Blazing Armor

Qiu Yan and Ren Yi went to the cafeteria first, while Gong Yingxian returned to the car to fetch his lunchbox.caFFwMpJRRhvKBNpZVDlFDDeXcVETO

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Before Qiu Yan could speak, Ren Yi started, “Captain Qiu, you don’t need to apologize to me. Like you said, you’re just doing your job and fulfilling your duties as a police officer. If I were in your position, I would also investigate thoroughly.”WhxdSBnkYinhhatVFOkxFKMRUMSKOR

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“Thank you for understanding, but morally, I still feel guilty towards you. After all, you’ve really helped us a lot.” Qiu Yan lowered his head. “Rest assured, I will do my best to uncover the truth. The case has been progressing recently. Through the Seraph system, we’ve identified several domestic arsonists and will act at the right time. Regarding the unidentified charred corpse that Yingxian mentioned to you last time, after confirming his identity, we discovered that his money was fraudulently claimed after his death. We are currently investigating that as well.”hiVfEuEmEMlJfTWeFYTQCRykkTPjty

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Ren Yi nodded. “What about Bai Yan?”QCbeCyOgEDPjEtizMbZyOXzjzLjaIM

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“Bai Yan has exceptional counter-investigation skills. The clues we’ve tracked down several times have been destroyed. There must be professionals within the organization covering Bai Yan’s tracks and hiding him. At present, we’ve increased the police force assigned to his pursuit and are monitoring the communication channels of individuals connected to him. He will definitely be caught.”IPiiEtUiNAzFRnWIeYENzEVQRbobnX

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It had only been about a month since the bodies of Bai Chicheng’s wife and daughter were discovered in the foundation well of the abandoned amusement park. Ren Yi understood that catching criminals, especially those who are highly intelligent and premeditated, isn’t easy, but he couldn’t help feeling impatient.IvbCXKBTKsUtbHmhuUTNUDiLqgWQYZ

bjnlzJSHKhQfAsE

At the cafeteria, the two grabbed trays and queued for food. The Phoenix Squad had only about forty members, so their cafeteria served food on small tables, resembling a small restaurant. However, Hongwu Sub-Bureau had several hundred people, and as Ren Yi waited in line, he felt like he was back in his university days.TjpOjzxGdwHttjskKJMRhfLdNREDoP

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After picking a corner table to sit down, Qiu Yan asked, “How’s the food in our cafeteria?”XhTEULOYcboUQFZxLpQwtnEFeqYYGO

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“I think our squad’s food is better, but that’s probably because we have fewer people, so it’s easier to cook.”tNTMfnBrykPpPBTKVAnUvhUxHMowAs

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Qiu Yan chuckled. “Then I’ll find time to come to your squad for a meal.”WIPddczaQunilleUaFVxDKPOobGxLG

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“Sure.”huGlxrkBmshnjWLBraFpkuDIGXTmeC

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“This is your first time eating in our cafeteria, even though you’ve been to our bureau so many times?”vzuYKJyoqGvQNjLLtDdlpOQncHdLNu

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“Yeah.”WfBsHrZsXtZclgpdWKytUmqLfvGCIA

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“Yingxian never brought you to eat here before?”yahUvWWPqPIkvTIKJbhFqwCfbfMLxY

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“…We ate lunchboxes in his car.”pzFTQExdASrTNtQIhVwhqftzCVJBmS

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“Oh, right,” Qiu Yan suddenly remembered something. “Sheng Bo mentioned that he makes two meals every day and leaves them in Yingxian’s car. One of them is prepared specifically for you.”FiIJCKIBAkTVTwBRscitupTVAjLCIw

FVMiIMIkGGqREpu

Ren Yi fell silent. Images flooded his mind—countless times when the two of them ate together in Gong Yingxian’s black SUV. To be able to savor a simple meal box like a candlelit dinner, there must be genuine affection involved. When you’re with someone you truly love, everything feels wonderful, no matter how mundane.EPPfPZjJHgGDSJyifVpHnWXzqNorUY

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He once thought of Gong Yingxian as an angel untouched by worldly concerns—though such a metaphor might make others cringe. Of course, Gong Yingxian had many flaws, ones that most people would find intolerable. Yet, in Ren Yi’s eyes, those flaws were forgivable, even endearing. For him, everything about Gong Yingxian was good. Even the bad parts became good as long as he thought so, and he accepted them wholeheartedly.DiokwYkpRPeDaIeFkYDlZpDtvYqVFv

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To be blinded by love to such an extent, it’s no wonder he failed to see certain truths.DiHNxDQBUhswEFKokSxtvzadnHFXpF

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Qiu Yan noticed Ren Yi’s silence and forced a smile. “Honestly, I always suspected there might be issues between you two. I just didn’t expect the first problem to come from Yingxian.”iqcJkgsIogPDrlgTmPuJSyKDhroBRH

