Blank Charge

The situation was much more serious than Jin Zhou imagined.

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Liu Qian didn’t explain everything over the phone. The Liu Yongchang she mentioned, who was arrested, wasn’t taken in by the police for interrogation but was approved for arrest by the prosecutor’s office – as a fugitive killer who had been on the run for seventeen years.

After spending a day handling various procedures and another day queuing and waiting, Jin Zhou finally saw Liu Yongchang, who had kept him awake the past two days, at the detention center.

“I have countless questions to ask you now.”

Jin Zhou laid out the copied case files on the table, his face tense, and stared at Liu Yongchang sitting across from him with a complex expression.

Arrest meant that the public security office basically determined the facts of the crime, and the case files in his hands were also telling Jin Zhou that seventeen years ago, Liu Yongchang had killed a fellow card player in a neighboring village and fled overnight.

However, Liu Yongchang’s reaction was not as nervous as Jin Zhou had imagined.

He glanced at the case files in front of Jin Zhou and tapped the table with his index finger. “Whether you believe me or not, I have no knowledge of this matter whatsoever.”

His tone carried suppressed resentment and grievance, as well as the calm and composure that only someone who had experienced countless storms could possess.

Jin Zhou flipped to the evidence page of the case files and pointed to the half footprint of blood in the photo. “The footprint left on the courtyard wall when you fled the scene is yours. You say you have no knowledge of this?”

The case had entered the stage of examination and prosecution, and lawyers could verify relevant evidence with the criminal suspect. Therefore, there was no need to hide the contents of the case files from Liu Yongchang.

“What I mean is, I didn’t know I was wanted.” Liu Yongchang seemed to have already undergone questioning and wasn’t surprised about the blood footprint. “I did go to Wang Wu’s house that night, but he was already dead when I arrived.”

“So, you took Liu Qian and fled?” Jin Zhou leaned forward, pressing the question aggressively. “If you didn’t commit the murder, why did you run?”

“That was not running at all!” Liu Yongchang clearly didn’t appreciate Jin Zhou speaking to him in that tone. “Liu Qian and I had originally planned to leave the village the next day and engage in coastal business. That’s why I…”

At that point, Liu Yongchang restrained himself, turned his face slightly away, not looking at Jin Zhou, and looked at the corner of the wall. “So, I went to Wang Wu’s house to steal some of his things.”

Stealing wasn’t something to be proud of. Jin Zhou realized that Wang Wu’s death hadn’t been reported to the police, probably because they were afraid of getting into trouble with the police.

“But why did you change your name?” That was the part Jin Zhou couldn’t understand the most. Not knowing he was wanted,  planning to leave the village, none of it explained why Liu Yongchang would assume a new identity. “Your original name was Liu Yougen.”

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“That’s because I kept losing money in business!” Liu Yongchang became increasingly furious at Jin Zhou’s suspicion. He became more spirited as he spoke. “You know how superstitious I am. I kept losing money during those two years on the coast. It was only after changing my name that my luck turned around. You can check the timing of when I changed my name. It was two or three years after I went to the coast. If I were really a murderer, why would it take so long.

That argument was quite persuasive, and Jin Zhou began to waver slightly.

During that time, second-generation ID cards were not yet widely used, so it wasn’t difficult for a fugitive to change their name and identity. However, Liu Yongchang didn’t immediately change his name after going into hiding; he waited two to three years, which indicated that he genuinely didn’t know he was being pursued.

“Furthermore,” Liu Yongchang tapped the table with his index finger, “think about it. If I truly knew I was a fugitive, why would I come back here? Wouldn’t I be walking into a trap?”

Liu Yongchang was apprehended by the police a few days ago when he was recognized by someone from his village.

“After you left the village,” Jin Zhou asked again, “did none of your neighbors or fellow villagers contact you?”

“We didn’t have cell phones back then, and we didn’t go online. Once you left, you were gone. Who would contact you?” Liu Yongchang replied. “If it weren’t for that small village turning into a big city, I wouldn’t have returned here.”

That was also a point of doubt for Jin Zhou. If Liu Yongchang really had committed murder, how bold would he have to be to dare come back?

