Chapter 8: You’re weirdly nice, huh?

Translator: Abo Dammen

☆

Case One: The Phantom Sniper

A waterloo moment in life.

Professor Xu had never been this embarrassed in his entire life.

After realizing that He Yixun was taking him onto a cruise ship, he repeatedly explained that he had misheard. However, He Yixun showed no sign of “it’s okay, mishearing is normal.” Instead, he exuded a certainty that screamed “I knew you were that kind of person.” 

At the end of his futile, silent rage, Professor Xu, who had always been self-disciplined and never flirted with alphas, could only accept his new persona.

The SUV stopped in front of a network provider store. He Yixun picked out a moderately priced phone at the counter and asked Xu Pei, “You know how to use a smartphone, right?”

“Yep,” Xu Pei said listlessly, still not recovered from the blow to his image.

After going to the counter to get a new sim card, He Yixun set up the basic settings and handed the phone to Xu Pei. “This number is registered under my ID. Don’t do anything illegal.” 

Xu Pei wasn’t naive enough to think He Yixun was just being nice by getting him a phone. It was simply about planting a tracker on him to monitor his movements.

“Is watching porn sites okay?” Xu Pei asked with a certain courage born from having nothing left to lose.

He Yixun fell silent again, exuding a sense of not wanting to engage with Xu Pei but feeling compelled to lay down the rules. “Yes. Mind your data usage.”

Prank successful, Xu Pei shrugged. “Just joking.” It seemed adapting to the new persona wasn’t so hard after all. 

As expected, the app store on the phone didn’t have any apps from Xu Pei’s world. After exploring for a while, he only felt more out of place and ended up downloading nothing, leaving the new phone in a state where He Yixun was the only contact in the address book. It was less of a phone and more of a dedicated communication device for Officer He.

However, once he could access the internet, Professor Xu promptly became an internet addict.

On the way to the pier, he first searched for history. As he suspected, large-scale animal vaccines hadn’t been used here, so humans hadn’t evolved animal characteristics.

He then searched for cutting-edge technology and found the two worlds were quite similar. With his existing knowledge, he could adapt well here. The only thing he needed to get used to was sharing restrooms with people of the same gender, including He Yixun. This was the only point he found slightly difficult to accept. 

After gaining a general understanding of the basic worldview, curiosity drove Xu Pei to type He Yixun’s name into the search bar.

The page loaded, presenting several articles with headlines like “Star Superintendent? Or Murderer?”.

It turned out that just a few days ago, He Yixun had shot and killed a terminally ill criminal during an operation, which thrust him into the eye of the public opinion storm. Scrolling through pages, almost all the news criticized He Yixun for being cold-blooded. Only one report caught Xu Pei’s attention.

A nurse who was at the scene spoke up for He Yixun, saying the criminal had a violent temperament and the situation was indeed critical. However, netizens weren’t having it, arguing that anyone would be violent in that situation, and accused her of being paid to whitewash He Yixun’s image. In the end, she deactivated her social media accounts. 

So what was the truth?

Xu Pei secretly observed He Yixun, who was driving. His intuition told him that this Officer He would absolutely not fire his weapon outside the rules. He must have judged, after careful consideration, that the situation met the criteria for using lethal force.

They approached a right turn. As He Yixun checked the right-side mirror, his eyes met Xu Pei’s gaze. “Why are you looking at me?”

“I kind of admire you,” Xu Pei said, shaking the phone displaying the news article. “You’re quite daring to go to that hospital under these circumstances.” 

He Yixun didn’t reply, focusing on checking for traffic before completing the turn.

The sea surface suddenly appeared at the end of the straight road. Seagulls flew alongside the round, setting sun, and ships navigated the golden, shimmering waves. Every frame was a breathtaking picture.

Though both were bustling metropolises, Bincheng was quite different from Nucheng. At the very least, Xu Pei rarely saw such scenery back home.

His mood for appreciating the view was interrupted by the stereo ringtone of his phone. The navigation screen on the car display switched to an incoming call interface, with the two characters “Shao Hui” prominently displayed in the middle. 

