Blazing Armor

Qu Yangbo sighed. “This matter escalated very quickly. It broke out last night, and today it’s sparked intense discussions online. The higher-ups have noticed and decided to send down an investigative team.”tUkSbMQRFtyDEzEwwQVCqnFPNPbjLF

sXaXsSuCLdEMNdZ

Ren Yi was silent for a moment. “Is this all because of that male family member?”mvCTsvkeCzRtazpLfLYSYGICUVsPDM

bxJcmpquWQZOysI

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Qu Yangbo explained. “Initially, yes. I’ve already had Fu Kai investigate the source of the news. At first, it was his personal exposure online. Then some netizens joined the discussion, followed by the media. Up until yesterday, the situation was spreading at a normal rate for social news. But starting today, it’s unusual. Someone is deliberately amplifying the exposure and guiding public opinion in a particular direction.”kkVsgqebtKflviqxHAmTeSmYNUFuFp

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“…This doesn’t seem like something a man who just lost his wife would orchestrate.”oDOHFkKsSzJndPUsdRwduJEDIdyijr

CuPtVFUQcwRsUDG

“Exactly. His initial posts were out of anger. At this point, he’d be busy consoling his family and handling the aftermath. There are far more pressing matters than venting anger. This is clearly the work of someone with ulterior motives.”QkrANOkGtfLWCzrcImImUZuMeCrnKa

XdrwwhBqYuMyfhY

Ren Yi was about to respond when his phone rang. He had a feeling it was Gong Yingxian, and sure enough, it was.NtqdpryKUBnBwpfFBqLGFjYxhnXgiJ

CKgYsNJqWtesySP

As soon as the call connected, Gong Yingxian got straight to the point. “We’re already handling this. Xiao Tan discovered that a marketing company is fanning the flames. We suspect the funding behind this is linked to Purple Flame. Don’t worry, the ones spreading rumors won’t get away with it.”ydQyNALSgnLHsmMAcBfyjGivFJScqP

srNzGFHevWHbVJD

Gong Yingxian’s voice, like a bird call breaking the silence of a deep valley, had a calming clarity. Ren Yi felt somewhat reassured. “Got it. I’m not panicking. Everything we’ve done is by the book, and my conscience is clear.”eXSyrocoDDLhyqfmQwObwthCfgIqkg

mIWVNhJZHHWiron

“Try to avoid looking at things online,” Gong Yingxian said gently. “A lot of the negative voices might be from paid trolls or misled individuals. Let us handle this. Don’t let it get to you. We know what kind of person you are and what kind of firefighter you are.”oGhhNiDivDVJtPzwHoFhFHktwujaZZ

sqFnavrrbhIgXUb

Ren Yi gave a soft “hmm,” but his mind couldn’t help imagining how much harsh criticism might be circulating online.bzLEuvjHSpRlkgeLkOpbVjjFNBafWL

IAbzUGVVoYsRaWx

After hanging up, Qu Yangbo said, “The staff officer will be here this afternoon to investigate. Let’s prepare a few things in advance: the dispatch video from that day in the garage, the dashcam footage, the audio-visual and written records from the scene, and your leave request. Also, finish writing your incident report as soon as possible. I’ll take care of calming the soldiers down. You just focus on your tasks.”jtLJyKBloLKReJlerIpGmesAVcnqIS

zITlLnZsPlkkDFx

“Understood.”XKtWAoYgsVGjdHxtQjCzsgRYgNvUJx

XKpFIMoVmFtxeav

Qu Yangbo tried to reassure him. “You don’t need to worry too much. Like you said, we followed all the procedures.”BmrFcQuCrJKmIuJQxyiAEUvvMhSFbD

VGezZlBsroWjeIw

“It’s not the investigation from above that worries me; it’s Purple Flame,” Ren Yi said through gritted teeth. “This person is so elusive that there’s not a single lead connected to him. He hides in the shadows, orchestrating his followers to commit one atrocity after another.”dRVXkiTXqgdpJDblhWkIkQDdPoPqla

sVFkwyuibHRdpdF

“But his followers are also being exposed and caught one by one. The domestic users of Seraph are pretty much all under surveillance now. The police will catch him sooner or later.” Qu Yangbo blinked, smiling slightly. “I have the same faith in Dr. Gong as you do.”FsmphkZqMfJXtaubespQRaloTCEAVY

