Invasion of America

Chapter 27 Interrogation
When Erwin regained consciousness, he found himself handcuffed and tied tightly to a chair.

No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't muster any strength. Instead, his wrists and ankles were rubbed so hard by the metal handcuffs that they hurt. Every time he twisted his body, the pain only deepened.

He raised his head and looked around, only to find himself in his own basement. The incandescent light above his head emitted a dazzling light, illuminating the entire room.

Under the light, a young Asian man slowly approached, his face becoming clearer. Erwin's heart sank suddenly—it was the boy named Victor.

Seeing Zhou Qingfeng's face clearly, Erwin stopped struggling. He knew he was under the other party's control.

He wanted to speak, tried to explain or argue, but his mouth was sealed tightly with thick tape, and he could only make indistinct whimpers.

Behind Zhou Qingfeng, the tall Congers had a gloomy face, clenched his fists, and stared at Erwin with eyes as sharp as blades, wishing he could eat him alive.

There was another old man in the room. He looked at Erwin with a puzzled look and asked curiously, "Victor, who is this man? Why did you kidnap him?"

Zhou Qingfeng did not answer immediately, but just used Erwin's finger to unlock his mobile phone, looked through the album, and quickly found several secretly filmed videos.

The video clearly recorded the entire process of Zhou Qingfeng killing people and stealing lottery tickets. This confirmed Carl's inference that the blackmailer was not Congers, but the person in front of him.

Congers was filled with anger and confusion, his eyes darting back and forth between the people present. He chose to ask a simple question first, "What's wrong with this old man?"

Zhou Qingfeng didn't even look up and replied calmly, "Dementia, intermittent amnesia. I often forget things that happened a few hours ago, and I have to be reminded repeatedly."

Then he asked Hammer to check his phone. The old man would occasionally leave him notes, which contained all the previous reminders.

Congers frowned, his doubts only deepening.

Three days ago, he was suddenly suspended by Director Matthew on the grounds that the FBI received a report about his "violent law enforcement."

On the way back to the FBI station, the vehicle carrying Congers was attacked and two FBI agents were killed, but Congers escaped.

He immediately called his wife and daughter to tell them that he was in trouble and that someone must not want him to live anymore.

Considering that his wife and daughter had poor adaptability and he was on the run, he specifically asked Alvin to help take his wife and daughter to a safe place.

The two have been partners for five years and have a very good relationship. When facing various criminals and "heroes", they have formed a life-and-death friendship.

Congers believes the only person he can trust is Erwin.

Unexpectedly, this bastard stabbed me in the back. Not only did he fail to settle Julia and Selina, he also handed the two women over to his mortal enemy.

Director Matthew used Selina's cell phone to send a message to Congers, threatening that if he dared to become a tainted witness for the FBI, his wife and daughter would be killed.

During these two or three days, Congers not only had to hide from place to place, but also had to endure tremendous psychological pressure. If he were not physically strong, he would not have been able to hold on.

He knew that he couldn't hide for long, and he knew that Matthew would never let his wife and daughter go, so he decided to take a gamble and try to fight back to regain the initiative.

Just about half an hour ago, Congers took great risks to track down Erwin, and was about to succeed. Unexpectedly, he was ambushed by Zhou Qingfeng and was hit by an anesthetic needle.

Fortunately, Zhou Qingfeng just knocked him down by chance.
-
The next step is to move quickly
Zhou Qingfeng dragged the two men into the pickup truck and turned back to break into Elvin White's home. In the basement, he found a computer containing the entire ransomware video.

There are also commonly recorded Congers voices, AI voice fake software, and voice changing software.

There was even a plan document on the computer desktop, which contained all the assumptions and deductions that Alvin had made to blackmail Zhou Qingfeng.

Send a private email to the deputy director of the FBI's Miami branch in order to put pressure on Zhou Qingfeng and prevent him from taking the money and running away - this step is clearly shown in the document.

In addition, there was a plan to directly kidnap Zhou Qingfeng, and a plan to send part of the crime video to the media, so that Zhou Qingfeng would be embroiled in lawsuits and forced to compromise.

In the document, Irving specifically reminded himself not to underestimate the power of more than a billion dollars.

We must put enough pressure on Zhou Qingfeng to force him to give in before he gets the money. But we can't push him too hard, lest he become desperate and do something crazy.

If Zhou Qingfeng were to gain control of over a billion dollars, they would inevitably retaliate. Therefore, they couldn't be too greedy. Once they got two or three hundred million dollars, they would have to disclose the evidence and send Zhou Qingfeng to prison.

In order to mislead Zhou Qingfeng's counterattack, Alvin did not hesitate to push Congers, who took good care of him, out as a shield.

The document also contains Erwin's doubts - how did Zhou Qingfeng know the lottery information? Why was his murder method so skillful?
This extortion plan alone made Zhou Qingfeng break out in a cold sweat. If he showed any sign of compromise or concession, he would be firmly controlled by Alvin.

