Attending ex-girlfriend's wedding, arresting the groom's officer on the spot

Upon hearing the name "Tian Zheng," Sun Zhengjun seemed to be struck by lightning. His body trembled violently, his hands began to shake uncontrollably, and his face turned from pale to ashen. "I...I know him. He's a pork vendor at the market. I borrowed money from him, but I'm already trying to pay him back. It has nothing to do with his death!" His voice was choked with sobs, yet he still refused to admit his guilt.

"It's alright?" Wang Shuai placed a phone call log on the table. "On Tuesday evening at 6 PM, Tian Zheng called you and asked you to meet near the unfinished Huijia Garden building to ask you to return the money he owed him, and you agreed. After that, you called Li Bing to borrow a car, and after getting the car at 7 PM, you went straight to the unfinished building. Is this just a coincidence?"

Sun Zhengjun's psychological defenses began to crumble. He covered his head with his hands, curled up in the interrogation chair, and let out suppressed sobs. "It wasn't me... I really didn't kill him. I just met him, chatted for a few words, and left. His death has nothing to do with me..." His voice grew softer and softer, filled with despair, yet he still refused to confess completely.

Looking at him, Wang Shuai softened his tone: "Sun Zhengjun, we know you're scared right now, but running away won't solve anything. Tian Zheng's cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation. The drag marks found at the scene perfectly match the tire tracks of the car you borrowed. Your cell phone signal, the clothes you discarded, and the debt dispute with Tian Zheng—all the evidence points to you. Now we're giving you a chance: confess your crimes and try to get leniency. This is your only way out."

Sun Zhengjun raised his head, his eyes bloodshot and red, tears streaming down his face. He looked at Wang Shuai, then at the evidence on the table, and remained silent for a long time. Finally, like a deflated balloon, he slumped into the interrogation chair and said in a hoarse voice, "I...I confess, I killed Tian Zheng..."

Upon hearing this, Sun Zhengjun completely broke down. He covered his face with his hands and burst into tears, his shoulders trembling violently. After a long time, he gradually calmed down and began to recount his motives and the events leading up to the murder in broken sentences.

“Two years ago, I got addicted to gambling, lost a lot of money, and was heavily in debt. Later, when I was looking for my brother-in-law Li Bing at the market, I met Tian Zheng. He saw that I was in a hurry for money and said he could lend me 3 yuan, but the interest was very high. I was desperate at the time, so I agreed.” Sun Zhengjun’s voice was filled with regret, and his eyes stared blankly ahead. “Later, I didn’t earn any money and couldn’t pay back the money. Tian Zheng came to urge me every day, and sometimes he would even curse me in public at the market, making me lose face. I asked him to give me some more time, but he disagreed and said that if I didn’t pay back the money, he would go to my hometown to ask my parents for it, making my whole family lose face.”

He paused, wiped the tears from his face, and continued, "On Tuesday afternoon, Tian Zheng called me again, saying that I had to pay him back that night, or else he would be ruthless. He even asked me to meet him near the unfinished Huijia Garden building, saying that it was a secluded place and convenient for 'discussing business.' I knew he wanted to force me to pay back the money, but I had no money at all. I just wanted to beg him again to see if I could get a few more days."

“I didn’t have any money at the time, and I was afraid that Tian Zheng would really harass my parents, so I thought I’d borrow a car and talk to him properly. I called my brother-in-law Li Bing and said I needed to go to the suburbs for some business and asked to borrow his car. He agreed without asking any questions. Around 7 o’clock, I got the car keys and drove towards the unfinished building.” Sun Zhengjun’s breathing became rapid, and his eyes were filled with fear, as if he had returned to that night. “When I got to the unfinished building, Tian Zheng was already waiting there. When he saw me, he came up to me and asked for money. I said I really didn’t have any money right now and asked if I could have another month. He disagreed, and even came up to push me, called me a liar, and said that I had to get the money today, or he would ruin me.”

“I was pushed to the limit by him, and I was afraid he would really hit me, so I started arguing with him. He got more and more aggressive with his insults and even reached out to hit me. In a moment of panic, I pushed him, and he lost his balance and fell to the ground. I saw a gray coat next to him, which he probably dropped accidentally. In a moment of madness, I picked up the coat and covered his face with it, trying to make him stop yelling.” Sun Zhengjun’s voice began to tremble, and his hands clenched tightly. “He struggled desperately and even reached out to grab me, scratching my arm. I was so scared that I kept holding onto the coat and didn’t dare to let go until he stopped moving. That’s when I realized he was no longer breathing…”

At this point, Sun Zhengjun broke down in tears again: "I was so scared that I lost my mind and didn't know what to do. I wanted to run away, but I was afraid of being discovered, so I thought of hiding his body. I saw that there were many empty rooms in the unfinished building, so I dragged his body to an empty room on the third floor of Building 3 and covered him with his coat that had fallen on the ground, trying to cover it up."

“After I finished doing all that, I drove away as quickly as possible. I was shaking the whole way, and my mind was completely blank. I didn’t dare go home, so I parked the car on the side of the road and stayed in it all night. The next morning, I finally dared to return the car to my brother-in-law, Li Bing, and told him that there was nothing wrong with the car. I was afraid that the police would find me, so I threw the black tracksuit I was wearing at the time into a trash can near my old rented place, thinking that way no one could find me…”

After finishing his statement, Sun Zhengjun slumped into the interrogation chair, his eyes vacant, his face filled with remorse and fear. He knew that the crimes he had committed were irreversible, and that he would face the punishment of the law.

Looking at him, Wang Shuai felt no sympathy, only regret for the deceased. "Sun Zhengjun, because of gambling debts and a moment of impulse, you took Tian Zheng's life and ruined your own. How can you face Tian Zheng's family, how can you face your own family?"

Sun Zhengjun lowered his head, tears streaming down his face, and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry to Tian Zheng, I'm sorry to his family, and I'm sorry to my parents... I know I was wrong, and I'm willing to accept the punishment of the law. I just ask for a chance to atone for my sins..."

The interrogation ended at 11 p.m. on Thursday. When the police took Sun Zhengjun away, he staggered, his eyes vacant, all traces of his previous arrogance gone. Wang Shuai watched his retreating figure, picked up the interrogation records on the table, and was filled with mixed emotions—a moment of impulsiveness and wishful thinking had ultimately led to an irreparable tragedy.

Stepping out of the interrogation room, Wang Shuai saw Lu Chuan, Zhang Hui, and others still waiting for him. "How did it go? Did Sun Zhengjun confess everything?" Lu Chuan asked.

Wang Shuai nodded and handed the interrogation record to Lu Chuan: "He confessed everything. The motive was a debt dispute. Because Tian Zheng was pressing him for gambling debts, he killed him and disposed of the body in a moment of desperation. The whole process perfectly matches the evidence we have." (End of Chapter)