Chapter 386: See You at the Summit

“Hah!” A woman’s mocking laughter rang out as she turned around, her cold gaze locking onto Xiao Yu. “How did you find me?”

“If a wolf can track a scent, why can’t a person?”

Xiao Yu reached out and pulled down her mask, revealing the face of a middle-aged woman, Jiang Huiying.

Even as he captured her, Xiao Yu felt no satisfaction—only a deep frown.

Something wasn’t right.

With her cunning, how could she be caught so easily?

Just then, a commotion erupted behind him. A large group of officers rushed out of the Criminal Investigation Brigade, their eyes fixed on Jiang Huiying.

‘What did I overlook?’

Xiao Yu’s mind raced as he stared at her.

He had the distinct feeling that something had slipped past him, like heading out for a camping trip only to realize halfway there that something essential had been forgotten.

Wait… 

Jiang Huiying had walked out of the Criminal Investigation Brigade. But she never had a chance to see Fang Jie. He was still locked inside the interrogation room.

Then what was it?

The scent.

Understanding flashed across Xiao Yu’s face.

Wolves might not recognize faces, but they could track scents—multiple scents. Maybe Jiang Huiying couldn’t enter the interrogation room, but she could still leave a scent on the door.

That’s why she showed up so brazenly. She was creating a distraction.

Xiao Yu turned sharply, looking at the officers who had just walked out of the building.

She was luring them outside.

Her true objective—

Xiao Yu sprinted toward the building’s windows.

With so many officers blocking the entrance, forcing his way in would risk injuring them.

Boom!

Under the stunned gazes of everyone present, Xiao Yu crashed through a window, landing inside before racing toward the interrogation room.

His nose caught the scent of a wolf.

As he rounded a corner, he saw it. A massive grassland wolf lunged toward the interrogation room’s door.

In that instant—

Xiao Yu’s feet slammed against the ground.

Flea’s Jump. Activated.

His body shot forward like lightning, reaching the door in the blink of an eye. But his momentum was too fast. He was going to overshoot the target.

His hand grabbed the doorframe, forcefully stopping his forward motion.

Using the same momentum, his still-airborne body swung straight into the interrogation room.

Xiao Yu’s eyes locked onto the gigantic grassland wolf.

It was mid-pounce—aimed straight at Fang Jie, strapped to the interrogation chair.

‘What now?!’ His mind spun. ‘Got it!’

Magic Expert!

Still in the air, Xiao Yu’s hand moved faster than lightning. With a flick of his wrist, a pistol appeared in his grip.

The moment the wolf’s jaws neared Fang Jie’s throat—

Gun Expert!

The bullets shattered the wolf’s snout. The next shot pierced straight through its skull. The wolf’s lifeless body collapsed onto Fang Jie, knocking the chair over.

Xiao Yu hit the ground hard.

Lying there, his thoughts drifted.

Why did I reincarnate into the modern era?

Wouldn’t it have been better to be reborn into ancient times?

Back then, everyone was physically weak, and fights were settled with fists and blades. No need to deal with these bizarre cases and elaborate murder methods. Nowadays, if not for his system, he might not even have time to react before losing his head.

But then again—

Is having a system really a good thing?

Had anyone considered… What if the system was actually sentient?

Would it watch him with his wife like some third-rate protagonist in a cheap soap opera?

Had he ever thought about the existential dread of being the lead in such a show?

‘Shit.’

Xiao Yu forcefully shut down his runaway thoughts. They were too terrifying.

Slowly, he got to his feet and glanced at the two stunned detectives, Li Xin and Liu Hongqiao.

They had been mid-interrogation when the wolf barged in. Understandably, they were too shocked to react.

The wolf was dead, its body dragged aside.

Fang Jie was still alive but covered in wolf blood. His face was frozen in terror. If not for Xiao Yu’s gun, he would already be a corpse.

Stepping out of the interrogation room, Xiao Yu looked at Jiang Huiying, now in handcuffs.

“The wolf is dead. He’s still alive,” he said, meeting her gaze.

“Oh.”

Jiang Huiying’s expression remained calm—no anger, no despair.

“Hm?”

Something about her reaction was off.

“You’re not disappointed?” Xiao Yu frowned.

“Why should I be?” She smiled. “I only wanted to personally avenge my sister. Now that I’ve done that, my heart is at peace. Whether he lives or dies now. it doesn’t matter. He won’t live for long anyway.”

Xiao Yu was impressed.

Clever criminals weren’t scary. But a woman with a brain—that was terrifying.

Fang Jie was doomed.

Twenty-three years ago, he had participated in rape, murder, and the disposal of a body. Even if Jiang Huiying hadn’t killed him, he was already marked for death.

The law would take its course. There would be no reduced sentence for a crime this heinous. Some acts were beyond redemption.

“Was it worth it?” Xiao Yu asked. “You knew they would die anyway. Why take matters into your own hands?”

“She was my family,” Jiang Huiying said calmly. “My beloved younger sister. When she disappeared, my mother went insane. My father wasted away in grief. Our home was destroyed from that moment on. Five years ago, I learned the truth. So tell me, how could I not kill them? If I hadn’t done it with my own hands, I would never have found peace.”

Xiao Yu sighed.

“Did you ever think about your parents?” he asked. “Or your daughter in college?”

She smiled.

“In my next life…” Her voice was light. “I’ll repay them.”

***

The lights dimmed. Morning arrived.

Standing by the window of the Criminal Investigation Brigade, Xiao Yu watched the rising sun.

He smiled.

He liked sunlight.

Because light illuminates darkness. Because it brings warmth to the world. A phrase came to his mind.

Something Manga had once said.

Those who live must do something.

Pass down the legacy. Honor the times. Stay true to yourself. Stay true to your era.

Farewell.

See you at the summit.