Chapter 226: Capture

**Chapter 226: The Capture**

Shen Qingye looked at Wu Zhengfa and stepped forward involuntarily, her voice shaking as she asked, “Is this… is this about Chu Chengjiang’s case?”

Zhang Liguo frowned, puzzled. “How did you know?”

“This case was classified,” he added. “Someone your age shouldn’t even be aware of it…”

Wu Zhengfa, however, felt a pang of recognition as he studied her familiar face. Tentatively, he said, “And… what’s your surname?”

Shen Qingye held his gaze for a long moment, lips trembling before finally speaking in a hoarse whisper: “Chu.”

“I was born a Chu.”

Born a Chu—so why the change?

Wu Zhengfa didn’t need to ask. He already knew.

His hand trembled slightly at his side as he slowly blinked. “It’s you… so it’s you. I knew… I knew you looked familiar. I just knew—”

He gazed at her for a long time, eyes filled with both nostalgia and complexity, before letting out a deep sigh. “You and your father… really…”

More than a decade apart, two generations—yet they had crossed paths with the same criminals.

How could anyone not feel the cruel irony?

Shen Qingye steadied herself. “So, ‘Eagle’ is the man behind my father’s case.”

“My father… died by his hand, didn’t he?”

She pressed urgently, “What happened back then? I remember—he came home once, told me everything was fine, that I should stay calm, that he’d be back soon. Why… why—”

Wu Zhengfa remained silent for a long while before finally saying, “The details… we never knew.”

“All I know is that the case began much like yours does now. Chengjiang stumbled onto a human trafficking ring by chance. Following the leads, he found himself in something far bigger than any of us imagined. He followed every thread until he uncovered the mastermind. This sketch came from your father himself—and the codename ‘Eagle’ was one he and his team discovered.”

“When we got the news, we were thrilled. We thought we were close to wrapping it up. But no one expected ‘Eagle’ to be more cunning—and more ruthless—than we’d ever imagined.”

“He used his own base as bait. Once he lured Chengjiang in, he detonated explosives without hesitation, torching years of work and the lives of his own men…”

Wu Zhengfa closed his eyes. “The rest… you know the story. He sent Chengjiang’s severed hand—along with his service weapon—to the station. After that, he vanished.”

“For years, the Ministry of Public Security has hunted him down. All we’ve found are remnants of his old network. It’s believed he fled overseas. We’ve been negotiating with Southeast Asian authorities for cooperation—but nothing turned up…”

Who would have guessed he’d travel thousands of miles to Yunnan, teaming up with foreign criminals in the organ trade, building an operation just as vast as before—all without detection?

Shen Qingye’s eyes welled up, her fingers brushing the gun at her waist, silent for a long time.

Wu Zhengfa watched her, his eyes heavy with sorrow. “But now we’ve got a lead. This time, he won’t escape.”

He urged gently, “Easy, Xiao Feng.”

She shut her eyes tightly, steadying her breath before offering him a smile. “I am calm.”

Never calmer.

“I’ve waited over a decade for answers. Now that my father’s killer is within reach, I know exactly what to do. Don’t worry.”

Wu Zhengfa patted her shoulder, pride and nostalgia mingling in his eyes. “Good… very good! Spitting image of your father!”

Shen Qingye smiled faintly and looked at him. "Captain Wu, there's something I'd like to ask you."

Wu Zhengfa immediately straightened up. "No need to say 'ask'—just tell me. As long as it doesn’t break the law, I’ll do my best to help."

Shen Qingye said, "Based on what 'Eagle' has done over the years, once he’s apprehended, will he definitely face the death penalty?"

Wu Zhengfa replied, "He’s left a trail of bodies behind him—including many of our comrades in the police and armed forces. Once he’s captured, he’s guaranteed the death penalty."

Shen Qingye looked at him earnestly. "Then, when that time comes, can I apply to be the one to pull the trigger?"

Wu Zhengfa was taken aback for a moment, then let out a booming laugh. "Good, good! What a brave girl!"

"If we really manage to arrest that bastard this time, I’ll cash in every favor I’ve got to pull strings and get you that chance to be the executioner!"

