The nature of the case changed when a foreigner was involved. There would be unpredictable consequences if they crossed the line.
If something really happened, Yang Zhengqi might be able to get away with his powerful background. However, Long Guangsheng was destined to be a scapegoat. Long Guangsheng said immediately as he thought to this point, "No, Chief Yang, how can we keep this a secret?
"If we really want to confirm his identity as a criminal suspect, his place of origin must be included in the case file …
"Hello, hello, Chief Yang, Chief Yang …" Unfortunately, the only reply he got was a 'beep beep beep …'.
Yang Zhengqi frowned as he hung up the phone. He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket with a grim expression.
He took one out and sniffed it. He put it in his mouth and walked to the entrance of Guawo Village along the stone mountain road in the village while he was thinking.
The driver who was waiting at the village entrance asked when he saw Yang Zhengqi walking over slowly, "Chief, are we going back to the city?"
"Xiao Liu, lend me a lighter," Yang Zhengqi said as he walked to the driver.
The driver said while smiling, "Didn't you say you've quit? Why are you smoking again?" He took out a lighter and lit Yang Zhengqi's cigarette.
"I'm a little frustrated.
Oh yeah, Xiao Liu, what do you think about the Guawo Village case? "
"What do I think? Chief, please stop joking. I'm just a driving assistant police officer. What would I know?" The driver said while smiling, "If you want me to say something, it's nothing more than a common saying, 'based on facts, take the law as the criterion'."
Yang Zhengqi was stunned and put out the cigarette in his hand. "Well said, let's go back to the station." He opened the car door immediately and got into his car.
The police car drove to the Qu County town. Yang Zhengqi would urge the driver to drive faster on the way. He arrived at the Qu County Criminal Police Unit in less than an hour.
"Thank you, Xiao Liu." Yang Zhengqi got out of the police car and went straight to the duty room after being courteous as usual.
A tanned, skinny police officer was sitting in the duty room. He was looking at the phone and a record book. He stood up from the chair and said when he saw the chief coming in, "Chief Yang, you're back. Do you have any instructions?"
"He Liecha, which interrogation room is empty?"
"There's no one in the first and third interrogation rooms," the officer on duty replied immediately.
"Alright then, inform Li Hao to bring the witness of the Guawo Village case to the first interrogation room. Also, tell him to move faster, tell him that I'm already waiting there," Yang Zhengqi ordered.
In a criminal case, interrogation and questioning are two completely different legal concepts.
The interrogation was directed at the criminal suspect, so it had to be carried out in a special interrogation room.
The interrogation was aimed at the witnesses and possible insiders of the case. As long as it was not in the interrogation room, it could be carried out at any time.
However, the officer on duty clearly did not have the guts to question his immediate superior as to why he brought the witness to the interrogation room. He said, "Yes." Then he picked up the intercom on the table.
Three minutes later, Zhang Lisheng who had just finished his sumptuous lunch was brought to a dimly lit room by Li Hao.
At the front of the room was a long, custom-made desk and three wooden chairs. In the middle of the room was an iron chair that was fixed to the ground with a baffle between the two armrests.
Although Zhang Lisheng had never been in an interrogation room before, he knew where he should sit.
He did not make things difficult for Li Hao as he walked to the iron chair and sat in it. He then put down the baffle.
What was ridiculous was that the baffle could not stop Zhang Lisheng from moving freely since he was too skinny.
Looking at the skinny suspect, Yang Zhengqi did not feel like laughing at all. He turned on the strong lamp in front of him and shone it on Zhang Lisheng's face. He asked fiercely, "What's your name?"
"My full name is Zhang Lisheng, my nickname is …"
"Gender?"
"Male."
"Birthplace?"
"I'm from Guawo Village, Damu Town, Qu County, Hengze City, Western Sichuan Province."
"What were you doing there from 23 o 'clock to 2 o' clock the next morning on October 27th, 2013?"
"I was at home …"
It was an old method to weaken the suspect's will with the strong light and repeated questioning, but it was very effective.
Unfortunately, to Zhang Lisheng who had just become a Rank-1 Wizard and was about to break through, it was difficult to torture his will like that.
20 hours later, Yang Zhengqi's voice was hoarse and he was drowsy from the long interrogation and four packs of cigarettes. Meanwhile, his opponent was still as calm as when he first arrived.
The person who was acting with Yang Zhengqi, pretending to write the interrogation record but was actually asking questions was a young man who had just graduated from the police academy. He reminded Yang Zhengqi softly while he was lighting another cigarette after another round of questioning, "Chief Yang, I believe that there's definitely something wrong with this kid now. Even the experienced ones who have been in the palace a few times aren't as tough as him.
"But 24 hours are almost up, we'll have to go through the official procedures if we want to detain him again. We're in a county where minorities gather, he's from Miaowei, and the case is so serious, if we go through the procedures …"
"How much longer until 24 hours?"
