Criminal Investigation Notes

The time for the press conference had arrived, and the people inside the hall were buzzing with anticipation.

Suddenly, the venue dimmed, and projections appeared on the white walls.

The projections consisted of old photographs, tinged with a yellowish hue. The photos depicted two young boys.

They stood at the doorway of a low house, smiling shyly. They entered school together, and they walked out of the school gate.

One by one, the photos appeared before the audience, capturing their journey from childhood to adulthood, and into middle age…

Everyone in the room fell silent. They recognized the two individuals in the photos—Qin Chengsheng and Mu Zhenyuan.

These photos documented their lives. Throughout the long years of their existence, they were companions on this journey.

From ordinary boys with nothing to their name to billionaire real estate tycoons, they had encountered countless difficulties along the way, perhaps known only to themselves.

The noisy crowd quieted down, waiting for the start of the media conference.

Qin Ange looked up at those photos, furrowing his brow tightly. Why were these photos being displayed here?

He wanted to shout out loud that these photos were all fake.

But the journalists present clearly didn’t share his sentiment. They eagerly took photographs, documenting the scene before them.

The voice of Mu Zhenyuan echoed in the hall, “Today, I apologize for this impromptu meeting. Here, I will provide you all with answers and make a statement. Zhongshan International has always operated legally and compliantly, and I have never engaged in any illegal activities…”

People could hear his voice, but they couldn’t see Mu Zhenyuan anywhere.

“Where is he?”

“Has Mr. Mu arrived?”

“I didn’t see him…”

“…I believe everyone has already seen the online wanted notice and learned some details about the case. The police will release an official announcement shortly, so I won’t go into details here… I only want to clarify and explain certain so-called grievances between myself and Qin Chengsheng, the owner of Ding Sheng Wan Jia International…”

At this point, the old fox was still playing the emotional card!

Qin Ange gritted his teeth, growing angrier. He lifted his head, searching for Mu Zhenyuan’s figure, wanting to find him in the crowd.

The next second, he realized that he was being surrounded by a group of people.

Those individuals were tall and strong, clearly not journalists at the scene. They encircled him tightly, making it impossible for him to break free.

Qin Ange felt a chill in his chest.

Had he been surrounded by several police officers?!

When did they start monitoring him? Why was he completely unaware of all this?

Or was this all just a trap, and that’s why Mu Zhenyuan didn’t appear on stage?!

The young boy didn’t have time to figure out where Mu Zhenyuan was. He pulled out a gun, intending to pull the trigger.

No matter who it was, as long as they were killed—those unscrupulous journalists, those damned police officers…

In that instant, his right wrist was firmly held by someone.

“Don’t move!” the person warned in a low voice.

Qin Ange lifted his head and saw a young police officer.

It was none other than Lu Junchi, who had arrived. With his left hand, Lu Junchi pulled Qin Ange’s wrist while raising his right hand, delivering a direct and powerful elbow strike.

Qin Ange took a heavy blow, feeling a wave of dizziness.

Still, he refused to let go of the gun in his hand. His face twisted with a fierce expression as he made a move.

He forcefully twisted the direction of the muzzle, pointing it at himself…

Now he understood that he couldn’t kill Mu Zhenyuan anymore. So he hoped to escape punishment through death.

Of course, Lu Junchi couldn’t let him have his way.

He firmly gripped the gun in Qin Ange’s hand, exerting pressure on the safety catch, preventing him from firing.

Qin Ange felt his fingers about to be broken, unable to exert any strength with his wrist. In an instant, the gun was wrested away from him.

Then, Lu Junchi twisted his hands behind his back, rendering him powerless to resist.

Qin Ange was quickly apprehended, and other weapons on his person were confiscated. His hands were then handcuffed.

Deprived of his weapons, Qin Ange was like a beast with its claws removed. He struggled fiercely, but his hands were securely restrained, and he could do nothing.

He was unwilling…

Tonight, he had once been the center of attention. But now, he was only a step away from his enemy, yet he had to stop here.

