Three of them were wet and dirty, their clothes clinging to their bodies. Because of the interrogations and time constraints, they hadn't had a chance to change.
Although their physiques made them resistant to the cold, Spirit Fox valued a healthy lifestyle. No one wanted unnecessary illnesses to disrupt their daily lives. So, the three operators opened their trunks, where they had stored extra suits.
Without hesitation, they removed their upper clothes, including their underwear. Their smooth yet sturdy skin and muscles gleamed in the light, drawing the attention of nearby officers, including the female ones, despite their focus on work.
The operators didn't care about the public stares. After all, there was nothing to see when nothing was truly hidden. Of course, they weren't careless—none of them would expose themselves outright. Their sisters surrounded them, shielding them from prying eyes and glaring at the men to mind their own business.
Perhaps confidence and strength had transformed Spirit Fox from within. Born in a land steeped in traditional values and restrictions on women, it could be inferred that they had found liberation.
In truth, it wasn't culture or ideology that freed them but pure strength and confidence. They no longer cared about others' opinions. What if someone stared? They could easily handle it.
Naturally, they weren't exhibitionists. They still knew to cover themselves with towels over their busts. Yet their presence and poise seemed to amplify others' imaginations.
Despite this, no one dared to approach, except for a certain female officer who hovered near the trio after threatening the men to stay away. Her eyes gleamed with admiration as she watched them change without hesitation, even as other operators used large towels from the SUV's trunk to block any provocative views.
The officer remained, conflicted. Despite being the same gender, wasn't this a bit too much? She was on the verge of shouting "shameless!" when she paused, remembering her situation. Did this make her a pervert?
If she had asked Ling Qingyu or Miss System, their answer would have been simple: strength.
Everything revolved around strength. It built confidence and shaped temperament, whether for men or women. Personal strength and background determined the script one could perform in life.
Why, then, did female characters in Ling Qingyu's past games and stories often wear revealing clothing? Not bikinis, of course, but showing skin was normal. It wasn't about culture or entertainment for the audience.
The real reason was capability and self-assurance. Once someone gained strength, they no longer worried about their appearance or public judgment. They were unconcerned about lecherous gazes or societal accusations because nothing could harm them.
In extreme cases, some even punished those who dared to ogle, enjoying the mix of attraction and fear they evoked.
Women naturally harbored wariness toward men due to the countless incidents happening worldwide. Societal expectations often imposed strict limitations on their lives, creating invisible cages. While men faced similar pressures in regards to the responsibility and expectations, for women, the restrictions felt like chains in daily life, completely like birds with broken wings.
Before the modern era, women often knew little of the world beyond their homes. Even today, in some parts of the world, not much had changed. Ling Qingyu understood this deeply.
Because she had the strength to protect herself from immediate harm and wield power, she didn't mind enhancing her beauty or showing off her alluring appearance. Initially, she had felt insecure, worrying about whispers behind her back.
Over time, she broke through her insecurities, though she had some advantages to help her. While it might be harder for others, it wasn't impossible. Everyone had insecurities. Only by facing and overcoming them could they move forward unbound.
Similarly, Spirit Fox had transcended such concerns. A little undressing didn't faze them in the slightest. It wasn't as if they were completely naked; only their upper bodies were exposed.
Besides, most women enjoyed attention and displaying their beauty. Some believed that if the world were entirely safe, women might be the first to walk naked or wear very little.
Fashion itself often focused on accentuating female beauty and sensuality. While part of this was for attracting male attention, much of it stemmed from women's desire to satisfy their vanity and seek validation for their beauty.
Anyway, the unrestrained behavior of Spirit Fox's operators almost caused the policewoman to forget her original intention.
"Are you girls really going to shoot him?" she asked.
"Of course not," the one who had threatened and interrogated replied with a smile.
"Oh, that's a relief. You just exploit his fear," the policewoman said, patting her chest with a naive smile.
The other two operators watched with playful eyes, unfazed by the female officer's presence among their circle. Perhaps her desire to inquire was so strong that she conveniently forgot the operators were still changing clothes.
"But why do I remember that you actually put a bullet in the cylinder?"
"It's just a simple magic trick," the operator replied with a shrug. "I tricked their eyes into thinking I loaded the bullet. In reality, I hid it in my hand with a quick movement."
"Really?" The female officer acted surprised. In her eyes, and those of her colleagues, the operator had clearly appeared to load the bullet.
