Chapter 551: Asking a Few Questions

After flipping through it roughly, Lin Sicheng put down the case file.

This Consultant role was assigned quite suddenly, as if the Anti-Smuggling Bureau had no one else available and absolutely required him.

Moreover, they were incredibly respectful and polite, offering introductions and welcomes, providing plenty of emotional validation.

But one must be clear: this is a Ministry.

So Lin Sicheng understood perfectly: it was the same attitude as the General Team during the Wang Chun Case; the Anti-Smuggling Bureau intended to use him as free labor.

Because compared to the Criminal Investigation Division, Anti-Smuggling is relatively weaker in both reconnaissance and interrogation. It is inevitable that they would hit a wall, and inevitable that they would encounter difficulties during the investigation, such as a suspect refusing to budge.

If a case is led by the Twenty-Fourth Bureau (Anti-Smuggling) under the Ministry of Public Security, and they cannot get a confession, there are plenty of ways to handle it:

Find the Municipal Bureau, or the General Team, or even seek support directly from the Ministry; all kinds of Experts can be transferred to them at will.

But if it is led by the Anti-Smuggling Bureau under Customs, and they cannot get a confession, could Customs possibly send them an interrogation Expert?

The General Administration simply does not have such a setup.

Of course, they could seek support from the public security departments, but there is an entire Ministry standing in between. As the old saying goes: a borrowed hen doesn't lay eggs. First is the identity of the main suspect: foreign capital, foreign nationality, Executive.

Second is the nature of the case: international smuggling, international computer patent giant, cooperation between the province and Hong Kong, and so on; each one is more sensitive than the last. To put it bluntly, he is only here to help as a favor. If a confession is obtained, the credit exists, but it won't fall to the Expert. If the interrogation goes sideways, well then, there is a mountain of blame to shoulder.

So, one hundred percent, regardless of which department it goes through—the General Team, the Municipal Bureau, or the Ministry—no matter which level of Expert is invited, when they first arrive, they absolutely hold the mindset of "seeking no merit, only to avoid mistakes."

Regardless of whether they will give their all later, at the very beginning, the mentality is definitely: I will ask what I can, and I won't touch what I can't. Looking at the file again, sure enough: standard and conventional, by the book.

There are no loopholes, but there are no highlights either.

Seeing this, Lin Sicheng could roughly guess why Anti-Smuggling invited him: Director Li was likely too anxious and pushed too hard, annoying the leaders of the General Team.

I have sent you so many Experts, is it possible that not a single one is useful?

I suppose if I sent ten more, the result would be the same, so I might as well give you a crooked idea:

Director Li, you know Lin Sicheng, right? He is a Consultant for the Municipal Bureau and the General Team, and he even has a precedent of assisting the General Team with interrogations, and he only interrogated the main suspects. The key is, he succeeds every time he acts, never failing once; do you dare say he isn't an Expert?

Besides, he was the one who reported the case; at the very least, he understands this batch of machines the best. Rest assured and let him try; even if he can't get a confession, or if the interrogation goes sideways, he doesn't need to be held responsible.

At the very least, he dares to ask, and he can be more unrestrained.

The most important thing is: there is nothing to lose. It's the so-called "take a swing regardless of whether there are dates or not"—what if there is a miraculous effect?

Director Li thought about it and realized it was indeed a sound logic. But the premise was that Lin Sicheng was willing to come.

And so there was that document where Anti-Smuggling sent a letter, the General Team sent a reply, and both units had coordinated everything, yet Lin Sicheng didn't know a single word about it. But can you still say the General Team and Anti-Smuggling were setting him up?

Nonsense: the faster the case is handled, the faster that batch of machines from Hong Kong returns; for Lin Sicheng, it is all benefit and no harm.

So this favor must definitely be done, but some things must be said upfront.

After pondering for a moment, Lin Sicheng first laid some groundwork: "Division Chief Zhao, you might not know, but I have never been in contact with this aspect before. When I was at the General Team, it was just a blind cat bumping into a dead mouse: I happened to know a little about Cultural Relics, and I happened to run into a group of Grave-robbing criminals."

"So, it was all a coincidence!"

"Teacher Lin, a black cat or a white cat, a cat that can catch mice is a good cat." Zhao Zongmin didn't care at all. "Give it a try, what if it works?"

Lin Sicheng thought again: "Division Chief Zhao, if you dare to let me try, then I certainly dare to try. But there are two points: one, I am a person involved in the case; does that comply with the procedure? Second, I don't understand interrogation; if you let me ask, I will only follow my own rhythm!"

"Teacher Lin, you just go ahead and interrogate, don't worry about the rest!" Zhao Zongmin said without hesitation. "If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up!" After a slight pause, he added: "That is the leader's exact words!"

Lin Sicheng sighed: Director Li, are you really that daring?