In reality, executions are usually handled by judicial police from the courts rather than public security departments. But exceptions exist. For one thing, Shen Qingye is the orphan of a martyr; for another, if she truly plays a key role in capturing 'Eagle,' that would be a hell of a feat. With these two factors combined, applying for the execution might actually earn her some consideration from higher-ups.

Shen Qingye grinned. "Then I’ll hold you to that."

"Alright, alright," Zhang Liguo cut in, watching the older and younger pair exchange smiles. "The priority now is confirming the suspect’s location. If we can’t catch him, your pride won’t mean squat."

Wu Zhengfa shot him a glare but knew time was critical. They all refocused their attention and began sifting through the witness statements.

Shen Qingye pulled out all the descriptions related to 'Eagle.' Aside from basic physical traits, most were about his temperament:

*"The boss has a pretty decent temper. Every time I've seen him, he's been easygoing."*

*"Once, a rookie put his foot in his mouth, but the boss didn’t make a big deal of it—just waved it off and sent the guy away."*

*"Usually, the boss rarely shows up. Even when he does, he doesn’t join our discussions. It’s mostly Brother Fei and the others doing the talking while the boss listens with his eyes closed, rolling his prayer beads between his fingers."*

*"...He seems very gentle, speaks slowly and calmly, never in a rush. He even told us not to hurry..."*

As Shen Qingye read these accounts, a thought flashed through her mind, but vanished before she could grasp it.

Nearby, Yan Haifeng and Dai Chuanyi continued analyzing: "According to these testimonies, their transactions always happen near the China-Myanmar border. Every time, their counterparts speak some garbled foreign tongue—no idea what they’re saying."

The local police chief from Xinmao quickly added, "We’ve locked down the China-Myanmar border—we've deployed armed police everywhere. Not even a mouse could sneak through unnoticed."

Yan Haifeng nodded. "So forget slipping into Myanmar from Yunnan."

Wei Zhengyi, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. "What if they were never in Yunnan to begin with?"

Qi Lian instinctively dismissed it. "Impossible! After receiving your alert, we locked down the entire province almost immediately. All major transit points were sealed. If anyone matching the description passed through, we’d have noticed."

Wei Zhengyi clarified, "I’m not saying they left Yunnan. I’m saying maybe they were never here in the first place."

A heavy silence fell over the group. Zhang Liguo shook his head, tapping the map. "Unlikely. If they're collaborating with people in Myanmar, they’d have to cut through Yunnan. Plus, the transaction locations they described are all concentrated in southern Yunnan, not veering too far west. If they were in another province, hauling ass back and forth would be a pain."

After all, Yunnan spans over 300,000 square kilometers—a round trip would take hours at the very least.

Wei Zhengyi clammed up, saying nothing. But Shen Qingye suddenly caught onto something, her face lit up.

Cut through... cut through?

Her gaze snapped to the map, sliding down from Yunnan to Myanmar, then further south, settling on a swath of land.

She asked, "If I remember correctly, isn’t Thailand a country where everyone and their grandma’s Buddhist?"

Wu Zhengfa and the others froze, but Yue Lingchuan grasped her meaning instantly. "You’re referring to... that damn rosary?"

Shen Qingye nodded at him: "What Captain Zhang said about using a transit route made me think—did those people explicitly say that the ones they traded with were Burmese?"

Wei Zhengyi murmured, "No... they only mentioned that the exchanges always happened along the China-Myanmar border..."

Shen Qingye pressed her finger on the map over Myanmar and suddenly slid it downward: "But what if the people they traded with weren’t from Myanmar at all, but from Thailand?"

"China doesn’t share a border with Thailand. To get there, they’d have to pass through another country. Myanmar lies squarely between the two, making it one of the best options."

One of the options—then what were the others?

Unconsciously, everyone’s gaze shifted to Laos, adjacent to Myanmar.

Qi Lian suddenly spoke up: "Their usual trading spots are in southern Yunnan, which borders Myanmar—but at the same time, it’s also very close to Laos!"

It was a position that allowed flexibility—if things blew up and the China-Myanmar border was sealed, they could cut through Laos instead, straight into Thailand!

The team’s eyes gleamed with realization. Zhang Liguo studied the map for a while longer, stroking his chin thoughtfully: "But the area along the China-Laos border isn’t small either. Where would they cross?"

