Chapter 14: I told you, shut your mouth!
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No new developments at the crime scene!
No suspicious individuals were found on the surrounding surveillance footage!
No suspects turned up among Song Xiaoqian’s acquaintances either!
There were no eyewitnesses, and no physical evidence to speak of!
Inside the conference room, Captain Zheng Yuanqiao and all the squad leaders beneath him fell silent.
Everyone lit a cigarette, and before long the room was thick with smoke.
Just like the case itself, everything had become shrouded in fog.
“Captain Zheng, I think we should report the case and request a higher-level investigation!”
“Agreed. We can ask headquarters to send a guidance team to help us take another look.”
“And have more senior technicians reexamine the evidence we’ve collected. We might find something!”
Several squad leaders voiced their suggestions.
Zheng Yuanqiao tugged at his collar, growing increasingly irritable.
Unless absolutely necessary, he truly did not want to report the case.
It would be humiliating!
Besides, this was not a serial murder or a random killing.
It was not that complicated. In theory, there should have been hope of solving it.
And yet every line of investigation seemed to have reached a dead end.
“This case is strange. If all else fails, we’ll have no choice but to report it.” Zheng Yuanqiao took a deep drag of his cigarette. “Gao, prepare the report. If there’s still no progress by this evening, apply for a higher-level investigation.”
“Understood!”
Just then, the internal telephone on the table began to ring.
Zheng Yuanqiao raised his brows, straightened in his chair, and snatched up the receiver.
“Hello, this is Captain Zheng Yuanqiao of the First Brigade... Another tip? This time it’s different?
“Hmm?
“You’re reporting the murderer directly?
“Zhou Gexin? He said he was going to teach Song Xiaoqian a lesson?
“He used to work as a security guard at Brilliant Woodworks a year ago?
“All right, all right. I’ll arrange an investigation immediately!”
Zheng Yuanqiao hung up with a look of astonishment.
When he looked up, he found that the other squad leaders had already stopped smoking. Every one of them was staring at him in amazement.
A smile spread across Zheng Yuanqiao’s face.
“You all heard that. Someone has provided a crucial lead. He even gave us the suspect’s identity directly. The suspect is...”
The smile faded from his face, replaced by hesitation.
“The problem is, the informant’s story is simply too bizarre. He said that three days ago, while he was walking his dog, the dog urinated on a suspect named Zhou Gexin. The suspect was drunk and began muttering to himself, revealing his entire plan to take revenge on Song Xiaoqian!”
The squad leaders immediately exchanged baffled looks.
It did sound rather far-fetched.
“Still, as strange as it is, the informant claims that Zhou Gexin planned to strike while the victim was out running at night. He also seemed extremely concerned with her valuables. Both details match the case. So this tip is still highly valuable.”
Zheng Yuanqiao turned to a middle-aged officer.
“Second Squad, contact Song’s father and find out whether he knows anyone named Zhou Gexin. If he does, locate him.
“Third Squad, check the restaurants and surveillance cameras along Huiyang Road from three days ago.”
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“See whether there was anyone drunk, walking along the road!”
“Understood!”
“No problem!”
The investigation team sprang into action.
Zheng Yuanqiao and the others smoked anxiously as they waited for news.
The Second Squad, which had gone to contact Song’s father, returned first, brimming with excitement.
“Captain Zheng, good news. Song’s father confirmed that there really is a man named Zhou Gexin.
“A year ago, he found Zhou Gexin drunk and asleep in the snow. Feeling sorry for him, he even arranged a job for him.
“Who would have thought the man was nothing but a shameless hooligan? Song’s father fired him nine months ago.
“After that, for three months, Zhou Gexin repaid his kindness with spite, causing trouble repeatedly and demanding money.
“But six months ago, he suddenly stopped. It seemed he had given up.
“Captain, we’ve learned that Zhou Gexin lives in Zhoujiadian Subdistrict. Should we move in and take him into custody?”
There really was such a person?
He had stopped making trouble six months ago. No wonder they had failed to identify him during their investigation.
Zheng Yuanqiao was even more astonished—and even more puzzled.
If he had not caused trouble for the Song family in half a year, why would he suddenly want to kill someone?
That did not seem to make sense either.
Just then, someone from the Third Squad arrived, wearing an equally excited expression.
“Captain Zheng, based on the information Song’s father provided about Zhou Gexin, we asked the video investigation unit for help. They really did find him on the surveillance footage from Huiyang Road three days ago.
“And he was definitely drunk. He kept tripping over his own feet and fell several times.”
The informant had actually been telling the truth?
Zheng Yuanqiao hurriedly asked, “Did the footage capture anyone walking a dog?”
