Era: Starting with the struggle to refuse being taken advantage of

Chapter 262 The Key Evidence is Gone
With an awkward laugh, Luo Haochuan muttered, "This is definitely a blank tape. Apart from the part that contains evidence, the rest is empty."

With that in mind, Luo Haochuan quickly pressed the rewind button.

However, before he could even finish reciting the instructions, Mao Weimin frowned and questioned him, saying:
"Haochuan, are you kidding me? There's clearly no tape in this tape recorder."

The sound of the tape turning was faint, but not entirely absent, completely incongruous with the extremely quiet tape recorder in front of him.

After Mao Weimin reminded him, Luo Haochuan realized that something was wrong.

He opened the tape recorder's cassette compartment and, sure enough, found that there were no tapes inside.

After a moment of stunned silence, Luo Haochuan immediately asked Chen Dayong:
"Dayong, what's going on? Where's the tape in the tape recorder?"

Without batting an eye, Chen Dayong simply lied, saying:
"What tape? Didn't you hold the tape yourself, Brother Luo? I didn't touch it at all!"

Do you think I don't know whether I took the tape or not?

Luo Haochuan's intuition told him that Chen Dayong was definitely up to something, and he immediately shouted:

"Quickly, handcuff Chen Dayong and search him. I suspect he deliberately destroyed evidence."

"Send another person with me to look back and see if there is any hidden evidence along the way."

The repeated instances of evidence being destroyed are a slap in the face to the Shanghe City Public Security Bureau.

Especially for Luo Haochuan, he remembered that Zhou Xia had specifically reminded him to protect the evidence.

Now that the evidence is gone, he desperately wants to shoot himself to wash away the shame brought by Chen Dayong.

Before Luo Haochuan could even step out the door, he heard Chen Dayong's maniacal laughter:

"Luo Haochuan, it's a bit too late to think about looking for that cassette tape now."

"You should be glad that I destroyed the tape, so you didn't offend someone you could never afford to offend."

Hearing Chen Dayong's taunts, Luo Haochuan rushed out of the evidence room as if he had gone mad, but he only managed to salvage a cassette tape that had been burned beyond recognition in the corridor.

In fact, he, who was walking ahead, also heard the sound of the lighter and smelled the burnt smell of something burning, but he couldn't connect these things with that important cassette tape.

"I was so stupid. Zhou Xia clearly warned me that this tape was extremely important..."

Picking up the cassette tape, now burned beyond recognition, from the floor, Luo Haochuan placed it on the table and asked his colleagues in the evidence room:
Is there any way to repair this tape?

One of the policemen immediately picked up the tapes to examine them, only to find that all the tapes inside were burned beyond recognition. He frowned and said:

"This is probably beyond repair."

Bang! That was the sound of Luo Haochuan slamming his fist on the table.

He was also furious, and immediately roared at Chen Dayong:

"Chen Dayong, do you know what you're doing?"

"You may have only destroyed a cassette tape, but you implicated an innocent person and let a heinous criminal go free."

With a cold expression, Chen Dayong smiled and said, "Of course I know what I'm doing."

"What you're saying has nothing to do with me. All I know is that I'm about to gain tremendous benefits through this."

"You idiot, you probably don't know what you should really be doing."

"That's Director Li from the Revolutionary Committee. What makes you think you can fight him?"

“That Zhou Xia is even more laughable. Does he really think he can bring down the Li family with his own strength alone?”

Hearing Chen Dayong's words, Luo Haochuan knew he was beyond saving. Ignoring everything else, he immediately returned to the interrogation room with a dark expression and asked Zhou Xia:

"The key evidence is gone. Do you have any other evidence to prove what you're saying?"

Zhou Xia looked at Luo Haochuan with a puzzled expression and said speechlessly, "I remember reminding you to protect the evidence?"

"What did you say back then? That the evidence was in your hands and there would be absolutely no more problems?"

After being questioned by Zhou Xia, Luo Haochuan's face turned as red as a monkey's bottom, but he couldn't refute her because what Zhou Xia said was true.

With a heavy sigh, Luo Haochuan gave up resisting and said:
"I admit that I made some mistakes in this matter, but since it has already happened, we can only try to make amends."

