Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 263: She’s just… at the police station, that’s all

Mia had just given Ryan a fresh lead for the investigation. She’d managed to get some info from a street vendor, and Ryan quickly typed it into a message and sent it over to Alice.

The gang wasn’t short on skilled operatives, and some detectives who had once profiled criminals had crossed the line and ended up working for Alice.

Alice seemed busy, though, and didn’t pick up when Ryan called.

About ten minutes later, a picture came through from an unknown number to Ryan’s phone.

The image showed a man who looked like he’d seen better days. His scruffy beard was long overdue for a trim, curling at the ends, and in stark contrast to his wild facial hair, his head was balding.

A bald guy, with a scar near his eye. No wonder the vendor had said, after some thought, that the guy didn’t exactly look like a saint.

[Bloodhound Instinct activated. Input: Image. Match: 76%]

[Tracking target…]

Ryan hadn’t even had time to fully process the picture when the system’s notification chimed in, clearing up any doubts he might’ve had. He’d always wondered why a skill like Bloodhound Instinct—which seemed to only let him “see” smells—was ranked as an A-tier ability.

Now it made sense. Seeing scents in the air was just a bonus. The real power of the skill was in tracking, like a hound on the hunt.

Once the skill fully activated, a path appeared in Ryan’s vision, like an arrow in a video game. A blood-red trail stretched out from the construction site, leading far into the distance.

“Let’s go.”

Ryan glanced at the picture on his phone, then grabbed Mia, who was still munching on a sausage, and got ready to move.

“Go? Go where? Home?”

Mia’s mouth was stuffed with sausage, and her tongue was hopping around, trying to avoid getting burned, but she kept shoving more food in anyway.

She’d been under strict supervision for so long that she rarely got to eat street food like this. Now that she had the chance, she was going all out.

Ryan shot her an exasperated look. It was just some basic street food, and she was acting like it was the best thing ever. If he took her to that food market they’d visited before, she’d probably lose her mind.

“We’re going to catch that guy and get your ring back.”

He grumbled, still annoyed from when Mia had bitten him earlier. She hadn’t held back at all, and his hand was still throbbing.

Mia’s eyes went wide, and she froze, looking like a fish blowing bubbles in water.

“Catch him? You already know where he is?”

She asked, half in disbelief, but immediately regretted it. How could that be possible?

Ryan had been with her all morning. She’d seen everything unfold right in front of her. If she didn’t know where the guy was, how could Ryan?

What, did he have superpowers or something?

Her eyes were full of doubt, but she adorably scooted closer to Ryan and tugged on his sleeve.

“Ryan, come on. There’s no one else here. You don’t have to pretend.”

“Honesty’s the best policy, right?”

She sounded so sincere, like she was genuinely worried Ryan was going down the wrong path. She even offered him a bite of her sausage and gently ruffled his hair.

Honestly, when a cute girl like Mia starts acting all motherly, it’s game over.

But the thing was, Ryan wasn’t pretending!

It took him a while to convince Mia that he really did know where the thief was. Alice was busy and couldn’t send anyone to help, so Ryan had no choice but to rely on Mia.

Which, of course, was exactly what Mia wanted. From the start, it seemed like her goal was to get Ryan to admit he needed her.

A little while later, they were on their way to track down the thief from the construction site. Ryan sat in the front, directing the driver, while Mia sat in the back, watching Ryan’s profile with interest.

Ryan was so focused that even Mia had to admit he probably did know where the thief was.

Of course, this was impossible. Ryan was definitely hiding something from her. Mia crossed her arms and pouted, glaring at the back of Ryan’s head like she was sulking.

But, at the same time, that only made him more mysterious—and that much more interesting to Mia.

“Mm, take a left here, then a right at the traffic light up ahead.”

“Turn in by that garbage truck.”

Ryan followed the trail the skill was showing him, and the route was… strange, to say the least. The construction site was already in a pretty remote area, but now the car was speeding toward the outskirts of town.

The driver kept glancing back, trying to get Mia’s approval for the odd directions. But her eyes were glued to Ryan the whole time, and the look she was giving him… was that affection?

The driver quickly shook his head, trying to clear the weird thought from his mind. It was better to stay out of the passengers’ business. The less he knew, the better.

Mia kept staring at Ryan’s profile, like she couldn’t get enough of it. But just as she was getting lost in her thoughts, her phone rang, interrupting her little moment.

Annoyed, she pulled out her phone and glanced at the caller ID.

Then, with a strange look, she sized Ryan up, as if he’d done something wrong.

“Hello? Anna, what’s up?”

Her voice came from the back seat, breaking Ryan’s concentration. He turned his head, a bit confused, and looked at Mia with a puzzled expression.

Anna? Why was Anna calling Mia? And judging by Mia’s reaction, this wasn’t the first time.

Mia noticed Ryan’s curiosity and smiled slyly. This was exactly the reaction she’d been hoping for. Her voice suddenly became sickly sweet, like cotton candy melting in syrup—exactly how Ryan felt at that moment.

“What am I doing? I’m with Ryan, of course. If you’ve got something to say, make it quick.”

She glanced at Ryan, who had leaned in to listen, and with a playful push, she shoved his head back into place, signaling him to calm down.

Ryan watched as Mia’s expression gradually turned serious. She was listening intently to whatever Anna was saying on the other end of the line.

Despite their differences, Mia and Anna had formed a sort of alliance, so it wasn’t surprising that Mia would help out when Anna needed something. Still, Anna was usually too proud to ask for help, which made this situation all the more intriguing to Mia.

“Hmm? That’s it? Alright, I got it.”

Ryan watched Mia’s face the entire time, but she didn’t give away anything useful. It was like she was speaking in riddles. By the end of the call, all Ryan knew was that Anna had been the one calling—nothing more.

Mia, on the other hand, was feeling pretty pleased with herself. She’d finally figured out how to keep Ryan wrapped around her finger.

Ryan was a sentimental guy. He valued relationships. So, all she had to do was play the emotional card. She should’ve realized this sooner.

“Mia, did something happen to Anna?”

Sure enough, the moment Mia hung up, Ryan was already asking, his voice full of concern. Mia couldn’t help but wonder—if it were her in trouble, would Ryan look at her with the same worried expression?

“Nothing major. Just a small issue, really.”

Mia waved her hand dismissively, acting like it was no big deal. But just as Ryan was about to relax, she dropped the bomb.

“She’s just… at the police station, that’s all.”

“What?!”

——————————-

PS:

Anna’s at the police station! Can Ryan ever catch a break? One minute he’s channeling his inner detective, tracking down thieves like he’s got superpowers, the next he’s dealing with Mia and her endless teasing (and food obsession, seriously, where does she put it all?!). Now, just as he’s getting somewhere, Anna throws in a new twist—she’s at the police station!

You’ve got to wonder—what on earth could Anna have done to end up there? And, of course, this means Ryan has yet another issue to deal with. Let’s not forget, this is the guy who’s already juggling a secret mission, an ever-scheming Mia, and some shady underworld stuff. Now we’ve got Anna’s police drama thrown into the mix. If I were Ryan, I’d be asking for a vacation at this point.

But seriously, what is Anna doing at the police station? Did she get herself into trouble, or is this just another wild card thrown into Ryan’s already chaotic life? And how much more can Ryan really handle before everything comes crashing down? One thing’s for sure—things are about to get way more complicated.

Stick around, because things are about to get even more interesting!

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