Chapter 356: Hypnotic Suggestions (1/2)

Still flushed, Dali mumbled, ”I drank too much. Pour me a glass of hot water!”

I brought him a glass of water and a wet towel. Dali's skin was boiling hot, cheeks red like a ripe tomato–the man was completely drunk.

“Geez, alcohol can really kill you!” Dali took a sip of the warm water and wiped his face with the towel.

”You don't have to work so hard, holding these dinners with the clients. It’s not good for you!” I urged.

Dali sighed, ”I can't help it. They kept filling my glass...” At this point, Dali suddenly froze, brows furrowed as he desperately tried to recall. ”Dude, who was I drinking with last night?” he asked.

”How should I know!” I retorted.

”Damn, I’m losing my memory! Is this a sign of premature aging?” he lamented. “I can’t remember a single thing!”

”Don't think about it now, just lie down. I'll get you some vinegar to relieve the hangover,” I said.

I brought him a small cup of vinegar which he immediately downed. ”Do you feel better?” I asked.

”Much better!” he nodded.

Because Dali’s subconscious remembered my voice, my words still contained the power of suggestion.

I told Dali to lie down. ”Dude, thanks for being here,” he added, voice tinged with gratitude. “I wouldn’t know what to do if it weren’t for you.”

”Alright, that’s enough talk,” I waved my hand. “Have a good rest. I’ll leave you to it.”

As soon as I left the room, I was greeted by a laughing Xiaotao. ”Hahahaha, you’re so wicked!” she clapped me on the back.

”I was just demonstrating hypnosis!” I grinned.

The test tonight was meaningful for two reasons–first of all, people were vulnerable to hypnotic suggestions in their sleep. And most importantly, water could be turned into alcohol with hypnotic suggestion, so it could just as well serve as drugs.

”Do you mean to say that the Imitator rendered the suspect unconscious by hypnotizing him into believing he had inhaled a sedative?” surmised Xiaotao.

”This is the only possibility I can come up with!” I admitted.

”How did the Imitator hypnotize the suspect in such a short amount of time?” Xiaotao pointed out. “He doesn't have Li Wenjia's eyes.”

After a moment’s contemplation, I suggested, ”Let's go meet our suspect!”

We drove down to the station that was still brightly lit with officers on the hop due to the investigation of tonight’s case. When Xiaotao and I entered the detention room, the suspect, Mr. Li, wailed at the sight of us, ”You have to help me. I really didn't kill my wife! I’ve told you a thousand times, I was unconscious!”

”Again? But the chair is so uncomfortable,” grumbled Mr. Li. “The officer who just questioned me even blinded me with the lamp. Can’t we talk here?”

”Don’t worry, we won't blind you with the lamp,” laughed Xiaotao. “Are you hungry? I'll order you some food and we can talk while you’re eating.”

Xiaotao’s words seemed to have the effect of relaxing Mr. Li’s vigilance. The officer next to us opened the cell door, and as soon as Mr. Li walked out, I noticed two bruises on his neck. The size and pattern suggested his throat was squeezed by someone’s thumb and forefinger.

”What happened to your throat?” I began.