Hong Kong variety show: From being bitten by a cockroach to becoming a legend

Chapter 158 Please cooperate with our investigation

"What?" Chen Jiaqi thought he had misheard. Liu Jiehui's pupils also contracted slightly as he stared intently at Song Zhaowen.

Song Zhaowen leaned forward slightly, his voice low but carrying a resolute force: "Chief Liu is an outstanding Chinese police officer with a limitless future. However, within the police force, especially at the higher levels, foreign influence is deeply entrenched, hindering progress at every turn. Richard is just one member; there are many more behind him. With the videotape, Chief Liu, you have an excellent opportunity to legitimately establish a top-level special investigation team, bypassing Richard and even reporting directly to the Commissioner of Police and the Security Bureau, to thoroughly investigate this case. This is not just about my lost 100 million, but also about cleaning house, rectifying police discipline, and uprooting those incompetent, complicit, and even malignant foreign elements!"

Song Zhaowen's words struck Liu Jiehui's heart like a heavy hammer.

He certainly understood the political significance of that videotape.

This is not just a criminal case; it is a trump card that could trigger a major upheaval within the police force and lead to a power reshuffle!

If handled properly, this case could be used to vigorously rectify the situation and significantly weaken the British faction, opening up broader opportunities for Chinese elites like him.

"Mr. Song—that's quite a move." Liu Jiehui spoke slowly, looking at Song Zhaowen with a complicated expression: "Aren't you afraid that after I get the videotape, I'll ignore it? Or even turn around and deal with you? After all, you're also a member of the underworld."

Song Zhaowen smiled calmly: "Director Liu is a smart man, and more importantly, a man who aspires to great things. What can you gain by dealing with me, Song Zhaowen? A collaborator who is somewhat law-abiding, can help you maintain order in the underground world, and may even provide special assistance at times? Or will you gain a potential enemy who could explode at any moment? And who can guarantee that I only have this one tape? I can guarantee that if something happens to me, or if Zhengxing is targeted, the world's media will get this tape the next day!"

This is Song Zhaowen's strategy of holding back his attack.

Holding onto the other person's heart forever is always more far-reaching than seeking momentary pleasure or gain.

A brief silence fell over the office. Only the rising steam from the Pu'er tea leaves lingered.

Liu Jiehui stared at the videotape, his fingers tapping lightly on his knee, clearly weighing the pros and cons rapidly.

Finally, Liu Jiehui reached out and picked up the videotape. The cold plastic casing felt incredibly heavy in his hand.

"Mr. Song, I accept this gift."

"But I hope you can keep your promise. As long as this tape remains hidden from the light of day, you will be a friend of the police force..."

The remaining half of the sentence was left unsaid: "If they dare to expose this, the police force will suffer a great loss this time, but they will keep a close eye on Zhengxing and beat them to death in the future."

Song Zhaowen extended his hand and shook hands with Liu Jiehui: "I, Song Zhaowen, have always been upright and honest in my dealings—at least with my friends; this tape is a token of my sincerity. What I want is not a police force dominated by foreigners, but a more efficient and adaptable police force led by a capable and charismatic Chinese leader like Commissioner Liu. This would benefit Hong Kong's stability and everyone's development, wouldn't it?"

We're all smart people, so let's not say anything more.

Liu Jiehui gave Song Zhaowen a deep look: "Let's wait and see."

West Kowloon Police Station.

Since the heist, Deng Weitao had been on high alert every day, fearing that the matter would be exposed. But a week passed and things calmed down, which put his mind at ease.

They even started planning whether to quit their jobs and use the money to immigrate.

Thirty million, five people, each person got six million, enough to live on for a lifetime!

But Deng Weitao had just parked the car.

Three men in suits walked up to him.

"Chief Deng, we are senior inspectors from the Internal Affairs Investigation Division. These are our identification badges." The leader, a man in his forties with a serious face and sharp eyes, presented badges bearing the name "Zhou Yongjie." "There are some details regarding the January 9th armored truck robbery and murder case that require your assistance in the investigation. Your cooperation is appreciated."

Deng Weitao's heart skipped a beat, as if gripped by an invisible hand. The Internal Affairs Investigation Department! The most feared department within the police force, specializing in investigating its own people.

He forced a calm expression, forcing a smile of surprise and cooperation: "Zhou sir? Assisting with the investigation is no problem, but I have some routine patrol reports to submit today, could you—"

"The routine report can be postponed." Zhou Yongjie's tone was calm but unquestionable: "Chief Deng, this is the formal procedure."

"Please get in the car." He gestured to a black, unmarked sedan parked next to him.

Deng Weitao noticed that several passing police officers were casting curious and inquisitive glances at him.

He knew that any resistance or delay at this moment would make him seem guilty, so he took a deep breath, suppressed his panic, and nodded: "Okay, I'll cooperate."

As for running away?

Three internal affairs personnel surrounded him in a triangular formation.