Wu Zhengfa narrowed his eyes: "There are a few border crossings along the China-Laos border, but they’re all under tight surveillance now. Trying to pass through recklessly would be extremely risky."

"So, they’re most likely taking a route that’s remote and unmonitored..."

Qi Lian suddenly exclaimed: "Jiuchong Mountain!"

Everyone turned to him. Qi Lian explained: "At the China-Laos border, there’s a continuous mountain range we refer to as Jiuchong Mountain. Its highest peak reaches over 1,800 meters, covering a vast area with dense, undeveloped vegetation, making patrols extremely difficult. But once you cross this mountain, you’re in Laos—"

And once they reached Laos, beyond China’s reach, pursuing the case would become far more challenging.

The group exchanged glances before turning their expectant gazes to Dai Chuanyi—he was the overall commander of this operation. Whether to proceed or not depended on his orders.

Dai Chuanyi lowered his brow, deep in thought for a moment, then turned to the Xinmao Municipal Bureau chief: "Lock down the China-Laos border—contact the border defense troops immediately. Deploy additional armed police to conduct a thorough search of Jiuchong Mountain!"

"At the same time, we can’t let our guard down along the China-Myanmar border. Stay sharp—no gaps in coverage!"

The chief hurried off to make arrangements. Dai Chuanyi turned back to the group, his voice grave: "'Eagle' and his group have extensive ties to black markets in Laos and Thailand. We have no idea how much firepower they possess or how dangerous it is. This operation carries extreme risks. Everyone must prioritize their own safety—do you understand?"

The group straightened, barking in unison: "Understood!"

Dai Chuanyi’s expression softened slightly: "For this mission, I’ll get a bird in the air with two tactical advisors coordinating from above. But Jiuchong Mountain is all ridges and thick canopy—we may not be able to cover every inch. Once you’re on the mountain, watch your six."

"The success of this mission depends on you!"

Yue Lingchuan’s expression was stern: "Don’t worry, sir. We’ll complete the mission."

Dai Chuanyi patted his shoulder, glanced at Shen Qingye, and added one last thing: "Stay safe."

Shen Qingye and Yue Lingchuan exchanged a look and nodded firmly.

·

While Shen Qingye and the others kitted out, Qi Lian and his team arranged police motorcycles and electric bikes.

Jiuchong Mountain was undeveloped—regular trucks, even 4x4s, couldn’t make it up. In some remote areas, bikes were their best bet. But even then, the advantage was minimal. Once they reached the depths of the forest, they’d have to go boots-on-ground. Still, shaving off minutes meant more opportunity to track down 'Eagle' and his men.

The helicopter was already near Jiuchong Mountain—having it return to pick them up would waste time. So Dai Chuanyi, Wu Zhengfa, and the others boarded a heavy-duty rig with Shen Qingye’s team, planning to switch to the helicopter at the mountain’s base.

The entire journey was spent discussing strategies and checking gear. Wu Zhengfa repeatedly warned them to stay cautious—not just of the criminals, but of the raw jungle itself. The untouched wilderness could harbor venomous critters, and a single bite from something highly toxic could drop you before help arrives.

Shen Qingye and the others naturally agreed, exchanging looks that said it all—the weight of the mission clear in each other’s eyes.

South of Yundian, the terrain grew increasingly steep. Even before reaching the foot of the mountain, the road had already become rough and uneven. They sat in the car, swaying with its motion, their faces tense.

At this tense moment, a call suddenly came through, drawing everyone’s attention.

Dai Chuanyi answered the phone, listened for a moment, and his face brightened: "Really?"

"Good! Understood. Send more helicopters and focus all police units on the seventh level of the mountain!"

When the call ended, Wei Zhengyi's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he was the first to guess: "Have they been spotted?"

Dai Chuanyi nodded. "Latest intel says soldiers scouting deep in the mountains found a fresh corpse at the entrance of the seventh ridge—still warm, likely killed by a venomous insect bite and left there."

"'Eagle' and his group may have already entered the seventh ridge and are heading toward the eighth. I’ll have helicopters drop you directly onto the seventh. We'll also position teams at the sixth and eighth ridges to block their retreat from both sides—we must cut off their escape route!"

