Police officer Chen Shu

"Xiao Zhao, what's wrong? Should we have Li Xia take you back?"

Zhang Yang seemed to see through Xiao Zhao's thoughts, slowed down and walked alongside Xiao Zhao. This was the fourth time tonight that she had tried to persuade Xiao Zhao to leave.

On the surface, it appears to be Zhang Yang showing concern for her subordinates and hoping they wouldn't venture into dangerous places. In reality, she probably doesn't even realize that the deeper reason behind her frequent and repeated dissuasion of her companions lies primarily in her own inner uncertainty.

The uncertainty about this trip is also an uncertainty about my own choice.

Simply put, she's afraid.

I fear the evil shrouded in darkness ahead, and I fear even more that my choice might put Xiao Zhao in a dangerous situation.

When people review successful events, they always list the decisiveness of the person involved as the most important factor, as if every key decision on the road to success came from the person's firm attitude.

Only those directly involved in the vortex understand that so-called decisiveness is often nothing more than a performance to praise others.

When so many people are following you, and so many eyes are staring at your back, you have to bury even the slightest hesitation deep in your bones.

Even if you bite your teeth until they bleed, you must weld a triumphant smile onto your face.

Zhang Yang, whether it's exposing the dark side of illegal mining in remote mountainous areas, focusing on underground usury on the outskirts of cities, or even facing the vortex of public opinion in major social practices, has forged a strong self through trials and tribulations along the way.

Zhang Yang clearly stated that his experiences back then were completely different from his present situation.

Both the level of danger and the probability of success were two completely opposite extremes, so subconsciously, she was afraid.

Xiao Zhao hesitated for a moment, and instead of answering Zhang Yang's question directly, she asked, "Sister Yang, how did you do that?"

Yes, he's wanted to ask that question for a long time.

In this situation, even he, a man, couldn't stand it, let alone Zhang Yang, who is a woman.

Logically speaking, Zhang Yang, as a senior reporter in Dongzhou City, is rich and powerful, and has been pampered since childhood by his father, a university professor, and his mother, a doctor. How could he possibly endure such hardship?

The popular reporter Xiao Zhao mentioned paused slightly before continuing on his way.

"What do you mean?" Zhang Yang's voice was soft and casual.

"That's right...that's right..." Xiao Zhao was slightly out of breath, hesitant to speak, but perhaps stimulated by the harsh environment, he finally poured out all his thoughts, excitedly saying, "Even knowing there was danger ahead, the kind of dangerous, man-eating pit of fire, you...you still jumped in!"

He stopped, his eyes filled with confusion, and repeated, "Sister Yang, I really don't understand."

"Uh-huh."

Zhang Yang smiled faintly, pulled Xiao Zhao's arm, and helped brush off the twigs and leaves stuck to his head, then cleaned them off one by one from his head down.

For so many years, she has always treated Xiao Zhao as her younger brother and groomed him to be her successor.

Even after so long, Zhang Yang still remembers the day of the recruitment, when Xiao Zhao, with the clear yet naive eyes typical of college students, ran to the program team and vowed to serve the people.

“Xiao Zhao, you know, I was terrified of the dark when I was little. Whenever I closed my eyes at night, I would feel like there was something standing next to my bed, staring down at me, or lying under the bed waiting for me to fall asleep. Back then, my mom would always lie down next to me with the light on, and only turn off the light and leave after I fell asleep.”

Zhang Yang paused, his gaze falling on Li Xia, who was walking ahead. It was obvious that the guy had slowed down. Although his back was to them, Zhang Yang knew that the other guy was definitely listening intently.

This guy, despite taking on all the responsibilities and acting like a big brother, is just like Xiao Zhao at heart—a grown-up kid.

She looked past the young man Li Xia and towards the path illuminated by the flashlight in the distance, her voice rising a few decibels: "Later I discovered that there was actually nothing in the darkness, not even ghosts or monsters. When I grew up, I realized that what truly frightened me was people."

