Chapter 110: Return to the Interrogation Room

Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Return to the Interrogation Room

The Chief looked at Zoe Sawyer’s pensive expression and nodded in satisfaction.

’You can’t expect the younger generation to instantly grow into omnipotent, towering trees, but it’s absolutely necessary to give them the right guidance and then let them take the lead.’

’After all, everyone starts out as a clueless rookie and grows from there.’

’Leave it to me?’

Zoe Sawyer stared at the Chief, stunned. ’Is he really this confident in me?’

’If I hadn’t asked that question right away, would I have disrupted the rest of the plan?’

"Don’t worry, we’re here for you," Sean Hughes said, putting an arm around Zoe Sawyer’s shoulders to give her a boost of confidence.

"That’s right. Go for it. It’s fine if you can’t get anything out of them," Evan Keller chimed in reassuringly. "Their traits are too distinct. With a little patience, we’ll eventually figure out where they boarded that vehicle and track them back to their lair."

The other three said nothing, but their actions showed their support.

With everyone offering their encouragement, Zoe Sawyer no longer hesitated and nodded in agreement.

On the way there, the Chief walked alongside them, generously sharing his interrogation techniques with Zoe Sawyer.

Everyone listened in silence. This was the wisdom of a veteran detective—an invaluable lesson for them all.

When they reached the interrogation room, Zoe Sawyer took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The chairs for Number Three and Number Five were set far apart. Compared to Number Three, who sat bolt upright, Number Five—who was used to lying down and had to shuffle his body to move—seemed far more unruly.

He was slumped askew in his chair, his eyes fixed on his brother, occasionally reaching a hand out toward him.

When Zoe Sawyer, Heath Hale, and a man they didn’t recognize entered, both brothers fixed their attention on the newcomers.

After entering, the three of them sat down behind the table. They studied the files in their hands, glancing up at the two brothers from time to time.

Their gazes focused primarily on Number Five.

They would occasionally scribble something on a piece of paper and pass it to one another.

This strange atmosphere continued for a full ten minutes. Number Three, who had initially been somewhat composed, grew restless watching them.

’Shouldn’t they be asking me questions right now? Then I could use my answers to win their sympathy and attention.’

’Why have they suddenly gone silent?’

’Did they find something?’

’That’s impossible! I cleaned it up perfectly! There wasn’t even a bone left!’

"What did you come to ask this time?" Number Three’s tone was uncertain and probing.

Seeing the uneasy expression spread across Number Three’s face, Zoe Sawyer knew the first step had been a success.

But the real battle was about to begin.

"Go on. Use the method I taught you." The Chief patted Zoe Sawyer’s shoulder, his gaze filled with encouragement.

Zoe Sawyer took a deep breath, accepted a coin from the Chief’s hand, and walked over to Number Three. She placed the coin on the table in front of him and spun it. "Heads or tails? Guess correctly, and I’ll give you and Number Five a chance."

Number Three glanced at it and replied, "Tails."

Immediately, Zoe Sawyer slapped her hand down over the coin. When she lifted it, the heads side was showing.

"Too bad, you lose. We’re taking Number Five," Zoe Sawyer said with a shrug, then beckoned to Heath Hale to come and give her a hand.

The moment he heard they were taking Number Five, Number Three panicked.

’Where are they taking Number Five?!’

’Given his condition, he’ll be treated unfairly no matter where they send him!’

’Without me there to protect him, he might not even survive a week!’

"You can’t take Number Five! You can’t!" Number Three began to struggle violently, even trying to lunge forward to stop them.

Zoe Sawyer slammed her palm on the table with a sharp CRACK.

Number Three, who had been struggling frantically, froze as if someone had hit pause. He looked up at Zoe Sawyer, his eyes welling with tears.

’If the Chief hadn’t warned me beforehand, and if I didn’t know what Number Three and Five had done, I would have really thought I’d done something utterly outrageous.’

"You have to understand, for what you’ve done, prison is unavoidable. Do you want Number Five to go in there with you and get bullied?

When you can barely protect yourself, you want to drag him in there to get abused alongside you?" Zoe Sawyer rapped her knuckles on the table, her tone cold and detached.

Number Three opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated. He wanted to say he could protect Number Five, but seeing Zoe Sawyer’s expression, he was suddenly no longer sure.

Seeing the conflict and hesitation on Number Three’s face, Zoe Sawyer knew her opportunity had arrived.

"I can offer you a chance to make a deal. Tell me the location of your livestream. If we catch the person responsible, not only can you and your brother escape this nightmare, but you can live together. You’ll have people designated to provide you with food.

You’d feel more at ease taking care of Number Five yourself than letting someone else do it, right? And you don’t want the unborn Number Eleven to suffer the same fate, do you?" Zoe Sawyer said, organizing her words based on the Chief’s instructions.

The Chief had mentioned on the way over that Number Three and Five’s case was unique. They were being controlled, had never been educated, and had grown up in a twisted environment.

Even with conclusive evidence of the murders they committed, the law might take these mitigating circumstances into account and be lenient.

If the case wasn’t handled properly, it could even trigger a public backlash.

’But Number Three didn’t know any of that!’

’This was the perfect opportunity to exploit that information gap and turn them into cooperating witnesses.’

In truth, Number Three didn’t care what happened to his sisters or the future Number Eleven.

The only one he truly cared about was Number Five.

After a moment of internal conflict, Number Three gave a decisive nod, agreeing to Zoe Sawyer’s terms.

At the same time, he didn’t forget to ask her to repeat the promises she had just made.

"Rest assured, I can also guarantee that as soon as we’ve made the arrest, we will immediately arrange for a doctor to examine you both," the Chief said, stepping forward to offer his own assurance.

After receiving confirmation several times and realizing Zoe Sawyer hadn’t lied to him, Number Three fell silent for a moment before telling them everything he knew.

He didn’t know the name of the place, but he remembered some of its features.

"There’s a big mountain in front of the house and behind it. People don’t usually come around. Number Five and I left by a small path and got into a big, red truck. We stayed in the back for several days before we got here."

When he finished, Number Three tilted his head in thought. After confirming he hadn’t missed anything, he nodded firmly. ’I didn’t get anything wrong!’

Zoe Sawyer asked a few more questions, such as whether he remembered his parents’ names or the names of anyone who frequently visited.

Number Three thought for a moment, then shook his head.

He’d never heard any.

Zoe Sawyer wasn’t discouraged. What he had provided was more than enough.

’This has already narrowed the search area significantly!’

"All right. I understand."