"40 minutes."
Yang Zhengqi thought about it and said, "Hold on for a little longer. Get Dong Lin to come in and continue questioning, I'll go out to do something."
His sore legs almost made him fall when he stood up. Yang Zhengqi stomped his feet hard and walked out of the first interrogation room.
The sunlight outside the house was rather glaring. He placed his hand on the awning and paced back and forth in the corridor, thinking about what he should do with Zhang Lisheng.
His rationality told him that it would be difficult to convict Zhang Lisheng unless he obtained a very detailed confession and found some indirect evidence to form a chain of evidence based on the confession.
Moreover, Zhang Lisheng's skinny appearance, the cause of the robbery case when he had just lost his father, the fact that he had just turned 16 years old, and his Chinese-American identity would turn the 'difficult' into 'impossible'.
However, the belief that 'law is justice' that he had always believed in made it difficult for him to let go of a murder suspect for no reason.
Especially the more time he spent with him, the more Yang Zhengqi felt that there was a brutal and numb heart hidden under the suspect's weak and introverted appearance.
Moreover, it was scarier because of his young age and the fact that there was a reason for the crime. If the suspect were to be freed without any trial or punishment, he might turn into a bomb that could wander in society for a long time. The longer he was suppressed, the more terrifying the consequences would be once he encountered a trigger.
The dilemma made Yang Zhengqi frown, and he subconsciously took out another cigarette.
"Why're you smoking again?" A hearty voice interrupted Yang Zhengqi's train of thought. At the same time, the cigarette in his mouth was snatched away.
Yang Zhengqi came back to his senses. Only then did he realize that a white-haired, spirited old man was standing in front of him. He was snapping his cigarette. He hurriedly asked in a hoarse voice, "Director He, why are you here?"
"Why? I'm in charge of criminal investigation. Just because I'm retiring next March, I can't come to the Criminal Police Force?" The old man said while smiling.
"Of course not. You're always welcome to guide us," Yang Zhengqi said while forcing a smile.
The Miaowei old man before him who only had a junior high school education became a criminal police officer at the age of 16. He became the Qu County Public Security Bureau's Deputy Director just because of his ability to solve cases. He was one of the few people that he truly admired in the Western Sichuan Public Security System.
Otherwise, with his background, he would not have to smile at a county Public Security Bureau's Deputy Director who was about to retire.
"You're an intellectual, I don't dare to guide us.
I'm here to ask if the Guawo Village case is easy to handle. "The old man chuckled and said while waving his hand.
"It's not easy," Yang Zhengqi answered honestly.
"Then, how confident are you that the person you're holding is the criminal?"
"Did Guangsheng report to you?" Yang Zhengqi asked while frowning.
"Let's not talk about anything else. How confident are you that the person you're holding is the criminal?"
"More than 90%."
The old man fell into deep thought and said while lowering his voice, "Isn't he just an American Chinese? My dad even defeated the American Japanese back then. How confident are you that you can send him to prison if I'm helping you to bear the pressure?"
Yang Zhengqi said nothing.
"At least 10 to 20% right?"
"To be honest, Director He, I don't even have 1% confidence.
Moreover, I'm afraid you can't bear the pressure, "Yang Zhengqi said while forcing a smile.
The old man was stunned for a moment and sighed. He said without hesitation, "Then let him go. Let him go right now. Let him go right now. I'm ordering you to let him go."
"Director He, why are you doing this? I don't need …" Yang Zhengqi said while frowning after being stunned for a moment. He then realized that the old man was trying to get rid of his responsibility by taking the responsibility to release Zhang Lisheng.
"You do.
You're still young and I won't be able to move very soon. What's the use of having a good reputation?
"You're a highly educated student but I'm going to teach you a lesson today. You must be serious when you're in our line of work, but you can't be inflexible. If you can't find the criminal's weakness, don't be reckless.
"Take this person that you've arrested for example. Let him go this time and keep an eye on him. If he really commits a crime the next time, grab his wrist and send him to eat rice.
By then, you'll be able to save this muddle-headed old man's face. "
Looking at the old man pointing at him that was weather-beaten and wrinkled like an old tree bark, Yang Zhengqi kept quiet and suppressed his emotions.
Suddenly, the arrogant criminal police captain with a powerful background stood straight and saluted. He then turned around and walked into the interrogation room in big steps. He shouted with all his might, "Let him go."
Zhang Lisheng was released out of nowhere just like that.
He could not help but force a smile when he realized that he did not bring a single cent with him after walking out of the criminal police unit. He did not know what to do at the moment as he walked on the busiest Fuqian Road in Qu County town.
Perhaps it would take him a day and a night to walk back to Guawo Village from the county town with just his legs. Of course, Zhang Lisheng would not do that. It would be unrealistic for him to beg the criminal police to send him back to Guawo Village.
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