Mirror supply and demand relationship
There are actually many objective explanations for why Cheng Xiangwu was not affected. For example, she had suffered a concussion before and had a particularly good resistance to such things. For example, the adrenaline from her gunshot wound helped her automatically block out useless sounds. For example, her movement at the time may have just avoided the range of influence of this strange loudspeaker.
But there is only one subjective interpretation.
“I didn’t hear it,” she said, adding that she indeed didn’t hear the sound of flies.
"...I will verify this later." Han Lingfeng nodded after a moment's thought, then looked at Xiao Fu, "Do you have any leads on the other questions?"
“I will verify this later,” Xiao Fu said. “However, Miss Caramel’s strange behavior has been explained.”
"Please speak," Han Lingfeng nodded.
“Canines, especially police dogs, have ear canals that make it easier for them to catch sounds, and their small, enclosed skulls make their brains more sensitive to vibrational sounds.” Little F said, clenching his hands together as if trying to grasp the air. “The reason Miss Caramel is so depressed is probably because she has a few flies that just won’t go away.”
"You said you have no knowledge about animals. How credible is that?" Han Lingfeng asked.
“Eighty percent, two-tenths is used to dilute local customs and traditions. I’ve seen humans with canine head features who communicate using vibrational language,” Little F said with a laugh. “Those guys whose noses and cranial cavities have to degenerate on one side are quite amusing.”
Cheng Xiangwu tried to imagine it in her mind, but failed.
“I have photos,” Little F said softly.
"Wow." Cheng Xiangwu exclaimed, unable to imagine how ugly it must be.
"...So you believe there are sound waves here that we cannot detect, and you believe that this sound is related to the effect of the evidence," Han Lingfeng said. "As an extension, not only Qin Zixi, but the murderer in the Senhu No. 2 Middle School case is indeed connected to the murderer in the shooting case."
She was just repeating the same things, and her tone didn't carry much doubt, but it always made people feel a little more insecure.
“Thanks for the summary.” Little F nodded. “You guys can find the connection points in the case. You’re the law enforcement officers who are good at getting inside people’s homes.”
“We can find Zhang’s information in his work records, but as for the school…” Han Lingfeng lowered his eyes and fell into thought.
There's nothing left in the remaining suspicious parts of Senhu No. 2 Middle School.
“If there’s really nothing left, then there’s no need to demolish it.” Han Lingfeng raised his head and changed the subject. “Let’s wait until Dr. Lin finishes his work. You’ve seen the school site; what do you think?”
“It’s a good processing plant,” Xiao Fu commented. “I’m not comparing my own experience with this place; I’m just giving an objective evaluation.”
"Nothing has changed," Cheng Xiangwu commented.
"Did Ms. Cheng study here before?" Han Lingfeng asked in surprise.
“At least ten years ago.” Cheng Xiangwu looked down the corridor. “Back then, there wasn’t any barbed wire here.”
But clever and curious high school students always manage to find a way.
“Actually, the wire mesh in the corridor of Senhu No. 2 Middle School is a special case, and it was only put up last summer.” Han Lingfeng stroked his chin and said, “In my opinion, the height of the corridor railing and the school’s suicide rate in previous years do not require this. Garden School is even less suitable for such a sight.”
As she spoke, she walked out of the faculty office and back into the corridor. The barbed wire cast a grid-like shadow on her face, revealing her eyes marked by squares of sunlight under the overcast sky. The corridor wasn't much wider or more airy than the area in front of the office; the grid shadows disturbed the thoughts and gaze of everyone who passed through, making it quite noisy.
"Can someone explain what a garden school is? Is it a type of local specialty school?" Little F asked.
"It's an honorary badge awarded based on the school's green environment and environmental atmosphere. The bamboo grove next to the playground was probably planted in recent years for this purpose." Han Lingfeng thought for a moment, "Senhu No. 2 Middle School should have received it in recent years, making it the first in Senhu City."
