I'm only in my twenties—what's wrong with carrying a gun?

Chen watched the situation unfold, his conviction growing stronger in his heart. He pressed on, “And besides, do you see any weapon in my hand? Nothing—not even a brick. On what grounds would you open fire? Just because you assume I intend to resist arrest? I only tried to run, but I didn’t actually bolt!”

He finished in one breath, feeling an indescribable thrill surge through him.

After all, in real life, he’d never dare to act like this.

“Thank goodness this healing game is so meticulous in its design, even specifying strict prerequisites for the police to use their firearms. Otherwise, I’d never have the chance to enjoy myself like this…” He chuckled to himself, his thoughts running wild.

Breaking taboos always has its own exhilaration.

But the middle-aged man—the plainclothes team leader—was now completely dumbfounded.

Truly, only one of their own could so thoroughly understand their ways!

The tactics he usually employed to intimidate others were now useless, so he could only keep a cold face as he said, “The plainclothes division has cast a net over this entire area. Every exit is guarded. Chen Jueshen, you’d best come quietly with us back to headquarters—there’s no escape for you!”

“What exactly have I done to warrant such a commotion?” Chen feigned innocence, suspecting that this sudden arrest was closely related to the identity he’d assumed—this “Chen Jueshen” who had been sent to Shangsanjiang City.

And this, in all likelihood, signaled the opening act of the game’s main plot.

“The Li family mansion burned to the ground overnight. Headquarters summoned you repeatedly and you failed to appear, so we suspect you’re the arsonist behind this case!” the middle-aged man stated.

“That wasn’t me! I’ve been guarding the old house the whole time—how could I have had the opportunity to set fire to the Li family mansion…” Chen argued in his own defense, though as he spoke, he couldn’t help but pause.

He suddenly realized that the name “Li family mansion” sounded oddly familiar.

Could it be the villa belonging to that wealthy Li businessman?

That thought had barely crossed his mind when the middle-aged man confirmed it for him.

“It’s the very house you were assigned to guard that caught fire! And you claim you were there the whole time. You didn’t even know your post had burned down—don’t you think that’s suspicious? Moreover, you disappeared inexplicably for three days!” As he spoke, suspicion flickered in the man’s eyes.

Until now, he’d merely been following orders, even feeling a bit sorry for this “Chen Jueshen,” the probationary officer.

Having spent many years in the force, especially as a team leader in the plainclothes division, he was well versed in these affairs.

In cases like this, where an old house burns down, the worst the assigned guard would face is a charge of negligence—at most, a three-year delay before being promoted to full officer, with no other real punishment.

But this time, not only had they summoned him directly, they’d mobilized the entire plainclothes division to make the arrest. Wasn’t there something fishy about that?

To the middle-aged man, it seemed clear: this “Chen Jueshen” had offended someone powerful to warrant such treatment.

But now, his opinion began to shift.

Chen’s responses were riddled with logical inconsistencies.

Chen himself was somewhat at a loss upon hearing the man’s words—had three days really passed so quickly in the game?

But almost immediately, he relaxed.

“It must be part of the game’s narrative design!”

“And most likely, it’s those nine ghosts who escaped causing trouble. They must have realized I’d uncovered the secret of the Li family’s villa, so they set it ablaze and orchestrated my arrest to silence me!”

“This is the twisted sequel to that damned side quest!”

Cursing inwardly, Chen quickly devised a plan.

“What if I told you I inexplicably slept for three days—would you believe me? I know you wouldn’t, so I agree to go back with you to prove my innocence! But before that, I have one request,” Chen said, deliberately putting on a stern face to appear serious.

“What request?” The middle-aged man’s demeanor eased, relieved that the young officer was willing to cooperate. It would save trouble and help him complete his task smoothly.

“I want a gun,” Chen said.

“What?” The man’s eyes widened, certain he’d misheard.

Did this “Chen Jueshen” just ask for a gun?

Was he mad? Or was he himself going crazy?

In all his years on the force, he’d never met anyone so brazen.

“I said, give me a gun,” Chen repeated, remembering to add, “Thank you.”

The man’s eyes widened even further, staring at Chen in disbelief. Was this kid toying with him?

The officers under the middle-aged man couldn’t hold back any longer. “Do you think we’re easy targets just because our boss seems nice?”

“Asking for a gun—why not ask us to shoot ourselves while you’re at it?”

“Behave yourself, or don’t blame us for getting rough!”

Though their tone was harsh, it was still more civil than the previous squad—at least they refrained from swearing.

“I’m only asking for a gun. Is that so outrageous? I’m barely in my twenties—what’s wrong with wanting a little firepower?” Chen spread his hands, feigning innocence.

“You really think that’s reasonable?”

“Of course it is! I just want a gun to bolster my courage—after all, there are so many of you!” Chen replied, his words sounding perfectly justified.

“In your dreams!” the middle-aged officer finally snapped.

“In that case, farewell!” Chen shot back, darting into the nearby woods.

He’d already decided to ignore the follow-up tasks related to the old house quest. There was no way he was going back with them to trigger the next stage of the “game narrative.”

“Catch him!” shouted the team leader, giving chase. But there was no way they could catch up—by the time they entered the woods, Chen had already vanished.

The plainclothes officers exchanged helpless looks. After searching in vain, they returned to the road, only to spot Chen’s figure up ahead.

“Catch him!”

But before they could reach him, Chen had slipped out of sight again.

When they returned once more, there he was, strolling along the road ahead of them.

This time, the breathless team leader couldn’t even shout “Catch him!” He could only clutch his waist and yell, “Fine! We’ll give you a gun—but you must come with us!”

“As long as you give me a gun, I promise I’ll keep my word. But what kind of gun will you give me? I don’t want a pistol—it’s too light, not stylish enough. I want something bigger, preferably an AK…”