He Yixun glanced calmly at the screen, already guessing why Shao Hui was calling. Not bothering to avoid Xu Pei’s presence, he pressed the answer button on the steering wheel.

“How did you end up at the hospital?” Shao Hui’s accusatory voice came from the car speakers all around them. “Weren’t you told to stay out of this case?”

“I didn’t plan to initially,” He Yixun replied flatly, looking straight ahead. “But a new situation has arisen. Lin Mei is going to meet her sponsor.” 

“If there’s a new situation, you can report it to the department,” said Shao Hui. “Is taking matters into your own hands what you should be doing?”

“Then, besides me, which other police officer do you think can board the Lucky Number?”

Although He Yixun deeply disliked his identity as the son of the mayor and the son of the chamber of commerce president, he had to admit that it granted him convenient access to certain venues.

Tonight, He Maohu and Ling Feng were making peace. Such an occasion would absolutely not allow police to interfere. Yet, Lin Mei insisted on boarding the ship, exposing herself to danger. He Yixun had no choice but to use his own status to force his way in. 

“Fine, I can’t control you,” Shao Hui sighed. “You deal with your mother yourself.”

The sound from the speakers changed to the dial tone of an ended call.

Once the car interior was completely quiet again, Xu Pei asked curiously, “Is it customary here to call parents by their full names?”

“No,” He Yixun replied. 

Alright, Xu Pei realized that this mother and son were not just ordinarily at odds.

The SUV stopped in the pier parking lot. In the blink of an eye, the setting sun was almost submerged below the horizon. The orange evening glow stretched the shadows on the ground long and cast a dazzling golden layer over the Lucky Number moored by the shore.

The Lucky Number was a medium-sized cruise ship ten stories high. Sitting quietly by the dock, it resembled a brilliantly lit hotel. Its pristine white hull was printed with the image of a goddess of fortune and the word “LUCKY,” as if foretelling that all who boarded would receive good fortune. However, its nature as a casino meant that for every person who left with pockets full, another would lose their family fortune.

By now, quite a few people were already queuing in the security check area at the pier to board the ship. Most of these people wore black suits and floral shirts, almost directly announcing themselves as part of the underworld. 

Occasionally, well-dressed older individuals, surrounded by underlings, bypassed the queue and went straight to the front for security. They appeared to be bosses of some status, or, to put it bluntly, gang leaders.

Professor Xu, with his simple and pure social circle, was somewhat intimidated by the scene. He stuck close to He Yixun and asked, “Have you brought me to a gangster’s den?”

Hoping to hear a word of comfort from his sole source of security, he instead received Officer He’s rather blunt honesty. “Yes.”

Xu Pei: “…” 

“Can I not go on the ship with you?” Having learned from the previous misunderstanding, Xu Pei deliberately pronounced the word “ship” (chuán) very clearly.

“That would make you seem suspicious,” He Yixun said without stopping. “If you have nothing to hide, there’s nothing to fear. Because tonight, both sides are aiming for reconciliation.”

Only then did Xu Pei notice that the queue was divided into two distinct lines, like Jing and Wei rivers. The people on either side did not interact, much like students from different classes at a sports meet.

—Forgive Professor Xu for only being able to think of this analogy; he had never actually met gang members in real life. 

Like those bosses, He Yixun didn’t queue at the end. He led Xu Pei straight to the security checkpoint.

But unlike them, the two received unfriendly stares throughout the entire walk. If not for Xu Pei’s strong mental fortitude, he might have impulsively grabbed He Yixun’s arm.

Speaking of which, Bincheng’s climate was considerably warmer than Nucheng. Everyone around, including He Yixun, wore only suits. Only Xu Pei wore a white sweater, like a sheep that had strayed into a pack of wolves.

Fortunately, Professor Xu was also a man who had seen the world. No matter how apprehensive he felt, at least on the surface he didn’t show fear. But when he saw the piles of confiscated firearms at the security checkpoint, his eyes couldn’t help but dilate in shock. So the working environment for police here was this harsh? 

