The Last Mr. Dongguo

"Hello, Captain Bai." The moment the connection was established, a chilling greeting came through the receiver. "Sooner than I expected. Captain Bai isn't as useless as people say. However, Captain Bai has missed several good shows. While things are exciting here, it must be thrilling on your end too."

"Stop talking nonsense and get to the bottom of this. Where are Fei Li and Cheng Luan?"

"Don't worry, they're fine now," the other party emphasized the word "now," which put immense pressure on Bai Xin and his group. "I'm reminding you, don't think about using any coercive measures. Since I was able to get you here, I've already thought of a solution. I'll give you a clear path: what you can do now is find the answer you're looking for in Liu Zheng. Time is running out, and the plane is running low on fuel."

Liu Zheng sat alone in the interrogation room, his eyes fixed on the one-way glass. A look of disdain would occasionally appear on his usually indifferent face, and he would hum several incomplete children's songs intermittently.

"Captain Bai, I think he's definitely hiding something from us. I have a strong feeling that if we can't get anything out of him, there will be a huge disaster!" Dongfang Lin stared at Liu Zheng, wishing she could see through his thoughts.

"I never imagined you could not only read code, but also read real people."

"A good teacher produces outstanding students!"

"When did I teach you that?"

"Did I say you taught me?" Dongfang Lin blinked at Bai Xin, looking smug.

"Not bad." Bai Xin smiled, realizing he had fallen into Dongfang Lin's trap. "A promising young man."

"Shall we go in now?" Han Zhen sounded anxious, eager to get some information from Liu Zheng. He grabbed Dongfang Lin's arm, preparing to head towards the door. But Dongfang Lin stopped him, saying, "Han Zhen, don't rush. Let's play some music for him first, help him get into the mood." Dongfang Lin stroked her chin, her hand free. "When it's time, Bai and I can go in."

Soft music filled the interrogation room—the very nursery rhymes Liu Zheng had just hummed. The sudden music startled Liu Zheng, who first paused, then a slight smile played on his lips, before he leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowing slightly, revealing a hint of sadness. Within a few short minutes, Liu Zheng displayed a variety of expressions, all of which Dongfang Lin effortlessly captured.

"Liu Zheng is currently in a completely defensive state. He knows we are observing him, and all his actions are to conceal his secrets. He appears calm and composed, but he is actually trying to figure out what we are thinking. Humming is the only thing that makes him feel relaxed, a form of self-comfort. However, the songs he hums are children's songs, and they are incomplete. This shows that these childhood memories are both very important to him and relatively vague. Now that his ears are filled with music, it will help him recall his past, whether joyful or sorrowful. This is especially important for us to break through his psychological defenses. We are now in a relatively balanced state; it's just a matter of who can break the balance first." Dongfang Lin crossed her arms and began her explanation.

Listening to Dongfang Lin's explanation, and looking at Liu Zheng sitting on the stool, seemingly deep in thought and enjoying himself, Bai Xin appeared very confident.

"Alright, it's almost done, let's go in!" Dongfang Lin waved to Bai Xin and opened the door to the room.

The singing continued in the interrogation room. Liu Zheng kept his eyes closed and his face expressionless, it was unclear whether he was enjoying the music or thinking about how to respond.

"How is it?" Dongfang Lin spoke first. On the other side, as Dongfang Lin spoke, Bai Xin lowered the volume of the music by one decibel.

"It sounds beautiful; nursery rhymes are the purest sounds."

Very well, Liu Zheng answered Dongfang Lin's question, and the power of speech is now in Dongfang Lin's hands. Bai Xin sensed the tense atmosphere.

"Yes, the most innocent time in a person's life is when they are a child, carefree and innocent, without having to think about or do anything. But not everyone has a happy childhood," Dongfang Lin said, unscrewing a bottle of mineral water and placing it in front of Liu Zheng. Their eyes met, and Dongfang Lin saw his slightly constricted pupils. "I didn't have that kind of childhood."

Liu Zheng was taken aback, then frowned slightly before quickly regaining his composed smile. Dongfang Lin first posed her own question, leaving Liu Zheng unsure of her intentions. However, from his subsequent smile, Dongfang Lin sensed that Liu Zheng no longer cared about the process; his only goal was to uphold his principles.

"Oh? As far as I know, Miss Dongfang was born into a scholarly family and received love from her parents from a young age. Even though her life took a turn for the worse, she still lived a relatively happy life. Now, you are the dignified head of the Evidence Section." Liu Zheng raised his right hand, picked up the mineral water in front of him, took a sip, and then put it back in its place, his movements appearing natural.

"That can't compare to the love of one's own parents!" Dongfang Lin noticed that the water in Liu Zheng's bottle didn't seem to have decreased. A hint of hesitation flashed in Liu Zheng's eyes, and Dongfang Lin pressed on, adding more emphasis to her tone, "What do you think?"

What seemed like an ordinary question sounded to Liu Zheng like undercurrents beneath a calm sea. Liu Zheng suddenly realized that Dongfang Lin's relentless pursuit had struck a nerve.

"That's because they're cowardly and incompetent," Liu Zheng said, his voice tinged with guilt and unease. He tried his best to conceal his inner conflict, transforming his unease into resentment, as if desperately trying to prove that he and Dongfang Lin thought differently. "Kind people are bullied, and good horses are ridden. This is an age-old truth. Following them will only lead to starvation, while leaving them will at least give us food to eat."

Liu Zheng fell into the trap, and as Dongfang Lin raised questions, the conversation gradually returned to the case.

"Yes, 'If you take someone's money, you have to do their bidding,' that's not wrong!" Dongfang Lin changed the subject, bringing up a topic that Liu Zheng had been wanting to raise.

"Yes, you're absolutely right. I admit that's the kind of business I do." Liu Zheng seemed to relax a lot all of a sudden, as if he was now in control.

"You should also understand the principle of killing to cover up a crime, right?" The tone was a mix of questioning and reminder, with a hint of contempt.

"Haha! Don't try to attack my weaknesses, it's all already begun!"

Liu Zheng's reaction was exactly what Dongfang Lin expected. Since Liu Zheng was willing to take the blame for murder, he had probably already considered his fate, or perhaps someone else had even taken care of it for him. Now that he had no worries about the future, Liu Zheng was naturally reckless. Dongfang Lin's question further confirmed his suspicions.

"Were you involved in the case ten years ago?" Having learned Liu Zheng's true intentions, Dongfang Lin began to further entice him.

"Of course, killing Cheng Lun was the beginning of the case, and Fei Li was the end!"