"Zhong He'an, I didn't expect you to be a scientist at such a young age. If you hadn't misused your talent, you wouldn't be in our interrogation room like this today," Ma Biao began in a calmer tone.
Xia Xiaoling continued, "Zhong He'an, your colleagues have all confessed. Now, only your statement is needed, and our business can conclude. I believe you are someone who values time greatly. Knowing the outcome won't change, you wouldn't delay, would you? You'll confess to me directly, right?"
The two of them, in a relentless barrage of probing and coaxing, found Zhong He'an like a wooden figure, seemingly unaffected by anything they said. The young man's face wore a perpetual expression of disdain. "Impossible. They would never admit anything. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come looking for me, trying to trick me. Do you think I'm the youngest among them, therefore the easiest to fool? I'm telling you, there's no age gap between us; our thoughts are all aligned. We won't betray the guilty party. So, no matter who you ask among us, the outcome will not change!"
"Thank you for mentioning the guilty party. If you hadn't admitted it yourself, I wouldn't have even thought you were necessarily involved with them," Ma Biao exclaimed with a triumphant air. He then turned serious, "Zhong He'an, don't play word games with us police. We have a hundred interrogation methods that can dismantle your tactics. You'd better be honest and tell us something else, something about the guilty party… You can't possibly not know that Cao Xiangchen is your leader, can you?!"
Ma Biao didn't directly ask the crucial question but started with several seemingly insignificant ones, finally striking at Zhong He'an's heart with a convoluted sentence. I could see Zhong He'an was still pondering the true meaning of "You can't possibly not know that Cao Xiangchen is your leader, can you?!" When he finally reacted, the guy roared, "I don't know any Cao Xiangchen!"
"Heh, looking at your hesitation just now, if you truly didn't know him, why would you need to think about it? Shouldn't you have responded immediately upon hearing his name?" Xia Xiaoling seized the moment with a flawless counter-question.
It seemed another of Zhong He'an's inner defenses had been breached by her. Pain flickered across his face, anxiety settling onto his shoulders. His arms trembled, his lips were dry and quivering, and more sweat beaded on his forehead. However, he subsequently chose to ignore them. Xia Xiaoling, as if anticipating this, immediately dropped a bombshell: "Your family also wants you to confess. Given your situation, your punishment might not be the same as theirs, and you could get off much easier. Do you want to be severely punished like the head of the laboratory?"
As she spoke, Xia Xiaoling began playing a recording. I had no idea when she obtained it; perhaps Yuan Hezui had helped. He Xin was basically not working anymore, and everything was handed over to Yuan Hezui. Listening to his mother's sorrowful words, Zhong He'an clenched his fists tightly, muttering, "Mom, is this truly what you wanted to see? Then why did you insist on forcing me to develop in this field back then…"
Zhong He'an's mother's voice on the recording said, "He'an, if the police hadn't shown up, I wouldn't have known that the research you're doing now is illegal. Didn't you say you'd found a job that would advance our Zhong family's technology? How did I teach you before? Our Zhong family has always produced scientists who made great contributions to the country. How could it have degenerated to this point in your generation? Is this my failure in upbringing? You even dared to lie to me, saying you were working in a state-owned enterprise. That place was so secretive; didn't you realize it was a criminal den? My child, the only thing you can do now is confess to the police. Don't be so stubborn, or I won't be able to help you either…"
"Mom… I actually never liked science at all. I searched for a long time, but no one would take me. Then, when I had nowhere else to turn, someone brought me to that laboratory. That place allowed my skills to develop, to develop! Though, when I calm down and think about it, I realize I did wrong. But can I turn back? Every year when I brought money home, you were so satisfied… satisfied…"
Zhong He'an rambled on as if in a trance, tears in his eyes, his body trembling even more violently than before. Ma Biao and Xia Xiaoling remained silent, waiting for him to calm down.
Given his state, it seemed he would break down soon.
Liu Yuning watched from the observation room and commented, "Ma Biao really knows his stuff. Is he also your disciple? By the way, there's someone named He Fusheng who recently arrived from the provincial department. Is he related to Xie Fusheng?"
"No, likely just a coincidence in names. Oh, He Fusheng, do you remember? Once, we went to some school, it was a case involving a disgruntled model, I think. That guy said he wanted to become a police officer when he grew up. Look, he actually achieved his dream. So, a person's conviction is very important… it can dictate one's future development at any time! We have to believe it!"
"You're speaking more philosophically now. Probably from writing too many novels. You're very much like Forensic Doctor Qin Ming."
"Heh, not bad. He's a leader in the forensic science community. I recall Mr. Song knows him."
"You haven't seen Mr. Song in a long time, have you?"
"No, I've seen him recently. Ever since Grandpa mentioned it to me. Alright, you handle the rest. Zhong He'an shouldn't deny anything. Use him as a starting point, then follow the clues to break down the other scientists, and finally, Cao Xiangchen!"
"Cao Xiangchen still requires you to handle it personally, doesn't it? By the way, is your grandfather doing better?"
"I found him earlier."
I left the observation room. As I reached the outside of the provincial department, a messenger from He Village approached me. "Hello, young master. The clan leader asks you to return to the Siheyuan."
"I understand!"
After the messenger left, I immediately headed towards the Siheyuan. Upon arriving by car, I found the main gate already open. He Xin and Dao Zhiyong should be here, as they returned after the previous incident. Dao Zhiyong has been going to work infrequently during this period; that's a privilege I granted him. Everything will be decided after He Xin gives birth. For He Xin, Dao Zhiyong is the most important right now.