When the man being pursued noticed Zhu Yuan racing toward him, he panicked and veered into a small alley, toppling a trash can on his way out.

Zhu Yuan and the other man who was pursuing the suspect collided once more in the midst of the chaos, both of them too engrossed in the moment to slow down.

She was momentarily stunned and ended up on the ground as the man rapidly regained his balance and started chasing after the suspect.

She yelled, "Wait!" as she continued to sit on the sidewalk still dazed. As frustration welled up, she reached for her radio and, while keeping her eyes on the retreating figure, reported the situation to her team.

She noticed a wallet that the man had dropped in the commotion as she stood there. Her curiosity piqued, and she picked it up right away.

Though she hadn't had a chance to examine the wallet yet, a surge of adrenaline coursed through her.

Her team arrived swiftly, setting up a perimeter to corner the suspect who had caused the disturbance. Zhu Yuan rushed to join them, her mind racing.

"That guy again? Always running like he's in some marathon... and of course, we crash into each other like it's some messed-up meet-cute." The absurdity of it hit her, but she quickly refocused.

With precision, they closed in, checking every corner and alleyway. The tension was palpable, the air thick with anticipation. The only sounds were hurried footsteps and the hushed exchanges of her team as they combed through the streets.

Zhu Yuan, wallet still in hand, felt the weight of the mystery deepen, uncertain whether this chase would finally reveal the answers she sought.

They entered an abandoned floor, the eerie silence broken only by the faint echoes of their movements. Signs of a struggle littered the space—overturned crates and scuff marks on the ground. 

Zhu Yuan's flashlight beam landed on two figures: the man they had been chasing was panting, handcuffing down another man, likely the one he had been after.

"Apprehend them!" Zhu Yuan commanded, her voice cutting through the tension.

"Whoa, wait! You can't do that!" the pinned man protested as her team quickly cuffed both of them.

"What makes you say that?" she snapped, narrowing her eyes in frustration.

The man, still catching his breath, shifted slightly, his hand moving toward his pocket. Zhu Yuan's instincts flared. "Don't make any sudden moves!" she warned, her gun trained on him, voice firm and unwavering.

She hesitated, then slowly lowered her gun, still annoyed. "I already have it," she muttered, revealing the wallet she had picked up earlier.

At that moment, Qingyi arrived, breathless. "What's going on, Captain?"

Zhu Yuan glanced at her teammate before returning her gaze to the two suspects, feeling the weight of uncertainty still hanging in the air.

As they escorted the suspects outside, the pinned man spoke casually, "Care to check my wallet, officer?"

Zhu Yuan shot him an irritated glance, rolling her eyes before finally opening the wallet. Her breath caught as she saw what lay inside—an undercover badge from the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team, identical to Jane's. Staring back at her was the agent: Elias Ward.

For a split second, her usual composure faltered, her heart racing. It all clicked into place: this wasn't just any civilian; this was Agent Elias.

The man she'd been chasing wasn't just some random stranger.Clearing her throat, Zhu Yuan tried to regain her composure. "So, you're an agent. Heh, great..." she said, her voice slightly strained but firm.

There was something about Elias—an undeniable confidence and an intriguing aura—that threw her off balance. "Okay, but we still need you at the station."

As they continued walking, her mind swirled with thoughts, barely registering the chatter around her. Qingyi, however, noticed her captain's uncharacteristic reaction.

With a mischievous glint in her eye, she silently began to tease Zhu Yuan, shooting her subtle, knowing glances that only made her more flustered.

"Qingyi! What's wrong with you?" Zhu Yuan snapped, irritation flaring as she caught Qingyi's teasing look. "I'm trying to focus here!"

Qingyi just smirked, the playful glint in her eyes unwavering,

They emerged from the narrow alley and were greeted by the sight of a PUBSEC mobile waiting for them. The streetlights cast long shadows over the vehicle, deepening the weight of the moment.

As they approached, Elias, still cuffed, leaned slightly toward Zhu Yuan. "Can you remove my handcuffs? Please?" he asked, his voice calm, almost coaxing.

Zhu Yuan hesitated, feeling a strange disarming quality about him. Was it his confident tone or the realization of who he truly was? Her mind raced with questions. How had she ended up in this situation?

Her expression hardened. "Qingyi, remove his handcuffs. But cuff him to the suspect. We're still taking both in for questioning."