“Liu Yongchang, let me ask you one last question.” Jin Zhou changed his tone from interrogation and maintained a direct gaze at Liu Yongchang.

“I didn’t kill anyone.” Liu Yongchang had already anticipated Jin Zhou’s question and answered it before it was even asked.

They locked eyes for a while, and Liu Yongchang’s eyes showed no signs of guilt. After a moment, Jin Zhou let out a long breath and said, “I believe you.”

Jin Zhou knew Liu Yongchang well. He had shouldered most of Tiger’s mom’s medical expenses and taken care of his other brothers. Jin Zhou had interrogated Liu Yongchang so intensely because he was desperate to uncover the truth.

“I swear I didn’t kill anyone,” Liu Yongchang said with emphasis. “You can ask my wife. That night, I only went out for about ten minutes. As soon as I arrived at his house and saw the body, I hurried back. How could I have had enough time to commit murder?”

“Your wife’s testimony is unlikely to be accepted,” Jin Zhou frowned, feeling a headache coming on. “The crime scene indeed had footprints from several people, but only your footprints were bloodstained and easily identifiable. The police followed the footprints all the way to your house and found that you had already left with your wife, so they immediately concluded that you were the fleeing murderer.”

“I’m truly innocent. Wang Wu only won a few hundred yuan from me. Is that enough reason for such a grudge?” Liu Yongchang seemed to grow angrier as he spoke. “These police officers arrested me without hesitation, claiming I killed someone more than ten years ago. Where’s the evidence? Just those footprints?”

Jin Zhou looked at the pictures of the bloodstained footprints. On the yellow earth wall, there was a footprint of the right front palm, indicating that when Liu Yongchang climbed over the wall, he unknowingly stepped on the bloodstains, leaving behind this obvious footprint.

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However, apart from that, Jin Zhou didn’t see any other footprints around the victim’s body in the photos.

According to reason, if Liu Yongchang were the real culprit, his hands and feet should have been stained with blood. Why was there only a right foot imprint?

Moreover, from the footprint, it was clear that Liu Yongchang left in a hurry. If he had indeed planned the murder, how could he not have noticed his bloodstained shoes even after returning home?

There were indeed many doubts in that case, but Jin Zhou had never dealt with a murder case before, so he felt somewhat uncertain.

If, due to his negligence, Liu Yongchang was wrongfully imprisoned… he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself, and the other brothers wouldn’t either.

“There’s some inconsistency.”

Yang Shiyu, sitting on the sofa, put down the thick file and took off his gold-rimmed glasses, massaging his temples. “The police never found the murder weapon.”

 Jin Zhou sat cross-legged beside Yang Shiyu, eagerly waiting for him to finish reviewing the file.

“The murder weapon is a crucial element for conviction.” Yang Shiyu put his glasses back on and turned his head to look at Jin Zhou. “If Liu Yongchang hadn’t fled , it’s likely he couldn’t have been convicted. But by ‘escaping’ with his wife, he unwittingly solidified himself as the culprit.”

“But he had reasons to leave, and there are legitimate reasons for changing his name as well,” Jin Zhou said.

“That’s why there are many doubts in this case,” Yang Shiyu said. “You should proactively contact the prosecutor now and discuss your thoughts with them. It’s best to persuade the prosecutor’s office to make a non-prosecution decision.”

That would be the best outcome.

If the prosecutor’s office decided not to prosecute Liu Yongchang, he would be released from custody within a month.

But if the case went to trial, he could potentially spend one or two more years in detention.

“Alright.” Jin Zhou nodded and took the file from Yang Shiyu. He was about to get up and continue preparing his defense strategy at the dining table.

However, Yang Shiyu suddenly grabbed his wrist, interrupting his movement to stand up.

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“For the past few days,” Yang Shiyu paused and said, “your attention has been entirely on Liu Yongchang.”

“Liu Yongchang  has always been there for me, and I must help him,” Jin Zhou said. He pulled his wrist back from Yang Shiyu’s hand and headed to the dining table without looking back.

