key fire-risk sites in the area.AhwOTbYlbiKjPNUithhStQVREWZskd
VdyFddeAKjdTVQG“Yes, it’s a small goods wholesale market. The main station initially sent four squads, but the fire’s out of control, so they’ve called in another four.”pJpcOwAjtNVrMzRGiQysqvYHEEoaeG
QEmJxYUQMLhBveGEight squads… That’s a massive fire.bceizTOsxZplicJjMWELNqNbBifxeY
DMmClXsZcDlkCesThey geared up at top speed, boarded the vehicles, and departed.uPMpsnyrlaYQtGANMhYDKqbKgXHSwa
gvQNyEdYilBWXOIOn the way, Ren Yi began coordinating with the main station to gather details.ENnTzQOaTnyvqEpGNHTlReMtpHOSxV
BMsiOYLcxJBJnulWenhui Mall was a large, multi-purpose complex. Building A was a seven-story clothing wholesale market. Building B housed shopping, entertainment, dining, hotels, and offices in a 30-story high-rise. Building C was still under construction. Currently, there was a seven-story skybridge connecting Buildings A and B, and the fire had already spread to Building B through the skybridge. Building C had also caught fire, and the wholesale market to the north of Wenhui Mall was now within the fire’s potential range—a very precarious situation.PFgPbeyXEvrwuNhHJHjWFrJJMPWxKJ
kfFiQbScunMjlEGIn places like this, with high concentrations of flammable materials, if the fire isn’t controlled early, it spreads rapidly. Even before arriving on-site, Ren Yi could already picture the devastating scene.btsVvSAKOjioTAoQKGcLsEanOmcNEo
DVtUjDnIyySkeVyHis eyes kept darting toward the road ahead, willing the vehicle to move faster, but the traffic made it impossible. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar car in the rearview mirror. Leaning forward, he took a closer look—was that really Gong Yingxian’s car?wrFyLkjIiHOobAwbLlUHjnwDxPseKa
diWGAicctGVuKRoRen Yi dialed Gong Yingxian’s number. “Are you driving behind me?”hUKRmVImxjFWEWWoXUPXgzWxrbbXyd
RSAelVNdbIEJMbE“I was just about to leave when I heard your alarm. What happened?” Gong asked.ByuAzvfwvwIvtXfdVkfLkitRSDjqvZ
YtrwNIjNrwYEuuY“A large mall on Dayu Road caught fire. We’ve been called in to assist.”LcmoDCGaJNOVQLHGWNFgTxXlYfvXLa
oaBbHWtAebJSbqC“Is it serious?”LYKwyVwQtrhAYTGrYgBXUSIMdOjaib
gjpJQFgIjHwXOEq“They’ve already deployed eight squads, so it seems pretty serious,” Ren Yi replied. “Wait… are you following me?”vkaWwiRtkzrlZvqctleRnnQyAFBUGS
HBhQFwpbXptWJLI“I’m heading back to the precinct, which happens to be in the same direction.” Gong paused. “Do you need me on-site?”uBNrkKspNXqJvIWgHUswSouXdNwxyP
LkiSYYPTcJqJKJXRen Yi chuckled. “Of course not. This is our job. You focus on yours.”MtOwvUBDpfXEkWPoJPqFZRbSzfotTg
frmtmwOCSwTFjMU“At this time and in Hongwu District… I’m a bit worried. Could it be related to the purple flame?”muVcRItHosSefdnNkCtvzvWATNoWOC
uJMUAcSozdRNBoi“I’m suspicious too, but speculation doesn’t help now. Whether it’s connected to them or not, we’ll be extremely cautious. For now, it’s not about investigating the cause—whether it’s an accident or arson, our job is to put out the fire first.”CLEcOjwcRqxqqZqhMDmGxVpGPwkugV
XqPNqVeKOBPzMbrGong was silent for a moment. “…I’ll still go to the scene. If it’s arson, there’s a high chance the arsonist is still there.”wFZlIXAGskMGohlOLsdZOaGuQkmAKl
bCxNXWEuWmLKGGB“Alright, but be careful.”AUdHSMfniQlVcEszhUKjHNdtQHPkNb
edVclvlqbBgKVGy“You too.”hmIysSckLDMzGQRvvdddJPZxDantrU
HAWuIZVOtReUcNu—qhgnOunpguHjzYyHNGKBErofjKADGQ
TXVJsjgxhssSVarWhen Ren Yi’s fire truck arrived, the site was already teeming with over forty fire trucks, and more personnel were still arriving.FNrLqjJsdpbezAYMgKRspoCBRxIhXU
