Wei Qingzheng did not choose to stake out at Linjiang Bridge. As Ye Sangsang had predicted, he believed it was a diversionary tactic and instead opted to stay close to Wang Zhi for protection.
He also didn’t wait for the time mentioned in the phone call, which was the afternoon of the following day, but decided to approach Lin Zhi directly.
Wang Zhi was wanted in Lin City for organizing prostitution, commonly known as pimping.
This man knew a lot of people and had even helped Wang Shun and Zhou Qiang sell stolen goods in Lin City.
After Zhou Qiang’s death, they investigated his social connections and, following the trail, managed to locate Wang Zhi’s current residence from the people close to Zhou Qiang.
Once they had gathered information on the connections between the three, they began preparing to arrest Wang Zhi.
However, since this was a case under Lin City’s jurisdiction, they had to wait for the arrest warrant from Lin City authorities. Initially, Wei Qingzheng was frustrated by this, as it meant they could only conduct covert surveillance and wait for the right moment to make the arrest.
But now, with the phone call, he had communicated with his superiors and moved into Wang Zhi’s home under the guise of protection.
This way, they could apprehend the killer while ensuring Wang Zhi, a cunning fox, didn’t escape.
For the next two days, Wang Zhi would have to live under the watchful eyes of plainclothes officers.
At Linjiang Bridge, Wei Qingzheng had dispatched his team to keep an eye out for any suspicious individuals.
With limited manpower, he reluctantly withdrew the team tailing Sun Bin.
However, this didn’t mean he had dismissed his suspicions about Sun Bin.
Deep down, Wei Qingzheng still felt there was something off about Sun Bin and his wife.
But for now, he simply didn’t have the resources to keep tabs on them.
Time quickly approached the hour specified in the phone call. The afternoon sun gradually dipped toward the west until it disappeared below the horizon.
As time passed, Wei Qingzheng’s doubts continued to pile up.
Wang Zhi, effectively under house arrest, lounged on the sofa in the living room, his legs propped up on the glass coffee table, casually munching on sunflower seeds.
With a criminal record and multiple stints behind bars, he showed no trace of nervousness, even in the presence of three detectives.
In fact, he was mentally preparing to probe them for information.
In an era when communication wasn’t as advanced, Wang Zhi had no idea that his two “good brothers” had met gruesome ends.
Watching Wei Qingzheng pace anxiously around the living room for the third time, Wang Zhi cracked a sunflower seed, spat out the shell, and said, “Captain Wei, care to tell me who exactly is threatening my life?”
He didn’t trust the police. He wanted to know who it was so he could have them dealt with.
Wei Qingzheng turned around, lowered his eyelids in thought, then tilted his head slightly and stared at Wang Zhi. “If I knew who it was, I wouldn’t be here waiting.”
“Then there’s no such person, right? You’re just messing with me!” Wang Zhi tilted his head skeptically. He stood up, grabbed the black leather jacket draped over the sofa, and said, “I don’t trust you. If you’ve got the guts, arrest me now. Otherwise, I’m leaving.”
As he spoke, his eyes darted around, clearly waiting for Wei Qingzheng’s response.
He knew better than anyone that the police wouldn’t just let him walk away. They were bound to arrest him sooner or later.
Wei Qingzheng wasn’t a fool. As a detective in the early 2000s, he had his share of experience and knew Wang Zhi was fishing for information. He cut straight to the point: “Stop playing games. I’ll be honest with you. Wang Shun and Zhou Qiang are both dead. If you don’t believe me, ask around.”
News of Wang Shun’s death had spread widely, as taxi drivers had been questioned, and by the next day, half the city knew about it.
However, Zhou Qiang’s death was less known, as the police had deliberately suppressed the information.
Wei Qingzheng’s bluntness was a reverse tactic to see if Wang Zhi knew anything.
Hearing this, Wang Zhi stopped in his tracks.
He didn’t care much about Wang Shun’s death. To him, it was just a case of being double-crossed.
At most, he’d burn some incense in front of Wang Shun’s ashes.
After all, they were just fair-weather friends.
But Zhou Qiang’s death was another matter. Wang Zhi couldn’t ignore it. He took off his jacket and turned to face Wei Qingzheng. “You think someone’s out for revenge against us, and now they’re coming for me?”
As someone who’d been in the underworld, revenge was a familiar concept.
