Chapter 72: The Real Person

Qiong Cang walked out with a grim expression, pausing for a moment at the doorway. She adjusted her collar, nodded to He Jueyun, who was sitting and waiting in boredom, and turned to leave first.

Father Xia stood up immediately, trying to head into the ward, but the nurse following closely behind stopped him and pushed him back out.

“Sir, the patient needs to rest right now, and she doesn’t want to see you… Sir, we need to perform an examination, please step outside…”

He Jueyun listened to the voices fading behind him as he left the inpatient building and returned to his car.

Behind the hospital parking lot lay a barren hill, dotted with graves left behind from before the area was developed years ago. In the silence of the late night, it lent the surroundings an incredibly desolate atmosphere.

Uncomfortable with this gloomy, unsettling ambiance, He Jueyun switched on the car’s interior light, filling the cabin with a warm yellow glow. Bathed in the comforting light, he asked, “What did you two talk about?”

“Aside from Ding Tao and Ding Xihua, we didn’t have anything else to talk about.” Qiong Cang turned to buckle her seatbelt and let out a long breath. “Ding Xihua did both his undergraduate and graduate studies at C University, so he met Xia Xia very early on. He presents himself as a perfect person – always friendly, approachable, down-to-earth, and intelligent to the outside world. He comes from a wealthy family, is good-looking, gets excellent grades, and is highly popular. In Xia Xia’s eyes, he was someone to admire and look up to. So, Ding Xihua easily won her affection.”

He Jueyun asked in confusion, “Then… what about Ding Tao?”

“Once Ding Xihua realized she liked him, he began to tear her down and manipulate her. Using his influence, he gradually brainwashed her with consumerist ideas, coaxing a girl with no savings or source of income into doing things that stripped away her self-respect.”

The streetlights of the parking lot reflected in Qiong Cang’s eyes, casting faint glints of light in her pitch-black pupils.

“Ding Xihua thoroughly enjoyed the process. He watched Xia Xia, a pure and innocent girl, sell her young body just to earn a word of praise from him. It gave him a superior sense of control. What he never expected, however, was that the man keeping Xia Xia as a mistress would turn out to be his own father, and that she would end up pregnant.”

Hearing this, He Jueyun couldn’t help but marvel at the twists of fate. Coincidence had actually bound this father and son together, driving them toward an early, fractured end.

He could say without a shred of guilt that the Ding father and son got what they deserved, but Xia Xia was an innocent bystander dragged into their drama.

One could argue she was too weak, but that weakness seemed to be a shackle placed upon her by fate from the very beginning, one she could never break free from.

Humans have always known that weakness is useless, yet unfortunately, they are born that way.

He Jueyun followed her line of reasoning. “A man as proud as Ding Xihua would never allow an illegitimate half-brother into his family. Compared to Xia Xia, who hung on his every word, he probably detested Ding Tao, who couldn’t control his own desires, even more. Once someone gets used to doing that kind of thing, if it wasn’t Xia Xia, it would have been someone else. So, he pressured Xia Xia to get an abortion, plotted to murder Ding Tao, and set up Shen Sui to take the fall.”

Qiong Cang pondered for a moment, then slowly shook her head.

“What is it?” He Jueyun asked.

“I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it doesn’t feel that simple.” Qiong Cang half-closed her eyes. “If a bloodless victory is a high-level method in Ding Xihua’s eyes, then getting personally involved in a crime is an extremely low-level one. Unless his interests were severely threatened, I don’t think he would deliberately lower himself to participate.”

He Jueyun asked, “Then what could it be for?”

“I don’t know. But it’s likely related to this matter.” Qiong Cang murmured to herself, “What on earth made him feel that Ding Tao absolutely had to die?”

Furthermore, they still didn’t know what the note with the word “lie” in Ding Tao’s hand meant. Why did he commit perjury to frame Fan Huai? Did he, like Wu Ming, have some unspeakable past?

