National Forensic Doctor-Chapter 930 - 866: The Feng Shui Master

Merely knowing someone’s place of origin or hometown isn’t enough to solve a case, but the breakthrough often begins with opening up just a little bit at a time.

Sun Fangyuan’s external image is notably non-aggressive. Her appearance isn’t outstanding, but slightly better than average, the type that is pleasant to look at without raising any alarms.

The way Sun Fangyuan talks and moves is much the same; neither hurried nor slow, leisurely and confident. Sometimes she is like a high-class service staff, serving tea and water without making it feel like a burden, yet ensuring her presence isn’t completely overlooked.

After joining the pre-investigation division years earlier, her mentor recognized and further strengthened this trait of hers. Over the years, Sun Fangyuan has changed her image based on her own summarized experiences and methods.

This included her hairstyle, her makeup, and even her posture and demeanor at the table, all of which Sun Fangyuan revised carefully. As she aged into middle years, her aggressiveness diminished further, making her technique of sincere exchange during interrogation more effective.

Therefore, Sun Fangyuan didn’t just propose this plan out of simplicity. She was very adept at using it.

Despite potentially being time-consuming and energy-draining, Sun Fangyuan was fairly confident in this approach.

However, when other measures seemed less effective, three to four days passed in the blink of an eye, and Sun Fangyuan had already established a good "private friendship" with the "Feng Shui Master" Sha Chengzai.

In this situation, the criminal suspect is definitely at a disadvantage.

Some would opt for a pure defiance strategy, meaning remaining silent and refusing to converse. But for Sha Chengzai, this strategy was nearly impossible to choose.

For starters, on the day of his arrest, Sha Chengzai began ratting out his accomplices as planned, attempting to earn merit.

As an upper-middle member of the drug syndicate, earning merit through confessing crimes was an essential pathway to avoiding a death sentence. Without the sentence reduction of a meritorious act and choosing to stay silent instead, regardless of whether he was "Crystal Yellow" or "Feng Shui Master," the outcome would be the same—a death sentence. This result might be different for the police, but not for him personally.

Therefore, silence did not align with the "Feng Shui Master’"s past choices and would nullify his previous efforts.

Just like in the United States with plea bargaining requiring full disclosure, domestically, to gain sentence reduction or leniency for confession, one must confess truthfully. Partly confessing isn’t allowed. You can choose to only say half, but you won’t get half the sentence reduction. In fact, you might not get any reduction at all, or it could even be increased.

So, Sha Chengzai had to engage in conversation with Sun Fangyuan.

In fact, rather than talking to a gruff guard or other severe male police officers, Sha Chengzai preferred speaking with Sun Fangyuan. Especially when his minor requests were met, Sun Fangyuan significantly improved his situation.

After all, no matter how stringently Sha Chengzai was monitored in the detention center, life was far from ideal for someone who had lived comfortably for many years. The sense of downfall was quite substantial.

At this point, even a bowl of simple chili oil noodles could make Sha Chengzai’s sense of happiness overflow.

Furthermore, Sha Chengzai was an extremely confident man.

His nickname "Feng Shui Master" came from his everyday identity in the Jianghu as such, eloquent and observant, often sealing deals with just a few words.

So, just in terms of personality, Sha Chengzai would not shy away from a conversation.

The conversation between Sun Fangyuan and Sha Chengzai thus continued for four days.

Noon.

Sun Fangyuan waited again in the interrogation room and nodded when Sha Chengzai arrived: "You’re here."

"You’re here." Sha Chengzai knew what Sun Fangyuan’s strategy was, but he could only respond smoothly and calmly.

Sun Fangyuan just smiled slightly, then opened the file in front of her, "Today, let’s talk about Eagle Beak Bean."

Each chat session, Sun Fangyuan would establish a topic, with no exceptions this time.

"Hmm," Sha Chengzai made a sound, his expression unchanged, "I’m not on the same line with Eagle Beak Bean. I don’t know much about him."

"Have you met him a few times?"

"This... How many times exactly, I also can’t quite remember," Sha Chengzai responded vaguely.

"No worries, you can go over your encounters with him one by one. If you’ve had few interactions, it should be easier to describe, right? Also, I must mention in advance that we will cross-verify with Eagle Beak Bean’s statements," Sun Fangyuan said with a smile, "Let’s try to finish within a half-hour, then you can have lamb stew with bread for lunch."

Sha Chengzai’s saliva secreted unconsciously, and he knew he had no reason to refuse.

This was the tacit understanding established between the two over the past few days; without him asking, Sun Fangyuan would provide him with better food and beverages and would also tend to some of the detention center life issues, such as a cleaner cell and toilet paper. In return, Sha Chengzai would clarify the topic of the day within a shorter time.

This was, in fact, Sha Chengzai’s task to earn merit, simply facilitated and smoothed out by Sun Fangyuan.

In theory, the "Feng Shui Master" had no reason to refuse.

Herein lay the asymmetry of information.

Sha Chengzai didn’t know that the police had begun to suspect him of being "Crystal Yellow." He also didn’t know that Sun Fangyuan was an expert in interrogation, only that she was a good interrogative officer. For an upstanding member of the drug syndicate, receiving meticulous attention from a dedicated police interrogator was completely normal.

