The night had fallen, yet the lights were still on in the interrogation room of the Yau Ma Tei District Police Station.
Truly a city that never sleeps.
“What’s your name?” Lin Wangjiu sat relaxed on one side of the interrogation table, asking the pale-faced youth, who kept his head down, in a non-threatening manner.
The young man did not respond; his shoulders hunched as if trying to hide his head.
“How old are you?”
“…”
“Where were you from last night until about 7 this morning?”
“…”
Lin Wangjiu’s patience gradually wore thin. He stood up, leaning his arms on the table, only to see the youth shrug his shoulders, followed by a prolonged silence and stillness.
Turning his head, Lin Wangjiu glanced out the window.
Fang Zhenyue stood outside the window, turning his head to exchange glances with Gary and a few others.
“Still not talking, must be feeling guilty, huh? He doesn’t have a lawyer, nor has he mentioned wanting to apply for legal aid…” Sanfu stomped his foot, visibly irritated.
Yi Jiayi leaned against the window for a while, then suddenly turned to Fang Zhenyue and said, “Brother Yue, didn’t you say that Sun Xin came from the mainland? His ancestral home is in Sichuan, and he can’t speak Cantonese, probably can’t even understand it. If his family’s shop has always been managed by his parents, and he’s introverted and timid by nature, it’s understandable that he doesn’t quite understand what’s being said.”
So what sounded like normal dialogue to everyone else, sounded to Sun Xin like:
“What’s your name?”
“How old are you?”
“Where were you last night and this morning?”
Being questioned in such an environment, already barely understanding, now it felt completely like hearing gibberish.
“Go find someone who can speak Mandarin,” Fang Zhenyue turned and ordered Liu Jiaming.
Yi Jiayi quickly raised her hand: “I know a bit.”
Fang Zhenyue squinted slightly.
“I had a close mainland friend in school, he taught me a lot,” Yi Jiayi hurriedly explained.
“Good, do you know what to ask?” Fang Zhenyue walked her to the door of the interrogation room.
“I often watch you guys interrogate suspects, so I have a rough idea.”
“Just ask some basic questions today, we will conduct a deeper interrogation later, I’ll teach you then,” Fang Zhenyue opened the door, nodding encouragingly at her.
Lin Wangjiu and Yi Jiayi brushed past each other, he even pinched his cigarette, and after the door of the interrogation room closed behind him, he said to Fang Zhenyue:
“It’s probably this guy; he looks pathological. Those who are not accepted by society often develop resentful feelings.”
Fang Zhenyue remained silent, walking over to the window to observe Sun Xin.
“What’s your name?” After sitting down, Yi Jiayi quietly observed Sun Xin face to face for a while before she spoke.
Perhaps this body was unfamiliar with the pronunciation patterns of Mandarin. His tongue was stiff, and his words came out stumbling—it really sounded like someone from Hong Kong who was not good at speaking Mandarin.
Sun Xin suddenly understood, and hearing a gentle female voice opposite him, he finally glanced at her quietly.
But after looking down, he hesitated for a moment before saying very softly, “Sun Xin.”
“How old are you?”
“…20.”
“Sun Xin, obstructing justice is a crime, punishable by up to 7 years. Think carefully before you answer me, and don’t lie.”
“…” Sun Xin was silent for a long while before he finally corrected himself, “18.”
Outside the window, Sanfu couldn’t help but criticize: “All this hesitating and habitual lying. It all looks very suspicious.”
“…” Fang Zhenyue didn’t speak, still intently watching the interrogation room.
“From last night to about 7 o’clock today, where were you? What were you doing?” Yi Jiayi sat up straight; it was her first interrogation, and she was afraid of being too soft, so she tried to lower her voice to appear fair and detached, devoid of emotion.
“I was sleeping at home, then got up to steam buns, and went to sell them near some eateries in Sham Shui Po…” Sun Xin still answered very slowly.
“What time did you get up? What time did you leave for Sham Shui Po?”
“Got up around five… left around seven…”
“Did you go near Cherry Street Park or Ferry Street?”
“…” Sun Xin looked up at Yi Jiayi with some confusion, then immediately looked down, silent for a few seconds before shaking his head.
Fang Zhenyue caught the confusion in Sun Xin’s eyes, beginning to silently ponder what this expression meant.
Was it confusion about how the police knew he was at Ferry Street at that time, or confusion about why the police were asking this?