A classic, dramatic plot twist flashed through He Jueyun’s mind. “Could it be…”

But even as the words left his mouth, he realized how unlikely it was and shut himself up.

Qiong Cang encouraged him, “Just say it. Treat it as brainstorming.”

With a mix of hesitation and eagerness, He Jueyun asked, “Did he actually fall in love with Xia Xia?”

Qiong Cang pondered this for a long while before commenting, “You would definitely get along well with that young police NPC.”

He Jueyun: “…” Her way of expressing disdain is certainly subtle.

He Jueyun quickly changed the subject and asked, “Are we going to meet Ding Xihua now?”

Qiong Cang: “We can.”

·

Inside the screening room, several psychological evaluators were analyzing Xia Xia and Ding Xihua. They didn’t know the dynamic between the two, so they couldn’t be as certain as Qiong Cang about whether Ding Xihua was deliberately manipulating her or just having an unintentional influence. Their only consensus was that meeting someone like Ding Xihua was absolutely terrifying.

Human mental states are actually fragile and easily shaken; every setback one encounters in life can leave behind a wound vulnerable to attack. If one were to cross paths with someone like Ding Xihua, breakdown would occur before they even realized it.

Even the most outstanding psychiatrists cannot completely free a patient from the trauma they have suffered. This was not something interesting or worth being proud of.

Fang Qi pinched his chin and said with a grim expression, “Even if Ding Xihua has a personality defect, for him to have reached such a practiced and natural level today, this shouldn’t be his first time. He is very clever. He selects girls who won’t fight back and have weak wills, using his natural advantages to subtly brainwash and control them. I suspect that earlier on, perhaps in college or even high school, he conducted experiments and succeeded.”

He Chuanzhou nodded. “I think so too, but there is no evidence.”

The police cannot intervene in cases that only involve emotions. Moreover, the victims, just like Xia Xia, are completely unaware of the other party’s malice.

He Chuanzhou said, “So, everyone still needs to learn to become strong on their own.”

·

He Jueyun drove back to the bureau.

The streets at night were empty, with only a few cars driving ahead of them. In the time it took to close their eyes for a brief rest, the familiar building appeared before them.

Time in the game advanced rapidly, skipping directly to the next morning. The sun rose slowly through the mist, casting a soft glow.

Qiong Cang and He Jueyun walked into the interrogation room. Ding Xihua was already sitting quietly on the other side of the table.

Qiong Cang had a subordinate brew her a cup of coffee. Although it did little to wake her up, just looking at it made her feel more alert.

Since Ding Xihua was acting polite anyway, Qiong Cang simply crossed her legs, left him hanging across from her, and played a quick game on her phone to wake up. He Jueyun was also influenced by her lack of seriousness, yawning listlessly in his seat.

Neither of them looked much like proper public servants.

Ding Xihua tilted his head and waited for them for a moment before finally speaking. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

The voice did not sound like it was coming from inside the interrogation room. It carried a faint electronic ring, along with some subtle static.

Qiong Cang looked up at the ceiling. He Jueyun sat up straight and reminded her, “He’s a real person.”

Only then did Qiong Cang look at the man across from her.

A meaningful smile played on Ding Xihua’s lips. As Qiong Cang observed him, he observed her in turn. The two stared at each other, one full of interest, the other cold and detached.

Qiong Cang asked, “Can you watch Sanyao’s game livestreams in detention centers or prisons?”

He Jueyun said, “Are you dreaming?”

Qiong Cang placed her phone face down on the table, her eyes locked onto Ding Xihua. “Then what do you mean by ‘heard so much about you’? Do I know you?”

“You’re very famous. Many people want to challenge the legendary feeling of being decoded.” Ding Xihua leaned forward, closing the distance between them, and said mysteriously, “Originally, I didn’t want to participate in Sanyao’s closed beta. It sounded boring and troublesome. I only came because you were here.”

Qiong Cang wrinkled her nose, thinking back. “That sounds so familiar. Someone once said the same thing to me. Are you two friends by any chance?”

Ding Xihua spread his hands.