"So it's just a name," Little Franz said disappointedly. "If it weren't for its inherent nature, the garden at Garden School wouldn't even be as meaningful as the rides at an amusement park."
"It's meaningful for the Education Committee and parents, and it's also meaningful for the students who graduate from here," Han Lingfeng said, but his tone was so flat that he didn't even add his own trust.
Graduate Cheng Xiangwu didn't think so. She thought for a moment and asked, "Will this be kept after the high school section is demolished?"
"I really don't know," Han Lingfeng said after thinking for a moment. "Under normal circumstances, we shouldn't hold anyone accountable for force majeure events."
Soon after, the door to the small dark room opened, and Lin Che'an walked out, rubbing his temples, his free hand holding a few notebooks pulled out from under the bed sheet.
"You've worked hard," Han Lingfeng greeted. "How was the harvest?"
“I found some that described suspicious content, and some that were obviously copied by teachers to pass inspections.” Lin Che’an sighed as he spoke. “Let me make it clear that I am not a professional in the area of adolescent psychology, and there are few things that can be examined in the repeatedly revised essays.”
“It’s fortunate to make any progress when the investigation is difficult to advance,” Han Lingfeng nodded.
First-year high school students are required to write one essay per week, each essay being about 800 words long. The topics are broad but remain consistent throughout the year.
“My classmates’ perspective on me.” Lin Che’an pulled out two notebooks and placed them under the railing in the corridor. “The main content is self-reflection, but some classmates also wrote about their daily life. Thanks to this, I found that these two students wrote about similar things in their records.”
In that dream of exploring space, my classmate saw me as an astronaut without an oxygen tank in his back; she saw me as such an unreliable person.
My classmate thought I was strange. She said she had a bizarre nightmare in which we rode a rocket to the vast and boundless space, where it was very dark. She also noticed that we didn't have oxygen tanks on our backs and our faces were green like aliens.
“It happened at the end of October last year. The two girls were not classmates. I also saw some unwritten but related essays in other essays,” Lin Che’an said. “Their Chinese teacher should not have known about this at the time, because non-excellent examples would not circulate between different classes.”
She then took out another composition book with neater edges, quickly flipped through the pages, and saw that the handwriting on the pages was elegant and fluent.
"It unlocked a lock in my heart." Lin Che'an adjusted his glasses. "The main theme is self-analysis and growth. This example mentions that the student is not sociable but repeatedly sees his classmates in his dreams, accepts the teacher's advice, and overcomes obstacles to communicate with his classmates. Putting aside embellishment and rhetoric, this is a similar phenomenon to the previous students."
She quickly closed the book. "I cannot disclose the psychological counseling process of that student, Golson, but the police should have seen her statement by now. It was a huge collective dream, the principle of which is unclear, but now I think it was not without warning."
After she finished speaking, she stacked the notebooks together, leaned back, and laid them flat.
“We were previously advised that there might be sound waves in this building that we cannot detect but that could affect police dogs. Do you think this is related?” Han Lingfeng asked.
When he heard that his suggestion was being questioned, Xiao Fu frowned slightly in displeasure.
“…Sound waves?” Lin Che’an clearly didn’t hear it. She adjusted her glasses and said tactfully, “From a psychologist’s perspective, sound waves can at most help influence active thinking like meditation. To interfere with dreams during sleep, you need at least an external device, not to mention that students usually sleep in their own beds at home.”
"Your suggestion is that the victims' collective dreams are being interfered with by special equipment," Han Lingfeng confirmed.
“No, I can’t give you advice. You’d have to ask a neurosurgeon for that,” Lin Che’an shook his head. “But since you said the caramel was affected, the sound waves must have been there. Are there any instruments that can detect that?”
“We need to transfer them from our bureau, but it’s too late, so we can’t verify that.” Han Lingfeng nodded. “Could you come with me to that neighborhood again? I’m going to conduct a targeted investigation based on the new clues.”