“Does anyone corroborate your story?” Yi Jiayi leaned down to look closely at the young man’s face.
Even if he blackened his skin and scrubbed hard, he couldn’t turn into the murderer she saw in the mind-image.
This person was innocent, Yi Jiayi knew it clearly.
Knowing he was innocent, yet still pressing him like this in interrogation. Especially since this person was so timid, showing an extreme aversion to human contact, she felt even more reluctant.
Especially… since he had lost his parents just a month ago, left alone in an environment where he didn’t speak the language…
“No, I’m by myself,” Sun Xin thought for a moment, then looked up and said, “I sell buns in front of the Wonton Li Ji’s store on Changsha Bay Road. The owner…he might remember. And so might the people who bought the buns…”
In the interrogation room, Yi Jiayi was questioning the suspect, but suddenly, several uninvited guests appeared outside the room.
Sir Guo from the Public Relations Department, along with two subordinates, came looking for Fang Zhenyue all the way to the outside of the interrogation room. With a worried expression, he pulled Fang Zhenyue into the corridor and eagerly began, “The report on the King’s Park Murder Case was supposed to be published tomorrow, but today the Ferry Street dismemberment case emerged, and several major newspapers changed their plans.”
“The dismemberment and dumping of the body is a heinous act, terrifying to hear about. The newspapers are saying that they will delay reporting on the King’s Park case to cover this new local case first.
“Do we have any suspects now? How is the case progressing?”
“Just give me one piece of good news, and I can make it look a bit more appealing in tomorrow’s paper.”
Fang Zhenyue turned away, rubbed his eyebrows, took a deep breath out of irritation, and then said, “We’ve caught a suspect, but there’s too little evidence to be sure of their involvement. If you want to steer public opinion, just say we’ve followed the clues to the first suspect, but don’t reveal too much.”
“What about the suspect?” Guo Yongyao peered inside.
Fang Zhenyue blocked the view with his body and then shook his head, indicating not to delve deeper.
“Very uncertain?” Guo Yongyao frowned.
“Very uncertain,” Fang Zhenyue affirmed, then patted Sir Guo on the shoulder and turned back to continue observing through the window.
Just after sending Guo Yongyao off, Qiu Sushan arrived.
“Madam!” Lin Wangjiu and others straightened up and greeted her as soon as they saw Qiu Sushan.
Fang Zhenyue, however, did not turn around; his eyes were still fixed on Sun Xin inside the window.
“Has he confessed?” Qiu Sushan immediately showed her impatience.
“We’ve asked him several questions repeatedly, and Sun Xin’s responses have no issues. He denies committing the murder and claims to know nothing about it. He has no alibi, but we also lack evidence placing him at the scene,” Fang Zhenyue spoke softly, his eyes never leaving the interrogation room.
“Push him a bit, trick him, scare him,” Qiu Sushan glared at Yi Jiayi inside, “Asking questions in such a gentle manner won’t get us anything.”
Fang Zhenyue finally turned around, frowning at Qiu Sushan.
“Sir Huang called me, saying that violent crimes are occurring one after another, even to the extent of this heinous dismemberment case. Once the newspapers publish it, it will definitely cause panic. Previously, King’s Park was off-limits, and now Cherry Street Park is too, and the area near Ferry Street is where the body was dumped, which is very unlucky and frightening.”
“And the scene of the first murder still hasn’t been determined—who knows if the murderer is living next door?”
“Everyone will be at risk by then, and public opinion will be very poor.”
Qiu Sushan said a lot, frustrated, and when she saw Fang Zhenyue still staring at her, she sighed and muttered:
“Sir Huang has given us a week to solve the case, is that possible?”
“Then just go out on the street and randomly arrest someone to close the case.” Fang Zhenyue’s gaze turned cold as he looked towards the interrogation room.
“There’s a bonus for solving the case, and I’ve also applied for a promotion report for you. There are good things too, now with the pressure from above, you can’t just ignore it.” Qiu Sushan kicked Fang Zhenyue’s shoe lightly.
“Whether there is pressure from others or not, I always do my best. You’ve known me long enough to know that.”
“…” Qiu Sushan stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him for a long time, making sure Fang Zhenyue truly wouldn’t pay her any more attention before she reluctantly left.
As she walked out of the large office area of the interrogation room, she ran into Sir Guo who had just hung up the phone in the corridor.
