Chapter 225

Chapter 225 - 225 218 Truth Revealed Evil Begets Evil (Part 1)

Chapter 225: 218: Truth Revealed, Evil Begets Evil (Part 1) Chapter 225: 218: Truth Revealed, Evil Begets Evil (Part 1) While Qin Qi was undergoing a live body examination, Yan Gaoxiang from Huaqi Technology came to the police station to surrender.

“Qin Qi asked me to create an alibi for him,” he said.

The criminal investigator taking the testimony was Guo Dan, “Be more specific, how many times? And when exactly?”

“There were several times in total—the first time was five years ago. At first, I didn’t know why he wanted me to lie, not until Qin Ke was arrested and put in prison.”

Five years ago, because of drunkenness, Qin Ke was charged with intentional injury causing disability. At the time, Qin Ke actively admitted his guilt and was sentenced to five years, but was released in less than four years due to sentence reduction.

“There were a few other times in between, each related to some trouble caused by Qin Ke. I vaguely guessed some of it,” Yan Gaoxiang confessed without reservation, “The most recent time was on the twentieth of last month. Qin Qi gave me some money to deliver to Qin Ke at Shili Depot. I asked him why he didn’t just transfer the funds, and he said it couldn’t go through the accounts and also told me to say we had arranged to go night fishing if anyone asked.”

“What benefits did Qin Qi give you in exchange for false testimony?”

“He was Director Chen’s student and was going to take over Director Chen’s position sooner or later. He was virtually my superior,” he said.

“Just that?”

Yan Gaoxiang’s gaze shifted evasively.

Guo Dan smelled something fishy, “Think carefully, if there’s more you’re hiding, you’ll be punished for all offenses together.”

Yan Gaoxiang immediately shook his head, “That’s all. I came to surrender because I was afraid after seeing Qin Qi get arrested.” He asked nervously, “Officer, will I be sentenced for a long time?”

“You’ll find out when you go to court.”

This was the testimony of Yan Gaoxiang half an hour ago.

Time returns to the present.

“Yan Gaoxiang didn’t say that.”

Qin Qi looked shocked, “What did he say?!”

“Don’t you know what you’ve done?” Lin Yaoping pointed at the wall behind him, “This is your last chance. Do you see those four words up there?”

Leniency for those who confess.

Qin Qi was not Qin Ke; he was shrewd and strategic, having thrived in the business world for so many years, his nerve and psychological resilience were well-honed. He denied all charges without changing his expression, “Yan Gaoxiang is lying. He covets the CEO position of the company and is deliberately slandering me.”

*****

In the adjoining interrogation room.

“Damn it, who’s slandering him!”

Yan Gaoxiang was so angry that he jumped up, “I have evidence!”

Yan Gaoxiang had made a recording.

*****

Time returns again to Qin Qi’s side; the interrogation had already exceeded an hour.

In the meantime, Qin Qi changed his story.

He admitted to a part of the crimes, “Even if I did tell him to provide a false alibi, that would only prove that I was impersonating Qin Ke and having an affair with Shen Ru.” He was cleverly sidestepping the main issue, “I didn’t incite or induce Shen Ru to kill.

It was her own delusion. She wanted to climb the ranks and accidentally killed my brother.”

“Accidental killing?” Lin Yaoping’s throat was dry; he took a sip of water, “I haven’t used the words ‘accidental killing’ from the beginning to the end.”

Finally, Qin Qi became flustered and inadvertently confessed.

“Your aim was ‘accidental killing,’ or more accurately, to make it look like an accidental killing.”

Qin Qi chose to remain silent.

Lin Yaoping wasn’t worried about his silence; there was plenty of time to grind him down, “How many times did you have Yan Gaoxiang make false testimony for you?”

Qin Qi refused to answer.

“You know very well about Qin Ke’s criminal record; five years ago, he went to prison for intentional assault. Five years ago was also the time you first had Yan Gaoxiang forge evidence for you. The key to that case’s conviction was Qin Ke’s confession, and the DNA at the scene also matched, while your alibi proved to be false,” Lin Yaoping said, looking into Qin Qi’s eyes, “Qin Ke confessed for your crime.”

Qin Qi stopped playing dumb, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Still playing dumb, huh?”

