"
"You're lying, officer," Qiao Jiajin said coldly.
"Hmph, I expected you to say that," Officer Li retorted, his eyes narrowing. "But what proof do you have to back your claim? Is it just because someone attacked me?"
"Of course not," Qiao smirked. "Although I'm not entirely sure why, all the stories we've heard so far have shared some connection. These stories have recurring characters, and if we set aside their geographical locations, they all make sense."
"And so what?" Officer Li's brows furrowed in defiance.
"That's where the problem lies," Qiao continued, pointing at Attorney Zhang Chenze. "You and the lawyer mentioned the same character: the con artist who stole two million yuan. But your stories contradict each other. That means one of you is lying."
Officer Li paused, then asked, "Where's the contradiction?"
Qiao shook his head and stared straight at the officer. "Attorney Zhang was preparing for a trial, which means in her story, the suspect had already been arrested. But in your version, you were still staking out, implying the suspect was at large. Isn't that a contradiction?"
Officer Li mulled it over for a moment before responding, "You have a point, but I think you're letting this 'game' cloud your judgment. You need to understand the premise that none of the storytellers are from the same city. Our experiences may sound similar, but they're not the same incident. Different events naturally lead to different outcomes."
Qi Xia silently watched the two men argue without intervening.
Yes, keep arguing. The more heated it gets, the better.
All it took was for one of them to vote against the other, and the liar would win.
The rules were absolute: if anyone besides the liar made a wrong vote, everyone else would perish alongside them.
Although Officer Li provided a reasonable explanation, Qiao Jiajin's theory lingered in the minds of the group.
After all, this was the first time they had found a contradiction between two stories.
Qi Xia couldn't help but take another look at Qiao Jiajin. Despite his reckless appearance, he was more perceptive than expected.
"Um… it's my turn," a girl's voice spoke up.
The room fell silent as they turned toward her.
This was the girl who had screamed uncontrollably at the sight of the body earlier.
She seemed calmer now, though her gaze never strayed toward the gruesome scene nearby.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Lin Qin, and I'm a psychological counselor," she introduced herself.
Qi Xia raised an eyebrow at her name; "Lin Qin" was intriguing.
In ancient times, the term "Lin Qin" was used to refer to an apple.
The name carried a poetic charm, making it unforgettable.
Perhaps her parents wanted their daughter to have a unique name, but in this room, such a name could very well be her downfall.
With writers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, and police officers present, someone was bound to understand the meaning behind it. The name alone would make her story unforgettable.
Lin Qin glanced around, seeing no reaction from the group, and covered her nose and mouth as she continued, "I'm from Ningxia. Before I got here, I was waiting for a client—a kindergarten teacher."
The group exchanged glances, their attention briefly landing on Xiao Ran, the teacher. Another connection had emerged in the stories.
"She told me that being a teacher nowadays is incredibly tough. You can't scold or discipline the kids. Parents treat teachers like babysitters, and the children see them as servants. Every classroom is equipped with cameras, allowing parents to monitor everything in real-time. Even a slightly stern tone prompts a call to the principal."
"Yet, the whole point of sending children to kindergarten is to build their understanding of the world."
"If teachers aren't allowed to be strict, how can children learn right from wrong?"
"She felt trapped and depressed by the whole situation."
"So, I set up a treatment plan that would last about a month."
"But for some reason, the client never showed up for her appointment, and I stayed in my office waiting."
"When the earthquake hit, there was no way for me to escape. My office is on the twenty-sixth floor."
"The higher the floor, the stronger the shaking. It felt like the entire building was swaying."
"I never thought an earthquake would hit Ningxia, but now I know."
"I vaguely remember the ceiling collapsing before everything went dark."
When Lin Qin finished her story, Qiao Jiajin spoke up first, "I have two questions."
"Go ahead," Lin Qin said, still covering her mouth and nose.
"When you said every classroom has 'cameras,' what exactly did you mean?"
The group looked at Qiao in surprise, not expecting that to be his focus. But Lin Qin, being a counselor, answered patiently, "I assume they're installed so parents can see the classroom footage from anywhere."
"Closed-circuit television… so it's a high-end kindergarten," Qiao murmured before asking, "Was the teacher you mentioned Xiao Ran?"
"I don't know," Lin Qin shook her head. "We only connected through WeChat, and I planned to learn more in person."
"WeChat?" Qiao blinked, appearing confused.
Officer Li interjected, waving a hand to cut off the conversation. "Qiao, stop this. Xiao Ran is from Yunnan, while Lin Qin is in Ningxia. Who would travel so far to see a counselor?"
Qiao wasn't fazed. "I'm just pointing out the oddity. This is the first time a story has mentioned another participant."
Dr. Zhao nodded, agreeing with Qiao's point, and asked, "Xiao Ran, is your reason for seeing a counselor similar to what Lin Qin described?"
"Um…" Xiao Ran hesitated, then said softly, "Not quite… I was depressed because a parent kept criticizing me."
"That proves it's just a coincidence," Dr. Zhao concluded. "These are different places, so we shouldn't force connections."
The group fell silent for a moment, then Attorney Zhang spoke up, "Miss Lin, half of your story focused on the teacher's story. Isn't that against the rules?"
"Huh?" Lin Qin looked taken aback. "I only mentioned the teacher to help you understand my work…"
"Don't take it the wrong way," Zhang Chenze said with a smile. "I'm just saying, if you made up the teacher's story, any discrepancies with Xiao Ran's could prove you're the liar."
"You…!" Lin Qin was stunned by the woman's sharpness. "Dr. Zhao and Officer Li already said we're from different provinces. It's just a coincidence!"
"A coincidence, is it?" Zhang Chenze crossed her arms, looking thoughtful. "Think about it carefully. Why were we nine specific people brought here? Don't forget, we're all strangers. If we're supposed to pick out lies in each other's stories, there has to be a clue. And that clue is that all our stories are connected. It's how we can catch inconsistencies and find the liar. Otherwise, this game would be absurdly one-sided in favor of the liar."