Police officer Chen Shu

Chapter 558 Judgment
"We must make this case airtight!"

Nie Chaofan stubbed out his cigarette and threw it on the ground, then stomped on it hard, saying fiercely.

After interrogating Zhao Zhiguo and obtaining his confession, Nie Chaofan, along with Xiao Ma, approved the criminal detention documents and rushed to send the uncle and nephew to the detention center overnight within 48 hours.

Standing at the entrance of the detention center's reception hall, Nie Chaofan did not rush to leave. He sent the other auxiliary police officers, except for Xiao Ma, to rest in the police car, and then contacted a police officer in the detention center, saying that he needed help with a case.

About half an hour later, a police officer on duty at the detention center opened the iron gate of the reception hall and led Nie Chaofan and Xiao Ma in, then took them to a small room inside.

The room wasn't large; it only contained two single beds and a TV, clearly intended for staff on duty to rest.

Having just experienced the sudden interrogation of Zhao Zhiguo with Nie Tan, Xiao Ma was shocked and even dared not face his master. Although he had doubts, he only glanced at the other party a few times and dared not ask questions.

Nie Chaofan frowned, perhaps because the room was too small and oppressive, or perhaps because he noticed his disciple's confusion, but he spoke first:

"Xiao Ma, don't dwell too much on the reasons. Once the truth comes to light, the cause will become clear. Don't waver! Don't waver at all. Now that we've come this far, we must investigate whether it's right or wrong! Investigating doesn't guarantee we'll find out the truth, but not investigating will definitely lead to regret!"

"Moreover, after our investigation, we know that Zhao Zhiguo's line of inquiry is the only reasonable one! The crime was committed by an acquaintance, the body was far away, and the suspect lied about the time of death. Zhao Zhiguo and Zhao Hui fit our hypothesis perfectly!"

Perhaps due to excessive pressure, Nie Chaofan needed an outlet. It was unclear whether he was speaking to Xiao Ma or to himself: "Xiao Ma, some cases require finding breakthroughs through confessions. Before you arrived, we investigated a case where a group of people committed murder and disposed of the body, also throwing the body into the river."

“We arrested the suspects and interrogated them first, and then collected a chain of evidence based on their confessions. The discarded dagger was found, and the blood-stained clothes they wore during the crime were also recovered. When solving cases, you can’t rely solely on intuition, but a good detective must have his intuition, that’s the point.”

Xiao Ma, his face tense, waited a moment before hesitantly saying, "Detective Nie, look, we still haven't found the murder weapon. We've turned Zhao Zhiguo's car upside down but haven't found a single trace of a bowstring. Is there something wrong with our thinking? Could we be being too subjective, too wishful?"

“We’ve already discussed this issue once,” Nie Chaofan interrupted directly, his voice turning stern. “The people are here, so don’t say anything more.”

Xiao Ma lowered his eyes and sat down on the corner of the bed.

At this moment, the police officer on duty at the detention center brought a detainee wearing an orange vest with the words "Dongzhou Detention Center" printed on it into the room.

The inmate who followed him in had delicate features, a hooked nose, narrow eyes with vertical pupils, and a cold, ruthless gaze. He also had a long, narrow scar on the right side of his cheek.

"You've brought the person here. You can talk, I still need to go outside to work as a hostess." The police officer on duty smiled, clearly used to this kind of work. "After you're done talking, take the person to the lobby. When you need to transfer them to a cell, just tell the duty officer."

After saying that, he yawned and pointed at the detainees before leaving, saying, "Yuan Xiaolong, do a good job and try to get another sentence reduced."

Yuan Xiaolong nodded and bowed: "Don't worry, government, we guarantee to complete the mission."

Reduce it again?

mission accomplished?

What task is to be completed?
What kind of task would require detainees to complete?

Xiao Ma felt uneasy, and his previously low mood eased somewhat.

After closing the door and waiting for the on-duty police officer to leave, Yuan Xiaolong turned to Nie Chaofan, who was sitting imposingly on the edge of the bed, and fawned over him, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together: "Officer Nie."

After lighting a cigarette and taking a satisfying puff, Yuan Xiaolong narrowed his long, narrow eyes so much that not a single slit could be seen: "Officer Nie, what mission is it this time? Don't worry, I guarantee I'll complete it swiftly and efficiently."

They looked like old acquaintances, or at least had worked together before. Xiao Ma looked back and forth between the two people, one standing and one sitting, and his first thought was that they were prison detectives.

Nie Chaofan said in a deep voice, "The usual rule, you go and sound him out and see if any of his men have committed any crimes."

