Chapter 351 Three Slopes

"You're not powerless, Lili. You gave them a chance to start a new life. Without this 'opportunity' from you, nothing would have started."

"The road ahead is long and requires professionals, time, and the joint efforts of society, but this is no longer a burden you need to carry alone."

Despite her consolation, Leng Xiaohe was still filled with worry as she looked at Xia Lili's still heavy face.

She knew that the psychological exhaustion brought about by this kind of job could not be easily resolved with a few words of advice.

After leaving Xia Lili, Leng Xiaohe went straight to Commander Gu's office and reported everything she had observed and her concerns.

"Commander Gu, Lili isn't feeling well. She seems to be suffering from a severe lack of achievement and self-doubt. I'm worried that this will affect her mental state and professional judgment in the long run."

Upon hearing this, Commander Gu nodded solemnly, "I understand. This matter is very important. Thank you, Xiaohe. We will handle it properly."

A day later, Xia Lili was called to Commander Gu's office.

The office is simply furnished, but one wall is filled with certificates of honor, medals, and photos related to major cases, silently highlighting the owner's extraordinary career.

Commander Gu did not sit behind his desk. Instead, he made two cups of hot tea and motioned Xia Lili to sit on the sofa in the meeting room.

A brief silence spread amid the lingering aroma of tea.

Xia Lili's eyes involuntarily swept across, and she finally spoke softly, her tone filled with confusion and seeking: "Commander Gu... You have experienced so many cases and seen so many dark things."

"Have you ever had that feeling?"

"Even if you solve the case and catch the bad guy, you still feel that... everything you've done is insignificant compared to the harm already caused to the victim, or even... meaningless?"

Commander Gu did not answer immediately. He picked up the teacup, blew away the hot steam, and cast his eyes on the wall of honor, as if penetrating time.

"More than once." His voice was calm and peaceful, with the clarity of someone who had experienced many hardships. "Almost everyone who has truly fought on the front lines will, at some point, be struck by this feeling of powerlessness."

He put down his teacup and looked at Xia Lili, his eyes sharp but full of understanding: "I remember many years ago, I led a team to solve a serial kidnapping case and rescued several children."

"Everyone was very happy at the celebration, except me. Because I saw with my own eyes what happened when one of the children was found... There was no light left in those eyes."

"I was thinking, what does our so-called victory mean to him?"

"But Lili," Commander Gu said, his tone becoming especially serious. "You have to understand one thing: our duty is to cut off the hand that is doing evil and to block the door to hell."

"We are not gods and cannot erase the trauma that has already occurred. That is the job of doctors, psychologists and time."

"If we deny the value of cutting off evil and preventing further tragedies because we cannot heal all wounds immediately, that would be the greatest misunderstanding of this profession and the greatest injustice to ourselves."

"The significance of our police force is to prevent 'worse' situations from happening and to give people the possibility of 'new life'. You must learn to transform this burden into fuel to keep moving forward, rather than a boulder that crushes you."

Xia Lili listened quietly, and the depression in her heart seemed to be slightly relieved by these words.

Commander Gu observed her expression and knew that although the logic made sense, the knot in her heart still needed practical action to be resolved.

He pondered for a moment, as if he had made up his mind, and said in a seemingly casual tone:

"It just so happens that I have an old friend in the southwest border. He heard that we have a remarkable leader of the 'Dragon Group' in the southeast. He is outstanding in ability and has a meticulous mind."

As he spoke, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "They recently encountered a very difficult case involving cross-border crime. The environment is complex and extremely dangerous, but also extremely challenging."

"He privately requested my assistance, specifically asking you to come over and provide support."

Xia Lili's attention was immediately drawn when she heard this.

He paused, his eyes falling on Xia Lili. "I was hesitant. On the one hand, the mission really requires top talent like you."

"On the other hand, the situation over there is changing rapidly and is truly dangerous. However, considering your current condition, staying where you are probably not an option."

"Sometimes, the fastest way to heal is not to stare at old scars repeatedly, but to throw yourself into new and more worthwhile battles. How about that, Xia Lili?"

Commander Gu leaned forward slightly and asked solemnly, "Are you interested in this mission?"

When Xia Lili heard the phrase "the mission in the southwest," her dim eyes instantly lit up, and she unconsciously sat up straighter. "Commander Gu! What's the mission?"

Commander Gu didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "You've probably heard of this place called 'Sanbianpo', right?"

Xia Lili nodded immediately, her expression becoming serious.

Of course she had heard of this place.

Sanbianpo is not the territory of Longguo, but is located outside the southwestern border of Longguo, bordering the territories of Vientiane and Siam, forming a complex triangular area with unclear sovereignty and jagged edges.

Due to its special geographical location and the long border line that is poorly managed by neighboring countries, this place has long become a hotbed of various cross-border criminal activities, with smuggling, fraud, and illegal armed activities emerging one after another.

Although it is not within the territory of Longguo, the criminal activities it breeds directly threaten Longguo’s border security and the interests of citizens. It is one of the most difficult and troublesome areas in Longguo’s southwest for external security cooperation and cross-border crime control.

This lawless place frequently appears in news briefings on cross-border crime and in internal case studies, and its name has almost become synonymous with danger and chaos.

Seeing that she understood, Commander Gu continued, "Li Qihan's been away for so long this time to prepare for and conduct reconnaissance for the mission in this area."

I was surprised to hear that Li Qihan's name was actually associated with this dreaded area.

Xia Lili's heart suddenly tightened, and she subconsciously held her breath and pricked up her ears with full concentration, afraid of missing a word.

Commander Gu looked solemn, as if he was weighing the weight of the information, and then he spoke in a deep voice:

"Li Qihan was transferred there because the targets of this southwestern border operation are several extremely cunning and powerful drug lords who have long been entrenched in the 'Sanbianpo' area."

"They are not only involved in armed drug trafficking, but are also involved in multiple serious crimes such as transnational kidnapping and telecommunications fraud, posing a huge threat to border security."