“Like a robot.” Our heads turned and saw it was Lin Feng who said that, with the edges of his eyes twitching uncomfortably. I flashed him an approving nod, attesting to what he said, something which Chongxi agreed too. “True enough,” he said, “All of them behaved like mindless drones without any shred of humanity or compassion, only programmed to do as he’s told.”

Zheng Shuang looked positively aghast by that epiphany, looking absolutely shocked that he could not even speak. Big Sister placed her empty can on the table and propped one leg over one knee and called, “Toss me another, Na San.” The Shaman hastily placed his can on the floor and knelt down to extract another Coke from the box. Carefully, he popped the Coke open and presented it humbly to her, saying, “Your drink, My Lady.” “Gods, Big Sister. Can you be any more imperious!?” I frowned from across the coffee table. She shrugged nonchalantly as she took her Coke from Na San’s hands, ignoring my jibe, and gestured at Na San, saying, “So, they’d be just like him?”

We stared at her in silence as her statement drove right to the point. “Huang Li and Cao Xuedong behaved just like tamed and domesticated slaves who will perform any duties hurled at them with utmost devotion and zero care for their own emotions and wishes. You can try asking Na San. Did he ever ask himself if he was willing to perform the task when I asked him for a new can of Coke?” “Urm… Serving you is a privilege to me, My Lady…” Na San squeaked, furthering substantiating Big Sister’s premise. “See?” Big Sister said to all of us, brandishing her arms like a magician who had just awed his audience, “Fully tamed and domesticated. They’re nothing more than slaves. Zero wishes, zero wants and needs. Only the will to serve hand and foot.”

Yet despite the impeccable accuracy of her figuration, I could not help but scowl at her treatment of Na San. “Big Sister,” I muttered apprehensively, “You’ve been seeing things you shouldn’t have seen, have you?” “Nothing much,” She shrugged casually again and said, “Just watching the TV. I’ve been bored, you see.” “Just keep off from strange and odd TV programs. They’d do you no good. Strange things to your mind, mind you.”

She ignored me and I let it go. I had neither the wish nor intent to bicker with her now. “All right,” I said to everyone, “Just like what Big Sister said, to some extent, Huang Li and the rest is similar to Na San. But Na San is a willing servant, while Huang Li and the rest are not. It would not be far off to describe them as being coerced. I could feel it during the interrogation. The difference in her temperament before and after she’d lost control of her temper. She looked as if she had been brainwashed or hypnotized.”

Chongxi, who had been silently thinking on his own, spoke up suddenly, “I really can’t see how and what could have turned them into the poor things they were…” “I don’t know either…” I remarked, looking at my watch. It was almost midnight by now. “All right, let’s call it a day. We shall visit Huang Li’s parents tomorrow. Go to bed, all of you.” “What about me?” Zheng Shuang asked with a finger pointing at himself. I glared at him and said, “Just pick any room. We’ve so many rooms upstairs.”

Na San clutched his blankets and chose to sleep on the couch instead. I could see that there was no way to strip him of the pathetic slave in him, so all I could do was only leave him be. After all, I mused, He is not my servant and I shouldn’t need to feel too bad about it.

The next morning, we asked the District Police Headquarters for the address of Huang Li’s parents. Apparently, her father was living in the building of his own electronics company while her mother was now residing in an old housing estate. Through the phone, the chief of the Criminal Investigations Division told me that they had looked for Huang Li’s parents and they found only her father. “Did you not find out where her mother is now?” I asked and a heavy sigh came from the line. “Of course we did,” the chief replied, “Huang Li’s mother operated a little roadside stall selling fried pancakes. But word on the street was that she’s been vanished since months ago. She’s not really close to anyone nearby and well, nobody cares. So nobody knows where she is now.” “Is there anyone whom you’d think would know where she is now?”

I heard the sharp whistle of the chief’s breath through his cigarette and he finally answered, “We’ve checked, and to no avail, I’m afraid. She was last seen appearing near a train station. But that’s all.” I sighed. “So what else can you give me about Huang Li’s parents? She’s a former classmate of mine and I believe circumstances have encouraged me to pay her father a visit.” A dull “Hmmm” came from his end of the line before he went on, “I see. Well, they are both born in 1970. Mr. Huang is local but Mrs. Huang came here from Sichuan. Strangely so, her father seems abnormally calm even after hearing about his daughter. So you can just go ahead and call on him.” I responded with a wordless hum and conveyed my thanks before I ended the call.

“So?” Lin Feng glanced at me as soon as I put away my phone. “Huang Li’s mother has been missing for months. The last time she’s been seen was at a train station. She’s from Sichuan. So she could have gone back there already. Anyway, let’s go meet her father. I’m interested to meet him. The person whose name could even strike fear into Huang Li whenever he’s been mentioned.”

