Genius Club

Chapter 164: Getting Involved

“Is this an official interrogation?” Lin Xian asked.

Truthfully, Lin Xian had always regretted one particular decision. If he had not accepted Professor Xu Yun’s authorization back then, he might be in a much better situation now.

It wasn’t a criminal matter or anything requiring an explanation, but with Professor Xu Yun no longer alive, justifying the authorization for this chemical substance was difficult.

In reality, he had exchanged a manuscript for a hibernation fluid from the future to get this authorization. Revealing this could likely cost him his life.

This was the main reason Lin Xian felt trapped in this “cat-and-mouse game.”

He had reflected on this several times in recent days. If only he had not taken that authorization. But dwelling on the past was pointless. Moreover, he had been in close contact with Xu Yun before his death. Even without the authorization, suspicion would likely still fall on him.

Fortunately, Xu Yun had managed to destroy his manuscript, which kept Lin Xian safe from exposure.

“Of course not,” Ji Lin replied with a slight smile, looking down.

“If there’s something you can’t discuss, you don’t have to. It’s your personal matter, and you have the right to privacy.”

“I must admit, this isn’t a criminal issue, so even the Donghai police can’t force you to respond. You have the right to refuse.”

“My question is just casual conversation between friends. It’s not official, similar to how I bent the rules to show you the evidence about Tang Xin. Tang Xin matters to you, and Xu Yun matters to me. To find his killer, I don’t want to overlook any potential clues.”

Ji Lin’s tone was friendly but direct. He implied that if Lin Xian wanted to access confidential information about Tang Xin, he would need to cooperate. This was an informal agreement, not a formal interrogation.

Lin Xian understood this. He wasn’t a suspect or guilty of any crime, so he didn’t have to explain anything about Xu Yun’s authorization to anyone. Yet, he was not afraid to discuss it. He had anticipated such a situation and had a response ready.

“To be honest, I’d rather not discuss it,” Lin Xian said, turning away as if troubled.

“In truth, the reasons are not exactly honorable, and I haven’t shared them with anyone until now. It’s a secret between me and Professor Xu Yun.”

Ji Lin narrowed his eyes at Lin Xian, waiting for his response.

“Do you know about Xu Yun’s daughter, Xu Yi Yi?” Lin Xian asked.

Ji Lin nodded. He was aware of her. It was Xu Yi Yi’s accident that led to Xu Yun and his wife separating. Since then, Ji Lin had lost contact with Xu Yun, his old friend.

“Professor Xu Yun never intended for Xu Yi Yi to undergo hibernation,” Lin Xian started with a half-truth, the safest and most difficult to dispute lie.

“He didn’t want to forget her and planned to dedicate his remaining years to researching the hibernation capsule. However, he faced a dilemma:”

“When Xu Yi Yi awoke in the future, Xu Yun would no longer be there. Mentally, she would be like a four or five-year-old child with no family. Xu Yun was deeply concerned and asked me for a favor.”

“He hoped I would look after Xu Yi Yi once she awoke, at least to help her adjust to life. Although future medical advances might heal her condition, someone would still need to guide her young mind.”

“I initially refused. No one knew how long Xu Yi Yi’s hibernation would last. A few decades, maybe, but centuries? That was too uncertain. But later, moved by Professor Xu Yun’s sincere request and the fact that he offered the authorization for free, I agreed out of emotional and logical reasons. You could say I was tempted by the financial gain. It felt like a worthwhile risk to potentially hibernate alongside Xu Yi Yi.”

This lie was well-crafted by Lin Xian in anticipation of such inquiries, a necessary blend of truth and fabrication. The request from Xu Yun to care for Xu Yi Yi was real, making the story partly true and quite convincing.

“I see,” Ji Lin responded. “That makes sense. It’s a reasonable exchange. The potential side effects of hibernation technology are still unknown, and the risks you’re willing to take align with the benefits the authorization offers.”

“It seems Xu Yun really trusted you to entrust his daughter’s future to you. Were you his student?”

“No,” Lin Xian admitted. “I only met Professor Xu Yun a few times professionally. I think his trust stemmed from how my employer handled his authorization. When other companies were aggressively seeking it, our company respected his wishes and backed off. Perhaps that’s why he appreciated me.”

Lin Xian was entirely truthful here. These facts were verifiable, and lying would have been risky.

Ji Lin nodded and checked his watch.

“It’s time for me to head back to the Donghai Police Station. Want to come along? I promised to show you the evidence in Tang Xin’s case.”

Lin Xian agreed and joined Ji Lin in his car. Everything was unfolding smoother than expected—meeting Ji Lin, managing the discussion about Xu Yun’s deal, and now heading to the police station to see evidence regarding Tang Xin. It all went according to plan.

As the car drove silently, Lin Xian reflected on Tang Xin’s words and his own experiences.

“I don’t understand why everything’s going so smoothly,” Tang Xin had said about her surprising success.

Lin Xian pondered this as Ji Lin’s car entered the police station, the parking barrier moving like a guillotine.

At the special investigation unit, Ji Lin handed Lin Xian a stack of categorized documents.

“These chat records are from Tang Xin’s phone. You can’t take photos or remove them, but feel free to examine them here as much as you need.”

Lin Xian was suddenly struck by a realization!

Just like Tang Xin, he might be unwittingly caught in someone else’s meticulously laid plans, manipulated into actions that felt like his own decisions.

As Ji Lin’s car turned into the Donghai Police Station, a chill of foreboding settled over Lin Xian. What if his current path was also part of a larger, hidden agenda?

In this moment of clarity, Lin Xian knew he had to stay vigilant, parsing every detail for signs of manipulation or control, much like the orchestrated events in Tang Xin’s life.

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation