The sudden noise from outside startled the three people in the inner room. Fortunately, the shelves outside provided cover, preventing a clear view for anyone entering. Kuang Feifan stood up and gently closed the inner door, leaving only a narrow crack to peer out, while simultaneously gesturing to Feng Tian and Wang Hai to remain silent.

Suddenly, a blinding flashlight beam cut through the room, sweeping across the area. The intruder was clearly prepared.

Kuang Feifan and the other two nearly held their breath. Although only one person had entered and they had the advantage of numbers, this was an illegal intrusion. Already feeling guilty, being caught made their desire to escape even stronger.

Unfortunately, luck was not on their side. The figure holding the flashlight circled outside, looking around cautiously. Then, the beam swung inward and immediately illuminated the small gap left in the surveillance room door.

This meant there was no need to check the other offices, storage rooms, or restrooms. The intruder, clearly momentarily stunned by the sight of the slightly ajar door, shone the light there for a long time before cautiously stepping toward the surveillance room, reaching into a pocket as he walked.

Did the person have a gun?

The thought flashed through Kuang Feifan’s mind. He dared not take that risk. Even if there was no firearm, a knife would be a threat, increasing the potential for injury.

These thoughts vanished in an instant. Before the person could pull anything out, Kuang Feifan yanked the door open and charged out. Among the three of them, Feng Tian was a charlatan, and while Wang Hai was physically strong, he lacked professional training; naturally, Kuang Feifan had to take the lead.

The person with the flashlight was ready. Although the sudden emergence of someone from the inner room was unexpected, he immediately adopted a defensive stance. As Kuang Feifan’s punch came in, he abandoned his attempt to reach into his pocket, instead raising his arm to meet the blow, using the hand holding the flashlight as a weapon to strike Kuang Feifan.

Kuang Feifan quickly abandoned his offense, instead grabbing directly for the wrist holding the flashlight, intending to disarm him first.

And so, the two grappled, exchanging blows. In the struggle, Kuang Feifan knocked the flashlight from the man’s grasp. The light tumbled through the air, spinning a few times before landing on the floor.

In that split second, Feng Tian, standing at the surveillance room doorway, had sharp eyes. He recognized the intruder’s appearance, his expression faltering, and suddenly shouted, "Stop fighting! It's one of us... one of us..."

Kuang Feifan and the intruder both froze. At that moment, taking Feng Tian’s advice, Wang Hai jogged along the wall to the main light switch and flipped the overhead fluorescent lights on.

Under the sudden burst of illumination, Kuang Feifan and the intruder locked eyes and simultaneously exclaimed, "It’s you?"

The newcomer was none other than that rather suspicious police officer Kuang Feifan had encountered at the hospital. Kuang Feifan vaguely recalled his name was Ji Ping.

However, Officer Ji clearly did not know Kuang Feifan’s name, only repeatedly pointing a finger at him, muttering “It’s you” but failing to utter another coherent word.

Turning his head, he saw Feng Tian and Wang Hai. His expression hardened, and he coldly addressed the three of them, "What are you doing here? Planning to steal something?"

Saying this, he pulled his mobile phone from his pocket. Kuang Feifan then realized that the man was likely reaching for his phone earlier; traffic police were generally not armed.

Kuang Feifan ignored the question and instead asked, "Who were you about to call?"

"The police," Ji Ping replied, subconsciously taking two steps back. He felt that three against one was a difficult situation for him.

Kuang Feifan forced a wry smile and waved a hand at him. "Officer Ji Ping, right? We aren’t planning to steal anything, no need to be like this."

At that moment, Ji Ping’s finger had already pressed two keys on his phone, just about to press the final one, when Kuang Feifan suddenly said, "We are here to investigate the murderer who killed Luo Jingjing."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ji Ping visibly stiffened, his finger hovering over the third key, refusing to press down.

Kuang Feifan scratched his cheek. "I suspect you came here to investigate something too. Actually, it’s just a misunderstanding between friends; we’re all looking into the case."

Ji Ping hesitated, not pressing the final key, but his tone remained hostile. "You know Luo Jingjing? How? And investigating is the police’s job. You shouldn't interfere, unless..."

Kuang Feifan frowned. "Stop right there. Don't say unless. Unless what? Are you planning to suspect us? You can say we're meddling, but there’s no need to treat us as suspects."

Ji Ping pondered for a moment, then pursed his lips. "Don't worry, I don't suspect you, but breaking into a gas station in the middle of the night is a crime in itself."

Kuang Feifan made a gesture signaling him to relax, then took out his * (badge/ID). He knew this wouldn't intimidate a police officer, but perhaps it would give him some context about the nature of his work.

"Judicial forensics?" Ji Ping murmured to himself, frowning. It seemed the friction between him and Kuang Feifan's group wouldn't be resolved quickly; fundamentally, they disliked each other.

A thought suddenly struck Kuang Feifan, and he couldn't help but ask, "By the way, Officer Ji, your presence here right now is probably unofficial, isn't it? If this gets blown up, nobody benefits, and the real killer walks free."

That statement hit Ji Ping where it hurt. He frowned deeply, his face tense. After a long pause, he finally returned the * to Kuang Feifan and said, "I can choose not to pursue this with you, but I still advise you to leave this place as soon as possible."

Kuang Feifan pocketed his badge and said casually, "Don't you want to know what we've found out?"

Ji Ping hesitated slightly, then asked, "What have you found?"

Kuang Feifan spread his hands. "Come on, at this point, shouldn't we put aside our preconceptions and be frank? Information sharing is the only way to find the truth."

This time, Ji Ping deliberated for quite a while, clearly weighing the pros and cons, before saying, "Fine, you go first."

This time, not only Kuang Feifan, but also Feng Tian and Wang Hai rolled their eyes at him. This Officer Ji was genuinely somewhat tiresome.

Not wanting to argue further, Kuang Feifan simply motioned for Ji Ping to follow him into the surveillance room. He noticed a look of disdain cross Ji Ping’s face as he entered, his mouth unconsciously curling slightly.

Kuang Feifan didn't point it out. After the group found chairs and sat down, he told Ji Ping, "Since we arrived first, you should speak first."

Ji Ping paused, drawing a few circles in the air with his hand. "There’s no point searching this room, especially the computer. We’ve already checked; because the power was cut, the hard drives are all ruined."

Kuang Feifan didn't follow up on that point, instead asking, "I’m curious, why did you end up investigating on your own? It seems you also knew Luo Jingjing worked here. Didn't you get anything from the manager here? Also, did you know that another employee here also ended up in the hospital the day Luo Jingjing died?"

Ji Ping blinked, involuntarily admitting, "It seems... you really do know quite a bit..."