Zhu Yuan groggily woke up, the sound of her alarm pulling her from sleep. She hadn't noticed Qingyi curled up under the blanket beside her, the only sign of life in an otherwise quiet room.
As she stretched, her thin sleeping shirt clung to her figure, the morning light casting her toned silhouette in a soft shadow on the wall. Still half-asleep, she shuffled towards the bathroom, her feet barely making a sound on the cool floor.
Her brain hadn't fully caught up with the events of the previous night, and in her mind, the apartment was hers alone—just as it had always been. She reached the bathroom, nudged the door open, and—
"A man in my bathroom?!—Wh... who are you?!" Zhu Yuan's arms instinctively crossed over her chest, trying to hide the outline of her breasts beneath the thin fabric, her voice laced with equal parts panic and disbelief.
There he was—Elias—mid-pee, frozen like a deer caught in headlights. His eyes widened as they met hers, the awkward silence hanging thick in the air as if the whole world had just stopped.
"Elias! What the hell are you doing here!?" Zhu Yuan's sleepy haze instantly evaporated, replaced by a mixture of shock and embarrassment.
"Uh... peeing?" Elias stammered, clearly unsure of how to handle the situation, his hands still in position as if any sudden movement might make things worse. "You said I could stay, remember?"
She blinked, trying to process his words through the haze of her frazzled thoughts. Right. She had let him stay. But in her half-conscious state, she'd forgotten all about it. A wave of frantic embarrassment rushed over her, turning her cheeks crimson.
Without thinking, Zhu Yuan let out a scream, her martial arts instincts kicking in as she shriek, "Get out! Get out!" Before she could stop herself, her leg shot out—thwack!—right into Elias's cheek, sending him reeling backward onto the bathroom floor.
Elias was shocked by the power of her kick, holding his face as he blinked up at her in stunned disbelief, still kneeling on the floor.
The commotion roused both Qingyi and Seth, who shot up from their makeshift beds, blinking blearily in the dim light.
Zhu Yuan's memory finally caught up with her. "Oh no... Mr. Smith, I—uhh, I forgot!" she stammered, flustered beyond belief, her arms still protectively clasped over her chest.
Seth's voice echoed from the living room, "Captain, you're kicking people again?"
Qingyi, stifling a laugh, called from the bed, "I guess Mr. Smith just found out the hard way that morning bathroom routines are a warzone in your place."
Zhu Yuan groaned, face still burning red. "I forgot, okay?!"
Elias, still rubbing his cheek, managed a lopsided grin. "Well, next time, maybe leave a sign or something. You pack a serious kick for a morning greeting."
Right after the chaotic wake-up call, Zhu Yuan brewed a pot of coffee, still feeling a twinge of guilt from her unexpected morning antics. She started to water her tomato plant on her makeshift little garden at the porch. The sun filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow over the scene.
"Captain was one of the best close combatants..." Seth said, glancing back at her, a hint of admiration in his voice.
"No doubt indeed," Elias replied, holding a pack of ice to his cheek, looking more like a confused puppy than a seasoned agent. "I've had my fair share of street brawls as an undercover agent, so this is nothing."
Seth squinted at the clock. "Captain, this is not my day off. I might need to leave by 9 AM."
"I'll drop you at the station. Anyone else got duty today?" Elias asked, stretching his arms over his head.
"It's my day off, but I'll swing by the station. We need to maintain custody of the suspect. He'll be released this coming week, and I'm brainstorming internally how to prolong his stay behind bars," Zhu Yuan said, her voice filled with determination.
Elias sighed, recalling that the suspect might be holding sensitive information regarding the primary informant or the device ID for the encryption device.
Zhu Yuan joined them on the seat, cradling her steaming cup of coffee. "Mr. Smith... I recall you didn't even hurt the suspect, but he managed to hurt you?" She raised an eyebrow, playfully challenging him. "You didn't fight back?"
"See I'm not really a violent person," Elias replied, a hint of mischief in his eyes obviously teasing her. "We can file a case against the guy to prolong his stay in custody." Seth and Zhu Yuan exchanged incredulous glances.
"How about filing an assault against a person of authority? That suits best," Elias quipped, a smirk creeping onto her lips.
"That... was actually genius." Zhu Yuan teased, leaning against the porch railing.
Elias chuckled, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes. "I saw you running towards us when I was chasing that man. You came darting towards us, so I expected you to follow us."