There were several cars following him in the distance. If he made any sudden movements, these men would draw their guns and aim them at him.

Once in the back seat of the car, Deng Weitao noticed that there was another person in the passenger seat, wearing glasses, holding a folder, glancing back at him with a cold, expressionless look.

The car doors closed, and the car smoothly drove out of the police station compound, but not towards the West Kowloon Regional Headquarters building; instead, it headed towards Hong Kong Island.

"Zhou sir, where are we going?" Deng Weitao couldn't help but ask.

"Internal Affairs Headquarters," Zhou Yongjie replied briefly, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

Deng Weitao's heart sank to the bottom. That was not an ordinary interrogation place; it was a special isolation investigation point specifically for handling major, sensitive cases that might involve high-ranking officials!

This level of organization—far exceeded his expectations! Could it be—could it be that Fei Xue and the others weren't keeping their mouths shut and someone leaked the information? Damn it, he should have just killed them all too.

Countless thoughts churned in his mind, and cold sweat instantly soaked the back of his shirt.

The car eventually drove into an inconspicuous but heavily guarded gray building.

Deng Weitao was taken into an interrogation room with no windows, only a table, a few chairs, and an incandescent light bulb.

Even when entering the building, their guns must be disarmed and their hands must be shackled.

Normally, Deng Weitao deals with the other suspects, but now he's using his own body.

Zhou Yongjie and his bespectacled assistant sat down opposite him, opened a folder, took out a small recorder, and pressed the record button.

"Senior Sergeant Deng Weitao, ID PCXXXXX. It is 10:15 a.m., and you are being questioned regarding the January 9th Armored Truck Robbery and Murder Case at Ma Jixian Gorge Road. You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say will be used against you in a court of law." Zhou Yongjie's voice echoed in the empty room, devoid of any emotion.

Deng Weitao swallowed hard: "Understood."

"On the morning of January 9th, you were in charge of leading the team to escort an armed armored truck entrusted by Hang Seng Bank, carrying HK$100 million in cash belonging to Mr. Song Zhaowen. Please recount the entire process from the moment the convoy left the dock, to the attack, and finally to the end of the attack, in as much detail as possible."

Here they come! Deng Weitao, with utmost concentration, began to recount, word by word, the statement they had rehearsed repeatedly and which they knew almost by heart. How the robbers launched their surprise attack, how fierce their firepower was, how they cut off communications, how the PTU fought bravely but suffered heavy casualties, how He Wenzhan died in the line of duty, how the robbers stole three cash boxes, and how they ultimately rescued the wounded and secured the scene—

He spoke slowly and "painfully," even displaying anger, sadness, and self-blame at crucial moments, showcasing superb acting skills.

Zhou Yongjie listened quietly, occasionally jotting down notes in his notebook. Only after Deng Weitao finished speaking did he look up, adjust his glasses, and say, "Chief Deng, your account basically matches the preliminary report submitted earlier, as well as the testimonies of some of the injured team members."

Deng Weitao felt a little relieved, but the next sentence made his hair stand on end again.

"However, there are a few details that raise questions." Zhou Yongjie turned to another page in the folder: "According to you, the three employees of Hengsheng Bank were killed by the robbers in the chaos. But the preliminary autopsy report shows that although the stab wounds on their bodies deliberately mimicked the chaotic stabbing, the depth and angle of the wounds, especially the location and method of the fatal wounds, show a certain consistency, as if they were deliberately executed after being controlled."

Deng Weitao's breathing became rapid, and his palms sweated: "You know those robbers are inhuman."

Zhou Yongjie sneered: "The robbers weren't after money, they weren't after lives. If they were murderers, why are you and your team members all unharmed? It doesn't make logical sense!"

"What do you mean? You suspect we're lying?"

"What do I mean?" Zhou Yongjie leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Deng Weitao like a hawk. "Chief Deng, I'm just raising a reasonable question based on the evidence. The robbers' goal is very clear: to quickly steal the money and make a quick getaway. Killing people, especially executing three defenseless employees at close range with a knife, would be a waste of time and increase the risk of exposure, which doesn't fit the operating logic of such professional robbers."

He paused, flipped to another page in the folder, took out an enlarged photograph of the scene, and pushed it in front of Deng Weitao: "Take a look at this. According to the on-site investigation, the three employees were found dead in the innermost corner of the carriage, very close to each other. If they had been killed by the hijackers during a fierce firefight and extreme panic," their bodies should have been more scattered, and some might have even tried to escape the carriage. But in reality, they seem to have been trapped in a corner."

Deng Weitao stared at the photo, his throat dry, feeling as if his heart was about to leap out of his chest. "That—that might have been the robbers firing a warning shot to prevent them from running away, or—or maybe they were so scared they huddled together—"

"They hid together, and then the robbers precisely stabbed each of them multiple times?" Zhou Yongjie's voice grew even colder. "Chief Deng, do you think I'm new to solving cases?"