XIXmPBvSKlhxRWIHe glanced at Building A, the initial source of the fire. It had become a full-blown inferno, completely unsalvageable. The current strategy was undoubtedly focused on protecting Buildings B and C and preventing the fire from spreading to nearby markets. As for Building A, they could only let it burn to the ground.TwMGCjdsQCvHXzWuGDsQupHqpGfjyq
DOuJXSoxHEiSrosLeading Gao Ge, Ren Yi headed to the temporary command center, where Chen Xiaofei and Xu Jin were meeting with several squad leaders.qHzZFjfQhIkgjuegBnhnYxxrkSqQJW
FziXEOZrwzmmliyRen Yi saluted. “Captain Chen, Chief of Staff.”UsaWvKKFuSNbiByNzhoRRmuTfcXRlz
NTFOBAtsdJgkMoD“Come over here,” Chen Xiaofei beckoned.lYhDGmNSUvypcDboFgtgjpRgqPCoOh
HZHwXWpckxaMwDrRen Yi approached. “Are there any trapped individuals in Building A?”dyXEqBbDEWUbIgSHQwKplpLvnVlCOr
jYpEYwmXEurCOhD“When the fire started, there were only a few security guards. Once they realized it was out of control, they evacuated. However, there are still many civilians trapped in the mall and hotel in Building B. Wang Meng is leading the evacuation effort.”vpEfaMTntJMHjhERYBkPvJGYIyEFhn
GKIbGZfPosmZDqJXu Jin frowned. “Those security guards didn’t report the fire immediately because they were afraid of fines and tried to put it out themselves. They missed the critical window for containment. Now Building A is a total loss, with over two thousand stalls burned. The financial damage is massive.”kFQzxTuQocDIQERJRDqdqAYoZJQjbl
xrUcHbMQVmJhJRn“Building B is a high-rise hotel? Our district only has one ultra-high aerial platform,” Ren Yi noted. Building B exceeded 100 meters in height, while the platform truck in Ren Yi’s squad could only reach a little over 20 stories.DOciTwCDthKbkwozfxvGvPzedipURE
WOhSmlWMLslLGdmXu Jin nodded. “We’ve already called in all the city’s ultra-high aerial platforms. Two are currently on-site. But given the scale of the fire, it’s still not enough. The main station has sent reinforcements from three additional squads.”bXczobABkNczTtupieewUfheiwjhMX
SKEiBUteOqMUDdSChen Xiaofei pointed to the blueprint. “This is the strategy we’ve just finalized. We’ll deploy in four teams:umLWBRmuNHlnuiIOitEQsoBcGoJdzJ
vhcCblyqDzNOVQe1. Team One: Enter Building B to rescue trapped civilians.mhbkelHPkSNSYCkfxhyNwmxGvCTdgJ
EzSNYdLrRaEPPBh2. Team Two: Attack the fire from the lower seven floors to push it back toward the skybridge.dwyopEIcqdokwGtRYXpFwWJPWKXcwT
kJzdUVuFpwQVMwy3. Team Three: Use high-powered water cannons from the north to block the fire and protect the adjacent Mudan Mall. If necessary, enter Mudan Mall for close-range firefighting.jobnbXwGMFuGbTGEMicHVOqPrMICXU
ofiruEaccgYIMiZ4. Team Four: Enter the under-construction Building C to remove large amounts of flammable materials and prevent the fire from spreading further.dAKePBowzUMHKNqeWjzSrGOdZWzZZx
YHxRGAKtROJtHnZUnderstood?”IujligGMaRYiJtqaOJLKgZeIuxkagj
rAAtANLxjQdfskh“Yes, sir!” the squad leaders replied in unison.efDbWwMcXshKEbIWMmdbEJSVMhptsX
gpeoTpHfnBmwOqbChen Xiaofei scanned their faces with a serious expression. “This is not only the biggest fire in Hongwu District but also the largest in Beijing in the past five years. The situation is dire, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. This is the moment the people need us. This is the moment we prove ourselves. I demand that each of you do your utmost to fight this battle, but as squad leaders, I also demand you protect yourselves and your teams. I want to see every one of you return safely.”oYMiCVJEhGRkBDRNzHaHEchLlUqnGL
CsGjWQTkfMkeYBq“Yes, sir!”NGLzQghsxxoWdvuvfUlnhUHXughzST
FeEnIFaJxWEFYaO“Now, let’s assign the tasks.”bYDsjCOJzRaVHdSewvFmPpCwDWKIGl
DYcOutkWRKlJqiEFVNveOpdiretaJBwjZVgBeUVwsOFzp