The confession lasted for two days and two nights.
Shao Wan drank strong coffee and smoked cigarettes one after another to stay alert. Ma Lun did the same, having a cup of strong tea every ten minutes.
The interrogation continued without interruption because the information Ma Lun was divulging was too exciting. Shao Wan knew he wouldn't be able to sleep until he had extracted everything from Ma Lun.
Three video cameras were set up in the interrogation room, with two additional cameras recording simultaneously.
Most of the time, Ma Lun spoke to the cameras.
His confession was punctuated by frequent coughing, likely due to internal injuries sustained during previous interrogations.
Whenever this happened, Shao Wan would demand, "Repeat that sentence from the beginning, the one where you coughed."
When it came to crucial questions, Ma Lun had to write his confession himself. His hands were swollen like pig's trotters, with scabs on his knuckles, making it difficult to hold a pen. To prevent him from smudging the confession paper, Shao Wan had prepared thin gloves for him.
After finishing each sheet of confession, he had to imprint his thumbprint.
Ma Lun looked at his fingers. "Officer, I don't have fingerprints anymore; they were burned off by hot water."
Shao Wan grabbed his hand and took a look. "Your little finger still has fingerprints, doesn't it? Use that one."
Every few hours, at critical junctures of his confession, Ma Lun would suddenly stop.
"Let me video call my wife and child!" he demanded loudly.
"Don't make so many demands. Once you've confessed everything, you can video call them all you want," Shao Wan said impatiently.
"Let me video call my wife and child!" Ma Lun would bang on the table, "Let me video call my wife and child!"
Shao Wan had to compromise. He left the interrogation room to retrieve his phone and allowed Ma Lun to have a two-minute video call with his wife and child.
They didn't talk much. As soon as they saw each other, they started crying. After two minutes of crying, Shao Wan immediately took the phone back.
The long confession finally ended.
Ma Lun had poured out everything he knew.
"What will you do with me?" he asked Shao Wan wearily.
"What happens to you is not up to me. It depends on the Commander's orders," Shao Wan replied. "Here's a phone. You can go to the cell for now. As a smart person like you, you should understand that although we promised not to kill you if you confessed, we might still kill you. Before the order comes down, call your wife and child more often and say whatever last words you have."
...
The cell.
Ma Lun sat in the corner, holding his phone. Sally was on the screen, her eyes red.
"Did they release you and the child?" Ma Lun asked.
"I know this might be cruel to you, but now that it's over, I'll tell you the truth. There was never any child."
"What do you mean?" Ma Lun was stunned.
"That child was computer-generated. Didn't you notice? He only cried and never said a word. The child's features were based on yours, so he looked a lot like you. The whole setup cost only thirty thousand." Sally said.
"You lied to me?" Ma Lun was aghast. "You never had a child?"
"Of course not. I was pregnant at the time, but I couldn't find you, so I had to have an abortion. I didn't want the child to be born without a father. If you hadn't left back then, maybe you would have had a cute, blonde-haired son today." Sally frowned. "I'm sorry, I lied to you."
"You!" Ma Lun's face instantly showed rage.
"What do you mean, 'you'? You have no right to be angry! I'm the one who should be angry! Didn't you lie to me back then too? You said you were going out to buy fruit that morning, and you never came back all these years! Do you know how hard it was for me to find you? Do you know you stole my youth!" Sally also became angry.
Ma Lun deflated like a pricked balloon, his expression suddenly listless. "I'm sorry... Are you okay now? Are you still a saleswoman?"
"No, I've realized my dream."
"You became a police officer?" Ma Lun was surprised.
"Deputy station chief," Sally said. "After you disappeared, I started studying and taking exams. I passed within two years."
"So, they threatened you, and it was all an act?" Ma Lun found it hard to believe.
"Of course, it was an act. The gun pointed at me was a rubber prop for practicing disarming techniques; it couldn't fire at all. They notified me to cooperate with the interrogation, and I agreed," Sally said. "Ma Lun, I loved you very much back then, but I don't love you anymore. However, we shared a past, and I still hope you can reform yourself in prison and strive for an early release."
"Can I still look for you?"
"Don't look for me anymore. I'm already married and planning to have a child." Sally shed tears again, but this time, unlike before, they seemed to be from the heart. "What are you coming back to find me for? Just to ruin my life. Find another wife, if you can get out of prison. We won't see each other again. I wish you happiness."
"Are you happy with your life now? Is your husband... a good person?" Ma Lun forced a smile.
"He's an engineer who repairs warships. His job is very busy, and he earns a high income. We just moved into a new home, a 400-square-meter apartment. We can pay off the mortgage in two to three years at most. His work involves frequent business trips, and every time he returns, he brings me small gifts, local specialties, or a bouquet of flowers. He's also very gentle with me; we've never even argued." Sally said, "Alright, I've had very little sleep these past two days, so I need to catch up on sleep."
"Goodbye."
"There's no goodbye. I wish you happiness."
The call ended, and the screen went black.
...
Hal Star, a police station.
Sally, looking exhausted, emerged from the interrogation room and picked up the child sitting in a chair watching cartoons.
A police officer approached and asked cautiously, "This child... isn't it Ma Lun's?"
"It's Ma Lun's," Sally replied with a bitter smile.
"Then why did you lie to him?" the officer asked, surprised.
"From the day he disappeared, he had nothing to do with me anymore. I had this child for myself, not for him," Sally said. "The child is still young, and I don't want him to know when he grows up that his father is a heinous murderer. If Ma Lun doesn't appear, I can create a perfect father image for the child."
The officer nodded silently. "You've worked hard. Please go home and rest. The station chief has granted you three days of leave."
Sally nodded and walked out of the police station with the child.
...
Shao Wan opened the cell door and looked at Ma Lun, who was sitting in the corner.
"The Commander has spoken. We won't deal with you for now. We'll give you a chance; there's still some work you need to cooperate with," Shao Wan said. "For your wife and child, and for your own sentence reduction, I hope you'll give your best effort."
"Enough. Stop deceiving me. Sally told me everything. The child is fake, and she was acting. My only concern in this life is gone." Ma Lun looked up at the ceiling in despair. "Give me a bullet; it would be quicker than anything."
"She lied to you," Shao Wan smiled.
"I know."
"I mean, she lied to you in the end."
Ma Lun turned his head and stared coldly at Shao Wan.
"Wait for me to show you the surveillance footage from that police station on Hal Star. You can see your wife and child with your own eyes," Shao Wan said. "That child has undergone genetic sequencing; he is genuinely yours, not some computer-generated product."
"Enough. I've had enough of your tricks." Ma Lun lowered his head.
"The reason Sally lied to you is that she doesn't want you to go back. She doesn't want the child to have a murderer for a father, do you understand?" Shao Wan said. "But think about it, if you redeem yourself with meritorious service, start a new life, and even save up money to go back to her, appearing before her in a dignified manner, and keeping your past hidden from the child, she might accept you."
"How can I believe you? You can show me the surveillance video, but videos can also be faked. You have all sorts of equipment; how difficult is it to create a fake video?"
"That's simple. The tourist route to Hal Star has already opened. The ticket price isn't expensive. We can let you go back for a visit to see your wife and child." Shao Wan said. "However, a police officer will escort you the entire way; don't think about escaping. You can only see them from afar, very far, without them noticing you, and without disturbing their lives. Sally told you the child doesn't exist; if you see the child, you'll prove she's lying to you."
"Fine. If I can see them from afar, I'll cooperate with you. I'll do anything."