Chapter 118 The Advisors Task (1/2)
The interrogation room was independent and enclosed.
However, the one-way glass and all-round view monitoring was enough for someone outside to see clearly what was inside.
Old Kong sat alone on the chair.
The chair was placed in the middle by itself, and there was nothing else inside.
There were several cameras from the front, side, and back, broadcasting his aged, emaciated face, stooped, weak back as well as his handcuffed hands.
Xiang Wan looked on quietly outside the interrogation room, observing the middle-aged man who looked not much different from an old man, as well as his body language…
”Xiang Wan.”
It was Bai Muchuan.
”Mm?” Xiang Wan turned back and met his gaze.
In just one look, both of them seemed to understand what the other party was thinking.
”Hur!” Xiang Wan said, ”I'm not a criminal psychologist. I'm just a novelist who likes to study the inner world of humans. I'll do my best, are you satisfied with this answer?”
”Mm,” Bai Muchuan smiled, ”I'm always satisfied with you.”
It sounded slightly jocular but sincere.
Xiang Wan could not find any hint of a tease from his face and was not in the mood to think more about it.
”Thank you!” She said, ”So when are we going in?”
Bai Muchuan took a look at the time on his watch before he furrowed his brows a little. ”Another 15 minutes to go.”
”Why 15 minutes?”
”Kong Guangming has been inside there for 45 minutes. It would be exactly an hour 15 minutes later. One hour of waiting time is the psychological limit for most people.”
There was also a clock on the wall of the interrogation room which was facing Old Kong.
In this way, he could see the passing of time and be tortured by it.
Xiang Wan smiled. ”It's a good thing that I'm not your enemy.”
”…” Bai Muchuan looked at her without much reaction, not saying a word.
These fifteen minutes was a test toward Old Kong's psychological limit.
Nevertheless, it was also the same for the two who were waiting outside the interrogation room.
When talking about work, the atmosphere was free, calm and focused.
But now that they were waiting together, she felt that even her breathing got affected…
Indeed, men and women who have been in ambiguous relationships are not suitable to be friends, thought Xiang Wan.
”Relax,” said Bai Muchuan, ”in fact, interrogation is a psychological contest. When you're weak, the other party will be strong. If you can't control your emotions, you'll never get the answers you want.”
”…”
So he said this as he thought she was nervous because of the impending interrogation?
”Thanks for your advice, Captain Bai.” Xiang Wan turned her head to look at him and put on a polite smile. ”Is this alright then? Am I relaxed enough?”
Bai Muchuan studied her. ”Not enough.”
”?” Xiang Wan was baffled.
Bai Muchuan narrowed his eyes and spoke softly, ”Guess what I saw in your eyes?”
”Hur.” Xiang Wan was amused by his serious expression. ”What is it? I can actually hide things inside my eyes?”
Bai Muchuan nodded his head as a matter-of-factly. ”Misunderstanding. I saw misunderstanding toward me in you.”
”…”
His eyes were warm but passionate as well.
After meeting his gaze for a few seconds, Xiang Wan felt a little overwhelmed.
”No.” She looked away. ”In my eyes, there's only work.”
”Is it?” Bai Muchuan looked at her with a straight face. ”Why didn't I see it then? Come, turn around so I can take a closer look this time?”
Watching him leaning over toward her, Xiang Wan took a step back and snorted, refusing to talk to him.
”Actually, I have a grievance. I'm really being wronged.” Bai Muchuan sighed as he leaned his back on the wall. His legs were slightly folded as he glanced at her lazily. ”I've been sentenced to 'death' without a trial.”
”…” Well, nothing was stirring inside Xiang Wan's heart… Of course, this was not true.
However, when she thought of the way Xie Wanwan and him got along with each other as well as their friendship of life and death, she felt that she was the one with a grievance. An unwarranted involvement in another's two-person world turned her into the kind of person she hated.
”Detective Bai, I'm not that interested in the matters between the two of you… I know my place, I don't like getting implicated in murky waters, and I especially dislike getting entangled in other people's affairs. That will affect my judgement, my intelligence, ethics, pride and ability to love. Do you understand what I mean?”
The corners of Bai Muchuan's lips curved upward.
”Isn't it still a 'death' penalty?”
”…”
He wouldn't be able to understand, thought Xiang Wan. She simply turned away so as not to look at him.
”This is not right.” Bai Muchuan puffed a sigh casually. His magnetic and melodious voice had a tinge of self-mockery and helplessness. ”How can you not take up responsibility after touching me?”
And he had to mention it again!
Xiang Wan felt abashed and gave him a sideways glance.
”Do you know why you always give people a feeling of insincerity?”
Bai Muchuan raised an eyebrow. ”Because I'm too good-looking beyond description?”
”…” That proud look of his.
Xiang Wan felt like giving him a punch.
She gave a snort and gave him a dismissive blink. ”Your acting stinks!”
…
”Captain Bai!”
Tang Yuanchu came over and was puzzled to see the two standing there.
”How come the two of you didn't go in?”
Bai Muchuan took a glance at him and looked at the time on his watch.
”It's almost time. Let's go in.”
”Alright.” His words sounded like she was being pardoned, and Xiang Wan felt relieved.
…
The door of the interrogation room was opened.
Tang Yuanchu had been called over to take down the statement.
Once again, Xiang Wan sat inside the interrogation room, but this time was her first official job ever since she had become an Advisor to the Criminal Investigation Unit.
Sitting in front of Old Kong, she looked at this middle-aged man that had prematurely stepped into the category of old with his gully wrinkled skin as well as a prolonged period of living in poor conditions that led to a depressed and dejected face.
”How do you feel now?” she asked slowly.
Such words without rhyme or reason startled Old Kong.
”Detective Comrade… I… really didn't know. It's true… If I've known that he would take out a knife, I'll never leave the room. It's true… really…”
He seemed to prattle on and on just like Aunt Xianglin.
But there was real pain amidst the numbness within Aunt Xianglin. Old Kong, on the other hand, only had numbness but no sorrow.
Xiang Wan looked at Bai Muchuan.
She recalled the day where he had confidently said during the meeting that Old Kong did not love his son and was an irresponsible father.
”Your son has been dead for two days, and yet you're not upset at all. All you think of is how to get away from criminal responsibility. Kong Guangming, I feel sad for your son!”
When she said that, her expression was genuinely mournful.
Old Kong looked at her. He kept his mouth shut, not answering anything.
Xiang Wan glanced at his pair of wrinkled eyes. ”Being affectionate to one's kids is second-nature to a human being. Hence, we really don't understand the reason that made you lose your nature? Kong Guangming, do tell us your story…”
Old Kong gazed at her with slumped shoulders.
Earlier on, he had gone through three rounds of interrogation.
However, those who came were male police officers. They used totally different interrogation methods.
Old Kong could not get used to that, but his face did not show much change.
”People will ultimately die. He's not a good person, his presence would be trouble for our country. It's good that he died.”
”…”
In the eyes of parents, even though their kid might be a devil, they would think that their kid is good.
Old Kong's reply dealt a cruel blow to Xiang Wan's heart.
”Take a look at your son again. Think it over carefully if you have anything to tell us.”
Xiang Wan took Kong Qingping's information from Tang Yuanchu.
The photos of when he was alive and dead—pictures taken at the crime scene—were lined up for Old Kong to see.
”Your son is quite pitiful. Ever since he came to this world, he had never received much love. He did not have a mother from young, and had a father who didn't treat him like his own…”