They answered in unison: "Yes!"

...

Shen Qingye gripped the vine in front of her, pushed lightly with her foot, and stepped up onto the steep slope.

Standing firmly on level ground, she scanned the area—nothing but endless green and brown. She couldn’t help but sigh.

It had been over an hour since they entered this forest, and the scenery remained endlessly repetitive. Anyone who got turned around easily might start wondering if they were just going in circles.

Hearing her movement, Yue Lingchuan glanced over: "Tired?"

Shen Qingye shook her head. Walking through such rugged terrain for over an hour, it was impossible not to feel some fatigue—but what bothered her more was the frustration of finding no sign of their target.

Wei Zhengyi, who had come along, couldn't help but mutter: "We've been hiking forever without seeing a single person. What if they catch them while we come up empty?"

The team had split into several squads of five to six people each, airlifted by helicopter to different locations, encircling the entire seventh ridge.

Yue Lingchuan led their squad, joined by Wei Zhengyi and Jiang Cheng, plus a local detective from Xinmao Public Security Bureau. Zhou Qiming and Luo Kaiyang stayed behind in Hui’an to continue the investigation since they knew the case best.

With no idea where the targets were on this mountain, this blind search might get them nowhere.

Jiang Cheng muttered: "Unlikely. They're armed. If there's a firefight, we'll hear it."

Just then, Shen Qingye suddenly raised a hand: "Listen."

Muffled but distinct sounds echoed from afar—could it be…

"Gunfire?" Wei Zhengyi’s eyes lit up.

The team snapped to attention, ready to rush toward the sound, but soon after, the gunfire abruptly stopped. From their distance, without a continuous noise, they couldn’t determine the direction.

Wei Zhengyi’s face fell. At that moment, Yue Lingchuan’s satellite phone buzzed, and Dai Chuanyi’s voice came through:

"Team Five, Team Five. Team Seven has just located 'Eagle' and his group. Confirmed count: twenty-three individuals. Our forces were outnumbered and unable to contain them, though five of them sustained serious injuries."

"They’re now moving southwest toward your position. I’ve alerted other teams—converge on their position now!"

Yue Lingchuan straightened with renewed determination: "Understood!"

With a clear direction now established, the team rallied and immediately moved southwest.

After about half an hour, faint noises reached their ears—the sharp crack of gunfire unmistakably ahead.

The group exchanged glances, reining in their excitement and staying hyper-alert as they quickened their pace toward the gunfire.

As the gunshots grew louder, Shen Qingye finally got a clear picture. The Xinmao police squad was locked in a fierce firefight with a group of men. Some of "Eagle's" crew were led by a hard-faced man in his forties who fought back against the officers, while others surrounded a man in his fifties, looking for a gap to slip through. However, despite being outnumbered, the police were spread out and constantly moving, making them tough to target. "Eagle's" gang was hemmed in—though they had more people, they couldn’t break free anytime soon.

Seeing this, Shen Qingye and the others swiftly concealed themselves and joined the fight. A few sharp shots rang out, and "Eagle's" men howled in pain, clutching their hands or legs.

Since these men would need to be interrogated later, they were just disabled rather than killed.

With Shen Qingye’s team joining the battle, the situation turned one-sided. "Eagle" and his men seemed to realize things were going wrong and got more frantic in trying to escape. But the two police squads held the line, and soon, most of the enemy could no longer shoot.

Brother Fei swore violently, dodging a bullet from the side but not one from behind. With a sharp *bang*, the bullet hit his calf, his face went white, and sweat poured down.

Wei Zhengyi seized the moment to yell, “You’re surrounded! Drop your weapons and surrender now!”

“Go to hell!” Brother Fei shouted from behind a tree. “You think a bunch of rookies like you can stop us?”

His remaining men echoed him, shouting obscenities, trying to lift their spirits.

Gunfire continued nonstop. Watching his men fall one after another, his eyes turned red. He called out desperately to the man surrounded by his crew: “Boss!”

