CH 38

“Mr. Lin, I’ll ask you some questions. Please answer them honestly.”

“En.”

“Is your name Lin Chen?”

“Yes.”

“Are you from Feng Chun?”

“Yes.”

“Are you willing to answer in all honesty to my following questions in this polygraph examination?”

“Yes.”

In the interrogation room, Lin Chen sat with several clips fastened to his index and ring fingers, a sphygmomanometer wrapped around his arm, and wires connecting from his chest to the monitor on the desktop.

His heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, electrodermal activity and other parameters formed intricate, complex lines on the screen that crept onward. 

Sitting opposite to him was a staff member of the inspectorate. Of course, it wasn’t Huang Ze.

Lin Chen hadn’t seen Huang Ze since the “Candy Robber” case. Not only that, but Huang Ze actually sent someone to conduct the examination and formalities so that he could be approved for an assignment as a consultant for the police. Before he could become one though, he needed to explain certain things that he had not brought before.

And of course, passing the polygraph test was also part of the accountability-evaluation process.

The one conducting the lie detector test sat in front of him, eyes on the screen displaying the data before shifting away. Concentrating his gaze, he entered the main topic after completing the non-threatening, trivial questions.

“Have you ever abused your position to help criminals in the process of handling a case?”

“No.”

“In assisting the police in the 9/10 serial homicide case, did you intend to help the suspect Feng Pei Lin jump into the river and escape?”

“No.”

The lines on the screen began to fluctuate. The polygraph examiner scanned the screen then returned his gaze, somewhat disappointed. “What happened after you and Feng Pei Lin fell into the river? Is Feng Pei Lin alive or dead?”

“After falling into the river, we were washed away by the current. I don’t know whether he is still alive or not.” Lin Chen held a mug filled with hot water. A thin layer of tea leaves floated on the surface and Lin Chen watched as it swirled, replying softly.

“Since you were okay, why didn’t you return and report to the team instead of not saying anything and secretly leaving by yourself?”

Hearing this question, Lin Chen raised his gaze. He seemed to be looking at the examiner’s face, yet at the same time, it also seemed as if he was looking at the clear one-way mirror behind him.

“Since Feng Pei Lin’s target was me, I was afraid that it would bring unnecessary trouble to the police if I reappeared.” After a brief pause, he continued, “Also, some influential individuals always sought trouble with me, so I wanted to fake my death to avoid all that.” His breaths were steady and his voice soft, sounding very calm.

Even if one didn’t look at the complicated lines displayed on the monitor, anyone who heard him speaking would feel there was no problem with such reasoning just from his tone and manner of speech. But that was limited to just having ‘no problem’.

Behind the one-way mirror that was a bit too clear stood a man.

His hands were in his pockets and he was wearing a standard police uniform. Unlike the meticulous Inspector Huang who always wore pressed clothes, his were a little wrinkled on the corner and the first button wasn’t fastened, making him appear quite casual. But perhaps it was his eyes were too deep or slightly green that when his gaze turned to the light in the interrogation room, there was a sense of serenity to it that didn’t quite match his casual appearance.

But that sort of profundity didn’t last long. After hearing that reasonable answer, the corner of his lips curled in a slight smile, shattering the serious expression he maintained. Ripples appeared in his deep, green eyes. With a smile, he turned his sight to the lie detector on the desk.

All the parameters were stable, so his smile widened.

The interrogator turned a page and asked, “Have you ever dated?”

Even Lin Chen was a little surprised at such a question. “En?”

“Answer the question,” The examiner cleared his throat and spoke with a serious tone.

“No.”

“You’ve never liked anyone?” The examiner added, as if the answer was too strange for him.

“No.”

At this time, the data showed visible fluctuation. The person who had just answered also realized he had lied.

He frowned, as if he never expected himself to have a problem with this kind of question.

But where did he get it wrong?

Although the examinee began to have some struggles, the interrogator changed the topic. After all, who never had any problems with their love life?

The examiner returned to the main point. “So, from what I can see on these records here, in the Candy Robber case, you just happened to be in the hijacked bus, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Where were you going at that time?”

“Going on a holiday.”

“What a coincidence…”

The interrogator muttered under his breath subconsciously. At the same time, Lin Chen loosened his hold on the mug and said, “Sorry, please allow me to interrupt you there.”

“What is it?”

“Judging by your questions, I assume the lie detector test you’re using should be the standard CQT…”

The interrogator flipped to the first page of the document and his expression turned embarrassed.

