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

It was 4:30 a.m. in the main office area of ​​the Criminal Investigation Division of the Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau.

Working continuously for 45 hours straight, the entire task force was nearly exhausted.

Zhao Ming lay on his back on two office chairs pushed together. His snoring was deafening, and even the newspaper covering his face shook with each breath.

Xiao Wang was slumped over the keyboard, a suspicious puddle of water still around his mouth. The code on the computer screen was still running automatically.

Song Qianxia's condition was even worse than theirs.

She slumped at her workstation like a crumpled piece of paper.

A thick file was pressed against the left side of his face, and he was still tightly clutching a half-eaten sausage in his right hand.

For her, staying up all night was commonplace. In her previous life, when she was on missions in war zones, it was not uncommon for her to go three days and three nights without sleep.

But not now. This body belongs to an ordinary girl who lacks exercise. Staying up all night is practically killing her.

Song Qianxia was half asleep when she suddenly heard a slight rustling sound of a plastic bag.

Immediately afterwards, a rich, sweet aroma of milk tea wafted into my nostrils.

This flavor is so irresistible! It instantly whetted Song Qianxia's appetite.

She closed her eyes and sniffed twice like a puppy. Then she turned her head to follow the scent.

His eyelids were barely opened a crack.

A super-sized milk tea, piled high with tapioca pearls, taro balls, and thick cream, sits steadily next to her keyboard.

There were still condensed water droplets clinging to the inside of the cup.

Song Qianxia looked up from the hand holding the milk tea.

Gu Tingchen was wearing a black windbreaker. The zipper was zipped all the way up, obscuring his handsome jawline.

He had just returned from outside, and his body still carried the chill of the early morning.

Song Qianxia was startled and instantly sobered up. She almost dropped the sausage in her hand.

She quickly sat up straight and hastily wiped her face. "Captain Gu, good morning."

Gu Tingchen pushed the milk tea forward.

"You've worked hard these past few days." Gu Tingchen's voice was calm, but it sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet office.

Song Qianxia looked at the extravagantly decorated milk tea, then glanced at Zhao Ming and Xiao Wang, who were still snoring in the distance.

They also had drinks on their table. But it was the cheapest instant black coffee from the convenience store downstairs from the police station.

This discrimination is too obvious.

Song Qianxia swallowed hard, looking at Gu Tingchen with a wary expression.

"Captain Gu, what are you doing?" Song Qianxia moved her chair back. "Are you trying to bribe me?"

Gu Tingchen walked to the empty chair opposite her and sat down. His long legs were casually crossed.

"A reward," Gu Tingchen uttered.

"A reward?" Song Qianxia's eyes widened. "A reward for what? A reward for my beautiful sleeping posture?"

Gu Tingchen looked at her joking and teasing, but he wasn't angry.

"This is a reward for your clues during the codebreaking," Gu Tingchen said calmly. "Although you always like to attribute your success to luck, the task force only looks at the results."

After hearing this, Song Qianxia's gaze fell on the cup of milk tea that was still steaming cold.

She suddenly felt a little out of place.

In my past life, I lived in Cyrillic Continent, in an underground world filled with bloodshed and scheming.

No one will simply give you things.

A glass of water, a piece of bread, even a condescending glance from someone—all come with a hefty price tag.

They give you these things so you can kill, so you can die. So you can take the bullets in the next mission.

Song Qianxia, ​​accustomed to transactions, betrayals, and deceit, was surprised by this pure, unconditional kindness.

I felt somewhat at a loss.

She opened her mouth, but none of her usual glib and empty words came out.

Gu Tingchen took in her reaction.

He didn't urge her or ask any questions. He simply stood up and patted her on the shoulder.

"Drink up and go back to sleep." Gu Tingchen turned and walked towards his office. "There's still a tough battle to fight after dawn."

Song Qianxia watched Gu Tingchen walk into the office and close the door.

She slowly reached out and took the cup of milk tea. She inserted the straw and took a big gulp.

The sweet liquid slid down my esophagus. My stomach felt warm and cozy.

