Chapter 34 It Seems Someone Is Famous Now, Even Digging…

Chapter 34 Looks like someone's famous now, even getting recruitment offers...

For the rest of the trip, Guan Xia braced herself, even keeping her guard up, but unexpectedly, everything remained calm.

They finished a delicious hotpot meal, went hiking, and visited the temple. The temple looked ancient, weathered by time, and spread out over a huge area. With its mottled red walls and intricate though faded roof corners, Guan Xia and Pang Le slowly followed the crowd, going through the motions of praying to the Buddhas, though they were most devout when facing the God of Wealth.

In the evening, they went to the food street and followed their travel guide to explore the ancient town. The crowds made Guan Xia marvel that this was truly a tourist city—even at the usual bedtime hour, the streets were packed with people jostling shoulder-to-shoulder.

Pang Le held onto Guan Xia’s arm to avoid getting separated in the crowd. After wandering for over an hour, until their full bellies had settled, they headed back to the hotel.

Pang Le chatted the whole way with Guan Xia, but her eyes kept darting around uncontrollably. Back in the room, she muttered to Guan Xia, "Is that it for tonight? Kinda weird, doesn’t it?"

After walking all evening, her feet were sore. Guan Xia collapsed onto the small sofa and laughed, "What? Were you hoping for something?"

Pang Le plopped down beside her. "A tourist city with so many outsiders—surely there must be a few fugitives around? But I looked around tonight and didn’t spot any suspicious ones."

Guan Xia could only roll her eyes. "Wanted criminals don’t have signs on their faces. More importantly, do you usually check the police bulletins?"

Pang Le had no comeback. She leaned back against the sofa and fell silent. Guan Xia, whose ears had been buzzing all night, finally got some quiet and savored zoning out.

After resting for a while, Guan Xia went to take a shower. When she came out, towel-drying her hair, she saw Pang Le scowling at her phone.

Guan Xia walked over and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Pang Le said, "According to her schedule, Song Yi should have updated her video tonight, but there’s still nothing yet, and it's getting late."

Guan Xia guessed, "Maybe she filmed too much material? Editing might be taking longer, so she’s running behind?"

Pang Le’s scowl deepened. "In her last video, she didn’t specify which mountain she was climbing, but she mentioned it briefly—a small wild mountain in the Cuiping range. She said there’s a very flat little platform at the summit, perfect for camping on clear, sunny days. With no higher peaks blocking the view, you can not only stargaze and watch the sunrise but also see the city’s sea of lights at night."

Pang Le looked through Song Yi’s previous videos and added, "Based on her pattern, she usually sets out in the morning, camps overnight—just like we did—then watches the sunrise, has breakfast, and heads back down the next day. She’s usually back at the hotel by 3 or 4 p.m. She works straight through editing and posts the video around 9 p.m. She’s stuck to this schedule for over a year. If she can’t post on time, she always announces it in advance."

Guan Xia walked to the bed, picked up her phone, and checked the time. It was almost 11 p.m.

Remembering their camping experience, Guan Xia glanced hesitantly at Pang Le but didn’t say anything. Pang Le, however, clearly had the same thought, and her expression turned odd.

"No way?" Pang Le said. "Does she have your uncanny luck too?"

Pang Le thought for a moment and added, "But during that camping trip, after you found a killer first, she also discovered one."

Though not directly confronting the killer, it was still pretty incredible that she accidentally captured it on video.

Guan Xia sat on the edge of the bed, mechanically drying her hair, and couldn’t help but consider a possibility. Based on what she knew from the system, she had crossed over into a world blended with detective stories. Since it was a detective novel world, there must be a protagonist. Song Yi, with her love for outdoor exploration, excellent physical stamina, discipline, and hard work, matched the profile of some detective novel heroines Guan Xia had read about.

As Guan Xia’s mind was racing, her phone suddenly rang.

A call at this hour made Guan Xia realize something immediately. She quickly picked up her phone and saw it was Shao Ying.

When she answered, she heard Shao Ying’s slightly raspy voice. "Officer Guan Xia, sorry to disturb you so late, but the surgery just finished. I thought you’d want to know the result as soon as possible, which is why I’m contacting you so late."

