Solving the case: Combining the police dog's olfactory genes at the beginning

He paused, his tone becoming cautious yet hopeful.

"Of course, they will need to be observed in the intensive care unit for a period of time to prevent infection and other complications."

Moreover, such a severe injury will require a long recovery process, demanding immense patience and meticulous care.

But at least, he's overcome the most dangerous hurdle.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, doctor! Thank you so much!"

Chen's mother wept uncontrollably and repeatedly expressed her gratitude.

Chen Weiguo gripped the doctor's hand tightly and shook it vigorously, everything understood without words.

Even this general, who had seen countless storms, had tears welling up in his eyes at this moment.

Luo Fei stood a little further away, listening to the doctor's announcement. His shoulders, which had been tense like rocks, relaxed almost imperceptibly. The heavy weight on his heart, the enormous stone concerning the safety of his comrades, finally lifted a little.

Chen Yifan's survival is a precious ray of sunshine in the midst of this gloom, both for the special task force and for him personally.

Even so, the image of the victims, the pain of his seriously injured comrades, and the humiliation and hatred brought about by the attack still weighed heavily on his heart, without any relief.

The doctor gave some post-operative instructions and then left.

Soon, Chen Yifan, whose body was covered with various tubes and who was still under deep anesthesia, was carefully wheeled out by the nurses and sent to the intensive care unit.

Chen's mother and Zeng Mengxue immediately followed, peering greedily through the glass window at the pale figure inside, who was now breathing steadily.

Chen Weiguo did not follow immediately.

He stood still, turned his gaze to Luo Fei, paused for a moment, and then gestured to him to the relatively quiet window on the other side of the corridor.

Luo Fei understood and walked over.

The two stood by the window, outside which was the well-maintained garden inside the hospital. In winter, the bare trees added to the desolate atmosphere.

Chen Weiguo didn't speak immediately. He took out a cigarette case from his pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and was about to light it when he looked at the "No Smoking" sign next to him. He then irritably rolled the cigarette between his fingers.

"Director Luo."

Chen Weiguo finally spoke, his voice low and heavy with the weight of deep thought.

"I have a general understanding of the details of Yifan's injury and the overall situation of the training center incident through a joint briefing between the military and the national security system."

Luo Fei turned his head to look at him, waiting for what he would say next.

Chen Weiguo continued, his gaze fixed on the bare tree branches outside the window.

"The casualties were heavy and the losses were enormous."

That was my first impression after hearing the briefing.

but."

He abruptly changed the subject, turning his gaze back to Luo Fei's face, his eyes sharp.

"It is unfair and one-sided to attribute the responsibility entirely to your absence from the scene, or to any single individual."

Luo Fei's lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something.

Chen Weiguo raised his hand to stop him.

“I know what you want to say. You feel guilty, thinking that if you had been there, things might have been different, and you might have been able to save more people and reduce the losses.”

I understand that feeling.

But you must understand, the key issue isn't whether Luo Fei is here or not.

He paused, his tone becoming even more somber.

"The key question is whether our Divine Bow Bureau, our Special Case Team, and even the entire system for responding to special threats can function properly and effectively defend against external enemies without Luo Fei. This incident exposes precisely this deeper and more fatal problem—our ability to respond to high-end, unconventional threats in a normalized and systematic way has huge shortcomings and dependence. Placing excessive hopes on a powerful individual is itself a strategic vulnerability."

Luo Fei remained silent. Chen Weiguo's words struck a chord with him, a problem he had vaguely pondered but had been too preoccupied with to delve into.

Chen Weiguo finally put the cigarette, which had been twisted and deformed, back into the cigarette case.

He sighed, his voice heavy with the weight of reminiscing about the past.

"There are some things that I shouldn't have said."

But seeing Yifan like this here today, and thinking of those young people who sacrificed their lives, I feel it's necessary to be frank with you. Luo Fei, the heavy price we've paid this time, in a sense, is paying the price for a decision we made many years ago… perhaps it could be called shortsighted.”

Luo Fei's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"Disband the Heavenly Secrets Group."

Chen Weiguo spoke clearly, word by word, his gaze becoming distant.