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Ren Yi let out a bitter laugh. He wanted to snap back, asking if Qiu Yan had ever worried about him using his ‘adult experience’ to hurt Gong Yingxian. Now it was obvious that Gong Yingxian was the one exploiting him. Yet he kept his thoughts to himself; there was no need for Qiu Yan to bear this guilt.NvbtxFlnqZiqGOkBpAMlgcJmOnLsxi

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Qiu Yan carefully studied Ren Yi’s expression and said sincerely, “I understand your anger, and Yingxian is also very upset. I really don’t want to see you two like this. Is there anything I can do?”UlOVtyuIuaUYwsIHBRuLLvuQsCZmtQ

HJlyaeEoSZkULVy

Ren Yi knew Gong Yingxian would never reveal the true nature of their relationship to Qiu Yan. That also meant Qiu Yan couldn’t fully “understand” his anger. Shaking his head, Ren Yi replied, “Let us handle it ourselves.”rFAlicmoQBhJMAZacWqaHgDPHVklxe

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Qiu Yan sighed and gave Ren Yi a helpless look before falling silent.LVsTBfzXXAtmlJRqECCrYvkQoZAdTb

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After a while, Gong Yingxian walked into the cafeteria. With his tall figure, long legs, and striking appearance, he naturally stood out wherever he went. Yet the reaction from the people in the cafeteria was particularly pronounced—one glance and everyone’s eyes were filled with astonishment as they turned to him.AStUXeXbFIHnFvjCCTdZUQXyZRDlOL

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Ren Yi thought to himself, This must be Gong Yingxian’s first time showing up in a public cafeteria.BWurBjYarwswmTtNHlAJbBRvQBwili

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Sure enough, a colleague teased him immediately. “Wow, Dr. Gong, how come you’re eating in the cafeteria today? Don’t you always avoid it?”RZiKonMtkuneZhTHIXqLLtzAwFTUbY

usViVpwJYJbWmev

Gong Yingxian nodded politely but didn’t engage further. Instead, he walked straight to their table, placed two insulated lunchboxes on it, and sat down. He pushed one of the containers toward Ren Yi. “There’s braised pork and stir-fried lotus tips—your favorites.”hHHpVmqNeXbBrMlVAuGnGhPknxiGXx

hLmoOafHwbklnWA

“I don’t need it. I already have more than enough.” Ren Yi buried his head in his meal without looking up.ZtmgLgqUrtbiVCIUgQeZvdiepCuNhq

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Gong Yingxian’s face fell as he opened his own lunchbox, absentmindedly picking at the food. While eating, he couldn’t help but steal glances at Ren Yi.XEHMITWqkXehGDYdvyDBMkdqaFsZef

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Sitting beside them, Qiu Yan felt unbearably awkward. She coughed lightly, stood up, and said, “I’m going to the restroom.”XXnHtumXovMWBFTdDfBxleKYvyHmCT

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Ren Yi, of course, knew Qiu Yan wasn’t truly leaving to use the restroom; she was trying to create an opportunity for him and Gong Yingxian to reconcile. However, at this moment, facing Gong Yingxian, Ren Yi felt only exhaustion—the kind that comes after burning anger fades and leaves behind emptiness.hqdzWHnXlSckBgvrPlZGsGTkWstjtc

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After Qiu Yan left, Gong Yingxian stole several more glances at Ren Yi, hesitating to speak multiple times before finally lowering his head in defeat. His whole demeanor radiated a silent sorrow.ZuiPTlCESIxZDynChkMIFyInRDvmUS

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Ren Yi also felt suffocated, as if the meal itself had lost all flavor, turning into a chore he couldn’t wait to finish.tNrHCnzEShyGYzgqXOgwwwytlGzrTw

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Suddenly, he felt something nudge his knee. At first, he thought it was accidental, but soon, Gong Yingxian nudged him again—lightly, slowly, almost tentatively. It felt like a mix of testing the waters and a quiet call for attention.ktCRKLgyEgYHAaOFnpuMXPGgqPGQWj

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Ren Yi shifted his leg back slightly, but the limited space under the table made it impossible to avoid Gong Yingxian’s long legs entirely.XasTpFINxBLnVGDVePLyrdgtTMRnZv

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Clearing his throat, Ren Yi turned his body to the side, creating as much distance as he could.GlJWkROQsHdbfeIKskhHMbLGYQqxJn

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Noticing this, Gong Yingxian dejectedly put down his chopsticks and hesitated before speaking. “The nursing home you chose doesn’t have the necessary medical certifications. There were even lawsuits in the past over elder abuse that were quietly settled with money. Also—”EVGmCBWISfSPWphcmtVOdtrhaBwcvc