“Of course.” Lin Che’an nodded, then looked at Cheng Xiangwu and Xiao Fu, “Would you two like to come with us?”
With those two around, Cheng Xiangwu couldn't understand why she should follow them. "No, I—"
“Of course we’ll go.” Little F adjusted the jewel on his bow tie. “As external assistants, we also have our own standards of judgment, but these standards are useless when it comes to secondhand evidence.”
In short, the last police car carrying four people set off.
Zhang left no work records, collected cash and money in a mixed manner, and mainly accepted work through small advertisements he posted everywhere. The police found some of his transaction partners based on his bank account information.
The family of three living in Unit 203 of Building 3 had previously entrusted Mr. Zhang to repair the air conditioning system.
"Oh, I remember that. I thought the air conditioner was broken. He poured some stuff in and it was fine. I asked him what it was, but he wouldn't tell me. He just said refrigerant, refrigerant, but he wouldn't tell me what kind of refrigerant it was. He just poured some in and charged me two hundred yuan. It's winter, so it's not like he gave me a discount. You want to see that air conditioner? Sure, sure."
Unit 501, Building 3, has two short-term tenants who had previously entrusted Mr. Zhang to repair the kitchen drainpipe.
"Oh, so many people! No, it's okay. Hey, you mean the guy who fixed the pipes? Hmm, I don't quite remember. My roommate was here, but she's sleeping now. The pipes? They're definitely fixed. Oh, you want to come in and see?! Sure, you can. Hey, please come in, but watch your step. It's okay, it's just trash. Oh wait, don't touch that, it's my half-finished clay sculpture—"
Unit 801, Building 3, is a long-term tenant with one cat. He has repeatedly entrusted Mr. Zhang to carry water upstairs.
"...Hello, oh, this door is to block Lacan, yes, Lacan is my cat. His breed is Golden Shaded. Why are you asking this? Are you talking about the person who helped me carry the water? Actually, I haven't seen him much; we mostly communicate by phone. He's never been through this door. You want to see the water he carried?...Sorry, I can't let you in. Lacan has been hiding ever since he was scared yesterday. If you want water, I can get it for you. Phone messages? Okay, but you can't look at anything else."
The owner of unit 102 in building 4 is not home for a long time. His mother and child live in the house and had entrusted Zhang to move the furniture inside.
"Oh, hello young people, oh, there are foreigners here too, it's a pity that Guai Guai isn't here right now. You mean that Xiao Zhang? He's not young anymore, he's quite nimble but he doesn't have a proper job, and he's not very talkative when you talk to him, but he's quite honest and patient. If it were him—oh, you want to see? Okay, then I'll show you the feng shui home I've researched."
Apartment 304 in Building 4 is owned by a couple who had previously commissioned Mr. Zhang to install a smart toilet. Mr. Zhang is also Mr. Zhang's neighbor.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, I was live streaming just now. Oh, it's you guys. It's okay, my camera is off now. Oh, you're talking about the guy next door. I mentioned him a bit yesterday. We didn't really talk much, and I didn't hear any strange noises from his room. To be honest, I was quite surprised that he could install that thing. I was planning to call the manufacturer to install it, but he said he would go back and read the instructions and install it for me the next day. You want to see? Sure, but there are a lot of things in the bathroom, so please be careful."
Unit 4, apartment 805, is owned by two people who had previously entrusted Mr. Zhang to install furniture at their home.
I knocked on the door several times, but no one answered.
“No one answered the door when we came yesterday.” Lin Che’an frowned and closed the notebook in his hand. “There’s only one apartment on the top floor that’s occupied. We don’t have any neighbors to ask. Is it possible that they’ve temporarily moved out?”
The four women visited several households, including some residents in other apartment buildings. Some of the residents they interviewed yesterday overlapped with the individuals they spoke with during police interviews, and some of the evidence collected at the scene of the incident also overlapped with the individuals they interviewed. While expressing their cooperation, the women also expressed unease and curiosity.
