Chapter 6 - His Face Cannot Be Inquired

When someone else says it, it's just wild speculation, pure slander. But when Yin Bingsong says it, it becomes reasonable suspicion. After all, he once worked in the shipyard's security department and could be considered an insider in the system.

This Christmas Eve was destined to be anything but peaceful. At No. 178, Meigang Road, a fire broke out. Due to traffic congestion, the fire brigade took fifteen minutes to arrive at the scene. After controlling the flames, they began search and rescue efforts, saving 25 injured individuals. Most injuries were not burns but were caused by a stampede. Within an hour of the incident, city officials and leaders of the associated group arrived at the scene to direct the response.

The highest-ranking leader on-site was Qin Dechang, the top executive of the Jiangwei Shipyard Group. The group is directly under the provincial State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), and Qin, a department-level cadre, holds a rank equivalent to the mayor of Jiangwei. The building that caught fire was part of the group's property, so Qin was in charge of the firefighting and rescue efforts.

In the biting cold, 62-year-old Qin Dechang, the group's chairman and secretary, stood in front of a fire truck, frowning deeply. Department-level cadres are supposed to retire at 60, but since his term wasn't over, he had another year before retirement. Now, this man-made disaster, even though it didn't occur within the plant, was bound to tarnish his record—a potential blemish on his legacy.

"This must be thoroughly investigated without delay!" Qin commanded. "No matter who is involved, we will investigate to the end. Neglecting the safety of the people's property is an unforgivable crime!"

The leaders of the related departments standing nearby nodded solemnly.

Switching to a gentler tone, Qin instructed that the injured should receive the best possible medical treatment. If district hospitals weren't sufficient, they were to be sent to top-tier city hospitals. Additionally, he emphasized the need to console the families of the injured.

Eager to impress, one cadre chimed in, "The families of the injured are relatively calm."

This was because most of the people in the internet café lived nearby. Their families, having received the news, had rushed over. They weren't crying—not because they were calm, but because they were still in shock.

Qin shot a sharp glare at the cadre, turned around, and boarded his black Audi A6. The wind swept the hem of his coat, making his retreating figure seem somewhat forlorn.

"To the hospital," Qin instructed before closing his eyes for a moment of rest. A night of meetings awaited, and his aging body would have to endure.

At the shipyard's affiliated hospital, Qin Dechang visited the injured. Most of them had external injuries, though some burn victims, bandaged up, were a shocking sight. Reporters from the plant's TV station had also arrived. Qin Dechang, familiar with facing cameras, spoke confidently when the lens turned toward him. Just then, he noticed a young girl, with delicate features and a pair of almond-shaped eyes, lying in one of the beds. He approached her to offer his condolences, and the camera followed.

The girl was Yin Weiran, who had never been camera-shy. She had appeared on the plant's television programs a few times. Facing the attention of the high-ranking official, Yin Weiran replied in fluent, broadcast-style Mandarin, thanking Qin Dechang, "Thank you, Grandpa Qin. I will take care of my injuries and return to my desk as soon as I can."

Qin Dechang reminded the girl to rest well and recover, but just as Yin Bingsong stretched his hand out to shake, Qin's brow furrowed slightly. He recognized Yin Bingsong as someone who seemed to be aligned with his political opponents, but still, he gave a brief handshake.

After leaving the ward, the division's leaders approached Qin Dechang to report the latest developments. A public tip-off suggested the possibility of arson.

The division leader was too eager. In fact, this so-called tip was nothing more than Yin Bingsong's baseless gossip, but after a few rounds of circulation, it had turned into a significant lead. Arson was a different matter from an accidental fire. Qin Dechang ordered that the case must be solved tonight and the suspect apprehended.

The most anxious person right now was Sun Bin, the owner of the Ju You Internet Café. The escape route was locked, the smoke alarm had malfunctioned, and the automatic fire suppression system was nothing more than a decoration. All the money he saved on safety measures had now cost him ten times over—paying for the victims' compensation, hefty fines, and the damage to many people's lives. Worst of all, he'd probably end up in jail himself.