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“He’s my father,” Ren Yi interrupted without looking up. “You don’t need to worry about it.”dneHNHaHBhNhNcnWikbAuXhaalkKMS

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Gong Yingxian pressed his lips together. “I promise I’ll never do something like that again. Bring the old captain back. There’s no place that can provide better care than we can.” His intention had always been to help Ren Yi, but after discovering Ren Xiangrong’s identity, things had spiraled out of control.lsVsZvEnyIDdGazVGCbWsyVoJZfmqZ

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“I should never have accepted it in the first place,” Ren Yi said flatly. “We’re not related, and accepting such a gift from you is, frankly, borderline bribery. This nursing home is where my father should have gone in the first place. If he doesn’t do well there, I’ll find another place or hire a caregiver, but I won’t let you near him again.”QnpOoAySQGVQKRlCmuBzUMsQrZVRwT

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Gong Yingxian’s expression darkened. “And what about us? Are you going to keep treating me like this forever?”ssIdlfeboldVSAfAWrHCLKjPhaOlyJ

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Ren Yi took another bite of his food, then calmly set his chopsticks down. “I’m full. I’m leaving.” Grabbing his coat, he stood and walked away without looking back.CpqWvoEvuUQrJOQZjhhiSzGUPJlSqM

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Gong Yingxian’s fists slowly clenched, his expression darkening visibly as if the temperature around him had dropped several degrees. He abruptly stood as well, taking a few steps after Ren Yi. But staring at Ren Yi’s resolute back, he suddenly lost the courage to continue.jGxOURDerTlLbZwNQOCvpYuidpcusr

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He had never experienced anything like this before. He had never bowed his head to anyone. Now, he felt panicked, confused, and utterly at a loss. He didn’t know how to handle Ren Yi’s repeated rejection and coldness. He couldn’t stand the way Ren Yi looked at him with indifference. He couldn’t bear the growing distance between them. That unrelenting turn of Ren Yi’s back took all of his joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness with it, leaving him hollow, as though he had lost everything.wZiuixnkCOUxgfccfRwePvYddAAmrs

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Ren Yi wasn’t paying attention to him anymore. What was he supposed to do now?!lmhUxFrYgEodCyWLTKtIoCZoIioair

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***lVKcPCkdrNZiUpOvnVRjlNlnIqdHQt

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The words Gong Yingxian said that day did worry Ren Yi quite a bit. As a result, he started calling his father every day to check how he was adjusting to the new place. Each time, he received reassuring answers that put his mind at ease.OtYkcIrShBwIqDQsirNnGAeWxFINdr

SRIbrPHWvPnTNQT

After a few days of calming down, Ren Yi began to reconsider his relationship with Gong Yingxian. He still couldn’t get over what Gong Yingxian had done, yet every time he saw the other man looking dejected or anxious, his heart ached involuntarily. He realized that, even at this point, he instinctively didn’t want Gong Yingxian to feel hurt.BbaXlwwniTSrTJBsuEsBDcXjaOQRKH

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While he despised himself for it, he struggled to figure out how to continue working with Gong Yingxian and, beyond that, what the future of their relationship might look like.xiNUecLgAHJpInPZgxjJGYDFxqaWfh

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The only contact between the two in recent days came when Gong Yingxian asked him to use the official account to post some cautionary cases urging minors to pay attention to fire safety, hoping to provoke Fang Zhixu.cNqEjFUFDyCqaEjRxypMglOaRBOskB

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Ren Yi complied, and it didn’t take long for the plan to work. One Friday afternoon, Fang Zhixu appeared at the Phoenix Squad headquarters.FTqmYABgORhqVSdRKFfCdWuEhbLZGw

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Fang Zhixu was dressed casually, carrying a large backpack. Judging by how the bag sagged, it was clearly stuffed with books.bAoBLAPmwWKmaTbXdzTWTZLlooYlFs

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Ren Yi frowned as he looked at him. “What are you doing here at the squad?”kdIjVqaKFavXQbaUSsLujsiYNpPQKB

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“I just finished tutoring class and happened to pass by.” Fang Zhixu ran a hand through his hair, glancing around the reception room. “Doesn’t seem to have changed much since I came two years ago.”HkjxBBQJxGilitmzUvnJYDmQUNEGQt

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“What kind of changes would a reception room have?” Ren Yi said, “Take a seat. Want something to drink? We’ve got Coke and milk.”KrvslMCmcVJsnbInUZNaJoTKLfTgdz

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“No.” Fang Zhixu clearly didn’t like being treated like a child. He deliberately sprawled out on the couch, trying to take up more space.fkYkuJekiFTgcMircciYVGyjeZuJdH

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Ren Yi asked, “You taking the college entrance exam this year? How are your grades? Which school do you want to get into?”WsizmnvySTcULFscsvjiPBwsJsZVqa

