The moon was bright that evening, casting a soft glow over the street. The night felt inviting, a cool breeze brushing against their skin as they arrived at 6th Street. Zhu Yuan glanced at her messenger. "We're having ramen tonight," Elias had texted.
"I think a nice sip of broth will definitely chase away the cold," Zhu Yuan said with a smile. Qingyi hooked her arm through Zhu Yuan's as they walked. "Ramen it is, then!" Qingyi declared cheerfully.
As they strolled along, Qingyi leaned in, lowering her voice. "Captain, do you think we should really tell Agent Smith about the tattoo we found in the digital forensics?"Zhu Yuan slowed her pace, thinking.
"What if we gather the evidence ourselves first? We can try connecting the dots based on what we know. Remember, Agent Smith told us not to trust anyone... and that might even include him." Qingyi added,
Zhu Yuan's brow furrowed, the weight of her concern evident in her eyes. She was deep in thought when she noticed Seth trailing behind, looking uncharacteristically guilty."Hey, Seth!" she called, signaling him over. He hesitated before slouching awkwardly toward them.
"I, uh... I'm sorry again for mentioning the case to Jane earlier, Captain," Seth muttered, scratching the back of his neck like a kid caught sneaking cookies before dinner.
Zhu Yuan gave him a half-smile. "Don't worry about it. We've decided not to tell Agent Smith about the forensic results for now. We'll run our own investigation alongside his. Just... let's try to keep it between us, alright?"
Seth nodded, still looking a bit awkward. "Got it, Captain."
As they walked, Zhu Yuan spotted Elias—or rather, "Mr. Smith"—sitting at a corner table in the ramen bar, busy tapping away on a sleek briefcase laptop. He barely noticed them until they were right in front of him.
"Sorry, El... erm..." Zhu Yuan hesitated, quickly correcting herself. "Mr. Smith, we're late. We got held up with a serious case earlier."
Elias glanced up from his device, offering a casual shrug. "No worries. I asked General Chop if he had a more private spot for our meeting. Unfortunately... he doesn't."
Seth perked up instantly, eyes wide. "Wait... no ramen?"
Elias chuckled, shaking his head. "No, Seth. We might have to find a different spot for our meeting. But don't worry, we'll still have a bowl first. Can't plot strategy on an empty stomach."
Zhu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Great. Classified meeting, followed by ramen. This might be the most unusual briefing I've ever had."
They ate in silence for a moment, each slurping from their bowls. But Zhu Yuan couldn't shake the feeling that Qingyi had held back from telling Elias their recent discovery. Could she be suspecting him too? Maybe he's an agent working with Crimson Veil, she thought, glancing at Elias's arm, half-expecting to find a telltale tattoo mark like their suspect had.
He seems...fine, she thought, her gaze drifting from his bicep up to his broad shoulders. A bit too fine for a syndicate if he's a sus agent.
Before she could analyze her own train of thought any further, Seth finished his bowl with a loud slurp and waved to the chef. "I'll have another bowl, General Chop!"
Zhu Yuan's focus snapped back. "Seth! I can't be paying for two bowls of ramen per head today."
"I'll pay for it, Captain," Elias interjected calmly.
While Elias returned to his quiet demeanor, Zhu Yuan's curiosity grew. He's too quiet today... Did something happen to him? Should I ask?
Qingyi suddenly nudged her, cutting off her thoughts. "Captain, did you get your daily dose of J.D.'s lava cake yet?"
Zhu Yuan frowned, narrowing her eyes at Qingyi's mischievous grin. "Qingyi... no more J.D. jokes, okay? We need to focus."
Qingyi just smirked. "Alright, alright, but you seemed awfully deep in thought there... Were you studying Mr. Smiths biceps or...?"
Zhu Yuan flushed, awkwardly waving her hand. "WHAT?! No more distractions, please."
Elias chuckled, his mood visibly lightened. "Qingyi's a good ice-breaker for your team," he said, standing up to pay General Chop for their dinner. "I'll get the car started. Join me when you're ready."
As Elias walked away, Zhu Yuan couldn't help but steal a glance, her face betraying a faint blush. Great, now I look suspicious. She shot a glare at Qingyi. "Qingyi, that wasn't a good joke. He's going to think I actually have... you know... feelings or something."
