Chapter 6: Bound to Each Other. Listen up, until the case is solved, you will be under my…

Editor: Min Zu

An hour later.

Gu Yifeng finally pushed the door open, a document in his hand.

He stood silently at the entrance, his eyes betraying his exhaustion.

“Boss!” Gao Yiyuan called out tentatively. “What’s the situation?”

“Instructor Gu… Are you alright?” Ye Min asked, unable to hide her concern.

Gu Yifeng didn’t answer immediately; instead, he uncharacteristically raised a hand to loosen his collar.

After a moment, he spoke, his gaze settling cooly on Gao Yiyuan.

“Little Gao. Good job.” He added without a pause. “Don’t do it again. Go write a report.”

Gao Yiyuan scratched his head with a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Boss. I was wrong.”

“Little Gao, how many reports is that this month?” Ni Qianfan said, crossing his arms with a teasing tone.

“AI-generated! I can write the ones for my next life in advance!” Gao Yiyuan reverted to his usual cheeky demeanor.

The room broke into faint laughter.

Only Ye Min wasn’t smiling. She looked at Gu Yifeng, her expression grave. 

“Instructor Gu… what did the deputy minister say? How are we supposed to handle this?”

“I’ve resolved it properly. There’s no need to worry.”

His voice was even deeper than usual. After a moment, he asked, “Where’s Wen Yi?”

The group fell into momentary silence.

He had used her name—not the suspect, not the person involved in the case, but her name directly.

Ye Min pointed a finger at the interrogation room. 

“Still waiting in there.”

Inside the interrogation room, Wen Yi was asleep, slumped over the table – but her rest was anything but peaceful.

In her dream world, there wasn’t a single living person—one moment it was a frozen corpse emitting white vapor, the next it was a man crushed into minced meat.

Countless Light Cones suddenly flashed before her eyes, and she seemed to have returned to that autumn from more than a decade ago.

Her seven- or eight-year-old self was curled up behind a large tree. The sound of boots crunching over dry leaves grew closer and closer. She held her breath.

The instant a black-gloved hand was about to touch her—

“Police! Step back!”

The sharp command shattered the silence. A tall, upright figure appeared against the light, gun in hand.

“Don’t look.”

He covered her eyes. “Count to ten before you open them.”

The memory was distant, blurred.

When everything finally went quiet, he knelt in front of her, studying her in silence. His lips moved, but he said nothing. He only placed a business card into her hand.

As she was led away by her parents, she turned back desperately, trying to remember that face, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t see it clearly.

Until a hand pierced through the dream and grasped hers in reality. 

“Wen Yi, wake up!”

Wen Yi’s eyes flew open. 

Gu Yifeng’s face was right in front of her—perfectly merging with the police officer who had saved her in the dream.

“Did you have a nightmare?” he asked softly, as if afraid of startling her.

Wen Yi slowly surfaced from the dream, nodding, her reaction sluggish.

Before she was fully awake, her gaze fell on the document in his hands – the words Supervision Agreement printed starkly across the cover.

“I have something to tell you.”

Gu Yifeng was holding her hand. With his other hand, he gently placed the document on the table.

“You are currently a suspect in the ice-cream truck explosion case, and also a registered Special Ability User with the security department. The Investigation Bureau will not allow a suspect with a special ability to move about freely. During the investigation, I must ensure you do not use your ability in violation of the rules. If you are innocent…”

His tone softened noticeably. 

“… then I have an even greater duty to protect your safety.” 

He paused, his tone softening almost imperceptibly.

“This is simply to inform you. Whether you agree or not,” Gu Yifeng said evenly, sliding the agreement closer to her, “until the case is solved, you will be under my supervision. Sign it.”

For a moment, Wen Yi felt like she was still asleep.

She understood every word he said. Yet when they were put together, none of ot made sense.

What was he talking about?

What supervision?

Supervising whom?

“I… don’t quite understand what you mean…”

She tried to pull her hand free from his grasp, but his hold remained firm.

“To put it simply,” Gu Yifeng said, his voice calm and unwavering, “starting today, you will ‘report your status’ to your supervisor in person daily and undergo physical examinations when necessary. Before each use of your ability, you must obtain authorization from your supervisor. Afterward, the details of that use will be recorded.”

Wen Yi was dumbfounded. “Do you hear yourself right now? Does that sound reasonable?”

“Sign it.”

The agreement was pushed in front of her again.

She lowered her head and read it, seeming to weigh her options.