“Officer He, you actually came?” A tall, thin man blocked He Yixun’s path, his speech very slick. “See, here’s the thing. Mr. He specifically instructed that you are not to board the ship.”

Seeing that Zhou Ye, He Maohu’s right-hand man, was personally stationed here, He Yixun wasn’t surprised. He simply said, “Call him. I’ll talk to him.”

“Is that necessary?” Zhou Ye beat around the bush. “There’s really nothing for you here tonight.” 

“Call him first.”

Zhou Ye, wanting to offend no one, raised a hand to signal the security check should continue, then took out his phone and ushered He Yixun to a corner where they could talk privately. These two clearly knew each other and were intentionally avoiding prying eyes. For a moment, Xu Pei was unsure whether to follow or not.

The result of his hesitation was that in an instant, He Yixun had already walked away. Xu Pei could only stay put awkwardly, continuing to bask in those unfriendly stares.

Wait… After He Yixun left, those people’s eyes seemed different from before. 

“You that cop’s mistress?” The man responsible for pat-downs looked Xu Pei up and down, his eyes full of ill intent. “You haven’t been searched yet, have you? That’s against the rules.”

After saying this, the man walked straight towards Xu Pei. Xu Pei instantly felt his hair stand on end and his back tense up.

In his own world, Xu Pei wasn’t unfamiliar with being harassed, but the legal environment there was clearly much better. He could directly point out and refuse the harassment, and if there were passersby, they would usually help.

But the situation here was completely different. 

Looking at the crowd of shady characters and the firearms confiscated nearby, Xu Pei wasn’t sure what level of resistance would be safe for him.

He was just thinking whether he should summon a certain officer when the crisis resolved more easily than expected. A woman nearby suddenly smacked the man hard on the back of the head and said, “Do your job properly.”

The man was stunned for a second, then a vicious expression crossed his face as he suddenly moved to strike back. “You fucking bitch, who are you to tell me what to do?”

The situation escalated beyond Xu Pei’s expectations. His first instinct was to step in and intervene, since this woman had attracted the man’s wrath on his behalf. But before his leg could even move, the woman had already swiftly subdued him. “I’m staying here precisely to keep you lot in line.” 

The two lines began to stir. Only then did Xu Pei realize that each side was conducting pat-downs on the other. The woman was likely a leader on one side, specifically there to supervise the opposing side’s search of her own people.

The noise grew louder, showing signs of escalating into a conflict.

Zhou Ye glanced back from the corner and said to He Yixun, “I need to handle that.”

He Yixun had just gotten through to He Maohu on the phone and initially had no attention to spare for the commotion. But seeing Xu Pei standing there for some reason, like he was watching the spectacle, he frowned and gestured for Xu Pei to come over. 

“What are you doing here? This has nothing to do with you,” came He Maohu’s indifferent voice from the phone.

He Yixun temporarily covered the receiver and instructed Xu Pei, who had walked over to him, “Don’t leave my line of sight.”

Xu Pei thought, ‘You didn’t mention that earlier.’

Picking up the phone again, He Yixun asked, “Are you involved in the shooting?” 

“Of course not,” He Maohu replied impatiently, his answer expected. “Why would I move against your mother?”

“If not you, then someone from your side,” He Yixun said. “The person who wants her dead might be on the ship right now.”

He Maohu’s impatience immediately turned to half-belief, half-doubt. “What did you say?”

“I know she told you I was coming tonight,” He Yixun said. “But did she tell you why I’m coming?” 

To be honest, He Maohu didn’t much like this eldest son.

When He Yixun was a child, he had been kidnapped by one of He Maohu’s rivals. He Maohu had already prepared himself mentally to lose his son. Unexpectedly, He Yixun managed to escape from the deep mountains and forests by himself, claiming a child had led him through the maze-like woods.

The child’s return was, of course, a good thing. But after that experience, He Yixun’s personality became increasingly withdrawn. Even as a young boy, he possessed an unusual maturity that sometimes unnerved He Maohu himself.

Later, it proved that this son was indeed “ruined”—he became a policeman, working against his own father. 