Qin Ke had gambling debts and an autopsy also revealed a history of drug abuse. Qin Qi lied, claiming he was out night fishing, and that Qin Ke was lured away to meet with Yan Gaoxiang to get money. The chain of evidence was all linked together.

Over the years, the brothers had played this role-switching game countless times. Qin Ke knew too many of Qin Qi’s secrets. As Qin Ke had developed a drug addiction and gambling habit, becoming a money pit, Qin Qi simply silenced him. Shen Ru’s affair with Qin Ke was no secret in the Qin Family; Qin Qi knew about their affair and exploited Shen Ru.

The police had already found a camera in the Qin Family’s kitchen. Qin Qi knew from the camera footage in advance that Shen Ru had switched the honeysuckle for the Hooked Cymbidium flower, then staged a manslaughter scenario.

“First, you had Mrs. Yan arrange for Liu Wenhua to attend a flower arrangement class, then distracted the family driver. The task of taking your mother to play cards fell to Shen Ru. The medicine that was originally brewed for Liu Wenhua was thus ‘accidentally’ consumed by Qin Ke,” Lin Yaoping accused the stubborn suspect, “Am I right?”

During the interrogation of Qin Qi, Mrs. Yan and the Qin Family’s driver had already been interrogated.

Qin Qi finally stopped denying stubbornly, “I want a lawyer.”

Afterward, Qin Qi was detained in the detention center.

Yan Gaoxiang and Qin Qi had completely fallen out. Mrs. Yan confessed in her statement that it was her husband, at the request of Qin Qi, who had arranged the meeting with Liu Wenhua. Additionally, the Qin Family’s driver clarified in his statement that the lesson for Qin Nai was added at the last minute on the day that Qin Ke was killed.

All evidence pointed indirectly to Qin Qi; now, the most critical thing was Liu Wenhua’s word. Because of ill health, Liu Wenhua was not brought to the police station until the day after Qin Qi’s arrest.

She wore a white cloth band on her head as a sign of mourning for her husband, appeared pale and extremely weak. Aside from crying and coughing, she said only two sentences throughout—

“I don’t know, I don’t know anything.”

“Qin Qi didn’t instruct me to do anything, my husband’s death was an accident.”

Without evidence proving Liu Wenhua’s involvement in the murder, the police had to release her temporarily after the 24-hour summons period expired.

Liu Wenhua returned home as the daylight was fading.

Seeing her come back alone, Old Lady Zhao’s face fell, “How come you’re back alone? Why hasn’t Qi returned?”

Liu Wenhua couldn’t answer and just kept her head down in silence.

Old Lady Zhao pushed her, “Did you say something to the police that was detrimental to Qi?”

“I didn’t.”

“Then why did the police arrest Qi and not you?” Old Lady Zhao reached out to pull Liu Wenhua’s hair, weeping and cursing, “You broom star! Our Qin Family’s misfortune is all because of you. Why didn’t you drink poison! Why don’t you die! Broom star!

Evil spirit!”

Liu Wenhua endured the beating and the scolding without talking back or fighting back.

Old Lady Zhao had been domineering all her life, but in her old age, her two sons had met with trouble one after another. She crumbled under the shock, her hair turned completely white. She was tired from hitting and yelling, so she sat on the ground crying—crying about her hard life, crying about the misfortune of her two sons.

While Old Lady Zhao was still in tears, the police showed up again.

Old Lady Zhao got up, barring their entry, cursing at the investigators, “Haven’t you harmed my two sons enough? What are you here for now?”

Lin Yaoping signaled to Zhang Qian, who led his team to the greenhouse behind the villa.

From the hallway at the end of the second floor, one could see the entire glass greenhouse. Liu Wenhua stood at the window, watching the greenhouse below.

“Do you know what the police are looking for?” Wen Changling walked up, standing next to Liu Wenhua, “They’re looking for the clothes Qin Qi wore the night he went to the Junlin Club.”

Liu Wenhua turned her head abruptly.

Wen Changling unexpectedly asked her a question, “Do you think the camera was only in the kitchen?”

She looked composed, like an outsider watching a play, or like a strategist who had laid out the game, seemingly aware of the ending.

Liu Wenhua instinctively felt fear, “You—”

“Madam Liu, you still have children to raise; I think it’s better for you to cut your losses and seek a way out,” Wen Changling said, his eyes filled with compassion and pity, as if he had come to redeem her, “What do you think?”