Guan Xia had indeed been waiting for the call. She’d been worried when it didn’t come earlier, and now, even without knowing the result yet, she let out a small sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Captain Shao," Guan Xia said. "My friend and I have been waiting for your call. We really want to know the outcome as soon as possible. That woman…"

Guan Xia was afraid of hearing bad news, but Shao Ying said with a laugh, "The rescue was very successful. She’s off the critical list and has been moved to a general ward. Although the attending doctor didn’t say it explicitly, he indicated that with proper treatment and recovery, there shouldn’t be any long-term damage."

Guan Xia finally let out a huge sigh of relief. Along with the lingering fear, she felt somewhat dazed. She’d just come out to have fun and had ended up saving another life?

After zoning out for a moment, Guan Xia hesitated and asked, "Captain Shao, can I know the details of this case?"

A woman beaten and stuffed into a suitcase—Guan Xia could instantly think of many possibilities.

Shao Ying agreed more readily than Guan Xia expected. "In principle, no, but since you’ve repeatedly provided important clues to the police, helping us solve multiple cases, you’re essentially a colleague fighting on the same front as us. And with comrades, we should be completely transparent."

Shao Ying chuckled for a moment before her tone turned serious as she explained the case. "Actually, this case is quite simple. The suspect divorced his wife after their relationship broke down and came to Quchun City as a tourist. After returning to his hotel, he encountered the victim, who worked in the hotel’s housekeeping department, cleaning a room. He was overcome with lust and attempted to assault her. During her struggling hard, she accidentally hit the back of her head and lost consciousness. The suspect panicked, thinking she was dead. Too scared to call the police or let her be discovered, he hastily stuffed her into a suitcase, planning to rent a car, leave Quchun City, and find an out-of-the-way place to dump the body along the way."

Guan Xia had imagined many motives that could drive the middle-aged man to do such a thing, but she never expected it to be something as brutish as a sudden surge of desire.

Guan Xia’s expression turned as if she’d bitten into an apple and found half a worm—totally grossed out. She wanted to curse but remembered she was talking to a police officer. Her mouth opened and closed before she finally managed to say, "Trash."

Shao Ying agreed. "He really is a piece of work. Thankfully, you found them in time. The doctor said if we’d arrived half an hour later, the outcome would’ve been uncertain. Guan Xia, thank you. You saved a life and prevented a tragedy."

Guan Xia felt a bit embarrassed by such direct praise. Shao Ying continued, "Logically, you’ve been a huge help to the police, and you’re also a friend of my old classmate Xu Nian. I should play host and show you around. But recently, our city has been dealing with a tricky case. Although it hasn’t been assigned to our 3rd Squad yet, we’ve been ordered to be on 24-hour call, ready to provide support at any time. So, I’m afraid I’ll have to regretfully take a rain check."

Guan Xia listened carefully, her attention entirely focused on the words "tricky case." She really wanted to ask but knew she shouldn’t, so she swallowed her words and politely said, "It’s fine. Our two cities are so close—we might run into each other again someday. We can always plan for next time."

Shao Ying laughed twice before suddenly saying, "This might be a bit forward, but I still want to ask: have you considered moving to Quchun City? Don’t let its size fool you—it’s a tourist city with beautiful scenery and fresh air. We hardly have any smog all year round. Aside from traffic jams during peak tourist season, the roads are clear and unobstructed the rest of the time. Most importantly, our city has tons of great food. Because it’s a tourist destination, people from all over the country come here to make a living, so you can find authentic restaurants for any cuisine you crave."

Guan Xia never expected Shao Ying to make such an offer. Bewildered, she let out an "Ah?"

Shao Ying chuckled again. "You might have guessed already, but I’m really curious about you, so I asked Xu Nian about you. I’d been wondering how he’d managed to solve two major cases so quickly, as if he’d unlocked some hidden potential. Turns out, he had you as his cheat code. But don’t misunderstand—I’m not trying to take advantage of you or use you to boost our squad’s solve rate or anything. I just want to spend more time with you and see if I can learn something from you. Talent is talent—ordinary people might spend their whole lives studying and still not reach the starting point of a genius’s innate ability. But even a small improvement could help us solve cases."

