Replacing the Evil Way

Chapter 36: Cheng Zhenqing’s first trial

Xia Liang was sent to the hospital, where the bullet was promptly removed. Luckily, there was no damage to the tendons or bones, and there wouldn’t be any lasting effects. A period of rest was needed for a full recovery. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief except for Chief Zheng, who had a stern face. He slammed his cup onto the desk with a loud “bang,” causing the tension that had just eased among a few individuals to resurface.

Zheng Furui’s gaze scanned from left to right across each face. He was about to speak when He Wei stepped forward voluntarily, “It’s my fault. I didn’t command the operation well this time, and the investigation was inadequate, leading to a colleague getting hurt during the operation. I’ll submit a report in two days and take full responsibility for any consequences.”

Hu Songkai stood up, “Chief Zheng, it has nothing to do with Lao He.  It was me who said the room was empty and went to open the door with Xiao Xia. Lao He told me many times to pay attention to safety, but I was careless and gave the suspect an opportunity. I’ll take the blame.”

Chong Zhen also stood up, “Xiao Xia is fine too. Getting injured while dealing with criminals is normal. Chief Zheng, you don’t need to be so hard. At least we caught the suspect.”

Zheng Furui looked at these three veteran members of the team with his hands behind his back, “Did I say I’m going to hold anyone accountable? Why are all of you jumping out in a hurry, looking for trouble?”

Their stares conveyed a similar message: We can tell from your expression that you’re planning to lay blame, but we’re admitting our mistakes voluntarily. Let’s just let it go.

“But it’s true that this operation was rushed. You should have thoroughly investigated the enemy’s background before planning. He Wei, I’ve always valued your stability and precise decision-making. Why were you so impatient this time? You even let the criminals take the initiative,” Zheng Furui walked to the window and glanced at the reporters waiting downstairs for interviews. “I’ve said it many times, the media has been watching this case closely. Everything needs to be handled carefully. They won’t care about how hard we work overtime in the office to gather evidence, but if something goes wrong, there will be voices blaming the police for incompetence.”

Yun Xiaoxiao and the others were full of complaints but dared not speak out. It was because the media had been watching and the case had been stagnant that they wanted to catch Cheng Zhenqing quickly for a breakthrough. In this age of information and advanced technology, no news can be kept hidden. He Wei made a snap decision back then to avoid delaying the investigation and giving Cheng Zhenqing a chance to escape.

However, He Wei couldn’t escape the blame for Xia Liang’s injury, so he listened silently to what Zheng Furui said, without a word of excuse. Zheng Furui looked at He Wei and sighed secretly in his heart. He Wei was a rare talent, exceptionally capable, and had a calm and steady personality. Over the years at the city bureau, he cracked several major cases, earning both personal and collective honors. Both the city bureau and the provincial leadership held him in high regard and had high expectations. A small mistake might not matter much to an average person, but when it came to He Wei, it was magnified several times over. Even the smallest issues were scrutinized by countless pairs of eyes.

Being in a prominent position also made He Wei a target for others’ attention. Zheng Furui had promoted him with caution, hoping he would smoothly ascend the ranks without making any mistakes that would give others an opportunity to shine.

“Alright, Xiao Xia is safe and sound, I won’t investigate this matter any further. But He Wei, remember, you can’t be careless in the future. You’re leading a unit now, with so many people under you, you have to take on your responsibilities.”

He Wei nodded, taking the advice to heart. After Chief Zheng left, Yun Xiaoxiao rested her chin on her hands, “Our captain really had it rough, getting scolded for no reason.”

“Well, when you’re a leader, you either take the blame or pass it on. Lao He got the shorter end of the stick, falling into the former category,” Hu Songkai said, rubbing his hands. Despite washing them multiple times, he could still faintly smell the bloody scent that belonged to Xia Liang. He continued, “It’s all that guy’s fault. Damn it, he thinks he’s the king just because he has a few lousy guns? Bring him out, I’ll interrogate him!”

Chong Zhen cleared his throat, reminding them to use appropriate language and contribute to a harmonious society. Thankfully, Hu Songkai had joined the police force; otherwise, his language on the streets might have made him “ErHu-dage.”

“Since ErHu volunteered, let him do the interrogation.” He Wei smiled at Hu Songkai, “I’ll inform the pre-interrogation team. Today, we’ll give ‘Saw-mouthed Gourd’ a chance to showcase his skills.”

