Insights Chapter 36: The Game

Chapter 36: The Game

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

As the questions reached this point, Liao Yinghan felt his mouth go dry. He was eager to break free from this oppressive atmosphere and tremblingly asked, “Can I have some water?”

Gu Yanchen whispered to Bai Meng through his earpiece, and Bai Meng got up to pour water for Liao Yinghan, knocking on the door of the interrogation room and delivering it inside.

Liao Yinghan took the cup and drank water with his head down. Gu Yanchen didn’t rush him. He checked his phone, stood up, whispered a few words to the police officer who was taking notes, then walked out of the interrogation room.

Gu Yanchen went straight to the observation room next to it and greeted Director Ding. “Captain Gu, you did well. Why don’t you take a break too?”

But Gu Yanchen waved his hand. “Let’s wait until the questioning is over.”

He picked up a folder that had been prepared in advance, containing all the information he had organized the night before, every detail. Then he turned to Shen Junci, who handed him some photos. Having gathered everything, Gu Yanchen waited for about five minutes before re-entering the interrogation room.

Seeing the lead interrogator come in again, Liao Yinghan looked up, noticing the folder in Gu Yanchen’s hand. Just when Liao Yinghan thought he could relax a little, his heart leaped again. What could be in such a thick stack of documents? He had no idea.

Gu Yanchen, now with a serious expression, walked up to Liao Yinghan’s table and placed the stack of documents on it. “Liao Yinghan, we’ve obtained some new evidence from the medical examiners and search team. You didn’t tell us the whole truth just now.”

With this statement, the interrogation entered the pressure stage. This was a direct accusation against the suspect.

Liao Yinghan visibly began to sweat. “I didn’t lie, everything I said was true…”

Gu Yanchen interrupted him. “This is a carefully planned murder case. You killed Zhong Xiaoke with the aim of obtaining a large insurance payout. As police officers, we’ve seen too many cases where suspects think their actions are unknown. But in reality, the police will examine all physical evidence, as well as every detail of the corpse… From this, I conclude that you’re lying. You’re the one who killed your wife.”

With these words spoken, Gu Yanchen didn’t continue speaking, maintaining silence and staring at Liao Yinghan.

Liao Yinghan involuntarily raised his head to listen to Gu Yanchen’s words, then began to think. Little did he know, if his wife had truly died accidentally, he should have become emotional, irrational even. A normal person would express anger at the accusations from the police, shouting in protest that it was all just an accident. But now he had been caught up in the rhythm of the interrogation, starting to ponder the logic behind Gu Yanchen’s words, trying to recall whether he had missed any details.

This was the mindset of a criminal. He reacted with a pensive expression, which made the police increasingly convinced that he was the culprit. Then, Liao Yinghan suddenly noticed that the police officer opposite him fell silent, and the room became quiet, with only the ticking of the clock’s second hand audible.

Liao Yinghan felt a pressure closing in on him. He had never realized how unbearable the silence could be. All he could hear was the thumping of his heartbeat. At one point, he even forgot to breathe, unconsciously holding his breath until he coughed from lack of oxygen.

The sound of coughing finally broke the silence.

Liao Yinghan felt he had to say something. His mind was in chaos as he began to defend himself, “My relationship with my wife has always been good. Before this trip, I never imagined such a thing would happen. It was truly an accident, we…”

Gu Yanchen took out several photos of the corpse and placed them in front of him.

Liao Yinghan lowered his head to look. The woman in the photos looked extremely tragic, blood flowing from her mouth and nose. The images immediately dragged him back to that morning a few days ago, in the deep sea, on the beach.

Liao Yinghan only glanced at them before covering his eyes, as if he dared not recall the scene. His heartbeat accelerated under the weight of the pressure, and he panicked.

Gu Yanchen spoke again, “I know you weren’t truthful earlier. You must tell me what happened underwater that day.”

“Underwater… at that time… I didn’t do anything. I truly love my wife… it was an accident.”

“You’re a considerate husband, so why did you let something like that happen to your wife in front of you?” Gu Yanchen repeated the earlier interrogation question.

Those were all words Liao Yinghan had repeated. Creating his perfect persona. And now, this rhetorical question felt like a noose, tightening around his throat, becoming his shackles.

Liao Yinghan found his brain starting to lose control, repeatedly recalling the process of his wife’s death that day. The woman’s fear, trembling, then coughing up blood, and finally the last look she gave him… Even if Liao Yinghan had a heart of stone, he couldn’t remain completely indifferent to someone’s death. Those images were like scenes from a horror movie, constantly corroding his mind.

It was a form of psychological torment. He felt uncomfortable.

With Gu Yanchen’s imposing presence and further pressure, “Did your wife’s death have anything to do with you?”

“I didn’t…”

“Liao Yinghan, you must face what you’ve done and tell us what happened underwater.”

