"It seems you've figured it all out," Yu Can appeared on the second floor of the boiler room, where there was a small window that allowed her to observe the situation below.
The space was vast and silent, amplifying even the smallest sound. She asked, "Do you think you still have a chance to turn the tables?"
Ji Feng chuckled.
If his guess was correct, this place would soon become an inferno. The police would find two charred bodies, perhaps distinguishable as male and female, but the high temperature would destroy the DNA, making it impossible to confirm their identities. They would have to search the scene for clues.
What would they find?
Shoes larger than size 40, belonging to a tall man, like him; a pool of blood that would perfectly match the hair found in Yu Can's home.
So, the deceased would be him and "Yu Can."
His fingerprints were left on the bomb components he had just disarmed, and Yu Can was a "weak woman." It wouldn't make sense to say she had taken him hostage and they both perished together.
Conversely, if he claimed Yu Can was the culprit—traces of his afternoon investigation were still at the police station—it would be reasonable to assume she killed the suspect to avenge her father.
And if the plan succeeded, Yu Can would be dead, and the case would be closed.
This script was well-written, he thought to himself. It was intricately plotted, rivaling even Teacher Jian's work.
But he couldn't accept such an ending.
"It's one thing if you want to kill me, but don't you have any feelings for Cai Xin?" Ji Feng said. "How about this: say I was responsible for her kidnapping, and let her go."
Yu Can found this both amusing and surprising. "At this point, you're still trying to save someone?"
Ji Feng replied, "The child is innocent."
Yu Can suddenly became alert, and her head disappeared from the small window.
Then, the sound of cans clattering to the ground could be heard from outside, and the smell of gasoline wafted through the air. Yu Can's voice came from outside, "Aren't you going to run?"
How could he not run?
Running might mean being burned to death outside, but not running would definitely mean being burned to death inside. A dead person can't seek justice, so even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, he had to stay alive.
Ji Feng picked up Cai Xin, feeling her breath grow even fainter.
An overdose of anesthetic can be fatal, and Yu Can must have used a large dose to keep her unconscious. They needed to get her to a hospital quickly.
He put Cai Xin on his back, using his jacket as a rope to tie her in place. Instead of going through the door, he climbed directly up the ladder in the boiler room.
This ladder was for maintenance workers and led to the pipeline opening on the second floor. During coal burning, large amounts of coal dust were transported through this opening.
With gasoline outside the door, passing through was impossible, so he planned to escape through the pipeline.
The metal ladder had long since corroded, with some welded joints already loose and shaky. Ji Feng was already heavy, and with another person on his back, their combined weight was certainly not light. As he climbed, screws popped out with each step, causing them to sink slightly with every lost bolt.
Ji Feng dared not move too slowly, fearing Yu Can would discover them, but he also couldn't go too fast, lest they fall and suffer a terrible fate.
He climbed with trepidation. At about three meters high, a section was missing, forcing him to grip a protrusion on the nearby wall for support.
Thankfully, the police department regularly conducted physical training; otherwise, after being a desk jockey for so long, he might have had the will but not the strength.
At a height of four to five meters, it took Ji Feng nearly half a minute to climb. His palms were pierced twice by twisted, rusty nails, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
But at least they made it up.
The coal dust transport pipeline was still there, just big enough for a person to pass through. He crawled in first, then supported Cai Xin's head and pulled her in.
By this time, Yu Can had discovered something was amiss.
She had hoped to preserve the "crime scene" as much as possible, so she didn't ignite the fire immediately, planning to wait until Ji Feng ran out before setting it aflame.
But after more than a minute, he still hadn't come out.
Yu Can immediately knew something was wrong. She rushed in and looked, just in time to see Cai Xin's legs disappearing into the pipeline. She immediately turned and ran towards the second floor.
He had chosen this place as the final stage, of course not without preparation.
Before becoming "Yu Can," he had worked at a thermal power plant for two years. Although it was the toughest and dirtiest job, spending every day covered in coal dust, it had given him a thorough understanding of this large building.
He knew where the pipeline led—to the coal grinding room.
There used to be a large machine there that ground coal into fine powder, but it was gone now. From the coal grinding room, down the stairs and left was the back door of the power plant, where coal trucks usually entered.
Yu Can didn't want to come this far only to fail at the last step.
There was no choice, he thought, he had to end this quickly.
*
Most of the time, Jian Jing found the system quite thoughtful.
Some cards had powerful effects but were limited to use in specific scenarios or missions, effectively preventing her from straying off course. For example, the hypnosis card she drew when dealing with Wang Shi was too useful. Even if she didn't use it for evil purposes, wouldn't she be tempted to use it on suspects who refused to confess, making them voluntarily admit their crimes?
It's worth noting that many crimes initially start with the perpetrator believing they are "doing justice."
Compared to pure evil, crimes committed in the name of justice are actually more terrifying.
However, there were a few times when she wished she could use these abilities outside of missions.
Like now.
Whether it was rescuing Ji Feng or capturing Yu Can, the system never issued missions for cases unrelated to her personally. So the superpowers she could use now were really limited.
If only she had x-ray vision, she could immediately locate their positions instead of running around like a headless chicken.
Where on earth did they go?
Jian Jing tried hard to distinguish the footprints on the ground but couldn't tell which ones belonged to Ji Feng, as they were all about the same size.
Perhaps the heavens heard her complaint, for in the quiet night sky, a gunshot rang out.
Jian Jing had already activated her enhanced senses card and immediately discerned the direction, sprinting with all her might.
Her physical attributes were already maxed out, and while her burst speed couldn't match Olympic sprinters, it wasn't far off. With a leap, she shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, covering the distance in the blink of an eye.
