Deadly Trap.

Chapter 20. Sunlight and Moonlight

Cheng Shining scrutinized Gu Mufei. After a moment, Gu Mufei lowered his gaze: "It's none of your business."

Cheng Shining remained noncommittal: "As a policeman, I also have to accept the coexistence of black and white in Minzhou; but moonlight can never be as warm as sunlight."

Leaning forward, Cheng Shining suddenly spoke earnestly: "Gu Mufeng, since I have a responsibility... are you really not considering returning to the light of day?"

Gu Mufeng's gaze shifted slightly.

“Eleven years ago, that was my first major case,” Cheng Shining sighed, feeling truly ashamed.

"Gu Mufeng, one cannot live in the past forever. Someone like you can be outstanding even on a smooth path. Time has given you eleven years to recover. The past is gone and cannot be brought back. Why torture yourself?"

"Take advantage of the change of leadership in Minzhou's municipal government and withdraw! Is there anything you can't let go of?"

This question remains unanswered.

Inside the pure black gloves, both hands completely covered Gu Mufeng's face. Only strands of his blond hair peeked out from between his fingers.

"Then let's stop arguing!"

"The gray area between black and white is just a narrow bridge."

"How long can the municipal government and conglomerates tolerate you? How long can the underworld let you off the hook?"

"You will ultimately have no other way out."

“We have no evidence right now; you're just an ordinary person. Gu Mufeng—”

With earnest and heartfelt words, Cheng Shining stood up completely and leaned against his desk:

"Take advantage of this special crackdown on organized crime and make a clean getaway! Don't hurt yourself anymore! If Xiaofan knew this in the afterlife—"

Cheng Shining's words, "Ruo Xiaofan," struck Gu Mufeng like a thunderbolt, his blood freezing instantly, almost solidifying. His veins bulged: "Enough."

His voice was deep and resonant, as if it were bursting forth from the depths of an abyss, fueled by uncontrollable rage.

When Gu Mufeng finally lowered his hand, revealing his handsome face once more, now completely bloodless, his expression was surprisingly calm. He had spent eleven years learning to remain composed. Yet, at this moment, a subtle crack appeared in his expression.

"But--"

“You don’t understand. I only have one path. I must end all of this myself.”

With his fists clenched, Gu Mufeng's voice couldn't be more firm or calm.

“I knew long ago that I would pay the price for this.”

He calmly concluded the matter.

"If it were you, you would do the same."

If it were me, would I be in that situation? Stunned and frozen in place, Cheng Shining remained silent. He looked down into Gu Mufeng's calm eyes: like two tranquil and expansive seas, all the answers had already been written.

Cheng Shining lowered his head. He would never forget that night when the sky was ablaze with flames.

If he had upheld justice back then, would the outcome have been different?
Eleven years ago, Cheng Shining was working in the city center, with a promising future ahead of him. However, due to a warehouse fire that occurred on Christmas Day, he had no choice but to abandon his date and rush to the scene.

That night, just like tonight, the snow fell heavily. However, flames soared into the sky along the riverbank, illuminating the area as if it were daytime.

The flames burned his pupils, searing out the image of a school uniform boy who had been forcibly taken away.

He remembered the bloody knife wound on the boy's neck and his charred hands. The boy broke free from everyone, his "Xiao Fan" no longer audible. He tried to crawl back into the flames and push open the completely burned-out door...

The boy had only one wish: to catch the murderer.

He ultimately failed to fulfill this plea.

As Cheng Shining shook his head in a gesture of relief, returning to reality in despair, his gaze fell upon the smile of his daughter in the photo frame.

Finally, Cheng Shining spoke again: "...Sigh. You should go."

He sighed softly, "Don't let me catch you breaking the law. Even with the slightest evidence, even if the sunlight burns you to ashes, Gu Mufeng, I will personally bring you to justice."

"Lend your blessings."

"Gently," Gu Mufeng said with a smile. He then turned and took his leave.

"Oh. There's one more small gift."

Just as the back of his hand touched the doorknob, Gu Mufeng pulled a small sealed bag from his suit: "Here you go."

He casually tossed it to Cheng Shining, almost elegantly.

Inside the bag was a deformed brass bullet.

“Compare the rifling. Also, check the origin of the firearm. You'll thank me for that.”

Where can you get it from?

Holding the bullets, Cheng Shining stared in disbelief.

"Just consider it a gift from someone else," Gu Mufeng replied with a lighthearted smile as he opened the door.

>>>>>
Hurrying along, followed closely by a police officer, Gu Mufeng rushed straight to the police station entrance.

It was only half an hour before the police officers were supposed to finish their shift. Outside, snow was falling heavily, and complaints filled the air. Gu Mufeng couldn't be more anxious; it seemed that if he walked any faster, he could shake off the smell of secondhand smoke and get to Su Li's side immediately.

He ripped open his suit jacket with a savage motion and rushed into his car, which was not far away. In the driver's seat, Gu Mufeng quickly pulled off his gloves. These gloves, worn from the outburst of losing control while covering his face, were now stained with his DNA.

He has no interest in turning himself in to the police.

He quickly opened the storage box and took out the spare gloves he had prepared, but his movements inadvertently froze in mid-air.

Inside the storage box, black shirts and black suits were neatly folded.

With his eyes slightly narrowed, Gu Mufeng pulled out a shirt. He had forgotten: this was the shirt Su Li had borrowed. When had Su Li folded it here? He hadn't even noticed.

He had assumed that Su Li had simply thrown his things away.

