"You're lying," Qiao Jiajin declared coldly.
"Hmph, I knew you'd say that. But do you have any proof to back your accusation? Just because I was attacked?"
"Of course not," Qiao Jiajin replied with a faint smile. "Although the reasons remain unclear, the stories told earlier all intertwine in some way. Many of them share common characters. Setting aside geographical factors, each account remains logically consistent."
"And what of it?"
"That is precisely the issue." Qiao Jiajin extended a finger toward Lawyer Zhang Chenze. "Both you and the lawyer mentioned a certain individual—the fraudster who swindled two million. Yet, your stories contradict each other. This means one of you is lying."
Officer Li hesitated for a moment before asking, "Where's the contradiction?"
Qiao Jiajin shook his head, his gaze steady as he addressed the officer. "Attorney Zhang is preparing for trial, which means that in her version of events, the suspect has already been apprehended. Yet you're still staking out your post, implying that in your narrative, the suspect remains at large. Isn't that a contradiction?"
Officer Li pondered briefly before speaking. "I must admit, your reasoning holds some merit. However, I believe you're letting this 'game' cloud your judgment. You need to understand a crucial premise: all the storytellers hail from different cities. No matter how similar our experiences may seem, we cannot possibly be recounting the same incident. Since they are separate occurrences, it is only natural that the outcomes differ."
Qi Xia remained silent, her gaze calmly fixed on the two men locked in debate. She made no move to intervene.
Yes, let them argue. The fiercer, the better.
As long as one of them cast a vote against the other, the liar would emerge victorious.
After all, the rules were absolute. If even one innocent person voted incorrectly, the rest would be dragged down with them.
Though Officer Li had offered an explanation, Qiao Jiajin's words lingered in everyone's minds.
This was the first time they had discovered a direct contradiction between two testimonies.
Qi Xia couldn't help but reevaluate her impression of this so-called hoodlum named Qiao Jiajin.
Despite his roguish demeanor, he was far sharper than she had initially assumed.
"Hmm... I suppose it's my turn now," a young woman finally spoke.
The group snapped out of their thoughts and turned to her.
She was the one who had let out a piercing scream when the first death occurred.
Now, she seemed to have regained her composure, though she deliberately avoided looking at those beside her.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Lin Qin, and I'm a psychological counselor."
Qi Xia's expression shifted ever so slightly—the name "Lin Qin" was intriguing.
In ancient China, before the Tang Dynasty, "Lin Qin" was another term for "apple."
The name carried a poetic elegance, leaving a lasting impression.
Perhaps Miss Lin's parents had wanted her name to be unique, but in this setting, it would undoubtedly become her downfall.
Among them were writers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, and police officers. Any one of them might recognize the meaning behind "Lin Qin."
And once the name settled in their minds, her story would become impossible to forget.
Lin Qin, noticing no immediate reaction, covered her mouth and nose with her hand before continuing. "I'm from Ningxia. Before I arrived here, I was waiting for a client—a kindergarten teacher."
The group cast a brief glance at Xiao Ran, the young kindergarten teacher among them. Another connection had surfaced.
"She told me that being a kindergarten teacher nowadays is incredibly challenging. You can't scold or discipline the children. Parents treat teachers like nannies, while the children see them as servants. Every classroom is under constant surveillance, monitored in real time by parents. A slightly stern tone, and a phone call to the principal is all it takes to land the teacher in trouble."
"But isn't kindergarten meant to instill values in children?"
"If teachers can't discipline them strictly, how will they ever learn from their mistakes?"
"She felt lost and suffocated, trapped in an endless cycle of self-doubt."
"So, I devised a treatment plan for her, a course spanning about a month."
"But for some reason, my client never showed up. I waited at my office for her."
"Then the earthquake struck. I had no chance to escape—I was on the 26th floor."
"The higher the floor, the stronger the tremors. I felt the entire building swaying."
"I had never imagined that Ningxia could experience such an earthquake. But this time, I learned the hard way."
"My last memory was the ceiling collapsing. Then, darkness. After that, I remember nothing."
As Lin Qin finished her tale, the others seemed deep in thought.
Qiao Jiajin was the first to speak. "I have two questions."
"Go ahead," Lin Qin replied, still covering her mouth and nose.
"You mentioned that every classroom has 'surveillance cameras'—what exactly do you mean by that?"
The group hadn't expected Qiao Jiajin to focus on such a detail. But Lin Qin, true to her profession, remained patient in her response. "I assume they were installed so that parents could observe their children at any time."
"Ah, so it's 'CCTV'... Must be a high-end kindergarten," Qiao Jiajin murmured before continuing, "And this kindergarten teacher you were supposed to meet—was it Xiao Ran?"
"I don't know." Lin Qin shook her head. "We only communicated via WeChat. I was planning to discuss the details in person."
"WeChat?" Qiao Jiajin frowned slightly, as if something didn't quite add up.
Before he could press further, Officer Li raised a hand to cut him off. "Enough, hooligan. Not again. Xiao Ran is from Yunnan, and Lin Qin is from Ningxia. Who would travel such a distance just to see a psychological counselor?"
Qiao Jiajin refused to back down. "I'm merely pointing out an inconsistency. This is the first time someone's story directly referenced another participant."
This time, even Dr. Zhao found merit in Qiao Jiajin's observation. He nodded and turned to Xiao Ran. "Xiao Ran, is the reason you sought psychological counseling the same as what Lin Qin described?"
"Um..." Xiao Ran hesitated before replying, "Not exactly... I was struggling with depression due to a parent's persistent criticism of me."
"Then it's just a coincidence," Dr. Zhao concluded. "After all, these are separate incidents in different locations. There's no need to force a connection."
A brief silence fell over the group before Attorney Zhang suddenly spoke. "Miss Lin, half of your story revolves around this kindergarten teacher. Doesn't that violate the rules?"
"Huh?" Lin Qin blinked in confusion. "I only mentioned her to help illustrate the nature of my work..."
"Don't misunderstand me." Zhang Chenze offered a polite smile. "I'm simply suggesting that if this kindergarten teacher's story was fabricated, and it doesn't align with Xiao Ran's, then it would mean you're lying."
"You—!" Lin Qin was taken aback by the lawyer's sharpness. She could only defend herself. "Officer Li and Dr. Zhao already pointed out that we live in different provinces. It's just a coincidence!"
"A coincidence, is it?" Zhang Chenze crossed her arms, her tone unwavering. "Think carefully. Why were the nine of us gathered here? Don't forget—we are strangers. If we were expected to catch someone in a lie, there had to be breadcrumbs leading us to the truth. That breadcrumb is the fact that our stories are all interconnected.
"Listening to everyone's accounts, I can't shake the feeling that we were deliberately chosen.
"Otherwise, this game would be absurdly unfair—because if our stories were truly unrelated, the liar's chances of winning would be far too great."