"Oh no!"
The cry for help outside shattered the brief peace inside the Mist Shop. The captain of the three-man plainclothes team shouted urgently, and all three sprang into motion at a full sprint.
Although the three of them had spent days aimlessly hanging around this street, boredom had dulled neither their training nor their alertness. Before the cry for help had even faded, they had rushed out of the shop and raced toward its source, moving swiftly without a moment's hesitation.
Su Bai, who remained inside, was still perfectly composed, as though the commotion outside had nothing to do with him. Sitting on the sofa, he gracefully poured himself a cup of tea and took a gentle sip. The fresh fragrance of fruit tea spread through the air. He narrowed his eyes slightly, seeming to savor this brief moment of peace. The tea slid down his throat, warm and faintly sweet and tart, leaving him utterly comfortable.
Only after finishing his tea did Su Bai slowly rise from the sofa, his movements still leisurely.
Before leaving the Mist Shop, Su Bai glanced at Little Black Cat, who was dozing on a shelf, and quietly said, "Kai Xin, keep an eye on the shop."
Little Black Cat lazily opened one eye, tail brushing lightly along the edge of the shelf, as though acknowledging Su Bai's instructions.
There were still few pedestrians on the street, and the earlier shout had long since faded into the air. Su Bai stood at the shop entrance, his nose twitching slightly, and soon caught a trace of the familiar fruit tea fragrance.
Following that scent, Su Bai looked toward an alley a short distance away. Although the earlier cry for help had come from the street, he could clearly sense that the current disturbance was