In short, they didn't think they had done anything strange yesterday.
After reviewing Zhang's work content, process, and on-site evidence, the only information the group obtained was that "this person can do almost any job." Not to mention physical labor, he even helped a family repair a computer host that was malfunctioning, even though he didn't have a computer in his own apartment.
Such a multifaceted performance inevitably reminded Cheng Xiangwu of the multifaceted cloaked man, but at least Zhang was still lying safely in the police station, and when the police arrested him, no black shadows emerged from his body, nor did he fly away.
The investigation has stalled in front of a door that cannot be opened.
"What is the identity of this tenant?" Xiao Fu asked, her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the door in a less than friendly manner.
"You'll have to ask for specifics. We contacted the neighborhood committee, and they said they'd help us get in touch as soon as possible," Han Lingfeng said calmly.
If these two weren't there, Cheng Xiangwu could have just kicked the door open and tried, but it's clear that these two have no intention of taking that approach.
“I’m used to it. Come on, take me to see the guy you caught,” said Little Fu.
The vehicle set off again, the police car heading to its usual parking spot. The local police station didn't have a detention center; the temporary cells were small and poorly equipped. Zhang was probably the first guest here to sleep so soundly.
“He can’t be sentenced until his other armed accomplice is arrested, and because he’s in a vegetative state and needs extra care, he’ll be transferred to the hospital around tomorrow morning.” Han Lingfeng walked ahead. She wasn’t very familiar with the staff at the police station and only exchanged a few simple greetings. “We can’t open the door without someone accompanying him.”
Through the ventilation opening, the small single cell was able to communicate with the corridor in both directions.
“His condition isn’t new; I observed it before another victim was completely victimized,” Little F said thoughtfully, looking at the man. “This person is indeed dreaming, but it’s different.”
“He did it voluntarily,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
“Not only that, his dream was different too.” Little F pointed to the man’s slightly parted mouth. “It was a nightmare.”
"What about the other victim you mentioned?" Han Lingfeng asked.
“At least in the dream, that person can understand what they are doing, since the person is present when the contract is signed,” Xiao Fu said.
"Do you think there's any chance he'll wake up?" Han Lingfeng asked, looking at the calm face.
“It all depends on how strong this person’s faith is,” Little F said, looking away.
The sleeper has no way to prove their own existence, so they remain silent.
“I tried to wake him up, but it didn’t work. I considered the possibility that he was pretending to be asleep, but that would be very difficult, and he should know that staying silent is useless,” Lin Che’an said.
"If he doesn't wake up, will you just leave him like this, or will you try some other methods?" Cheng Xiang asked.
“Legally, a person in a vegetative state is still considered a criminal, but they cannot bear criminal responsibility.” Han Lingfeng paused, then added, “If you’re asking about the other side, the usual approach is to stop treatment.”
Cheng Xiangwu didn't say anything more. She looked at the feeding tube inserted into the person's nose and recalled the testimonies she had heard not long ago, feeling a sense of contradiction.
“There’s no reason for us to stop here.” Xiao Fu said, glancing at the security camera in the corridor. “If anything unusual happens, please let us know immediately. Whether it’s true or not, life will never be interesting.”
As everyone was talking, a new guest arrived in the corridor outside the cell.
The door creaked open, and from behind the reflective marble corner came a cacophony of footsteps, a mix of conversation and shouts, disrupting the rigid order of the conversation space and leading to an amusing incident.
"Captain Han, Dr. Lin." The police officer in front greeted them, then turned back to look at the unidentified figure behind him with shrugged shoulders and a bowed head. "Behave yourself."
The woman still had a silver shackle on her hand, and her ill-fitting T-shirt and jeans rustled as she walked. She swayed her shoulders to avoid the hand reaching for her shoulder from behind. "Don't touch me, I can walk by myself," the woman said, her hoarse voice belonging to a teenager.