By now, Sun Bin had fled. Sitting in his car, he made endless phone calls trying to use his connections, but no one dared to answer. Just as he was about to turn off his phone and disappear, a friend's call came through. "It's all good. Your rival is the one who set the fire, and he's been caught."

"My rival?" Sun Bin was confused. There were a few people who had grudges against him, but it hardly seemed worth going to the extremes of setting a fire. However, since it was a criminal case, it could at least reduce his own liability. He decided to return and observe the situation.

The person who had been arrested was Yi Leng. The division acted swiftly, sending two plainclothes officers to his place. They didn't make a big show of it because there were still smart individuals within the department who knew that a public tip-off wasn't always reliable—it might be true, or it might be false. Regardless, they couldn't overlook any suspect.

Meanwhile, the Yumei Restaurant was still operating. Their specialty was late-night dining, catering to workers finishing late shifts. Ma Ge, a regular who came for lunch, was also back to support the restaurant. The topic on everyone's lips was the fire.

From across the street, thick smoke and flames billowed, resembling a warzone.

Wu Yumei, the restaurant owner, turned around after placing an order, only to find Huang Pihu, an employee known as "Old Huang," fiddling with the computer at the counter. Glancing at the footage from the restaurant's security cameras, she saw the two girls, one big and one small, who had come to eat.

"That Old Huang…" Wu Yumei muttered, shaking her head.

At that moment, a Passat drove up. Two well-built men got out. They were plainclothes officers from the division's criminal investigation unit. They entered the restaurant, sat down, and Wu Yumei greeted them. Wu Bin, one of the officers, flashed his police badge and asked, "Did you hire someone new recently?"

Wu Yumei turned and called out, "Old Huang, they've come for you. Looks like you're about to become a hero."

Yi Leng, who had been watching, quickly realized that these two weren't just ordinary customers. People with this kind of demeanor couldn't hide their intentions. He hadn't planned on going into hiding, so he calmly walked over but didn't speak.

"Let me see your ID," Wu Bin said.

Yi Leng shook his head.

"Then tell me your name and ID number," Wu Bin pressed. He was studying Yi Leng, sensing that something was off. Yi Leng didn't appear to be hiding anything, but something about him didn't sit right.

"You're not talking? Alright, then you'll have to come with us for further investigation," Wu Bin said, pulling out a pair of handcuffs.

Yi Leng extended his hand, ready to be cuffed.

Wu Bin twisted his arm and cuffed his hands behind his back. He could tell from the way Yi Leng had extended his hand that the man had planned to resist, even trying to make it easy for himself to escape.

"He's a hero who saved people!" Wu Yumei cried, flustered. "Why are you arresting a good person?"

The police ignored her, dragging the man away. They also told Wu Yumei to stay put and cooperate with the investigation.

The chef was arrested. Wu Yumei sat down, despondent, and told the customers to leave. It was time to close for the night.

Yi Leng was taken to the shipyard division's headquarters. They entered through the back door, and the face recognition system between the A and B gates failed to register Yi Leng's face. As a result, they had to take him in for questioning directly.

Once inside, they tried to confirm his identity again. Yi Leng remained silent. He refused to speak about who he was, making it difficult for the next steps in the investigation to proceed.

"'Huang Pihu' is a fake name, right?" Wu Bin said, his voice sharp. "If you don't talk, we'll just drag this out. The detention center can hold you for up to 37 days, and in there, you'll meet all sorts of people. Life in there is nothing like the comfort outside."

Yi Leng showed no emotion. Though he had never been to a detention center in China, he had spent some time in the notorious Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. There, the U.S. military held prisoners from various conflicts, including Middle Eastern combatants. In that hellish place, prisoners were forced to wear poorly ventilated face masks and goggles that made it difficult to breathe and see clearly. Long-term use of this gear damaged their respiratory systems and eyesight. They also wore one-piece prisoner suits with handcuffs and shackles in a tropical heat of about 35°C. It was truly a torturous experience, worse than anything Yi Leng had faced so far.