Qingyi, struggling to suppress a grin, followed orders, locking Elias's hand to the suspect's. "At least this way, you'll always have a buddy," she quipped as they loaded the two men into the back of the PUBSEC mobile.

As they began the drive back to Janus station, Zhu Yuan couldn't help but roll her eyes, the tension slightly lifted. "Great, now I've got an agent and a suspect in one vehicle. What a day!" raising her hands behind the wheel.

The engine hummed as they cruised through the streets. Elias, sitting next to the suspect, shifted in his seat, his tone turning serious. 

"You know... Officer, this is my case I've been working on, right? I should be the one handling the custody of the suspect—not your team."

Zhu Yuan's grip tightened on the steering wheel, her eyes fixed ahead. "Shut up. This is our area of jurisdiction, and you're not part of our station," she snapped, frustration seeping into her words. 

It wasn't every day she had to remind a federal agent of the basic hierarchy of law enforcement.

Qingyi, sensing the brewing tension yet clearly enjoying the moment, leaned forward. "So, you're the guy who bumped into our Captain not long ago, right?" she asked, her voice dripping with mischief.

Zhu Yuan shot her a quick warning glance through the rearview mirror, but it was too late—the question hung in the air like an awkward silence at a party.

"I wonder..." Qingyi mused playfully, glancing at Zhu Yuan with a conspiratorial smile. "After that day, the Captain's desk has always had a box of dessert from J.D." She shot a teasing look at Zhu Yuan that said she was thoroughly enjoying this.

Zhu Yuan's face flushed a deeper shade of red. "...Qingyi, I'm driviiiing," she hissed through clenched teeth, her concentration wavering.

Elias's interest was piqued. "Oh really? Did she like it?" he asked, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in a smirk.

Before Qingyi could answer, Zhu Yuan cut in quickly, her voice firm as she tried to regain control of the conversation. "No. I gave it to the rest of the team." Her words were sharp, a defensive move to hide her embarrassment. "Just doing my duty, you know."

Qingyi chuckled quietly, clearly reveling in the tension. "Sure, Captain, and I'm the Mayor of Eridu. You can't fool us!"

Zhu Yuan finally had enough. "Okay, that's it! You both keep this up, and you'll be walking the rest of the way to the station!" she blurted out, frustration and overwhelming shyness mixing in her tone like a bad cocktail.

The teasing subsided, but not without a few more stifled laughs from the backseat.

Upon arriving at the station, Zhu Yuan confirmed Elias's affiliation with PUBSEC undercover—but only to herself. She insisted on retaining custody of the suspect for public order violations—nothing more.

Elias, however, had a special request regarding the suspect, insisting that he be kept safe behind bars, though he didn't disclose why.

After checking on the suspect, Elias fixed himself up from the earlier scuffle, collected his badge from Zhu Yuan, and prepared to leave for the night.

Zhu Yuan let out a weary sigh as she stretched her arms. "Another trouble down for the city of New Eridu," she whispered to herself, hoping her bed was still intact after the chaos of the day.

Determined to gather more information, she decided to interrogate the suspect about Elias's agenda, especially considering the chaos in the Plaza. The guy didn't look as hurt as Elias, which left her more than a little confused.

"He didn't hurt you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

The suspect remained tight-lipped, his expression resembling that of a deer caught in headlights. Zhu Yuan recalled seeing him clutching a parcel while running but quickly brushed that thought aside; now wasn't the time for distractions.

"You won't be released here," she said firmly, leaning closer to him as if channeling her inner interrogator. "Because Elias is asking for your custody. We just need the proper documents." The suspect remained silent, his eyes darting around the room, fear evident on his face.

At her desk, buried under a mountain of paperwork with an additional folder due to the chaos earlier, Zhu Yuan blankly stared at the box of desserts she hadn't touched since yesterday.

The dim overhead lights cast long shadows across her cluttered workspace, amplifying the daunting task ahead.

"Looks like I have more paperwork than a bureaucrat on caffeine," she muttered to herself.

"Captain, what's his name?" Qingyi's voice cut through the silence, snapping Zhu Yuan back to the present.

"Name?" she murmured, slowly lifting her gaze as if awakening from a trance.

"Ah, yes! His name... um, Mr. Smith," Zhu Yuan replied, her voice barely above a whisper, hesitation creeping in as she tried to shake off the exhaustion settling on her shoulders.