But this guy still underestimated the power of more than one billion US dollars. Even though the prize redemption process has not been completed, Zhou Qingfeng's "expectation of getting the money soon" alone makes him gain a strength that cannot be ignored.
-
Erwin was bound tightly by the cold handcuffs, and his wrists were stinging. He kept uttering inarticulate whimpers, trying to lower his posture and show his weakness.

But his brain was working fast, frantically calculating how many chips he had left in his hand.

"Beg for mercy?" This thought flashed through his mind, but he quickly rejected it.

Erwin knew that showing weakness in front of these people would only make him appear more vulnerable, especially since Zhou Qingfeng had actually killed someone.

"Announce that I still have the blackmail video?" He thought to himself, perhaps this would make Zhou Qingfeng hesitate.

After all, those videos were his carefully preserved "insurance" and "chips", enough to put Zhou Qingfeng in a desperate situation.

"Or maybe disclose that he had contacted the FBI Deputy Director?" This thought made him feel a little more at ease.

The FBI's deterrent power is strong enough. It is one of his last trump cards and it will definitely be able to deter the other party.

"Or, in exchange for Julia and Selina's safety?" Erwin knew that Kongs valued his family above all else.

Erwin took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. He scanned the room, carefully observing the three people in front of him: Zhou Qingfeng, Congers, and the mysterious old man.

He tried to catch a flaw in the expressions and actions of the three people and look for room for negotiation.

Zhou Qingfeng was concentrating on fiddling with the computer in the basement.

Erwin's eyes fell on the computer screen, and he felt a strong sense of unease.

He never thought that Zhou Qingfeng would come to him so quickly and have the courage to use a drone to launch a sneak attack in broad daylight.

Gray Shark helped purchase and modify the drone, and the anesthetic needles came from the "corpse collector" couple. There are underground gray markets that provide these services for a fee.

That computer stores almost all of Erwin's secrets - login accounts, browsing history, personal archives, social messages... Every detail could become his fatal weakness.

What’s worse is that most accounts in the browser are logged in automatically, and a few require mobile phone verification.

Zhou Qingfeng quickly contacted Gray Shark and used the Internet to log in remotely, preparing to get all of Erwin's private information.

Erwin's heart sank. He knew that once the information was uncovered, there would be no chance of recovery.

He tried to get Zhou Qingfeng's attention, but the other party ignored him as if he was just a piece of air.

In desperation, Erwin turned his gaze to Congers. This large man was obviously the easiest defense to break through - unless he didn't care about the lives of his wife and daughter.

Congers was truly distraught. He had already confessed his situation to Zhou Qingfeng, desperate to extract the whereabouts of his wife and daughter from Erwin.

However, just as the big sheriff was about to step forward to interrogate him, the silent old man Hammer stopped him.

"We don't have time to waste now," the old man said in a very professional tone. "We must use the most efficient interrogation method. If you are anxious, come and help me."

Kangsi thought to himself, "I've been a police officer for over a decade. Who could be more proficient at interrogation than me?"

Zhou Qingfeng said from the side, "Mr. Hammer used to work for the CIA. Now he is retired and has become a 'part-time worker' who can be hired for money." Upon hearing the name of 'CIA', Congers immediately stepped aside and prepared to help the old man.

He also asked the deepest doubt in his heart, "Victor, how did you know that Julia and Selina were arrested?"

"I don't know about this. I was just blackmailed by your partner for $100 million. I want to kill him."

Zhou Qingfeng connected Erwin's mobile phone to the computer with a USB cable and left the rest of the work to the "remote" "Gray Shark".

Congers suddenly realized something and said, "Julia once told me that you sneaked out late one night. That was the day."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded, faced Congers, and admitted, "Yes, I did it."

"Fuck you, Victor." A series of events connected in Congers' mind, and he finally understood the cause and effect of all the troubles.

Zhou Qingfeng accepted this calmly.

Old man Hammer shouted from the side, "Big man, come and help, save your wife and daughter first."

Erwin was dragged into the bathroom with his chair, the chair was laid flat, and his body was forced to lie on his back.

Old man Hammer took a towel from the shelf and gently covered Erwin's face with it.

Erwin's breathing suddenly became rapid, his eyes widened under the towel, and an ominous premonition surged in his heart.

"The target of the interrogation is a corrupt police officer," the old man said calmly while sitting on a chair outside the bathroom, "He must have a strong awareness and ability to resist interrogation.

Beating him up would only cause him some pain, at most breaking a few bones and drawing some blood, but the effect would not be as good as expected.

What we need to do is to destroy his will to resist as quickly as possible.

Waterboarding is a good option; it won't cause irreversible damage, but it will be enough to leave a lasting memory for the guy."

Erwin's heart sank when he heard this. He knew what waterboarding was—the suffocating pain was enough to quickly cause a person to collapse.