Wu Bin continued to apply pressure, trying to get Yi Leng to crack. He had his own suspicions about Yi Leng's background, but Yi Leng wasn't giving him anything to work with. The longer Yi Leng stayed silent, the more frustrated Wu Bin became.

As Yi Leng stood there without speaking, the atmosphere grew tenser. Wu Bin was well aware that silence could sometimes be a tactic—one that Yi Leng was likely using to protect himself. The officer's job was to break that silence, but no matter how he pushed, Yi Leng's expression remained impassive.

Back at the restaurant, Wu Yumei remained unsettled. She knew something wasn't right about the whole situation. Why would Yi Leng, someone who had seemed to be an upstanding person, suddenly be dragged into this mess? The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. She knew that the people behind the scenes—the ones who had orchestrated the fire—had far more to do with it than anyone was letting on.

Her thoughts were interrupted when another officer walked in, giving her a stern warning not to discuss the case with anyone.

As the night wore on, she couldn't help but wonder just how deep the conspiracy surrounding the fire ran and whether Yi Leng was truly the person they had arrested or if he was merely a pawn in a much larger game.

Apologies for the incomplete translation earlier. I'll continue translating the remaining parts for you.

Wu Yumei's concern for Yi Leng continued to grow. Despite the arrest, she knew that Yi Leng wasn't a criminal. He was a hero, someone who had helped people during the fire, and yet now he was being treated as a suspect. She couldn't understand why things had turned out this way.

The atmosphere in the restaurant had shifted too. With the arrest of Yi Leng, everything felt off, and Wu Yumei could sense that something more sinister was at play. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that the truth behind the fire was far from simple. There were people involved who would do anything to cover their tracks, and she feared that Yi Leng might have been dragged into something much larger than he could have imagined.

As Yi Leng sat quietly in the interrogation room, the officers had little to go on. The authorities weren't sure whether he was involved in the fire or not, and his silence was making things difficult. But Wu Bin's suspicion only grew stronger. His experience told him that the truth was hidden behind layers of deceit, and it was his job to uncover it.

At this point, Yi Leng remained unyielding. The investigation had barely begun, and he refused to speak. What he had endured at Guantanamo was far worse than anything they could throw at him here. He had no intention of revealing anything, not until he understood the bigger picture of what was truly happening.

Wu Bin grew frustrated, knowing that time was running out. But Yi Leng remained calm, unwavering, despite the pressure. He had been through far worse and wasn't about to break now. His silence spoke volumes, and Wu Bin couldn't help but feel that Yi Leng knew something important, something that could change the course of the investigation. But for now, it remained locked away behind his stoic exterior.

Yi Leng was taken to the shipyard division's headquarters. He entered through the back door, and the face recognition system between the A and B gates failed to register Yi Leng's face. As a result, they had to take him in for questioning directly.

Once inside, they tried to confirm his identity again. Yi Leng remained silent. He refused to speak about who he was, making it difficult for the next steps in the investigation to proceed.

"'Huang Pihu' is a fake name, right?" Wu Bin said, his voice sharp. "If you don't talk, we'll just drag this out. The detention center can hold you for up to 37 days, and in there, you'll meet all sorts of people. Life in there is nothing like the comfort outside."

Yi Leng showed no emotion. Though he had never been to a detention center in China, he had spent some time in the notorious Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. There, the U.S. military held prisoners from various conflicts, including Middle Eastern combatants. In that hellish place, prisoners were forced to wear poorly ventilated face masks and goggles that made it difficult to breathe and see clearly. Long-term use of this gear damaged their respiratory systems and eyesight. They also wore one-piece prisoner suits with handcuffs and shackles in a tropical heat of about 35°C. It was truly a torturous experience, worse than anything Yi Leng had faced so far.

Back at the restaurant, Wu Yumei remained unsettled. She knew something wasn't right about the whole situation. Why would Yi Leng, someone who had seemed to be an upstanding person, suddenly be dragged into this mess? The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. She knew that the people behind the scenes—the ones who had orchestrated the fire—had far more to do with it than anyone was letting on.

