Chapter 193: Liwu’s cold logic.
Liwu frowned. "What Detective He Xiao Yi means is that we must be careful and on guard at all times. As long as the cage is under our control, we can manage the situation."
There were some murmurs in the room, agreements and disagreements.
And then, Linlin, chuckled dryly. "Who cares about cages and controlled environments? I have seen his fate. Do you all think therapy will stop him? Fate is a continuous thread, it bends only when forced. But sometimes, I have seen that thread be reset on the right path and you know what happens? Fate is fulfilled."
Liwu looked at her partner, shooting her a clear. "Then we keep correcting the thread until we can’t. Fate bends when people fight for it. We have not given this child a chance. We cannot reduce his future to an inevitability just because a system host predicts it so."
Even as she said this, she could see that look of disbelief, anger betrayal in Linlin’s eyes.
Alix gestured for silence. "Detective Liwu, what is your opinion? Should the bureau give this child a death sentence or lock him away forever?"
Liwu inhaled deeply, aware that every word could tilt the scales. "My opinion is this: the boy is dangerous, yes. But he is also a victim. His parents treated him like a commodity, and expandable one at that. They manipulated that child and probably did everything they could to trigger the awakening of a system in him. They put him under stress. His environment was a poisoned one.
Then, he was sealed in a barrel with his feet glued to the bottom and thrown in the ocean. According to Linlin’s prediction, this is the same manner in which he will kill, in future. As you can see, his methods don’t come out of thin air, they come from this experience. They come from this trauma that he has been through.
If we treat him like a criminal now, we will create the monster we fear. If we treat him like a child in need of intervention, we may change his path."
A murmur rippled through the room. Some nodded, others scoffed.
One director sneered. "Idealism. You think kindness can erased destiny?"
Liwu’s lips curved into a wry smile. "I think arguing in circles will waste our time. Some of you think giving this child a death sentence will be simple, but what happens when the news reaches the public. Do you know how many parents will riot because they are worried their child will meet a similar fate if a fate predictor touches their hand and sees something that is criminal in their future? Not just parents but ordinary people.
Look online, the story of the boy in the barrel has gone viral worldwide. Billions are rooting for his recovery. They can’t wait to see his face and know he has survived this horrible experience. Can you confidently stand before the press and tell them that you are going to lock him up or kill him off because of crimes he will commit in future.
More importantly, what if the system is wrong? Is this how we are going to hand out death sentences from now on? If yes, that is a dangerous road to tread on."
"Are you kidding me?" Linlin asked.
Liwu didn’t look at her partner. They could hush it out later. For now, she had to exhaust what was on her mind regarding this case. "Sometimes, systems can be wrong. Human behavior can be adjusted depending on the conditions. The bureau has run long term operations lasting ten years. Some even longer. I suggest we treat the boy like an operation. While working to change his fate, he is adopted by agents that raise him on state funds. We wipe out the memories of his time in the barrel and we take away his system. If one day he goes off the rails and kidnaps a woman, then we cuff him legally and put him away for good."
Her sternness, flawless logic and plan stunned most of the people in the room. And still, arguments were raised and they quickly intensified. One faction demanded immediate confinement of the boy, citing public safety. Another insisted in rehabilitation. A third was more cynical, suggesting that the boy be used as a test subject for research into systems. His system seemed harmless. So who would influence the other to go down the dark path? Was it the boy or the system?
Weijun leaned towards Xuanji and whispered, "Are these briefings always like this?"
Xuanji nodded.
"Do they always consider Liwu’s opinion highly?" He asked curiously.
Xuanji nodded. "She was not made team leader and liaison for nothing. Liwu is cold and logical in her analysis. If there is a problem, she finds the most efficient and most acceptable solution. When we walked in, I was burning with a desire to see the boy thrown in a dark cellar forever and I would be content with it. But Liwu was the only one who considered the fact that the boy is in the lime light. How do we explain his sudden absence to the public? At least, we have to try to make things appear normal before taking drastic decisions."
"He is an orphan, nobody is going to be looking for him. He is more useful in a lab than a school." Someone shouted.
Liwu slammed her hand on the table. "He is not a lab rat! He is a child. If you treat him like an experiment and tell him he was born to be a killer, I guarantee you that he will become one. If he escapes your labs one day, there will be hell to pay and women will not be his only victims."
"What does that mean?" The secretary of state asked.
Alix raised her hand, silencing the room. "Enough. We have argued enough. We do not necessary need to decide today. Detective Liwu is not wrong, the public wants to see the boy. They want to see a survivor. The precinct has received hundreds of calls from families that are willing to adopt him already.
Someone started a go fund me for the kid and it has raised four and a half million yuan already. We cannot hide him away for now. We have to consider the greater picture. I suggest we end the meeting here. The final decision on the boy will be made by me, the system judges and the president of the country.
I thank you all for your time. I would also like to sound a serious warning. If anyone leaks one word of what was discussed in here, I will burn them alive. It’s not a threat, it’s a warning."