IOjveOJCkIzawyw

Ren Yi smiled faintly. He, too, believed that if anyone could capture Purple Flame, this cunning and powerful criminal, it would be Gong Yingxian.IxBkDRzFzXemRzsyiOTeflsQSatRMs

rLTZGBCtMGbBhTm

—lrwoleulbtNGItYUntsLXBdndevhDu

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Back in his office, Ren Yi sat down to finish the incident report he’d half-written. However, before picking up his pen, he couldn’t help but take out his phone and search for related news. He knew why Gong Yingxian didn’t want him to look—it was to avoid angering him. He also knew that reading it would definitely make him angry. Yet, he couldn’t stop himself.XaVKDfGBDfVWUGpgcSfeCNikrzNoLE

hFHjTxYCPfWORHj

The most widely circulated post was a video paired with a written statement. The passionate, accusatory text, clearly written by the male family member, directly criticized the Phoenix Unit and Ren Yi himself. It accused them of delaying their response, abandoning their posts, and even resorting to threats and physical aggression.WYkWGzQoJqCQBCxdHxdTjCxefTwhNH

AvDtslgsMBGSsHC

Just reading the text made Ren Yi feel a tightness in his chest and shortness of breath. He hesitated before clicking on the two-minute video. It had been edited to highlight their delayed arrival, their efforts to restrain the family member during the scuffle, and Gong Yingxian’s warnings. The video ended with the male family member breaking down in tears over his wife’s death.CMfeCdRfoqBAdqOVBFXJNrqaXOgRqz

sBLfrVCZXDNzhrv

From the video alone, it appeared they had not only been significantly late, missing the critical window for rescue, but had also clashed physically with a grieving family member. Any ordinary person could easily empathize with the man’s perspective and feel anger.NvbOyrFeqtNsBGAhmwEOJTuOtkKsPh

jYwcgyKyAlHxDXa

Ren Yi adjusted his breathing and hesitated before opening the comments. Each one he read sank his heart further. The comments were full of irrational insults, accusations, and baseless speculation. They had been painted as negligent, cold-hearted cowards, villains who had caused the death of a mother.XAUWDHZfcWoSOdqhklOFdiOdjewlqV

RaamvAQKqifvFde

Frustrated, Ren Yi slammed his phone onto the desk and rubbed his head in agitation. He wanted so badly to respond, to explain, to refute. But faced with thousands upon thousands of comments, he realized there was no way to defend himself.BPBtjVVbdUvWZflgXUDGGBsLvdMifX

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If he felt this defeated, how were the other team members holding up?tBcuLHigfwLDPmMFAQWQrxhhqqAipB

TJCEivHTthvmGrj

Ren Yi stood up, intending to check on them, but remembered Qu Yangbo’s words and sat back down. When problems arise, you need to focus on solving them. His priority now was to finish the incident report and provide a full, accurate account of what had happened.soaYMGRKUgIsUOTHADxPHWezIPSQcD

rvEChFxRWxjYamM

In the afternoon, when Xu Jin arrived at the squad with two investigators, Ren Yi and Qu Yangbo had already prepared sufficient evidence to prove they hadn’t violated any rules.xSDwbelcLlzIdfHseqIeLNAedcwSsf

ObzqJYqYzTlCKsk

Xu Jin entered the room with a dark expression. Ren Yi and the others had never seen him like this, which spoke volumes about the gravity of the situation. But Ren Yi, confident he’d done no wrong, remained calm.DKwfcAgUAdLKcCXigekUBZnPwUojLO

UvmJTnOEIVFfKRs

“Chief of Staff…”xCjDErjhtxoYYIjIIBfbtXASSjHopl

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“You two, come with me.” Xu Jin pointed at Ren Yi and Qu Yangbo.kVwxMSNDEVoSLCUWYeoWoJlPPzPNEC