The police officers, one after the other, escorted the young man to the solitary cell next door, slammed the iron door against the frame, and only breathed a sigh of relief after locking the door.
“…Thank you for your hard work.” Lin Che’an frowned as he looked at the young man, his voice filled with concern. “May I ask who this gentleman is?”
"It's not hard work, it's not hard work. We just said we need to increase patrols. There are a lot of people around that neighborhood. This morning, someone saw us walking back and forth and told us something." The officer explained calmly, "The swindler was caught at the market next to the neighborhood. He's a repeat offender. It's reassuring for the neighbors to have him arrested."
"A liar?" Han Lingfeng frowned. "What exactly do you mean?"
"Hey, he's just selling some substandard stuff, like health supplements and stuff," the officer mumbled, waving his hand dismissively. "Don't worry, this guy won't cause any serious trouble—"
"Bullshit!" the young man shouted, grabbing the railing and interrupting the above statement. "How can something that's consensual be called fraud? I'm providing emotional value. You have no idea how much those people are eager to pay me to talk to them more!"
"Alright, Xu Lidong, shut up. Or do you want to end up in a detention center like those people on the street?" the officer said helplessly. "Wait until your sister arrives before you start making a fuss."
"Hey—" Xu Lidong immediately panicked upon hearing this, slamming his head against the door. "Don't call her! I'm an adult, I can pay back that money. You've already called her?!"
"Hey!" Lin Che'an couldn't help but advise her, seeing her like this, "Please calm down. If we communicate properly, this shouldn't cause too much conflict. Please be careful..."
"That's all there is to it." Another officer sighed. "We've been making too much noise lately, which has scared the residents. She was arrested in front of many people, so it's a relief. We don't need to worry about her afterward; her sister is a teacher at the No. 1 Middle School, so she can always keep an eye on her."
"Isn't No. 1 Middle School in the city center? Does she live here?" Han Lingfeng asked.
"She lived in that complex, I think it was the top floor of building number four," the officer said, shrugging. "Her sister might have lived in a dormitory? Anyway, she doesn't come back often."
"I'm an adult, I don't need her to tell me what to do!" Xu Lidong continued to push his head towards the door, his hair practically sticking out of the prison bars. "Hey, don't call her! Remember how I did some free anti-fraud campaigns for you guys before? Let it go this time, okay? Did you call her?"
Upon hearing this, everyone understood why their knocking had been met with a cold response; the real excitement was elsewhere.
“It has nothing to do with you being an adult. You’re either locked up inside or you need someone to bail you out. Either way, you need to notify your contacts. Besides your sister, who else do you have to contact?” the officer said, turning around to leave.
Upon hearing this, Xu Lidong choked, her voice stuck in her throat, and her hands remained glued to the railing. Lin Che'an kept staring at her, his brows furrowed.
The two officers gave a few more instructions, then turned and left the corridor outside the cell. The door creaked open again, but the two locked-up men were not disturbed. One lay still, while the other slowly sat down against the wall.
"Are you the owner of unit 805 in building number four?" Han Lingfeng asked.
Upon hearing this, Xu Lidong merely glanced at her sideways before slumping against the wall in silence.
“There was a murder in your neighborhood yesterday, and the suspect is currently at large. When we went to your home to inquire afterward, you weren’t home,” Han Lingfeng said.
"...Really? You suspect me of murder?" Xu Lidong asked incredulously. As she spoke, she raised her head slightly, squinted, and looked Han Lingfeng up and down. "You're not a police officer here. Who are you?"
“Of course, criminal police are the ones investigating murder cases,” Han Lingfeng said. “Xu Lidong, if you cooperate with us and provide useful clues, I can have my colleague stand by and say a good word for you when your sister comes to visit.”
"Is that really true?" Xu Lidong suddenly stood up and shoved himself onto the railing, pulling her neck back by the collar.
“Really? You kind folks, let’s help each other out at least on this point,” Lin Che’an encouraged from the side.
