I'm trapped in a block

Chapter 1251 Suspect

As Xu Demin explained, the interrogators' cold gazes gradually softened.

But he did not stop the interrogation; instead, he sped it up, bombarding the audience with all sorts of tricky questions.

Why did you take the initiative to negotiate with the hospital staff?

Why were you at the scene on the day of the incident?

"Your roommate said you usually arrive at the dorm to rest by that time, so why were you late that day?"

Why did you eat so slowly that day? Did you know something beforehand?

"You used to only order two dishes, why did you order three that day? Was it on purpose?"

"The cafeteria staff said you never drink soup, so why did you line up for soup that day?"

Is your direct supervisor good to you?

Did he ask you to help him with anything?

"Have you ever used your good relationship with him to gain some benefit from him?"

Did you learn anything about explosives in school?

"Several older colleagues in your workplace have mentioned that you are very interested in learning about mining-related knowledge, and you have also studied knowledge about blasting mining. Why do you deliberately study this kind of knowledge?"

Why are you obstructing the hospital staff?!

"Why are there books about explosives in your dorm room?!"

"How did you bribe the leaders to obtain the mining area planning map?!"

"Were you delaying your return to the dorm that day to complete your plan?!"

"What is your purpose!"

"..."

By the end of the interrogation, Xu Demin found himself completely numb, having become a machine that could only answer questions.

Just like the sorting machines in a ore processing plant, once someone throws ore in, it starts operating and outputs the right ore, completely losing its ability to think and operating on instinct.

The questions asked by the interrogators are completely unpredictable; they might suddenly set a trap, or sometimes ask him to corroborate his previous statements, or even have multiple questions corroborate each other.

At first, Xu Demin tried to make his answer as "perfect" as possible, but under the relentless onslaught, all his answers came out without hesitation. He dared not delay for even a moment, as if the guillotine hanging over his head would fall if he was even slightly late.

He finally understood why he had been summoned.

During his year at the Tonggu Mine, he was enthusiastic and eager to learn. He wanted to get to know everyone and learn everything. On the day of the accident, he showed strange initiative again, insisting on getting involved in things that had nothing to do with him.

Coincidentally, he happened to have brought the planning map with him, which came in handy.

Even more coincidentally, he was hungry that day and ordered an extra dish. After eating it, he found it too salty and had to queue up for soup, which made him late getting back to his dorm...

Because he usually gets along well with people, he chatted with them while waiting in line, which people remembered.

That day, when he was getting his food, the cafeteria staff jokingly asked him, "Why do you have such a good appetite today?" He remembers replying:
"Today is a special day."

Xu Demin recalled his answer that day and felt an urge to slap himself.

"I told you I was hungry today, is that not allowed? And today is supposed to be a special day..."

However, that day was indeed a special day. Xu Demin liked to record various time points, and that day was the one-year anniversary of his internship at the mine and his official start of work.

He thought about how he had grown to the point of being able to stand on his own in the past year, so he was particularly happy that day and said those words to the comrade serving food... All the coincidences came together, and Xu Demin was not stupid. He immediately realized that he had become a suspect in the case of the disappearance due to the mine blasting.

Sitting in the chair, Xu Demin's feet were numb, and his hands were covered in sweat, which then turned cold due to the evaporation of the sweat.

The interrogation room was small, like a prison cell. Xu Demin then noticed that the police officers around him were looking at him strangely, extremely coldly, as if they were looking at a dead man.

"Sir, I can explain anything!"

His flustered appearance did not elicit sympathy; instead, it aroused the interrogators' suspicions, leading to another round of questioning.

Many questions are repeated, and many others are presented from a different angle, hinting and digressing. There are more and more traps and disguised guidance. If he is not careful, he will push himself into an abyss.

Xu Demin's lips were dry, and his voice became hoarse.

But then, the interrogator suddenly changed. A kind-looking officer sat down in front of him and brought him a glass of water.

He hesitated to accept it, but the officer smiled and nudged the glass. Only then did he take it with trepidation and take a sip.

"You must be nervous, young man."

"Mm." Xu Demin took another sip of water and nodded gently.

"We understand your situation. Let's not talk about you anymore. Let's talk about other people, okay?"

"Hmm." Xu Demin nodded again, his eyes still filled with doubt as he looked at his superior.

He couldn't believe he was being let off the hook so easily.

But the questions that followed from the amiable interrogator weren't actually about him, but about his colleagues and the various people he'd encountered in the days leading up to the incident.

From the guards at the entrance of the mine to the leaders of the mine command center.

From the postman who delivered the mail to the hospital staff member who stood at the very back when a conflict almost broke out that day.

Familiar, unfamiliar, memorable, vague...

The interrogator guided him through recalling everyone.

Hearing the other party's gentle words, Xu Demin felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

This means he has been thoroughly investigated!
The other party knows everything about who they've met and what has happened to them. Now, they're just trying to pry some unexpected things out of him and understand his motivations for doing those things.

They not only know his whereabouts, but also his mindset!

Xu Demin felt the water he swallowed was icy cold, as if he were being turned into a "transparent person" with no place to hide his secrets.

But he couldn't resist this change; he could only submit and cooperate...

The amiable interrogator, after a brief chat, began to dabble in everyday matters:

"Comrade Xu Demin, where are you from?"

"The provincial capital."

"Oh, so why did you come to Tonggu? It's remote and underdeveloped. You're a college student; people should strive for better things. You could have gone to a better place, so why did you choose to come here? What is it about this place that attracts you?"

Many people have asked Xu Demin this question: leaders, colleagues, friends—almost everyone who knows Xu Demin doesn't understand his thinking.

Every time he heard this question, Xu Demin would give his answer without hesitation, without the slightest hint of guilt.

"For the construction of the nation!"

(End of this chapter)