Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4567 | Page 261

The New Tales of Old Shanghai
St Paul's Co-educational College, Wai, Man Hei Christopher - 16
“T
ell me god damn it! Who did it!” yelled detective Chen as he stared into the frantic and fearful
eyes of the suspect he was interrogating. “I can’t tell you, please. I can’t. He’ll kill me please.”
pleaded the man on the opposite side of the interrogation table. Frustrated, the detective slammed his hand onto
the metal table, and stormed out the interrogation room, leaving the poor suspect in shock as he sat idly in the
room.
The detective made his way to the precinct roof, brushing pass all his colleagues on the way up. Resting
his arms on the railing of the roof, he took out his pack of cigarettes and match box, pushing the paper box with
the white sun of the GuoMinDang vaguely visible through all the wear and tear the box had been through. Chen
then struck one match, lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth. Then taking a deep breath, he then exhaled a long
sigh of smoke and disappointment. “You know the more you sigh, the more happiness escapes from you right?”
said a familiar voice behind Chen immediately shoving the match box back into his pocket, he spun around to see
his captain, Sousuke Yamato, “Hey captain, something happen down there?” Chen asked with a weary smile, as
he noticed his captain's uniform was not the usual neat and tidy but in fact was crumpled and somehow seemed to
be missing something. Simply nodding back with a smile, Sousuke swiftly answered “no it’s nothing, just a brawl
that got out of hand with a suspect.” he then asked with a stern face “How’s the case going, detective?” “Not good,
not good at all.” replied Chen as he shook his head while taking another deep breathe from his cigarette. “I see”
Sousuke said, sounding somewhat more relaxed “well do you at least have an idea who may have been behind it?”
he continued asking with great interest. “Yes sir, as a matter of fact we may have a vague idea on who was behind
this, it may have been the Qing Bang again.” Said Chen with hatred clear as day all over his face. “Damn those
Chinese dogs again.” Sousuke commented with mockery and disgust, then almost a split second later he noticed
the awkward atmosphere that would follow his comment and immediately said “of course not all Chinese are the
same.” understanding what the captain was implying Chen could only respond with a forced smile. “I’ll get going
now sir.” Chen then said, trying to back away from the already awkward conversation.
Making his way back to the interrogation room, the detective glanced up at the Japanese imperial flag and
tried desperately to forget the bombing and screaming of that fateful day, that day when the Japanese began their
invasion of shanghai. In the swift time of three months, this great city of shanghai had succumb to the imperial
Japanese rule. What followed was only tension between the Chinese and Japanese, the hatred only grew deeper
with each day, the local gangs and triads going up against the imperial rule of japan. This however only made
Chen’s position even more awkward, he was an officer, a police officer of imperial japan, the insignia resembling
a flower on his shoulder was proof enough. Despite being an officer, he did not walk around with pride, he was
without honour in the eyes of his people, being branded with “traitor”, “dog” and “shameless” he was an outcast
amongst the Chinese. The triads had especially targeted him, intruding his residence and causing a nuisance, with
the notorious Qing Bang leading the assaults, he eventually displayed a hatred and distance towards his own people.
“Sir we brought in a new suspect, he claims he knows who was there during the attack.” yelled an officer from the
police reporting room. Hearing this, he dashed towards the room, and saw a young Chinese boy wearing the
clothes of an attendant. “Who’s this?” Chen asked in disbelief as he observed the young boy, clearly not believing
that he was capable of helping him solve the case. “He’s an attendant for the victims household, I’m surprised he
made it out alive.” replied the officer as he left the room “he’s all your sir.” A whole family of Japanese were
slaughtered and this kid got away, he’s hiding something, Chen thought to himself. “Look kid, I don’t know
where you got that uniform but lying isn’t going to get you a place to stay.” Chen said with disapproval “I’m not
lying! I’m from the Toyama Household, they're all dead! Please please please you’ve got to protect me!” shocked
Chen grabbed the kid by his collar and yelled “how do you know this! We haven't revealed anything to the public
or press yet!” Chen’s face clearly twisted with ire. “I was there! They hid me under the bed! I saw Mr and Mrs
Toyama get shot… the blood… oh god…” the young boy barely managed as he covered his mouth and forced his
vomit back down his throat. He even knows they died from gunshot wounds, he might have seen who did it.
“Hey, tell me did you see who it was killing them, I might be able to help you if you did.” Chen said hoping to
fish something out of the traumatized kid. “I don’t know… I don’t know… I don’t know …” muttered the boy
as wrapped his arms around his head as tears trickled down his cheeks. Realizing that the young boy was no longer
capable of answering his questions, Chen could only silently walk out of the room, instructing the officers in the
precinct to give the boy a cell since they had nowhere else to put him. Heading back to his desk, frustrated Chen