The site of Huang Li’s father’s company was somewhere north of Tangshan city. It was a remote part of the province near Fengrun, but the vicinity was populated by many plants and factories of large corporations, each of them taking up huge areas in the wilderness that the imposing chimney spires and concrete buildings surrounded by the lush and wild jungles painted a bizarre and outlandish picture. Just by looking at them, one could feel a strange dread tying a knot in his stomach.

Big Sister looked out of the window, taking in the view of the concrete and mortar grotesqueries that was part of Huang Li’s father’s factory looming in the midst of the forest with apparent disgust, saying, “Idiots. Wildernesses like these abound with spirits and ghosts… What could have possessed these idiots to think of building factories here…” “Well,” I regarded her through narrowed eyes, saying, “Creepy and quiet… Perfect combination for vulgar and prurient things like you innit!”

Crack! A painful slap came right at the back at my head. “Nonsense!” Big Sister scowled at me. And as I reeled with pain, I glimpsed Lin Feng, Chongxi, and Zheng Shuang sniggering amongst themselves. But their glee lingered just as brief and quick as a camera flash or a firework. Three successive cracks resounded barely a split-second later; showing that even they failed to escape Big Sister’s wrath too. “Laughing, eh?” Big Sister glowered at them, saying, “Some fun you have here!” “Gods, I thought she wouldn’t understand what “vulgar” and “prurient” mean,” I whispered to my friends. “Come on! What do you expect her to believe? That you’re actually complimenting her?!” Zheng Shuang scowled hushedly back at me. I pursed my lips, preferring not to answer as another crack rang as Zheng Shuang got another blow from Big Sister.

We stopped just outside and walked to one of the buildings. The security guard on duty, detecting the presence of strangers, came and stopped us. “How can I help you people?” But he quickly spied Zheng Shuang’s police uniform and he asked, “Is there anything wrong, officer?” Zheng Shuang nodded and asked testily, “Is Mr. Huang in today? We would like to speak to him.” “I’ve never known him not to be. But please wait a moment while I give him a call.” Zheng Shuang nodded curtly and the guard turned, with his back facing us, and took out his phone and made the call.

Moments later, the guard turned back to us and reported, “Mr. Huang is ready for you, everyone. He’s at the top floor.” Zheng Shuang nodded a tacit thanks and led the way towards the elevator.

The office building had ten floors altogether and Mr. Huang, Huang Li’s father, had his own office on the top floor. We entered the elevator without a word and once the doors slid shut, Zheng Shuang burst with suspicion, “Strange, the guard seems awfully agreeable. He allowed us in without many questions.” “The chief of the investigations team at the District HQ told me that they’ve been here before when they came to call on Huang Li’s father. So I guess even the security guard now knows that the boss’ daughter has got herself into trouble, so he’d be expecting the police to visit frequently.” The explanation satisfied Zheng Shuang as he emitted an “Oh” of comprehension.

The elevator came to a stop when we reached the top floor and the doors slid opened obediently. A young lady, fully dressed like a corporate professional, was waiting just outside. She was so close to the door when it opened that she nearly bumped headfirst into Zheng Shuang.

She flashed a welcoming smile and said, “This way please, everyone. Mr. Huang is expecting you in his office.” Zheng Shuang responded with another curt nod and crossed his arms behind his back as he marched after the woman with us trailing behind until we came to a set of doors.

The young lady knocked on the door and announced, “The guests are here, Mr. Huang,” and a raspy voice called from inside, “Come in!”

She pushed the doors open gently and gestured for us to enter with her sweet smile. Zheng Shuang put on as an imperious air of the captain of the Criminal Investigations Division as he could, although he only succeeded in making us giggle quietly behind him.

To call the office “wide” would simply be an understatement. It was huge. Expansive even, that it looked more like a suite. I looked around and saw a minimalist design layout of sofas, bookshelves, and a handsome-looking office desk that coupled with a plush leathered executive office chair, upon which seated a man of middle age, looking at us with a cheerful smile as we came in. Even so, the hint of weariness could hardly be missed even through the polite smile he tried to put up.

“Mr. Huang,” Zheng Shuang said almost immediately, “I’m afraid your daughter can now be fully indicted…” “I know,” Mr. Huang cut in, “But can I still see her?” “Relax,” Zheng Shuang assured, saying, “She’d get at most a life imprisonment. You can save the bullet fee.” Mr. Huang heaved a breath of relief, and the creases of fatigue on his gnarly face seemed to soften for a heartbeat.

A life imprisonment would have been a Hobson’s Choice to any loving father when next to the death penalty.

“Mr. Huang,” I stepped forward to say, “We’re here, not to convey this unfortunate news. We’re here on personal capacities, not cops. I’m Huang Li’s former classmate at university.”

And that seemed to elicit a surprised “Ah?” from Mr. Huang.