Their anxious gazes met, as if exchanging a silent code.
The next day, major newspapers indeed published the case of dismembered bodies on Ferry Street.
But the details reported were much more than what Fang Zhenyue had said.
The newspapers clearly stated that the suspect the police were holding was a young man from the mainland.
He was at the impulsive and rebellious age, ignorant of the consequences, pale like a ghost, always giving people sidelong glances, taciturn, and neurotic.
His fear of speaking to women and innate fear of others might be the twisted reasons for his psyche, driving him to seek control and a sense of power through the torment of others.
This young mainland man was still selling buns in Sham Shui Po, the busiest and most chaotic area, often observing passersby with a sinister gaze, perhaps choosing his next victim.
What he sold were not just buns—they were blood-dipped buns.
…
…
“How could this happen?” Yi Jiayi held several newspapers, her brows furrowed in a frown.
After yesterday’s interrogation, Sun Xin was released due to insufficient evidence, but today many such reports have emerged.
How is he supposed to hold his head high now?
Although the newspapers did not explicitly name Sun Xin, he had been selling buns in Sham Shui Po for nearly a month; who doesn’t recognize the pale-skinned youth selling buns there?
Yi Jiayi paced back and forth in her office, her temper rising with each newspaper she flipped through.
“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!!” she cursed repeatedly, though not very fiercely.
Lin Wangjiu stood in front of the whiteboard, looking at the keywords on it, and casually said:
“The newspapers are like this, reporting whatever causes a sensation.”
“The Public Relations Department probably condones it; after all, they didn’t release much information, which legally protects the suspect’s privacy. If the public guesses who it is, how can you blame the newspapers and the police?”
“It’s better for the public to focus on this suspect and discuss whether he looks like the murderer than to complain about the security situation in Hong Kong.”
“If the police aren’t criticized, the pressure is less, and the Public Relations Department is happy, so why make an effort to stop it?”
“Maybe Sir Guo isn’t really inciting anything; he just hasn’t pressured the newspapers.”
Whenever Lin Wangjiu spoke, he was always full of cynical negativity, a bitter old youth.
But upon reflection, Yi Jiayi found his words made sense, and she felt like an ant on a hot pan. How could they allow an innocent person to be verbally abused by the newspapers?
Sun Xin didn’t seem like the type to brazenly ignore pointing fingers and insults.
In the past, many citizens lacked the ability to discern right from wrong, and in such cases, they might even go to the suspect’s house to scold him, thinking they were upholding justice.
If Sun Xin were surrounded and scolded by a group of elders, or encountered a meddlesome young troublemaker, he might even get beaten up.
Throwing down the newspaper, she decided to leave.
Lin Wangjiu grabbed Yi Jiayi, “What are you doing? This morning Sir Fang already argued with madam, and now you want to trouble Sir Guo. He’s trouble enough on his own; if you stir things up further, be careful you don’t make things worse. Madam and Sir Guo have their positions and pressures too. Let’s just solve the case quickly. Who knows, maybe Sun Xin really is the murderer, then being talked about by the newspapers isn’t so unjust.”
Yi Jiayi bit her lip and looked down for a moment, “I’ll go and see.”
Perhaps most people are like Uncle Jiu, not believing in Sun Xin’s innocence. A foreigner who has just lost his loved ones and is struggling to survive, rootless and having lost everything… she dared not think what Sun Xin would be like now.
In this world, probably only she, who can see the true murderer’s face through her abilities, truly believes in his innocence.
Lin Wangjiu watched her for two seconds, then stepped aside from the doorway.
Liu Jiaming approached Uncle Jiu, gazing at Yi Jiayi’s retreating figure, and sighed, “So young, just starting out, filled with a sense of justice.”
Lin Wangjiu remained silent, turned back to the whiteboard, and stared at the text recorded on it, frowning in deep thought.
In Sir Guo’s office, voices of two men could be heard—
“I’m not hindering your work; I’m doing mine. Sergeant Fang, I can’t possibly review every single word for the newspaper; the Public Relations Department doesn’t have that kind of power,” Guo Yongyao said, his voice full of helplessness, clearly tormented by these issues.
