> WARNING!!!

  This chapter contains violent and distressing content.

  If you suffer from specific phobias or are among those who fear their own shadows, please depart.

  For anyone with suicidal ideations, reading this chapter is at your own personal discretion.

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  " It is better for you to cooperate fully with our investigation and confess of your own accord.

  You are involved in the assault on that lady, are you not? "

  The investigator with the brown eyes spoke while taking a step forward with confidence toward Elian, who unconsciously recoiled a step.

  " No, I am not involved in anything. "

  " Denial will not serve you, Elian. We already know everything.

  Only answering us candidly will make your sentence negotiable. "

  The light flickered in Elian’s pupils.

  He seemed to be seized by tension and bewilderment.

  He gazed at the features of the investigator before him and the rest of the police officers to verify the sincerity of their words.

  " So, do you intend to lock me in prison? "

  " That is correct, Elian. Therefore, you must cooperate with us and tell us what you know.

  This is to facilitate your trial later. "

  The light faded from Elian’s eyes as he looked toward the officers in the rear.

  " If that is the case, then go ahead and imprison me. "

  " Huh...? "

  " Are you mocking us? "

  The officers were stunned by Elian’s audacious request.

  Confusion was clearly visible on the younger officer of the yellow rank.

  As for the other officer, he wore an expression of bewilderment for a moment before it shifted into a look of shock and rage, underscored by his thick beard and tanned face.

  He appeared, in truth, capable of instilling tension and fear in the soul of any ordinary citizen.

  To say nothing of his features, the white uniform he wore was a stark representation of authority, power, and the presence of the Regime.

  The last thing any ordinary citizen would wish for is to receive the wrath of the authority representing the Nation!

  But in this moment, Elian was not the desired "ordinary citizen."

  Rather than saying he was brave, it would be more accurate to say that his reasoning had suffered a fracture...

  " Wait a moment. "

  The investigator raised his hand backward, signaling the officers to retreat, then continued:

  " Am I to understand from this that you admit to attempting to break into the lady’s home and attempting to assault her? "

  " No. "

  Elian spoke with a vacant gaze as he stepped toward the investigator and raised both hands together toward him, clasping them in front of his face.

  " What is the meaning of this? "

  The investigator arched an eyebrow, questioning.

  " Didn’t you say you were going to arrest me and take me to prison? Then shackel me and be quick about it! "

  Elian spoke with a tone of impatient, stifled rage.

  But this was not the answer the investigator wished to hear.

  He looked at Elian’s face, which bore several scratches and the color of clotted red, yet out of professional duty, he pursued his questions:

  " My purpose is not merely to arrest you, but to know the truth.

  Tell me, why do you wish to be imprisoned? Do you not know that this is akin to losing your life? "

  At that moment, Elian exploded.

  He looked at the investigator, his hands trembling, and shouted in fury:

  " Didn't you want to take me away? Why don't you just take me away?!

  Damn it!

  I've had the worst day yet again. I am utterly sick of my family, who know how to do nothing in life except be like cattle waiting for me to feed them, and when they get bored, they only increase my misery.

  What life do I have to lose, huh??

  I have nothing to lose!

  The university that I can barely pass through without the necessary tools or sufficient time.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  The house that is more like a curse where I can neither sleep nor even eat.

  The family that excels at nothing but making my life worse!

  The father who abandoned everything and left.

  The foolish siblings who do nothing for themselves.

  I possess nothing!

  So instead of running without a home, I can at least have one last meal and get some rest before I kill myself, damn it! "

  *THUD.* Elian ended his speech with a fanatical look that seemed momentarily devoid of clarity.

  At first, he was speaking toward the investigator, then he looked up toward the location of his "home."

  Then, as he elaborated on the subject of rest, he looked at the wall behind him.

  And he concluded his words by striking the wall he was looking at with his head!

  It was so sudden that neither the investigator nor the police present expected the student before them to perform such a shocking act, and thus they were unable to process the event.