"Twenty years ago, after that 'superpower war' that was later buried and downplayed, the situation was actually very delicate. On our side, Lei Laohu... oh, that is, Director Lei at the time, was firmly opposed to completely disbanding the Tianji Group."

He saw a potential danger and believed that there must be a similar, uncontrolled force lurking and developing in the shadows in Japan.

However, the main concern of the higher-ranking cabinet members at the time was that such extraordinary supernatural power was inherently difficult to control and could easily lead to internal instability and social panic.

They believed that since the war was over and the threat had been temporarily eliminated, it would be better to disband the "special institution" that might become an internal threat than to retain it. The relevant personnel could either be absorbed into the general system for surveillance or allowed to return to civilian life, gradually diminishing the existence of these "unscientific" entities.

Ultimately, the elders' opinions prevailed.

He looked at Luo Fei.

"This decision, under the circumstances at the time, may have had its reasons."

Looking back today, we must admit that we severely underestimated our opponent's patience, forbearance, and the speed and determination with which they secretly accumulated strength. Strategically, we made a fatal miscalculation. Disbanding the Heavenly Secrets Group was not merely disbanding an organization; it interrupted the training, transmission, and accumulation of combat experience for a special group of individuals. As a result, when a similar threat arose again, this time in a more ferocious, cunning, and powerful form, we were caught off guard and could only rely on hastily assembled forces and… individuals like you, who rose to prominence through chance. The price was blood and lives.”

Hearing this in-depth analysis of the historical decisions made at the highest levels, Luo Fei was filled with mixed emotions.

As the director of the National Security Bureau, he knew that it was not his duty to criticize past decisions and that he needed to be cautious.

But he could not deny the weight and truth in Chen Weiguo's words.

He nodded slowly, his voice low but carrying a steely chill.

"Commander Chen, I understand what you've said."

Regardless of past decisions, the reality is that the enemy has reached our doorstep, causing losses we cannot tolerate.

This blood debt must be repaid with blood. Not only for the country, but also for the deceased Wu Peixiong and Wang Feifei, for the seriously injured Yifan, Bingyan, Xiaobei, and Muchen, and for all those harmed in this incident.

His tone was not impassioned, but it contained a resolute and unwavering determination, like a cold blade slowly being drawn from its sheath.

Chen Weiguo gave him a deep look. In Luo Fei's eyes, he saw the familiar gleam of the finest warriors—the resilience forged in pain, the composure born of hatred, and the absolute will to act. He nodded and asked.

"So, Luo Fei, tell me. Faced with such an enemy and such a situation, do you... already have a corresponding plan?"

His gaze was piercing as he stared directly at Luo Fei, awaiting his answer.

Once Chen Yifan's vital signs were completely stable and he was out of the most dangerous observation period, he was transferred to a special case ward.

This ward was located on a relatively quiet floor of the hospital, with tight security and a more tranquil environment, suitable for injured patients who needed long-term rest. The ward was spacious and bright, with evergreen pines and cypresses visible outside the window, but no one was in the mood to appreciate the view at this moment.

Luo Fei visited Chen Yifan on the morning of the second day after Chen Yifan was transferred to the ward.

He pushed open the door to the ward and saw Chen Yifan leaning against the rocking hospital bed. His face was still pale, almost transparent, his lips were cracked, and there were dark circles under his eyes. But his eyes were open, and although weak, they were focused.

He was connected to monitoring equipment, and an IV drip was in his arm. His energy and spirit seemed to have been mostly drained away by that fierce battle, leaving only a fragile body in dire need of repair and a heavy heart.

Chen Yifan's mother and Zeng Mengxue took turns caring for him. At that moment, Zeng Mengxue was in the ward, carefully using a cotton swab dipped in warm water to gently moisten Chen Yifan's lips.

Upon seeing Luo Fei enter, Zeng Mengxue quickly stood up and whispered, "Director Luo."

Chen Yifan turned his gaze to the doorway and saw Luo Fei. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a clear sound for a moment.

Luo Fei nodded to him, signaling him not to move, then walked to the bedside. Zeng Mengxue thoughtfully moved a chair over and said softly.

"Director Luo, please have a seat. I... I'll go get some hot water."