It's so sweet.

Song Qianxia sighed inwardly. These police officers in Jiangcheng... they're really something else.

Just as Song Qianxia was happily munching on her pearls, the office door, which was slightly ajar, was suddenly pushed open.

Lin Wan walked in dressed casually, her face dark.

Because of her taking credit yesterday, the bureau chief has reassigned her to stand guard in the traffic police station hall.

She came back this morning specifically to retrieve her personal belongings that she had left in the drawer.

As soon as Lin Wan walked in, she saw Song Qianxia happily drinking a cup of deluxe milk tea.

Meanwhile, Zhao Ming and Xiao Wang, the core members of the task force, could only whine and slump over their desks, sipping instant coffee to catch up on sleep.

Lin Wan stopped in her tracks. A surge of jealousy suddenly welled up inside her.

She's an outstanding graduate of a regular police academy! She received scholarships every year and is proficient in combat and shooting.

Why should I?!

Why is this useless intern, who can't even pass the physical fitness test, allowed to stay in the elite project team?!

To be rewarded with milk tea personally bought by a captain of Gu Tingchen's caliber!

Lin Wan stared intently at Song Qianxia. She was so gripping the car keys in her hand that they were almost deformed.

She was unwilling to accept it. She absolutely refused to admit that she was inferior to this woman who relied on luck.

Lin Wan didn't say anything. She quickly walked to her old workstation and haphazardly stuffed a few cosmetics into her bag.

Then he took out his other personal phone.

She made up her mind. She would find an opportunity to prove that Song Qianxia was not worthy of Captain Gu's trust at all.

She was going to solve a major case so well that the bureau chief and Gu Tingchen would beg her to return to the task force.

Lin Wan strode out of the police station building. Sitting in her car, she opened an encrypted contact list.

As the head of internal affairs, she regularly came into contact with many unsung informants. These people, though not publicly known, often possessed information that the police couldn't obtain.

Lin Wan dialed a number that was not saved in her contacts.

The phone rang for a long time before being answered. There was a lot of background noise on the other end, like it was coming from an underground casino or a billiards hall.

"Who is it?" a man with a hoarse voice asked impatiently.

"Old Hei. It's me. Officer Lin." Lin Wan lowered her voice. "You said last time that you had clues about underground money laundering channels in the North District?"

The voice on the other end of the phone immediately changed. It became somewhat obsequious, yet also tinged with a hint of probing.

"Hey, Officer Lin. What brings you to contact me so early in the morning?" Old Hei chuckled. "I do have a lead. And it's definitely a big one."

Lin Wan's spirits lifted. "About what? Is it related to the kidnapping case at Shengshi Shopping Mall?"

Old Hei remained silent for a few seconds on the other end.

"Officer Lin is truly a genius. I heard you're looking for someone wearing a cleaning uniform," Old Hei said in a low voice, feigning mystery. "What a coincidence. A few of my men saw a stranger near the staff quarters of the North District Chemical Plant the night before last."

"The man threw a blood-stained security guard uniform into the trash can."

Lin Wan's heart raced instantly upon hearing those words.

Security guard uniform! This is definitely the key suspect who took away the young master of the Li family!

The clue that the task force had been searching for through several sleepless nights to find, she just happened to stumble upon.

"Give me the address," Lin Wan said without hesitation.

"Officer Lin, you know the rules. Cash on delivery. Twenty thousand yuan in cash." Old Hei began negotiating.

"No problem. I'll be right there."

Lin Wan hung up the phone and started the car immediately.

According to police regulations, anyone who comes into contact with a dangerous informant must report to the branch captain and must be accompanied by a field officer.

But Lin Wan's mind is now filled with how to reclaim the limelight that belongs to her.

As long as she gets the suspect's exact location, she can report it directly to the provincial authorities. Even if Gu Tingchen is protective of Song Qianxia, ​​he'll have to acknowledge Lin Wan's professional competence.

He stepped on the gas.

Lin Wan drove her car directly towards the abandoned chemical plant residential area in the North District.