She fixed her resplendent, wide eyes upon them, the naivete within those orbs inducing a twinge of guilt in the hearts of the men who'd blocked her way. It was as if their ill-timed actions, which had seemingly left her bewildered and defenseless, were heinous transgressions of the gravest order.
"Well, Miss Shen, we're from the National Paranormal Bureau. Regarding yesterday's mysterious suicide case, due to its highly unusual nature, we'd like you to cooperate with our investigation," one of them stammered.
"How exactly do you plan to conduct the investigation?" Her countenance remained placid, seemingly unfazed by the situation. Yet that dulcet, sweet voice of hers was enough to melt hearts even on a sweltering June day.
Pang Xiao, the team leader of this investigative unit, was overseeing the entire affair. After all, the deceased was no ordinary individual. He'd once been a luminary within the Alliance but had later been hunted down by the Alliance's decree after attacking ordinary folks. His sudden demise, witnessed by many, made it inconvenient for the Alliance to step in, thus leaving the matter in the hands of the Paranormal Bureau.
Shen Jin Huan had long been on their radar of key subjects for observation, so it was only natural that they'd come knocking on her door posthaste.
"Just come with us and answer a few questions. Rest assured, we won't give you a hard time," Pang Xiao chimed in hastily, eager to avoid any potential aversion on her part.
"Very well," Shen Jin Huan replied, devoid of any superfluous emotions.
In a world governed by human-made laws, it was best to adapt to local customs. Only in doing so could one's long, drawn-out existence be imbued with a semblance of meaning.
Still, these people were remarkably efficient. She'd barely been out in the world for a few days, and already they'd set their sights on her. What a nuisance.
The vehicles of the Paranormal Bureau all bore uniform red license plates.
She followed Pang Xiao into the spacious business van, casting occasional glances at the scenery outside the window. The others, who'd been fretting about how to console a sobbing, frightened girl, were taken aback by her nonchalant demeanor.
"Miss Shen, where are you from?"
The line of questioning began, for they'd scoured every record for traces of Shen Jin Huan, only to find that she seemed to have materialized out of thin air.
Initially, they'd planned to interrogate Ji Yan as well, but later discovered that the only one with anomalies was this young girl. Thus, they endeavored to steer clear of involving ordinary civilians as much as possible.
"I'm... Must I answer this question?" She'd been about to disclose her origin but, on second thought, countered with a query of her own.
"No, not necessarily. But they might ask you during the formal interrogation later," Pang Xiao replied. Ordinarily a composed man, he found himself in a flustered state whenever he conversed with Shen Jin Huan, his heart pounding so violently it felt as if it might leap out of his throat.
Among the group, he was the only one with the nerve to hold a conversation with her. The others, well, they were rendered speechless at the mere sight of her eyes, their tongues tied in knots.
"Well, I'm from the Kunlun Ruins," she finally divulged.
"You're a resident of the Kunlun Ruins area?" There were indeed nomadic herders dwelling on the outskirts of the Kunlun Ruins.
"Yes."
"But you weren't on the registration list during our screening," Pang Xiao furrowed his brow in consternation.
"I live on the mountains within the Kunlun Ruins," she elaborated.
"That's impossible. It's far too perilous," Pang Xiao blurted out, his mind instinctively conjuring up images of the treacherous central canyon of the Kunlun Ruins.
"Sir, people can live on the outer mountain ranges of the Kunlun Ruins," one of his subordinates tugged at his sleeve, offering a gentle reminder.
Pang Xiao realized his oversight. Indeed, he'd been overly hasty in his assumptions.
"Then why haven't you registered your identity with the state?"
"I wasn't aware. Nobody informed me," Shen Jin Huan replied truthfully. Deep within the inner valley of the Kunlun Ruins, where entry meant certain death, it was scarcely possible for anyone to venture in and apprise her of such matters.
That day, Ji Yan had been extraordinarily fortunate.
Coinciding with Qiao Yuan's death, her powers had completely dissipated, and a breach had opened in the inner valley's protective barrier. Otherwise, not only would he and his companions have been struck dead by lightning the moment they approached, but they'd never have emerged alive. It was truly a miraculous escape, like a dream.
"What about your parents?"
"I have no parents," she stated flatly.
Pang Xiao automatically assumed that she'd been orphaned in some desolate corner of the Kunlun Ruins, abandoned by her parents in the uncharted mountain ranges, and had managed to grow up through a series of fortuitous events.
If that were the case, everything seemed to fall into place. Understanding this, Pang Xiao regarded her with an even gentler gaze, imagining the hardships she must have endured over the years.
"Don't worry. Later, I won't let them be too harsh on you," Pang Xiao murmured, his eyes betraying his intentions.
She flashed her first smile since boarding the vehicle, her voice a soft, sweet melody. "Thank you, brother."
Good heavens!
It was a direct hit to the heart!
That single utterance of "brother" was like a powerful blow, utterly captivating.
Pang Xiao felt that even if someone were to point a gun at Shen Jin Huan at that very moment, he'd willingly step in front of the bullet without hesitation!
His eyes were red with emotion, a testament to his inner turmoil.
The others, too, were consumed with envy, yet still too bashful to strike up a conversation with the fair maiden. The moment they locked eyes with her tea-brown orbs, their powers of speech deserted them entirely.
"You're... you're welcome," he stuttered.
Shen Jin Huan was then led into the Paranormal Bureau, greeted by an imposing setup reminiscent of a solemn tribunal.
Before her were arrayed ten different types of lie detectors, and both inside and outside the interrogation room were vigilant observers.
The initial questions posed by the chief interrogator were nearly identical to those asked by Pang Xiao, and the lie detectors corroborated Shen Jin Huan's responses as truthful. That was, until they broached the topic of her age.
"How old are you this year?"
Shen Jin Huan replied without a flicker of hesitation, "Eighteen."
The lie detector emitted a single beep, confirming the veracity of her statement.
"Did you have anything to do with that person's death yesterday afternoon?"