Chapter Ten: Focal Points

When Yan Xue returned to the interrogation room with the report, she first saw Duan Yong’s bitter face. He glanced nervously at her as she entered, but Yan Xue ignored him and instead beckoned Kang Ge to follow her outside.

“How did it go? Did you reach a conclusion?” Kang Ge could tell from Yan Xue’s brisk, urgent manner that she must have made some progress; otherwise, she wouldn’t be so eager.

“Doctor Zhang said he suspects Xu Wenrui’s cause of death was due to a toxin accumulating in his body, mainly originating from a mushroom called Panther-Spotted [HX] Amanita. Even consuming a small amount of it can cause nausea, vomiting, and other adverse reactions, though the severity and specifics of those reactions are highly unpredictable.

If consumed in larger quantities, it can trigger mood changes, hallucinations, delusions, and in some cases lead to mucus buildup in the throat, causing difficulty in breathing.”

“What’s the lethal dose for this stuff? Is the mortality rate high?” Kang Ge asked.

“Both the lethal dose and mortality rate, like the adverse reactions, are highly uncertain,” Yan Xue shook her head.

“So Xu Wenrui’s death was caused by this mushroom, not directly related to that charlatan inside. He just happened to visit him before the incident?”

“Not exactly. Doctor Zhang believes that because Xu Wenrui was allergic to alcohol, after the mushroom caused adverse effects—mucus buildup in the throat, making it hard to breathe—the ritual water, which contained a small amount of diluted alcohol, caused a further allergic reaction, leading to airway edema…”

“So two non-lethal things combined, and together they killed Xu Wenrui!” Kang Ge understood at once. “No matter how much responsibility that charlatan bears for Xu Wenrui’s death, he isn’t the person we’re really looking for. Let Luo Wei and the others handle him. We’d be better off investigating at Xu Wenrui’s school.”

Yan Xue did not object to gathering information at the school. Her earlier conversations with the family showed that they lacked even the most basic understanding of Xu Wenrui’s situation.

However…

“Do you really think that charlatan knows nothing? Is there nothing more we can dig out of him?” Yan Xue still doubted Duan Yong’s account.

“In my view, he’s just an unlucky fraudster,” Kang Ge waved dismissively. “Earlier, I mentioned that even if he returned the money, the victim would need to be alive to claim it. I also noted the coffin in his yard, wondering what he wanted it for. Do you recall his reaction?”

“He said the coffin was just for intimidation…” Yan Xue quickly recalled the conversation and suddenly understood. “Oh! I get it now! You were testing him!

If he had known about Xu Wenrui’s death from the start, when you mentioned the victim wouldn’t live to reclaim the money, his attention would’ve focused on defending himself. He wouldn’t have bothered with the coffin or argued about it first.”

“Exactly! See, we’re quite in sync!” Kang Ge was pleased with Yan Xue’s deduction. “So either Duan Yong is unlucky, or he’s being used by someone. But he’s certainly not the main culprit.”

“Being used? That’s actually possible. Xu Wenrui’s grandmother is elderly and somewhat superstitious. With the right psychological nudge and some earful of suggestion, she could easily fall into a trap!” Yan Xue nodded vigorously. “But in her current state, we might not get much from her right away. The school is still our best bet.”

“Let’s go. We’ll call Qi Tianhua in shortly. Duan Yong can be left to them to dig further. We’ll head to K University and see how Xu Wenrui behaved at school.” Kang Ge gestured for Yan Xue to follow and asked, “What do you make of Duan Yong’s ‘female ghost’ description?”

“It conjures the image of a female student—her pale face, blood on her skirt and legs… From our professional perspective, it’s easy to make some unpleasant associations.” Yan Xue didn’t believe in ghosts, but she thought Duan Yong’s rough logic about subconscious projection was reasonable.

Kang Ge agreed: “Even without our professional background, anyone would think along those lines, or else Duan Yong wouldn’t have mentioned that detail.”

“Let’s not guess anymore. We’ll ask Xu Wenrui’s teachers and classmates at school!” Yan Xue waved her hand with a trace of bravado. “I refuse to believe his family knows nothing about him. His classmates—people who study and live with him—can’t all be ignorant!”