Qingyi grinned, totally unfazed. "Oh, come on, Captain. You've been like this since our first dinner with him. You obviously have something on him."
Zhu Yuan rolled her eyes, desperately trying to avoid Qingyi's teasing gaze. "I don't have confidence working with undercover agents like Jane. They're too shady, probably because they contrast with my personality," she whispered, her voice lowering as she grew more serious. "But... seriously, Qingyi, do you have doubts about him?"
Qingyi's teasing smirk faded, replaced by a more thoughtful expression. "It's not about doubting him, Captain. But... we can't be too sure. A little caution never hurt anyone." Her playful tone was gone, leaving a palpable tension in the air.
Zhu Yuan felt the shift, her unease creeping in as she glanced toward Elias, now starting the car. Caution—that word echoed in her mind. Maybe Qingyi was right.
This whole thing could be more dangerous than they anticipated, but at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder if she was reading too much into it.
"I mean, you were the one staring at his biceps earlier," Qingyi added, suddenly breaking the tension with a mischievous grin.
Zhu Yuan groaned. "Can we please focus, Qingyi?"
As another customer slid into a seat a few spaces away from them, Zhu Yuan recognized her immediately. "Oh, hey manager! Out for a late dinner too?" she asked with a friendly smile.
It was Belle, one of the owners of the Random Play video store. "Hi, officer," Belle responded, though her gaze quickly darted toward Elias, a flash of something unreadable passing over her face. Zhu Yuan didn't miss it.
"Where's your brother?" Zhu Yuan asked, sensing the tension.
Belle hesitated for a moment before answering. "Oh, he placed an order and I'm just here to grab takeout from Mister Chop. Late dinner for us too, apparently."
Her eyes swept over Zhu Yuan's table, noticing that the whole team was there—Qingyi, Seth, and Zhu Yuan herself. Her lips pressed into a thin line as if she was calculating something.
"So, why here?" Belle asked, her tone a little too casual. "Why not Lumina Square? It's usually your spot, isn't it?"
Zhu Yuan blinked, caught slightly off guard by the question. "Well... it was a recommendation from a friend," she replied, glancing at Elias as if silently asking, What have you gotten us into?
"Oh... here?" Belle's voice tightened, her eyes flicking toward Elias again.
"Really?" She was tapping her fingers on the bar table now, the tension in her body barely concealed. Her tone had shifted, and it was painfully obvious that something was off.
"Mister Chop must be pretty famous if it's bringing officers like you all the way over here," she added with a tight smile.
Zhu Yuan noticed Belle's fingers drumming faster, her eyes narrowing. The conversation hit a wall, and Belle looked as though she was barely holding back from bolting. It wasn't just awkward; it was anxious. Too anxious for casual small talk.
Zhu Yuan exchanged a look with Qingyi, who, oddly enough, seemed unfazed by Belle's strange behavior. Qingyi sipped her hot water leisurely, like nothing in the world could bother her.
She was acting weird, but not in the same way as Belle. Almost like she knew something... and chose not to share it.
Zhu Yuan frowned. What the hell was going on here? After what felt like an eternity of awkward silence, Belle finally grabbed her takeout ramen and practically bolted toward her nearby shop. "Alright, officers, see you around!" she called, though not before shooting Elias a look that could only be described as a mix between a frown and pure suspicion.
Zhu Yuan raised an eyebrow as she watched Belle leave, her attention shifting to Elias. Something wasn't adding up. "Do you... know her or something?" she asked, her tone blunt, cutting through the awkwardness like a knife.
Elias gave a nonchalant shrug, avoiding eye contact. "Uh, not really."
Zhu Yuan squinted at him, her skepticism almost palpable. "Not really? You made her look like she just saw a ghost—or worse, like you forgot to tip her last time. What did you do?"
Elias smirked awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "I didn't do anything, I swear. I guess I just have that effect on people."
"Yeah, the 'weird Mr. Smith' effect," Zhu Yuan shot back, crossing her arms.
"What's next? Random strangers running away because you ordered the same ramen as them?"