Chapter 17 You Can't Leave Yet!
The three people in front of the interrogation table were all startled.
Lin Chuan's move caught all three by surprise.
It was completely unexpected!
He was full of suspicion for 'teaching methods of committing crime,' but now he claimed to be an anti-gambling advocate?
What the...
Inside the interrogation room, the atmosphere suddenly turned a bit strange.
Li Bing said with suspicion, "You have not yet cleared yourself of the suspicion of teaching methods of committing crime. As for anti-gambling, it also requires evidence. How can you prove that your novel is promoting anti-gambling?"
The tone of the public security captain softened a bit.
Shen Qianqian slightly furrowed her brows, wanting to hear how Lin Chuan would defend himself.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Chuan explained, "Officer, please look at the beginning of my novel. It makes it clear from the very start that this is an anti-gambling and anti-fraud novel."
The three looked at each other, then immediately focused their attention on the opening of Lin Chuan's novel.
'I am a swindler.'
'I am the king who turns the sky and earth on the gambling table.'
'Once, I made a fortune overnight.'
'Once, my wife left and I lost my children.'
'I want to use a swindler's life to convey to you the simplest principle.'
'The moment you sit down at the gambling table, you've already lost your life.'
'Nine out of ten bets involve cheating!'
'Ten out of ten bets result in losses!'
'Not gambling, that is the true winner.'
'...'
Shen Qianqian pondered, then looked at Lin Chuan, "Indeed, your opening is trying to persuade people not to gamble."
Lin Chuan nodded, "Please continue reading further."
They turned the page and entered into the story.
'My surname is Lin, nameless; for now, let's call me Mr. Lin.'
'My father was a gambler.'
'At the age of seven, he was hacked to death on the street, leaving no last words.'
'I hid in an alley and witnessed it all.'
'...'
The three of them read "Swindler" together.
Lin Chuan, assuming the role of a commentator, explained and simultaneously cleared his own suspicions: "Mr. Lin's father was hacked to death on the street because of gambling, subtly indicating the dangers of gambling."
"Mr. Lin's master met a bad end due to grudges in the gambling den."
"Mr. Lin's first love was shot dead in the casino."
"Later, Mr. Lin did make money through cheating techniques, but he lived every day in fear, with countless enemies. His wife couldn't stand such a life and took their son to a distant place, never to be found again."
"In the end, he surrendered himself to the police station and was sentenced to eighteen years in prison. After being released, he devoted himself to anti-gambling charity work."
"It might seem like just the great ups and downs of Mr. Lin's life, but if you ponder carefully, it becomes clear that this is a true reflection of every gambler's life."
"From the confusion over his father's death to entering the world of swindling, what seemed to be a rise in life was actually opening Pandora's box, until he finally came to a realization."
Lin Chuan spoke with sincerity.
The three across from him seemed to be reading a chapter from his own life experiences.
"Sigh..."
Public security captain Li Bing let out a sigh.
Having handled cases for many years, he had seen too many gamblers with broken families and ruined lives.
Shen Qianqian's beautiful eyes flickered as she stared at Lin Chuan in front of her. His handsome face still appeared somewhat youthful, yet his novel exuded a sense of matured world-weariness.
It was quite peculiar.
Only Chen Ming, a fellow professional, questioned, "Your novel contains a lot of teaching about cheating techniques, how do you explain that?"
Lin Chuan took a deep breath.
Earlier, he had been too nervous.
Inside the interrogation room, the closed space, the gloomy and oppressive atmosphere, the piercing gaze of the police officers conducting the interrogation, he felt immense pressure, afraid of being convicted of a crime.
But in fact, he wasn't a suspect and had never committed any illegal criminal acts!
My heart is clear, what is there to fear?
After Lin Chuan was no longer afraid, his thinking became as sharp as before, and he looked at Chen Ming to reply, "This is not teaching of cheating techniques, but an exposé of cheating techniques!"
The three of them were startled.
If it was defined as an exposé of cheating techniques, then Lin Chuan was not a criminal suspect but actually a public welfare advocate against gambling!
Lin Chuan continued to defend himself, "Guns, police comrades use them to enforce justice, whereas criminals use them to commit evil. By the same token, as for the exposé of cheating techniques, normal people will watch and avoid being cheated, while those with evil intentions will seek to learn and commit fraud."
"In the end, what prompts them to break the law is not my novel, but their own greed."
The cold interrogation room seemed to have become Lin Chuan's own stage.
However, Lin Chuan did not want the interrogation room to become his stage—he just wanted to leave this dreadful place as quickly as possible.
It was not a pleasant memory at all.
Instead, it was all a nightmare!
Shen Qianqian's beautiful eyes twinkled, and she couldn't help but take a few more glances at Lin Chuan.
She was persuaded!
Especially by the discussion about 'guns,' which resonated deeply with her.
She was a bit curious.
Was this the thinking of a writer whose books had flopped?
And the head of public security, Li Bing, didn't jump to conclusions, his tone had become much more mellow, "Lin Chuan, your case is special, we need to consult with relevant legal professionals before we can determine its nature."
Then, the interrogation paused.
Li Bing, Shen Qianqian, and Chen Ming stepped out of the interrogation room to discuss with the relevant legal team.
They also called up the surveillance video of the landlord Old Zhang cheating to analyze it frame by frame.
After a full hour.
Shen Qianqian pushed open the iron door of the interrogation room, her face was not as stern as it had been originally, appearing gentle and sweet, allowing Lin Chuan to breathe a sigh of relief.
Her voice was also soft and tender.
"Lin Chuan, after careful discussion, your novel 'Swindler's Life' can indeed be seen as an exemplar of exposing cheating techniques and anti-gambling, therefore, you are not suspected of teaching methods of crime," she said.
That day, Shen Qianqian showed Lin Chuan a rare bright smile.
Phew--
Upon hearing this, Lin Chuan heaved a deep sigh of relief.
It was not easy!
He was almost labeled a criminal suspect!
Shen Qianqian laughed again, "Lin Chuan, your novel is really quite good."
"Really?"
Lin Chuan cracked a big smile.
"Of course, the staff responsible for reviewing and analyzing all said it was very good!" Shen Qianqian nodded.
Lin Chuan blinked, "Then could I get a full subscription from you?"
Shen Qianqian was startled, "Ah?"
"A full subscription, thank you for your support! Your full subscription is my motivation!"
Lin Chuan gave a traditional Martial World salute with his hands.
Perhaps because Sailing Novel hadn't arranged for a recommendation, or maybe because it clashed with Handon's new book 'King of Cheating' in terms of the theme, Lin Chuan had just checked his attribute panel:
[Current work: 'Swindler']
[Status: Published.]
[Popularity Value (Average Subscription): 103/1000.]
The growth rate of the average subscription was too small.
Half of it was from old readers' subscriptions, and at this rate, when would he reach a thousand average subscriptions, in the Year of the Monkey?
Ah...
He was almost down to eating dirt!
Shen Qianqian's lips twitched slightly, but she still took out her phone and gave Lin Chuan a big full subscription!
[Popularity Value (Average Subscription): 104/1000.]
"Thank you, Officer Shen, I'll be leaving now."
Lin Chuan offered another traditional salute and turned to leave.
Shen Qianqian stretched out her hand and stopped Lin Chuan, "You can't leave yet!"