Yan Xue shook her head, recalling her previous conversation with Xu Wenrui’s family, which made her feel a headache coming on. “I always felt Xu Wenrui’s mother acted strangely. She knew nothing about her son, couldn’t say anything concrete, yet insisted stubbornly that he was excellent in every way, flawless.

If she merely claimed he had no flaws, that’s understandable. Parents generally fall into two types: those who think their children are inferior to others, and those who think their kids are perfect—even a corn on their foot would be double-lidded.

But Xu Wenrui’s mother not only insists her son is flawless, she won’t let me ask if he had conflicts with anyone, or suspect that someone might wish him harm. Isn’t that unreasonable?”

Kang Ge listened to her complaints as they walked, restraining himself so they wouldn’t attract attention, but Yan Xue’s words made his shoulders shake with suppressed laughter.

“If you put it that way, my opinion differs from yours,” he said, still smiling. “I think Xu Wenrui’s mother might know her son better than we assume.”

“She knows him but can’t say anything about him?” Yan Xue disagreed bluntly.

Kang Ge shrugged. “It’s two different things. She knows his character, not his daily life.”

“You mean she suspects he has personality flaws, prone to making enemies, but she refuses to face that reality, hence her attitude?” Yan Xue asked.

“It’s possible. But we’ll have to verify that later. For now, it’s just speculation. Speculation is just a plausible guess, and if it’s a guess, we don’t need to waste brain cells over it. We’ll investigate and ponder as we go.”

Kang Ge strode ahead energetically, though his demeanor was more relaxed than Yan Xue’s.

Yan Xue walked quickly, full of drive, while Kang Ge’s manner was notably laid-back.

“Your summary of the two main parent types was interesting. Is that your personal insight? Which type are your parents?” Kang Ge asked, full of curiosity.

“If I had to fit them into those categories, they’d be the type who think their child is good at everything.” Yan Xue had been trying to keep up with Kang Ge’s reasoning, so when he switched topics, she answered before she caught herself.

After speaking, she realized Kang Ge was making small talk. “Really! Aren’t we supposed to be investigating? Why are you chatting about family?”

“Small talk helps relax the mind!” Kang Ge chuckled. “You need to work seriously, but not be overly tense. If you’re too tense, your perspective narrows and you get stuck. You’re a great person—talented and strong—but you’re too driven, too passionate about work, always wound too tight. No need for that! Balance is key.”

“As if you know me so well! We’ve barely known each other!” Yan Xue laughed at Kang Ge’s confident assessment.

“How long we’ve known each other doesn’t matter. To understand someone, you need to observe and think, not just spend time. Time is illusory; you can’t rely on it to know someone!” Kang Ge looked at Yan Xue with mock profundity.

“Alright, alright! We’re almost talking philosophy now!” Yan Xue was amused by his rambling, but she acknowledged his point; being too tense can indeed stifle one’s thinking, so she relaxed and chatted back. “Fine, let’s talk. What about you? Are your parents the type who think you’re perfect?”

“Why do you say that?” Reaching the car, Kang Ge opened the passenger door for Yan Xue, his hand resting naturally on the frame.

“What else? Your natural cheerfulness, your confidence!” Yan Xue was direct, as she was with Xia Qing and the others, and though she hadn’t known Kang Ge long, his easy manner made her open up.

Kang Ge got in, buckled his seatbelt, and raised an eyebrow at her. “Girl, your observation skills need improvement. Your brother Kang is much deeper and more complex than you think!

But you did get one thing right: my multi-faceted, versatile, balanced character does owe something to my parents’ attitude. Of the two types you described, my parents are exactly half and half.”

“Oh, I see, so you’re split personality!” Yan Xue joked without thinking, and immediately received a light knock on the head. “Ouch! Why did you hit me?”

Kang Ge withdrew his “attacking” hand. “I’m not split personality, I’m a rare model youth! If you’re interested in split personalities, keep your ears open at K University. That kid Xu Wenrui just might be one!”