Volume 1, Chapter 118: True or False.

The motorcycle sped along the asphalt, Jiang Chen riding fast enough to arrive at the scene within half an hour.

Li Changsheng was crouched on the ground, clutching his head, while Liuli solicitously massaged his temples. With a stylish, sweeping drift, Jiang Chen brought the motorcycle to a halt before them. Li Changsheng stood up, looking visibly frustrated and still holding his head. A large, angry lump had sprouted on his crown, looking as though it had just swollen up.

That didn't make sense. Li Changsheng had been beaten? With his combat skills, how could he have let that gimpy Wu Gang escape when no one was holding him back?

"What happened to you? You couldn't handle him?" Jiang Chen asked, leaning against his bike with an expression of disdain.

Li Changsheng scratched his head. "I wouldn't exactly say that. We definitely fought, but I didn't expect that Wu Gang to be so formidable. He had hidden tricks. Every time I tried to grab him, he just kept getting faster; I couldn't catch him at all."

Liuli raised her hand. "I can testify to that. He was incredibly powerful. Even when Changsheng dislocated his arm, he just grew a new one. Plus, his body was unnaturally hard—he was very difficult to take down."

After this encounter, Jiang Chen’s train of thought had sharpened, and according to his hypothesis, the truth was likely close at hand. But if this Wu Gang had been exposed, why did he insist on maintaining this identity? Or were they, in fact, the same person? All of this required Jiang Chen to verify it personally. Failing to capture the elusive Wu Gang did not matter; as long as he could confirm whether the healthy-legged Wu Gang was at home, he could definitively distinguish between the two.

"Call the local police station and tell them to send officers immediately. Tell them to go to Wu Gang’s house and say they have leads that require his cooperation." Jiang Chen explained his plan, and Li Changsheng understood instantly.

Once the police were contacted, they would surely rush over. Jiang Chen led the group to the entrance of Wu Gang’s home. Li Changsheng took up a post in a tree to observe, while the other three waited below. Liuli listened to their reasoning, and though she was a bit slow to process, she eventually untangled the connections.

The sound of police sirens hummed as they approached, and Li Changsheng jumped down. "His house is very quiet; there doesn't seem to be anything unusual. If that lame-legged Wu Gang had returned, I would have certainly found traces of him, but he hasn't come back. There isn't a stir in the surroundings."

Jiang Chen harbored a thought: it could not be ruled out that the two Wu Gangs were working together. Both were now suspects, though the one with the limp remained the primary focus.

After being briefed on the situation, the lead officer transferred jurisdictional authority to Li Changsheng. The actual authority of the 509 Bureau superseded that of the military and local police. Although Li Changsheng was only a mid-level agent, in Jicheng, as long as his actions were justified, enforcing the law was simple. At the very least, no one could stop him, unless a provincial-level order commanded otherwise. However, this work, which benefited the masses, was theirs to do.

"Remember, bring Wu Gang in, comfort his parents, and take a few of the neighbors along to keep them from getting suspicious. Even if this Wu Gang is truly guilty, we need to ensure the elderly couple can keep living their lives."

Jiang Chen’s consideration was thorough. Both Shen Huaizhu and Liuli cast admiring glances at him, making even the habitually stoic Jiang Chen feel a bit embarrassed.

"Ahem, don't look at me like that. Look at Li Changsheng!" Jiang Chen said.

Li Changsheng struck a dashing pose. "I’m going in. You guys just watch."

A man is always at his happiest when showing off his charm in front of women. However, his relationship with Liuli remained subtle—though the time they had spent together was short, the memories were sufficiently profound. As he thought about this, Shen Huaizhu involuntarily glanced at Jiang Chen. Their eyes met, and they both quickly looked away, as if they shared an unspoken understanding.

Soon, Wu Gang was brought out. He wore the same world-weary expression, as if nothing had anything to do with him. His face was entirely indifferent. He didn't speak a word, nor did he ask any questions, simply staring at the gathered officers. It was only when Jiang Chen entered his line of sight that his expression shifted slightly.

It was a subtle change, but Jiang Chen caught it sharply. "What is he looking at? Is he suspicious of me? Or is it because I’ve uncovered his secrets?" Jiang Chen quietly signaled for them to get into the vehicles. To uncover the truth, he would need to extract it from Wu Gang’s own mouth.

Wu Gang’s parents followed, worried about their son, but Wu Gang still did not utter a single word. In the dead of winter, his parents stood in the biting wind wearing only their pajamas, yet Wu Gang didn't say a word to them, nor did he tell them to go back inside.

Even if he had said a single word, Jiang Chen might have eased his vigilance. But as it stood, he was so bizarre that it would be impossible not to suspect him.

"Elderly folks, we are just taking some people back for questioning. Don't worry, Wu Gang will be back by tomorrow at the latest. You two should head back now." Li Changsheng read the look in Jiang Chen’s eyes and went over to reassure them. Shen Huaizhu followed suit. Jiang Chen looked at Wu Gang and said, "Your parents are here. Don't you have anything to say to them?"

Wu Gang remained silent. Jiang Chen waved his hand. "Get in the car."

It took a long time to comfort the elderly couple—about half an hour—but Jiang Chen didn't mind. It gave him time to organize his thoughts so that his line of questioning would be clear.

Li Changsheng got into the car, and the journey was silent. Upon arriving at the police station, Jiang Chen told Shen Huaizhu and Liuli to go grab some food and keep an eye on the situation in Jicheng. The underlying meaning was for them to stay vigilant. Until everything was confirmed, Wu Gang was merely a person of interest, a suspect, not a criminal, as no charges had been finalized yet.

In the interrogation room, Wu Gang looked calmly at Jiang Chen and Li Changsheng. His eyes were like a stagnant well, not resembling those of a person—or at least, not someone with rich emotions.

"Wu Gang... what do you think about the recent murders? Are there any leads you'd like to share with us?" Li Changsheng poured a cup of hot tea, took a sip, and truly carried the air of a detective. Only, he wasn't necessarily facing a human.

Wu Gang shook his head and remained silent.

Li Changsheng continued, "Wu Gang, please answer my questions honestly. It will be to your benefit. We have already gathered evidence, so you would be wise to tell the truth."

The existence of the look-alike lame-legged Wu Gang was enough evidence to detain him, but they didn't want a hasty closure—they wanted the truth.

Wu Gang still did not speak. Jiang Chen walked up to him, stared directly into his eyes, and asked, "Are you... really Wu Gang?"