Lu Junchi pulled down his hat coldly and said, “Qin Ange, you’re under arrest.”

Upon hearing those words, Qin Ange finally lowered his head, gasping for breath.

He had lost.

In the hall, Mu Zhenyuan’s voice continued to resonate, “Qin Chengsheng is my best friend. It’s just that later on, we had differences in our business philosophy. I believe that a good construction company should prioritize quality and then affordable prices. It takes us a year, or even several years, to construct a building. Trying to save money by cutting corners is too focused on short-term gains for a company…”

Some media reporters began asking questions, “Some people say that you have previously released negative news about Ding Sheng Wan Jia in relevant media.”

“The business world is full of tricks and deceptions. First, let me explain, those news articles weren’t personally planted by me…”

Mu Zhenyuan’s words were cautious and left room for interpretation. He claimed it wasn’t personally done by him, but he didn’t deny instructing someone else to do it. Even if it was eventually discovered, he could easily pass the blame onto a subordinate.

Mu Zhenyuan’s tone suddenly changed, diverting everyone’s attention, “Secondly, I believe that if Qin Chengsheng had recognized the issues in his company when those news articles were released, it might have turned a bad situation into a good one…”

“Did you refuse to lend money to Dingsheng Wan Jia?”

Mu Zhenyuan’s voice continued, “I advised my good friend, but I couldn’t stop him… In his final moments, he came to me, hoping I could lend him money. But I knew that money couldn’t solve all problems. I proposed a series of solutions to resolve the issues with that unfinished building, but what I didn’t expect was that he couldn’t wait and suddenly had a heart attack, leaving us forever…”

“Lies! He’s lying… It’s not like that…” Qin Ange wanted to refute Mu Zhenyuan’s words. However, he was quickly pulled out of the hall, with the journalists fully focused, and few noticed the commotion taking place in that corner.

“What is Mr. Mu’s opinion on that unfinished building, where you were also born?”

“I have always been deeply concerned about the Dingsheng Wanjia International unfinished building project…”

“With the deaths tonight being related to the unfinished building, Mr. Mu, how do you think this unfinished building should be handled?”

Mu Zhenyuan tried to maintain a calm demeanor and said, “Of course, it would be best if it could be completed. That area has always been a thorn in my side…”

The formation of an unfinished building area has various reasons, and it is even more challenging to deal with the aftermath. Taking over an unfinished property sometimes requires more financial, material, and human resources than constructing a new one.

Mu Zhenyuan wanted to evade this question.

However, the journalists wouldn’t let him off the hook. They bombarded him with one question after another.

“Mr. Mu, I heard that this unfinished building was originally planned by you and Qin Chengsheng when you were still at Ding Sheng Wan Jia.”

Many aspects of their past were dug up and written online.

Mu Zhenyuan awkwardly smiled, “Yes… At that time, we wanted to contribute to our hometown…”

“Mr. Mu, I heard that Zhongshan International had a revenue of over billions last year… with profits in the tens of billions. Are there any resources available for urban development?”

The journalists were not concerned about the grudges and relationships between Mu Zhenyuan and Qin Chengsheng. Their questions began to hint at something, and those media reporters turned into warriors who wanted to rob the rich to help the poor.

Mu Zhenyuan felt like he was being put on the executioner’s rack, and his answers gradually slowed down. He realized that if he didn’t make sacrifices tonight, it seemed like he would be seen as someone who betrayed his trust and abandoned his good friend…

After this night, everyone’s attention focused on Wanhu City. The lives of those young boys, that unfinished building, stirred everyone’s hearts. Since the root of all problems lay in the unfinished building, in the slum area, could tragedy be avoided if there were efforts to improve it?

As someone who emerged from Wanhu City, possessed sufficient strength, understood the project, and was Qin Chengsheng’s good friend, Mu Zhenyuan seemed to be the best candidate for a solution…

Hearing this, Qin Ange suddenly turned his head and looked.

At that moment, he remembered that unfinished building…

It was the unfinished building that Tao Yingxu cared about the most.