  *THUD!*

  *THUD!*

  *THUD!*

  As if it were a desperate attempt or merely a way to vent accumulated rage, Elian hurried to strike the wall again with his head.

  He would pull it back and then twist his neck with force to achieve the desired impact of the blow.

  The scene appeared profoundly horrifying, with the blood beginning to flow down his face and the curses escaping his lips, making even the two officers who had processed the scene feel confused and hesitant.

  With every new impact, the pain intensified, but it did not last long.

  Only a few strikes—it was not clear whether Elian wanted to break the wall with his head or break his head against the wall.

  *THUD!*

  *THUD!*

  For a moment, Elian did not seem like that gentle human being burdened by life.

  He appeared now like a mad beast who knew no pain, twisting his neck back until his eyes faced the ceiling, then slamming his "coconut" violently into the wall.

  *THUD!*

  *THUD!*

  The sound of the striking continued, and despite the horror of the scene, you could not blame the officers for not intervening at that moment.

  For in their simple perception, they could see a great deal of blood flying from a head whose eyes were strangely dilated, evoking fear.

  The sun had already set, and in this darkness, and with this mad act, the beast before them stirred their most primal fears, rendering them unable to rescue him, wondering if they needed to use their weapons or not.

  Fortunately, the investigator soon intervened, grabbing Elian firmly from behind, preventing him from striking his head again.

  Naturally, in this process, Elian struck his head hard against the fingers of the investigator, who Grimaced in pain.

  Blood was still flowing slightly onto his face, and it naturally transferred to the investigator’s hand.

  Yet, his eyes held a clear concern as he spoke after securing his grip on Elian:

  " Calm down, boy. Whatever is bothering you, we can resolve it.

  I promise you, by my rank as an investigator, that I will help you. So just calm down. "

  After he said this, motion faded quietly from Elian’s body, and he ceased his attempts to strike the wall.

  " Now, bo— "

  Before the investigator could continue, he soon noticed the flaw.

  The boy in his arms—originally gaunt—suddenly became visibly heavy, to the point that he needed to lift him off the ground in earnest.

  ' Did he lose consciousness? '

  The investigator quickly looked at the young man in his arms to find him asleep.

  *Sigh.* The investigator exhaled, then ordered the two officers to take the young man to the police car and commanded the waiting officer to take him to the hospital and then return.

  " And ah—buy some food on your way. Buy something warm and nourishing. "

  As the investigator said this, he tossed two copper coins of the two-hundred-pound denomination toward the officer.

  The officer could not help but ask: " Sir, I do not understand.

  Why do you care for him if he is the criminal you spoke of? "

  " He is not the criminal. "

  ' Eh? '

  For a moment, the officer appeared shocked by the investigator’s words, so he looked at his colleague to ensure that what he heard was merely a mistake—only to confirm that there was no issue with his hearing.

  Then, the more experienced officer posed the question occurring to everyone:

  " But sir, why then is there a warrant for his arrest if he is not the criminal? "

  The investigator's calm gaze shifted into a playful and warm look, one you might find on a young man talking about winning a game.

  " Oh, that? I lied. "

  " WHAT?! "

  For a moment, even the senior officer was shocked and could not suppress his loud voice.

  Could one lie about such a matter?

  " Calm down. It is not that I did it for an unethical reason.

  It is much faster to use this method to gather confessions and information.

  Look, you won’t even need to interrogate him later or anything.

  Just let him rest in a room inside the hospital for a while, and I will come myself to host him. "

  Ryan spoke calmly and continued:

  " As for now, we must complete our investigations with the family and the victim of the break-in. "

  " But sir, if the boy is not the criminal, why are we investigating his family when they have nothing to do with the incident? "

  " I lied when I said he was a suspect and that I had a warrant for his arrest.

  But I did not lie about one thing. "

  Ryan pulled an electronic device from his trouser pocket, bearing a glass panel with a pointer and a counter reaching up to the number 2.

  The pointer was already pointing toward 1.7, vibrating back and forth.

  " Yes, he is not the criminal, perhaps... but he is certainly involved in what is happening here... "