When Gu Qinghan awoke again, afternoon light already bathed the room.

The sunset glow filtered through the window, gilding puddles on the floor until they shimmered like molten gold.

So serene it made time feel forgotten.

"I slept quite a while…"

Gu Qinghan slowly sat up, a lazy languor clinging to his limbs.

Yet the fatigue from last night still lingered.

The room remained messy—damp footprints trailed across the floor; half-eaten food sat untouched on the table.

Most importantly, both guests had vanished.

Come to think of it… how *had* they left?

A dull throb pulsed at his temples. He abandoned the thought.

He’d paid zero attention to Liana and Katarina last night.

Recalling it now felt impolite.

Two disheveled girls—one barely conscious, the other dead drunk.

If anything happened en route, the responsibility would fall squarely on him.

He shook his head, dismissing the worry.

Honestly… who in this town would dare assault Inspector Katarina? Probably only himself.

He rose, ate cold leftovers from the table.

Meanwhile, Liana’s hypnotic depth kept climbing.

Every second delayed meant greater risk.

If it hit one hundred, even the Hypnosis Nullifier would fail—irreversibly.

Gu Qinghan had to complete the "reverse psychological conditioning" on Liana first.

He needed to uncover why her mind had fractured.

His movements quickened.

A swift tidy-up restored the humble cottage to spotless order, erasing all traces of last night’s chaos.

Seizing the quiet street, he filled three large buckets with Clarity Spring Water.

This time, he’d be fully prepared before inviting Liana.

Only after crafting three doses of Hypnosis Nullifier did he exhale in relief.

All was set. Only the final piece remained.

His next step was simple:

Extract Liana’s past, pinpoint the trigger, then address the root cause.

In plain terms: interrogation.

But he had zero experience.

How to get her to talk?

A faint glimmer sparked in his eyes. For once, a genuine smile touched his lips.

Tomorrow was Katarina’s routine inspection day.

Perfect chance to learn a thing or two from this Inspector.

…

Dawn broke.

Right on schedule—*knock, knock, knock!*

The rhythmic tapping pulled Gu Qinghan awake.

He glanced at the wall clock.

Eight o’clock exactly.

Only one person kept such precise timing.

The name "Hohenheim" still carried weight.

With an inward wry smile, he walked to the door—

*Creak!*

As expected: Katarina stood there—impeccably dressed, statuesque, radiating crisp professionalism.

Impossible to link this poised Inspector with her drunken state two nights prior.

"Good morning, Mr. Hohenheim."

Her voice held quiet authority. She offered a calm smile and a slight nod.

"Good morning, Inspector Katarina."

Gu Qinghan returned a neutral smile, nodding lightly.

Katarina produced her inspection credentials from her hip bag, handing them over with a faint smile.

"Routine inspection today. Your cooperation is appreciated."

He accepted the card, letting his fingertips brush her palm—then stepped aside as if nothing happened.

"Please come in."

"Mm."

She entered, gaze sweeping the familiar space with unreadable calm.

Compared to last week, she moved with practiced ease—no longer the greenhorn on her first inspection.

Elegant. Capable. A true Inspector.

At least outwardly.

"Mr. Hohenheim, I’ll ask a few questions. Please answer truthfully." A gentle smile curved her lips.

"I shall answer openly."

She nodded, notepad ready.

"Did you leave your residence last week?"

Gu Qinghan paused, then replied calmly:

"Surely *you* know that better than I do, Inspector."

Her cheeks flushed faintly. *She’d tailed him all week.*

She bit her lip, then straightened.

"Sir, please cooperate." A deep breath. "Second question: Did you secretly enter another person’s residence this week?"

"I don’t recall."

"What?" Her eyes widened, irritation flickering. His blatant nonchalance was infuriating.

"Though…" Gu Qinghan added smoothly, "I *do* recall someone of the opposite sex sneaking into *my* home two nights ago."

Katarina’s eyes lit up. Notebook snapped open. "Who?"

"A tall, strikingly beautiful young woman with heroic grace."

"Mm, go on…" She bit the pen cap, scribbling furiously.

"A prodigy. Top graduate of the Magic Academy. She enjoyed fine food here… then drank herself into a stupor."

Katarina’s face flushed visibly. A thermometer nearby might’ve shattered from the heat.

"Enough! Please stop." She closed the notebook, raised a hand, sighed while rubbing her forehead. Mortified.

"Let’s pretend last night never happened. *Please.*"

"Oh? Why?" Gu Qinghan’s smile turned teasing.

She let out a tiny whimper, gaze darting away. "An Inspector passing out drunk during duty… it’s an unheard-of scandal! I can’t face my colleagues like this!"

Gu Qinghan chuckled softly. *Refreshingly straightforward. Endearing.*

"What’s so funny?" she snapped, cheeks burning.

"Nothing. Just admiring a delightful sight. Hard not to be captivated."

She froze, speechless. Then her eyes sharpened, expression turning stern.

"Wait—did you… do anything inappropriate to me while I was drunk?"

"How could I? I don’t even remember how you left." He waved his hands.

"Mm. Good." She patted her chest, visibly relieved.

Gu Qinghan’s smile softened. "Whether *you* got drunk here doesn’t concern me. But gossipmongers thrive on rumors. I can’t guarantee *they’ll* stay quiet."

His expression settled into calm seriousness.

Katarina stilled. Her eyes turned icy.

"Speak. What do you want?"

She’d caught his meaning instantly.

Gu Qinghan smiled faintly. *Sharp minds save time.*

"One question: How do you get uncooperative criminals to talk?"

He spoke with effortless calm, a barely perceptible glint flickering deep in his eyes.