“…Oh.” Xu Lidong hesitated for a moment before answering, but quickly regained his excitement. “Please tell me, please tell me everything I know!”
"Anyway, where were you yesterday morning around noon?" Han Lingfeng asked.
"At that time? I should have been eating." Xu Lidong thought for a moment and said, "Yes, I was at Qianlixiang Restaurant across the street from the entrance of the community. But I also saw that the community seemed quite lively at that time. Later, the police sealed off Building 4, and I sat on the swing downstairs for a long time before you let people in and out."
"Did you see any suspicious people wearing cloaks at the entrance of the residential area?" Han Lingfeng asked.
"...Isn't that a bit too suspicious? Anyway, if I saw it, I would definitely remember it, so I'm sure I didn't see it." Xu Lidong shook his head.
"About this person," Han Lingfeng showed a photo, "how much do you know about him?"
“Oh, my sister asked her to come and install furniture before, even though I could have done it myself…” Xu Lidong paused, then continued, “I don’t really remember, but that just means he’s not weird. What’s wrong with him?”
Like other residents, Xu Lidong didn't know much about the real situation.
"He's the one lying next to you," Han Lingfeng pointed to the cell next door. "He has an accomplice who's on the run, but he can't talk about it right now."
"Uh." Xu Lidong was taken aback. "He's dead?"
"Not yet." Han Lingfeng shook his head. "It seems you don't know anything either."
"Hey, wait a minute, wait a minute," Xu Lidong called out. "Tell me about that accomplice, I might know him. I know this place like the back of my hand!"
“We don’t have much information, but the accomplice may be armed with firearms, and we must catch him as soon as possible,” Han Lingfeng said.
"Firearms, guns? I actually know who here might have guns!" Xu Lidong said excitedly. "It can only be those people from the workers' association, or, if you really want to know, he might be one."
"Tell me in detail." Han Lingfeng stroked his chin.
In the early stages of development of the mines owned by the Bai family in the northern mining area, a large number of migrant workers flocked to Senhu City and signed labor contracts with Bai Bai. Given the limited number of police officers assigned to the northern area and the frequent incidents at the construction sites, Bai Bai Co., Ltd. established a special security department to deal with various emergencies. The government also established a separate Northern Miners' Association to protect the workers' rights and interests, and dispatched many supervisors to the Bai family's mines.
In the early days of their establishment, the two often clashed, but as time went on, they developed personal and business relationships, which eventually evolved into business dealings.
As life unfolded, mining operations ceased, leaving most of the union supervisors and security personnel jobless and without income. They quickly merged to form a local non-governmental organization, retaining the name "union" but expanding its operations to primarily resolve problems. Because its members were mostly energetic teenagers and unemployed individuals, it was long considered a source of social unrest, operating mostly at night and actively avoiding law enforcement.
“Actually, apart from not collecting protection money, we’re no different from gang members. But Senhu City is a small place, there’s not much territory or anything else to fight over, I don’t know why we’re still here.” Xu Lidong gestured as he spoke. “But I heard some old people say that in the early days, when there were conflicts in the mining area, guns would be fired. These were the tools that were transported in by train along with the mining equipment. After the work stopped, some of them were secretly hidden by those people.”
"I see." Han Lingfeng nodded. "Are you one of them too?"
The question was so direct that Xu Lidong was stunned for a moment before hurriedly waving his hands. "No, no, how could I be? Those people look down on someone like me, and besides, it's all about recommendations."
After saying that, she pursed her lips with a flicker in her eyes, "Okay, I do know someone. There's a big vegetable market in the city, and there's a blue truck that's sometimes parked in the corner of the unloading area. The health products I sell are from there, but I'm really not one of the people working there."
After saying that, she sniffed and lowered her voice, "Don't tell anyone I told you to go and find them."
The four of them remained silent as they walked from the prison area to the police station. Only when they stood in the wind and sunlight, amidst the sounds of the crowd on the street, did they finally have something to say.