Zhang Yang paused, pursing his handsome lips without speaking. "Who isn't afraid of people? I'm especially afraid of the payroll accountant and the assistant director who's always complaining about working overtime." Just when Xiao Zhao, who thought he was being witty, thought the conversation was over, Zhang Yang began to speak again.

"But what scares me even more is that little Zhang Yang who only knows how to tremble under the covers but can't do anything, and that adult Zhang Yang who can't do anything but watch people suffer, people are tormented, and people are destroyed. That's why I chose to become a journalist, to film all the injustices and unfair things in the world, even if only one person sees it, even if only one person changes their fate because of it, it's worth it."

"But Sister Yang, with something as big as telecom fraud, what can the two of us change?" Xiao Zhao blurted out, but immediately regretted it, quickly adding, "Sister Yang, I didn't mean you're useless. Hey! Sister Yang, that's not what I meant. What I meant was, these are things for the big shots to consider."

“Xiao Zhao, if everyone thinks like that, then nothing will really change.” Zhang Yang patted Xiao Zhao on the shoulder, his tone regaining its usual efficiency. “Let’s go! If we keep dawdling, we’ll all be fed by mosquitoes.”

Li Xia, who was walking in front, had a smile on his lips.

Since his debut, Li Shuike has always been a loner, afraid of being held back by others. This time, he surprisingly brought along a pair of reporters who he considered frail, mainly because he was moved by Zhang Yang's spirit.

As the eldest son in his family, Li Xia experienced many hardships from a young age and witnessed the coldness and warmth of the world, so he harbored a childhood dream of becoming a great hero.

Along the way, dreams can only remain dreams.

But then they encountered Zhang Yang, a woman who appeared gentle but was actually strong.

"Saving one person, two people, or even dozens or hundreds of people is nothing more than a small act of righteousness."

"The greater good we should do is to have a well-placed public outcry that attracts the attention of the government and then use the strongest force to completely crush the fraud zone in the northern continent of Valdo, leaving the world with no place to go for telecom fraud."

At the border crossing, Li Xia was completely convinced by Zhang Yang's righteous argument.

I wonder what method she will use to accomplish this great cause. Li Xia lifted his foot, his boots kicking up some mud, they were a bit heavy, and the mud and sand inside the boots were a bit uncomfortable, but he continued walking forward as if nothing was wrong.

"Sister Yang, I just feel..." Xiao Zhao turned around, still wanting to explain.

creak, creak.

The tree branches by the roadside hit Xiao Zhao; it didn't hurt, but it was very annoying.

Zhang Yang didn't say much, but instead raised his fair hand, which was still visible to the naked eye in the darkness, and patiently helped Xiao Zhao clear away the branches blocking his way.

The moon, which had reappeared sometime during the night, cast its light through the gaps in the trees onto Zhang Yang's slightly damp long hair, making it shimmer with silvery luster.

At this moment, Xiao Zhao was a little stunned. He suddenly remembered that a few years ago when he first started working at Dongzhou TV Station, the head of the personnel department asked him for his opinion on job selection after his internship ended.

He offered without hesitation to follow Sister Yang on field assignments.

He had always thought that his youthful, passionate self was attracted by flamboyant talent and integrity, but the answer was clearly no.

At this moment, in this chaotic foreign land, in some remote, desolate place, Xiao Zhao suddenly realized that it was nothing more than her beauty.

Xiao Zhao wanted to laugh but couldn't, but his emotions did stabilize as a result.

He even began to speculate wildly whether the brilliant and capable Officer Chen had the same initial intention as him.

As I thought about it, I found myself missing that figure that always stood in front of people.

"Officer Chen must think so too!"

On this pitch-black night, the trees loomed in the darkness like menacing monsters, and the occasional mournful cry of an owl could be heard.

Xiao Zhao, frowning and clenching his fist, thought with absolute certainty. (End of Chapter)