After saying that, she took the kettle and quietly left the ward, leaving them alone.

Luo Fei sat down in the chair, looked at Chen Yifan, and remained silent for a moment.

He knew there were things he had to say, and some facts he couldn't hide, especially from his comrade-in-arms, the deputy captain, who had struggled back from the brink of death.

"how do you feel?"

Luo Fei spoke first, his voice gentler than usual.

Chen Yifan tried to twitch the corners of his mouth, attempting to make a "not bad" expression, but the smile looked worse than a grimace.

He swallowed hard, a hoarse sound coming from his throat.

"Chief...I..."

"Don't rush, tell me slowly."

Luo Fei said.

Chen Yifan closed his eyes briefly, as if gathering his strength. When he opened them again, his eyes were filled with an urgent inquiry.

“Xiao Bei…Mu Chen…Bing Yan…they…”

"Zhou Xiaobei and Su Muchen both sustained minor injuries, which have been treated and are now resting in the next ward. They are able to walk and move around."

Yuan Bingyan's injuries were more serious, but she's no longer in life-threatening danger. She's in the intensive care unit and will need time to recover.

Luo Fei answered the question he was most concerned about concisely.

Upon hearing the news that his teammates were safe and sound, a faint sense of relief flashed across Chen Yifan's eyes, but that light was quickly overshadowed by a deeper gloom.

He struggled, asking in a clearer but still weak voice.

"Then... Peixiong... Feifei... what about them?"

When he asked that question, his eyes were fixed on Luo Fei, with a last shred of hope that he dared not touch.

The air in the ward seemed to freeze. The rhythmic beeping of the medical equipment sounded particularly jarring at that moment.

Luo Fei met his gaze without looking away.

He knew that at this moment, any euphemistic wording would be disrespectful to the victims and torture to the living.

He must give the most direct and clear answer.

He slowly and heavily shook his head, his voice low and clear.

"Pei-hsiung and Fei-fei... sacrificed themselves. At the training center, while they were holding off the enemy."

Despite having a bad feeling, when Luo Fei confirmed the cruel truth with his own words, leaving no room for escaping, Chen Yifan trembled violently, as if he had been struck hard by an invisible hammer.

The faint glimmer of hope in his wide eyes vanished completely, replaced by disbelief and bewilderment. Then, immense grief surged forth like a flood bursting its banks. Tears welled up without warning, rolling down his pale, gaunt cheeks and dripping onto the white sheets, leaving a small, dark, damp stain.

He didn't cry out, but silently shed tears. His shoulders trembled uncontrollably, aggravating his wounds and causing a sharp pain. But this physical pain was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.

"It's...it's me...I'm useless..."

Chen Yifan's voice was broken and filled with tearing self-blame and pain.

“I’m the vice-captain…I…I couldn’t stop them…I couldn’t protect them…I watched helplessly…I…”

His words were incoherent, as he was immersed in the battle scene of that day and the regret of his helplessness, repeating them intermittently.

“I should… I should be faster… stronger… to stop that monster… Peixiong… Feifei… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

He sobbed uncontrollably, his vision blurred by tears, and he also blurred the figure of Luo Fei in front of him.

Looking at this young man who was usually so resolute and courageous, but was now so fragile and broken, Luo Fei felt equally heartbroken.

He reached out and pressed heavily on Chen Yifan's uninjured shoulder. The strength and warmth of his hand made Chen Yifan pause in her crying for a moment.

"Yifan, look at me."

Luo Fei's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable penetrating power.

Chen Yifan raised his head, his eyes blurry with tears.

"This is not your fault."

Luo Fei spoke slowly and deliberately, his eyes sharp and pained.

"If we must assign blame, then the greatest responsibility lies with me. I am the director and the team leader. It was my leaving the base that gave the enemy an opportunity. My assessment of the enemy's strength was seriously flawed."

Chen Yifan shook his head vigorously, tears continuing to stream down his face.

"No... Chief... no... the situation at the time... that person in white... was too terrifying... even if you were there......"

"Yes."

Luo Fei interrupted him, his tone carrying a cold, brutal directness of reality. (End of Chapter)