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The two exchanged glances and followed Xu Jin into the meeting room.WfyvKxtAqVfruTYqiCNbLKzjNnqMxf

jlopVUYtCOvDCfS

Xu Jin slammed a stack of documents onto the table with a heavy thud. “Those two investigators were sent by headquarters, and soon the disciplinary committee will arrive as well. I’m risking my reputation right now to talk to you privately before they come in—let’s figure out a solution together.”FvOEXuhcbbUReyOEVXuhaPnYTsZlhA

BNFxgXmQLsJyltc

“The disciplinary committee?” Qu Yangbo’s tone was off. “What does this have to do with them?!”eGoQDAVbzhYoBXvwcSKMpRyLTELaud

EszohmERjhChvdE

“Oh, you don’t know yet, but everyone will soon.” Xu Jin pointed at the documents. “Open them.”uMGfGzhretRiEHsxCjRLuvraPyZtvd

wgUerGXLZiwRUcO

Ren Yi hesitated, picked up the stack, and pulled out the first sheet. His face changed instantly.HhWHhMLXhJPyMQTpAnuUladAHmOarh

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Qu Yangbo leaned over to peek, and his reaction mirrored Ren Yi’s.PhLyyzZRIiOYwOJrILUAdeNhhQterx

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“You thought I came here today just for that video? Originally, yes, we could’ve handled something like that internally. But this—” Xu Jin tapped the file—“this document was delivered to headquarters this morning. It’s probably online by now.”WhkxbxuCTLvQOvZaukURwDtNgvhACK

zxVvEJrAzwajapm

Ren Yi felt his scalp go numb, his mind falling into brief chaos. Things were far worse than he’d imagined.BAGnzslbesktjfhkKJwKmzSsqnhqVQ

OPSNMWcLOagVJrQ

The document contained parts of his father’s medical records and photos from Gong Yingxian’s hospital. It questioned how Ren Yi could afford the 1,800-yuan-per-day private hospital room and the high-end customized medical care, estimated to cost over a million yuan.FaTKqtcpdSxUBtOaDeyAHzDyVQQMCy

mhchufBRnVGtgDx

Ren Yi froze. Qu Yangbo quickly composed himself and said, “Chief of Staff, this can be explained.”xWVkXvCjaMCuOvBDEpWJqmzSehLKlj

XeFLqpGBUDHCOqU

“Explain!” Xu Jin barked.wSiqaBnbwiNKSkvsWGweLvenUhpuqR

UwxSGvXoliJLyls

Qu Yangbo calmly began, “First, the private hospital’s majority shareholder is Gong Yingxian. He and Ren Yi are close friends, and Ren Yi helped him during case investigations. Second, Gong Yingxian is a survivor of a fire nineteen years ago. The one who saved him from the fire was none other than the old captain. Third, and most importantly, the hospital offers public welfare medical slots for research, which are completely free. The old captain’s care fell under this program.”BAPGGrnnXCdMdGUnkSvIYAphSeFbkY

DUkhVxsysdnzkHB

Xu Jin glared at them. “These reasons might hold up personally, but do they hold up in terms of discipline? Ren Yi, you’re a public servant. This kind of behavior, once identified, is considered corruption—plain and simple.”AnSZOdCBPorsUwhbrRrjKwdidiaGOu

tklEfgVEFyQjwrc

Ren Yi clenched his fists, his face pale. “Who sent this?”lzXMIcnWBtkRJnULXfMpqNWctohRLI

LomuXvgoKolmVfS

“Anonymously, of course. But look at this material—this isn’t something prepared overnight. They’ve been watching you for a long time!” Xu Jin said, his tone pained. “Ren Yi, how could you be so careless? Don’t you have any political awareness? And you, Qu Yangbo, you grew up in a military compound. You have a law degree from Renmin University—did you waste all that education? Why didn’t you warn him?”XLwQGbAiLPAMPYULcWaPXUetfumoql

lodxOkgIpeGlBmU

Qu Yangbo lowered his head in shame. “I—I was negligent.”jfTVJHTtNHgcGWrbkyQSThyMmJspye

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“It’s not his fault,” Ren Yi said quietly. “I told him after the fact. I… didn’t realize the severity of the situation.”xigwVmsNctIFOdwHdEaUTGRlceZbvY

