Chapter 191 - Confession!
Under Captain Wu's gaze, filled with worry and hesitation, Su Ming strode confidently into the room.
The sound of footsteps at the doorway caused the man to crack open his eyes.
“Has Wu Xiaocheng run out of options? He sent you to face me?”
The man's sneer was tinged with scorn.
Captain Wu watched the exchange from the surveillance room, wondering if he had overthought the situation.
He couldn't really count on Mr. Su, after all.
He needed to focus on gathering evidence.
Su Ming approached the massive iron fence dividing the interrogation room. “I'm willing to bet you'll end up telling the truth,” he said, standing at the gate.
The man simply closed his eyes, remaining silent.
“With your strength, why resort to robbing a jewelry store? You could find legitimate work,” Su Ming prodded.
Again, the man said nothing, eyes shut.
“You're quite skilled, managing to evade the surveillance cameras.”
Silence persisted from the man.
“Where's your hometown? What do your parents do? Mine are farmers, and now, so am I.”
Still, the man kept his eyes closed, unresponsive.
Captain Wu, listening in the control room, couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness.
Was Su Ming trying to regale the criminal with stories?
Captain Wu might not have studied criminal psychology, but as a seasoned officer, he had some insight into the field.
This interrogation technique was new to him.
He sighed deeply, shook his head, and settled back into his chair, not expecting Mr. Su to extract any useful information.
Just then, the door opened, and Director-general Zhang entered.
“How's it going, Wu?” he inquired.
Captain Wu activated the speaker.
“Ever grown strawberries?”
Director-general Zhang's reaction mirrored Wu's helplessness.
Exchanging a glance, both men felt a twinge of disappointment.
“Let's call another meeting to strategize on the investigation,” Captain Wu suggested, rising from his seat.
“Sounds good,” Director-general Zhang agreed, nodding. “I'll be there.”
“Why is it so sweltering in here? Captain Wu is really pinching pennies, not even turning on the air conditioning,” Su Ming grumbled.
Captain Wu, hearing the complaint, was resigned to the situation.
This tactic was standard in interrogations, designed to wear down a suspect's mental barriers.
“It's hot, but luckily I brought some water. Since you can't drink, how about I just mist some around?”
After finishing his sentence, Su Ming pulled a small spray bottle from his pocket.
“The Truth Pill won't affect the Host, so feel free to use it!”
A prompt echoed in Su Ming's mind.
He offered a faint smile, having anticipated this outcome.
Captain Wu and Director-general Zhang's expressions soured at the sight.
“Let's just bring him out,” Captain Wu exhaled heavily.
“Agreed.”
Director-general Zhang gave a nod.
They had worked hard to establish a grave and tense mood, hoping the criminal might crack under the pressure.
But Mr. Su had just upended their entire strategy.
“What's your name?”
Su Ming asked with an easy smile.
Disappointment etched Captain Wu's features as he observed Su Ming's approach.
It would be a surprise if Su Ming actually managed to extract any useful information.
“Is Mr. Su just causing a scene? I should just bring him out myself.”
Captain Wu shook his head in resignation and started for the door.
“He's still too young…”
Director-general Zhang let out a sigh, shaking his head in agreement.
They had a rap sheet on the suspect, knew his name, and other details.
Yet, the man had never offered them anything of value.
Their professional interrogation techniques had yielded nothing.
The idea that Mr. Su's antics could coax out useful information was far-fetched.
If that were true, they might as well not bother coming to work.
“Wang Hu.”
As Captain Wu and Director-general Zhang were shaking their heads in resignation, ready to exit, a voice transmitted through the control room's microphone.
They were dumbfounded.
What?
The suspect had actually spoken!
Had Su Ming actually pulled it off?
As seasoned detectives, they were completely taken aback.
What kind of interrogation technique was this?
Interrogating criminals through storytelling was unheard of for them.
The man's name was indeed Wang Hu.
That much they knew.
But Wang Hu had never personally admitted to it.
He wouldn't even give the police his real name, much less any other information.
They had lost all hope in Su Ming's methods.
Yet, against all odds, Su Ming had gotten Wang Hu to talk!
Captain Wu and Director-general Zhang were left reeling in bewilderment.
And the most baffled of all must have been the criminal himself!
Why had he suddenly confessed?
He had regarded Su Ming as nothing more than a joke.
Su Ming had rambled on, nearly lulling him to sleep.
And then, with just a spritz of water and a question, Wang Hu inexplicably found himself speaking the truth without a moment's hesitation.
What was happening here?
“How many people were involved in this incident?” Su Ming inquired.
“Five,” Wang Hu responded promptly.
After his reply, he was bewildered once more.
He hadn't intended to reveal that!
What was going on?
Why had he spoken out?
Why was he so compliant?
“Where are they now?”
“In a dilapidated tile-roofed house in the third group of Lotus Flower Village.”
“And the stolen goods?”
“We stashed them in the sewer close to the jewelry store.”
With every question from Su Ming, Wang Hu answered with unexpected candor.
Captain Wu's mouth hung open in astonishment.
Director-general Zhang's eyes widened in disbelief.
They stood there, dumbfounded.
Was their interrogation technique obsolete?
Could it be that Su Ming was employing a cutting-edge method?
Yet, they attended annual training and had never encountered Su Ming's approach.
They were truly in the dark.
But something still seemed off to them.
Su Ming had merely shared a story, and the criminal had confessed. It seemed like an impossibility.
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