A Sharp Edge Emerges From The Mist Chapter 28

rooftop choice

Late at night, everything is silent.The huge breathing sound of the city settled into a blurry background sound outside the thick glass window.In the apartment, darkness swallowed up every corner, with only a faint and stubborn light coming from under the gap between the two closed doors.

In the study room, the computer screen in front of Shen Qingwu lit up with a faint blue light.She was not working, she was just unconsciously refreshing an encrypted internal information flow monitoring interface, her fingertips were cold.Lin Jianfeng’s abnormality after returning, the briefcase, the locked door… were like a set of ominous passwords, repeatedly tapping in her heart.

It’s not like she didn’t sense the danger approaching.Wang Youcai’s eyes at the celebration banquet, Lin Jianfeng’s instant stiffness after the banquet, and the suffocating silence at this moment.It was so quiet, so quiet that I could hear the sound of my own blood flowing, and the familiar fear of being choked by invisible hands slowly climbing up my spine.

She switched interfaces and logged into another independent encrypted terminal she rarely used and was used to receive extremely sensitive intelligence.The screen went dark for a moment, and then an unread reminder popped up—Sent time: three hours ago, source: completely anonymous and cannot be traced.

The title has only one word: [Warning].

The content was a processed photo, taken from a hidden angle. The picture showed her and Lin Jianfeng briefly talking in profile by the window of the celebration banquet. Lin Jianfeng’s hand seemed to be resting on her waist (actually it was a false embrace, but the angle seemed ambiguous).A line of small text is attached below the photo:

[The police have launched an internal preliminary investigation against you.The reporting materials involve your parents’ old cases and recent ‘abnormal’ financial transactions.Lin Jianfeng has received relevant documents.Be cautious.Trust no one.Including her.——Informed person W?】

Shen Qingwu’s breathing suddenly stopped, and his pupils shrank to the size of a pinhead.

W?Is it the intelligence source [W] she has been contacting?Or is there someone pretending to be?Is the content true or false?The photo was obviously taken secretly, but “internal police investigation”, “reporting materials”, “Lin Jianfeng has received”… these keywords were like ice picks, digging hard into the sense of security and trust she had just established.

She thought of the briefcase that Lin Jianfeng held tightly after returning, of the solemn look that flashed across her brows and the calmness she quickly concealed, of locking herself in the room alone…

Chill exploded from the limbs and bones, instantly freezing the blood.

Is it true?Lin Jianfeng received a report letter against her?Why don’t you say it?Are you…doubting her?Because of the “evidence” about her parents and financial transactions?Because of those vague traces left behind while struggling in the darkness that she couldn’t even explain?

Fear flooded her like a black tide.It’s not the fear of the “dark river”, but the fear of losing Lin Jianfeng’s trust and losing this only light.It took her ten years to adapt to that kind of loneliness and darkness, but after having warmth, it became more terrifying than death.

Almost at the same time, in the next room.

Lin Jianfeng sat at the desk, and the lamp reflected her focused profile on the wall.The report letter was spread out in front of her, and next to it was her own notebook, which was densely filled with analysis points and doubtful points.

For four hours, she analyzed each document word by word, looking for logical loopholes, time contradictions, and traces of forgery.The harvest was not small: the wording habits and format of the “risk assessment” document were slightly different from Qingyuan Capital’s internal documents; the encryption methods of several communication summaries were inconsistent with the common “Iron Shield” mode she had mastered, and were more like imitations; there were extremely unnatural pixel repetitions on the edges of the screenshots of the bank transfer records, which were suspected of being synthesized later; as for those candid photos, the light and shadow angles of the background were unreasonable on the timeline…

It’s a masterful, but not impeccable, forgery.The purpose is to drive a wedge, to delay, to muddy the waters.

But what really made her heart sink was the sudden internal investigation notice.The speed and level of program startup are beyond the norm.This shows that the report letter was not only delivered to her, but also directly triggered a reaction from the upper management through some channel.”Underwater”‘s hand stretched longer than she thought.

What should she do?

Immediately explain the situation to the superior, point out the suspicious aspects of the report letter, and clarify it for Shen Qingwu?But once the investigation process is started, it is like a moving train that cannot be stopped immediately.Her unilateral explanation has limited power in the face of those carefully concocted “evidences.”It is more likely to alert the snake and make the “ghost” hidden inside hide deeper.

Investigate secretly, collect counter-evidence, and find the truth before the internal investigation reaches a conclusion?Time is running out, and her contact with Shen Qingwu is about to be limited, making the investigation more difficult.