“Sir Guo, there’s no need for such formalities between us. You know your capabilities, and I’m not completely unaware either. If it wasn’t for you leaking information to the press, how would they know the suspect is from the mainland? It’s understandable that Inspector Qiu informed you, since you’re one of our own. But as an officer in the Public Relations Department, should you really be informing outsiders?” Fang Zhenyue didn’t give Guo Yongyao a chance to defend himself, continuing:
“I understand, without saying it’s a ‘mainlander,’ how could there be any buzz? Without the buzz, how could public attention be diverted? By revealing that this ‘mainlander’ is different from ordinary people, how else could others suspect he is the murderer? If the public doesn’t suspect him, they’ll think the police are ineffective, not even close to catching the murderer, wouldn’t that tarnish our reputation?”
“Today’s newspaper was just right, whether it’s this ‘mainlander’ or the peculiarity of this ‘mainlander,’ both are highly topical. I guess some might even go to Sham Shui Po to find this bun seller, curious to see what kind of monstrous madman he is?”
“On the other hand, with such a suspect resembling the murderer now locked down, the police’s reputation is naturally very good, the taxpayers’ money hasn’t been wasted at all, and some might even praise the efficiency of the police work.”
“Fang Zhenyue—” Guo Yongyao was increasingly unable to save face.
“Inspector Guo Yongyao, you don’t need to call me by my full name,” Fang Zhenyue hummed softly, “From my first day as a police officer, I knew my duty was to bring every lawbreaker to justice. And at the same time, I would never let any innocent person suffer unjustly.”
“Once today’s newspaper is published, it effectively seals this man’s fate in the court of public opinion; he won’t even have a chance to defend himself.
“You and I are police officers; our duty is to protect the citizens, not to pin the blame on someone who is utterly defenseless and then crush him, sending him to his demise.
“I’d rather take all the blame myself, admitting that our team, Team B, has failed in its investigation!”
“…That’s too harsh,” Guo Yongyao hesitated for a long time before finally speaking with difficulty.
“Harsh or not, your conscience knows,” Fang Zhenyue said, and then there was the sound of a chair being dragged as someone stood up.
“Sergeant Fang, I’m going to contact the media right now. In one hour, we will hold a press conference on the Ferry Street dismemberment case. Come with me,” Guo Yongyao sighed, “You know more about the case than I do.”
“No, I need to use every minute I have to investigate this case. You’ve made this mess, you fix it,” Fang Zhenyue replied, and footsteps could be heard again.
Yi Jiayi couldn’t dodge in time; the door was already open, and she found herself face to face with Fang Zhenyue.
She looked up at him, eyes wide in anticipation.
Instantly, Fang Zhenyue understood why she was here, and his heart softened. The sharp edges he had shown in front of Guo Yongyao were now gone, and he gently pressed his palm on top of her head.
Wanting to take her away, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
He looked down at the young policewoman’s serious face, clearly upset about being unable to help Sun Xin, and sighed, turning back to the office.
“?” Guo Yongyao was grimacing at the microphone, pondering which media to call first for the press conference, and how to conduct it. Seeing Fang Zhenyue return, hope flashed in his eyes.
He truly needed Fang Zhenyue to join him at the press conference; he knew how to manage the scene and guide the journalists’ questions. But for the case that had just started, he was completely in the dark.
“Sir Guo, let Yi Jiayi join you at the press conference. In several cases like the King’s Park Murder case, Bi Street murder case, and the baby theft case, Yi Jiayi played a crucial role. Her deductions are brilliant, and they’ll provide journalists with a thrilling article for the public’s entertainment,” Fang Zhenyue pulled the young policewoman standing at the door into the office and continued:
“For the details of the Ferry Street dismemberment case, she knows them well. I’ll tell her what can and can’t be discussed.
“In terms of Sun Xin’s situation, having her answer questions in front of the journalists will be more convincing than your vague clarifications.”
Guo Yongyao turned his gaze to Yi Jiayi, seeing her clear, bright eyes, innocent and sincere, like the kind of sweet girl who wouldn’t even lie about her bank account password if asked.
Such a young lady’s words indeed carry a lot of weight.
Especially a detective prodigy, who despite her young age, has participated in multiple murder investigations, certainly offers more sensational news than this old man.
“Okay!” Guo Yongyao responded decisively, his hand pressing the phone with renewed vigor.
An entirely comprehensive plan for the format of the upcoming press conference and the media invitations was instantly formed.
Inspiration truly requires good material and good actors to stimulate its birth.