Chapter 2461: Chapter 2462: Value Attributes

“Have some more to drink; you’ve barely touched your food. Why the rush to leave?” Zhang Long’s foster father said.

“I have other matters to deal with. I need to report at Jinling, or the higher-ups will have my hide,” Lin Yi apologized.

“In that case, I won’t keep you. Important business comes first.”

Zhang Long’s foster father called him over, “Go see your comrade off.”

“Alright.”

Zhang Long walked out, escorting Lin Yi to the door.

“Why are you leaving too, leaving me all alone here?”

“If I weren’t at ease, I would have had someone take you away a long time ago,” Lin Yi said:

“I’ll be staying at the Liscalton Hotel in Jinling. Find me there in three days, and we’ll return to Zhong Hai together. Spend some quality time with them these few days; it’s not easy for the old couple at their age. Honestly, I can tell they don’t want to let you go, but there’s nothing I can do.”

“I deserve the punishment. This is what I should bear,” Zhang Long said:

“I’m already very grateful to you for doing all this for me.”

“Let’s leave it at that then. Go back and join them for the meal. I’ll be leaving first.”

“Mhm.”

Lin Yi left, and Zhang Long stood there silently watching him until he disappeared from sight.

Arriving by the roadside, Lin Yi hailed a taxi and returned to Jinling, then headed to the Confucius Temple to meet up with Yan Ci.

“Have you finished dealing with your matters?”

Upon seeing Lin Yi, Yan Ci joyfully approached him.

“It’s finished, but I’ll have to stay here a few more days. What about you? Have you settled your affairs here?”

“I still need to meet with a few directors and producers from the circles. It’ll take a few more days before I can return.”

“That works out. We can leave together.”

The two chatted for a while and then had lunch together. Yan Ci had to attend to some matters in the afternoon, so they went their separate ways.

But before parting, Lin Yi took her notebook.

Others were responsible for summarizing the other cases, but this time Lin Yi decided to write it himself.

Firstly, because he sensed that this case was the ultimate mission in a policeman’s career and wanted to see it through from start to finish.

Secondly, this case had great uniqueness, and he hoped to present the entire story of the case from his perspective.

This world is such that the truth often leaves people feeling helpless.

After returning to the hotel, Lin Yi spent the entire afternoon in front of the computer, but apart from the words “Case Summary,” he couldn’t write anything else.

He didn’t know how to begin, nor how to initiate the writing, and couldn’t even figure out where to end it.

He wanted to showcase the core insights of the case to everyone.

Love and kinship, vengeance and hatred, as well as the good and evil within human nature.

A murder case that had been sealed for thirty years, a dual life that had been tossed and turned for thirty years, these complexities made it tough for Lin Yi to decide where to start writing.

People say life is often more absurd than fiction, and Lin Yi deeply realized that at this moment.

So absurd that he found it laughable, from start to finish, like a six-year-old child’s fleeting dream.

It was very real, yet also very illusory.

Over the next three days, Lin Yi mostly spent his time in the hotel, gradually organizing the details of the case.

At the same time, Yan Ci had finished her job in Jinling and was ready to return with Lin Yi.

Zhang Long did not disappoint Lin Yi as expected.

On the morning after three days, using the address from the front desk, Zhang Long found Lin Yi, appearing as calm as an old friend.

This was exactly what Lin Yi hoped to see – after giving the proper companionship to his foster parents, he was at peace facing his fate.

After briefly introducing Zhang Long to Yan Ci, the three of them took a flight back to Zhong Hai.

As they all had their own matters to attend to, they parted ways at the airport. Lin Yi, taking Zhang Long with him, returned to the Xinshan branch office.

When Lin Yi appeared in the office with Zhang Long, Zhang Hui and the others were somewhat surprised and looked tense.

Instinctively, they guessed that this person was very likely the murderer.

“Officer Zhang, Officer Zhu, long time no see,” Zhang Long greeted them proactively.

They cautiously gave him a glance, feeling that he seemed familiar but certain they did not know him.

“You know us both?”

“We’ve met in Xiangyang Village.”

Following that, Lin Yi recounted the incident of Zhang Long’s disguise to Zhang and Zhu, and only then did they understand the situation.

“You did all these things! I really didn’t expect that.”

Zhang Long gave a bitter smile, “I’m sorry for all the trouble.”

“Brother Hui, have someone take him away. I will explain the details of the case to you.”

“Fine, we’ll do as you say.”

Zhang Hui had people take Zhang Long away, and Lin Yi handed over the case summary he wrote to both officers.

They read it in silence, both eventually falling quiet.

The cigarette in their hands was only smoked once before it was reduced to a long ash.

“He’s also a man with a hard lot in life,” Zhu Junchi sighed.

“There is no choice. If we were to affirm his actions, we would indirectly negate the value of the law. Even if we feel sympathy, we can only keep it in our hearts.”

“But he is a real man, I respect him.”

Zhang Hui nodded, looking towards Lin Yi.

“You’ve worked hard on this case. Take a few days off, go home and rest well, then come back to work when you’re ready.”

“Okay.”

Lin Yi did not decline and bid farewell before turning to leave the Xinshan branch office.

Just as he stepped out of the doorway, the system prompt sounded in his mind.

[Mission completed: Reward 150,000 Master level driving skills.]

[Job completion rate: 100%, Reward: C-grade Fighting Skills.]

As Lin Yi expected, the system mission was completed, and the police career was over.

The system rewards were pleasantly surprising as well.

With C-grade Fighting Skills, his combat ability could improve by another level.

Lin Yi looked up at the sky, clear and azure blue with a few white clouds in the distance, the treetops swaying in the breeze, rustling softly.

Everything about life seemed so beautiful, but he felt as if it had nothing to do with him.

Exhausted, Lin Yi drove to the Chaoyang Group.

Seeing Lin Yi coming in, Ji Qingyan immediately went up to greet him.

“Congratulations, Mr. Lin Yi, on solving a big case. Now you have something to brag about in front of the kids.”

Seeing Ji Qingyan, Lin Yi felt much better.

“How have you been recently, not feeling unwell I hope?”

“Don’t worry, it’s all good,” Ji Qingyan said:

“But looking at your mood, it doesn’t seem very upbeat, still not happy?”

“This case is a bit special.”

“Special? I’d like to hear about it.”

Lin Yi, sitting on the sofa, recounted the whole story of the case to Ji Qingyan over half an hour, and her expression also became conflicted.

“After hearing all this, I don’t really feel that he did anything wrong.”

Lin Yi’s gaze turned towards the sky outside the window, his thoughts drifting afar, and he said faintly:

“But the biggest characteristic of the law is its universality; your and my personal opinions are not important.”

“That’s true…” Ji Qingyan sighed softly:

“We can’t undermine the societal value of the law.”