His body began to struggle violently, his limbs twisting desperately, trying to break free from the restraints.

Congers stepped forward and suppressed Erwin with even greater force. No matter how the other party struggled, he could not escape the iron-like hands.

Old man Hammer continued, "Interrogation is a psychological struggle. Once the target's mind is broken, they will desperately want to end their suffering. Resistance will be impossible, and they will answer whatever you ask them."

Congers picked up a cup, filled it with water from the tap, and slowly poured the water over the towel on Erwin's face.

The cold water quickly soaked the towel and stuck to his facial skin.

Erwin's breathing became increasingly difficult, his chest heaving violently as he tried to inhale a breath of air, but the wet towel was like an invisible barrier, isolating the oxygen from the air.

The feeling of suffocation came like a tide, and Erwin's brain immediately became chaotic due to lack of oxygen.

His consciousness struggled between clarity and blur, and he could hear his own rapid heartbeat. He knew this was just the beginning, and the real torture was yet to come.

"Hold on," he said to himself, "You can't just give in like this..."

However, as Congers poured water again and again, Erwin's will collapsed very quickly.

His body stopped struggling, only twitching instinctively. Countless images flashed through his mind—Julia and Selina's faces, the FBI deputy director's call, the blackmail videos...

Whenever Erwin's struggles grew weaker, Hammer would ask Congers to slow down a bit, remove the towel that blocked his mouth and nose, and straighten him up so he could catch his breath.

Every time he was righted, Erwin would breathe heavily and spit out large gulps of water. But as soon as his strength and consciousness recovered a little, he would be knocked down again and the towel would be pressed against his face again.

After going back and forth three or five times, which took more than ten minutes, Erwin's spirit collapsed. His head drooped weakly and his mind was blank.

Zhou Qingfeng stepped forward, tore off the tape covering his mouth, slowly pulled out the gag, and asked, "Tell me, where are Julia and Selina?"
-
It was three o'clock in the afternoon, just over an hour after Zhou Qingfeng caught Erwin.

The town was still quiet, with the occasional noise of vehicles passing through the streets and the melodious sound of the church bells echoing in the distance.

There was no movement at the police station, and no one noticed that a policeman had been missing for over an hour.

The good news is that Erwin collapsed. Under the torture of waterboarding, his will completely collapsed, like a hedgehog stripped of its spines, he had no power to resist.

Old man Hammer personally conducted the interrogation, repeatedly asking about every detail and cross-verifying whether there were any concealments or errors in the answers.

Erwin's confession was disassembled and reassembled over and over again until the old man confirmed that nothing was missed.

Gray Shark also assisted remotely, quickly verifying Erwin's confession through his computer and mobile phone.

Those negative videos that once threatened Zhou Qingfeng were found and deleted one by one, as if they had never existed.

Bad news also follows. Erwin doesn't know the whereabouts of Julia and Selina.

Three days ago, he tricked the mother and daughter into his car and handed them over to Chief Matthew. As for where Matthew took them, Erwin had no idea.

"Say that again?!" Congers rushed forward, grabbed Erwin by the collar, and lifted him up along with the chair.

His fists were clenched and crackling, and his eyes were burning with anger, as if he was about to smash Erwin's head in at any second.

"I...I really don't know!" Erwin's voice trembled, his face as pale as paper. "I only handed the person over to Matthew. I don't know anything else! I swear!"

Congers's fist hung in the air, not dropping. His chest heaved violently, and his breathing was as heavy as a wounded beast.

Finally, he threw Erwin down with the chair, turned around and punched the wall with a dull thud.

Zhou Qingfeng felt mixed emotions. He walked over to Congers and gently patted him on the shoulder. "What kind of shady business is Director Matthew secretly doing?"

Kangsi was silent for a few seconds, then took a deep breath and spoke slowly: "Human trafficking... and illegal human experiments."

"There's a pharmaceutical company called 'Apocalypse Bio' in Baitan Town. To save on clinical validation costs, the company has long required a large number of immigrants to conduct drug trials.

They chose Baitan Town because it is close to the border and has abundant experimental resources.

Zhou Qingfeng frowned and asked, "Experimental resources? You mean... those illegal immigrants?"

Congers nodded, his voice so low that it was almost inaudible: “Matthew has been facilitating the ‘Apocalypse Creature’.

He tricked those undocumented illegal immigrants into selling blood, but in reality, they were not only selling blood... they were also selling laboratory supplies.

Those people had no idea what was going to happen to them. Even if they died, Matthew would quickly send them to the crematorium and they would disappear without a trace.”

Congers finally let out a long sigh. "I hate those illegal immigrants, and gradually became Matthew's accomplice, and I got deeper and deeper into it, until now."

Zhou Qingfeng looked at old man Hammer.

The latter shrugged calmly and said with a sarcastic smile, "Victor, you seem surprised? But this is a routine operation for American pharmaceutical companies.

I bet it’s all packaged to look legal.”

(End of this chapter)