Shao Ying spoke very seriously and sincerely, afraid that Guan Xia might develop a dislike for her, and explained herself carefully.

But the more Shao Ying explained, the more guilty Guan Xia felt, because she was no genius and had no special talent. She was just a lucky transmigrator who’d gotten a golden finger. Compared to Shao Ying and her team, she was just an ordinary person.

Guan Xia tried to speak calmly. "I’m sorry, Captain Shao. I’d also love to spend more time with an outstanding woman like you, but my home is in Yongquan City, and I just moved into a new place. I can visit Quchun City for tourism in the future, but moving here isn’t possible."

Shao Ying wasn’t disappointed. "Then can I call you in the future? Don’t worry, I won’t bother you too much—just some appropriate case discussions now and then."

Hearing the words "case discussions," Guan Xia felt her scalp tingle. She really thought Shao Ying was overestimating her. After thinking it over, she said tactfully, "Captain Shao, the few times I’ve been able to help the police were pure coincidence. I’m truly an amateur. I’d love to discuss cases with you, but honestly, I’m afraid I might not be of much help."

Shao Ying still replied with a laugh. "Officer Guan Xia, the thing about talent is that it often surprises people. To sound a bit proud, when it comes to reading people, we detectives are the most sharp-eyed."

Guan Xia understood the implication behind Shao Ying’s words. After a moment’s thought, she said tactfully again, "I’m willing to communicate with you, Captain Shao, but I can’t guarantee I’ll be of any help."

Shao Ying’s tone immediately brightened, sounding very pleased. "I’m honored to be friends with an outstanding woman like you, Officer Guan Xia. I look forward to our next meeting."

After hanging up, Guan Xia’s mood was complicated. Although this test trip had been very successful, it had also spawned an unexpected side quest. She wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

Pang Le had been paying attention since Guan Xia answered the phone. She sauntered over with a teasing smile. "Well, looks like someone’s famous now, even getting recruitment offers. I wonder how Xu Nian will react when he hears."

Guan Xia rolled her eyes at Pang Le, found the hairdryer, and started drying her hair.

By the time her hair was dry, she had calmed down quite a bit. She changed into pajamas and briefly explained the suitcase case from earlier in the day.

Pang Le’s expression immediately turned regretful and angry. "Why are there so many scumbags in this world? We really should’ve restrained him right then and there when we saw him—maybe even given him a beating."

Guan Xia said helplessly, "If we’d done that, we wouldn’t be in a hotel right now—we’d be in a police station."

Pang Le lay down next to Guan Xia. Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, she turned over excitedly and looked at Guan Xia seriously. "Promise me, Guan Xia, if one day you truly come to love your talent and want to use it properly, you must tell me. I want to be with you."

Guan Xia didn’t reply, her mind blank as she stared at the ceiling.

She didn’t want to think, but her mind uncontrollably began recalling her past experiences.

The times she’d run into Liu Jiahui and her son in the neighborhood before moving, the moment in the mall when she locked eyes with the killer in the panda costume, during the camping trip when she learned a little boy had been pushed down the mountain, the identical looks of worry on everyone’s faces even though they barely knew each other, and the first time she followed the crowd to buy groceries and encountered a murderer who didn’t look the part at all.

Although Guan Xia had always gone with the flow, in the short half-month since binding with the system, her life had already undergone earth-shaking changes.

Perhaps it's the nature of this world blending with detective novels, or perhaps it's Guan Xia's unique soul’s resonance that differs from the people originally from this world, but she always feels as though her life is surrounded by all sorts of cases.

Guan Xia has a premonition that, even if she doesn’t pay much attention to it, because of this system, she will inevitably end up walking the path of continuously helping the police solve cases. For now, it’s passive, but perhaps in the future, it will become active.

Perhaps Guan Xia had been spaced out for too long, as Pang Le couldn’t resist giving her a light pat. "What’s with that melancholy look? What are you thinking about?"