A moment later, she let out a laugh of exasperation.” You’re already illegally detaining me, and you still need my signature to consent?”

“According to the ‘Regulations on the Management of Special Ability Users,’ this is called Special Supervision.”

Gu Yifeng leaned closer, his breath brushing past her ear. 

“You are a suspect in this case. Only by cooperating with me – and using your special ability to find the murderer in these three cases – can you clear your name. You can be dissatisfied,” he said quietly, “but this is official business, there are no exceptions.”

A surge of resistance welled up in Wen Yi’s heart, yet she had a faint feeling that he wasn’t targeting her specifically. 

But was this really the only way?

“I’m satisfied, I’m satisfied,” she said, giving a small tug at her wrist. “But can you let go of my hand first?”

She looked up at Gu Yifeng. “ Or is Director Gu… this eager to be bound to me?

He didn’t release immediately. His gaze lingered on her captured wrist for a moment before he slowly released it. 

“I’m not in a hurry.”

Wen Yi picked up the pen and deliberately signed her name with slow, drawn-out strokes.

After finishing the last stroke, she looked up at him.

“Is it effective now?”’

Gu Yifeng took back the signed agreement. “Yes. You can go back and rest for now.”

Wen Yi was slightly taken aback, not expecting him to let her go so easily.

“Just like that? Aren’t you worried I’ll run away?”

Gu Yifeng leaned back in his chair, his gaze slowly locking onto her.

“I trust you’ll stay.”

 His fingertips unconsciously caressed her name.

“Not because of the agreement, but because you know in your heart that I’m not just seeking the truth, but also doing this for you.”

Wen Yi’s eyes flickered.

Then his tone shifted.

“I trust you won’t betray my confidence. But if you leave without a word… “

He met her eyes evenly, “… don’t blame me for taking compulsory measures against you.”

Wen Yi sneered inwardly. The last person who tried hadn’t ended well.

“Remember the requirements on the Supervision Agreement,” he continued. “You have an obligation to let me find you whenever I need you. Can you do that?”

“Are you kidding me?” A sly smile curved her lips. “What if I’m in the shower?”

Gu Yifeng froze for a second. His gaze lingered on her dimple before quickly looking up again.

“Then you’ll answer.” He suddenly took a step closer, enveloping her in his shadow, his voice dropping. “The agreement doesn’t say ‘except in special circumstances’.”

Wen Yi tilted her head, meeting his eyes with a mischievous glint. 

“Director Gu, wouldn’t this be considered… taking advantage of me?”

He looked down at her and smiled faintly, his tone unchanged. 

“This is called being diligent and responsible. After all, when you’re in danger, or your ability goes out of control, it doesn’t choose the occasion.”

The sound of colleagues talking drifted from a distance.

Gu Yifeng took half a step back, resuming his all-business demeanor.

But before he turned away, Wen Yi caught the faintest curve at the corner of his mouth.

—

“Instructor Gu, are we really letting her go like this?” Ye Min frowned. “She’s definitely connected to that last case.”

Ni Qianfan handed over a report. “Her bag was found at the scene. Her phone was destroyed in the explosion.”

Gao Yiyuan put down his tablet.” I restored what I could from the device. There’s nothing useful.” He scratched his head. “Either this isn’t her primary phone, or she deliberately isolates herself from the outside world.”

“Old Gu, what were the deputy minister’s actual instructions?”

Gao Yiyuan frowned. “Someone who can get into the SSS-level database is no ordinary person.”

Gu Yifeng organized the case files without looking up. “Wen Yi is my responsibility.”

“But Instructor Gu,” Ye Min couldn’t hold back, “if she’s really in the database, that’s more reason not to let her walk away.”

“She is crucial to the case.” Gu Yifeng finally said, looking up. “And I already have arrangements for her.”

“But—”

“Ye Min,” Gu Yifeng cut her off, his tone turning abruptly cold. “I know more about the situation than you do. If you still trust me, then do what you’re supposed to be doing.”

—

It was just before dawn when Wen Yi returned to her hotel.

The nightmarish experience had left her physically and mentally exhausted. She fell into bed and slept so soundly that she didn’t even hear her phone vibrating repeatedly.

It wasn’t until a tap, tap, tap on the window startled her awake that Wen Yi realized it was already dusk.

A small, plump bird with red feathers and a black tail flew in through the window. It chirped twice at Wen Yi before hopping onto her outstretched hand.

