Who broke the glass 9 Pei Qingyu's face visibly...

"Upset?"

Only when they neared the gate did Pei Qingyu, who had remained silent the whole way, finally drawl, "If you're worried people think you're fierce, smile more."

Xun Yin shook his head. He did not actually care what others thought; he was only keeping quiet because he had a vague sense that something was wrong with the factory.

But... Xun Yin lowered his eyes and stared at their overlapping fingers for a long while, suddenly wanting to know what Pei Qingyu thought. "Captain, do you think I'm fierce?"

"Of course not. You're so much fun when you look all serious, A-Xun..." Pei Qingyu instinctively coaxed him, only realizing something once the words were out. He turned his head and scolded him with a laugh. "Well, look at you, A-Xun. You did that on purpose...?"

"No. I really wanted to ask."

Having received the answer he wanted, Xun Yin looked up and obligingly smiled. He almost always kept a stern face, and the sudden curve of his lips made him look particularly young, with his handsome brows and bright eyes.

Pei Qingyu froze. He was about to say something when the expression of the man facing him abruptly changed.

"Watch out!"

Someone suddenly stumbled through the gate, heading straight for Pei Qingyu's back. Xun Yin grabbed Pei Qingyu's arm and pulled him aside. Thrown off balance, Pei Qingyu staggered against his shoulder.

He was half a head shorter than Xun Yin, and his chin rested right in the hollow of the other man's shoulder. A faint pine scent slipped into his nose. Pei Qingyu's fingers curled slightly, and he lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable.

"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."

The person at the gate mumbled an apology and continued outside without pausing. Xun Yin said nothing, but Pei Qingyu frowned slightly at the voice and turned to glance at the retreating figure.

"Song Xiao said Zhang Zhao got his mercury vapor from Song Sheng," Pei Qingyu said quietly, leaning against Xun Yin. "She doesn't know where the two of them argued, but judging by how long it took her to get there, it was very likely somewhere near this factory."

"Metal smelting produces mercury vapor, which has to be treated before being discharged. If Zhang Zhao stole the mercury vapor here, Song Sheng would definitely know." Xun Yin picked up where Pei Qingyu left off, his expression turning serious as well.

Pei Qingyu briefly closed his eyes, then stepped back, unobtrusively putting some distance between himself and Xun Yin. He turned toward the direction the person had left in. "Daily discharge levels are recorded. Any discrepancies would trigger a thorough investigation. Song Sheng is timid and insecure. Frightened and helpless, she would definitely choose to deal with a familiar situation first, such as-"

"Returning to the factory to cover up the theft of the mercury vapor."

Chapter 20: Who broke the glass 9 Pei Qingyu's face visibly...

"This way."

For the third time, Xun Yin pulled back Pei Qingyu, who was muddledly trying to head in the opposite direction, and sighed softly.

"Don't sigh. You might get respiratory alkalosis." Pei Qingyu solemnly tapped Xun Yin's lips, then could not help laughing at his helpless expression. "All right, I know. I'll follow you, okay?"

-Who would have imagined that Captain Pei of the Special Case Team was essentially directionally challenged when it came to tracking?

They had just followed the figure they suspected was Song Sheng around a corner and, sure enough, lost her trail. Weeds grew thick behind the factory, and all was quiet. Pei Qingyu stood in place with his arms folded for a long while before finally sighing helplessly and stepping back to look at Xun Yin, who had already crouched down.

Xun Yin carefully examined the traces at the base of the wall and among the weeds, then stood and quickly pointed in a direction. "Mud rubbed off on the wall. Judging by the fine lines and their depth, she probably went this way."

"Mm, that's what I thought too." Pei Qingyu earnestly examined the base of the wall, where he could see nothing unusual, then took the lead in that direction.

Xun Yin naturally knew this trait of Pei Qingyu's. In fact, he had known even before joining the team. When the Special Case Team came to the police university to select recruits, he had turned around after finishing the tracking and investigation test to find Captain Pei watching him with a beaming smile.

-Even now, he suspected that Pei Qingyu had always liked taking him on assignments from the start just to hide the fact that he had no sense of direction when tracking.

Watching the man who had promised to follow him unconsciously move ahead again, shielding him behind his back, Xun Yin hesitated before looking up. "Captain, how about... I hold your hand?"

Pei Qingyu, walking ahead, froze at those words. He stopped, his expression inexplicably complicated. Only after hearing the man behind him take a few steps to his side did he cover his chest and cough, then turn and reach for Xun Yin's hand. "Sure. Just don't lose your captain."

"I won't," Xun Yin answered quietly. Pei Qingyu's hand was cold, and he could not help rubbing it with his fingers. By the time he realized what he was doing, the tips of his ears had begun to burn again. He shook his head and hurried forward, leading Pei Qingyu by the hand.

Deep inside the factory were numerous water reservoirs, with iron walkways crisscrossing overhead, connected to swaying railings. Xun Yin shifted slightly to shield Pei Qingyu behind him. Pei Qingyu frowned as he surveyed their surroundings, and both men involuntarily grew solemn.

The sky had gradually darkened, and the dim light blurred the outlines of everything around them. A glimmer suddenly flashed inside a prefabricated building nearby. Pei Qingyu instantly released Xun Yin's hand. Understanding his intent, Xun Yin immediately darted forward and kicked the door open.

The door struck the wall with a loud bang. Xun Yin advanced with his gun raised, but before he could enter, something was suddenly thrown out through the doorway. Standing a short distance away, Pei Qingyu's pupils contracted. He rushed forward and tackled Xun Yin to the ground.

"Cough, cough..."

The bottle shattered against the ground, and a cloyingly sweet smell instantly spread around them. Xun Yin was strong and fit, and with Pei Qingyu shielding him beneath his body, he was not affected too severely.

But Pei Qingyu's face visibly paled. The smell was sweet and pungent, and, caught off guard, he had inhaled some. His head immediately spun. He tried to hold his breath, but his breathing faltered, and he began coughing uncontrollably.

"Captain!"

Xun Yin rolled over and sat up, helping the man curled into a ball into a sitting position. Pei Qingyu clutched the clothing over his chest in one hand, while his other hand shakily tried to cover Xun Yin's mouth and nose. "It's chloroform... cough, cough, don't breathe it in..."

"I'm fine."

Xun Yin quickly tore off two strips of cloth to cover Pei Qingyu's mouth and nose and his own, then scooped him up and darted aside. Pei Qingyu took two rapid, gasping breaths, then suddenly leaned close to Xun Yin's ear. "She's still hiding in that room. She must be waiting for us both to pass out before coming out... I'll put out the light in a moment. Stop her at the door..."