He had told him that he had seen too many people whose lives had been changed, and their beliefs lost because of that building.

Qin Ange was willing to exchange everything he had to ensure that the building could be completed.

In the conference venue, Mu Zhenyuan’s voice paused for a long time.

Finally, he spoke, “Regarding this matter, I will do my utmost.”

Qin Ange was swiftly escorted to the Bureau headquarters.

Director Tan finally breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the news of the successful arrest, instructing Lu Junchi to uncover the truth behind the case as soon as possible.

The atmosphere in the Major Crimes Unit was filled with the scent of coffee, as everyone prepared for a night of overtime and battles.

Su Hui also hadn’t rested and followed along. He wanted to see the young man who had kept them busy all night, driven by madness.

Inside the interrogation room, Qin Ange was already handcuffed to the interrogation chair, his head lowered, and some bruises visible around his eyes. If it weren’t for knowing what this young man had done tonight, he would have appeared as an ordinary youth.

When Lu Junchi and Qiao Ze, responsible for recording, walked in together, the young man raised his head.

Lu Junchi directly asked him, “Qin Ange, do you confess to the crimes of killing two people tonight and intentionally harming three others?”

However, Qin Ange caught something from his words and asked, “Yexin Chen and Li Xiaonan are not dead, right?”

Lu Junchi didn’t answer him but continued to inquire, “Why did you kill Kong Tao?”

Qin Ange leaned back, resting against the chair back, without a trace of guilt on his face. “For the realistic effect of the live stream. It was the first live stream, very important.”

Lu Junchi asked again, “Why did you kill Tao Yingxu?”

Qin Ange fell silent for a moment, keeping his head down without speaking.

Lu Junchi asked him, “Isn’t he your friend?”

“Friend?” Qin Ange raised his head, gritting his teeth. “He’s not my friend. In the past, he was just a lapdog following me, picking up things I didn’t want. But after the upheaval in my family, he was constantly flaunting himself, claiming he wanted to help me. In the end…” He paused, his eyes turning red.

Lu Junchi raised his head and countered, “Didn’t he help you? It was because of him that you settled in Wanhu City, right? And wasn’t it his initial plan to assist you with this live streaming project?”

After learning the stories of the two teenagers, Lu Junchi also felt indignant on behalf of Tao Yingxu.

Qin Ange lowered his head, looking at his handcuffs. “Those were all fake… I don’t need his sympathy, and likewise, I don’t need those fake deaths. Only real death can touch people’s hearts…”

Qiao Ze asked from the side, “So, you admit that you killed those people to generate public attention?”

Qin Ange lifted his eyes, speaking coldly, “I have to do this to make others know that my father is innocent, that my family shouldn’t have ended up like this. You’ve already found out, right? It was Long Xiaochen who caused the problems at the construction site, Lian Chengyan who injured people during forced demolitions, Xu Xiaohai who used substandard construction materials, and the person who caused the halt in the unfinished building area, triggering my father’s heart attack—Mu Zhenyuan, his best friend.”

His voice trembled, “It was those people who caused those unfinished buildings, those urban ruins. They are the real culprits. Why do they get to live well while my father has to endure the vilification of thousands even after his death?”

He had heard how people cursed his father, calling him a heartless businessman, saying he deserved his downfall and should go to hell.

But his father was not that kind of person.

“But your father is also at fault,” said Lu Junchi.

“And where is my father at fault?” Qin Ange scoffed.

“Your father’s mistake lies in his choice of employees. As a company owner, he should take responsibility for the mistakes made by his subordinates. He knew that Long Xiaochen’s safety precautions for the workers were inadequate, yet he continued to collaborate with him. He knew about Lian Chengyan’s notorious reputation, yet he allowed him to drive away the demolition workers. He knew that Yu Xuehai’s construction materials were subpar, but he didn’t verify them and continued to purchase from him. Is he really unaware of these things as you claim?” Lu Junchi explained.