Jin Zhou usually handled cases that had already reached the trial stage. He had never worked on a case during the investigation and prosecution stage.

Yang Shiyu, on the other hand, pointed him in the right direction — to proactively contact the prosecutor.

When Jin Zhou approached the prosecutor’s office the next day, he found out that the prosecutor in charge of Liu Yongchang’s case was Xie Yao.

“You’re Liu Yongchang’s defense lawyer?” Xie Yao was surprised to see Jin Zhou.

“Aren’t you in charge of the serial killer case?” Jin Zhou asked.

“We have already identified several suspects in that case, and they are currently being interrogated,” Xie Yao said. “What did you come here for today? It’s not easy to overturn Liu Yongchang’s case. He has been on the run for seventeen years, and the possibility of exoneration is very low.”

“I wanted to talk to you about the ‘on the run’ aspect. Based on the current evidence, it’s difficult to consider him as being on the run,” Jin Zhou said.

“Are you saying he returned here willingly? Some criminals have a lot of audacity. They think that after so many years without being caught, it’s okay to come back,” Xie Yao said.

“But he…” Jin Zhou and Xie Yao discussed for a long time, and before they knew it, it was close to noon.

Xie Yao was a responsible prosecutor, and Jin Zhou could tell that he enjoyed debating, as if he was trying to convince Jin Zhou. He looked at the time and said to Jin Zhou, “Well, since you still have so many doubts, let’s find a place to eat and continue talking.”

“Okay,” Jin Zhou agreed.

The prosecutor’s office was not far from the courthouse; they were in the same area.

Jin Zhou originally intended to find a restaurant with fewer people to make it easier for them to talk. But unexpectedly, Xie Yao brought him to the lamb noodle shop.

“The noodles in this shop are exquisite,” Xie Yao said. “You must try them.”

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“My auto repair shop is nearby. How could I not have tried it?” Jin Zhou asked. “Do you often eat here? How come I’ve never met you?”

“Not often, occasionally when I get tired of the cafeteria, I come here to eat,” Xie Yao said. “You must try putting mint in the soup.”

“Definitely,” Jin Zhou said, rarely encountering a kindred spirit. “And it has to be three leaves, not more or less.”

“Is that so?” Xie Yao smiled. “I usually just put a spoonful randomly. This time, I’ll try putting three leaves.”

The owner quickly served two bowls of lamb noodles. Jin Zhou helped Xie Yao with the seasonings and said, “Try it.”

“Then you should also try mine.” Xie Yao added mint leaves and sweet radish to Jin Zhou’s bowl, each seasoning in just the right amount, precisely one spoonful, reflecting his meticulous style. “I call this recipe ‘Family Happiness.'”

“Isn’t that just putting everything in?” Jin Zhou found it amusing but still picked up a chopstick and took a bite.

The taste was still the same, but the layers of flavor were indeed more complex.

Jin Zhou buried his head and took another bite. At that moment, he heard Xie Yao say, “Take your time eating, I have plenty of time, no rush.”

He instinctively looked up, only to see Xie Yao suddenly pulling out a tissue and pressing it against the corner of his mouth, saying, “You have oil here.”

Jin Zhou was completely stunned. Were he and Xie Yao that close?

But before he could react, he saw Xie Yao retract his hand and say towards the direction behind him, “Judge Yang, what a coincidence?”

Jin Zhou had his back to the entrance of the shop and couldn’t see who had walked in.

But based on Xie Yao’s address and the faint low pressure he sensed behind him, he knew something was not right.

When he turned his head, sure enough, he saw Yang Shiyu standing behind him, staring at the tissue in Xie Yao’s hand, expressionless.

“Judge Yang… Judge Yang?” Jin Zhou swallowed nervously, not daring to address him too familiarly. “You’re here to eat noodles too…”

“Shall we sit together?” Xie Yao moved to the side. “We just started eating.”

“No, thanks.” Yang Shiyu glanced at the three mint leaves in Xie Yao’s bowl and the spoonful of pickled cabbage. Then he looked at the jumble of seasoning in Jin Zhou’s bowl and said to the shop owner, “Pack it up.”