New Eridu, Sixth Street — Subway Exit.
The afternoon sun was ruthless, pouring straight onto the concrete without the slightest mercy and steaming up a suffocating wave of heat.
Zhu Yuan and Qingyi stood at the edge of the exit's shadow, waiting.
Zhu Yuan held herself ramrod-straight, crimson eyes locked on the stairs, fingertips unconsciously rubbing the cuff of her uniform. Qingyi looked far more relaxed; her dark-green twin tails swayed gently in the breeze as she curiously watched the stream of passersby.
Then Zhu Yuan's phone buzzed.
A figure appeared on the steps, looking a little worse for wear.
A silver-white cowlick poked out first, drooping like a wilted sprout—then the rest of Qianye came into view. Fine sweat beaded at his temples, and his cheeks were flushed from the stifling heat.
Today's subway had been unusually crowded, the carriages like sealed metal cans that had sucked out every last hint of cool air. The rising heat and unavoidable jostling had soaked through his thin shirt; the soft fabric clung to his outline, and under the harsh sunlight it faintly hinted at the pale skin beneath.
A subtle scent drifted out with him—fresh medicinal herbs mixed with the clean salt of sweat.
Perhaps the angled sunlight made him feel even hotter; Qianye instinctively tugged at the collar stuck to his neck. What was already loose opened farther, baring a delicate collarbone and a larger stretch of fine skin.
The moment that accidental "scenery" appeared, Zhu Yuan—who had been about to step forward—froze as if someone had hit pause. Her pupils widened slightly. Her gaze glued itself to that exposed strip before she could stop it.
Her nose even betrayed her with a faint, unconscious inhale.
That warm, sweat-damp herbal fragrance became sharply clear.
"So fragrant…" she murmured, almost without realizing.
"Zhu Yuan," Qingyi turned her head, puzzled, a curious glint flashing in her electronic eyes. "What did you just say?"
Zhu Yuan jolted back to herself. Realizing what she'd muttered, heat exploded across her face.
"Nothing! Senior, I didn't say anything!" she blurted, voice pitching higher with panic. She forced her breathing steady, trying to suppress the sudden drumbeat in her chest.
After barely soothing Qingyi's suspicion, Zhu Yuan drew a deep breath, strode up to Qianye—who had just reached solid ground and still looked drained—and snapped into a sharp ninety-degree bow.
"I'm terribly sorry for interrupting your schedule! But right now, Qianye, my senior and I truly need your help!"
Her voice came out slightly muffled by the bow, but the determination in it was absolute.
Qianye looked at the young officer bowing to him, then at Qingyi beside her—wearing a strangely amused smile—and felt a wave of helplessness rise in his chest. He sighed.
"So, Officer Zhu Yuan… the 'urgent commission' you mentioned in your message is this?"
There was weary resignation in his voice.
"If it's just helping distribute promo questionnaires and convincing the neighbors, you didn't need to sound like someone was bleeding out. I thought you or Senior Qingyi had been in an accident. I even had to cut short what I'd originally arranged with…"
With her?
Or… with him?
Beneath Zhu Yuan's lowered head, her lips loosened slightly. A sudden tightness seized her heart, and a sour jealousy spread through her like dye dropped into water.
A stronger thought—nearly obsessive—began to grow out of control.
Whoever it was… anyone who could take his attention away…
It would be best if they were… eliminated…
Eliminated?
Why would I think something that dangerous?
No. No—this has to be… has to be the effect of that abnormal trait around Qianye. The academy's strict training, my will honed by countless cases since joining—there's no way I'd become this… this…
…this greedy. This possessive.
Zhu Yuan kept her head down, seeming too guilty to look up. Qianye, who'd been ready to scold her a little, swallowed the words and let them dissolve into another deeper sigh.
But Qingyi caught it—every flicker of tension, that microscopic struggle vibrating off Zhu Yuan's body.
No emotion-analysis module required. With her long "life" experience, Qingyi could more or less guess what kind of ferocious inner tug-of-war the junior officer was having again.
She chuckled softly, stepped forward, and—very naturally—ruffled Qianye's drooping silver cowlick through her gloved fingers, the practiced motion of someone calming a startled little animal.