Her thoughts were interrupted when another officer walked in, giving her a stern warning not to discuss the case with anyone.

As the night wore on, she couldn't help but wonder just how deep the conspiracy surrounding the fire ran and whether Yi Leng was truly the person they had arrested or if he was merely a pawn in a much larger game.

Wu Bin continued to apply pressure, trying to get Yi Leng to crack. He had his own suspicions about Yi Leng's background, but Yi Leng wasn't giving him anything to work with. The longer Yi Leng stayed silent, the more frustrated Wu Bin became.

As Yi Leng stood there without speaking, the atmosphere grew tenser. Wu Bin was well aware that silence could sometimes be a tactic—one that Yi Leng was likely using to protect himself. The officer's job was to break that silence, but no matter how he pushed, Yi Leng's expression remained impassive.

Wu Yumei couldn't shake the feeling that Yi Leng wasn't guilty, but there were far too many strange things happening around the fire. The investigation seemed to be going in the wrong direction, and she feared that Yi Leng might be framed for something he didn't do.

As the night progressed, the pieces of the puzzle started to come together. It wasn't just about the fire—it was about something much bigger. And the more Yi Leng stayed silent, the more it became clear that he was a part of a much larger web of deception.

Fortunately, Yi Leng was only confined for half a year before being transferred to another prison. Although the new facility remained a dark and oppressive environment, at least it was free from the inhumane torture devices.

For someone who had endured such experiences, the threat of 37 days in a detention center hardly felt intimidating.

"We brought you back here for a reason, and I'm sure you know exactly why," Wu Bin said.

Yi Leng remained silent.

"You still won't speak? Fine, I have my ways." Wu Bin had Yi Leng photographed for a formal mugshot and then took his fingerprints with an ink pad.

Everyone has unique fingerprints, much like an ID card. Before facial recognition became widespread, fingerprints were the most effective method of solving cases.

Knowing that further interrogation wouldn't yield results, Wu Bin decided to keep Yi Leng detained for the night and deal with him tomorrow.

The division had established a special task force for the fire investigation, with Wu Bin as the deputy team leader. His next task was to arrest the internet café owner, Sun Bin. As he was about to leave, he overheard two female officers discussing something at their computer. They were saying that if it weren't for this person, the internet café would have had at least a dozen casualties.

Curious, Wu Bin went over and looked at the computer screen. It displayed a video from the fire scene taken by bystanders. Amidst the thick smoke and flames, and the noise of the crowd, a figure could be seen struggling to pry open a stainless-steel window on the third floor of the internet café. As the window opened, there was a cheer from below, and a large vehicle drove up. The person in the video jumped down, holding the first girl who had climbed out. Although there was no close-up shot of their face, Wu Bin could clearly recognize that the person helping was none other than Huang Pihu.

This was interesting—someone who was supposed to be the hero had been reported as the arsonist.

Wu Bin, accustomed to seeing twists in cases, didn't let this distraction bother him. He moved ahead with the plan and sent people to arrest Sun Bin, the internet café owner, and bring him in for questioning.

Sun Bin, a local man who owned the internet café, didn't seem to have much information to offer, so Wu Bin handed him over to others for interrogation. Wu Bin then reviewed the security footage from the nearby surveillance cameras on Coal Harbor Road, confirming Huang Pihu's entire rescue process. The footage from the surveillance cameras was of much higher quality than the bystander video, and Wu Bin was astonished when he saw how Huang Pihu had climbed up the wall. This wasn't a regular residential building, but a shop front with tiled walls, and the first floor was nearly 4.7 meters high, offering very few places to grab. Yet Huang Pihu had managed to scale the wall effortlessly. This kind of skill was extraordinary, and in ancient times, it would be seen as the ability to walk on walls.

Suddenly, Wu Bin received a call from the duty office. The restaurant owner, Wu Yumei, had arrived. She came to speak on behalf of Huang Pihu, claiming, "I heard people are saying that our old Huang set the fire. That's pure slander. I have surveillance footage from the restaurant—he was here, and never left."

