Chapter 086: Criminal Suspect?

The police station in Wuerkolo Township was extremely basic, with incredibly harsh working conditions. The population of the town was small, with only about two thousand permanent residents, and the people were honest and simple. While there were occasional disputes among the various ethnic groups over territory, these were usually settled internally and rarely involved the police. As for a gruesome murder like today's, it had been two or three years since such a crime last occurred.

At this moment, Li Tianque sat calmly in a rickety chair. The interrogation room lacked both padded walls and bars, and had no suspect’s seat—only ordinary chairs and a tall iron table. The furniture was loose, the paint on the railings was peeling and rusted, and a pungent, rotten stench lingered in the air.

The entire police station officially employed only three officers; another twenty were village security directors, serving as auxiliary police who took turns on duty. The three full-time officers had all been recruited through the Aid-Kang Program. According to official policy, after five years of service in such a post, they could return to their original units, be promoted by a rank, and receive a generous bonus. But to earn this, one could not make serious mistakes or be severely disciplined.

The working and living conditions in the Wuerkolo police station were tough, and most cases were trivial. Yet, under Chief Ma Baoguo’s leadership, everything was handled with great care, and each case file was meticulously documented. This was Ma Baoguo’s final year in the Aid-Kang program, with only three months remaining before his return. He had hoped for a peaceful end to his tenure and a return to the long-missed big city. Yet at this critical time, a vicious murder had occurred—the victim a member of a scientific expedition sent by the city, leaving him anxious and distraught.

To make matters worse, the suspect they had just apprehended, after giving his statement, maintained a stubborn silence and steadfastly denied any wrongdoing. With no solid evidence to close the case, Ma Baoguo was at his wits’ end.

It was already past three in the morning. After relieving himself, Ma Baoguo’s eyes were blurry with exhaustion, and the cigarette he’d just lit nearly ended up in his nostril. He’d been up all night, his eyelids drooping and yawns unending. Forcing his weary limbs to obey, he returned to the interrogation room to see if Li Tianque might finally be giving in to fatigue.

The harsh interrogation light had been left on the entire time—most suspects would be groggy by now, their mental defenses at their weakest. However, Ma Baoguo found Li Tianque sitting upright, eyes wide like copper bells, glancing around, his fingers rhythmically tapping the shaky tabletop, energetic and utterly unruffled.

“You’re tougher than I thought,” Ma Baoguo barked. “But I advise you not to resist any longer. We’ve already uncovered everything. Your fingerprints are the only ones at the scene and on the weapon. The evidence is ironclad!”

Li Tianque showed no reaction, merely glancing at Ma Baoguo before looking away indifferently.

“It’s useless to keep up this act. Don’t think you can outlast us. As a major suspect, we can hold you for up to thirty-seven days. I don’t believe you can endure that long.”

Ma Baoguo and the other two officers had already taken turns trying every means to break Li Tianque, but nothing had worked, and now they were growing weary themselves. The words he spoke now weren’t even proper interrogation tactics—just the complaints of a man unwilling to give up.

But to Ma Baoguo’s surprise, this time Li Tianque actually spoke.

Li Tianque slowly raised his head, his voice deep and calm. “I’ve already told you everything I should. As for anything else, until you get orders from above to release me, I have no obligation to answer.”

Ma Baoguo angrily flicked his cigarette to the ground and glared at Li Tianque, but he was utterly helpless. He couldn’t believe his bad luck—why did such a tricky case have to land on his desk in his final days on duty?

Worse still, although Li Tianque was the main suspect, there was no conclusive evidence. Despite his time in this remote backwater, Ma Baoguo still had sound instincts, and from Li Tianque’s demeanor, he didn’t seem like a killer—at most, he could only try to scare him a little.

But since the matter was so serious, Ma Baoguo had already reported it to his superiors and could only wait for their response; he wasn’t about to take risks for credit at such a sensitive moment.

What was even stranger was that despite being caught up in a murder case, this man remained astonishingly calm, and seemed to have powerful connections. After revealing his identity, he was certain he’d be released.

At least, Ma Baoguo consoled himself, the victim was a member of the scientific team; if it had been a local herdsman so brutally killed, the police station would have been besieged by an enraged mob. With their meager manpower, the angry villagers would have dragged Li Tianque away themselves.

And so, three more days passed. Li Tianque spent every day in the interrogation room—eating, drinking, sleeping, and sometimes tapping out tunes on the table. Ma Baoguo would check in occasionally. He noticed that when Li Tianque slept, a thick black membrane covered his eyelids, blocking out the harsh light. At first, Ma Baoguo thought he was wearing an eye mask and tried to tug at it, but couldn’t remove the black layer, thinking perhaps it was some strange disease. Even stranger, when Li Tianque awoke, the black covering would vanish as if by magic, his eyes returning to normal.

Ma Baoguo grew more baffled. He was working overtime, losing sleep, but Li Tianque seemed completely unaffected, sleeping whenever he wished and never saying a word.

On the fourth day of Li Tianque’s detention, Ma Baoguo finally received orders from his superiors. Incredibly, not only did they instruct him to release Li Tianque, they also required Li Tianque to assist in solving the case.

Ma Baoguo was completely at a loss; he wanted to argue but was sharply rebuked and warned that failure to comply would result in serious disciplinary action.

With no choice, Ma Baoguo returned to the interrogation room, released Li Tianque, and returned his personal belongings.

“All right, I give up—you really are something. But according to my orders, you have to help me investigate this case and catch the real culprit.”

Li Tianque glanced at him and said, “I refuse. That’s not my responsibility.”

He had no intention of lingering in Wuerkolo. He still didn’t know what the situation outside was, and needed to rejoin Wu Miaoran and the others as soon as possible.

“You—” Ma Baoguo widened his eyes. “Fine, I didn’t expect you to be of much help anyway. But until this case is solved, you’re not allowed to leave Wuerkolo. That’s an order from above!”

Li Tianque was about to protest, but Ma Baoguo handed him his phone.

“Someone’s calling for you!”

Li Tianque hesitated, then slowly took the phone. Soon, a familiar voice came through: “Tianque, do as he says. Don’t leave Wuerkolo until the case is resolved. Don’t worry about anyone or anything else.”

It was Lu Mou on the other end.

“But—”

“That’s enough. Just do as I say.” Lu Mou’s tone brooked no argument. He hung up immediately.

Li Tianque was bewildered. He’d accidentally become entangled in a murder, and now he couldn’t escape it either.

Ma Baoguo shrugged. “Honestly, I doubt you’ll be of any help, but my hands are tied. If this case isn’t solved, I can’t let you leave.”

Li Tianque sighed helplessly. “Fine. At least give me back my phone.”

“No. During this time, you can’t use your phone or contact anyone,” Ma Baoguo replied.

“What kind of joke is this? You have no right to restrict my freedom or confiscate my belongings!” Li Tianque snapped.

“Watch your words. You’re still a suspect. We have the right to hold items related to the case. This isn’t confiscation—just temporary seizure. When it’s over, you’ll get your things back,” Ma Baoguo said righteously.

Li Tianque was completely exasperated. For a modern person, being without a phone is like losing half your life. But with Lu Mou’s order, he had no other option and could only comply.

So, Li Tianque said with resignation, “All right. Since you want me to help investigate, take me to see the body first.”

Ma Baoguo gave him a sidelong glance and smirked, “Let’s go, great detective…”

Li Tianque shrugged. “Please, don’t flatter me. I’m not that bespectacled schoolboy detective.”