Chapter 431: Truth

"I'll take Lao Zhou to the Interrogation Room!", one officer volunteered.

After everyone's analysis, Lao Zhou was undoubtedly the person with the strongest motive, and the missing assigned gun was very likely the one he stole!

Xu Mo and Han Fei both nodded, and together they went to the Interrogation Room, ready to question him once the officer brought auxiliary police Lao Zhou in.

Just before heading to the Interrogation Room, Xu Mo reached out and patted Wang Dachuan on the shoulder, "Progress!"

Although Lao Zhou filled in his own motive and investigative clues, Wang Dachuan also deserved credit for reminding Xu Mo.

If Wang Dachuan hadn't suspected Lao Zhou, Xu Mo couldn't have deduced it so quickly.

Praised by Xu Mo, Wang Dachuan let out a goofy chuckle.

"Thanks, Team Leader Xu, for the praise!"

……

Interrogation Room.

Auxiliary police Lao Zhou was brought in by an officer.

His expression was completely ordinary, as if he knew nothing, and his eyes showed no hint of fear or nervousness.

No wonder, being a veteran auxiliary police, his mental composure was excellent.

Xu Mo didn't beat around the bush; he got straight to the point.

"When Hao Qi returned to the Police Station to report after completing the mission, you had contact with him, right?"

"Yes," Lao Zhou said, nodding calmly.

"Did you notice his gun holster at his waist then? Was the gun still in the holster when he returned to the Police Station?"

"I didn't notice that."

Lao Zhou still appeared very calm, but Xu Mo saw a hint of something in his micro‑expression—he was lying.

Though Lao Zhou's mental composure was excellent and his concealment skillful, his lie couldn't fool the psychology‑savvy Xu Mo.

At that moment, Xu Mo became even more certain of his earlier inference.

Auxiliary police Lao Zhou must be up to something!

The next second, before Xu Mo could continue questioning, Lao Zhou began to defend himself.

"I know you suspect me, but I didn't take Hao Qi's gun. When I met him at the doorway we only exchanged a glance, barely spoke a few words; in such a short time I couldn't have stolen his gun, and Xiao Wu and the other two were there. If I had taken the gun, they'd have noticed right away... You can verify all this with Xiao Wu and the others."

It must be said that Lao Zhou's mental composure was truly first‑rate; even seated in the interrogation chair he remained calm, and his words sounded less like self‑defense and more like stating facts.

If Xu Mo hadn't already deduced Lao Zhou's motive, facing such a seasoned officer, even after spotting his lie, Xu Mo wouldn't have been able to get a truthful confession; in the end he might have had to resort to a truth serum.

"If you weren't the prime suspect, I might have actually believed you..." Xu Mo smiled.

"I heard from Xiao Wu that you've been eager to become a regular officer?"

At those words, a flash of panic suddenly appeared on Lao Zhou's previously unruffled face.

Yet the panicked expression lingered only a moment before vanishing.

Lao Zhou let out a sigh.

"Yes, of course I want to become regular, but... the exam is just too hard for me. I'm getting older, my memory's failing; after all these years I've never passed."

"So you never considered other ways? As far as I know, becoming regular isn't only through the exam; merit can also lead to promotion, right Han Team?" Xu Mo said, then turned his head to glance at Han Fei beside him.

"Yes, merit can also lead to promotion," Han Fei nodded.

Lao Zhou's complexion stiffened again, his gaze drifting unsettled.

Immediately, Xu Mo looked at Lao Zhou again.

"You never thought about becoming regular through merit?"

"I, I..." Lao Zhou opened his mouth, hesitating several times, finally forcing out a smile: "I have thought about it, but merit isn't that easy. I'm just an auxiliary police, without any enforcement authority—how could I earn merit?"

As soon as he finished, Xu Mo retorted.

"Don't you think this Missing Assigned Gun Case is your chance for merit? If you solve it and recover the missing gun, that's a great merit, and you'd be promoted instantly."

Lao Zhou's expression became a bit forced, his smile strained.

"Ha ha... Team Leader Xu, you only know how to joke. I can't solve this case; I don't have that ability."

By that point, the calm demeanor on Lao Zhou's face had vanished.

"I think you do," Xu Mo stared at Lao Zhou. "Where do you think the missing assigned gun is now... hidden in your car, in your desk drawer, or some other concealed spot?"

Xu Mo's gaze was razor‑sharp, as if to pierce Lao Zhou.

Being stared at with such a gaze, Lao Zhou felt utterly uncomfortable.

Not to mention Xu Mo's words directly pointed at Lao Zhou; Lao Zhou panicked, his eyes blinking uncontrollably, no longer daring to meet Xu Mo's gaze, nervously swallowing saliva repeatedly.

"I don't understand what you're saying. How could the gun possibly be hidden by me? I didn't steal the gun."

Through the preceding dialogue, Lao Zhou's mental defenses had been initially shattered.

It's not merely Xu Mo's suspicion; mere suspicion wouldn't have made him this nervous and incoherent. His anxiety stemmed from Xu Mo exposing his motive—Xu Mo was right.

Lao Zhou believed his scheme was flawless, yet it was exposed; Xu Mo, relying solely on deduction, arrived at this

Xu Mo seized the moment.

"You desperately want to become regular, not remain an auxiliary police, but you can't pass the exam, so you resorted to a crooked plan. You thought about earning merit to get promoted, yet such opportunities are rare. Your precinct's jurisdiction rarely sees major cases, and even if it did, you lack the ability to solve them and earn merit."

"So you fabricated a major case, planning to solve the very crime you created, thinking that would secure your promotion. But major cases often involve lives; perhaps your sense of justice prevented you from..."

"You stole Hao Qi's assigned gun, hid it, waiting for the right moment to retrieve it and claim credit, thus securing your promotion. Am I right? Where did you hide that gun?"

After speaking, Xu Mo stared intently at Lao Zhou seated in the interrogation chair.

Lao Zhou fell silent.

He slowly lowered his head, sighed, then gave a self‑deprecating smile.

"Impressive, as expected of the ever‑successful Team Leader Xu, truly..."