His fingertips traced the collar, Gu Mufeng lingering there more than ever before. The pure cotton felt softer than he'd ever noticed before, and Su Li's fragrance was intoxicating. He buried his nose deep in the familiar scent. Last night... it seemed as if she was still whispering in his ear.

But in an instant, he cooled down quickly.

He gave a self-deprecating smile. How embarrassing. He had actually started to get distracted by trivial matters.

Thanks to Su Li, he was finally able to get rid of the smell of cigarettes on him.

Thinking of her, Gu Mufeng couldn't wait a moment longer. He threw off his coat and then casually ripped open his shirt collar. Just then, his phone on the center console vibrated.

He glanced.

"she".

The note appeared as a faint black block on the screen, containing only a single line of text: "The snow is so heavy. Where will you take me? Tonight, you...?"

His fingertip hovered over the screen for a moment. At that moment, Gu Mufeng's shirt was open, his chest heaving. His eyes were narrowed.

As dusk approached, he still had absolutely no confidence in her.

He replied, "Wait for me."

After sending the message, Gu Mufeng tossed his phone aside, his expression turning completely cold. He couldn't tell whether Su Li needed him or was simply starting to repay him.

Without wanting to think, he forced himself to change quickly, put on gloves, and get out of the car. His body was covered in her scent.

In the wind and snow, his figure was once again aloof and cold. The police officer monitoring him followed, and he strode towards the archives.

"I'll search you at the door. Hurry up."

Understanding the unspoken message, Gu Mufeng silently thanked Cheng Shining for keeping his promise and making things convenient for him. Then, he knocked on the door.

"Wait a moment. Please come in!" A soft voice came from behind the door.

A tall cabinet stood in front of the iron door leading to the inner archives room. A young female auxiliary police officer sat reluctantly behind the counter: "The archives department is closed. Come back tomorrow morning."

Indeed, due to Cheng Shining's delay, Gu Mufei arrived somewhat late.

The policewoman initially intended to brush it off. But when she saw Gu Mufeng's face approaching, she froze.

Gu Mufeng was already used to it. But he didn't deliberately respond to the policewoman's gaze; he simply explained gently:
"Chief Cheng has informed you." He glanced slightly at the officer waiting outside the door. "You can verify it. I'll do it as soon as possible."

The policewoman's gaze swept over Gu Mufeng's handsome yet utterly gentlemanly face. After a moment's hesitation, she finally decided there was no need to obstruct the criminal investigation department's work: "Alright, please hurry."

The archives were vast, with endless steel cabinets standing like a forest of steles. Gu Mufeng frowned slightly.

Leaving the doorway, he began searching inside in order. The sound of his leather shoes echoed through the files on the ceiling. Until he stopped in front of a row of metal cabinets.

Silently, Gu Mufei pulled out a thick, old file that smelled musty. The old kraft paper cover bore large, red, Song-style characters:
List of Suspects in Minzhou City Who Are Considering Committing Crimes

This is a comprehensive list covering all sixteen districts and two townships of Minzhou Municipality, containing a list of individuals suspected of illegal activities for whom no criminal evidence has been obtained. In Minzhou's underworld and legitimate circles, it has several colloquial names, such as "preliminary case" and "red slip."

If you are fortunate enough to be among them, you are either a fledgling newcomer who is unaware of the dangers of hiding your true strength, or a top-notch, cunning, and ruthless character.

Gu Mufeng flipped through the pages quickly.

As Minhang's economy boomed in the last century, the archives also grew thicker. As he turned the pages, some names he knew had long since disappeared; others he recognized remained active.

The deeper you go into the archives, the whiter the paper becomes, and the clearer and more vivid the accompanying snapshots or arrest photos become.

Suddenly, Gu Mufei froze.

Enveloped in the gentle scent of Su Li, he lifted his fingertips, revealing a young and clean face.

Just the right age, twenty. On the campus of Minzhou University of Finance and Economics, a sharp-eyed man with dark hair glances back warily over a white V-neck T-shirt.

Among college students, there is generally no one else like myself.

At this moment, dressed in a custom-made suit and with his blond hair, he unexpectedly encountered his past self. His fingertips paused on that clean and almost childlike face, and he was momentarily stunned.

Gently, Gu Mufeng gave a knowing, cold laugh:
He once naively believed he could simultaneously grasp power and purity. But this world never allows one to live cleanly. Did he still harbor the delusion that there wasn't a chapter here that belonged solely to him?

Too lazy to read through the dense accusations, Gu Mufeng simply turned the page, letting the boy's bright face sink into a sea of ​​names.

He continued to dig deeper into the archives.

Finally, he found the page he truly wanted to see. In the upper left corner was a photograph: next to the protagonist stood a figure that seemed vaguely familiar.

Just then, his cell phone suddenly vibrated loudly in his inner chest pocket.

Dai Ze: "Emergency. Survivor dead. Special Forces Captain Vain missing. Requesting instructions."

Staring intently at the screen, Gu Mufeng's lips slowly pursed into a deep, cold line.

It's time to make those who are tempted to act pay the price.

>>>>>
Next chapter: Do with me as you please
[Author's Note | Chapter Twenty]

Having emerged from the flames, he already knew he would pay the price.

Amidst internal and external troubles, Gu Mufeng was briefly distracted by Su Li's scent.

Were you amazed by his past appearance?

In the next chapter, Gu Mufeng heads straight for the city center. What will he do to Su Li, who has completely given in?

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(End of this chapter)