"We will begin the investigation into this target as soon as possible. I hope you will not interfere, otherwise, if a conflict breaks out on the scene, it will be difficult for you to remain completely uninvolved," Han Lingfeng said to the two who were about to leave.
“I won’t get involved in your police work anymore,” Cheng Xiangwu said, taking a deep breath of fresh air. “I have my own job.”
"Can I disclose the specific details?" Han Lingfeng asked.
“Someone asked me to be their cook,” Cheng Xiangwu said. She knew the person probably wouldn’t believe her, but she wasn’t going to explain any further.
“If Officer Jiang were here, he would question whether this is some kind of code,” Lin Che’an said with a smile.
“In terms of her status and a few individual skills, she certainly deserves this position,” said Little Franz. “Well then, farewell, and may your status protect you as well.”
The two returned to the car and closed the door to create a private space.
“That psychologist talks way too much,” Cheng Xiangwu said, fastening her seatbelt. Lin Che’an was the most empathetic person she had ever met. She could empathize with and chat with almost every interviewee in the community, and most of the time it wasn’t for the purpose of asking questions. She was a so-called mental health care provider.
“Thanks to Miss Lin Che’an, most of the interviewees were willing to open the door and accept the investigation, which is enough,” Xiao Fu said, extending his hand to Cheng Xiangwu.
Cheng Xiangwu pulled three rough, long nails from her pants pocket. Not long ago, she had a rare opportunity to legally enter the house, and Xiao Fu had hinted that she should take some legitimate souvenirs that the repairman might have left behind, namely these service-related freebies taken from the repair toolbox.
“Those law enforcement officers didn’t find that person’s work supplies box at the scene, nor do they intend to say anything. I can’t condone this behavior of using consultants as search engines.” Little Fran picked up a nail and examined it under the light. The nail, about the length of his index finger, was rougher than the usual material. He said with eagerness, “It is indeed similar in material to that evidence. So it really is a kind of meltable material.”
"You want to conduct experiments in my house?" Cheng Xiangwu frowned.
"Where do you have the means?" Little F put away the three iron nails, smiling quite pleased with himself. "Even though they're just synthetic materials, it's still a gain."
The engine caught fire, and the car drove off.
"Let's prepare some questions for the press conference now," said Xiao Fu.
“Ask her what exactly happened at the school a month ago, and whether she knows about the attitude of the students’ families,” Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment. “Also, the reason for demolishing the teaching building.”
"...These kinds of plot-based questions are fine for adventure novels," said Xiao Fu. "Since this is an education-related press conference, you should ask education-related questions. You'll probably only have one or two chances to ask questions."
"Me?" Cheng Xiangwu asked in confusion, "How many times?"
“Of course it’s zero. I won’t allow my face to appear on TV,” Little Franz said matter-of-factly. “So the questions have to be sharp enough to trigger a conditioned reflex in the other person’s memory and thinking, and that will achieve our goal.”
"Go ahead," Cheng Xiangwu offered the opportunity.
“Then please give a direct answer to the comments circulating online about the government using sound waves to control students and their parents’ thought processes,” said Xiao Fu.
"...I've never seen a local TV news reporter ask such a question." Cheng Xiangwu asked doubtfully, "Did you see it online?"
“Okay, it seems your audience has rather bland tastes.” Xiao Fu thought for a moment and then said, “Is the recent frequent patrols by outside police officers on the streets related to public security issues, and will it affect this year’s college entrance examination?”
"Recently, there have been police officers from outside the area..." Cheng Xiangwu tried to repeat the question.
"This volume isn't even louder than the camera sound," Little Franz said, dissatisfied.
"Isn't there a microphone?" Cheng Xiangwu said dismissively.
“Professional journalists don’t need such vulgarities,” said Xiao Fu. “To get attention, even from your colleagues, at least make sure your question is audible to everyone present.”