Qiong Cang then refuted herself. “No, he was much better than you. If you had studied under him properly, maybe you wouldn’t have been exposed so quickly.”

Ding Xihua asked with genuine curiosity, “When did you start finding me suspicious?”

Qiong Cang said, “The first time we met.”

“Really?” Ding Xihua said. “Isn’t that an exaggeration?”

Qiong Cang said in surprise, “Your acting is terrible. Were you actually feeling smug about it?”

Ding Xihua sighed regretfully. “That was my reaction to ordinary police officers, the model Sanyao made for me. If I’d known the person opposite me was you, I would have definitely acted a bit better.”

Qiong Cang sneered. “To put it bluntly, you simply don’t know what a normal person’s emotions are supposed to be like. You don’t know how a person should behave when they are grieving, or when they are struggling on the edge of morality. No matter how much you pretend to be a normal person, at your core, you’re just a cold-blooded animal.”

Ding Xihua clasped his hands and clapped them together sharply. “I really like that evaluation.”

He Jueyun shuddered and cursed, “Are you a fucking psycho?”

“That’s how you people always evaluate me anyway. Mediocre people love nothing more than eliminating those who are different. Especially toward those who are exceptionally outstanding and prominent, they can be extremely cruel.” Ding Xihua dismissed it, sighing. “I originally wanted to play the game with you, but you had to flip the table. What a pity. In the end, the one who caught me was actually just a woman like that.”

He Chuanzhou, the one he had referred to as “a woman like that,” was currently standing outside the screen, coldly watching the man inside.

Xie Qimeng carefully observed her out of the corner of his eye.

He Chuanzhou probably couldn’t help herself, responding expressionlessly, “I didn’t expect that the one who made me waste so much effort was actually just a man like that, either.”

The technician asked, “Should I convey that to him for you?”

“No need,” He Chuanzhou said. “I’ll tell him to his face when the time comes.”

·

Qiong Cang observed the arrogant man in front of her.

His every gesture, and even his casual gaze, showed his indifference, proving that he felt no remorse for his father’s death.

With his polite facade stripped away, this cold and ruthless man seemed to have been born without any capacity for emotion.

Qiong Cang lowered her gaze to the table.

However, his eyes kept wandering around, avoiding only the middle of the table. Right in the center lay the file Qiong Cang had casually tossed down earlier, with photos of Ding Tao’s death from multiple angles clipped to the front.

Qiong Cang suddenly said, “You regret it, don’t you?”

Ding Xihua seemed to find this hilarious. “What are you talking about? Are you serious?”

“Killing Ding Tao was probably the most impulsive thing you’ve ever done in your life, and you actually regret it deeply.” Qiong Cang also smiled, saying with certainty, “After Ding Tao died, you started to recall the warmth between you. You realized that being loved by him was actually something worth remembering.”

“Don’t do such boring things, Qiong Cang,” Ding Xihua said. “You’re making me a bit disappointed.”

Qiong Cang continued on her own, “You placed the award-winning photo you took with Ding Tao in the most prominent place in your room, which shows that his validation made you happy. He was special. It’s not that you lack family affection entirely; you’re just slow to realize it. By the time you did, you had already killed him. But you won’t admit your mistake, because you are paranoid and narcissistic.”

Ding Xihua chuckled softly.

“After you moved Ding Tao to the wasteland, you even reached out to straighten his clothes. So although his posture was not very elegant, his suit was worn very neatly. If you wanted to frame someone else, you should have left some wounds on his body to show the murderer’s hatred for him. Yet you didn’t. You really made so many mistakes you shouldn’t have.”

Ding Xihua made a time-out gesture and pleaded, “Can we not make this kind of groundless reasoning?”

Qiong Cang curled her lips and said with absolute confidence, “Have you noticed that from the start of the Instance until now, you haven’t said the word ‘Dad’ once? Not even once. As a son whose father died, don’t you know that you should describe the deep affection between you and your father to the police? But you avoided it. You didn’t even want to mention his title.”

