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After continuous pressure from Su Ning and others, Zheng Bensheng was finally forced to confess his crimes.

The recording of Zheng Bensheng's confession echoed in the interrogation room, his voice hoarse and trembling:
"The gun was buried in the backyard of Xue Jianting's house in the southern suburbs, under the third stone slab in the northeast corner. Qi Yuanmin entrusted it to him for safekeeping."

Suning pressed the pause button and looked at Director Liang and Deputy Director Lü behind the one-way glass.

Through the glass, he could see Director Liang's furrowed brows and Deputy Director Lü's fingers tapping incessantly on the table.

Half an hour later, the police convoy sped off towards the southern suburbs.

The dirt road was muddy after the rain, and mud kicked up by the wheels splashed onto the blue and white doors of the police car.

“This is it.” Brother Jie pointed to a lone bungalow in front of him.

Suning was the first to jump off the car, his boots sinking into the mud.

He looked around...

The house was located on the outskirts of the suburbs, with a wide view on all sides, making it an ideal place to hide stolen goods.

The search warrant gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

Xue Jianting, escorted by two policemen, looked ashen-faced but stared at Su Ning with unusual ferocity in his eyes: "You won't find anything!"

"Really?" Su Ning walked straight to the backyard. "Then let's take a look."

The backyard was overgrown with weeds, and a few irregular stone slabs haphazardly paved a path.

Suning counted to the third piece and signaled for the evidence collectors to come over.

When the stone slab was pried up, a musty smell wafted out.

The evidence collectors carefully brushed away the damp soil to reveal a rusty iron box.

Everyone held their breath.

The moment the metal box was opened, Su Ning saw a police pistol with a clearly marked serial number...

It was Zeng Guowei's sidearm back then.

“Xue Jianting,” Su Ning turned around, her voice as cold as ice, “you are now suspected of murdering a police officer and stealing cultural relics. Do you have anything else to say?”

A flicker of fear crossed Xue Jianting's eyes, which quickly turned fierce: "I want to see a lawyer!"

On the way back, Brother Jie excitedly patted the steering wheel: "That's awesome! We've finally made a real breakthrough!"

Su Ning stared at the scenery rushing past the window, her brows furrowed: "It's going too smoothly. I feel like something's not right."

After the police found the missing gun, they quickly used it as evidence to interrogate Xue Jianting, which put him under great pressure.

……

Director Liang received a recording pen from the Red Team and others. It contained Zheng Bensheng's entire confession, which made him very happy.

In the municipal bureau's conference room, Director Liang placed the recorder on the table, a rare smile appearing on his face: "Well done! This is a major breakthrough! I'll report to the provincial department immediately."

Deputy Director Lü, standing to the side, seemed to be deep in thought: "Is Zheng Bensheng's testimony reliable? Why did he suddenly change his tune?"

“72 hours of continuous interrogation,” Sister Hong pushed up her glasses, “we can pry open even the toughest mouth.”

Su Ning noticed a fleeting hint of unease in Deputy Director Lü's eyes, but it vanished in an instant.

"I have three suggestions," Director Liang said, raising his finger. "First, establish a special task force to thoroughly investigate this case; second, organize a dedicated interrogation team to crack down on Xue Jianting; and third, bring Zheng Bensheng back to the municipal bureau for further interrogation."

"Yes!"

After the meeting, Suning's phone rang.

Zeng Nan: "Officer Jian, I found some information about Qi Yuanmin that might be useful to you."

"What information?"

“His dispute with my father was not as simple as a dispute over an appraisal.” Zeng Nan’s voice trembled slightly. “They used to be friends, but they fell out because of a woman.”

Just as Su Ning was about to ask further questions, Brother Jie rushed over: "Team Leader Jian! Something's happened! The Supervision Department is looking for you!"

"..."

……

The office of the inspection department was as cold as an icebox.

Two expressionless inspectors sat opposite me, with a complaint document on the table.

“Officer Jian, someone has reported that you used illegal methods during the interrogation of Zheng Bensheng.” The older inspector pushed a document over, “including methods such as fatigue interrogation and psychological pressure.”

Su Ning glanced at the document and sneered: "Zheng Bensheng himself admitted to participating in the murder of a police officer and the theft of cultural relics. Now someone wants to overturn the case?"

“Procedural justice is equally important,” the young inspector said sternly. “You are temporarily suspended from your duties during the investigation.”

As I walked out of the inspection office, my colleagues in the police station corridor cast sympathetic or inquisitive glances my way.

Suning stood up straight, a smile even playing on his lips…

We must never let them see our wavering.