Shen Qingye had noticed “Eagle” earlier, but he was shielded by layers of men, avoiding direct combat and hiding in cover—making it hard to catch him. Hearing Brother Fei’s shout, her stomach dropped. Yue Lingchuan reacted instantly, raising his gun to fire, but “Eagle” was faster. He threw something forward, and Yue Lingchuan yelled, “Get down!”

Shen Qingye dropped to the ground without thinking—but instead of an explosion and heat, there was only a short, soft sound before smoke swallowed everything, blinding everyone within seconds.

They’d been tricked.

Shen Qingye seethed. This was jungle terrain—“Eagle” was close enough that even if he had thrown a real bomb, the blast would have endangered himself, not to mention starting a fire he wouldn’t escape.

Then, from not far away, came several muffled pops—clearly from the direction where “Eagle” had been.

The sounds faded, growing quieter as “Eagle” and his men fell back, lobbing smoke grenades. After about ten seconds, the smoke cleared, but the distance remained hazy.

Shen Qingye stood up, her face set.

Yue Lingchuan hurried over, giving her a once-over. “You hurt?”

She shook her head. “They got away again.”

The police squad leader was already reporting to command. Looking around, he sighed heavily. “At least no one’s hurt.”

His gaze shifted to the ground nearby, where six or seven injured men lay scattered. One was motionless. An officer checked him and found his chest soaked in blood—he was dead.

The other squad leader frowned. “Who shot him?”

A young officer stepped forward. “Sir, it was me. During the fight, he tried to ambush Da Gao from behind. I didn’t have time to think—I took the shot.”

The leader patted his shoulder without a word. Meanwhile, Da Gao, realizing what happened, went pale and thumped the young officer’s shoulder in gratitude.

The group turned back to the wounded men, who glared warily, clutching their guns, too scared to shoot.

Wei Zhengyi and a few others moved in, cuffing them one by one. He scoffed, “You risked your lives for him, and now? He left without a second thought.”

Their faces darkened, but they offered no resistance, silently submitting to arrest.

Shen Qingye glanced at them, then at the empty space beyond where the fog had lifted, setting her jaw.

The other squad leader spoke. “I’ve reported our position. They couldn’t have gone far in such a short time. When the other teams arrive, we’ll have them surrounded.”

Shen Qingye nodded, glancing around. Her eyes skimmed over the dead body, then suddenly snapped back as if realizing something.

A dead body?!

Her eyes lit up as she carefully scanned the area, finally settling on a large tree not far from the corpse. She hurried over.

Noticing her reaction, Yue Lingchuan caught on and said to the captain, "Please leave two people here to guard them. The rest of you come with us—we’ll move ahead first."

The captain saw the sense in this and agreed, assigning two men to stay behind while the others followed Yue Lingchuan and the team.

Shen Qingye reached the tree and gently patted its trunk, whispering, "Which way did they go?"

"Huh?" The tree, still half-asleep, instinctively swayed its branches and pointed vaguely. "That way."

"Thanks," she said, turning and walking toward Yue Lingchuan, subtly signaling him.

Yue Lingchuan understood immediately. "Let’s go that way," he declared.

The tree was completely bewildered, watching their figures disappear into the jungle, still puzzled at how she could understand its words.

·

They followed the tree’s direction for about ten minutes when Jiang Cheng keenly spotted fresh blood in the grass—still wet.

Shen Qingye remarked, "Brother Fei took a bullet in the leg, but he wasn’t among those back there. He must have gone with 'Eagle.'"

The blood trail was now their best lead for tracking their movements.

Exchanging glances, the group pressed on.

After another four or five minutes, movement flickered ahead—glimpses of shadowy figures barely visible. Yue Lingchuan signaled everyone to halt. After a quiet discussion, they split up, faces grim, and advanced.

·

"Goddammit, how’d the cops catch up so fast?" Brother Fei limped along, clenching his teeth against the burning pain in his calf while cursing under his breath.

"Just wait till I’m outta here. I’ll hire some damn mercs to take ‘em out—ugh!"

"Boss, watch your step," his lackey urged. Brother Fei, frustrated, snatched at a nearby vine, only to flinch when tiny insects flew into his face.

Eagle, observing his restlessness, frowned slightly. "Save your strength for the road. Once we get somewhere safe, we’ll find a doctor."