“…I’ll try my best,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
"This attitude is amateurish enough, like a third-rate magazine reporter from a back alley," Xiao Fu sneered.
“That’s enough for you, psychology master,” Cheng Xiangwu said.
“My professional competence is beyond question,” Xiao Fu said. After a while, she spoke again, “Are you really not planning to continue dealing with matters related to law enforcement?”
"Is the agent going to introduce me to new business again?" Cheng Xiangwu asked rhetorically.
"Your distrust of the judicial system will just earn you a reputation for being psychologically traumatized in the eyes of those psychologists," Xiao Fu said, glancing at him through the rearview mirror. "Without contact, we can't grasp the progress and direction on the front lines, and the two of us are already unable to remain uninvolved. Whether we continue to contact them or not, have you thought about these issues?"
"We shouldn't have been in contact in the first place," Cheng Xiangwu said with a laugh. "If you like, go find them and play. I'll take care of Sen Sen when she gets back—"
The car suddenly swerved and stopped in the emergency lane, with passing vehicles speeding by, reminding everyone that this was a highway.
"You—" Cheng Xiangwu helped up the wound that was almost reopened by the seat belt.
“I have to correct your attitude. You think I approached them because it was fun,” Xiao Fu said, her gaze still fixed on the driveway ahead, her unwavering eyes meeting only the dim sky of the day, but she kept looking.
“You’ve always been like this.” Cheng Xiangwu sighed and raised her hand to press the emergency flashing light. “It’s different here than where you are. This isn’t the first time you’ve found out. They won’t take your special suggestions seriously.”
Han Lingfeng was already one of the more courteous criminal investigators Cheng Xiangwu had ever met. Compared to Xiao Fu's questionable suggestions, they were clearly more willing to follow Xu Lidong's lead or the results from the laboratory to investigate the direction they wanted.
"Confessions, evidence, investigation reports—are you saying we don't need these things?" Little F asked expressionlessly. "Suggestions, corrections, directions—are you saying they don't need these things?"
She seemed angry that the value of these things was being questioned, but Cheng Xiangwu wondered why this anger existed and why it was directed at her.
"You're asking me?" she asked, puzzled. "Didn't you say this yourself before? That unnecessary contact is meaningless, and that it's all just playing house or something like that."
Cheng Xiangwu still remembered that sentence from many years ago, which thoroughly negated universal values. She only considered those inexpressible arguments that distanced themselves from reality and self, and those entities that could not be expressed, to have value. From this perspective, Xiao Fu was actually a rather pragmatic person, something she herself knew best.
Xiao Fu paused for a moment, turned off the hazard lights, and stepped on the gas again with a blank expression.
"I see." Cheng Xiangwu was pushed back in her chair and said belatedly, "You've changed. You don't think that way anymore."
“…This short period of time can’t change me,” Little F said.
Even so, “In the past, you would have let me get out of the car and walk by myself, oh, you can’t drive at all.” Cheng Xiangwu looked out the window where the water had started to flow again, “You would never have cared about those people’s attitudes, you would never have said that you were an external helper, and you would never have returned the evidence that you thought was useful to them.”
She propped her head up, turned to look at the person on her left, and asked, "Why?"
Actually, she wasn't really curious. Cheng Xiangwu thought that such a question should be asked here, so she asked it without expecting an answer.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Fu continued to look straight ahead like a good driver, only letting out a slight sigh. The short sigh didn't convey many words, but her shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly, as if the area above her neck had suddenly become much heavier.
"To avoid translation errors, I won't explain," she said.
"..." Cheng Xiangwu turned her gaze to the window, "Like this."
“However, it is indeed something that concerns you, Five Spices,” Little Fran said. “So you can’t criticize me, neither my attitude nor my actions, and I won’t apologize.”
“…I see,” Cheng Xiangwu said, then couldn’t help but sigh, “This is so troublesome.”
Little F laughed and said, "Just bear with it."
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