And…the record about the money transfer from Shen Qingwu’s parents.Although she judged that the screenshot was a forgery, did the trust fund registered with Shen Qingwu’s mother’s initials… really exist?Does Shen Qingwu know?What’s hidden behind this?

Trust is not ignorance.She needed answers, but not through suspicion and questioning, which would destroy everything they had just rebuilt between them.

She needs a plan.A plan that can not only protect Shen Qingwu, but also continue to advance the investigation and uncover the internal mastermind.

This means that she may… need to keep a distance from Shen Qingwu temporarily, at least openly.In accordance with the requirements of the investigation procedures, contact was reduced and even cooperated with the investigation team in questioning Shen Qingwu.This will hurt, for both of them.But this is the only way to paralyze your opponent and buy time.

Making this decision was like a knife in my heart.

She picked up the phone and hovered her fingertips over Shen Qingwu’s number.She wanted to hear her voice, wanted to tell her everything, wanted her not to be afraid…but she couldn’t.Any abnormal communication may be monitored.

In the end, she just sent an extremely brief message through an encrypted channel that did not involve any substantive content: [Qingwu, no matter what happens, trust me.wait for me.】

Click Send.After a few seconds, “Unread” is displayed.

She didn’t know if Shen Qingwu had received it, or…if she wanted to see it.

Almost at the same moment, Shen Qingwu in the study saw an encrypted message prompt from [Lin] popping up in the corner of the screen.She stared at the short line of words, her heart seemed to be grasped by a cold hand, and then suddenly released, causing a sharp pain.

Believe me.wait for me.

What does it mean?Is it comfort?Or… hesitation and delay in the face of evidence?

She thought of Lin Jian Fengxu’s hand holding her waist in the photo, and of the silence and locked door after she came back.Once a crack in trust appears, no matter how subtle it is, it will wildly breed vines of suspicion.

What should she do?Take the initiative to ask?What if Lin Jianfeng denies it or gives an explanation that cannot fully convince her?What if there was a “truth” in those reporting materials that she didn’t even know but was cleverly used by “Undercurrent”?

Fear and suspicion, like two invisible ghost hands, strangled her throat and thoughts.

She stood up suddenly and paced back and forth in the small study.No, it can’t be like this.Ten years of darkness taught her that passively waiting and relying on others would only make the situation worse.She had to do something.

An almost crazy idea grew in her heart.

If the target of “Dark River” is her, if the police investigation will make her helpless or even put her in danger, if Lin Jianfeng’s trust may be shaken…then maybe she should take the initiative and turn herself into the most dangerous bait to attract all the attention of “Underdark River” and buy Lin Jianfeng time and space to find out everything, including… those “stains” that may not even be clear to her.

It’s dangerous, almost suicidal.But maybe, this is the only way to break the situation, and also… the way to prove that she is worthy of being trusted.

She walked to the window and opened the heavy curtains.Opposite, there is the black silhouette of another skyscraper, its glass curtain wall reflecting the scattered light of the city.She raised her head and looked at the roof of her building.There is an empty rooftop there.

At the same time, Lin Jianfeng also walked to the window of his room and looked at the night sky.Her eyes couldn’t help but cast their gaze in the direction of the roof of the apartment.It was as if there was some invisible gravity that led their minds to the same place – the place that was high up, overlooking the entire city, and the most suitable place for making important decisions.

They didn’t know that on different floors of the same building, separated by the cold reinforced concrete and the deep night, they were thinking about the same thing and making their most difficult and decisive decisions.

Shen Qingwu opened the drawer, took out a specially encrypted spare mobile phone, and quickly entered an instruction to send to a rarely enabled, single-line intelligence channel.The content is only one line of code, which represents a request to start a high-risk action plan.

Lin Jianfeng returned to his desk and began to draft a detailed confidential report on the analysis of suspicious points in the report letter and suggestions for follow-up investigations.She must submit this report to a trustworthy superior through the most reliable channel before the formal contact restriction order is issued, so as to obtain a layer of protection for Shen Qingwu and pave the way for her secret investigation.

Time passed in a silent struggle.The sky outside the window gradually revealed a deep blue from the thick black.

It’s almost dawn.

Shen Qingwu put on dark clothes that were easy to move around, and put a small but powerful gun and several micro trackers and signal jammers into a specially made pocket.She took one last look at her phone. The message “Trust me. Wait for me” sent by [Lin] was still unread.Her fingertips lingered on it for a moment, and finally, without clicking it, she turned her phone to completely silent and stuffed it deep into the sofa cushion.

She requires absolute focus and determination.