Sister Hong and Brother Jie were waiting for him in the parking lot.

"That's despicable!" Sister Hong exclaimed, her face turning pale with anger. "It's obvious someone's afraid we'll investigate further!"

Brother Jie kicked the tire hard: "Xue Jianting just caught him and he pulls this stunt, the timing is too coincidental!"

Suning comforted them instead, saying, "It's good to rest for a few days. I've been wanting to try the new 'thin as a wing' method for a long time."

Seeing the worried looks in their eyes, Su Ning waved and turned to walk towards her car.

Only he knew that the plan had moved on to the next stage.

……

In Li Wei's luxurious study, Tang Lianqing slammed a teacup down on the table.

"Tang Shouyu, are you crazy? Why are you helping that policeman?" Her beautiful face was frosty. "If this gets out, we're all finished!"

Tang Shouyu casually exhaled a smoke ring: "Sis, calm down. I only offered a little help."

"A little help?" Tang Lianqing sneered. "You sent people to participate in the trapping of Xue Jianting, and now that gun has been found!"

"What can that gun prove?" Tang Shouyu said dismissively. "It's an old gun from twenty years ago, and there are no fingerprints. The important thing is the person—the living can speak, but only the dead can keep secrets."

Tang Lianqing suddenly stood up: "What did you do?"

Tang Shouyu stubbed out his cigarette and gave a cruel smile: "Sister, sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to solve the person who raised it."

"..."

Meanwhile, at the detention center's medical room.

Xue Jianting huddled in the corner, his eyes vacant.

The prison guards had just brought him dinner, but he didn't touch it.

"Time to eat!" The prison guard knocked on the iron bars.

Xue Jianting slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse: "I need to see the prosecutor; I have important leads to report."

The prison guard frowned: "We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Late at night, the surveillance camera malfunctioned briefly for three minutes.

When the scene returned, Xue Jianting had already hung a torn bed sheet on the iron window, his body dangling in the air with his tongue sticking out.

At the same moment, Zheng Bensheng in the prison hospital suddenly went berserk, banging his head against the wall, his blood staining the entire white wall red.

After being subdued, he screamed hysterically, "I lied! The police forced me to say it! I didn't know about that gun!"

Thus, Xue Jianting suddenly committed suicide in the detention center, while Zheng Bensheng also engaged in self-harm in prison and denied his previous confession.

Many members of the public were outraged when they learned of this.

Faced with public scrutiny and considerable pressure, the police were forced to launch an investigation into the incident. They summoned Su Ning, questioning him about whether he had acted improperly during the interrogation of Zheng Bensheng and others.

At this point, Su Ning defended himself, saying that Xue Jianting may not have committed suicide. It was very likely that people outside the detention center put pressure on him and threatened him with his family, forcing him to commit suicide.

In addition, Zheng Bensheng may have encountered a similar situation, where people outside the prison passed on a message to him, forcing him to recant his testimony, which left him no choice but to change his previous statement.

……

In Suning's apartment, the television was playing the morning news:

"Recently, the suicide of a detained suspect has drawn widespread public attention. The family suspects that the police used torture to extract confessions."

The doorbell rings.

Suning turned off the TV and opened the door to see Captain Qin's serious face.

"Is it convenient for you to come in?" Captain Qin's gaze swept over the case files and empty beer cans scattered on the coffee table.

Suning shrugged: "As you can see, I'm enjoying a rare vacation."

Captain Qin sat down and got straight to the point: "Xue Jianting is dead, and Zheng Bensheng has recanted his confession. It's causing quite a stir outside, but you've remained calm."

"Otherwise what?" Su Ning smiled wryly. "Go and explain to the protesters that I didn't use torture to extract confessions?"

"I'm not here to question you," Captain Qin said in a low voice. "I'm here to tell you that you are in more danger than ever before."

Su Ning raised an eyebrow: "Because I was suspended?"

“Because you’re getting close to the truth.” Captain Qin’s eyes were sharp. “You think you’re safe just because you’re suspended? Those people won’t let any threat go unpunished. You only have one path now, and that is to return to the police force and get to the bottom of the case.”

Su Ning walked to the window and looked down at several suspicious-looking figures loitering in the neighborhood.

He suddenly realized that he was already deeply trapped in the vortex, with no way out.

"Give me one night to think about it," he finally said.

Captain Qin stood up and stopped at the door: "Jian Fan, sometimes the most dangerous path is the safest. I hope to see you at the station tomorrow morning."

That night, Su Ning didn't sleep a wink. He repeatedly reviewed the case files, his gaze finally settling on Xue Jianting's family information...