“If you can recall who might have a grudge against you, and it helps solve these cases, I’ll consider it a contribution on your part. It might even reduce your sentence,” Wei Qingzheng said, pulling out a cigarette from his pack and handing it to Wang Zhi.
Wang Zhi’s expression turned serious. He squinted, took the cigarette, and sat down, beginning to think about who the three of them might have crossed.
After running through the possibilities in his mind, he realized there were quite a few—seven or eight potential suspects.
Wei Qingzheng wasn’t in a hurry. He lit a cigarette and started feeding Wang Zhi some clues.
These were mainly the police’s profile of the suspect, such as approximate height, weight, and possible habits.
Thinking of Sun Bin, Wei Qingzheng added, “Have you three ever crossed paths with a taxi driver or a teacher?”
At this point, he was treating the two cases as one.
Wang Zhi’s mind raced. A taxi driver or a teacher?
Wang Shun had certainly crossed taxi drivers, and Zhou Qiang might have robbed a teacher, but they hadn’t collectively offended either group.
As for him, it was even less likely.
Wang Zhi shook his head firmly. “No, they might have, but not me. I only deal with people in the underworld. I’ve got no beef with taxi drivers or teachers.”
In his heart, he scoffed. Whoever could kill him hadn’t been born yet!
Wei Qingzheng’s move was clearly just an attempt to use him to find the killer.
With this insight, Wang Zhi began plotting his escape.
He had no intention of going to prison.
“None at all? Or are you hiding something?” Wei Qingzheng scrutinized Wang Zhi, weighing the credibility of his words.
Wang Zhi smirked, his legs jiggling as he leaned back with a look of defiance. “What’s there to hide? I’m an honest guy. I wouldn’t lie to you, Captain Wei.”
“But I’m curious. How are you so sure I’m also a target?” Then, as if struck by a thought, he asked, “Tell me, how did my two ‘good brothers’ die? Maybe that’s a clue.”
This last question was purely for his own curiosity, something to brag about later when he ran into his underworld buddies.
“How we know you’re a target isn’t your concern. All you need to know is that you’re in danger,” Wei Qingzheng replied. He wasn’t underestimating Wang Zhi, but the mastermind behind these killings was exceptionally composed.
Criminals like Wang Zhi relied on brutality to survive in the underworld.
They panicked when things went wrong. Even a seasoned criminal like Wang Shun had shown signs of nervousness in his past crimes.
But in these two cases, the killer had acted without hesitation, cold and methodical.
The way the bodies were disposed of sent chills down even Wei Qingzheng’s spine, and he was a seasoned detective.
Such a person posed a significant threat to society and needed to be apprehended as soon as possible.
Wang Zhi studied Wei Qingzheng’s expression and remarked, “Sounds like this guy’s a real piece of work.”
Wei Qingzheng paused, then changed his tone. “You know, your buddy with the same surname as you? He was beaten to death. The only traces at the scene were tire marks from a taxi. And Zhou Qiang? He was bled dry in the middle of the night, his body covered in cuts. He was tortured for hours before he died…”
He wasn’t supposed to divulge such details, but if it helped get a lead, it was worth it.
He said this to gauge Wang Zhi’s reaction.
Wei Qingzheng was stubborn. Once he set his mind on something, not even a herd of oxen could pull him back.
Right now, he was convinced Wang Zhi knew something.
As Wei Qingzheng spoke, Wang Zhi’s casual demeanor vanished.
Compared to the ruthless people in the underworld, this killer was on another level. Torturing someone to death? This had to be personal.
Wang Zhi frowned, racking his brain, but he couldn’t recall any such enemies.
Wait—
There was someone.
Wang Zhi’s fingers twitched, and his face paled for a moment.
He, he remembered, but it wasn’t three people—it was four.
The four of them had worked on a case together a few months ago.
If this was revenge, then everything made sense…
He swallowed hard, quickly masking the fear rising in his eyes.
“Stop hiding it. I think you already have the answer…” Wei Qingzheng suddenly fixed his gaze on Wang Zhi, his voice sharp and demanding.
Wang Zhi’s heart raced at the shout, and he instinctively leaned back, putting some distance between himself and Wei Qingzheng. The cigarette he had been holding fell to the ground.
He composed himself, looked up to meet Wei Qingzheng’s gaze, and forced a smile, trying to appear calm. “N-no, Officer Wei, I really can’t remember. Please… just let me go!”
He didn’t dare to say it.
After all, Zhongzhou Country had the death penalty.
