Chapter 298: Beyond the Scope

Chapter 298: Chapter 298: Beyond the Scope

Huangfu Miaomiao scrambled over, trying to find a crack to squeeze into the office.

But the window was sealed too tightly; she searched for a long time but couldn’t find a single gap. Fortunately, the office curtains weren’t completely closed, so by pressing her face against the glass, she could see a little.

She could see Fan Ze’s broad back and half of Bai Lu’s body. Fan Ze was standing, while Bai Lu was sitting on a sofa.

The two were talking in low voices in the office.

Huangfu Miaomiao pressed against the windowpane and heard Fan Ze say, "I was looking in the mirror while I was washing up just now and noticed a scrape here on my finger, but I don’t remember where I got it..."

Bai Lu rose from the sofa. Her light, gauzy skirt swept past Huangfu Miaomiao’s eyes and disappeared from view.

Huangfu Miaomiao heard her say, "Be more careful next time. It’s just a small injury, but if you ignore it, the wound will get worse."

Then, Huangfu Miaomiao heard the sound of a drawer opening and closing. Bai Lu walked back into view, now holding a bandage.

"Use a bandage for now. If the wound gets any worse, go to the medical department." Bai Lu applied the bandage for Fan Ze, her voice exceptionally gentle. "There, you can go rest now."

Fan Ze was silent for a moment before saying, "You should get some rest soon, too."

’These two are so sappy,’ Huangfu Miaomiao thought. ’Getting all lovey-dovey over such a tiny scratch. They’re nothing like Feng Ling. Back when she fought the Queen Mother of the West, half her body was torn apart and she didn’t even cry out in pain.’

Huangfu Miaomiao thoroughly scorned Bai Lu and Fan Ze’s behavior. After observing them from outside the window for a while, she saw Fan Ze leave the office and quickly scrambled back to her room on the fifth floor.

When Feng Ling saw her return, she quickly asked if she had discovered anything.

Huangfu Miaomiao snorted disdainfully. "That Special Attack Team captain, Fan Ze, is dating Bai Lu. He didn’t go to the medical department; he ran up to the seventh floor to get comfort from Bai Lu."

Feng Ling’s eyes widened in astonishment.

She never would have thought that this was the answer Huangfu Miaomiao would bring back.

"...Are you sure?" Feng Ling sized Huangfu Miaomiao up and down incredulously. "Do you even know what ’dating’ is?"

"Of course I do! I see short videos about dating all the time. Those two are definitely dating!" Huangfu Miaomiao said self-assuredly, her head held high. "Fan Ze hurt his pinky, and Bai Lu personally got a bandage to treat his wound. They were being all mushy. If that’s not dating, what is?"

Feng Ling stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Well, when you put it like that, it does sound like they’re a couple..."

But then she felt something was off and eyed Huangfu Miaomiao suspiciously. "How are you watching short videos? Do those children’s phone watches have that function?"

Huangfu Miaomiao’s face flushed slightly, and her eyes began to dart from left to right, her panic palpable.

Feng Ling pressed, "Where did you get a phone?"

"I... I borrowed it..." Huangfu Miaomiao stammered.

"Who did you borrow it from?" Feng Ling blinked, and realization dawned. "You borrowed Li Qing’s phone, didn’t you!"

Huangfu Miaomiao lowered her head and replied in a muffled, sulky voice, "I already gave it back..."

"Of course you had to give it back, or else I wouldn’t be able to contact the Daoist." Feng Ling shook her head and sighed. "To think, a little Alien Species is addicted to short videos."

Huangfu Miaomiao pouted and muttered under her breath, "He’s using my tablet, so I used his phone."

—Feng Ling had given the tablet Huangfu Miaomiao used for watching cartoons to Li Qing so he could do research online.

"What’s there to fight over about a tablet? I’ll just buy you another one," Feng Ling said casually.

"I don’t want a new one. I want the one you gave me before," Huangfu Miaomiao said, looking wronged.