It was the original hall of the power plant, quite grand with two floors and a circular atrium in the middle. The original construction was solid, with cement and steel bars still in place, allowing the roof to remain supported.
Dust was everywhere, and the cement pillars were covered in large patches of white cobwebs, giving an old and dilapidated appearance. Behind the doors leading to other rooms, flames were rising fiercely along the spilled gasoline, with waves of scorching air constantly billowing out, the dazzling flames making one's eyes ache.
When Jian Jing arrived, she witnessed a perilous scene.
Ji Feng was backed against the railing, one hand gripping a girl's wrist, the other grasping Yu Can's hand as they struggled over a homemade hunting rifle.
Without hesitation, Jian Jing ran to the bottom of the railing and shouted, "Let go!"
Ji Feng immediately released Cai Xin's wrist.
The unconscious girl fell, and Jian Jing caught her with outstretched arms.
Her palm felt something wet and sticky.
It was blood.
"Quick, go," Ji Feng said. "She's in critical condition."
Jian Jing glanced at him, thinking that a man should be able to handle a woman, and promptly ran off carrying Cai Xin. The heat from behind continuously pushed against her body, causing a fine sweat to break out on her back despite the cold winter air.
Cai Xin's breathing was becoming weaker and weaker.
Jian Jing carried her to a ventilated area outside, unbuttoned her sweater, and carefully listened to her heartbeat and breathing. Sensing the gravity of the situation, she immediately dialed 120 for emergency services.
She opened the car door, turned on the heater, and tried to place Cai Xin in a spot that was both well-ventilated and warm. Then she retrieved the first aid kit from the trunk, preparing to treat her wounds.
Pulling back the sweater, the blood was already half-dry, but the thermal underwear beneath was dry.
Lifting another layer, there was still no sign of the expected wound.
Jian Jing suddenly had a realization and grabbed the first aid kit, running back.
Yes, the injured person wasn't Cai Xin, it was Ji Feng.
He had emerged from the pipeline with Cai Xin, barely catching his breath when Yu Can appeared with a gun. From the sound of the gun, it was clear it was homemade, with poor accuracy and impure gunpowder.
But even so, at such close range, it was enough to kill.
With someone chasing from behind, Ji Feng couldn't risk carrying Cai Xin on his back. In her current condition, even a graze from a stray bullet could be fatal.
He could only run while holding her.
Yu Can had undergone breast augmentation surgery but hadn't fully transitioned, so physically, he still had a man's stamina. He quickly caught up with them, using the advantage of his firearm to suppress them from a distance.
Ji Feng knew how to dodge bullets, but insiders knew that the hardest to avoid were not the direct shots, but the stray bullets flying erratically.
Yu Can's gun was terrible, with bullets jumping chaotically when fired. One ricocheted off the wall and shot straight into Ji Feng's lung.
Not fatal, but very troublesome.
Ji Feng hoped for a quick resolution, but Yu Can, having killed so many, had excellent psychological fortitude if nothing else. He knew Ji Feng wasn't easy to deal with, so he deliberately aimed at Cai Xin.
The railing was rotten and couldn't bear the weight. Cai Xin was struck by Yu Can's gun butt and nearly fell over.
Fortunately, Ji Feng was quick-witted and reached out to grab her.
But this also caused his wound to be pulled, with blood foam from his lungs flowing into his trachea, filling his mouth with the taste of rust. More problematic was that lungs are responsible for air exchange, and once damaged, oxygen levels drop dramatically, affecting the body's entire supply system.
Luckily, Jian Jing arrived.
As soon as he let go, he could focus on dealing with Yu Can.
The two struggled over the gun for nearly 20 seconds. Yu Can hoped to reclaim it, while Ji Feng naturally wouldn't give an inch. He was injured, and with blood loss and oxygen deprivation, the longer it dragged on, the worse it would be for him. So he acted decisively, using his body weight to pin down Yu Can, finally wresting the gun away.
However, in close combat, the gun wasn't very useful. But if he backed away to use it, the complex terrain here was more familiar to Yu Can, making escape all too easy.
So after consideration, Ji Feng decisively abandoned the gun, tossing it down to the floor below.
The flames below were now out of control, desperately licking upwards. Waves of heat rushed up, and the air was thick with smoke. Oxygen levels plummeted as large amounts of burning particles entered the airways, clogging them.
This was the most lethal danger in a fire.
"Cough, cough, cough." Ji Feng was already oxygen-deprived, and with the thick smoke, he couldn't control his body's instinctive reaction. He coughed incessantly, relying solely on willpower to keep Yu Can subdued.
Controlled by Ji Feng, Yu Can felt his lungs burning with every breath. The more oxygen-deprived he became, the more he wanted to breathe deeply, unable to resist.
"I... I'll..." he said brokenly, "surrender. I don't... don't want to die..."
Ji Feng didn't want to drag things out either. He habitually felt for handcuffs in his pocket, but finding none, he had to use his belt as a substitute, binding their wrists together. "Let's go."
Both men tried to keep low, covering their mouths and noses as they stumbled down the stairs.
Smoke above, flames below, the ground floor was no better. Bright fire surrounded them, making it difficult to discern directions.
"This way," Yu Can, more familiar with the layout, led him into a small side room with a fire door that could block most of the flames when closed.
Ji Feng's vision alternated between bright orange light and near-total darkness, but he dared not show any weakness, trying his best to slow his breathing.
The old fire door slowly closed, suddenly reducing the heat.
Almost simultaneously, Yu Can pulled out a knife hidden in his clothes and stabbed it into Ji Feng's chest.
