Chapter 51: 51. Chapter 51: The Power of a Hit Series

Chapter 51: The Power of "God-Tier" Dramas

Qing Tianfeng lowered his gaze in contemplation, just in time to notice Jiang Xiaoya stepping backward. He looked up, meeting her vacant, dazed stare.

"..."

Jiang Xiaoya snapped back to reality. Meeting Qing Tianfeng's scrutinizing gaze, she reacted quickly by changing the subject.

"Ahem, what else does Captain Qing know?"

"Once, during an investigation, a suspect had a safe with this exact type of lock. We brought in professionals, and it took a massive effort to open it, but the documents inside were still ruined."

Qing Tianfeng shook his head and continued, "These kinds of combination locks come in several grades."

The one before them was, without a doubt, the strongest, highest, and most terrifying grade.

Just as netizens had speculated, there was a suspicion that ammunition with a self-destruct mechanism was hidden inside; after all, this wasn't the small size of a typical safe.

Jiang Xiaoya understood. She quickly used her points to exchange for a skill, and seeing her nearly zeroed-out account, she felt a sharp pang of heartache.

This was the empire she had fought for with her life!

However, thinking about the bonus Qing Tianfeng mentioned, Jiang Xiaoya felt much better. But when she opened the skill...

Disassemble?

Dis... assemble?

The skill was "Disassemble"?

Jiang Xiaoya began to question her very existence.

Even someone like her, who knew nothing about locks, knew that a combination lock containing a self-destruct mechanism could not be forcibly disassembled.

Giving her this skill—what the hell was the difference between this and suicide?

What was the difference?!!

"Should we wait for the experts?" Qing Tianfeng asked tentatively, seeing her expression flickering between dark and light.

Jiang Xiaoya snapped out of it and spoke.

"They'll find this place soon. By the time the experts arrive, this thing won't even exist anymore."

If they were using this kind of combination lock, there was no way they would let anything fall into the hands of the police.

"You can open it?" Qing Tianfeng caught the implication.

Jiang Xiaoya: "..."

The skill she exchanged for was "Disassemble," not a master key. She really couldn't guarantee she could unlock it.

But the arrow was already notched; even if she couldn't guarantee success, she had to try.

"Captain Qing, are you afraid of death?" Jiang Xiaoya's expression suddenly turned solemn.

How could a people's policeman be afraid of death?

Qing Tianfeng took three steps back and spat out one word: "Yes!"

Jiang Xiaoya: "..."

【Hahahaha, Captain Qing didn't hesitate for a second. Between face and life, he chose to follow his heart.】

【Captain Qing: In any other situation, my answer would be firm: To serve the people, I fear nothing. But in this situation, I won't mention the people; I'll just give the answer.】

【Captain Qing: When you asked that, did you consider my feelings?】

【Captain Qing: I'm not usually this scared, but right now, it's necessary.】

【Other people asking this might not be as terrifying, but Sister Stupid... help!!】

【Captain Qing: I've been out for half an hour, survived a hail of bullets, escaped a high-rise, and entered an enemy's dangerous base, and now you're asking if I'm afraid of death?? Where are your manners?】

【Captain Qing: I will not say a single word until my lawyer arrives.】

"Not afraid?" Jiang Xiaoya's "mishearing" disorder flared up as she nodded. "I know Officer Qing has noble convictions and has long since placed life and death aside."

Qing Tianfeng: "..."

She really didn't treat him like an outsider.

But even if they were on the same side, she couldn't just falsify his answer like that.

【Captain Qing: It was indeed like that before today, but it's not like that today. Don't talk nonsense.】

【This is hilarious, Captain Qing has had this 'life is hard' expression all day.】

【Captain Qing: I have never encountered such a troublesome woman.】

【Captain Qing: How to cure her hearing problem, waiting online, it's urgent.】

"What are you planning to do?" Qing Tianfeng reacted, his gaze turning wary.

Jiang Xiaoya slowly raised her head and brandished the tools in her hand.

As Qing Tianfeng saw clearly what she was holding, he took a step back, his eyes widening as he lowered his voice: "Jiang Xiaoya, have you lost your mind?"

【Is that...】

【A wrench?】

【Scissors?】

【A screwdriver?】

【...】

At first, the netizens didn't understand why a distinguished criminal investigation captain like Qing Tianfeng was making such a fuss.

It wasn't until they saw what Jiang Xiaoya had pulled out that they were shocked.

【She's not actually planning to forcibly disassemble it, is she?】

【Be more confident, remove the 'is she'—that's EXACTLY what she's doing!!!】

【Forcible disassembly? How is that any different from detonating it?】

【No wonder Captain Qing's face changed. If it were me, I'd pee my pants.】

"Captain Qing, trust me."

Jiang Xiaoya activated the skill. Seeing the steps provided by the system, she was momentarily filled with confidence.

Seeing her brimming with confidence, Qing Tianfeng looked at her suspiciously. "Did you study mechanical engineering in college?"

"No."

"Did you take mechanical courses?"

"No."

"Oh, I see..." Qing Tianfeng realized something and nodded. "It must be an ancestral skill, right?"

Jiang Xiaoya shook her head. "No."

Was he crazy?

What kind of thing could be an "ancestral skill"? Could *this* be ancestral?

Qing Tianfeng: "..."

He was speechless.

"If not... then why are you disassembling it? How is this different from triggering the self-destruct sequence?"

If there really was ammunition hidden inside, how was this any different from suicide?

"Captain Qing, don't be nervous. Although I haven't studied this professionally, I have studied ammunition routes."

Seeing his agitation, Jiang Xiaoya quickly spoke up to soothe him.

"Really?"

Qing Tianfeng's expression visibly relaxed, a glimmer of hope appearing in his eyes.

"Really."

Jiang Xiaoya's gaze was sincere.

"Heh..."

A long-lost smile appeared on Qing Tianfeng's face. Jiang Xiaoya had already begun the disassembly; with one strike of the wrench, the entire combination lock's keypad popped up, her movements incredibly smooth and efficient.

Qing Tianfeng watched intently, his eyes filled with wonder. "I didn't expect you to have studied this."

"Yeah, pretty good, right?"

"Good, very good. Your technique is excellent. Where did you learn it?"

Qing Tianfeng's gaze was full of admiration.

"Well, about that..." Jiang Xiaoya paused for a moment before saying, "It's a long story. When I was very young, I felt I was different from others. Until one day, I watched TV and saw bomb disposal experts. Seeing them disarm bombs, how they did it, the process... I could feel a certain mysterious power. It was as if my soul was being summoned."

Qing Tianfeng listened intently at first, but as she reached the end, his eyes narrowed, and he stared at her in silence.

"From then on, I fell in love with this profession. Every day I would binge-watch dramas... I mean, every day I would read professional books."

The silence in the air was deathly.

The next second, there was another series of *clank, clank, clank* sounds.

Qing Tianfeng looked at the force of her hammer strikes, then at her grandiloquent speech—which sounded like something out of a hero's epic about destiny and greatness—and finally managed to squeeze out a sentence

"So, your 'study of ammunition routes' was just watching TV dramas?" Those "God-tier" dramas?

Though he really didn't want to ask, he had reached the point where he absolutely had to.

Jiang Xiaoya did not respond, nor did she deny it. Her expression said it all.