If the police found out, it wouldn’t just be a few years for organizing prostitution.
Wei Qingzheng watched Wang Zhi’s reaction and understood everything.
The man clearly knew something!
With that thought, he stood up, reached out, and grabbed Wang Zhi by the collar, pulling him close. “Tell me. Don’t test my patience.”
Wang Zhi smirked helplessly, letting Wei Qingzheng hold him, his hands spread open. “I really don’t know. If my life’s in danger, wouldn’t I tell you if I knew? I’m not an idiot!”
Wei Qingzheng stared at him intensely for a few seconds before finally releasing him under the persuasion of the other officers and sitting back down.
Wang Zhi slumped onto the sofa.
But Wei Qingzheng’s words had given him a warning.
The enemy was in the shadows, and he was out in the open. This ruthless person had even followed him from Lin City. He had to deal with this.
He quickly thought of what to say, then looked up at Wei Qingzheng and asked, “Can you tell me why you’re so sure that the killer will come after me today?”
Sensing that Wang Zhi might have something to say, Wei Qingzheng vaguely replied, “We received a tip.”
Wang Zhi’s heart skipped a beat. After a moment of rapid thinking, he looked at Wei Qingzheng and said with certainty, “Hah, you’ve been played. The killer isn’t after me. The real target is someone else!”
“What?!”
Wei Qingzheng shot to his feet, his voice booming.
……
In that instant.
Jiang Jiansheng struggled desperately, his strong will to survive shattered by the scene before him.
He finally realized why the killer had only broken his legs and injured his hands instead of killing him outright.
The sense of familiarity that had flashed through his mind earlier now had an answer.
Countless feelings of resentment surged after the fear, and he clenched his bloodstained hands, his eyes filled with hatred as he reached out toward the figure dressed in black standing before him.
He gritted his teeth in rage, wishing he could crush and tear apart the person in front of him.
But he was at the end of his strength, unable to mount any counterattack.
Every movement was futile.
“Hah… hah…” He gasped heavily, his eyes locked on the figure before him.
The black-clad woman stood with her back to the sun, on the clean road, coldly and fearlessly watching the man lying on the ground.
Behind her, Ye Sangsang stepped forward, grabbed his hair, and pulled his head back.
A flash of the blade.
Jiang Jiansheng’s pupils dilated, and only his hand, still gripping the mud, showed the resentment and unwillingness he carried to his death.
[Wow! Ahhh! Torture and then a clean kill—this was Sister Sang’s plan all along!]
[Lin Shu standing there was enough for Jiang Jiansheng to die with full understanding. Unwilling? Good, that’s exactly what he deserves. He thought he was killing an ant, but the ant bit back.]
[Well done. This way, Jiang Jiansheng was kept on the edge of life and death, dying in resentment, and Lin Shu could find some peace.]
[Am I the only one curious why Lin Shu didn’t do it herself? I thought Sister Sang brought her here to let her take revenge.]
The live chat was flooded with comments, everyone piecing together the truth.
But some were still curious why Lin Shu hadn’t acted.
After finishing the deed, Ye Sangsang looked up at Lin Shu. “Let’s go back to the car. It’s getting cold.”
Lin Shu looked at Ye Sangsang, a hint of her usual gentleness returning to her eyes, and nodded before turning to leave.
Next was the task of disposing of the body.
Fortunately, the weather wasn’t too bad, so they only needed to deal with the footprints.
Slowly, slowly, she dragged the body into the desolate wasteland.
They had to hurry. Ye Sangsang had a feeling that Wei Qingzheng would soon get Wang Zhi to talk and learn about Jiang Jiansheng’s existence.
Luckily, most of the work had already been done, and only the final touches remained.
Once everything was taken care of, the sky began to drizzle again.
Around Qingming, the rains were always heavy.
Ye Sangsang drove several kilometers away, cleaned the car, and found a gravesite to burn all the clothes, raincoats, and other items.
After ensuring only ashes remained, she changed into fresh clothes and drove home.
Exhausted, the two lay in bed without a word, soon falling into a deep sleep.
In the middle of the night, urgent knocking sounded at the door.
There was no response from inside, followed by the sound of banging.
Before Ye Sangsang could get up, several police officers burst in, guns pointed at her.
Wei Qingzheng stepped into the light of the flashlight, standing in front of Ye Sangsang. He held up an arrest warrant. “Sun Bin, you’re under arrest for suspicion of intentional homicide. Come with us.”