Desperate people turn to any doctor, that saying is correct, but what if the one who comes is a quack?

What if, just say what if, I poke a hole in this for you, what then?

But since things have already reached this point?

Lin Sicheng nodded: "There is one more point, Division Chief Zhao, why is it so urgent?"

From the filing of the case until now, it has only been half a month. From the time this General Manager Liu was brought in, counting fully, it has been exactly ten days.

In Smuggling Cases where the investigation cycle is often measured in years, two weeks is short enough to be negligible.

More importantly, the identity of the main suspect: foreign nationality, foreign capital Executive. This gave him quite strong confidence; at the very least, before the foreign affairs procedures were completed, he wouldn't spit out a single word.

To make him open his mouth, one must let him know: regular diplomatic procedures can no longer help him escape punishment, nor can they serve to reduce his sentence. But this requires time.

So, have a little more patience, wait a few weeks, and let his psychological defense wear down bit by bit. When it is weak to a certain degree, and then use some techniques, there is a high probability of making him open his mouth.

What Lin Sicheng was curious about was: at the shortest two or three weeks, at the longest one or two months, the Anti-Smuggling Division couldn't wait even that little bit of time?

"Teacher Lin, it's not that we are anxious, it's that the port departments are anxious."

After replying, Zhao Zongmin lowered his voice. "Hong Kong is even more anxious!"

Lin Sicheng suddenly understood: the level of cooperation this time is so deep that the leaders on both sides are also under pressure.

To avoid greater pressure from higher levels or the outside world, the best way is to cut the Gordian knot and produce the most brilliant results at the fastest speed.

And what result is more brilliant than solving the case?

No wonder Director Li Shichen dared to speak so boldly: if the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up? There must definitely be a higher-level leader who guaranteed it for him. Then what is there to worry about?

"Fine, then I will give it a try, but it might not be useful!"

Zhao Zongmin agreed readily: "Teacher Lin, you just go ahead and try!"

"Thank you, Division Chief Zhao, then what specifically should I ask?"

"Teacher Lin, it's all in here!"

Zhao Zongmin opened the Folder and handed it to Lin Sicheng:

Source of goods, transit point, Smuggling mode, core decision-making layer, identity of the actual controller, key members, protective umbrella.

As well as transportation channels, channels for selling stolen goods, money laundering channels... and so on, listing over a dozen items.

Afterwards, it also listed some psychological tactics, such as the consequences, the family, the sentencing, and even performing meritorious service to atone for crimes.

But to be honest, it's useless. At least at this stage, it's useless.

After a slight pause, Division Chief Zhao reminded him again: "Teacher Lin, I personally feel that if you are looking for a breakthrough, cutting in from the swapped instruments should be more appropriate!"

Lin Sicheng nodded; it really must be cut in from this angle.

Because he is currently the only person Customs can find through public channels who understands this batch of machines relatively well.

More critically, he is the informant; it is equivalent to him being the one who sent Liu Anhua in.

Just imagine, when the two meet, when Liu Anhua knows these things, what will his psychological state be?

Just like in the original Wang Chun Case, when Ma Shan and Wang Chun knew his identity, their psychological defenses collapsed immediately.

Liu Anhua will not, because the nature of the case is different, and the crime is not that heavy.

But if it is well-designed, it does not mean it will not be effective.

After reading through it carefully, Lin Sicheng closed the Folder: "Division Chief Zhao, when do we start?"

"Anytime is fine!"

"Alright, then let's do it now!"

Zhao Zongmin did not expect Lin Sicheng to be so straightforward, and hurriedly had the Pre-trial Section make arrangements.

There were too many people here and it was too noisy, so Zhao Zongmin arranged a separate office for him to clear his thoughts.

"Teacher Lin, do you want to communicate with the Deputy Interrogator first?"

Lin Sicheng sighed: "Division Chief Zhao, what I said before about not understanding at all, I really wasn't being polite; I truly don't understand. So, if you want me to communicate with an interrogation Expert, I won't be able to communicate clearly either!"

"Anyway, Director Li feels that I am a blind cat bumping into a dead mouse; there is no loss if I don't catch anything, so I'll just improvise!"

Zhao Zongmin laughed "Hahaha": He didn't know if Lin Sicheng could interrogate, but he was really accurate at guessing people.

Director Li's original words: Anyway, there is no loss, just try it. If it happens to work, then it's a huge profit.

"Teacher Lin, you are too modest!"

After taking Lin Sicheng to the office, the Pre-trial Group notified that they had already communicated with the detention unit and could bring the person in at any time.

Zhao Zongmin calculated the time and notified that it would start in one hour.

The Command Center was all set, the recording was in place, the translator was in place, and the Experts were also in place.

Especially those invited from the Fifth Bureau (Criminal Investigation): They really wanted to see if this cat invited by Director Li Shichen could catch a single mouse hair.