“I…”

“I understand. You lied earlier because the pressure was too great. Everyone makes mistakes. As long as you face them and confess everything, we can end today’s interrogation.”

The entire interrogation process was a psychological game. Gu Yanchen kept interrupting Liao Yinghan’s words. He wasn’t harsh, still speaking in a normal tone. But each sentence felt like another stone added to Liao Yinghan’s burden. It was a technique of interrogation, preventing the suspect from denying. 

People in the observation room were now focused intently on the interrogation process. Shen Junci could feel Liao Yinghan’s initial confidence being gradually dismantled by Gu Yanchen.

In the confined space, under fatigue and intense psychological pressure, the suspect’s rebuttals became increasingly feeble. The entire interrogation would last for several hours, but the real breakthrough often occurred within minutes.

Lu Ying, who had finished playing the role of the bad cop, also arrived at the observation room. Watching the progress inside, he exclaimed, “This guy’s really tough. If I were the killer, I’d probably have confessed by now…”

The immense pressure transmitted through the glass of the observation room. But Bai Meng still felt concerned, furrowing her brows. “This is a man who could calmly kill his wife by the bedside in the deep sea. How can we expect him to confess so easily?”

Director Ding stared intently at Gu Yanchen inside. He felt sweat forming in the palms of his hands.

—

“It was an accident due to her mishandling…” Liao Yinghan’s gaze shifted, facing the pressure, he repeated this sentence with difficulty.

“You’re still not being truthful,” Gu Yanchen sighed, taking out a photo and placing it on the table. “Do you recognize this?”

Facing Liao Yinghan’s stubborn resistance, Gu Yanchen changed his strategy, beginning to present the relevant evidence of the case.

Liao Yinghan glanced at it, and his heartbeat suddenly slowed. He widened his eyes in disbelief. It was a camera, specifically Zhong Xiao Ke’s waterproof camera. Liao Yinghan had always believed that everything happened in the sea, and as long as he resisted the pressure, he could escape. But he never expected the police to have evidence.

No, it couldn’t be… Liao Yinghan organized his thoughts. He remembered Zhong Xiao Ke holding the camera. For the sake of taking selfies, she had taken it off her neck. They were struggling underwater when the camera fell to the bottom. It was in the ocean, how could it be so easily salvaged?

Maybe the police used a similar model to deceive him. Even if it was the same camera, there might not necessarily be footage from the final moments. Thinking this way, Liao Yinghan felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, instantly sobering him up. With this in mind, Liao Yinghan twitched the corners of his mouth and said, “This might be the camera we lost earlier. If it captured anything, it would be great as it could prove my innocence.”

“How fortunate. The camera happened to record your situation underwater…” Gu Yanchen took out a photo. It was a screenshot from the video, the clearest one, enhanced several times.

Despite this, the photo was still not very clear. Only two figures could be vaguely discerned, and the content of the footage showed Liao Yinghan holding Zhong Xiao Ke from behind.

Liao Yinghan’s throat went dry as he said, “I was holding her from behind… but it was to save her. I supported her body…”

But then, he automatically thought of the actions that followed, if they were also recorded… He forced himself to remain calm, but cold sweat instantly soaked the clothes on his back.

Gu Yanchen said, “Save her? Your previous statement claimed that your wife brought you to the surface. This contradicts what the underwater camera captured.”

Liao Yinghan gritted his teeth, holding onto his story, “Positions naturally change underwater. The camera definitely didn’t capture the whole process.”

At this point, Gu Yanchen couldn’t help but admire Liao Yinghan’s strong mental resilience. In such a high-pressure environment, he could still notice such details and avoid falling into traps. 

Yet another round of questioning was avoided, but Liao Yinghan’s mind was in turmoil. Two voices screamed in his head. One said: The police already know. I’m going to be sentenced. The other said: Don’t give up. Don’t confess. Confessing would be the end. He clenched his mouth shut, biting his lips tightly, glaring at Gu Yanchen, breathing rapidly.

After all, Liao Yinghan was an athlete. He was someone with excellent physical strength and endurance. Under high pressure, he recalled every workout session, persevering with his strong will even when he felt weak due to increased weight. Now it was no different. If he just held on a little longer, perhaps he could prove his innocence! He snapped back to reality. These were just the police’s tactics. If he gave in, he’d be sentenced to death!

If there were conclusive evidence, the police wouldn’t waste time with these words; they would send him straight to jail. With this thought in mind, Liao Yinghan forced himself to remain calm and reiterated, “My wife’s death has nothing to do with me!”

For a moment, a wave of disappointment swept through the observation room. They almost thought Liao Yinghan was about to confess, but they hadn’t expected this man to endure another round. Under the lights of the interrogation room, Gu Yanchen looked up at his opponent with a calm expression. He seemed to have anticipated that the man would continue to deny. In his hands, he held a trump card that could thoroughly crush the other party.

The moment of truth was imminent.