A Sharp Edge Emerges From The Mist Chapter 20

cold war

The third day after the confession bureau ended.

There seemed to be invisible ice crystals in the air.The corridor of the Criminal Investigation Detachment was quieter than usual, and even the wind caused by walking was cautious.The team members exchanged glances with some tacit avoidance – Team Lin’s air pressure was too low and he had not slept much for two consecutive days. The red bloodshot eyes and low air pressure emanating from his body made all reports automatically streamlined to the limit.

Lin Jianfeng locked herself in the office, the curtains were tightly closed, and only the light of the computer screen reflected her expressionless face.The table was piled with files and information, and the ashtray was filled with cigarette butts.The wound on her left shoulder was aching faintly, but she could hardly feel it, or in other words, the physical pain was far less than the roiling depression in her heart that was mixed with anger, disappointment, weakness, and an indescribable dull pain.

Shen Qingwu’s confession was like a poisoned dagger, accurately piercing into the most vulnerable areas of her principles and emotions.Those methods that were on the edge of the law or even outside the law, those “innocents” and “tacit consent” that could be sacrificed, every detail was replayed repeatedly in her mind, questioning her professional beliefs and budding personal feelings.

She understood Shen Qingwu’s pain and despair, and could even feel how real the fragmented sadness she felt when she narrated it was.But understanding does not mean acceptance, nor does it mean approval.

She is a police officer.In her world, black is black, white is white, and there can be gray areas, but it must not be an excuse to trample on the rights of others or even hurt innocent people.This was the bottom line she set when she put on this police uniform.

But when Shen Qingwu shed tears and looked at her with eyes full of pain and confusion, when she held her hand tightly, feeling cold and trembling, clear cracks appeared in the solid defense line in Lin Jianfeng’s heart.

She reprimanded Shen Qingwu, but also made a promise.At that moment, she really wanted to pull her out and end everything in the right way.

But what about after the commitment?

The reality is that Shen Qingwu’s “past” has not disappeared.Those unclean methods and those possible victims are all cold and sharp facts that stand between them.She couldn’t pretend not to see it, and she couldn’t easily say “let’s forget it”.

Shen Qingwu’s side also fell into silence.

On the top floor of Qingyuan Capital Building, the thick curtains in the office were also not opened.Shen Qingwu didn’t turn on the light, just sat in the large leather chair and looked at the gray sky outside the window.The tears on her face had long since dried, leaving only an almost numb calm.In other words, it’s the silence after the storm.

The moment of confession was both cathartic and despairing.She peeled off the most disgusting side of herself and laid it bloody in front of Lin Jianfeng, waiting for the final judgment or…salvation.

Lin Jianfeng’s reaction was… better than she expected.He didn’t spit on her, didn’t turn around and leave, but held her hand and said that we would face it together in a bright way.

At that moment, she almost believed it.I almost thought that I could really let go of the darkness that soaked my bones and grab that too hot light.

But when she returned to reality, returned to this empty and cold office, and looked at the encrypted files and transaction records on the computer screen that were inextricably linked to the “dark river”, she realized how heavy and unrealistic the word “let go” was.

Ten years of habits, ten years of hatred, and ten years of living have already become a part of her.As Lin Jianfeng said, it grows in the bones.To peel it off is like removing the bones and cutting out the flesh.

More importantly, she was not sure whether she was really worthy of the hand extended by Lin Jianfeng, worthy of the too pure and firm “belief”.

She is a deeply stained person.And Lin Jianfeng is the law enforcer under the sun.

What separates them is not only the red line of the law, but also an abyss called “self-loathing” that she herself cannot cross.

So, she backed down.

In other words, she didn’t know how to face it.Faced with Lin Jianfeng’s possible disappointment (even if she hid it well), faced with the inevitable collision of principles in future cooperation, faced with…my own heart that started to throb again because of Lin Jianfeng, but was overwhelmed by the heavy past.

