Blazing Armor

Gong Yingxian had always been a very serious person, and his seriousness was reflected in every aspect of his life. Ever since he agreed with Ren Yi to not meet for the time being but to send messages instead, he had been sending Ren Yi a message every day.TlpAMQdEEabmzJGFjmZyJzukOOzAeF

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The day before yesterday, it was a joke about firefighters; yesterday, it was a warning about heavy rain; today, it was a love poem by Gibran.QRsNKUdjINpROcgbmmfHwvRdyFEbXW

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Ren Yi looked at the poem, feeling both amused and helpless.TRFmHEIJgCyzYCpeYufrmOuzlSyDIc

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He had been busy with the procedures for further studies these past few days and had returned to his alma mater in the afternoon. The school had assigned him a dormitory, but he would probably only go there for a nap, as it was over ten kilometers from his home. Although it wasn’t too far, he still preferred to go home.NYDErKjsCPFhlOnqSulQrhprLEAMxp

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At that moment, he was driving back to the station when his phone buzzed. He picked it up to see another message from Gong Yingxian; he had thought Gong Yingxian would only send one message a day.zvzcJjrRhoEDlUuLFnXIVKIezzqcsa

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His hand acted before his mind could catch up, and Ren Yi pulled over to the side of the road.voLxGvbYMZcCsekRqVWcWmzrdjUEKr

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Gong Yingxian had sent a folder and left a message below: “Open it and see if anything looks familiar.”LPACqGnxnsfKzGbKfKzVlRNxCoxLLJ

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Ren Yi opened the folder with confusion, and his confusion deepened.lUYpsbCyxkiUCJrwAzvvyzACQaxFiF

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Inside the folder were a dozen photos, all with faces and hair obscured, revealing only the eyes.XxAdPODSNVExiWIPTABCoCaGjHeKTb

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What does this mean?OzfeYfnAvZJkrgsAQnbKPTPyznfwqf

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But he quickly realized that the fake nurse who had found him in the hospital was indeed someone whose face was covered, showing only her eyes. He zoomed in on the images, examining them one by one.bDdLhvqnvtXntvleCelCbVYFLmHzIV

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He had seen those eyes before, even glaring at them fiercely. He couldn’t say he could recognize them with absolute certainty, but he could at least rule out those that were too different.HNSTQTxPGhNvfawCxicSZhpJlxdJQu

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Double eyelids, deep-set eyes, a sharp gaze, likely over forty years old—Ren Yi mentally noted these criteria and finally selected three that looked somewhat familiar, sending them back to Gong Yingxian: “These three look similar, but I can’t be sure. If any of them are suspects, can we narrow it down based on the body type and voice description I gave you?”cKbRHVcWCEadhHSLBAnLfbkjtuKNPP

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Gong Yingxian replied: “We can.”AMCmvZPkJvgpHnYvaiTiJytSWVgLZr

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Ren Yi was taken aback and wanted to ask more, but then he remembered he had explicitly said he wouldn’t care anymore. Just as he hesitated, Gong Yingxian sent another message.XEWMgSPiblgZmKVaInZGhlNFMUXtkq

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“I miss you so much.”cLYefnCGfBisuRwxqmXgFxvfpzCRvB

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Ren Yi’s heart felt like a plucked string, resonating with a gentle and moving tremor that lingered on.AYrjEaVxdxyjsfxTuWljBmUCFgURWN

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He didn’t reply and didn’t know what to say. Every time he felt a bit soft-hearted towards Gong Yingxian, a pain would shoot through his ribs, a constant reminder of why they had come to this point today.dagSaCeeqaiJQcDanVgSUGedJDkShG

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Back at the station, Qu Yangbo pulled him into the office, looking a bit anxious. “Do you know the police have been looking for Captain Chen?”RLsBHEsDuNecXqyUCtwHdrgNOYtgro

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“How do you know?” Ren Yi countered. He wouldn’t casually tell others, whether for the sake of case confidentiality or to protect Chen Xiaofei’s reputation.RVCuzTnPdKQuxJgvuMxyuCFBrCSXPI