“The CQT has four types of questions: neutral, control, relevant and irrelevant questions. For example, asking name and age is a neutral question. The role of the  neutral question is to establish a normal standard of response. Therefore, in the process of asking the questions, please ask the examinee one ‘yes’ question and one ‘no’ question. Otherwise, there would be problems with the baseline setting.”

The Inspector closed the document and listened, helpless.

“At the same time, when you ask questions related to the case, please try to formulate the questions such that the subject will only be able to answer yes or no. The two questions you asked at the beginning were very good, but later they turned interrogative. Interrogation and lie detection are two different things.”

The inspector opened his mouth but found that there was nothing he could say.

But Lin Chen clearly wasn’t finished yet. “In fact, in a set of CQT lie detection questions, it’s better for a question to involve just one area, then determine whether or not the subject lied through repeated questioning. In this case, the Candy Robber case is a separate matter, so it’s best for you to put it in another question set and ask me again.”

Lin Chen’s counterattack was quick and merciless.

The young man behind the one-way mirror almost laughed. How a certain someone reacted because of answering a question wrong was quite adorable.

“Mr. Lin, I understand now.” The Inspector sighed, then stood up to take the wires off Lin Chen. “If you really want to lie, the instrument won’t be able to detect it.” 

“……”

“This is just a procedure. We’ll be done after you answer some more questions.”

“Please.”

“I read the Candy Robber file case. As an interim negotiator, you made great contributions by persuading Fang Ai Zi. But at the same time, you were also one of the last people to contact Yang Dian Feng. A bomb was planted on the car transporting him right after. Under the circumstances, do you think Yang Dian Feng had the time to contact and tell the criminals he got arrested?”

“That’s not possible. He didn’t have access to any kind of communication device at the time and Yang Dian Feng knew that once he was arrested, seeking asylum from the police was his only way out.”

“Because their response was too fast, and seeing that it wasn’t Yang Dian Feng who informed them of the situation, can I assume that someone on the scene passed the information onto the criminals and quickly allowed them to kill him?”

“I won’t rule out this possibility. However, there is also the possibility that Yang Dian Feng might have been put under close monitoring by the cartels in the first place. Once he was deemed problematic, he was wiped out.”

“Please answer my question directly on whether or not I can assume this.” The inspector interrupted and asked in a serious voice.

“You can.” Lin Chen was silent for a moment before answering.

“Continuing the question just now, you are the expert on the scene who has received the most professional and systematic psychological training. Did you notice anyone behaving strangely at that time? And among those people, who do you suspect is most likely to have contacted the cartels?”

Hearing this question, Lin Chen looked up.

The two questions in this one sentence were very much in line with the style of people from the inspectorate, full of conspiracy and traps. It was even possible that these questions were drafted by Huang Ze himself.

From the start, the inspectorate was set up to supervise whether or not the police had abused their power as well as handled a case properly. Since this department suspected that there was a mole in the force, starting an investigation was absolutely necessary. But since they wanted to obtain a definite answer based on mere assumptions, using such obvious questions to encourage someone to be a whistleblower was a bit harsh on their mental state.

“I did receive professional training on practical psychology, but I’m not a professional facial expression recognition expert, and even the top experts in this field need to observe and talk to the subjects to find any faults. You’re asking me if I found someone suspicious while I was facing Fang Ai Zi. During this time, almost all the police force were hiding in the reeds, so I can only answer you that I don’t have the ability to answer your questions.”

Audit procedures were always long and complicated.

It was already dark when Lin Chen walked out of the police station’s gate. In the early spring night, the wind was as subdued as the stars in the sky.

Xing Cong Lian was leaning against a stone pillar at the gate, smoking a cigarette. He straightened up when he saw Lin Chen. “Did it go well?”

Lin Chen shook his head and handed over the result he just received.

Xing Cong Lian’s expression turned serious.  While biting the cigarette filter, he flipped through the document before his eyes fell on the last line of the report.

The words “Audit passed” were written in clear print.

Xing Cong Lian couldn’t help but rub Lin Chen’s head. “Hey, you clearly passed. Why did you shake your head?”

“You asked me whether it went well or not, right?”

“You passed, doesn’t that mean it went well?”

“I just thought that it was strange for Huang Ze out of the blue to let go and allow me to pass the test for consultant. It’s too strange.”

Looking at Lin Chen’s faint, worried expression, Xing Cong Lian showed a meaningful smile. “Perhaps he found his conscience?”

Taking a drag from his cigarette, he asked, smiling.

Translator(s): Kuro

TL Checker(s): Zryuu

Editor(s): Namio

Proofer(s): Celine