Brother Fei, oblivious to his tone, grinned. "Don’t sweat it, boss. Leg’s fine. I’ll manage."

Eagle grunted noncommittally.

Brother Fei asked, "Boss, you sure your contacts are waiting at the border? We don’t even know where we’re going—how’ll they find us?"

Eagle replied, "Chill. Once we’re over the border, even by a foot, the cops won’t dare touch us. Just wait for pickup."

Brother Fei let out a relieved breath. "Good—"

Before he could finish, a gunshot cracked. He hadn’t even reacted when he looked down at his chest.

Blood gushed out. Stunned, he looked up at the man who had just used him as a shield. "B...boss?"

Eagle’s expression turned thunderous. He hadn’t figured they’d catch up this fast. His cool evaporated. "What are you waiting for?! Shoot!" he roared.

Snapped out of their shock, his men raised their weapons—only to be met with rapid gunfire. They staggered back, many dropping their guns and collapsing, clutching wounds and crying out in pain. As his men dropped one by one, Eagle’s face twisted with fury. Gripping Brother Fei’s clothes tightly, he dragged him forward as a human shield and tried to duck behind a tree. But then, abruptly, the gunfire ceased.

'Eagle's' eye twitched, and a bad feeling washed over him. Suddenly, two figures appeared ahead—one to the left and one to the right—both aiming guns straight at them.

"You're surrounded! Drop your weapons—now!" Wei Zhengyi barked loudly.

Eagle’s grip on Brother Fei tightened, then suddenly he flung him aside and turned to run. But before he could take two steps, he froze again.

Behind him, Yan Haifeng was approaching slowly with a team of officers.

Eagle closed his eyes.

The crowd closed in from both ends. His men looked from Eagle to the cops, their hands frozen on their triggers, too afraid to move.

"Boss… what now?" one of them whispered cautiously.

Eagle opened his eyes and stared at the advancing police. Then he chuckled softly. "Never thought I'd see the day. After all these years in the game, I still get caught by you."

Wei Zhengyi snapped, "Enough talk! Drop your weapons—now! Or we open fire!"

Eagle smirked. "Why the rush? You’ve got us outnumbered—what, five to one? Where the hell could we go?"

Shen Qingye stood steady, both hands on her gun, her eyes locked on him.

"Huh," Eagle raised an eyebrow. "A lady cop."

He squinted at her for a moment, then hissed, "You… I know you."

She curled her lips slightly. "You damn well should."

"My name is Chu Hanfeng. Sound familiar?"

"Chu Hanfeng… Chu Hanfeng…" Eagle repeated, realization dawning. "Oh. It's you."

He grinned. "Chu Chengjiang’s daughter."

He shook his head. "Years back, Chu Chengjiang wrecked everything I had. And now, here I am—caught by his daughter."

He sighed. "Can’t shake you two, can I?"

Shen Qingye ignored him, her gaze unwavering.

Eagle waved a hand. "Relax. We’ve got history—why not talk?"

"No need," she said coldly.

He played dumb. "Don’t you wanna know how your old man bit it?"

Her pupils narrowed as he grinned. "Here’s the thing—get on your knees and beg. Beg me, and I’ll tell you how he died."

Rage flashed in Shen Qingye’s eyes. She tilted her wrist and fired—the bullet nicked his neck before slamming into a tree behind him!

Her voice was icy. "I don’t need to know how he died."

"All I know is he died a cop who never broke. That’s enough."

"As for you…" Her eyes burned. "I’ll be the one to put you down."

Eagle touched his neck, studying the blood on his fingers, then laughed—hard. "Just like your old man. Spitting image."

Wei Zhengyi stepped forward, his tone sharp. "Enough! Last chance—drop ’em or we shoot!"

"Eagle" studied them for a long moment, then glanced at the few remaining capable men beside him, clicking his tongue lightly. "Alright, alright, I give up."

He threw his gun to the ground and kicked it far away. His men followed suit, dropping their weapons.

Yue Lingchuan didn’t let his guard down. "Hands where I can see them."

Cops moved in to cuff him and search his pockets. They pulled out grenade after grenade, along with smoke bombs. Just as it seemed the danger had passed, Shen Qingye’s pulse inexplicably spiked, watching his compliant demeanor.