It was her mother’s communication bird – capable of transmitting everything it saw at astonishing speed. A signature surveillance system of the Wen family.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine now.”

Wen Yi smiled at the tiny watcher and briefly recounted everything that had happened since she left the mountains.

The little bird tilted its head, as if it understood, then turned and flew away.

After seeing the little red bird off, Wen Yi finally noticed the unread messages on her phone.

It was a dedicated phone Gu Yifeng had given her for contacting her supervisor. At some point, a new message had appeared on the screen:

‘Supervision Agreement Supplementary Clause No. 11:

Penalties for violations include, but are not limited to, in-person inspections by the supervisor.’

“What bullshit supplementary clause!”

The phone immediately began to vibrate.

“Miss Wen,” Gu Yifeng’s voice came through. “Do you remember the first article of the Supervision Agreement? Downstairs in ten minutes.”

Before she could respond, the call was disconnected.

As the car entered a bustling commercial district, Gu Yifeng initiated the conversation.

“The frozen female corpse case is closed. In fact, there were a total of five victims.”

He turned his head to look at her.

“The criminal proceedings have been terminated due to the murderer’s death, but the inheritance he left behind will be used to compensate the victims’ families.”

“That’s it?”

Wen Yi looked out the window. Her fists slowly clenched, her nails digging into her palms.

The galaxy of city lights outside the car was brilliant, but it couldn’t illuminate the five shattered families. Their pain would last a lifetime.

The car stopped at a red light.

Gu Yifeng suddenly reached out and gently pried her tightly clenched fingers open, one by one.

“Don’t pinch yourself.” His gaze fell on the white marks in her palm, his voice low.

“I… am very glad you didn’t become the sixth victim.”

Wen Yi looked up, caught off guard by the quiet intensity in his gaze. His gaze seemed to hold a deeper meaning she couldn’t decipher, but it inexplicably made her heart race.

The light turned green. He let go of her hand, and the car slowly started moving.

“Let’s eat first.”

‘I’m not hungry.”

He let out a soft laugh. “As your supervisor, I have a responsibility to ensure you eat on time. Just follow my arrangements for today, alright?”

The car stopped at the edge of the commercial district.

“Let’s go.” Gu Yifeng unbuckled his seatbelt. “The restaurant is on the pedestrian street up ahead.”

Wen Yi followed Gu Yifeng through the crowd. The night breeze, carrying the aroma of food, wafted over, making her feel a sense of anticipation for dinner.

Suddenly, Gu Yifeng’s steps faltered – just slightly.

“Don’t look back,” he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

“We’re being followed.”

Wen Yi’s heart tightened, as if she too could feel the cold gaze on her back.

They instinctively quickened their pace. To passersby, they looked like a couple rushing to a date, but Wen Yi felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest.

“Wh-what do we do now?” Wen Yi couldn’t help but glance back slightly.

Why was it always her? Did she have some kind of constitution that attracted criminals?

Gu Yifeng pulled her into a small alley and gently pressed her against the wall. His tall frame completely enveloped her, his breath brushing past her ear. 

“Don’t move.”

He spoke in a low voice close to her ear, but his eyes remained vigilant, scanning the surroundings.

“The other party is very professional. We haven’t been able to shake them.”

Wen Yi frowned. Who could it be?

The faint scent of cologne drifted from him, and her face warmed slightly. “Is it… is it over?”

“No,” he was still very close, his tone steady. “They’re still nearby.”

“Then what should we do now?”

“Wait a little longer.” He didn’t move, his gaze warily scanning the alley entrance.

The streetlight tangled their shadows together. Outside the alley, the crowd was bustling; inside, the sound of their heartbeats was deafening.

After an unknown amount of time, Gu Yifeng gradually loosened his hold.

Just as she was about to pull away—

“Wait.”

He suddenly grabbed her hand again. “Cooperate with me. The other party might be testing our relationship.”

This overly intimate gesture made her breath hitch.

“Let’s go eat first,” he said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if nothing had just happened.

Wen Yi didn’t struggle anymore. She just lowered her head, letting him lead her forward by the hand, her heartbeat a chaotic mess.

“We don’t have to eat this meal. Maybe… we should just skip it?”

Gu Yifeng glanced down at her, a hint of tenderness hidden in his eyes, but his tone was firm. “The plan remains the same. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

He leaned close to her ear, his breath brushing against her hair. 

“Trust me this one time, okay?”

In the distance, a black figure flashed past the alley entrance.

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