“…” Hu Songkai hesitated, regretting his bravado. What did he know about pre-interrogation techniques? He was just letting off steam because of Xia Liang’s injury.

“Anyway, we have the official arrest, and there’s no time limit. Just take your time with the questioning,” Chong Zhen patted Hu Songkai on the shoulder. “ErHu, I believe in you. You’ll definitely make that criminal cry!”

Half an hour later —

He Wei and the others were observing outside the interrogation room, watching as Cheng Zhenqing teased and provoked Hu Songkai to the point of frustration, storming out of the room: “Damn it! This guy is a complete rascal! Not a single truthful word came out of his mouth, he kept going in circles. It’s been half an hour wasted!”

He Wei crossed his arms and called over two specialists in pre-interrogation to continue questioning Cheng Zhenqing.

“Name.”

“Cheng Zhenqing.”

“Age.”

“33.”

“What’s your occupation?”

“Foreign or domestic?”

“Answer both.”

“Abroad, I was a sniper; in China, I’m an unemployed drifter.”

“You were a sniper?” The pre-interrogator checked the records. “Didn’t you say you were washing dishes in Canada before?”

“Well, I washed dishes on the side while being a sniper. They don’t conflict.”

“You probably used dishwashing as a cover for being a sniper? You shot and injured our colleague without hesitation, though.”

“Come on, I calculated it well. If he didn’t move, the bullet would have grazed his hair,” Cheng Zhenqing sighed, his tone tinged with a hint of grievance. “I really didn’t intend to hurt anyone; I just wanted to scare him.”

Behind the one-way mirrored glass, Hu Songkai was about to jump up. “See! Not a single truthful word! If it were in the past, he would’ve been thrown into an interrogation room and beaten up!”

He Wei, arms crossed, remained calm. He picked up the gooseneck microphone and said, “Ask him about the people he killed as a sniper.”

The interrogator heard through his earpiece and asked, “Since you claim to be a sniper, tell us, who have you killed?”

Cheng Zhenqing’s expression noticeably changed. He clenched and then released his hands, and after a moment, he burst into laughter. “Officer, you actually believed I was a sniper? Oh, I just said that casually.”

The interrogator furrowed his brows. “Cheng Zhenqing, do you know where you are? Mind your attitude!”

“Okay, okay, serious and cooperative, I’ll fully assist with the investigation. But I was really washing dishes in Canada. If you don’t believe me, you can check.”

The following questions yielded answers similar to what Hu Songkai had asked. Cheng Zhenqing and Cheng Zesheng had reunited three years ago, and Cheng Zesheng had returned to China to develop his career, with Cheng Zhenqing following suit. While Cheng Zesheng liked guns, he was too timid to actually use them, so Cheng Zhenqing helped his brother collect firearms abroad and then smuggled them back to China. Unintentionally, they had set up an armory in the basement.

As for his brother’s death, Cheng Zhenqing had no idea. Cheng Zesheng didn’t have enemies, and he couldn’t fathom who would want him dead. After the armory was exposed, Cheng Zhenqing had plenty of time to flee back to Canada, but he stayed here to find his brother’s killer.

“Ask him for the safe code in the basement of Fusheng Jinlong Garden.” He Wei said.

After the pre-interrogator asked, Cheng Zhenqing suddenly turned his head, staring at the mirrored glass wall. He knew that this one-way mirrored glass made it impossible for the people inside to see the outside, but they all felt as if Cheng Zhenqing’s eyes had seen through it, with a focus on He Wei.

“85553113.”

Chong Zhen noted it down and went to open the safe they had brought back. He Wei instructed the pre-interrogator to continue asking about Cheng Zesheng’s information. Cheng Zhenqing spoke about his brother’s matters fluently and in a relaxed state, as if he wasn’t a detained suspect, but rather having a casual chat with a friend.

After a while, Chong Zhen returned, holding a leather envelope with a neatly sealed flap that hadn’t been opened before. Hu Songkai handed him a utility knife, and just as He Wei was about to cut it open, he heard Cheng Zhenqing ask, “Officer He is outside, right? Did you get that envelope?”