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“Qiu Yan told me. She didn’t go into detail, but I know it’s related to the case at Gong Yingxian’s home. Captain Chen was at the scene with the old captain back then, right? Is there a problem now?”EusajfdMbpJvvRcsFzcmnRdZcPqoni

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“Zhang Wen stole part of Captain Chen’s dispatch report from back then. Now they want to frame Captain Chen to exonerate the mastermind behind it.”OPydbYPFmngKtpRReEeunhjxpGyltp

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Qu Yangbo was furious: “This is simply outrageous.”fulWmfJaeerhRFbUooJXMNPeUlhgTz

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“You don’t need to worry; the innocent will clear themselves.”jRlJZsCuymOTWIDOySxNCEXaHzkQOs

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“I never thought an X cult could have such power to commit so many evil deeds.” Qu Yangbo shook his head and sighed. “It’s really not easy for the police on the front lines to fight against them.”XBxUaXMyrWbhPhZLGxCIcdQzLLommk

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“Yeah… By the way, do you often keep in touch with Captain Qiu now?” Ren Yi intended to ask Qu Yangbo to keep an eye on the case’s progress. Given that he had made a harsh statement, he felt embarrassed to backtrack and had to seek other channels.EgUcnSENMYntQYKwzEsnJZZTzGarwF

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But Qu Yangbo’s reaction was quite intriguing.LjPtYgTocQoRyYbZuuEHogAhZMscjf

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He quickly said, “Not really, just occasionally.” The subtle change in his expression, as if he wanted to downplay something while not wanting to let anyone see that he was hiding something, happened in the blink of an eye, but Ren Yi caught it.ZTjHVLRCrvsVmVsvStKNcBgdUCxxVU

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Ren Yi raised an eyebrow and teased, “Oh, is there something going on?”DDueLaiViPUmUwIsHNZvOUhdrBMvei

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“What could there be?”lnwFLdwjCPhGLpuaarGcyoIisGBeCJ

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Ren Yi looked at Qu Yangbo with a half-smile: “Bobo, tell Dad the truth, are you in a relationship?”dLQGiUxqOZLRmjJrbyijYXIdQTVGCn

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“Get lost.” Qu Yangbo had regained his usual calmness, pushing up his glasses. “I think it’s you who has something going on.”mbfIJNsbnMLuyWcVBTxSOnNzayTKIT

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“Isn’t Captain Qiu your type? She’s a great beauty.” Ren Yi nudged Qu Yangbo with his shoulder. “You keep asking about me and Gong Yingxian, more nosy than the neighborhood aunties. Now you don’t want me to ask about you?”NEypyVIeAzUXWOqkTQclLDGJlNeYfC

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Qu Yangbo shot him a glare: “I didn’t say you couldn’t; what do you want to know?”BdrtcTfEpxDazTHbSKmmptjFYQPkle

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“How far along are you?” Ren Yi suddenly sized up Qu Yangbo. “You and Captain Qiu really make a good match.” From looks to knowledge to ability to family background, they were all well-suited.GCeCrShVnAGrrjGniYolekcCpMHqkk

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Qu Yangbo tried to suppress a laugh, but the corners of his mouth kept lifting: “I was planning to tell you once it was confirmed.”yszIQgebCQXpmQwLNfWLxEABVxaZBr

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“So you haven’t pursued her yet? Do you need me to give you some advice?”xhHJgimqmGKXtKUPgjYMVmGEkOHcHD

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“What could a dead G do for me?” Qu Yangbo said confidently, “I will definitely win her over.”OxcZaoitlQYysZoZohDsXdbDSGxmsn

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“She’s not just any woman.” Ren Yi patted Qu Yangbo’s shoulder. Although he was currently resentful towards Qiu Yan, he genuinely admired this remarkable woman. He had been close to danger, and so had Qiu Yan; in just a few days, she could still boldly go after the bad guys. “I wish you happiness.”LwiVskZEmDdbcgBrCFLnYBCpQsyxNg

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Qu Yangbo shot him a sideways glance: “Are you afraid of her? I’m not afraid at all. You really don’t understand women.”SoaxZplEdWBkDmJROUCEAHSXSjgcwf