She cut off active contact.No messages were sent through encrypted channels, and no visits were made to the police station.They just bury themselves deeper into their work and paralyze themselves with more arduous data analysis and more secretive intelligence tracking.

It seems that as long as you don’t face them, those problems won’t exist.

But on the phone screen, the encrypted contact belonging to [Lin] always lies there quietly, like a silent question, but also like a burning temptation.

Lin Jianfeng also did not take the initiative to contact him.

She was digesting, struggling, trying to sort out her chaotic thoughts and emotions.She needs time to accept Shen Qingwu’s dark past and think about how to find the dangerous balance between principles and emotions in the future.

At the same time, work pressure has not eased.The investigation of the “Gemini” attack is progressing slowly, the traces of “Viper” and Zhou Tieshan are still elusive, and the shadow of “Underwater” is still shrouded.The pain from the wound on her shoulder reminded her from time to time of the danger of the warehouse in the west of the city, and also reminded her that Shen Qingwu had rushed in desperately.

This complex emotion of love and hate, trust and suspicion almost tore her apart.

Thus, the Cold War began in an almost tacit silence.

On the first day, both of them worked frantically in their respective fields, trying to cover their thoughts with exhaustion.

The next day, when Lin Jianfeng was looking through old files, she accidentally saw an investigation report on another “accidental work injury” that occurred at a similar time to the case of Shen Qingwu’s parents. Several details in it made her frown.She picked up the phone and hovered her fingertips over Shen Qingwu’s number for a few seconds. Finally, she put it down and ordered a re-investigation of the old case.

Shen Qingwu, through his own channels, captured an abnormal amount of funds from “Iron Shield” security that flowed to an intermediary account related to antique smuggling in a neighboring province.She subconsciously wanted to share it with Lin Jianfeng. The encrypted channel was opened, and the cursor of the input box flashed, but no characters were dropped.

The third day, evening.

Lin Jianfeng finally couldn’t hold it back any longer.She didn’t send a message or call, but drove to the downstairs of Qingyuan Capital Building.

He didn’t get up, but parked the car in the shadows across the street, turned off the engine, and rolled down the window.The early winter night breeze brought in the chill, which made her confused mind clearer.

She raised her head and looked towards the top of the building.The huge floor-to-ceiling window was lit, reflecting a vague figure sitting behind the desk.

Shen Qingwu is still there.

Lin Jianfeng couldn’t explain why he came here.Want to question?Want to reconcile?Or… just want to make sure she’s okay?

She doesn’t know.

She just sat in the car and looked at the window for a long, long time.Watching that figure occasionally getting up, walking to the window, seeming to be looking at the night, and then returning to the table.

There were dozens of floors between them, cold glass and steel concrete, and also the silent crack that lay after that confession.

The night is getting deeper and deeper, and the number of pedestrians and vehicles on the street is gradually decreasing.The lights on the top floor never went out.

Lin Jianfeng’s shoulders began to feel sore from sitting for a long time and the night wind, and the wounds faintly protested.She rubbed her brows, finally started the car and drove away slowly.

Shortly after she left, Shen Qingwu’s figure appeared again in front of the window on the top floor.She seemed to see the car that stayed downstairs for a long time, and also saw its taillights when it finally left.

She stood in front of the window, holding a glass of already cold water in her hand, her fingertips cold.

The night swallowed up the faint light of the car lights, and also swallowed up the complicated emotions that flashed through her eyes.

The Cold War continues.

But some things have quietly changed in silence.

For example, the old case file on Lin Jianfeng’s desk that reopened the investigation.

For example, in Shen Qingwu’s encrypted database, there is a newly created folder of evidence clues that is more “legitimized” and specially sorted out for Lin Jianfeng.

For example, none of them deleted the encrypted communication channel.

Some problems cannot be solved by avoiding them.

Some cracks require time and action to mend.

And some feelings may only be able to truly see their weight and texture after experiencing the darkest confession and the most painful cold war.

The night is still long.

But dawn will always come.