He Denghong struggled to make his voice sound merely confused. “I did pass by there last night. I heard some strange noises, and then it felt like something warm splashed on me. I was terrified and ran straight home.”
“Did something happen?” Both he and He Jiulu simultaneously put on appropriate expressions of lingering fear.
The male officer stared at him intently. “A man died in that alley, and the cause of death was extremely unusual. We need you to explain everything you saw and experienced in detail.” His gaze shifted to He Jiulu. “And who is this?”
“My distant cousin, He Jiulu. She just returned from abroad and is staying with me for the time being.”
He Denghong explained using the identity Chiwutu had fabricated. At the same time, he and He Jiulu stepped aside, signaling for the officers to enter. “Please, come in and sit. I’ll cooperate with the investigation.”
The apartment was small and cramped, feeling even tighter once the two officers entered. He Denghong and He Jiulu sat side by side on the edge of the bed while the officers took the only two chairs in the room. The questioning began.
The questions focused primarily on the time, the details He Denghong had seen, the sounds he had heard, and his reaction at the time. He Denghong answered cautiously. Most of his descriptions were true—except for the parts involving the anomaly, his double, and Chiwutu. He and He Jiulu worked hard to control their expressions and movements, desperate to avoid any further eerie synchronization.
However, shared neural perception and the double consciousness of a newborn clone were not so easily masked. When the male officer suddenly raised his voice to press for a detail, He Denghong’s primary body subconsciously tensed his muscles, and He Jiulu’s hand on her lap curled slightly at the exact same time.
This subtle synchronization did not escape the keen eyes of the female officer. Her gaze scanned back and forth between He Denghong and He Jiulu as suspicion began to take root.
“Mr. He, you and your cousin… have a very close bond,” the female officer said, her tone seemingly casual. “Even your movements and rhythm are perfectly consistent.”
He Denghong’s heart skipped a beat. ‘They’ve noticed,’ he thought as a surge of nervous throbbing pulsed through both bodies.
“Maybe… it’s just a coincidence,” He Denghong answered dryly.
The questioning lasted for nearly 30 minutes. Although He Denghong’s answers were mostly reasonable, they seemed downplayed and contradictory when compared to the violent reaction shown on the surveillance footage.
The two officers exchanged a look. “Mr. He, given the gravity of the case and the discrepancies in your statement, we’d like you to come down to the station with us to assist in further investigation.” The male officer stood up, his tone leaving no room for refusal.
‘This is inevitable,’ He Denghong realized. He and He Jiulu stood up at the same time. “Alright, I’ll cooperate,” he said with a nod.
***
The lighting in the police interrogation room was much brighter than in the apartment, and the atmosphere was far more oppressive. He Denghong sat alone on one side of the table while the two officers sat opposite him. He Jiulu had been instructed to wait on a bench outside—a police requirement that He Denghong actually welcomed, as it reduced the risk of exposed synchronization.
But separation meant He Denghong had to process sensory information from two environments at once. He had to manage his own body’s tension and the officers’ relentless questioning while simultaneously perceiving the clone sitting on the hard bench, enduring the curious and scrutinizing gazes of passing officers.
The dual perspective and the flood of sensory data made his temples throb. The mental load was immense.
“Mr. He, surveillance shows that you had very violent, dance-like movements when the victim was attacked. Can you explain that again?” The male officer played the blurry footage, which was still clear enough to showcase He Denghong’s bizarre behavior.
He Denghong’s throat felt dry. He had to give a reasonable explanation, or he would likely be listed as a primary suspect. Just as he was rapidly trying to concoct a barely believable excuse, there was a knock on the door.
A technician entered and whispered something into the male officer’s ear, handing over a preliminary autopsy report. The officer’s expression turned incredibly grim and confused in an instant. He waved the technician out, then looked at the report with the female officer. They spoke in low voices, and when they looked back at He Denghong, their eyes were filled with even more complexity.
“The deceased… some kind of… unexplainable biological enzyme residue was found where the neck was severed, as well as extremely fine transparent mucus that doesn’t match any known material.” The officer’s voice carried a note of disbelief. “The scene investigation also found no weapon or tool marks capable of causing such injury. This…”
A cause of death that science could not explain actually cleared He Denghong of suspicion to some extent. He was just a lowly freelancer; how could he possibly possess the ability or tools to cause such a wound?
Just then, through He Jiulu’s perspective, He Denghong saw a high-ranking officer in a formal uniform walking briskly toward them. After taking a call, the man’s expression became respectful and serious. He kept nodding into the phone, and then his gaze swept over, landing right on He Jiulu.
A few seconds later, the interrogation room door opened again. The high-ranking officer entered and beckoned to the two questioning officers. The three of them spoke in low voices outside. He Denghong concentrated, trying to catch fragments of the conversation through He Jiulu’s enhanced hearing.
“A direct call from above — special affairs — priority clearance — the girl’s identity has been verified — complex overseas relations — temporarily ruled out as a suspect — handle with priority — “
Soon, the two officers returned. Their expressions were a mix of confusion, relief, and a hint of helplessness.
“Mr. He,” the male officer’s tone softened significantly. “Thank you for your cooperation. The current investigation shows that your suspicion has been greatly reduced. You are free to go for now, but we will contact you if we need further assistance.”
He Denghong and the He Jiulu waiting outside both breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” He Denghong stood up, trying to keep his movements as normal as possible.
He walked out of the interrogation room and met He Jiulu. As they left one after the other, the female officer couldn’t help but whisper to her colleague, “It’s still strange, isn’t it? Even their walking stride is almost identical…”
The male officer shook his head, looking down at the anomalous autopsy report. “This case is strange enough as it is. Let’s just archive it for now and wait for further instructions.”
***
Stepping out of the police station, the afternoon sun was a bit blinding. He Denghong and He Jiulu stood on the sidewalk, taking a deep breath of relatively free air.
*Zhi-gu-gu…*
Chiwutu sent two text messages to his phone.
**[See, I told you I’d handle it. Gong Jishi’s clearance is somewhat useful, even if they can’t send you money directly.]**
He Denghong shook his head helplessly. Both he and she set off at the same time, merging into the crowd and heading toward their tiny apartment. He decided that tomorrow, he would leave his double in the apartment while he went out to work and earn some money.
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