UaJsImSglpthDpQ

“You two… I swear!” Xu Jin growled. “Now that this is online, there’s no way to handle it quietly. Even Old Chen and I might not be able to protect you.”sHMHHMrvaUdlGHYOyrsVRcWIvAMhjO

fpNFJPjBGQiTBqj

Ren Yi said in a low voice, “Chief of Staff, I made a mistake.”TLiZMyKVbXVZOEvDGAijhELKqHibsY

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“Did you tell Captain Ren about this? Or did you hide it from him?”XaJOFRVlzjpfqTriKIamoIBKUKvdmn

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Ren Yi nodded slightly, confirming the latter.iBKvIQbXbLzIdgGQwhtwJCtzmoRept

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“How could you be so reckless?! Do you think Captain Ren cares about luxury? This could ruin his retirement, not to mention your own future! And Gong Yingxian—he grew up abroad, knows nothing about the system, and yet he dared to give and you dared to accept! Let me tell you, he’s in trouble too. You two were stupid together!”YYaKMGFmZawUdWaTHWhkiQTDkwNNFd

eVsbhsCsxdWxXEp

Ren Yi felt a sharp pain in his chest. Although Gong Yingxian had made a poor decision in the end, his initial intentions were good. None of this should have been anyone else’s business.NImiYInoRVwKScRrJaLmUAlrMFyInC

MgrBlOruIDGdBdg

He never expected that the purple flame wouldn’t just threaten their lives but would also attempt to dismantle them from within using unimaginable methods.uMPcBsgSOqjUdWvDyUovbwRaAOOoHl

XeLcFnxQnPDVwBB

What kind of opponent were they dealing with?VtJhyvtvAKtJoJqFzPrJhjnfQNHFbi

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Qu Yangbo took a deep breath. “Chief of Staff, the situation is what it is. We need to help Ren Yi. Everyone knows what kind of person he is, and that he’s the best squad leader. This is clearly the work of that X Cult—we can’t let them succeed.”tBZVScICqtILrSyqaJsSyivYEBTJVH

eOSPoOtzepPOvpH

“No one wants them to succeed, but we must give the public an explanation.” Xu Jin wiped his face. “Right now, the priority is shifting public opinion. If this damages the image of the firefighting service, you’ll be guilty even if you’re innocent. The higher-ups will severely punish you.”hqLxYmpYjFreUNSxDtHboPhBpQZIUG

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Qu Yangbo said, “We’ve already prepared evidence to address the online allegations.”FFlQWOugVehdnYyRupsBDXOoHnHeKO

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Xu Jin nodded, pointing at Ren Yi. “You need to contact Gong Yingxian immediately. Go to the hospital and gather any documents proving the public welfare or research program.”NALtIUyQEvxSOmQghGapxzRNJjtiZT

nbLBzLBWGRYzfRK

“Yes.”sChNOSBMQgbWLgtAcGCzwwUINvAcYU

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Just then, Xu Jin’s phone buzzed. He opened the message and sighed heavily, his expression darkening further.rfByRQNRlqcnfENrmBcIoQzYJUSHTr

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The two looked at him uneasily, sensing bad news. “What’s wrong?”jpCYuwZGlssSUMcJbnCPwbZVWhkUaM

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“They’ve started digging up your past online,” Xu Jin said gravely. “They’re accusing you of fighting in high school, failing multiple subjects at the Armed Police University, drinking and skipping classes, being disciplined, using a water cannon on a journalist a few years ago, and nearly fighting a victim’s family. And now they’re questioning how someone with such a ‘disgraceful record’ became a squad leader at 28—was it because your father was the former deputy team leader?”tVRUhTvHAtUJgztOlbpUZlxSvWxrbK

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Hearing this, Ren Yi’s face was blank, his eyes vacant. He had no idea how to respond.TMktEBRqAPafPnQcCsspamWXWUZdPx

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What could he even say?jNQtsTlMDDxkVDEfkUrXOaBBdRxGPF

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That everyone fails a class or two in university? That everyone makes mistakes in their youth?sVQgxwTLTHhMJzMoeoOSXlhpVwQRXt

kcNGXdeWdWvQAbE

When someone’s flaws are magnified endlessly, those flaws become a black hole, swallowing the person whole.RrseaNKzxoNbCwLRxoGkRHojVDOAaQ

