Chapter 79: Off Topic

"Chu Ning, what are you daydreaming about?" Tan Ya called out to Chu Ning, who was lost in contemplation, summarizing his life. She waved her hand in front of him and patted his shoulder.

Chu Ning snapped out of his trance, wondering why he bothered with such thoughts. Whether it was the lingering traits of his former self or the reclusive nature of his past, both had been worn away by time. Without realizing it, the conversation had drifted off course, and Chu Ning scratched his head, puzzled. He couldn't understand why he had become so sentimental lately—empathizing with others’ situations and feeling emotional resonance at every turn. It was absurd!

"It's nothing. Let's get back to discussing that pretty boy," Chu Ning said lazily. He pulled up the map on his phone, locating the next venue for "Horror Adventure" and marking it with a red symbol. That would be their next mission target.

From both a personal and professional standpoint, Chu Ning felt it necessary to continue investigating. Their team faced a significant issue: after the transaction, they might disband. After fulfilling her desire for vengeance, Tan Ya was likely to leave Chu Ning, a scenario he was unwilling to accept. He had just escaped the loneliness of living alone and was adapting to interacting with others.

Having experienced the kindness of being accepted, he did not want to lose the first person he could rely on in this strange world. Perhaps, in the future, he would find partners more suitable than Tan Ya, but for now, he had no desire to spend time searching.

"Pretty boy?" Tan Ya asked, confused. Who was he referring to? She glanced playfully at Chu Ning; surely no one here had a fairer face than him.

Tan Ya had to admit that Chu Ning fit the mainstream standard of beauty. If he ever wanted to use his looks as bait, it would be much quicker than negotiating deals—prey would willingly fall into his trap.

Noticing Tan Ya's gaze, Chu Ning's expression darkened. He twitched at the corner of his eye and explained, "Pretty boy refers to that young policeman who just left. Let's talk about him. After all, he showed up suspiciously at the scene of the explosion—any way you look at it, it's odd. He might even be..."

Tan Ya protested, "Come on, you were the one who blew up the villa, causing this mess." She had come to recognize Chu Ning's knack for turning the tables—his skin was thick, indeed.

"You didn't see it with your own eyes, so how can you say it was me?" Chu Ning looked at Tan Ya, wounded by the false accusation. If no one had witnessed it, why admit it? He felt no guilt whatsoever—his memory was conveniently unreliable when it mattered most.

"Sigh, so tell me what you think about the pretty boy..." Tan Ya said, embarrassed, covering her mouth. She realized Chu Ning had led her astray, making her utter something rather inelegant.

"Oh, that young policeman! How do you perceive the villa district? Most villa areas are built in tranquil, well-landscaped, and conveniently located spots. So a lone man posing as a policeman here—don't you find that strange?"

Chu Ning emphasized his words, flashing a fox-like smile, infuriatingly sly.

Tan Ya exclaimed, "Could his purpose be the same as ours—seeking profit?" She pondered for a moment, finding the reasoning plausible. All the hustle and bustle in the world is for gain; seeking wealth is human nature.

A certain unscrupulous landlord was the perfect example, relentlessly hoarding riches.

"Come on, when have we ever acted under the banner of profit? We're here to uncover the truth, to expose the hidden mastermind. We go through all this trouble for that cause, not for money. You're insulting our efforts!" Chu Ning sighed, feeling the discomfort of cleaning up after others. This wasn't his intention, though he was responsible for the actions. It was contradictory, leaving him caught in a dilemma.

Admit it, and it would tarnish his already fragile reputation. Deny it, and he couldn't possibly explain the true reason to Tan Ya.

The matter of crossing worlds would have to remain buried in his past, a memory he'd rather never recall. People say sharing eases the heart, but Chu Ning dared not reveal to anyone that he was a traveler from another world.

This society has the lowest tolerance for outliers. Even if they speak with grand words, their actions instinctively eliminate anything different from themselves.

In other words, Chu Ning's very existence was an error—an error others were eager to correct.

Tan Ya realized their original goal was as Chu Ning said, but somehow, their focus had shifted entirely to money. Perhaps losing half her property had made her feel a pressing need for cash.

"Fine, you're right. Pretending to be a policeman is suspicious enough, but exposing others has never been our aim, especially when there's no benefit."

"First, we need to figure out the young policeman's purpose. Only then can we decide how to proceed."

For the first time, Chu Ning noticed Tan Ya had such a rational side, weighing gains and losses, always considering self-interest. She had grown. Yet, for some reason, Chu Ning felt no joy at this realization.

"Well, you could completely ignore that guy who was just passing through our lives. My main purpose in probing him was to show you how proper disguise can reduce your risk of exposure. I didn't expect him to be a fake policeman—life is full of surprises."

Chu Ning had merely intended to teach her something, and never anticipated someone would provide Tan Ya with an even better example. He disparaged the man in every way, simply because the guy was handsome—and, besides, he wasn't a good person.

"Heh." Hearing Chu Ning's explanation, Tan Ya felt deeply helpless. What a mess of things.

Suddenly, Tan Ya keenly sensed someone approaching ahead—and unexpectedly, it was someone familiar. Her eyes brightened at the sight.

Tan Ya strode aggressively toward the newcomer. Her dissatisfaction with Chu Ning had stirred a spirit of rebellion, prompting her to approach the policeman and prove Chu Ning wrong.

Chu Ning frowned as Tan Ya whispered with the policeman. He glanced occasionally around, sensing something was off in the atmosphere. As for Tan Ya's conversation, he wasn't particularly concerned.

Surely, Tan Ya wouldn't be so foolish as to expose herself and let others catch her.