The several Experts were in high spirits, and the atmosphere was very lively.

"Don't underestimate this kid; I've read the files of the Wang Chun Case, and the several main culprits were all interrogated by this kid!"

"I've read them too, especially that part with Song Qiu; his eyes are like they have X-ray vision."

"Division Chief Wu is quite capable, right? Studied abroad, trained under famous teachers, and is on the record at the Ministry. But if it weren't for this kid, he would have definitely taken a huge tumble." "Although he didn't take a tumble, he has been much more low-key since then: you all recall, how long has it been since you've seen Division Chief Wu?"

"Yeah, it's been half a year, right?"

Before, as long as there was a meeting at the Bureau (Criminal Investigation) or the Ministry, one could see Wu Qiuhua eight out of ten times. But during this period, it was as if he had evaporated from the world.

A group of Experts whispered to each other; at first listen, they all agreed and were very appreciative. But they were all in this line of work, so no one could fool anyone. Those who could come here had at least seen the files of the Wang Chun Case and knew the specific investigation process even better.

Most people believed that the reason Lin Sicheng's role was so great, and the reason he interrogated so quickly, was the bonus granted by his professional skills, rather than the interrogation itself.

To put it bluntly, he understands Cultural Relics, and even more so, he understands the Cultural Relics industry, as well as the people who make a living from it.

If it were a different industry, he might not even know how to start or where to find a breakthrough.

The so-called "different trades are like mountains apart"; although Cultural Relics also belong to Smuggling Cases, Cultural Relics themselves belong to contraband, which is a completely different concept from ordinary Smuggling Cases.

The Experts present, as well as the Police, had never seen any amateur who had not undergone professional training, or even had no industry experience at all, be able to interrogate the main suspects.

Therefore, bringing Lin Sicheng over today was indeed with the mentality of "hitting the tree to see if any dates fall," letting him give it a try.

Those holding this attitude included the Experts and Police present, as well as Division Chief Zhao and Branch Chief Hu.

It also included Li Shichen, and even General Team Leader Sun Liancheng, who strongly recommended Lin Sicheng to Li Shichen.

And it was indeed as Lin Sicheng guessed: currently, he is the only person the Customs can find who understands these devices relatively well.

And he is also a person involved in the case.

The dual identity would inevitably make Liu Anhua develop an extreme sense of curiosity: How did Lin Sicheng get in, and what was his purpose? Including after getting in, the question Liu Anhua asked the most was also this: How did he get in?

And, how did the Police know that there was a problem with that batch of machines?

So there is no need to talk about anything else, just talk about the machines; this is also the industry Liu Anhua is most proficient in.

As long as Lin Sicheng makes the opening, Liu Anhua will be able to guess the answer: it was this kid who got him in.

The Police are not afraid of suspects not speaking; they are afraid of suspects constantly hinting to themselves and immersing themselves in a completely self-governing psychological logic.

Therefore, Lin Sicheng's role is not to interrogate anything out, but to open this gap.

As long as the psychological defense loosens, the rest is simple to the point of being simple for these Experts: just follow the pre-trial process once, and everything can be asked.

Time passed quickly, and Lin Sicheng entered the interrogation room.

He sat in the main seat, with the Deputy Interrogator, an Expert invited from the Criminal Investigation Bureau, on his left. On his right was the Clerk, in her early thirties, a woman.

After a brief introduction, Liu Anhua was brought in.

In his early forties, with bronze-colored skin, not as fair as the Chinese, more inclined toward Americans.

Including his facial features, they were also a bit different: his lips were very thick, his eyes were long and narrow, and his jaw was very wide.

Especially his demeanor: his eyes stared straight ahead, filled with curiosity, looking up and down.

Very confident, and also very direct.

Lin Sicheng speculated that this General Manager Liu was at least a second-generation or third-generation immigrant.

Like this type, their identification with Chinese culture is already very low, which is what is usually called a "banana person."

But for Lin Sicheng, it is precisely this type that is the easiest to deal with.

After making eye contact, Lin Sicheng introduced himself: "General Manager Liu, hello, my surname is Lin, Lin Sicheng!"

Liu Anhua narrowed his eyes: "You are not a Police officer?"

Police officers would wear police uniforms, not casual clothes.

Police officers would not be so polite, would not say hello, would not introduce themselves, and certainly would not call him General Manager Liu.

"Correct, I am not a Police officer, but you should have heard my name!" Lin Sicheng smiled, "That batch of equipment, you sold it to me!" Liu Anhua was stunned for a moment: Surname Lin, Lin Sicheng?

And so young?

He remembered: this is the boss of that what's-it-called Center?

Liu Anhua widened his eyes: "What are you here for?"

"I've come to ask a few questions!" Lin Sicheng said very politely, "Small questions regarding those instruments!"