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“That’s true.” Ren Yi laughed. “Bobo, good luck.”mzjAcMiYmGwYEVhyHOpnJaBiHTSfnN

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Qu Yangbo laughed too: “You should also do your best.”nwuMvlwbKyyayUMgpCOwfyDfhGPhJd

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“What does it matter if I do my best? I can’t marry you or have kids with you.”zQROELucdBfkmcrUeXhrfdWNSbHzfz

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Qu Yangbo couldn’t help but burst out laughing.wSquMYFzFPJlAdnXPVqJyCcitvicRc

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“By the way, I’m going to see my dad on Sunday. Captain Chen and his wife are going too. Do you want to come?” Ren Yi scratched his head. “I upset the old man last time, and now he’s ignoring me. You’re sweet-tongued; help me smooth things over.”enWyWpeisojuEuxHWtyNYBnZulhqGJ

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“Sure thing.”XLSAAybvqgbQEvAowPElMYWtufnGOg

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“And today, can you help me ask Qiu Yan? They should have found out who that fake nurse is.”SaQUkzvDYWBhrOmZkfNDjYBvgtzaQY

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Qu Yangbo raised an eyebrow at him.vVzxGukdVPZoBYATSjODVCndcEbycQ

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“Right, Gong Yingxian and I haven’t reconciled yet, so can you just help me ask?”uKAJVoDeEHDngOZmkjINOZuiqBQyVp

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“You mean you two… fine.”afVxOXcdQmvOpWMWHMDNSNkeASocrF

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Ren Yi began preparing for school, feeling a bit excited about returning to campus and reclaiming his youth. He was busy with various procedures, reviewing past knowledge, and even took time to buy a few casual and sports outfits. In short, he found various things to fill his time; the busier he was, the less he had to think about Gong Yingxian, and he could temporarily avoid being caught in a dilemma.MYLEMRSZxVQgJpZfoPdxzaQwvnkEjU

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On a hot afternoon with a clear trend towards summer, Ren Yi received a call from Gong Feilan.tPzHIErDzIACkakGcFRGjPyKySoIWg

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After the incident at Yue Xingu, he should have gone to visit Gong Feilan, the little girl who had suffered so much, the most innocent and pitiful one. But at that time, he was a mess himself and didn’t dare to face her.CkmvxYefnXplKfnFOvYCkmkLqYhoiu

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On the phone, her voice had matured a lot compared to before; it was no longer the cheerful chirping of a little bird but rather a calm tone: “Captain Ren, I’m going to America. There’s a farewell party for me this weekend. Will you come see me?”xkeXPrqgGVObUcKeHupOVEuixvbRoz

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“Is it on Sunday evening?”ALRgXwDuWDCeaIcPWpINwJYSmLOGVr

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“Yes.”zYMdvdfHtXuURYxJUByccYJybWLFdK

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“I have something to do this weekend, so I might miss dinner. Is it okay if I come a bit later?”APqsANXAAocpkBAoignQsWklFiIhwi

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“No problem, as long as you come.” Gong Feilan sighed softly, “I don’t know when we’ll see each other again.”jPpRmldLdKNLdTuRJmtClzIUlQjrDU

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Ren Yi felt a pang of heartache: “I believe it won’t be long.”QLxZBwNTODzhVjUHCetwKydiPcZpYR

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“Mm, then see you this weekend.”apjtddIreOeHvlvzkkraqphrqHsaIQ

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“Uh…” Ren Yi hesitated for a moment, “Is your brother going?”bQyZHOwMxhdyjZWVeJLnkgAWrMqPif

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“Of course.”vcNyUuIwebheRFKYuetKXuhIBDULKR

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“Okay, is there anything you want as a gift?”FOkBNEwSyfQoSPbBCVRSkjGohTkzYc

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“No need, just you coming is enough.”RajFqCRQqacgqKewJjHCGtJiRcqkYT

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“Alright, see you then.”BLHZOTNIDwwSgnUSrNdYYhCQKTVRpE

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After hanging up, Ren Yi couldn’t help but sigh repeatedly. He felt for Gong Feilan’s situation and also for the awkwardness of having to meet Gong Yingxian so soon.lMopFEIrJlPEmMVRcQrKynskDbZhcU

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