His wife, Feng Meimei, and his mother-in-law, Li Yuehua, lived in an old neighborhood in the eastern part of the city...

The next morning, at the main gate of the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Wearing a police uniform, Su Ning took a deep breath and stepped into the hall.

All eyes were on him—surprise, admiration, worry…

Director Liang personally greeted them: "Welcome back to the team. Although now the task force only has you, Brother Jie, and Sister Hong left."

Su Ning saluted: "That's enough, Director."

The police force held a meeting, where Chief Leung mobilized everyone to work together to solve the case of the stolen cultural relics.

However, everyone was disheartened by the previous accident.

Su Ning returned to his office and spent the night reviewing documents related to the case.

Finally, he was so exhausted that he collapsed onto the table.

This made Liang Wuyun, who came to his office to check on him, feel very distressed.

Then Liang Wuyun went forward and draped a coat over Su Ning, which woke Su Ning, who was in a light sleep.

"Hmm? Wu Yun? What brings you here?"

"Let's see if you've done anything wrong."

"Doing bad things in the municipal bureau? Am I not smart enough?"

"You've been under a lot of stress lately! I'll make you some soup today."

"I'd rather eat you than drink soup."

"Hmph! Bad guy."

"Liang Wuyun, let's get married after we finish this case, okay?"

"Is this your proposal?"

"Should I kneel down and propose in public?"

"That's pretty much it."

……

At the case analysis meeting, Su Ning stood in front of a whiteboard covered with photos and relationship diagrams of people involved in the case.

“We can no longer focus solely on the cultural relics line.” He crossed out several names with a marker. “The other side has become alert, and their capabilities are beyond our imagination.”

According to Suning's estimate, although they cannot continue to investigate the case for the time being, the real suspects must be very flustered now. They may come forward after a while, and the police will catch them red-handed.

Brother Jie frowned: "Then where do we start?"

Suning moved Feng Meimei's photo to the center: "From the weakest link—Xue Jianting's widow."

Then Su Ning told everyone that Xue Jianting had a wife named Feng Meimei, and they could use her as a breakthrough to obtain information about the case.

Sister Hong pushed up her glasses: "But we went to see her before, and her mother kicked us out."

“So this time we’ll try a different approach.” Su Ning looked at Liang Wuyun in the corner of the conference room. “We need Officer Liang’s help.”

"what?"

The reason Su Ning came to Liang Wuyun was because he and A Jie had gone to Feng Meimei's house to investigate, but they were kicked out by Feng Meimei's mother, Li Yuehua, and ended up in a very embarrassing situation. So Su Ning wanted to ask Liang Wuyun for help.

In front of Feng Meimei's house in an old residential area in the east of the city.

Li Yuehua, like an enraged lioness, brandished a broom and blocked the doorway: "Get out! Haven't you killed my son-in-law enough?"

Liang Wuyun stepped forward, her voice gentle: "Auntie, we just want to know the truth. Doesn't your daughter want to know why her husband committed suicide?"

“Suicide?” Li Yuehua sneered. “How could Jianting commit suicide? It must be you…”

"Mom!" A weak voice came from inside the house.

Feng Meimei stood at the door, her face pale and her eyes red and swollen. "Let them in."

The room was simple but clean, with Xue Jianting and Feng Meimei's wedding photo hanging on the wall.

Feng Meimei poured a glass of water for everyone, her hands trembling.

“My husband isn’t a bad person,” she said, her voice choked with emotion. “He just listens to Boss Qi too much.”

Su Ning asked softly, "Did Qi Yuanmin threaten him?"

Feng Meimei suddenly burst into tears: "That night, Jianting received a phone call. After that, he kept saying it was all over, all over, and the next day..."

She couldn't speak anymore.

Li Yuehua suddenly rushed over and hugged her daughter, yelling at the police officers, "Are you satisfied now? Can you leave now?"

As she left, Liang Wuyun noticed a corner of a photo album peeking out from under the coffee table.

Taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, she quickly took a picture of the exposed page with her phone...

The photo shows young Xue Jianting standing in front of an antique shop with another man. The man's face has been cut off, but the unique tattoo on his hand is clearly visible.

Back in the car, Liang Wuyun showed the photo to Su Ning: "This tattoo... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."

Suning zoomed in on the image, his pupils suddenly contracting: "This is the 'Nine Dragons and One Phoenix' tattoo. Tang Shouyu's signature tattoo."

Everyone fell silent.

The case seems to be developing in a direction they never expected.

...(End of chapter)