“Um, we haven’t found that person yet. They’re repairing the roads around Huiyang Road, and several surveillance cables were severed. There are a few places the cameras couldn’t cover.”
Zheng Yuanqiao nodded and ground his cigarette butt out hard.
“That doesn’t matter. The priority is taking Zhou Gexin into custody. Leave immediately. I’ll apply for a search warrant and send it to you through the police communications system.”
Every officer in the investigation team wore an expression of shock and excitement as they rushed out of the office, started the police vehicles, and went to arrest him.
None of them had expected that a case which had seemed completely hopeless would suddenly break open so easily because of a single tip-off call.
...
At the same time!
Zhoujiadian Subdistrict.
In the oldest and most dilapidated house at the northern edge of Zhoujia Village, Zhou Gexin had no money to light the stove, much less pay the electricity bill.
He huddled on the freezing heated bed. Though he was covered by two quilts, he still trembled violently from the cold.
“Damn, it’s freezing!”
He stretched a pitch-black arm out from under the quilts and rummaged among the empty liquor bottles piled on the windowsill.
Before long, he found a bottle that was still half full and gulped down the liquor.
“Ah, that’s better. Warm me right up. Heh heh!”
With his right hand, he reached beside the pillow and picked up a wristwatch, checking the time.
Two bracelets, two pendants, several rings, and other items lay there as well.
Some were jadeite, some were diamond-studded, and some were white jade.
They were clearly worth a great deal of money.
They looked completely out of place in the filthy, garbage-strewn room.
“Damn that slut. She dressed like a whore, but she didn’t have a cent on her?”
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“What am I supposed to do with this pile of junk?”
“Heh. What a waste. I killed the bitch with only a few swings of the ax and didn’t even get the chance to have some fun with her!”
“Gulp, gulp...”
“Time to sleep, time to sleep! I’ll go demand money from that Song fellow tomorrow!”
Zhou Gexin drained the bottle of liquor in one breath. Dizzy and swaying, he was just about to close his eyes when—
A sudden draft of cold air swept into the room.
Gooseflesh instantly rose all over his body.
At the same time, several police officers appeared beside his bed.
“Huh? Am I hallucinating from the alcohol?”
The officers breathed a sigh of relief when they found their man.
But after seeing Zhou Gexin’s condition, they frowned.
This was not going to be easy to deal with.
One officer, over six feet three and built like a bear, gave a cold snort. Without wasting a word, he seized Zhou Gexin by the neck and lifted him out of the quilts as effortlessly as a man might pick up a chick.
“Cuff him. Take him away!”
Frozen stiff, Zhou Gexin shuddered and forced his eyes open. He sobered instantly.
He had already been dragged outside. Police vehicles filled his view, along with villagers who had come out to watch.
“What’s going on?”
“Why are you arresting me?”
“I’m a law-abiding citizen! I’m a good man! The police are bullying me!”
“Everyone, come look! The police are framing an innocent man! They’re lawless! They’re forcing a confession in broad daylight...”
Zhou Gexin struggled desperately, babbling incoherently.
“Shut up!” the towering officer barked.
That only made Zhou Gexin more agitated.
“Did everyone hear that? He insulted me!
“He hit me inside the house just now, too!
“Neighbors, you all saw it, didn’t you? We’re fellow villagers—please stand up for me!”
The tall officer sneered. “Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”
He clamped one hand around Zhou Gexin’s chin and tightened his fingers. Zhou Gexin could not utter another word. Terror was all that remained in his eyes.
The officer hoisted him up again and tossed him into the police vehicle.
Beside him, a short-haired female officer held up the bracelets and other pieces of evidence inside an evidence bag for the villagers to see.
“Hello, everyone. We’re officers from the Chaoyang Public Security Bureau.
“Zhou Gexin is a criminal suspect.
“These are incriminating items recovered from his home.
“We are carrying out this arrest in accordance with the law...”
The female officer had intended to explain further, so the villagers would not misunderstand.
But then she noticed that everyone seemed delighted to see Zhou Gexin arrested.
Some were even applauding.
And rightly so.
A shameless hooligan like him had surely committed no shortage of petty theft and other misdeeds.
It was only natural that people despised him.
...
Meanwhile!
Back in the conference room, Zheng Yuanqiao received word that the arrest had succeeded and that Song Xiaoqian’s jewelry had been found. The anxiety on his face finally vanished, replaced by a smile.
He rose and opened the window. The cold winter wind swept into the room, rapidly dispersing the smoke.
“Whew... breathe...”
Zheng Yuanqiao drew a deep breath, then exhaled heavily.
The frigid air filled his lungs, yet he felt wonderfully refreshed, every inch of his body relaxed.
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