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“Not bad. Should be able to get into a first-tier school.” Fang Zhixu pouted. “As long as I can get it over with, it’s fine.”wNvGlbHKSxKtvaHCuRaGiUCxayeKNn

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“Get it over with for who? Your parents?”RzvmMkUgBKzwCxyugQtuSktioMaywl

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“Who else?” Fang Zhixu’s tone was already full of disdain.GCeYXtvgGZnhQvTvrfsxeLgsJPbIIu

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“This is for yourself. You should study hard. What were you doing at a place like that in the middle of the night?”sffBuymGfNPZHcSOuzCcTJFqXDyJtM

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Fang Zhixu stared at Ren Yi unblinkingly. “Do you really want to know?”TaZeBJZZyOTDegKsiIlJocYQwMuuqB

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Ren Yi chuckled. “Don’t try to act mysterious. If you have something to say, just say it. Adults are really busy.”LjqxsqqxWLwtOEJwDhkjqrJictySsF

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Fang Zhixu crossed his legs. “If I tell you, will you report it to the police?”FdYRUvLQxjWUrOQEPCiEHMTKcTIZtt

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“If the information is useful, of course, I’ll tell the police. I’m supposed to cooperate with them on the case.”hJDVZKLbnvSzSxrOZtgppaCykIFbMg

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“Then why should I tell you?” Fang Zhixu said coldly.MkLGTDxbwxEFJdSvpLpJPhcDwZihCs

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“Then why are you here?”TJfUXzdBxgtOTSYJQPXbMpfgfjNkmn

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Fang Zhixu squinted. “You’re different from what I imagined.”adefJmuiVHplZYgfhsDYopcoTgYwJb

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Ren Yi shook his head with a laugh. “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”qNyIYyvUIzFuPGNBGBJVLHmHoxjjVU

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“Why did Squad Leader Sun sacrifice himself back then?” Fang Zhixu asked, fixing his gaze on Ren Yi. “The news reports were so vague.”HbrcSrVyWpiIDnBxigxAgNDLluTFad

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Ren Yi’s face darkened slightly. “Why are you asking about this?”iAlmHoBAcyVYDfkpgDTOzmHltmlJrL

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“I just want to know. Is that not allowed?” Fang Zhixu stared at him intensely. “I want to know how a hero fell. Was it to save a little boy? How did he save him? Why did it have to be him who died? What did he say before he died? Did he—”phcVOFJkTasZjBiPzESEUuAFtUaGok

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“Shut up!” Ren Yi roared, his eyes blazing. “Get out, or I’ll throw you out myself.”IMViAakMSxBFOJAIiNQSwdIXARmZkq

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Fang Zhixu retorted indignantly, “Why? I just want to know what happened. Why did Squad Leader Sun die and not you?”dJiibkwLzZNqeYaJAOHEsYchSOYvmR

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Ren Yi abruptly stood up from the couch, took a few quick steps to Fang Zhixu, grabbed him by the collar, and hoisted him up.WKQMFNonEVbxTLaSXektfemuXKGBWz

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Fang Zhixu’s chest rose and fell violently. He looked up at Ren Yi with a gaze that held both fear and an odd excitement.QXaXHLEEzEAMNxYEDUBDONCOyyHBNp

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Ren Yi said coldly, “Get out.”TmOROnOzqdipMFLnRXcIqdpyVAqTBr

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“I’ll trade you,” Fang Zhixu said with a twisted smile. “You tell me how Squad Leader Sun died, and I’ll tell you what I saw at Wenhui Mall.”nzbYOanQTKJGzHGLMFytTrRJCrmVEA

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“You little punk, do you think you’re clever enough to play games with adults?”jhCjHMmDPSHjadJpCvTSXRTrvHLkgH

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“I’m not playing games. I really saw something important—and I even took something with me.”jGbNzPxRmEPPTTREOGIbCEhUXlyjEk

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“…What did you take?” Ren Yi let go of him, glaring. “Give me a hint, or I won’t believe you.”ErqqxqEfCHJSCdXaMWVprNLneeRMyA

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Fang Zhixu smirked. “The fire’s starting time you’ve determined was fabricated. What I took can help you confirm a critical timeline and might even lead you to the culprit.”UrsmjrPsRIxhkktmEAjwdsMCPQItjO

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“How do you know these things?” Ren Yi gritted his teeth.sdKDSaHZmzQhDheRRXsOUlOQnXFDTj

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“I can’t tell you that. So, what’s it going to be? A trade?” Fang Zhixu grinned broadly.zRGsJwrIVzlEpKqBNzvlcCeALbyqnZ

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Ren Yi stared icily at Fang Zhixu. “…Fine. I’ll tell you.”wTQHRJtpvlMtFGNoEffdjchLLdJqdV

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