Chapter 5: I'm Different from Those Amateurs

Squad 09.

Xiao Li hurried back to the squad carrying a bowl of takeout pickled fish rice noodles. At the entrance, he saw two people chatting and snapped at them.

“Captain Shen will be back soon. Got nothing better to do?”

The two who had been about to chat immediately separated. The leaner one greeted Xiao Li briefly and left.

Xiao Li frowned as he watched the man walk away. “What’s someone with a household registration doing here?”

“Oh, they came to inquire about the suspect. I heard the girl’s name is Fu Qixi,” the other whispered, “She’s... the daughter the Ye family just reclaimed.”

The Ye family?

“You mean the Ye family of Master Ye?”

“Exactly.”

Xiao Li pondered for a moment. “Still, the case must be handled impartially.”

He walked to the interrogation room’s door, thought for a moment, then pushed it open. His gaze fell on the sleepy girl inside.

“Do you think this is your home? Wake up.”

Fu Qixi lifted her eyes and propped her chin with her hand thoughtfully. “Your Captain Shen wasn’t seriously hurt, right?”

Xiao Li was momentarily stunned. He snorted coldly and placed the noodles before her, then returned to his seat with a sour tone. “His hand is fractured.”

It was strange, indeed—Captain Shen could actually have a broken bone.

Rumor had it that Shen Du had thrown the young girl over his shoulder first, but she counterattacked fiercely, and his hand... just snapped like that.

Of course, he hadn’t tried to hide it; Shen Du would be here soon anyway.

Anyone could see it plainly.

Fu Qixi, feeling somewhat guilty, withdrew her gaze and unwrapped a pair of disposable chopsticks.

Xiao Li watched her eat the noodles heartily, ignoring appearances. He couldn’t understand why Captain Shen told him to entertain her well and meet all her demands.

——

The Ye Family.

After receiving a call, the butler went to the study and reported to Ye Zhixuan.

“Sir, Miss Fu... the second young lady seems to have gotten into trouble.”

Hearing the name, Ye Zhixuan frowned. “Wasn’t she supposed to be watched?”

“Yes, but the second young lady... sir, you know she comes from a small place. Our people can’t just intervene recklessly. Who would have thought she’d end up at the police station?”

In truth, no one was sent to watch her, though the butler showed no sign of guilt.

Besides, the police station had someone he knew. After all, he had handled Fu Qixi’s household registration himself—only he had deliberately failed to complete it.

Ye Zhixuan grew impatient upon hearing this and made a firm decision. “Withdraw everyone.”

“Yes, sir.”

——

“Has An’an fallen asleep?”

Mentioning Ye Ning’an, the butler’s disdainful expression softened into one of delight. “The eldest young lady took her medicine and is already asleep.”

“Good. Make sure the kitchen prepares more medicinal herbs.”

Ye Ning’an, a disciple of the Second Elder of the Xuanmen Association, often went out for work and collaborated with special agencies. She required many rare herbs to maintain her health.

When the Ye family once faced near annihilation, it was five-year-old Ye Ning’an who saved them.

She was not only the Ye family’s savior but also its pride.

“I understand. I’ve always been responsible for the young lady’s herbs,” the butler said with a smile.

Just then, Ye Ning’an herself suddenly pushed open the door. She enjoyed all privileges within the Ye household, including free access to the study.

She wore the inner disciple uniform of the Xuanmen Association, a moon-shaped name tag hanging on her chest. Her cool, ethereal aura gave her an almost otherworldly presence.

Ye Zhixuan frowned slightly upon seeing her enter. “An’an, why aren’t you still asleep? Having trouble at the association?”

The butler beside him also looked concerned.

Ye Ning’an looked up, placing the compass in her hand down, her features cold and composed.

“There’s been a major incident. Do you know about the car accident on the Sincere Avenue?”

Ye Zhixuan was unaware; he rarely followed online news.

The butler had heard of it. “Is it the accident where someone died? I heard it was gruesome—run over by a big truck.”

“Died?” Ye Ning’an’s icy face flickered with surprise.

“Yes, but the video has been deleted,” the butler added, puzzled. “Young lady, is this ‘major incident’ connected to this? Could it be heavy resentment?”

Ye Ning’an pursed her lips. Her master said the person in the accident was unharmed due to a secret technique lost to the Xuanmen for a thousand years. Now the entire association wanted to find that person.

Yet the butler said the person died.

After some thought, she chose not to reveal matters related to the association.

Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly remembered her purpose. “Butler, where’s my phone?”

“It’s with me.” The butler immediately handed over the phone from his pocket.

Ye Ning’an took it, noticing it was on silent but paid no mind until she saw a message from the Second Elder. Her expression shifted slightly. “I’m heading to the association.”

Ye Zhixuan said nothing but instructed the butler, “Tell the driver to prepare immediately.”

“Yes, sir.” The butler hurried to make arrangements.

——

Having treated his injury, Shen Du returned to Squad 09 and went straight to see Fu Qixi.

He pushed open the door with his uninjured hand and glanced inside. His gaze settled on her dirty clothes, stained heavily with mud.

“Captain Shen.”

“Start the interrogation.” Shen Du looked away, his voice cold and indifferent.

Xiao Li nodded. “Understood.” He sat down at the other side to take notes.

The food packaging on the table had been cleared away. Fu Qixi twisted her handcuffed wrists and sighed softly, wondering if Xiao Tao was scared outside.

Ghosts definitely couldn’t enter this place.

Shen Du flipped through the list of questions on the table and tossed it aside casually.

“Name.”

The girl smiled brightly. “Fu Qixi.”

“Age.”

“Twenty.”

“Home address.”

“Floating Cloud Taoist Temple.”

Hearing this, Xiao Li looked at her in surprise.

So this was why Captain Shen told him to meet all her demands?

Shen Du’s expression remained unchanged. Before returning, he had already had someone check—there was no record of Fu Qixi anywhere. “Hand over your ID.”

“Captain, I don’t have one.” Fu Qixi answered calmly.

“An unregistered citizen?”

“A child raised wild in the mountains. Poor me, just came down from the mountain...”

Shen Du cut her off decisively. “What were you doing at Silver Glow Mountain in the middle of the night? Didn’t you know it’s off-limits at night? And you openly challenged us.”

Using the signpost to set a trap—that was clearly provocation.

Fu Qixi looked innocent. “Captain, let’s skip the small talk. Let’s talk about matters related to Xiao Tao’s death.”

Suddenly, the room fell silent.

Shen Du tried to read something on her face but failed. She seemed genuinely sincere. After a long moment, he asked, “Who is Xiao Tao?”

“That’s Li Fang. That’s the name she gave herself after becoming a ghost.”

Li Fang, ghost.

Those two words together struck Xiao Li as utterly baffling.

Li Fang was the victim’s name in the case they had been investigating for three months without finding the murderer.

Yet Fu Qixi seemed completely unaware of the weight of her words.

She looked troubled and pulled a handful of melon seeds from her cloth bag.

“Captain, I can help you. Although my master told me to respect outsiders, I just can’t hold back. I’m not like those half-hearted amateurs.”