S.C.I. MYSTERY CASES BOOK 1 English Translation

Chapter 24: The Numbers Killer - Interrogation

The incineration room door opens, Bai Jintang walks out carrying Gongsun. Gongsun has been covered with his suit jacket, and his uneven fringe shielding his eyes, making his expression hard to read.
"Is he alright?" Zhan Zhao asks in worry.
"He's fine. Just a little overdosed with an anaesthetic." Bai Jintang says, nodding towards Chen Jing at the back, "He is over there."
Bai Yutang notices Chen Jing's feeble posture and scowls immediately, "You two tortured him?"
"Don't accuse us of something you have no proof of!" The twins say in unison.
Bai Yutang walks up to Chen Jing to prod at him and realises that his joints are all dislocated. He glowers, "The two of you are still so unrestrained within the country?"
The twins sneak a look at Bai Yutang from the side, "Do you have pieces of evidence? He fell down himself!" They add again in unison.
"Stupid twins..." Bai Yutang rolls up his sleeve and gets ready for a fight.
Zhan Zhao pulled him back immediately, "Let it go, let's get Gongsun to the hospital first."
"Xiao Zhan, long time no see!" The twins' icy expressions crack to reveal smiles; they reach out to hug Zhan Zhao's shoulder on each side.
"Zhaolan, Zhaohui, you guys came back too?"
"Yep! It's been a really long time. Xiao Zhan, you got more adorable..."
Bai Yutang pushed Zhan Zhao behind him and glares at the twins, "You two perverts, stay away from him! Go back to Italy!!"
The twins shake their head smugly, "We are not going back!"
"Huh?!" This time not even Bai Yutang, Zhan Zhao also looks startled.
"Oh, yes, this is why I am back this time." Bai Jintang interrupts, "I want to move my business back into the country."
...
Zhan Zhao pulls Bai Yutang aside and whispers, "It's illegal to trade firearm in this country, right? Your brother is planning to start a mafia?"
Bai Yutang scratches his head, "Well..."
"Yutang..."
The two of them turn around and realise that Bai Jintang has been standing behind them.
"Did you tell Xiao Zhao that I sell firearm? And I'm in the mafia?"
"Erm...well..." Bai Yutang eyes his escape routes, but the twins block the way.
"I have spoiled you all these years..." Bai Jintang's expression gets more and more dangerous, "But I see that to you, I'm a bad guy!"
"Ah!" Zhan Zhao suddenly speaks up, "Gongsun seems to be in pain!"
...! ...Bai Jintang looks down at Gongsun in his arms. It seems that the effect of anaesthetic has passed, Gongsun's body twitches slightly.
"You should take him to the hospital, the effect of anaesthetic overdose is unpredictable!" Zhan Zhao runs off, pulling Bai Yutang along with him, "Let's go question Chen Jing..."
Bai Yutang who has been successfully rescued, ducks into his car. He gives Zhan Zhao a hug, "Cat! You are the best! Come on, give me a kiss!"
"AH!" Zhan Zhao swipes at him in fury, "Stupid mouse! I will never rescue you again!!"
Bai Jintang watches Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang who have made their escapes thoughtfully. The twin's comment, "Da Ge, how long more are you planning to carry Gongsun?"
...
Chen Jing has certainly suffered a lot this time. As ex-mercenaries Ding Zhaolan and Ding Zhaohui were able to dislocate the joints skilfully without damaging his body too severely, only causing a great deal of pain.
Walking into the interrogation room, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang note that Chen Jing is leaning against the chair, looking like a broken puppet.
"Chen Jing." Bai Yutang sits down in front of him, tossing the file onto the table, "You falsified the cases?"
Chen Jing maintains his posture as if he didn't hear Bai Yutang at all.
Bai Yutang frowns, he really dislikes seeing people in this kind of living dead state. He turns around to give Zhan Zhao a look, meaning, 'You do it.'
Zhan Zhao nods. He takes a look at Chen Jing and opens his mouth slowly, "You injected Gongsun with too much anaesthetic."
Chen Jing trembles.
"He might have to be hospitalised for a while." Zhan Zhao continues, "His left arm is broken as well."
Chen Jing looks up and asks hoarsely, "He...Does he hate me?"
Zhan Zhao nods, "And you wanted to burn down the incineration room with the two of you in it, isn't that right?"
Chen Jing nods as well, "I...I just wanted to be with him..."
"The reason why you injected him with so much anaesthetic is that you didn't want him to suffer while burning, isn't that right?"
"Yes..." Chen Jing nods again.
"But Gongsun doesn't know all these." Zhan Zhao says, "He doesn't know what you have done for him."
Chen Jing shakes his head, "He never cared..."
"That's incorrect!" Spotting a trace of hope in Chen Jing's eyes, Zhan Zhao continues, "It's not that he never cared, it's just that you have never told him."
"I..." Chen Jing falters.
Zhan Zhao adds, "You must realise, there is nothing wrong with loving Gongsun. What is wrong is what you have done. Just tell us everything and I will pass it along to Gongsun."
Chen Jing looks at Zhan Zhao blankly, "If I told you the truth, he will forgive me?"
Listening in on the side, Bai Yutang suddenly feels a wave of sympathy for Chen Jing, "Do you still want to see him?"
"What?" Chen Jing looks up in shock, "I can still see him?"
"Hm..." Bai Yutang shakes his head, "Tell us the truth. If he forgives you, he might come and visit you."
"I will talk, I will talk..." Chen Jing shakes his head hurriedly, "Ask me anything, I will talk."
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchange a look, Bai Yutang pulls out his pen and paper for records.
"How long have you known Gongsun?"
"Eight...Eight years."
"You are Gongsun's schoolmate?" Zhan Zhao goes through Chen Jing's file, "But you are two cohorts above him?"