Guan Xia remained lying flat, silent for a long time before finally saying, "Pang Le, have you ever been pushed into a decision? What were you thinking at the time?"

Pang Le gave Guan Xia a strange look, thought for a moment, and said, "Of course I have. As long as you’re human, it’s hard to avoid being forced. Actually, I’ve been forced my whole life. For example, my mom is the eldest daughter, and I’m her eldest daughter, so I was forced to inherit the martial arts school. Even though I’m only three years older than my brother, I had to put in more effort and sweat because our family has a tradition of primogeniture. Honestly, I don’t mind it and I’m not resistant. I’ve always thought martial arts are cool—they allow you to uphold justice, and when something happens, you don’t have to be afraid, you can just throw hands. But my grandfather is too old-fashioned. To focus more on martial arts, I had to give up other hobbies. You know how much I love beautiful things—beautiful clothes, beautiful jewelry, beautiful people. I also love beautiful pens, beautiful notebooks, beautiful backpacks—anything beautiful. But in my grandfather’s eyes, those things are just distractions, things that weaken your will."

Pang Le sighed and lay flat as well. "When I started training basics at three years old, I was forced to cut my long hair. I was never allowed to wear skirts again. The pretty hair ties and clips I secretly bought were all thrown away by him. My mom actually understood me quite well—after all, she’s a woman too. But she had been suppressed by my grandfather her whole life, and if she couldn’t bear to speak up for me, the consequence was that he trained me even more harshly. My mom was even punished by kneeling in the family shrine."

Guan Xia couldn’t help but ask, "What about your dad?"

Pang Le laughed. "He’s a high school teacher. He’s the one thing my mom successfully defied my grandfather for. Originally, according to my grandfather’s plan, my mom was supposed to choose one of his disciples to marry. But my mom took a liking to my dad. Luckily, my dad may seem gentle but he’s not weak. They struggled for many years before finally getting together. My grandfather was so angry he was hospitalized. Plus, he’s old now, so she doesn’t dare go too far."

Pang Le sighed again. "You have no idea how stubborn my grandfather is. Even though my brother’s talent isn’t bad, he just clings to the old rule of passing things down to the eldest, not the youngest. When I hit puberty, I’d been oppressed for too long and finally exploded. In a fit of anger, I changed paths. I went into competitions to bring honor to the country—surely he couldn’t force me then? Actually, for me, I don’t dislike martial arts. I love it and I enjoy it. I love every exciting moment of defeating an opponent, and I enjoy every instant of achievement when I step in to help someone. But in my opinion, practicing martial arts and liking beautiful things aren’t mutually exclusive. Why should I have to choose one? I can have both."

"So, Guan Xia," Pang Le said, propping her chin on her hand as she looked at Guan Xia, "now I’m happy every day. I still practice martial arts, but I’m also free to like all kinds of beautiful things. I can seek thrills whenever I want, and no one can control me anymore."

Guan Xia looked at Pang Le and smiled too.

Pang Le suddenly asked, "What about you, Guan Xia? Your talent—how do you feel about it?"

The smile on Guan Xia’s face froze. After a moment of confusion, she slowly said, "I don’t have any strong feelings about it... Well, that’s not entirely true. At least when I found out I’d saved a life, I was really excited and felt a great sense of accomplishment."

"Then you’re already on the path to loving it," Pang Le said thoughtfully. "Just like when I’d only been formally learning martial arts for a couple of years and accidentally discovered that a new junior disciple at the martial arts school was being bullied. I stepped in angrily to help. Those people hated me for meddling, but no one could beat me. In the end, they left resentfully but didn’t dare say anything. I still remember that feeling to this day—power gives you a voice. They didn’t want to listen to me, but because they couldn’t beat me, they had to listen. That’s when I truly fell in love with martial arts."

Guan Xia listened, her heart racing, feeling captivated yet disoriented. Was she already on the path to loving it? She wasn’t sure, but it was true that whenever she thought about saving a life, she couldn’t help but feel excited, as if she could hear her own heart pounding like crazy.