They rushed into the station, Elias driving with the kind of focus usually reserved for high-speed chases. Zhu Yuan, now clad in her usual officer attire, strode confidently to her desk, only to find another lava cake waiting for her.
"The delivery is consistent even on my day off, huh, J.D.?" she muttered, but she had no time to indulge. Instead, she dove straight into the files regarding the suspect's case, noting the curious glances from her coworkers—It's Captain's off duty today.
In her office, they held a meeting to discuss the evidence. "It's clear: assaulting a person of authority. We can definitely prolong his stay here," Zhu Yuan announced, tapping the folder dramatically like a gavel.
But her mind was elsewhere, plotting how they could make the suspect talk. After processing the documents, they walked to the cell where the suspect was being held. To her surprise, she found Jane lounging confidently in front of the bars, legs crossed like she owned the place.
"Jane?! I told you to stay hands-off on this case!" Zhu Yuan shot her an irritated glance, the tension simmering like a pot about to boil over.
"I'm just making friends... relax, Captain," Jane replied, throwing a casual wave at the suspect, who looked more scared of Zhu Yuan than of her. "There goes Captain—so you better talk," she added, strutting toward Zhu Yuan like she was on a runway rather than a police station.
"Don't worry... I'm just helping you," Jane chirped, her tone dripping with feigned innocence. Zhu Yuan stood there, arms crossed, refusing to even glance back. Seth, silent behind Zhu Yuan, shot Jane a look that screamed guilt for bringing her into the mix.
Zhu Yuan rolled her eyes, her mind racing. Why did Jane have to be so good at extracting information? All she wanted was to get to the bottom of the case without the added drama.
"Helping, huh? More like complicating things," she muttered under her breath, casting a sidelong glance at Seth. "I told you to talk it out to her last night right?"
Seth just gave her a worried glance, his ear drooping out of guilt.
Zhu Yuan peered directly at the suspect, dictating his rights with the intensity of a seasoned officer. But he looked more scared to her than Jane, teetering on the edge of consciousness like a tightrope walker in a windstorm.
"Please, officer, don't put me in the acid bath! I-I'll talk!" he stammered, and Zhu Yuan blinked in shock. Jane, however, seemed thoroughly amused, glancing back at them with a smirk.
"What?!" Zhu Yuan pressed her nose in disbelief, feeling the heat of the moment. Seth shot a glance at Jane, seems holding his laugh. Qingyi couldn't help but stifle a chuckle.
Did Jane told me I'm a bad cop?
She peeled her eyes to Jane making a mischievous grin towards them.
"Oh nooo~... Captain just called in a tank of acid earlier! What should we do about that now if he's gonna talk effortlessly?" Qingyi joked deadpan, causing the suspect to frantically stammer, his words tumbling over each other like marbles down a flight of stairs.
"Qingyi?!" Zhu exclaimed in.
"Go on, Captain... punish him! I'll leave that delightful task to you," Jane teased as she sashayed toward the exit of the cell quarters, leaving Zhu Yuan to deal with the fallout.
Zhu Yuan was left speechless, standing there with a deep sigh. It was time to push through their 'seemingly violent' interrogation. "Fine... let's get this started," she declared, steeling herself for whatever ridiculousness was about to unfold.
They escorted the suspect handcuffed, into the interrogation room. Seth, always finding a way to lighten the mood, couldn't help blurting out, "Ever seen that one movie where they use a lie detector and a bucket of ice water? Yeah, we're not doing that... probably." His grin was wide, but it only seemed to make the suspect more jittery.
As they stepped inside, the atmosphere thickened. The weight of what suspect might reveal hung in the air. Zhu Yuan stood ready, clipboard in hand, every movement calculated. The documentation camera blinked to life, recording every twitch and flinch.
"Okay, Mister Hyun Li," Zhu Yuan began, her voice steady and authoritative, "What was your involvement with the parcel? What's inside? And more importantly—what are you?"
Hyun Li's eyes darted nervously, his face slick with sweat. "P-parcel? What parcel?" he stammered, clearly caught off guard.
Zhu Yuan narrowed her eyes, tapping her pen against the clipboard. "Yes, Mister Li. The parcel you were seen with. Don't play dumb—we know it was in your possession."
"You mean... the package?" Hyun Li stammered again, his voice shaky. "It was a decrypting device. That's all I know. I-I swear! I was just tasked by someone... someone who's now gone dark. He's missing," he added, beads of sweat forming on his brow azzs he shifted in his seat, "and I think it's for a black market device."
