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The tense atmosphere began to shift quickly as Yao Yao's unexpected intervention took hold. The lion's once defiant posture crumbled under her inexplicable influence, leaving him utterly powerless and bewildered.

A Terrifying Realization

Qiu Ming’s eyes darted around frantically as he assessed his situation. What he saw nearly made his soul flee in terror. His body had completely betrayed him—it refused to obey his commands. As the hostage slipped away step by step, panic surged through him.

He knew that his only bargaining chip was the hostage. Without her, the police would have no reason to hesitate. Losing this trump card meant losing everything—his freedom, his life. But no matter how much he shouted or struggled, he couldn’t regain control of his own limbs.

The hostage, now free from his grasp, didn’t dare stay even if he begged.

The surreal scene unfolded before everyone’s eyes until the police finally slapped handcuffs on Qiu Ming.

Only when the gun was confiscated did reality sink back into his mind.

His once arrogant expression faded into one of despair.

"What… what are you?!" Qiu Ming glared at the child with a mixture of hatred and deep-seated fear. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined being captured in such an absurd manner.

"Uncle, what are you talking about?"

Yao Yao tilted her head innocently, her sweet dimples accentuating her cherubic face.

It was as though she truly had no idea what had just transpired.

Her innocent demeanor left an indelible scar on Qiu Ming’s psyche.

For years afterward, every time he recalled the incident, cold sweat would drench his prison uniform.

Of course, these were matters for another day.

Lin Junsheng exhaled deeply, relief washing over him now that the criminal was subdued. Turning toward the mysterious child, his expression grew solemn.

"Thank you very much for your help today!"

He used formal honorifics, partly out of respect but also because the child’s bizarre abilities unnerved him. He feared that any misstep might subject him to the same eerie fate as Qiu Ming.

"You’re welcome, big brother!"

Yao Yao beamed, accepting his gratitude with a cheerful smile. Thanks to her fondness for police officers instilled by her third brother, she treated Lin Junsheng with unusual warmth. This politeness, however, only made Lin feel more awkward.

By this point, two other officers had already escorted Qiu Ming into the police car. With their task complete, they prepared to leave. Just as Lin turned to depart, he suddenly stopped and called out:

"Do you have anything else to say?"

Lin paused mid-step, confusion etched across his face.

"Big brother, don’t take the shortcut home tonight, and absolutely don’t drink alcohol!"

Yao Yao blinked her large, luminous eyes, delivering the warning with deliberate calmness. From afar earlier, she hadn’t paid close attention. But now, standing closer, she noticed a faint, almost imperceptible malevolent aura hovering above Lin’s brow.

This ominous presence was subtle, its source external rather than intrinsic to Lin himself. To the untrained eye, it could easily go unnoticed. But Yao Yao, having spotted it, felt compelled to intervene. She liked this brave police officer and wanted to ensure his safety.

After a brief mental calculation, she deduced the root cause of the danger.

This "big brother" was cursed with bad luck.

Though capturing Qiu Ming should have been a cause for celebration, Lin’s fate was intertwined with misfortune.

Afterward, his colleagues would drag him out for celebratory drinks—a routine affair.

Unfortunately, Lin wasn’t much of a drinker, and the alcohol would cloud his judgment.

Feeling unwell, he’d opt for the quicker route home via a poorly lit alleyway.

That dark, narrow path often attracted petty criminals and troublemakers.

On this particular night, he’d stumble upon a violent brawl between rival gangs.

Being the dutiful officer he was, Lin wouldn’t hesitate to intervene.

However, the drunken thugs wouldn’t respond kindly to his attempts at mediation.

Instead, their tempers would flare, escalating the fight further.

In the chaos, Lin would find himself caught in the crossfire.

One of the gang members’ weapons would pierce his heart, leaving him mortally wounded.

The assailants, realizing they’d killed a cop, would flee in panic, abandoning him without calling for help.

Meanwhile, Lin’s phone, damaged during the scuffle, would lie useless beside him.

Unable to return home or call for assistance, this decorated officer who had earned commendations for bravery would tragically perish alone in the shadows of the alleyway. By the time someone discovered his body the next morning, rigor mortis would have set in.

All of this stemmed from taking the shortcut—a seemingly harmless decision that ultimately sealed his fate. Such was the nature of unforeseen calamity, striking without warning.

"I’ll remember," Lin replied, though he remained puzzled by the child’s cryptic advice. Exhausted from apprehending the criminal, drinking seemed far from his mind. Taking shortcuts, however, was a common habit of his when pressed for time.

Yet, despite his skepticism, Lin nodded instinctively. The memory of Yao Yao’s inexplicable powers lingered in his thoughts, compelling him to heed her words out of wary respect.

As Lin jogged back to the police car, he glanced over his shoulder almost involuntarily.

In the distance, he spotted a young man approaching the child.

Even from afar, the newcomer’s striking good looks were unmistakable.

Yao Yao appeared remarkably comfortable with him, holding hands as they strolled leisurely in the opposite direction of the patrol car.

"Captain Lin, what are you looking at? Hurry up and get in!"

A voice from inside the vehicle snapped Lin back to reality. Reluctantly tearing his gaze away, he climbed into the car.

No sooner had he settled in than one of his subordinates leaned forward enthusiastically.

"Captain Lin, we’re in for a treat tonight! We can’t let this victory pass without proper celebration. Last time, we barely ordered two skewers of chicken feet—what a joke!"

"Yeah," another chimed in. "We’ve been chasing Qiu Ming for nearly three months straight. I swear, I’ve sprouted gray hairs from all the stress. We absolutely need to make Yang Chief foot the bill this time. It’s not like he gave us an easy assignment."

Listening to their animated chatter, Lin raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What are you all talking about? Aren’t we headed back to the station to process the suspect?"

Seeing his perplexed expression, one of them grinned and explained, "Captain Lin, here’s the deal: we just reported our successful operation to Chief Yang.

He sympathized with our efforts and has already reserved a table at Long Ji Diner.

We’ll drop off the suspect at the station and head straight there.

Since we’re off duty tomorrow, we can really let loose tonight. "

Undercover agents rarely enjoyed weekends off; instead, their holidays were consolidated after completing missions. With Qiu Ming finally apprehended, Lin’s team could look forward to a well-deserved break starting tomorrow.

Though Lin eagerly anticipated the festivities, his excitement was short-lived.

Suddenly recalling Yao Yao’s ominous warning, his mood shifted drastically.

He understood all too well his superior’s penchant for enforcing drinking culture.

Whenever Chief Yang joined a gathering, even stray dogs passing by weren’t spared from mandatory toasts.

While Lin could occasionally decline invitations from others, there was no escaping Yang’s insistence.

How had the little girl known about the impending drinking session? And why had she specifically warned him against taking the shortcut—a piece of advice that initially seemed redundant?

An unsettling chill crept up Lin’s spine. The sensation of having his future foretold unsettled him deeply. Despite his logical mind rejecting the notion, an insistent voice within whispered urgently:

Tonight, under no circumstances, must you drink.