0p0 Chapter 303 An Honest Man Gets Pushed to the Brink
Chapter 303 An Honest Man Gets Pushed to the Brink
"Your friend is just like you, their family destroyed, and they are filled with despair for the world."
Zhang Jian was taken aback for a moment. "Officer Qi, please don't try to trick me. I won't tell you."
This kind of principled killing isn't that destructive. What's truly terrifying is when a ruthless bandit walks down the street and randomly shoots someone in the head; that's what causes real fear.
Even Chen Zhihu's memory restoration technique couldn't get Zhang Jian to confess, so Qi Tongwei had to try a different approach. After all, Zhang Jian was a pitiful person, and he didn't want to resort to violence.
"Zhang Jian, now that you've avenged your great enemy, how do you feel? Don't you feel any attachment to this world?"
Zhang Jian hesitated for a moment, then said, "Officer Qi, I once had a beautiful love and a happy marriage. I thought that as long as I worked hard with my own hands, I could be happy forever."
Thinking of his kind wife and unborn child, Zhang Jian shed tears.
“A life for a life, that’s only right. Everything I did today was to seek justice for my wife and children. I never thought I would survive, and I’m not afraid of being sentenced to death or executed. If there really is an afterlife, I hope to be a family with my wife and children again.”
"This world is a beautiful place, but I've become that unfortunate person. I hope Officer Qi can help reduce the number of unfortunate people."
Qi Tongwei took a drag of his cigarette, feeling uneasy. Turning an honest man into a murderer was definitely a problem with society.
"Alright, I will do my best to reduce the number of tragedies."
"Officer Qi, you're a good person. I want to give you a reward, though it could also be a bomb."
Qi Tongwei sat down again, quite curious. "Then tell me about it."
Zhang Jian glanced at Lan Ying and Wu Dali, "Officer Qi, I only want to tell you this."
Qi Tongwei could tell that Zhang Jian didn't trust the two men. "Go ahead and tell me. They're my men. I trust them."
This sense of trust made Lan Ying and Wu Dali feel as warm as the March sun.
Zhang Jian considered for a moment, "Officer Qi, Chen Dali, under the guise of the joint defense team, arrested migrant workers from other places and sent them to the Xishan Mine to work as miners. There are definitely some shady dealings behind this mine; one wrong move and someone could drown. Do you dare to investigate?"
Qi Tongwei immediately retorted, "What did you find out?"
Zhang Jian shook his head. "Officer Qi, I don't have the expertise to investigate this mine."
"I'll send someone to verify it immediately. If it's true, you'll be considered to have made a meritorious report, and I'll pay for your lawyer."
"Thank you, Officer Qi. You are truly a man of character."
Back in his office, Qi Tongwei immediately called Ye Xingguo to report the situation.
"Director Ye, I plan to send people to secretly investigate the Xishan Mine immediately."
"Mining slaves"—the term was too ironic. Ye Xingguo thought for a moment, "I can agree to that, but the murderer must be found within three days."
"Director Ye, all the police in the city have been mobilized to search. I will do my best."
"I don't want to hear any talk of 'doing my best.' The entire police force of Tianhe City is at your command. If you want to investigate the joint defense team, then go ahead and investigate. I just want results."
Ye Xingguo's tone was very serious. The top two leaders at the provincial party committee meeting had given him a firm order, putting him under a lot of pressure. Of course, with the support of the top two leaders, he could act boldly.
"Yes, Director Ye, I guarantee I will complete the mission."
Qi Tongwei has essentially obtained a royal decree; power is a man's aphrodisiac.
After hanging up the phone, Qi Tongwei immediately called Zhan Ying, the captain of the armed police.
"Team leader, the situation is urgent, I need your support."
"Captain Qi, what are you saying?"
"I want you to send two skilled armed police officers, proficient in reconnaissance, to accompany my men on a mission."
"it is good"
The reason why the armed police cooperated so well was because the commander of the armed police had a good relationship with Ye Xingguo.
"Wu Dali, you go with the armed police to investigate the Xishan mine. Be careful not to alert them, understand?"
"Understood, Qizhi."
Wu Dali was a little confused. This guy really believed Zhang Jian's words too much. But if there really were mine slaves, he would definitely catch those criminals.
"Get ready immediately. Lan Ying, come with me to Laodong Street."
"Yes, Qizhi."
Three police cars were dispatched, making quite a show of force, with sirens blaring, heading straight for Laodong Street.
Upon arriving at Laodong Street, Qi Tongwei took out a megaphone and started shouting as he walked, immediately attracting a large crowd of onlookers.
"Listen up, all merchants on Laodong Street! Any gangsters demanding protection money from you are committing illegal acts. You can report them to the provincial authorities at any time."
"I, Qi Tongwei, here today make a guarantee to all the people here: the government will show no mercy in eliminating organized crime."
"I also hereby warn all lawbreakers and criminals in Tianhe City: no matter who you are or what your background is, if you dare to violate these rules, prison will be your home."
As soon as he finished speaking, enthusiastic applause broke out around him. Ordinary people are easily fooled, and they were genuinely happy that the police dared to say in broad daylight that they wanted to crack down on organized crime.
Qi Tongwei's performance was a display of his own thoughts and an attempt to alleviate the concerns of the merchants on Laodong Street and get them to tell the truth sooner.
In the afternoon, all the merchants on Laodong Street were summoned to the provincial government office.
There was a lot of discussion in the meeting room.
"What do you think the police want from us here?"
"Chen Dali is dead, he must want us to tell the truth."
"Chen Dali is from Chenjia Village. Even if he's dead, who would dare to tell the truth?"
"Old Zhang and his wife are so pitiful. Their son committed such a serious crime; he'll definitely be executed. They'll have to bury their son."
"That Zhang Jian guy has some nerve, daring to kill a policeman."
"I've heard some people call him a coward, a weakling, someone who can only cower even when his wife and children are dead."
"I never said that. Who is so heartless as to say such a thing?"
"If you don't want others to know, then don't do it in the first place."
"Xu Datou, what do you mean? Stop being sarcastic."
"Fatty Zhou, you're the one who's taking this personally, aren't you feeling guilty?"
"I'll f*** your mother, I'll tear your mouth apart!"
"Come on then, I'll beat you up right here at the police station today."
Immediately, Xu Datou and Zhou Pangzi started shouting and about to fight, but the people around them quickly pulled them back and tried to stop them.
Qi Tongwei pushed the door open and went in. "Oh, it's quite lively here. Why don't I go out and wait for you guys to finish before coming back in?"
The meeting room immediately fell silent upon hearing this.
"Officer, it's nothing, it's nothing, they were just joking around."
Qi Tongwei glanced at the crowd. "I don't care if you're joking or not, anyone who dares to lay a hand on me will be arrested."
"Officer, please don't be angry. I didn't lay a hand on you, I absolutely didn't."
"I called you here today to hear the truth: did Chen Dali actually collect protection money on Laodong Street?"
Qi Tongwei, his face serious, added, "Think it all through before you speak."
These words were a warning, and the merchants fell silent. Now that Chen Dali was dead, they were overjoyed to have one less protection fee to pay. They wished Chen Dali would die sooner, but they were all worried that if one Chen Dali was gone, another Wang Dali would come along.