Wu Bin checked the video from the USB drive. The footage showed that Huang Pihu had been busy in the restaurant since evening and had no time to start the fire.

But this wasn't the important part anymore—the real concern was Huang Pihu's true identity.

"Go home for now, and we'll release him once the investigation is complete," Wu Bin said as he copied the video and sent Wu Yumei away.

Yi Leng sat alone in the detention room, his handcuffs removed. The room was filled with narrow wooden chairs—only enough room to sit, but not to sleep. The chairs were covered in red fingerprint marks, remnants of previous detainees.

Meanwhile, at the Xian family's new village near the shipyard, Aunt Xian and her niece had made a pact not to reveal the truth about the fire. If they did, they would be scolded by the older family members. Xian Bing simply said that the matchmaking was completed, but the person was average, and she wasn't satisfied.

On the television, the evening news was playing, and Xian Dongming remarked, "Did you get the contact information? Don't reject them just yet. Let's talk first."

Xian Bing, having learned from experience, told her father that she had exchanged contact details and was chatting with the person. "But it's getting late, I'm going to bed now."

Lying in bed, both mother and daughter still felt uneasy, but the little girl soon shrugged off the danger and seemed to enjoy the excitement.

"Auntie, I've got a secret to tell you. Do you know who saved me?" the little girl asked.

"I know. I saw it. I think it was the cook from the restaurant where we ate. He looked a bit sketchy," Aunt Xian replied.

"No, I'm not talking about that uncle. I mean the boy from my class, Feng Xiaoxiao…"

After discussing Feng Xiaoxiao, Yi Nuan Nuan mentioned that someone had brought her a delicate lunch the day before, but she couldn't figure out who it was.

"Such a mystery! Maybe we should get Detective Conan to figure it out," Xian Bing joked.

At that moment, Yi Leng sat in the cold detention room, unaware of the heartless chat between the mother and daughter.

Later that night, Yi Leng suddenly fell ill in the detention room. He started foaming at the mouth and became incoherent. The detention staff quickly took him to the emergency room, where brain and heart tests were conducted, but there were no abnormalities.

While strapped to a stretcher, Yi Leng babbled in a dialect that was hard to understand—something similar to Minnan (Southern Fujian) dialect.

This wasn't a common occurrence, but it wasn't unheard of either. There were people in the world who lived on the fringes of society—without ID cards, bank accounts, or connections, only poverty and disease.

Wu Bin asked the doctors to extract Yi Leng's DNA, as the police had a gene database. In the past, many cases had gone unsolved due to lack of technical means, but now, blood or hair samples from crime scenes could be analyzed. If Yi Leng had committed a crime and escaped years ago, he wouldn't be able to escape this time.

"Do you think he's faking illness? The brain scan shows normal results. What's he pretending for?" Wu Bin asked the doctor.

The doctor replied, "Not necessarily. There are many types of epilepsy. While most brainwaves show abnormalities, 5-20% of patients may have normal brainwaves during an episode."

"It's possible that he's suffered some intense trauma and forgotten his own identity. That can happen too," the doctor said.

This was a possibility. People in underdeveloped areas often didn't have ID cards, and their data wasn't recorded in the population registry, but they were still legitimate citizens.

This created some complications, as Yi Leng had no legal identity, and he didn't seem to be an illegal immigrant from places like Vietnam or Myanmar. Even if they wanted to send him to the detention center, they couldn't fill out the paperwork properly.

The next morning, Wu Bin asked his colleagues to help with the comparison. Huang Pihu's face didn't show up in the database, neither did his fingerprints, and there was no DNA record. This didn't mean he hadn't committed a crime in the past, but it didn't provide any evidence to keep him detained.

Wu Bin consulted his superiors again. The leader asked, "Do you have any evidence of this person's criminal activity?"

"No, but he did act heroically," Wu Bin replied.

The leader responded, "Don't pry into things you shouldn't. Just let him go. Consider it a misunderstanding. Don't make a big deal out of it. You understand?"

[--------------------------------------------]

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