016. “Detective” (Thanks to the patron “Nickname Already Exists N Times”)

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Baizhong Mingzi found it hard to imagine the kind of vibrant, cherry-blossom-pink life often depicted in comics and novels.

The overcast sky belonged to the study room, where ink from her fountain pen was steadily consumed; the bright, sunny sky belonged to the playground, where sweat soaked her sportswear inch by inch...

She liked to daydream, especially those fleeting moments sitting in class, gazing out the window, emptying her mind of all thoughts—quietly wasting a small slice of time. This was her rare leisure.

No one ever forced her to do this.

She was simply accustomed to becoming “excellent.”

She had to keep growing, relentlessly, so she could leave her peers far behind and shape an extraordinary image out of an ordinary daily life.

...

She was a girl born under great expectations.

Because she was the only daughter of the Baizhong family, and also the daughter of “Baizhong” and “Mingshang.”

“Since she’s from the Baizhong family, she can definitely do it,” such voices had surrounded Baizhong Mingzi from the very beginning.

Under this invisible pressure, she had been proud of her parents’ work since childhood and idolized those who enforced public security forces.

Young Baizhong Mingzi had often imagined that the police who stood up to protect citizens in the face of disaster were a group of handsome and noble heroes.

But growing up, she realized that in this country at least, the words “police” and “hero” rarely equated.

After all, a “police officer” was just a profession, performed by humans, inevitably influenced by emotions and desires, swayed by power and money.

They would grimace in pain, shed tears of sorrow, and collapse in fear...

New suits, polished shoes, and straight ties could not bestow noble integrity.

Bowing to money, kowtowing to power, swayed by reality... sometimes Baizhong Mingzi felt disappointed; perhaps the “heroes” and “justice” she once dreamed of did not truly exist.

But witnessing the police department’s inaction, seeing those sorrowful, desperate faces, recalling the youth who had left her side one after another... a fire seemed to ignite in her heart, compelling her to overturn her current life and endure loneliness to pursue the justice she had once revered.

If one were to explore the very meaning of the “detective” profession—

It was neither noble nor entirely dignified. On the contrary, it often required plunging into the darkest, filthiest depths of society, unearthing buried truths, and bringing them to light.

Baizhong Mingzi could not accept that an ordinary high school student like herself, about to embark on such work, could be called a “hero.”

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But she was certain that, at this very moment... she was walking the path of justice she believed in.

...

“Calm down, Baizhong Mingzi, the third victim has appeared. Now is not the time to enjoy a carefree school life.”

Watching the homeroom teacher leave, Baizhong Mingzi forced herself to regain composure.

She looked around; the classroom had completely lost order, panic spreading across every face like an epidemic.

“Teacher, I want to take leave!”

Baizhong Mingzi called out to the elderly teacher, who was bewildered by the sudden chaos.

“Baizhong...” The teacher for Class 2-A turned around and saw Baizhong Mingzi standing up.

Amid the chaotic thoughts, the teacher barely connected that strikingly beautiful face with a perfect grade report and the luxurious car that often picked her up after school. Forgetting to ask the reason for her leave, the teacher nodded instinctively, “Be safe.”

Baizhong Mingzi put on her school jacket as she walked, her pace swift and sharp, like an agent ready for deployment.

Unlike the first two victims, whose investigations and searches occurred nearly a month after their disappearances, the third victim’s information was more “timely.”

She recalled that classmate Yuki was last seen in the classroom last Friday, meaning only about ninety hours had passed since her disappearance.

In other words... if a “crime scene” existed, it likely still held significant evidence.

Baizhong Mingzi had compiled all clues before the first two victims vanished and stored them at the detective agency.

She found her shoe locker in the hallway, casually discarded the love letters sneaked in by boys or girls through cracks, changed her indoor shoes to sneakers, and hurriedly left the school building.

The situation was urgent. She couldn’t care whether An Li was working; she took out her phone and dialed the number he had left last night.

Unexpectedly, the call was cut off immediately.

Damn it! Since he’s a police officer, he should take responsibility for the latest developments in the missing persons case!

Biting her lip, Baizhong Mingzi redialed and anxiously waited for a response on the other end.

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After several brief busy signals, the call was finally answered.

“Hello, this is An Li,” came a slightly frivolous, casual voice.

“Uncle, come to the agency right away!”

An Li had been about to say, “I’m working now, so it’s better to wait until I’m off duty to play detective games,” but he keenly sensed the urgency and seriousness in Baizhong Mingzi’s voice and changed his words.

“Are you in danger? You should tell your family or call the police—it’s more effective than contacting me.”

“It’s not me in danger, it’s my classmate!”

“My advice is still to call the police.”

“I don’t believe that can solve anything,” Baizhong Mingzi replied without pause.

There seemed to be more to the story.

Though just a kid, perhaps it was best to respect her background.

Sitting in the back seat of the police car, An Li glanced at Ryotaro Tōdō in the driver’s seat. Luckily, his Bluetooth earpiece prevented too much information from leaking.

“You’re lucky; I’m patrolling in Sakuragami Town. I’ll come to you right away.”

With that, An Li ended the call.

Meeting Ryotaro Tōdō’s questioning gaze in the rearview mirror, An Li fibbed, “An old high school classmate suddenly contacted me saying they need urgent help.”

He paused, then added, “Could be a false alarm, but given our past, I think it’s necessary to check personally... by the way, they’re in Sakuragami Town.”

Ryotaro Tōdō withdrew his eyes. “I see, then this is part of our work too.”

“Ryotaro-kun, you handle the patrol. I’ll deal with my friend who just called the police.”