But could the "Feng Shui Master" accurately and correctly talk about his dealings with "Eagle Beak Bean"?

Sha Chengzai swallowed his saliva, then chuckled: "Just the thought of lamb stew with bread makes me drool."

"The meal will arrive soon; I’ve arranged the time with the delivery guy. Let’s start with the statement. Let’s talk about the first time, when did you first meet?" Sun Fangyuan asked with a slight smile, continuing her inquiry.

Sha Chengzai thought for a moment and said, "I can’t remember the exact time. It must have been during a delivery. At that time, things weren’t so strict. The volume of goods we shipped and the amount they checked matched. I had a few words with Eagle Beak Bean, back then we were both mid-level."

"What did you talk about?" Sun Fangyuan asked immediately.

"Just about the delivery matters."

"What was the first thing you said when you met? Did you greet each other?"

"That... no, the first thing I said... I don’t remember it very clearly."

"Just vaguely describe it, it’s okay, take your time." Sun Fangyuan naturally wouldn’t overlook any details.

Many people think they can dodge police interrogations, which is largely built on being evasive. They think lying to the police is like lying to parents, relatives, or a girlfriend, teacher—just say anything, and if it doesn’t work, just lose your temper, throw things, or even slam the door to get through it.

In reality, the police won’t indulge a suspect’s temper. The suspect’s hands are cuffed to the interrogation table, unable to move, and every bit of the conversation is recorded on video and in the record, available for review at any time. Most importantly, the police will relentlessly ask for details and ask repeatedly. Without sufficient training, someone who hasn’t juggled three girlfriends at the same time at least thirteen times would hardly escape this level of questioning.

Even a feng shui master like Sha Chengzai, when faced with Sun Fangyuan’s questions, had to rack his brains to respond, desperately recalling when he met Eagle Beak Bean as the "feng shui master," what he can disclose, and what he can’t.

At this moment, Sha Chengzai didn’t know what kind of interrogation Eagle Beak Bean was facing; he had to think about himself first.

He could afford to omit the content of one or two meetings, but omitting too much would definitely be disadvantageous for himself.

Half an hour passed in a flash, yet their conversation was not finished.

Sun Fangyuan smiled, closed the statement book nonchalantly, and said, "Have something to eat first, we can continue after you’re done, no rush."

The lamb stew came in a paper bowl, and the spoon was a flimsy paper spoon as well.

Sha Chengzai didn’t mind; he ate the bowl of lamb stew carefully and cherished it, while also contemplating his strategy.

After the meal.

Sha Chengzai sat back down and said with a smile, "Ask away."

"Alright, let’s start with the second project. You think about it and we can talk about it tomorrow." Sun Fangyuan decisively skipped over it and said, "Let’s talk about your interactions with Amethyst."

Sha Chengzai’s eyelid twitched. However, he was more prepared for this topic and after thinking, he said, "Amethyst is my direct superior, we have several ways of communicating. Generally, in not-so-urgent situations, he would contact me through an independent email..."

Sha Chengzai answered Sun Fangyuan’s questions bit by bit, unhurried, and finally seemed to regain some control of the situation.

Sun Fangyuan, on the other hand, continued the conversation with him calmly, one question after another until after four in the afternoon. In the meantime, she gave Sha Chengzai two cigarettes and then asked, "You have met Amethyst in person, when was the last meeting?"

"I have never seen Amethyst in person," Sha Chengzai answered skillfully.

Sun Fangyuan chuckled and said, "Others have said differently, Sha Chengzai. You can’t just eat lamb stew and deny everything. Or is it that you’re willing to take the fall for Amethyst?"

Her voice was still not very oppressive, but the content was genuinely a bit cruel.

Sha Chengzai knew this was a boomerang from the past. In order to enhance his persuasiveness as a feng shui master, he had been forced to fabricate meetings with Amethyst. Now, sighing, he said, "When I mentioned meeting with Amethyst, it was actually just agreeing to be at the same place. He would talk from above and I would listen from below."

"The most recent time, where was it?" Sun Fangyuan did not ask about the first time but went straight to the most recent.

Sha Chengzai hesitated then replied, "It was in an empty factory, a place decided by Amethyst. About a month ago."

"What did you talk about?"

"Mainly just to report on the situation at the production end..."

"Why meet in an empty factory?" Sun Fangyuan clenched her fist discreetly; this was a strategy discussed within the special case team. If there was a place occupied by Sha Chengzai and identified by Amethyst, there was a chance to gather Amethyst’s trace evidence or biological evidence, such as fingerprints or DNA.

If only Sha Chengzai’s and other known individuals’ traces and DNA are found there, then Sha Chengzai would need to provide an explanation.

"To avoid the surveillance cameras in the city," Sha Chengzai explained. He had a limited understanding of police skills, mainly of Jiang Yuan’s skills, and had not yet realized that he had already revealed a flaw.

Analyzing both their identities, a feng shui master should avoid the gaze of others, and Amethyst had to ensure his own safety.

A factory premise was a rather reasonable location.

Sun Fangyuan immediately inquired about the location and sent information to Jiang Yuan, while continuing to question Sha Chengzai.

In less than an hour, Sun Fangyuan obtained information about a second location and continued to send it to Jiang Yuan.

Then came the third location.

...