If it were any other policeman, He Maohu wouldn’t just sit idly by waiting for his doom. Based on his past style, he would have definitely retaliated doubly.

But when it came down to it, he felt a sense of indebtedness towards He Yixun deep inside. Coupled with his advanced age and reluctance to continue a life of violence, he had ultimately chosen the path of legitimizing himself. Now, having managed to become the chamber of commerce president, he was considered a respectable figure in Bincheng, not someone a small-time hoodlum like Ling Feng could compare to.

Although his feelings towards He Yixun were complex, He Maohu believed 100 percent in his son’s capabilities. 

Lin Mei’s safety was no small matter. After a moment’s thought, he relented. “I understand. Pass the phone to Zhou Ye.”

Over at the other side, the disturbance had already settled down. With people in charge present on both sides, the conflict was destined not to escalate.

Zhou Ye hung up the phone and said to He Yixun, “After you, Officer He.” But then he suddenly remembered something and stopped He Yixun again. “Oh, right, Officer He, you’ll need to hand over your gun to me. Tonight’s rule is that all firearms are to be stored centrally. Even the Mayor’s gun couldn’t be kept on her person.”

He Yixun remained unmoved. “This is a service weapon.” 

His demeanor all but said, “Just try and take it.”

Zhou Ye withdrew his hand awkwardly. Fine, the Crown Prince wasn’t someone to be trifled with.

There were many hoodlums smoking and chatting on the deck, but more people had gone to the hall on the second floor to collect their room keys. The Lucky Number wasn’t an immobile seaside hotel. When the time came, it would set sail for unregulated international waters, where it would absolutely not be disturbed by the police.

Of course, today was an exception, because there was already a policeman on board. 

After getting the room key, He Yixun took Xu Pei up to the sixth floor. Based on Xu Pei’s observations in the elevator, the lower floors housed the rank-and-file hoodlums. The higher the floor, the higher the status it signified.

On the sixth floor, only a few rooms had their doors closed. Most rooms were unoccupied, indicating the core figures were gathered on this level.

“Are you sure this is a deluxe twin room?” Xu Pei asked, standing at the doorway.

The room’s sea-view balcony was indeed beautiful, but the interior space was seriously lacking. The two double beds were almost just a fist’s width apart, which in Xu Pei’s eyes was no different from sharing a bed. 

The most important point was that he wasn’t a very still sleeper; he liked to toss and turn. He strongly suspected he would wake up the next morning having migrated to He Yixun’s side.

This was, of course, unacceptable.

“People who come to the Lucky Number to have fun don’t care about room size,” He Yixun said, opening a bottle of water from the minibar. “Most people spend the whole night in the casino.”

“But I care,” Xu Pei said. “I don’t want to sleep with you.” 

He Yixun tilted his head back and took a drink of water, moistening his throat. Clearly not wanting to engage further, he shut down the conversation with one sentence, “I’m impotent.”

The boomerang had come right back. Xu Pei took a deep breath. He was starting to realize that using straightforward logic was useless against He Yixun because the man was a fearsome logic monster.

After thinking it over, Professor Xu could only try a different tack.

“You know my job involves researching glands, but I didn’t make it clear—it’s actually a sexual organ. My favorite thing to do is collect various bodily fluids,” said Xu Pei. “If you insist on sharing a room with me, aren’t you afraid I’ll steal your semen to take back for research?” 

Crack.

He Yixun expressionlessly crushed the plastic bottle in his hand. The water inside overflowed, wetting his hand. He screwed the cap back on, placed the bottle on the table, and pulled out a tissue to wipe his hand. The whole process was incredibly slow. Once finished, he seemed to have finally digested the shock.

“If you are truly from another world, then use your special ability to help me find the culprit,” said He Yixun, his face as unreadable as ever. “As long as you can prove it, I can give you whatever you want.”

This time, it was Xu Pei’s turn to fall silent. 

He hadn’t expected Officer He to adapt so well to his new persona, too.

He pursed his lips listlessly. “…You’re weirdly nice, huh?”