Yuan Xiaolong nodded vigorously: "Officer Nie, don't worry, as long as I take a look, I'll even find out what size his wife's bra is!"

Nie Chaofan thought for a moment and then instructed, "This time we're going to approve an extension, giving you plenty of time. Take your time and make sure you get the hang of it."

After a pause, to prevent this guy from abusing his power, Nie Chaofan solemnly said, "It doesn't matter if you don't find anything, I'll still send some cigarettes in."

Yuan Xiaolong patted his chest: "Officer Nie, you can rest assured that I can handle things well."

Detention center.

Although it was late at night, the cell was still brightly lit.

Wearing shackles, Zhao Zhiguo huddled in a corner of the dormitory, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He had been here for a long time, living the same life every day: the same food, the same prison clothes, the same cell calls. He felt like a domestic animal trapped in a cage, unable to breathe freely, unable to move freely.

All I could do was quietly await death, await my tragic fate. But this time, even this simple wish couldn't be fulfilled.

Zhao Zhiguo touched the wound that the cell boss had broken, but he could no longer feel any pain.

Is it because my heart is dead?
It still hurts too much, so you can't feel the pain anymore?

Time passed, and the alarm clock rang. One by one, the roommates got up and washed up, while Zhao Zhiguo remained stubbornly huddled in the corner, not uttering a sound.

A burly man swaggered over, folded an A4 sheet of paper covered in writing, and put it into Zhao Zhiguo's pocket in front of him.

"Remember, hand this piece of paper you wrote yourself to the police later. If you try to pull any tricks, hehe, then tonight you'll just have to catch fifty mosquitoes and that'll be the end of it!"

The jailer squinted his narrow eyes, gestured a few times, and left when he saw that the matter was settled.

This guy would stop at nothing to get a reduced sentence. After learning that Zhao Zhiguo was suspected of rape, he forced Zhao Zhiguo to write a confession. Then he took the confession to the police as evidence and even acted as a witness, giving a detailed statement recounting Zhao Zhiguo's admission of rape in the cell.

In order to atone for his crime and obtain a reduced sentence through judicial means.

After breakfast, a guard from the detention center took Zhao Zhiguo out and led him through a long corridor into an interrogation room.

Two police officers I knew were sitting opposite me.

Zhao Zhiguo handed over the A4 paper from his pocket with both hands and said blankly, "Government, this is my confession."

The two detectives exchanged a glance. The younger one, beaming with joy, clenched his fist and exclaimed excitedly, "Detective Nie, I knew it was these two! Wang Xia can rest in peace now!"

The older man was much calmer, his expression softening slightly as he spoke to the person in the cage: "Zhao Zhiguo, it's good that you've confessed. The court will give you a way out. Just reform yourself well inside and try to return to your hometown before you die."

"Okay, government."

The court.

"Boom!"

"All rise."

"This court holds that the defendants Zhao Zhiguo and Zhao Hui, having intended to harm the victim, and Zhao Zhiguo, having previously been sentenced to imprisonment for the crime of affray, are repeat offenders and should be punished more severely."
"The verdict is as follows: Defendant Zhao Zhiguo is guilty of the crime of rape and sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, and deprived of his political rights for life!"

The judge's authoritative voice echoed in the courtroom.

However, Zhao Zhiguo didn't hear anything at this moment.

His vision blurred, and in his mind's eye, he seemed to see his wife leaning against the door at their front door.

She rocked her still-crying baby daughter in her arms while glancing outside from time to time, waiting for her husband to return, though she didn't know when.

Zhao Zhiguo opened his mouth and murmured, "Wife, I bought you a cell phone. Do you like it?"

roadside.

Nie Chaofan spat out the half-eaten cigarette he was holding in his mouth and stomped it out.

He glanced back at the towering courthouse building, then left without looking back.

While busy on the phone bragging to his girlfriend about solving a murder case, Xiao Ma looked up and saw his master walking away. He quickly hung up the phone and hurriedly chased after him.

Looking at his master's somewhat weathered back, Xiao Ma suddenly recalled the few short sentences his master had given him earlier.

"The case will eventually end, but the pain will not. This is the most cruel thing for all three of us: the suspect, the victim, and the police."

"You are still very young. In the future, you will meet many people, experience many things, gain a lot, and also lose a lot."

"But in any case, there are two things you absolutely cannot lose."

"One is called conscience, and the other is called ideal."

(The cases of Zhao Zhiguo's assassination and Nie Chaofan's murder are now closed.)
(End of this chapter)