Lin Jianfeng also closed his laptop and saved the report into a physically encrypted USB flash drive.She put on her regular police uniform and carefully put away the USB flash drive and the copy of the report letter.She glanced at her phone. The status of the message sent to Shen Qingwu was still “unread”.She took a deep breath and suppressed the suffocation and worry in her heart.

Almost at the same time, they opened their respective doors.

The corridor was dimly lit and the two met at the door.

The air froze for a moment.

Shen Qingwu looked at Lin Jianfeng’s straight police uniform and the deep light in her eyes that seemed to be suppressing a thousand words, and her heart twitched suddenly.

Lin Jianfeng looked at Shen Qingwu’s dark attire that was easy for movement, and looked at her pale but unusually calm and determined face, and alarm bells rang in his heart.

“You want to go out?” Lin Jianfeng spoke first, his voice a little dry.

“Well, I have something to deal with.” Shen Qingwu avoided her gaze and said calmly, “What about you? So early?”

“There is an emergency in the bureau.” Lin Jianfeng stared at her closely, “Qingwu, last night…”

“Nothing happened last night.” Shen Qingwu interrupted her and looked up at Lin Jianfeng. His eyes were complicated and difficult to distinguish. There was pain, determination, and a weak, almost invisible prayer. “Lin Jianfeng, do what you should do. Don’t worry about me.”

After saying that, she stopped staying, turned towards the elevator, and pressed the up button.

Upward?Not leaving the building?Lin Jianfeng’s heart skipped a beat, and a terrible guess emerged.She almost rushed over and blocked the elevator door with her hand just as it was about to close.

“Where are you going?” Her voice was unconcealable and urgent.

Shen Qingwu stood in the elevator, with his back to her, his shoulders shaking almost imperceptibly.”Rooftop. I want to be alone for a while.”

“I’ll accompany you.” Lin Jianfeng stepped in.

“No need.” Shen Qingwu’s voice was very soft, but with an unquestionable rejection, “Officer Lin, you have your responsibilities. I… have my own way.”

The elevator door slowly closed, sealing the two of them in this small ascending space.The numbers danced towards the top.

In the closed space, silence pressed down like substance.There was only the slight hum of the elevator running.

Lin Jianfeng looked at Shen Qingwu’s straight but thin back, and the ominous premonition in his heart became stronger and stronger.She thought of the report letter, Shen Qingwu’s possible fear and suspicion, and the desperate light in her eyes…

“Shen Qingwu,” Lin Jianfeng’s voice sounded in the silence, low and clear, “No matter what you see, what you hear, no matter what ‘evidence’ others show you, remember – I believe in you. I believe in you who struggled in the darkness for ten years but never really gave up on pursuing the truth. I believe in you who was willing to cut open the most painful scars to show me. I believe in you… who would give me fragments of the truth on my birthday.”

Shen Qingwu’s back trembled violently, but he did not look back.

“So, don’t do anything stupid.” Lin Jianfeng’s voice had an imperceptible tremor, “Don’t think about carrying it alone. From now on, your path is also my path. I will help you avenge your revenge. I will help you prove your innocence. But the premise is that you have to live and you have to be by my side.”

The elevator dinged and reached the top floor.

The door opened.Outside is an empty stairwell leading to the rooftop, and the cold and biting wind of the morning pours in.

Shen Qingwu finally turned around slowly.There were no tears on her face, just an almost transparent paleness and a bottomless exhaustion.She looked at Lin Jianfeng, into those clear and firm eyes, full of unabashed worry and trust.

At that moment, the wall of determination that she had carefully built and prepared to die alone collapsed.

It turns out that this is what it feels like to be trusted without reservation.Warmer than the sun, stronger than armor.

She opened her mouth to say something, but found that she couldn’t make any sound.Only the hot liquid broke through the embankment of the eye sockets without warning and surged down.

Lin Jianfeng stepped forward and stretched out his hand, not to hug her, but to hold her cold and trembling hand tightly.

“Together.” Lin Jianfeng said, there were only two words, but they were as heavy as a thousand words.

Shen Qingwu looked at her, his vision blurred by tears, but he saw the light in her eyes clearly.Then she nodded vigorously and heavily.

All the suspicion, fear, and desperate madness melt away at this moment.

Tiantai’s decision did not lead to the worst parting of ways or tragic sacrifice.

Instead, in the deepest darkness before dawn, they once again confirmed each other’s hands and the road they wanted to walk side by side.

The elevator door slowly closed behind them.

And they held each other’s hands tightly, facing the cold but fresh morning breeze coming from the rooftop, and walked up step by step.