She sneered, “Ding Xihua, it seems your heart is more honest than your mind.”

The smile finally vanished from Ding Xihua’s face. He stared at Qiong Cang and licked his dry lips, the indifference in his eyes replaced by a sudden, swirling anger.

“Then have you found any evidence to incriminate me?” Ding Xihua asked. “Do you know my motive?”

Qiong Cang paused for a second before saying, “Isn’t it pathetic that the prey you looked down on ended up pregnant with your father’s child?”

“That’s a stretch, Teacher.” Ding Xihua shook his head. “Don’t tell me that’s your answer.”

Qiong Cang raised her hand in a dismissive gesture, flatly rejecting him. “I’m not your teacher. I really hate how people like you just call anyone ‘teacher’.”

Ding Xihua asked, “Why aren’t you giving me a straight answer?”

Qiong Cang remained silent.

Ding Xihua instantly brightened up, his expression at this moment truly resembling that of a cheerful young man. He smiled. “You don’t know!”

Qiong Cang said, “I will.”

As the two of them fell into a stalemate, Qiong Cang’s phone suddenly rang.

Qiong Cang loved this kind of phone: no ads, no spam, no scams, where every notification pushed the plot forward. If mobile carriers could actually pull that off, she would definitely break her bad habit of going out without her phone.

The caller ID showed it was Qiong Cang’s colleague. Across from her, Ding Xihua’s eyes visibly darkened.

Qiong Cang picked up her phone, stood up, and walked out of the interrogation room.

“Captain, didn’t you ask me to look into Ding Xihua’s file earlier? And also to check what the people around him think of him?”

The person on the other end was flipping through a notebook. The call was on speaker, and the rustling of paper came through the line.

“There doesn’t seem to be any issues. Ding Xihua’s teachers generally have very positive things to say about him, and the family has a good reputation. After Ding Tao moved into their current house, he got along well with the neighbors, often giving them small gifts from the factory or leftover employee benefits. As for Ding Xihua, he’s reportedly always been very close to his father. They…”

“Moved?” Qiong Cang interrupted. “When did Ding Tao and his family move?”

“Um…” the person on the other end said, “the property registration was thirteen years ago. Let me check, the purchase date was a year before that, so it should be around…”

Qiong Cang recalled the locked children’s bedroom in Ding Tao’s house. It didn’t look like anything special, yet Ding Tao kept it locked tight, rarely stepping foot inside as if it were sealed away.

The bed and furniture inside were suitable for a child under seven, and they still looked quite new. Yet even thirteen or fourteen years ago, Ding Xihua would have already been a teenager.

Qiong Cang asked, “If it were you, and you moved to a new home, would you pack up the children’s bed and furniture your son used to sleep in, move them over, and lock them up?”

The person on the other end was baffled. “Why would I do that? Am I crazy?”

Qiong Cang said, “Then help me check if the Ding family had a second child.”

“No way,” the colleague said in surprise. “There’s no record of that in the files. The family has never mentioned it either.”

“He died young, before the age of seven. He should be a boy.” Qiong Cang’s deep eyes gazed down the hallway, the picture in her mind becoming clearer. She added, “The cause of death was an accident. He was Ding Tao’s illegitimate son.”

The colleague said, “Okay, I’ll look into it right away.”

·

Qiong Cang walked back in. Ding Xihua stared at her, an eager look in his eyes.

Qiong Cang said, “Don’t be in such a hurry.”

She placed two blue cups on the table and asked, “Do you like blue?”

Ding Xihua shook his head.

“Perfect.” Qiong Cang pushed the other cup to He Jueyun. “It wasn’t meant for you anyway.”

Ding Xihua said, “If you don’t hurry up, I’m going to go eat dinner.”

Outside the room, He Chuanzhou said considerately, “Then tell them to speed it up.”

Qiong Cang’s phone rang again. She looked at the screen and smiled. “Thanks for speeding things up for me.”

He Jueyun was baffled.