"Yes..." Chen Jing nods, "The first time I saw him, was during a gathering at school."
"And you liked him for a long time?" Bai Yutang asks.
"Since the first time I saw him."
"Then how long has it been since you started spying on him?"
"A...One year."
Zhan Zhao nods, "You sent the flowers and made the calls as well?"
"Yes."
"Why, did you only started doing those things last year?"
"To...To face my feelings."
Bai Yutang frowns at Zhan Zhao, "To face his feelings?"
"Yes, that's the advice that my doctor gave me."
"Doctor?" Bai Yutang looks interested suddenly, "What doctor?"
Chen Jing sighs, "In the past, as long as I am able to see him from afar, I am satisfied. But as time goes on, I wanted him more and more. That feeling... When he talks to others, smiles at others...I, I feel a need to kill. I would think to myself if only he is mine and mine only. Sometimes, even I can feel that I am not normal..."
Bai Yutang sneaks a look at Zhan Zhao who has been listening intently and smiles bitterly on the inside, he can understand Chen Jing's mentality.
"So you thought there's something wrong with you, and went to see a doctor?" Zhan Zhao asks.
"Yes. I thought that if this continues on, it would go out of hand. So I went to see a psychiatrist." Chen Jing continues, "The psychiatrist advised me, to face my feelings."
"He advised you to spy on Gongsun and send him flowers?" Bai Yutang comments in dismay, "Psychiatrist from where? What's his name?"
Chen Jing shakes his head, "Because I am considered a government official. My occupation, you know, it is sensitive. And I didn't want to cause Gongsun any problem, so I went to a private clinic recommended by a friend."
Zhan Zhao nods, "Which means, you went to a clinic without a license to operate?"
Chen Jing nods, "It, it wasn't really a clinic. It was just a small room. But the doctor is really good. Every time, after talking to him, I would feel so much better."
"What is the doctor's name?" Bai Yutang asks
"I...I don't know his name, he always asked me to just call him the doctor. He told me, not to worry and that he is a reputed psychology professor in the country, but because he works for the government, he can't run a business. So he had to be discreet with his name."
"How does he look like?"
"Erm...He is old, wears glasses, looks very scholarly."
Bai Yutang picks out two photos from his file, the photos of professor Xu and Dr Zhang, "Is the doctor in here?"
Chen Jing takes a close look and points at professor Xu's photo, "Him, I think."
"You think?"
"The lighting in the room was very bad, I can't see clearly, but it looks like him...Although, I have seen this man before." Chen Jing says and points at Dr Zhang's photo.
"At where?" Zhan Zhao asks in surprise.
"That day when I was in the clinic, I saw him at the entrance."
Bai Yutang asks, "Why did you make up the serial number killer case?"
Chen Jing hesitates, "I followed the doctor's advice, started spying on Gongsun, sending him flowers. At the start, it felt really good, really satisfying, but slowly..."
"It wasn't enough?" Bai Yutang comments.
"Yes." Chen Jing nods, "The doctor said that there is nothing wrong with my feelings. Maybe, I could even get Gongsun to accept me."
"So the solution was to make up a case?"
"Because Gongsun is always so indifferent towards everyone, and only seems to express some interests in his work. So I thought I could start with his work." Chen Jing continues, "Just as I have hoped, Gongsun became really interested after hearing about the case and wanted to meet up... He, it was the first time he has talked to me so much."
"Why did you kill Wu Hao?"
Chen Jing looks flustered, "I didn't expect Gongsun to actually hand the case over to you, and you to actually start an investigation. I...I was afraid that I would be exposed...And if I kill Wu Hao, then these cases will become a real serial case."
"Who told you the numbers?"
"The doctor..."
Bai Yutang chortles, "Don't you find it strange? That he knew about the numbers?"
Chen Jing hesitates, "He said those are all failed experiments."
...
"How did you get into the prison?"
"The doctor brought me in, he said he is one of their official psychologists and has access to the prison infirmary."
Bai Yutang gives Zhan Zhao a look, "No wonder none of the prison guards noticed."
Zhan Zhao nods, "Professor Xu is really their official psychologist...And a really senior one."
"That's right." Bai Yutang agrees, "He could prove Zhan Jue's insanity twenty years ago."
Zhan Zhao considers, "Do you think, he was doing some sort of experiment?"
"It's likely, he mentioned something about experiments." Bai Yutang stands up and pushes his pen and paper towards Chen Jing, "Write down the address of the clinic."
Zhan Zhao stands up as well, "You want to go and arrest him?"
Bai Yutang shakes his head, "No, we don't have enough evidence. That old man is an expert, his work would be watertight."
"Yes." Zhan Zhao agrees, "If he can prove Chen Jing is mentally ill, he would be free of any liabilities."
Bai Yutang picks up the address and walks out of the interrogation room.
"Where are you going?" Zhan Zhao follows him quickly.
"Erh...Cat, I suddenly recall that I have to do something..."
"You want to go to that clinic on your own, isn't that right?" Zhan Zhao grabs onto him, "I want to go as well."
Bai Yutang sighs long-sufferingly, "It's too dangerous, what if something happened? You stay here."
Zhan Zhao rolls his eyes at him, "I thought we had a deal, you have to bring me with you on all your field works."
"It's dangerous!"
"You yourself said I cannot leave your side. Now you want to go off on your own."
"It's for your own good, stop being so unreasonable."
"Okay!" Zhan Zhao nods, "I will go talk to commissioner Bao!"
"Talk to him about what?" Bai Yutang tugs back Zhan Zhao.
"I will tell him that you are acting without authorisation!"
"Hey, don't...Alright alright, colour me afraid!"
"Hehe." Pleased, Zhan Zhao followed the dejected Bai Yutang out of the bureau.