This wasn’t right.

Recalling Wu Zhengfa's words—Eagle was the type to burn everything down rather than surrender. Back then, he had sacrificed years of operation and his men's lives just to take Chu Chengjiang down. Why would he be so obedient now?

Something felt off.

Her finger hovered over the trigger, tightening. Shen Qingye watched his every move intently. She only grew more rigid as the cops cleared his pockets.

Eagle played the part of surrender perfectly. His hands were cuffed behind his back, and he wore a resigned expression as the officers searched him thoroughly.

But just as the officer moved past his pockets to search lower, Shen Qingye noticed a barely-there flex of his arm—

The second he twitched, her finger jerked the trigger. A shot cracked—the bullet tore through his arm, blood misting the air.

Almost simultaneously, another shot followed—Yue Lingchuan fired, hitting his other arm!

Eagle screamed, raw and guttural. Before the surrounding officers could react, Shen Qingye and Yue Lingchuan lunged forward, wrenching his arms back, grinding his face into the dirt.

Shen Qingye yanked up his sleeve—something round clattered to the ground. When they saw what it was, cold sweat broke out on everyone's backs.

A grenade.

An M67 grenade, modified for maximum lethality.

If it’d gone off, half of them might’ve been blown to hell.

"Heh..." Eagle hacked dirt from his mouth and struggled to lift his head, grinning bitterly at Shen Qingye. "Would’ve been nice to drag you all down with me... Damn shame."

Shen Qingye stood over him, looking down coldly. "You pulled this stunt on my father. Did you really think we'd fall for it twice?"

"If you want to die, fine. But how you die isn't up to you."

Her voice was calm. "I’ll put you down in front of a crowd, right on the execution block."

At her words, Eagle’s grin shattered into something venomous. Shen Qingye met his gaze steadily. "Get a good look. This is the face that’ll kill you."

Before Eagle could respond, Yue Lingchuan wrenched him up by the cuffs and shoved him forward.

The cops scrambled into motion—some contacting superiors, others securing prisoners—waiting for the helicopter to arrive.

Wei Zhengyi, with nothing left to do, hesitated as he noticed Shen Qingye standing silently in the distance. Just as he moved to approach, Yue Lingchuan stopped him.

"Let her have some space."

He watched the girl staring blankly at the sky, sympathy in his eyes. With it finally over, the emptiness was inevitable.

Shen Qingye looked up, surprised to find the weather was beautiful—sun blazing, sky wide and blue—just like when she was a kid.

But after spending so long in the jungle, she'd stopped noticing the weather.

She should be happy, she thought. Her father's real killer had finally been found—she should be happy. But somehow, she felt lost and at a loss.

Could Dad see it? Would Dad see it?

Would Dad praise her for doing well? He would surely be proud of her, wouldn’t he?

Standing in the sunlight, Shen Qingye blinked her tired eyes, but she couldn't help smiling.

She murmured the word "Dad," and in a daze, suddenly heard a strangely unfamiliar yet deeply familiar voice calling her "Xiao Feng."

Shen Qingye froze.

"Our Xiao Feng is amazing!"

The voice was filled with laughter and pride: "I always knew our Xiao Feng would become the most outstanding police officer!"

"Your performance today was truly remarkable. You avenged your father and saved so many people—how is our Xiao Feng so incredible?"

"You are Dad’s pride…"

The familiar praise echoed endlessly in her ears, just like the tone Dad used to comfort her when she was little. Slowly, Shen Qingye realized something, her lashes fluttering down as she gazed at the gun in her hand:

"What's wrong? Silly girl, smile—our Xiao Feng looks the prettiest when she smiles."

"Hey, hey, why are you crying? No crying now. Our Xiao Feng is strong, isn't she? Our Xiao Feng is the strongest, right?"

Shen Qingye tugged at her lips, trying to smile, but tears flowed freely from the corners of her eyes.

This was Dad’s service weapon—his constant companion, his partner through life and death.

It was like family… the one who had watched her grow up since childhood.

Shen Qingye clutched the gun tightly to her chest, slowly curling up as she crouched on the ground, her tears now a flood.

She cried silently, her grief overwhelming.