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

"Let's go." The police officer gently pushed him, and Chen Gang came back to his senses. He lowered his head and followed the police officer step by step into the logistics park. Every step felt like walking on a knife's edge, heavy and slow.

Zhang Hui stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Chen Gang, his tone stern: "Chen Gang, we brought you here today to have you identify the crime scene and confess to the detailed process of murder and body disposal. We hope you will confess truthfully and cooperate with our investigation; this is your only chance for leniency." Chen Gang raised his head, meeting Zhang Hui's sharp gaze. His lips trembled a few times, and he slowly nodded, his voice hoarse and almost incoherent: "I...I understand. I will tell the truth. I did everything."

Escorted by police officers, Chen Gang walked step by step along the western path towards the abandoned factory. Every scene along the way seemed to open the floodgates of his memory, pulling that bloody night back into his mind. "This is it. I drove here around 7:30 that night and parked my car under the shade of a tree by the roadside. I deliberately chose this secluded spot because I was afraid of being seen," Chen Gang said, pointing to tire tracks on the ground as he stopped at a roadside overgrown with weeds. "I turned off the car and sat inside for more than 20 minutes, repeatedly wondering whether I should make a move. But when I thought about how Li Baochun was forcing me, and how my company was going to be ruined by him, I hardened my heart."

Zhang Hui signaled to the technical staff to take photos to document the location, while simultaneously asking, "What did you do after you parked? Were the tools prepared in advance?" Chen Gang lowered his eyelids and confessed in a low voice, "The tools were placed in the car beforehand: a solid iron rod about 50 centimeters long and a hemp rope. I took the iron rod from the company warehouse; I usually use it to pry things open when loading and unloading building materials. It's heavy enough that I knew it could knock someone unconscious in one blow. I bought the hemp rope specifically, intending to use it to tie Li Baochun up if he resisted, but in the end, I didn't need to use it." He paused, then added, "I wore a black mask and hat in the car, just in case someone saw me, they wouldn't recognize me. Then, carrying the iron rod and the hemp rope, I walked into the factory through this gap."

Chen Gang pointed to a breach in the factory wall, where the barbed wire had long since rusted and broken, and the area was overgrown with waist-high weeds, just large enough for an adult to bend over and pass through. Technical personnel immediately examined the breach and indeed found several slight crushing marks at the base of the weeds, consistent with Chen Gang's description of "bending over to pass through." They also extracted a small amount of fibrous material, which, upon preliminary comparison, matched the fibers of the clothing Chen Gang was wearing when he was arrested.

Passing through the gap in the wall, they arrived at the entrance of the abandoned factory. The factory door was long since rotten and deformed, hanging crookedly on the hinges, creaking and groaning in the wind. The ground in front of the door was covered with a thick layer of dust, with several sets of footprints clearly visible. "This is it. After I came in, I hid behind the pillar behind the factory door and waited for Li Baochun." Chen Gang stopped at the entrance, his eyes unfocused as he stared into the factory, his voice trembling slightly. "That night, the wind was very strong, and the factory was pitch black. I could only hear the wind outside and the squeaking of rats inside. I was extremely panicked, my palms were sweaty, and my hand holding the iron bar was shaking. I kept checking the time, afraid that Li Baochun wouldn't come, and also afraid that if he did come, I wouldn't be able to do it."

Referring to the crime scene investigation report, Zhang Hui pointed to the footprints on the ground and said, "The size 42 checkered leather shoe footprints here have been identified as yours, and they perfectly match the shoes you wore when you committed the crime. In addition, we extracted a small number of fingerprints from the pillar behind the gate, which are also yours, proving that you did indeed stay here." Chen Gang nodded without refuting, and continued his confession: "I waited by the pillar for about ten minutes, and then I heard footsteps getting closer and closer outside. I knew it was Li Baochun. When he pushed open the door and came in, he was cursing and swearing, saying that I deliberately avoided him and made him run so far."

Chen Gang slowly walked into the factory, stopping in the center, the area where the bloodstains were most concentrated during the on-site investigation. The dust on the ground was stained with blood, forming dark marks that, despite some cleaning, were still clearly visible. "He just stood there, staring at me as soon as he came in, asking where the money was. He said if I didn't give him the money today, he would immediately report me to the tax bureau and make sure my wife and children knew about my affair with Li Li, making it impossible for me to face anyone." Chen Gang's tone gradually became agitated, a flash of anger in his eyes, as if he were back in the confrontation. "I tried to remain calm and told him the money was in the innermost corner of the factory, asking him to come with me to get it. He didn't think much of it, just lowered his head and followed me inside, cursing at me as we went, saying I was dawdling and trying to play tricks on him."

Following Chen Gang's gaze, Zhang Hui saw a corner deep within the factory, piled high with discarded equipment, about ten meters from the central area. Scattered bloodstains were visible on the ground. "You attacked him when he walked towards the corner?" Zhang Hui pressed. Chen Gang closed his eyes, took a deep breath, as if calming his emotions. After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes and said in a heavy voice, "Yes. He was walking in front of me, his back to me. When he was about a meter away, I couldn't hold back any longer. I gripped the iron bar and, with all my might, smashed it down on the back of his head."

"The sound was very loud, a 'thud,' and I could feel the iron rod hitting my bones." Chen Gang's body trembled slightly, his eyes filled with remorse. "After Li Baochun was hit, his body swayed but didn't fall down immediately. He turned his head and looked at me in disbelief, his eyes wide open, making 'hoarse' sounds as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. I was already in a killing frenzy at that time. Seeing that he hadn't fallen, I raised the iron rod again and smashed it down on his temple. This time, I hit it harder than before. He didn't even groan before he fell straight to the ground."

Zhang Hui, referring to the autopsy report, added: "The autopsy results show that Li Baochun had two fatal injuries to his head. One was located at the occipital bone at the back of his head, resulting in a comminuted fracture of the skull. The other was located at his left temple, causing intracranial hemorrhage. These injuries perfectly match your description of the location of the iron rod strike. Furthermore, the autopsy found a small amount of dust in Li Baochun's nasal cavity and mouth, indicating that he was still breathing weakly after falling and had inhaled dust from the scene. This also confirms your statement that 'the first blow did not cause immediate death.'" (End of Chapter)