Qin Ange paused for a moment, his eyes trembling. “He…”

In the past, he was unaware of these things and didn’t care about them. Now he couldn’t answer Lu Junchi’s question, and it was highly likely that Qin Chengsheng knew about all of this.

Lu Junchi continued with a serious tone, “The police have already found out that your father’s money was invested and trapped in a Ponzi scheme, coupled with the decline in housing purchases due to quality issues, which led to the collapse of his financial chain. When he had money, he bought luxury watches, expensive liquor, and indulged in fancy cars and mansions. He even squandered a fortune in Macau. If he hadn’t been so extravagant, he might have been able to weather the storm. Mu Zhenyuan, your father’s best friend, refused to lend him money, and he might have done something, but those actions didn’t break any laws.”

Tonight, the police not only reviewed the actions of those people but also investigated Ding Sheng Wan Jia International and Qin Chengsheng’s actions.

Lu Junchi continued, “It was precisely your father’s actions that allowed evil to flourish. These things cannot be offset by praying to gods, doing charity, or even adopting Li Xiaonan.”

Qin Ange lowered his head and remained silent.

Lu Junchi looked at the young man in front of him and questioned him, “By killing two people tonight and doing all this, do you really believe everything will get better?”

Qin Ange suddenly realized that perhaps it wouldn’t…

He hadn’t been able to take revenge, and the changes he had hoped for hadn’t materialized.

Lu Junchi said, “I have witnessed so much evil, and I understand one thing: in this world, we can never stop killing by killing. If these people hadn’t died, they might have become police officers or lawyers who could have prevented more bad things from happening. But today, they died here.”

Qin Ange raised his head and asked, “Shouldn’t I expose the crimes of those bad people?”

Lu Junchi looked at him and replied, “You should expose them, but there were so many other ways and channels available to you. Yet, you chose the most wrong way. Years from now, people won’t remember what those evildoers did that you revealed tonight. They will only remember that several young people were killed because of your selfishness.”

No matter how noble the goal of killing is, whether it’s starting a war or making a declaration, in the end, it will all turn into evil.

He had made his father into a murderer.

At this moment, Qin Ange seemed to be a little scared. He shouted, “Why… why is life so unfair?”

“Unfair?” Lu Junchi retorted, “Even if your family went bankrupt and your parents died, you still have food, shelter, and friends who are willing to help and love you. Your starting point is incomparably higher than your father’s back then, higher than many children.”

It’s not about unfairness, but rather, he once had it all and never cherished it.

Su Hui sat in the observation room, looking through the glass at the young man sitting inside. He was on a self-proclaimed path to seek justice, but he had become alienated, losing all sense of humanity.

Suddenly, he realized that Qin Ange alone couldn’t uncover the whole truth and accomplish everything.

In this case, the clever Tao Yingxu seemed to fit the profile of the mastermind even more. He was the one who initially proposed the plan and executed all the steps.

Did Tao Yingxu anticipate this outcome from the beginning?

Among these people, only Mu Zhenyuan was not substantially guilty.

As things developed to the end, Mu Zhenyuan, who was forced onto the judgment seat by the media, had to do something to earn people’s forgiveness and sympathy.

Is it possible that Tao Yingxu manipulated and used Qin Ange because he was the perfect executioner?

He remembered the documentary where Tao Yingxu stood under that tree.

At that time, the young man turned around and looked at the unfinished building behind him. “I hope the shantytowns can truly disappear from this city. This row of unfinished buildings behind me can be rebuilt. But it’s difficult to achieve… Because of some historical reasons, no one is willing to take over here.”

“Do you think your wish can come true?”

At that moment, Tao Yingxu smiled at the camera, his smile was beautiful, with a dimple on one side of his mouth. “How would we know if we don’t try? Someone has to make an effort to do this.”

The destinies of these two young men had long been intertwined.

Having recalled all of this, Su Hui felt like he had pieced together the final puzzle.

Tonight, all the news media would work late into the night, writing the legendary story of this night.

Perhaps tomorrow, Mo Xiuxiu could finally be interviewed and change her life.

Perhaps Ye Xincheng would soon receive assistance and help from kind-hearted people.