"Alright, Zhu Bird," Qingyi said, breaking the heaviness. "At a time like this, verbal apologies are less useful than practical action. Instead of wasting time drowning in pointless guilt, offer a solid promise—"
She tilted her head toward Qianye, green eyes sparkling.
"Like promising that when Qianye needs our help in the future, we'll do everything we can—on call, anytime. How about it, little Qianye? Not a bad compensation plan, right?"
So Senior Qingyi thinks I'm only guilty about bothering him…?
Maybe she can't read people completely after all.
…That might actually be lucky.
If she noticed the darker thoughts boiling in my head right now, it would be a nightmare to explain.
This "symptom" that keeps worsening because of him—if she knew, she'd worry.
But, Senior… why are you standing that close?
If you're thanking him as a senior, why are you leaning in like you're about to kiss him in the next second…?
This isn't good.
What if other potential "victims"—those women—take you as an example and imitate this behavior…
Then I… then the innocent citizens of New Eridu would suffer even more "poison," wouldn't they?
And honestly—this posture, this intimacy—
It's… it's…
So irritating to look at.
"Zhu Yuan? Zhu Yuan?" Qingyi's voice called.
"Should keep distance… no, should be even farther… next time… next time maybe I shouldn't bring senior along… I've got a perfectly reasonable excuse to come alone…" Zhu Yuan muttered, lost in her own thoughts.
"Zhu Yuan?" Qianye also looked at her, confused. "What are you mumbling about now?"
"Ah! Nothing!" Zhu Yuan snapped upright. "Sorry—my mind wandered for a moment."
She inhaled, focused, and looked at Qianye directly.
That gaze was hot and concentrated, as if packed with limitless energy. It made Qianye uncomfortable enough that he turned his eyes aside, ears faintly reddening.
At his reaction, a tiny glimmer flashed in Zhu Yuan's eyes—satisfaction mixed with an even more surging possessiveness. Only then did she rein in how direct she'd been staring.
Qianye quickly reclaimed the lead, tugging at his still-damp collar a little awkwardly.
"So… you need me to help persuade the neighbors to cooperate with this questionnaire campaign, right?"
Zhu Yuan nodded.
"Fine. Then let's start." Qianye waved a hand. "But next time, explain it properly. Otherwise I'll really get mad!"
"…I'll reconsider my communication methods carefully," Zhu Yuan replied in a low voice, her tone strangely loaded.
"Mm… come in?"
Inside the café, Tinman Master was wiping a delicate coffee cup with unhurried precision, not even lifting his head.
The rich, deep aroma of coffee filled the shop, a stark contrast to the scorching air outside.
"You convinced Qianye, then?" he asked blandly.
"Tinman Master," Qianye stepped forward, voice gentle. "They're both trustworthy people. If possible, I hope you can help them."
The wiping paused.
Tinman Master looked up, adjusted his glasses, glanced at Qianye, then at the two officers behind him. After a moment of consideration, he pulled three fragrant espressos from the machine and handed them over.
"Since Qianye is willing to vouch for you two," he said, calm but weighty, "I can conclude you're at least not cut from the same cloth as that so-called 'hero.'"
His gaze settled on Zhu Yuan.
"So don't thank me. If you must thank someone, thank Qianye—who's willing to stand up for you."
Zhu Yuan accepted the warm cup, feeling heat seep into her fingertips. She nodded solemnly.
"…Understood, Tinman Master. In the future, I'll make sure to 'thank him' properly."
Her eyes drifted—again, against her will—toward Qianye, her tone meaningful enough to make the air tighten.
"Aww~ It's little Qianye!"
Asha's voice came out naturally sweet and sticky. She slipped from behind a counter packed with arcade machines and figurines, leaned forward slightly, and hooked a finger under Qianye's chin. Her warm breath nearly brushed his cheek.
"Since it's Qianye's request, big sis will have to close Golden Fingers for half a day~ I had something very important scheduled for that afternoon, you know… so~"
She drew out the ending, eyes glittering with mischief.
"Qianye, you'll remember to compensate me, right—ah?"