Seth leaned in, resting his chin on his palm, eyes wide in mock seriousness. "Oh, great. A black market device. My favorite kind. You didn't think to maybe not take that job?" His casual sarcasm only seemed to ratchet up Hyun Li's anxiety.
Zhu Yuan, however, stayed focused. "This missing man, who is he? And what does the device do?"
Hyun Li swallowed hard, eyes darting to the door as if considering his escape, but there was no way out. "I... I don't know who he really is. Just that he was after something big. Said the device had something to do with... well, I'm not sure. It was something illegal, obviously. Maybe... maybe for a weapon or a device? But I'm telling you, it's for black market tech. I'm just the disposal guy!"
Zhu Yuan exchanged a glance with Seth, her suspicions deepening. "We'll need to trace that decryptor. And if this really is for black market tech, you're in more trouble than you realize, Mister Li."
"Hey, it's only black market if you get caught, right?" Seth quipped, earning a groan from Zhu Yuan.
But beneath the humor, the weight of Hyun Li's confession was sinking in. This wasn't just a simple case—they were dealing with something far more dangerous than they anticipated.
"...Mister Li, we will also be filing a case against you for assaulting a person of authority," Zhu Yuan said, her tone sharp as she signaled Qingyi to turn off the surveillance camera outside the interrogation room. The exchange had been short and precise, but it left a heavy weight in Zhu Yuan's mind.
Elias after a black market device? But why? Could he be working with Crimson Veil? Her thoughts raced, each one louder than the last, until she could practically hear her own heartbeat.
As they escorted Hyun Li back to his cell, Zhu Yuan leaned in close and whispered, "The case we're filing can keep you here longer, which means you'll be safer. Just cooperate, and we might actually help you get out of this in one piece."
Hyun Li glanced at her, eyes wide with a mix of fear and realization. "Safer...? Y-yeah, okay," he stammered, clearly not comforted by her offer, but also aware of his few options.
Seth, who had been trying to hide his amusement, handed Hyun Li a clipboard and a pen, leaning in with a mischievous grin.
"Alright, Mister Li, here's your chance to help us out. Write down the Device ID and only the Device ID. No doodles, no riddles—Captain's not really into that kind of thing." His teasing tone was barely concealed as he shot a playful glance at Zhu Yuan, clearly enjoying their impromptu 'bad cop' routine.
Zhu Yuan rolled her eyes but couldn't help the slight twitch of a smile. "Seth, seriously, don't encourage him. We don't need a suspect trying to write his memoirs in here."
Hyun Li nervously took the clipboard, his hand shaking as he prepared to write. Meanwhile, Seth looked between Zhu Yuan and Qingyi, still riding the high of their interrogation. "Hey, can't blame me for keeping things lively. Besides, this is way more fun than those boring briefings."
Zhu Yuan sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, well, I'd rather fun didn't involve a potential black market conspiracy. Let's hope he's not bluffing, or we'll be here all night."
"A black market device?" Qingyi whispered to Zhu Yuan as they continued walking out of the cell quarters, her brow slightly raised. It was clear Zhu Yuan was uncomfortable—her steps a little too stiff, her hands gripping the clipboard a little too tightly. "But he's been working with Phaethon," Qingyi added quietly. "Doesn't that mean he can still be trusted?"
Zhu Yuan shot her a quick, worried look, whispering back, "Maybe... but I can't afford to risk it. Not yet."
It was clear to Zhu Yuan that her day off was officially over. The realization hit her hard, especially now that her mind was clouded with the troubling fact that Elias was after a black market device.
Why would he risk something like this? she thought, her usual sharp focus dulled by the weight of doubt. The idea that Elias might be involved in something darker—something that could even tie him to Crimson Veil—gnawed at her. Could she still trust him?
She absentmindedly grabbed the lava cake sitting on her desk, peeling back the wrapper for comfort. She took a bite, the rich sweetness momentarily distracting her from the storm brewing in her head. Whoever's sending these sure knows how to pick the right moments... she mused. But even the cake couldn't fully calm her nerves.
If Elias was entangled with the black market, she couldn't just stand by and hope things worked out. No, they needed to conduct their own investigation—quietly, without tipping Elias off. Let him work on his case, but they had to stay one step ahead. Zhu Yuan was determined. I can't rely on desserts to solve this mess, she thought with a sigh, taking one last bite.