In the office.
Wang Wenxin and the others were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.
"Xiaoxue, oh Xiaoxue, you’ve caused a massive disaster this time!" Li Feng looked at her, his expression a mix of frustration and disappointment.
Wang Wenxin said in a deep voice, "Send people to find Lin Yan immediately. We must bring him and the gun back as soon as possible."
Just then, Su Yingxue’s phone rang. She checked it; it was Lin Yan.
"Hello? How are you doing?"
"I'm fine. I’ve caught him. He’s at 302, Building 3, Linyuan Residential Area. He’s alive—get someone over here to take him away!"
"What?!" Su Yingxue was stunned.
Wang Wenxin and Li Feng exchanged a glance and hurriedly asked, "What happened?"
Huang Wenxuan leaned in. "Did Lin Yan get killed?"
Su Yingxue hung up the phone, still visibly shaken. She looked at Wang Wenxin and said, "Director Wang, he said... Black Wolf has been caught, and he’s still alive!"
Li Feng slapped his thigh upon hearing this. "Oh! I knew something would go wrong. If he got caught, that means he’s done for—wait, what? Did you say Black Wolf was caught?"
Su Yingxue nodded. "That’s what he said. Linyuan Residential Area, Building 3, 302."
The three of them looked at each other, shock written all over their faces.
They really caught Black Wolf?
Wait, you can just catch a top-tier assassin like that?
Don't we police officers have any reputation left?
...
Linyuan Residential Area.
Wail—wail—wail—
Several police cars, followed by two SWAT vans, screeched to a halt.
Bang, bang, bang—
Doors flew open, and armed police officers scrambled to cordon off the area.
The smoky, bustling street was instantly blanketed in a tense atmosphere.
Passersby looked on in confusion, pausing to see what the commotion was about.
"Whoa, what’s going on at Linyuan Residential Area?"
"With this kind of setup, this is how you'd catch a mass murderer, right?"
"Damn, there aren't any terrorists in Linyuan, are there?"
"Hey, don't say that—given the scale, it's possible!"
...
Su Yingxue and Li Feng led the SWAT team as they sprinted toward the third floor.
In front of the apartment, the door was left ajar.
Su Yingxue and Li Feng exchanged a look, then simultaneously reached out to push the door open.
The room was dim. Everyone moved forward cautiously with weapons raised.
Even though Lin Yan had called, who could be sure this wasn't a trap set by Black Wolf?
There were three rooms in total. Two doors were tightly shut, but the one directly ahead was wide open, and the faint sound of keyboard clicking echoed from within.
The team held their breath and crept forward.
As they reached the entrance, Su Yingxue lunged into the room, gun raised in both hands.
However, she was greeted by two pairs of blank eyes and confused expressions.
Lin Yan was sitting at a dilapidated computer desk in the corner by the window, playing League of Legends.
Under the desk, a man was bound with his hands tied behind his back, a stinky sock stuffed into his mouth, with Lin Yan's feet resting on top of him.
On the bed lay a handgun with a silencer.
Su Yingxue froze.
What was going on?
He was literally using Black Wolf as a footrest while playing a game?
My god!
What kind of person does something like this?
Li Feng and the others rushed in behind her.
In an instant, the small room was packed with people.
Everyone stared at the scene, unable to process it.
You’re telling me this guy is Black Wolf?
If not for the gun on the bed, they wouldn’t believe for a second that this pathetic figure was the assassin who had made a name for himself across all of Lingnan.
Where was the dignity of an assassin?
Oh, right—it was being stepped on.
...
A few minutes later, Black Wolf was dragged away. Only Su Yingxue and Lin Yan remained in the room.
Su Yingxue glanced around at the peeling wallpaper, the worn-out furniture, and the terrible lighting and ventilation. She couldn't help but ask, "You live here?"
"Yeah!" Lin Yan finished his game and stood up.
"What do you do for food?"
Lin Yan shrugged. "I eat out. If I’m hungry, I grab a bowl of noodles or a box meal. If I’m busy, I just don’t eat. It’s not like I’m going to starve to death."
Su Yingxue felt a sudden pang in her heart.
This only solidified her resolve to fight for Lin Yan’s official status.
Lin Yan walked to the closet and opened it. "All my belongings are here. See what I should bring."
"What? Bring where?" Su Yingxue asked, confused.
"To your place!" Lin Yan said with a straight face. "You caused such a scene, I can’t stay here anymore. I have to move in with you."
"Move in with me? And stay long-term?" Su Yingxue was dumbfounded.
Lin Yan nodded and pulled out his phone to show his WeChat conversation. "Look, I’ve already told the landlord I’m moving out."
Su Yingxue was completely bewildered.
Lin Yan sighed. "Before, I offered to help you catch Black Wolf if you let me hold your hand for a minute, but you refused. So, I’m just using the credit from this job to pay for my rent instead."
Su Yingxue sighed helplessly. Compared to holding hands, she could accept the rent trade-off.
But the thought of living with this man—who also happened to be her best friend’s blind date—made her feel uncomfortable.
In the end, she couldn't bring herself to refuse.
Was it because of the terrible state of Lin Yan's apartment, the condition of capturing Black Wolf, or some other reason she couldn't quite name?
Regardless, the refusal never left her lips.