Before she could finish, a hand moved—swift and uncompromising—deflecting Asha's wrist, and then Qianye was yanked behind someone.
Zhu Yuan stepped forward, planting herself between Qianye and Asha. Her red eyes narrowed sharply, her voice official and cold.
"I'm very sorry, Miss Asha, for disrupting your business plans. But if you suffer economic losses because of this, please file a compensation request with me. Qianye is merely a middleman—he has no obligation to provide you any form of 'compensation.'"
Asha blinked, then her eyes brightened with understanding. She laughed softly, gaze moving between Zhu Yuan's tense face and Qianye behind her—who was peeking out, flustered, clearly wanting to explain.
"Is that so? Then forget it~" Asha waved casually. "As an ordinary citizen, as long as I follow the law, I'm sure…"
She paused deliberately, looking at Zhu Yuan with a slow, pointed smile.
"…I won't need to have too many dealings with the Public Security Bureau. Besides—if the sirens keep wailing through Sixth Street all the time…"
Her eyes slid past Zhu Yuan to Qianye behind her.
"…Qianye wouldn't like that either, right?"
"…Miss Asha," Zhu Yuan's voice dropped, carrying a faint threat. "You shouldn't speculate about what he likes."
"Hehe…" Asha covered her mouth, chuckling. "I'll return that line to you, then—Miss 'Greedy' Zhu Yuan~"
The atmosphere at the next stop was completely different.
Before they even stepped inside, a heavy beat seeped from within.
Efa lounged in the doorway, languid and cool. While Zhu Yuan explained, Efa's fingers tapped along to an invisible rhythm.
"Attending… a campaign that isn't a celebration, but a lecture about 'rules'?"
She tilted her head slightly, a few strands of hair slipping across her cheek. She reached out and casually brushed her fingertips through Qianye's soft hair.
"Since the little shopkeeper is asking, I'll go."
Her touch was natural, almost absent-minded—but Qianye still reflexively shrank his neck.
"Thank you for participating, Miss Efa!" Zhu Yuan immediately cut in, trying to reclaim the narrative. "But we need to emphasize that this is a public safety patrol campaign, not—"
"What's the difference?" Efa interrupted, voice airy with mild confusion.
"That Officer Bringer… back then, he was like the core conductor of a band. Everyone believed in his tempo, followed his rhythm…"
Her eyes drifted somewhere far away. Without realizing it, she twined a lock of Qianye's silver hair around her fingers.
"But now… can that harmony, that powerful melody that once led everything—can it truly resound again—"
Efa's words cut off abruptly.
A soft intake of breath.
Her body stiffened, almost imperceptibly, as if her sensors had overloaded. A sharp interference—like neural pain—spiked through her system.
At nearly the exact same time, Qingyi, who had been standing quietly, suddenly frowned and let out a muffled groan, a gloved hand flying up to press her forehead.
"Qingyi? And Miss Efa?" Zhu Yuan stared, shocked. "What's wrong? Why are you suddenly… holding onto Qianye?"
Because in the next instant, Efa—almost on instinct—pulled the worried Qianye into her arms, seeking something steady. And Qingyi, just as reflexively, clung to his arm from the other side, as if proximity could ease the sudden sickness.
Efa loosened her grip slightly, but the discomfort didn't vanish immediately. Only when she felt the warmth of a real body, and that strange, calming presence that soothed turbulent data, did the sharp pain recede like a tide.
She raised her head, looking at Zhu Yuan. Her electronic eyes flickered once.
"…For some reason, my system suddenly experienced severe instability, accompanied by significant perceptual disorder…"
Her voice returned to normal, but she still held tight to Qianye's arm.
"If I don't stay close to the little shopkeeper, I can't even stabilize my visual sensors."
Qingyi also lifted her head. The frown eased.
"Yes, Zhu Yuan. A sudden, intense headache… very strange. It seems only being near Qianye relieves it."
And as she spoke, she actually hugged his other arm even tighter.
"This… fine. But when you feel better, let go quickly—"
Zhu Yuan's words died mid-sentence.
A sound cut through the air.
"Quack! Quack!"