The operators nodded knowingly. Unlike average humans, they could clearly see their teammate's sleight-of-hand technique. That was why they had remained so calm, even staging a good-cop-bad-cop routine.
Noticing the behavior of the two operators, who had finished changing their shirts and drying their hair, the policewoman expressed her doubt.
To prove their truthfulness, the female operator took out her revolver and snapped the cylinder open. No bullets were loaded.
The policewoman was shocked and marveled at the trick that had fooled everyone—everyone except Spirit Fox.
"So, do you believe me now?" the operator asked with a smile.
The policewoman nodded and replied, "It's really brilliant. You nail everything and seek justice for our murderer." She paused before asking again, "So, the infamy you and those two men spoke about must be false, right? … Right?"
The policewoman repeated herself because she received no answer—only well-intentioned smiles that sent a shiver down her spine.
Sensing the tension, the policewoman nearly bolted back to her teammates but controlled herself. "Did you really kill them?"
"Which gangsters haven't we killed when they resisted and endangered bystanders' lives?" one operator replied with a shrug.
"You know I'm not talking about that," she retorted.
"We know exactly what you're talking about, but do you think we could have the current peace—where the gangs fear us instead of us fearing them—without violence?" another operator chuckled and interrupted.
"Of… of course not," the policewoman sighed. "From the looks of it, this isn't the first time you've violated regulations and threatened criminals."
"We never said that," all four disagreed, continuing to undress the lower part of their outfits. This time, they used larger towels for coverage.
None of the operators entered the vehicle to change, as they were wet, and no one liked cleaning or drying the interiors, especially the seats, which were the hardest to clean.
"By the way, you guys have really big assets," the policewoman said enviously, making a lifting gesture. Her hands somehow landed on one operator's chest, whose forehead creased in annoyance. The victim swatted her hands away helplessly.
All four looked down at her bust and nodded sympathetically. One even offered advice: "Eat well, exercise regularly, drink more water, and get good sleep."
The female officer rolled her eyes with a dark expression, choosing not to argue further. As for the possible torture happening behind the scenes, though she didn't condone it, her experience and the current discussion made it seem necessary.
"Okay, I know you don't like the way we operate, but you must realize that when dealing with people who exploit loopholes, you're destined to lose if you keep abiding by the rules. Either the rules change, or the enforcer changes."
"You know, we're fortunate that cartels and more serious gangs haven't formed here yet," an operator argued. "Look at Country M in the Southern Bush—absolute chaos and the downfall of order. Now it's spreading like a virus to other nations. Even places that respect human rights too much, like Alyssia, are beginning to lose control."
The policewoman nodded slightly, choosing not to say much but hoping to connect more with the Spirit Fox operators. The opportunity was rare.
Perhaps the two sides had different stances, but both worked to protect Province N. Plus, she had already witnessed how criminals exploited corruption to their advantage, listening to the two men's hurried confessions to escape "death."
Now, she understood why groups like Spirit Fox were sometimes necessary, even in peacetime. One needn't look far; Country B in the Southern Bush bore a strong resemblance to Spirit Fox.
A special force like BOPE had committed numerous human rights violations, but their existence was the only weapon against gangs and thugs who had no fear of the law. While BOPE might be harsher than Spirit Fox, their principles were strikingly similar.
A lecherous whistle cut through the air, disrupting the serious discussion. "Ladies, mind if I take a look?"
The policewoman furrowed her brows at the intruder and instinctively retreated closer to the operators she was familiar with.
Owing to emergency requirement, she didn't take deep notes of this woman but she didn't want to stay close with this adulterous slut.
The four operators cursed under their breath and hurried to finish dressing. The speaker was a fellow Spirit Fox operator, unmistakable with a lipstick mark smeared across her face.
Everyone knew what that meant. The silent consensus among the four operators was clear: this pervert needed a lesson.
Without hesitation, and to the astonishment of the policewoman and others nearby, the four operators pounced on the offender in civilian clothing. What followed was a flurry of kicks aimed at her backside and playful but firm slaps delivered to her head.
The lesson was vital; or else, who knew when this lunatic would target the same gang!
Though lily wasn't scorned among the ranks since many other sisters were copying their boss's lifestyle, being targeted by a scumbag must not be tolerated!
The rest of Spirit Fox merely slapped their foreheads and chose to ignore the 5P commotion.