Perhaps Li Xiaonan could receive compensation from Long Xiaochen.

The unfinished buildings could continue construction, and those who cursed Qin Chengsheng might no longer exist.

Su Hui frowned slightly as he looked at the young man in the interrogation room. He would face legal consequences.

At this point, he found it difficult to judge using criminal psychology. Was it Tao Yingxu who manipulated Qin Ange’s hatred, or was it Qin Ange who used Tao Yingxu’s plan?

Innocent young lives had been lost, and perhaps something could truly be gained in exchange for those two young lives.

But was it worth it for Kong Tao, who was burned to death?

Would he be willing?

Su Hui sighed. Fortunately, they were only police officers. They only needed to catch the guilty ones without having to discern the shades of right and wrong.

In this world, the simplest thing is people, and the most complex thing is also people…

With the culprit apprehended and his crimes confessed, the atmosphere in the office gradually lightened.

People discussed the press conference.

“Mu Zhenyuan took the opportunity to clarify his grievances with Qin Chengsheng.”

“Mr. Mu said he would start evaluating the unfinished buildings in Wanhu City and do his best to continue the construction.”

“It would be great if those unfinished buildings could finally be completed. Many families have invested their life savings there.”

“We should do some publicity! This will cause a surge in Zhongshan International’s stock price once it goes public.”

People’s attention is easily diverted, wounds heal rapidly, and now they were starting to focus on who would take over the unfinished buildings in Wanhu City, discussing it with great enthusiasm.

Lu Junchi finally came out of the interrogation room.

It was already past midnight, and what should have been a peaceful Friday turned into a battle, keeping them busy until dawn.

The two of them went downstairs, and Lu Junchi started the car while Su Hui fastened his seatbelt.

Lu Junchi asked, “Are you still running a fever?”

Su Hui shook his head. “I’m much better now.”

Even in the midst of their busy schedule, Lu Junchi hadn’t forgotten to pour him a cup of ginger tea. The tea dispelled the chill from his body.

After the intense mental exertion of concentrated reasoning had passed, Su Hui cleared his mind, and he felt much more relaxed. The fever had also subsided.

Feeling cared for by Lu Junchi, Su Hui felt he should politely inquire about him. He turned his head and asked, “Um… Are you still tired?”

Tonight, Lu Junchi had been running back and forth across the city.

Lu Junchi replied, “I’m fine. Not as tired as that one time when I participated in a marathon.”

Now he had pretty much rested, and he was still caught up in the excitement of solving the case.

Su Hui had been contemplating all night and felt like his brain had stopped functioning at the moment. He casually said, “Well, you have quite good stamina.”

Lu Junchi turned his head. “Huh?”

As Su Hui uttered those words, he realized they could be misconstrued and hurriedly corrected himself, “I mean, your physical endurance is impressive…”

After saying it, he felt like he was digging a deeper hole, coughed a few times, his face turning slightly red, and lowered his head, fidgeting with his cane.

Lu Junchi was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said, “Yeah, I can still climb ten floors now and grab a late-night snack on the way…”

Su Hui paused for a moment and said, “I kind of miss my cat at home…”

The night was cold and serene, but as soon as the door was opened and the light turned on, the whole world became vibrant.

Hemingway was released from the bathroom, emitting a pitiful meow, a soft and plump little bundle of fur. He lifted his head to look at his returning owner and then came over, rubbing against him.

Aristotle also emerged from his nest. He had been awakened by the sound of the door, stretched lazily, licked his fur, and quickly dashed over.

It seemed that all the fatigue was being comforted by these two little creatures.

The live broadcast finally ended, and the police promptly issued a statement.

Qin Ange was arrested and confessed to all the crimes, and Hua Du would also initiate a comprehensive rectification of the construction industry.

Zhongshan International officially released a press release, stating that they would take over the unfinished building area in Wanhu City.

Perhaps it would take ten years, or maybe twenty, but one day, with the progress of the times, the shantytowns in this city would truly disappear and cease to exist.