"…Duck?!" Zhu Yuan whipped her head around, stunned.
Right there—charging down the street like a small squadron—was a whole flock of plump white ducks, wings flapping, barreling straight toward the person trapped in the middle of two non-human women.
"Mm?" Qingyi asked curiously, without letting go. "Zhu Bird, did you order us roast duck?"
"No! I mean—there's a huge group of live ducks rushing at us!"
"QUACK! QUACK!"
The duck horde arrived in a blur and successfully surrounded them.
The ducks flapped and jostled, trying desperately to shove their way into the very center—toward Qianye—quacking with glee. A few that couldn't squeeze in jabbed their long bills in annoyance, pecking at Qingyi's and Efa's legs and ankles.
"Quack quack! Quack!"
—so excited it was almost like they were shouting: So good! So nice-smelling! Let me cuddle!
"Wait—what?! Where did all these ducks even come from?!" Qianye, trapped in the middle, tried anxiously to dodge the overenthusiastic feathered assault.
He stared at one especially fat duck—apparently the leader—that had hopped right up onto Efa's shoulder. He attempted what he believed was a fierce expression.
It had zero intimidation value.
If anything, it made him look even cuter.
"Y-You'd better take your flock and leave!" he said, voice trembling with false menace. "Or I'll… I'll stew you into soup! Hey—don't put your beak on my face! Miss Efa, please get it off!"
"QUACK! QUACK!"
The leader duck only got more excited, trying to rub its flat beak against Qianye's flushed cheek.
The scene collapsed into utter chaos.
And in the middle of that chicken-flight-level disorder, a voice erupted from the alley behind Golden Fingers—so grief-stricken it sounded like a dying confession.
"You damned Bangboo! You let all the ducks I was going to deliver to customers get loose! You criminal caught red-handed!"
"Mm-ne! Mm-ne-ne!"
The Bangboo's voice fired back indignantly: "No! Zhaoling just felt a little dizzy and went to rest for a moment! They ran off on their own!"
The commotion instantly drew attention from every pedestrian and shopkeeper. People gathered, craning for a better look.
Not far away, the door of Turbo Auto Mods pushed open, and Enzo stepped out with a wrench in hand—apparently hoping for a bit of fresh air.
He took one step outside and saw the picture.
A familiar officer on the outer ring. A crazed quacking inner circle of white ducks. And at the very center—
Qianye, pinned between Qingyi and Efa, cheeks burning red as he tried to avoid being "attacked" by ducks.
Enzo froze on the spot. His mouth hung open. The wrench nearly slipped from his fingers.
Surrounded by ducks, women, and an ocean of stares, Qianye finally snapped—
and let out a sharp, desperate wail that pierced the street.
"WHY DID THIS TURN INTO THIS?!"
"Calm down, Qianye!" Zhu Yuan tried to take control of the scene while carefully avoiding stepping on ducks. "First priority is getting Miss Efa and Senior Qingyi to let go, and then we figure out how to lure the ducks over there!"
"…O-Okay—AHH!" Qianye yelped. "Stop pecking my butt! I really will roast you! You evil duck!"
"QUACK! QUACK!"
The duck sounded like it was enthusiastically replying: Please do!
"Uh… why does that touch feel kind of—"
"Ah! Sorry, Qianye." Qingyi's voice came quickly, composed as ever. "To help you break free from these ducks, some contact is unavoidable. My apologies."
Zhu Yuan's expression fell for a fraction of a second—tight, complicated.
Qianye went quiet, then sighed.
"It's fine… but please don't do it again next time."
"…Understood," Zhu Yuan said softly.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 139)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter171)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter100)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter184)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 168
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 156
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 105
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 185
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 160
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 150
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 76
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 97
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 116
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 75
Uma Musume: I Want All 93
I Can Copy Unique Skills 79
Summoning an Evil God, but the 55
Supernatural Multiverse 75
My Harem Is Indescribable 68
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 70
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 69
Still playing traditional Honk 49
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 53
What Should I Do After Switchi 42
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 50
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 38
Transmigrated as Sukuna 35
Checking In in Demon Slayer 40
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 55
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