The sterile, fluorescent-lit interrogation room felt a world away from the vibrant chaos of the market. Seojun sat calmly on the metal chair, his posture impeccable despite the uncomfortable surroundings.
Officer Blackwell and a younger, more eager officer named Davies were across from him, their expressions a mixture of skepticism and grudging respect. The air hummed with a quiet tension as Seojun meticulously recounted his encounter with James Harding, sticking rigidly to the truth.
"I simply performed a reading," he reiterated, his voice even and devoid of emotion.
"I observed his aura, noted certain… indicators. The information I shared was a consequence of that observation, not some pre-planned deception." He punctuated each sentence with a subtle gesture – a precise movement of his hand, a slight tilt of his head – that somehow managed to convey an air of unshakeable confidence.
Davies, still relatively new to the force, leaned forward, his brow furrowed in doubt.
"But how did you know about the children? About Harding's involvement in human trafficking? That's not something you pick up in a simple fortune telling session."
Seojun met his gaze with an unnervingly calm stare.
"The tapestry of a person's life is interwoven with countless threads," he replied, his voice low and measured.
"Sometimes, a single thread stands out, revealing a darker pattern. Mr. Harding's thread was… particularly frayed." He paused, allowing his words to hang in the air.
"I saw glimpses of it during the reading – shadows clinging to his aura, echoes of pain and desperation."
Officer Blackwell, who had been silently observing Seojun's demeanor, finally spoke.
"What is your name?"
"Seojun, I am 17 years old," Seojun said.
"So you're not an adult yet?"
"Where were your guardians?"
"No guardians," Seojun said.
Blackwell's eyebrows rose slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
"No guardians? You live on your own?"
Seojun nodded, his expression remaining impassive.
"I have managed quite well, thank you." He subtly adjusted the position of Bao Bao, who was curled up on the chair beside him, seemingly oblivious to the serious nature of the interrogation. The fluffy creature let out a soft purr, a comforting sound in the tense atmosphere.
Blackwell leaned back in his chair, considering this new information. A seventeen-year-old fortune teller living independently – it was certainly an unusual situation. He glanced at Davies, who was furiously typing notes into his laptop.
"Alright," Blackwell said finally, his voice regaining its professional edge.
"Officer Blackwell I have another information from my reading on that wanted sign with the reward of 500,000 yuan, he is the leader of the human trafficking he is outside Hong Kong on a lake side in a small village where there is old cabin," Seojun said. The officers took this seriously they thanked Seojun and let Seojun go. But got a reward of 10,000 yuan from finding James Harding.
"We've confirmed your story," Blackwell continued, his gaze fixed on Seojun.
"The four missing children were located based on the information you provided. They were being held in a warehouse just outside the city limits. Harding's associates are currently in custody." He paused, a hint of grudging admiration in his voice.
"You have a remarkable ability, kid."
Seojun merely shrugged, as if such praise was entirely unremarkable.
"I simply observe," he repeated, his voice devoid of any self-importance.
"It is not remarkable, merely… accurate."
Blackwell cleared his throat.
"And the reward," Blackwell continued, pulling a small envelope from his pocket.
"For assisting in the apprehension of James Harding. 10,000 yuan. It's not much, considering the scale of what he was doing, but it's standard procedure." He slid the envelope across the table towards Seojun.
Seojun barely glanced at it, his gaze already drifting towards a point beyond the room.
"The true reward," he murmured, almost to himself.
"Is knowing that those children are safe." He didn't reach for the envelope.
Blackwell raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by Seojun's unexpected sentimentality. He was used to dealing with criminals motivated by greed and self-preservation; this young man was a perplexing anomaly.
"Right," Blackwell said awkwardly, regaining his composure.
"Now," Blackwell said, leaning forward again, his tone shifting to a more serious register.
"You mentioned something about another individual. A leader of the human trafficking operation, located outside Hong Kong, near a lakeside village with an old cabin."
Seojun finally turned his attention back to the officers, his ice-ocean eyes locking onto Blackwell's. The subtle smirk that often played on his lips was absent now, replaced by a look of chilling certainty.
"Yes," he confirmed, his voice low and precise.
"He is a man named Cai Wei. He operates under the guise of a legitimate import-export business, but it's merely a front for his illicit activities."
Davies practically vibrated with eagerness as he furiously typed Seojun's words into his laptop.
"Do you have any details about this Cai Wei?"
"Officer Davies I don't fortune telling for free so tell me, so…" Seojun said the officers felt speechless at this beautiful guy shamelessness even trying to earn money from the officers.
The silence in the interrogation room thickened, punctuated only by the rapid clicking of Davies' keyboard. Officer Blackwell, however, let out a dry chuckle, a sound that surprised both Seojun and Davies.
"You don't fortune telling for free?" Blackwell repeated, a wry smile playing on his lips.
"You're serious, aren't you?"
Seojun simply raised an eyebrow, his expression radiating an air of unapologetic entitlement.
"Time is valuable," he stated matter-of-factly.
"And my insights are… rather exceptional." He subtly adjusted Bao Bao, who seemed to be enjoying the attention, purring louder and batting its fluffy paws playfully.
Davies finally looked up from his laptop, his face a mixture of exasperation and amusement.
"I… I can't believe this," Davies sputtered, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You just helped us rescue four children from human trafficking, potentially saving countless others from a similar fate, and you're worried about getting paid?"
Seojun's expression didn't change.
"The potential for future good is proportional to the initial investment," he replied smoothly.
"Think of it as a consultancy fee. My services are invaluable."
Blackwell, still chuckling, leaned forward.
"Alright, alright," he said, holding up a hand to quell the rising tension.
"Let's not get carried away. We appreciate your assistance, Seojun. But we don't exactly have a budget for fortune-telling consultations." He paused, considering.
"However…"
He reached into his pocket again and pulled out a card.
"This card if one day you are arrested give them this and I will pull strings to get you out," Officer Blackwell said. Seojun took it and he put his hands together.
"Officer Blackwell, you are a good man, and also congratulations."
"Of what?"
"You are going to be a father of three triplets," Seojun said as he kissed the card and gave them information about Cai Wei.