Feng Ling chuckled. "Then I’ll buy a new one for Li Qing and give the old one back to you. Just don’t regret it later. The new one will definitely be better and have more features."

"I just want the old one," Huangfu Miaomiao insisted with a pout.

Feng Ling nodded. "Alright, we’ll go buy one tomorrow."

A smile appeared on Huangfu Miaomiao’s face. She giggled as she crawled back into bed, but after lying down, she still felt uneasy. She sat back up and asked Feng Ling, "Are we really going to buy it tomorrow? Don’t you have to investigate the case?"

Feng Ling glanced at the files on the table and sighed.

"There’s nothing to investigate. This is way over my head."

...

...

The next day, Feng Ling took Huangfu Miaomiao out shopping and, while she was at it, sent the address for Maple Leaf Lake to Xu Yiming.

Xu Yiming called back quickly, his voice filled with excitement. "Feng Ling, we’ll be there in about two hours!"

"That’s pretty fast. When did you set out?" Feng Ling asked.

"We left in the middle of the night. Little Cao and I took turns driving and only took one break, so we’re arriving a bit earlier than expected," Xu Yiming replied.

Feng Ling spoke as she continued to shop. "Thanks for all the hard work. I should get a truck driver’s license myself so I don’t have to bother you guys every time. Helping me bring everyone over this time didn’t affect your interview, did it?"

She remembered that Xu Yiming was going to participate in the selection for the Inspectors.

"The process isn’t that fast. Old Su is giving me some extra training to work on my physical fitness so I can adapt faster once I get into the Inspector training camp... By the way, do you need me to stay in Jinnan City for a few days? What if you need the truck and don’t have a driver?" Xu Yiming asked.

Feng Ling laughed. "Jinnan City is a big place; it’s not like I can’t find a driver. You should go back and prepare for your interview."

After hanging up, Feng Ling glanced at the time.

In two hours, it would be about lunchtime. Xu Yiming and Cao Hongyi had driven through the night; she should at least treat them to a meal. Besides, the Maple Leaf Lake location needed some tidying up.

Without Su Yuqing around, she had to worry about these miscellaneous chores herself.

Feng Ling stopped leisurely browsing. She had a sales clerk grab the latest model of the tablet, paid, and left.

After leaving the mall, she rented a small truck to stock up on daily necessities and also bought a weed trimmer.

The buildings at Maple Leaf Lake had been abandoned for too long and were overgrown with weeds and moss, making them uninhabitable. However, there was a large grassy area along the lake. As long as she cleaned it up a bit and pitched a tent, the environment was quite nice.

Feng Ling stuffed the small truck’s cargo bed to the brim, then drove to Maple Leaf Lake to set up her temporary base. She pitched a tent, set up a folding table, and placed an outdoor fire pit in a spot sheltered from the wind...

When the large truck arrived, she was spraying insect repellent around the campsite. She turned her head and saw the big rig slowing to a stop by the lake. In comparison, her rented truck looked like a toy.

"This place has a nice environment!" Xu Yiming called out with a smile as he jumped down from the cab and opened the trailer.

Ye Zheng slowly got out of the truck, his gaze scrutinizing the surroundings.

A dense flock of Human-faced Crows flew out of the trailer next, scattering with a great RUSTLE to perch on nearby treetops and eaves.

The Cat Owl jumped down right after, flapping its wings and charging toward Feng Ling.

It had grown so much that it now needed a running start to get airborne; taking off from a standstill was a bit difficult.

Li Qing was the last one out, as quiet and refined as ever.

Feng Ling peeked into the truck’s trailer. The Cat Spider had really done her proud; she’d told it to come out a few days later, and sure enough, it was still in its silk cocoon.

Ye Zheng asked her, "You’ve been in Jinnan City for a day. Found anything?"

"Oh, so you *do* know I’ve only been here a day?" Feng Ling retorted sarcastically. "I’ve discovered three Inspectors: Bai Lu, He Yue Ning, and He Xingluo."

Ye Zheng was taken aback. "...Bai Lu?"