We asked you to solve cases, and here you are sharing your criminal experiences?

4:30 a.m.

Outside the Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau building, the streetlights cast a dim, yellowish glow. The rain had finally stopped, and the air carried the coolness characteristic of early autumn.

Xiao Wang successfully identified three overseas proxy IPs and handed them over to the cyber police for further investigation.

The task force has a short break.

Everyone was slumped over the table, catching up on sleep.

Song Qianxia tidied up the snack bags on the table and was preparing to sneak back to her dormitory to lie there like a corpse.

"Song Qianxia".

Gu Tingchen's voice came from the office doorway.

He was wearing a black jacket and holding his car keys.

"Come with me."

Song Qianxia paused. What's meant to happen will happen.

She resignedly followed behind Gu Tingchen, and the two walked to the open-air balcony at the end of the corridor.

It was still dark, and the wind felt cold on my face.

Gu Tingchen took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and put it in his mouth. He didn't light it, but just leaned against the railing, quietly watching the city skyline in the distance.

Song Qianxia rubbed her arms and leaned over with a grin.

"Captain Gu, why did you call me out in the middle of the night? Did the director approve an early payment of your special allowance?"

She kept talking about money, trying to ruin the serious atmosphere.

Gu Tingchen took the cigarette out of his mouth and turned to look at her.

The man's eyes shone brightly in the night, revealing a sharpness that seemed to see right through you.

"Is the anti-fraud video good?" Gu Tingchen asked abruptly.

Song Qianxia, ​​with her thick skin, nodded repeatedly.

"It's great! It's really great. The police officers in it speak so nicely, and the cases they tell are so vivid."

"I'll definitely give that video a like and a coin another day."

Gu Tingchen didn't respond to her comment.

He turned around to face Song Qianxia directly. His tall frame blocked most of the wind.

"Song Qianxia".

"Here!" Song Qianxia immediately stood up straight.

"I've accessed all your records from birth to the present, including every exam score and every evaluation you received at the police academy."

Gu Tingchen's voice was extremely steady, without the slightest fluctuation.

"Clean and tidy. As ordinary as can be. Just a student struggling to pass the exam."

Song Qianxia chuckled twice.

"Captain Gu, what you're saying makes me realize I do have my strengths..."

"But the instinctive reaction you had today when you recognized the physical stealth device," Gu Tingchen interrupted her. "And on the cruise ship, you knew at a glance where the composite bomb was."

"Those are not things that a police academy student should have access to."

"It's not something you can learn just by watching a few science videos."

Song Qianxia fell silent. The ingratiating smile and fake smile on her face slowly faded.

She knew that continuing to lie to this man was pointless.

"Did you call me out here to handcuff me and take me to the interrogation room?" Song Qianxia changed her stance.

This was her defensive stance in her past life when facing danger. Her center of gravity was lowered, ready to exert force at any moment.

Gu Tingchen broke the cigarette in his hand and threw it into the trash can next to him.

"If I wanted to arrest you, you'd be in the interrogation chair right now."

Gu Tingchen looked at her.

Everyone has a past.

"I don't care where you used to hang out. I don't care what kind of shady characters you followed and learned these unorthodox methods from."

"I can even refrain from asking about your secrets."

Song Qianxia was stunned.

She looked at Gu Tingchen in disbelief.

What kind of tactic is this? As the head of the criminal investigation team, how can he say he won't investigate a subordinate who is full of suspicious points?

"Why?" Song Qianxia asked.

Gu Tingchen took a step closer.

"Because of the look in your eyes when you saw that bomb countdown. Because of the urgency you showed when you discovered the convenience store data had been stolen."

"Although you talk a lot of nonsense, your instinct is to save people and solve cases."

Gu Tingchen stared at her intently.

"Since you're wearing this dark blue police uniform, you've joined my task force."

"Those are my teammates."

Song Qianxia felt as if something had bumped into her chest.

In her past life in the underworld, she was used to the law of the jungle. Whoever has the biggest fist and the most ruthless methods survives.

No one ever told her that wearing a uniform would make her an "insider" without reservation.

"But in my team, there are rules to follow."

Gu Tingchen's tone became more forceful; this was a form of restraint.

"You can have secrets. You can find clues in your own way."

"However, you cannot cross the line."

"Illegal means cannot be used to fight illegality. All evidence must be legalized. All actions must be within the bounds of procedure."

"This is my bottom line." Gu Tingchen stared intently at her. "Do you understand?"

Song Qianxia looked at the man in front of her.

He wasn't warning her.

He was using his power to define a safe zone for her. As long as she was within that zone, he would be her strongest shield.

Is this the power of legitimacy?

Song Qianxia lowered her eyes. After a long while, she raised her head again, her eyes shining with an astonishing light.

"clear."

She nodded very seriously.

The atmosphere had just reached its peak, and the two were about to establish a tacit understanding.

Sudden.

Song Qianxia changed the subject.

"So... will they take away the five hundred yuan allowance we agreed on just because I have a secret?"

She rubbed her hands together, looking at Gu Tingchen with anticipation.

Gu Tingchen felt a lump in his throat and almost couldn't catch his breath.

He looked at this master who was ruining the atmosphere, and laughed in exasperation.

"Deduct it. Not only will your allowance be deducted, but your perfect attendance bonus for this month will also be deducted."

Song Qianxia was struck dumb and let out a scream.

"Captain Gu! You have no heart! You're a capitalist bloodsucker!"

"Go back to sleep." Gu Tingchen turned around and walked back, waving his hand with his back to her.

"Be on duty at 8:00 AM sharp tomorrow morning. One minute late, and you'll be fined another 50!"