Chapter 229: I’ll Help You Remember

In Bencheng, at the Criminal Investigation Unit.

“Why does this always happen?” 

Wang Dong’s expression was complicated as he looked at his junior. He couldn’t help but voice the question that had been on his mind for a while. 

“Ever since I met you, it seems like every minor case you handle turns into something shocking. What exactly is up with your luck, little brother?”

‘I wish I knew,’ Xiao Yu rolled his eyes. 

He had thought deeply about this existential question and had come to a possible conclusion.

Karma!

It sounded mystical, but it actually made sense. First of all, his reincarnation and transmigration were already proof that something was off. And then, there was the system—especially its name: The Detective God Sign-In System. Every case he tackled, every sign-in reward he received—it all felt orchestrated. 

Xiao Yu had a sneaking suspicion.

Fate had thrown him into this parallel world for a reason: to solve cases.

Getting a second chance at life? 

That was the cause. 

Cracking one case after another? 

That was the effect. 

And in return? 

He wasn’t being shortchanged.

Instant system abilities, skills delivered straight to his brain, a loving family, doting parents, and an adoring wife. Was it enough?

It better be. Otherwise, any more greed would be downright shameless.

So… with a hint of resignation and a mouthful of figurative tears, Xiao Yu accepted this karmic fate.

And honestly, it wasn’t so bad.

“Maybe it’s all part of Heaven’s plan,” Xiao Yu said, his face showing a mix of pride, mischief, and defiance, the corner of his mouth curling up into a smirk.

‘What the heck? Little brother’s really playing it cool now,’ Wang Dong rolled his eyes. “If I were that easy to fool, I wouldn’t be the head of the second division, would I?”

Xiao Yu couldn’t be bothered to respond. He strode into the Criminal Investigation Unit with the swagger of someone who recognized no family ties. Watching his little brother’s retreating figure, Wang Dong squinted thoughtfully.

“Never assume someone else is stupid.” 

That was a phrase Xiao Yu often said.

As the head of the second division, was Wang Dong really that simple-minded? Did people really think he couldn’t see the peculiarities about Xiao Yu?

But…

Wang Dong knew one thing for sure—Xiao Yu would never stand against the country. His unwavering sense of righteousness, that hard-to-understand justice streak, and those rock-solid morals? 

Wang Dong had to admit, compared to Xiao Yu, he didn’t measure up at all.

So why bother overanalyzing or being suspicious?

Even the higher-ups had labeled Xiao Yu a “good kid.” That was like an ironclad shield. As long as the big boss supported him, nobody would dare touch Xiao Yu.

Who would question the boss’s judgment?

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Wang Dong followed Xiao Yu into the unit. If nothing else, one thing was clear—sticking close to Xiao Yu and letting him take the lead was the easiest way to win. It was like coasting on a smooth ride.

***

Inside the meeting room.

“The fugitives have been flagged, added to the A-level wanted list. There’s no way they’ll make it out of the country. Their faces are already in the immigration system,” Wang Dong confidently briefed the group.

He paid no mind to the other officers. His eyes were locked on Xiao Yu, who sat quietly, deep in thought.

“They’ve got no choice but to hide somewhere within the country. The moment they show their faces, they’re done. We don’t have time to wait,” Xiao Yu said, lifting his head with a cold expression. “I don’t have the luxury of playing games with them.”

He wasn’t lying. The system’s timer was ticking away, and a whole week had already passed. 

There were only thirteen days left.

The difficulty of this 20-day case was no joke.

Besides nearly getting shot and navigating the death trap of that underground passage, there was also the hidden danger of the machine room. If it weren’t for the system’s helpful skills, who knows what other tricks that cannibalistic old man might have had up his sleeve?

Saying it was “a close call” wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

After a week of investigating the case, they still hadn’t caught a glimpse of the two main culprits. 

Who knew what else might happen?

One thing was for sure: the suspects had guns. If even their underlings had makeshift firearms, it was impossible that Second Brother Li Haibo and Third Brother Zheng Hao wouldn’t have any.

“The source of the bullets has been traced,” said Zhao Changshan.

He was starting to feel like he had little relevance and didn’t want to just be a tool in this case.

“It came from a small illegal gun workshop. They sold four modified starter pistols and twenty rounds of ammo. It’s confirmed that they sold them to the suspect, Zheng Hao, aka Third Brother. As for how they got the materials and the gunpowder recipe, the city bureau is now handling that part of the investigation.”

Just the act of manufacturing firearms was already a serious crime. But if they were making bullets too, the case escalated even further. This part of the case had already been split off for a separate investigation.

It was a common scenario—sometimes, during a major investigation, one would come across additional crimes. When a major case escalated, smaller parts of it were often spun off into separate investigations.

Compared to the current case, that illegal gun operation seemed insignificant.

Xiao Yu nodded. As long as the source of the firearms and ammunition could be tracked, that was enough. 

At least it wasn’t a problem with a military factory. 

Could you imagine the fallout if an armory had a breach? That wouldn’t just involve National Security stepping in—it’d be special forces coming into play. 

The mere thought of it was terrifying!

“By the way, someone was asking about you a few days ago,” Wang Dong said, his expression a bit strange as he glanced at Xiao Yu with a curious look in his eyes.

“Huh?” Xiao Yu was puzzled. 

‘Who would be looking into me? Are they trying to mess with me?’

“Snow Fox,” Wang Dong replied in a serious tone. “You’ve met them three times—their team leader.”

“Oh!” Xiao Yu’s mind buzzed.

‘Snow Fox? That’s a special forces unit!’

It was true. He had encountered them three times. The first time was during the body smuggling case, the second in the human trafficking investigation, and the third time in the assassin group case. Snow Fox had been involved in all three.

‘But why are they looking into me now?’ Xiao Yu was confused, his face full of question marks.

“The team leader from the assassin group case watched you the whole time,” Wang Dong continued, his gaze on Xiao Yu becoming even stranger. “They said it’d be a waste for someone with your skills not to join the military. They asked me to pass along a message. Would you be interested in playing with them in the special forces?”

‘There it is—people trying to mess with me again.’ 

Xiao Yu broke into a cold sweat. 

If this were his past life, before he became a cop, he probably would’ve jumped at the chance to join the military without a second thought. But in this life, it just wasn’t possible.

“If I weren’t a cop, if I hadn’t met my wife, I might’ve said yes,” Xiao Yu said, his expression complicated. “But my wife’s pregnant now. For the rest of my life, being a cop is the only path for me.”

Being a soldier had been the dream of many boys, wearing the uniform and guarding the nation’s borders. Xiao Yu sighed. Being a cop wasn’t bad either—wearing the badge, upholding justice, and taking down the bad guys.

***

C City.

Xiao Yu, Wang Dong, and suspect Peng Junlong stepped off the train. Ten members of the second squad followed behind them as they exited the station. Outside, a line of police cars was waiting for them.

“I don’t remember much. I had a blindfold on. Second Brother and Third Brother put me in a car, and I couldn’t tell which direction we were heading. Eventually, we reached that underground room… but it’s all a bit fuzzy now.”

In the back of a police car, suspect Peng Junlong spoke softly, sharing everything he could recall. It had been years since he had last been here, and things were a bit hazy.

“Can’t remember?” Xiao Yu shot a cold look at Peng Junlong.

“I’ll make sure you remember.”