“I suggest Officer He not open it right now; the timing isn’t right.” Cheng Zhenqing’s hands were handcuffed to the table, but his fingers were restless and casual, moving absentmindedly. “You might want to wait until we’re done chatting, then decide whether you want to open it.”

He Wei hesitated with the utility knife in his hand, and Hu Songkai was getting anxious on the side, “Lao He! Why are you listening to his nonsense? He’s just being cryptic!”

Not really. He Wei’s eyes were involuntarily fixed on Cheng Zhenqing’s fingers. His index and middle fingers seemed to be randomly moving, yet there was a distinct rhythm, including the pauses, that felt quite familiar—international Morse code. Anyone attentive enough should be able to decipher it.

1, 2. 12.

After tapping it out, his wrist turned slightly, and the glint from the glass dial reflected and vanished.

He Wei realized—it was 12 o’clock.

He crumpled the envelope a bit; the content inside was somewhat rigidly shaped and sized like a photo. 12 o’clock? Midnight?

After pondering for a few seconds, He Wei put the utility knife down. Hu Songkai and Chong Zhen were astonished, “You’re not opening it? Maybe there’s a key clue to solving the murder inside!”

“Don’t rush, there’s something off about Cheng Zhenqing.” He Wei stared at the man in the interrogation room, appearing content. Something had felt off since his arrest. He could have fled smoothly, but he seemed intentionally elusive, only to be captured in the end. Looking back on it, it was as if he didn’t want the process of his capture to seem too straightforward, so he cooperated enthusiastically.

As for the interrogation just now, at least 80% of it was true, but for the remaining 20% of falsehoods, He Wei needed to speak to him directly to identify them.

He Wei stood up. “Take Cheng Zhenqing back, let him rest well, and I’ll take over the interrogation tonight.”

—

Xia Liang was sitting in the hospital room, his arm suspended, and Yun Xiaoxiao was feeding him dinner.

He Wei walked in carrying fruit and chuckled at the scene, saying, “Xiao Xia, every cloud has a silver lining.”

Xia Liang smiled shyly and explained, “My arm is injured, I can’t use my left hand to eat, so I’m bothering Xiaoxiao.”

Yun Xiaoxiao was quite generous in her response, “I’m the only one in the bureau with nothing to do. Your parents are out of town, so taking care of you is like working overtime.”

“…” Xia Liang looked at her, “Isn’t it because you’re worried about me?”

“Of course, I’m worried about you. We’re all on the same team, so if you’re hurt, we’re all concerned.”

Xia Liang’s injured arm was nothing compared to the fact that his heart had shattered into pieces after Yun Xiaoxiao’s confession.

Seeing from the sidelines often gave clearer insights. Even someone as emotionally detached as He Wei could tell how tough Xia Liang had it. He took out an apple and asked Xiaoxiao to wash it. After she left, He Wei sat down and said, “You can’t go on like this. Be more bold. If you like her, you should say it. Xiaoxiao is a good girl. If you miss this chance, you might regret it.”

Xia Liang wore a distressed expression, “I don’t think I’m being subtle here. It’s pretty obvious! Is she truly oblivious or pretending to be?”

“Based on my observation, she might genuinely not understand.”

“…” Xia Liang sighed deeply. Why was the path of love so difficult?

He Wei had to return to the office, only staying for five more minutes. Yun Xiaoxiao came out holding an apple, handed it to Xia Liang, and then pulled He Wei aside to speak quietly.

“Captain, Yuqing knows you’re working late, so she’s preparing dessert. Remember to find her when you go back.”

He Wei felt puzzled, “Couldn’t she just come to the office directly?” He paused, “I don’t like sweet things.”

Yun Xiaoxiao fretted, “Captain, why are you so oblivious? Can’t you take the initiative for once? Instead of always letting the girls make the first move?”

He Wei was both amused and exasperated. He had no interest in Zheng Yuqing, but others didn’t know that. He had turned down her confession two years ago. However, Zheng Yuqing hadn’t given up since then. He couldn’t be too unfeeling, so he maintained a passive stance in their interactions, treating her purely as a colleague.

He Wei glanced back at Xia Liang and dropped a hint, “Don’t accuse me of being oblivious. Take some time to self-reflect.”

Yun Xiaoxiao was left baffled. Self-reflect? Was the incident from the afternoon, where Xia Liang almost fell, about to be revealed?