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Ren Yi said in a low voice, “Chief of Staff, I was wrong.”vjsQkHfQhzriIttrabeoPUEAUjMqDI

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“What did you tell Captain Ren? Did you hide this from him?”JnyEgWJVpvKrsYJvwDIpJRMvIdqZrr

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Ren Yi nodded silently.jYUlYtDNoioiHPNsCZRGCpFXVjQpfJ

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“How could you be so foolish? Do you think Captain Ren cares about this kind of luxury? This could ruin his career, even his retirement! And Gong Yingxian—he grew up abroad. What does he know about the internal system? He had the guts to give, and you had the guts to accept! I’m telling you, he’s in just as much trouble as you are. You two walked into this mess together!”efRSqsAiWcbnebNOQcCqdwGgGVNnzr

wDssJCkrXFswcGL

Ren Yi felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. Even though Gong Yingxian had made a mistake in the end, his original intention was pure. None of this should have ever been known by anyone else.FsdZhUaLJVQIbcMzRsviDSDvzwynCi

MXTvKsqwwMQFOxE

He never anticipated that the Purple Flame would not only threaten their lives but also attempt to dismantle them from within, using methods they couldn’t have foreseen.ehqRJFfoVFTRzkPcmYtgLskVkBNPkW

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What kind of opponent were they truly facing?SHdBgUPoFhnMhLxVlFZKLTlLfLTkFy

hgLIHuUCtBLCeWf

Qu Yangbo took a deep breath and said, “Chief, it’s already come to this. We need to figure out a way to help Ren Yi. Everyone knows his character and that he’s the best squad leader we’ve got. This is clearly the work of that X Cult. We can’t let them succeed!”jJyoCkzoDnXMlejyexmsAPtjouiLXA

tlwOQeaScVkCEFM

“No one wants them to succeed, but we still need to give the public an explanation,” Xu Jin said, wiping his face. “Right now, the most critical task is to shift public opinion. If your actions cause damage to the reputation of the fire department, even if you’re innocent, you’ll be punished severely.”ZLWOQGMvgUzwbSRWFHiRCawrKfOtjy

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Qu Yangbo said, “We’ve already prepared evidence to address the allegations online.”lttnxWBvwltVVwdaVIvtCWSRnaDqFX

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Xu Jin nodded and pointed at Ren Yi. “You need to contact Gong Yingxian immediately. Go to the hospital and get any documents that can prove the public welfare program or research project funding.”DtXTGtpwSJPmISEpvBPCikfjqGCUxV

euIBlzmXQEpckvF

“Understood.”vIcDKUsityxSFRPYCHJHiGtwzSWlMQ

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Just then, Xu Jin’s phone buzzed. He checked it, let out a heavy sigh, and his expression darkened further.bvUwLVYVvkHIuCKSPIiXueFgFkbjQH

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The two of them looked at him nervously, a sense of foreboding rising. “What is it?”hRnyXtiCHGElYXRndVhHkwDTXeYKmY

qlnnoNhmxoVGicm

“They’ve started digging into your past online,” Xu Jin said in a grave tone. “They’re questioning your record—saying you got into fights in high school, failed multiple courses at the Armed Police University, got disciplined for drinking and skipping class, used a water cannon on a journalist years ago, and almost fought with a victim’s family. Now they’re asking how someone with such a ‘tainted history’ managed to become a squad leader at 28. Was it because your father was the former deputy team leader?”XHsWNwAQnvwbVfDBBpNEJYeYIfNcGb

XGbUYSYpOYyJmOQ

Hearing this, Ren Yi’s expression became blank, his gaze empty. For a moment, he had no idea how to respond.gMoGONayczJBwjYkDzhdZCjKeLljuy

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What could he say?NCohAYlzUGMRqHfGTnKMGZognUbnyI

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That everyone fails a few courses in university? That everyone makes mistakes in their youth?AAVLBeFYzJjSjXWTnEkqnRROXVNJuL

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When someone’s flaws are magnified infinitely, those flaws become a black hole that swallows them whole.kSLEGfxDksNTQmatkFcRHVEbEqWzUx

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