"You don't want to be a scapegoat and get shot, do you?"

"Then you'd better cooperate with us and find some more evidence to convict Li Weiguo."

Zhou Xia glared at Luo Haochuan with annoyance and loudly complained, "Don't talk like I haven't given you any evidence."

"It was clearly your stupid mistake, why should I take the blame?"

Zhou Xia now feels incredibly powerful, ready to challenge anyone and everything.

It's estimated that only Wang Chengpeng's presence could make him restrain himself a little, since Zhou Xia was genuinely afraid of Wang Chengpeng's unpredictable methods.

However, since this matter concerned whether he could get a reduced sentence, Zhou Xia cursed and swore, but his actions betrayed his words, and he pulled out another cassette tape from his pocket.

These were extra tapes he specifically asked for from the Song family, since the police station had a history of being unreliable, so bringing a few extra tapes was always a good idea.

Seeing Zhou Xia pull out yet another cassette tape, Luo Haochuan said in surprise:
"How come you still have cassette tapes?"

He then fell silent, because he remembered Wang Chengpeng from the past.

Wang Chengpeng was just as well-prepared, using one piece of evidence after another to ultimately crush Zhou Xia.

As a former victim, Zhou Xia naturally has vivid memories of the incident, so it's only natural that she would prepare multiple backups.

Ignoring the shock in Luo Haochuan's eyes, Zhou Xia said:

"I've paid the price for your mistake, so I just hope you'll put in a good word for me and give me a lighter sentence."

Taking the cassette tape from Zhou Xia, Luo Haochuan chuckled awkwardly:
"Of course, I will always remember your contribution in providing evidence."

"Alright, I have other things to do, so I won't bother you any longer."

"I will arrange for someone I trust to come and protect you later. Just stay in the interrogation room. Someone will bring you food on time."

Zhou Xia yawned lazily and said nonchalantly, "Okay, let's just consider it a preview of prison life."

This time, Luo Haochuan dared not hand the evidence over to anyone else and took it to the evidence room himself.

Just then, Chen Dayong was still there, shouting that everyone else was a fool and that he was the smartest, making the right choice at the right time.

However, when he saw the cassette tape in Luo Haochuan's hand, his face immediately turned green.

Especially when Luo Haochuan pressed play and the familiar voice came from the recorder, his face turned ashen, and he muttered:
"How is that possible? How could he possibly still have evidence?"

With evidence, witnesses, and testimonies, the rest becomes much simpler.

Especially now that the Song family has begun to exert its influence, the downfall of the Li family is only a matter of time.

Those who needed to be arrested were arrested, and those who needed to be interrogated were interrogated; all procedures were proceeding step by step. However, it was precisely in this seemingly orderly operation that a major mistake occurred.

Inside the Song family mansion, Song Wenxin received a phone call. A frantic male voice came from the other end:

"Cousin, something terrible has happened! The evidence you asked me to keep an eye on has gone wrong, and the crucial evidence is gone."

"Those gold bars were touched by some greedy guy, and the fingerprints on them were greatly affected, making them difficult to use as evidence to prove Zhou Xia's guilt."

This person was none other than Song Jianguo, the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau.

With a furrowed brow, Song Wenxin was surprised that such a meticulously planned scheme had still made a mistake, especially with such crucial evidence.

Thinking this, she continued to ask, "Did Li Weiguo confess?"

“If he has already confessed and been executed, it makes no difference whether the gold nugget exists or not.”

Song Jianguo sighed and said, "He still won't say anything."

"Without absolute evidence, it would be very difficult for us to bring him down."

Hearing Song Jianguo say that, Song Wenxin frowned even more deeply and said:
Is the existing evidence sufficient for a conviction?

"After all, Zhou Xia is a witness, and that cassette tape is also the best evidence."

After hesitating for a moment, Song Jianguo said frankly, "I'm afraid it will be difficult."

"After all, the Li family is no small fry. If we really want to take action against them, ambiguous evidence is definitely not enough."

“The recording can only prove that they talked, but it cannot prove whether the conversation was true or false.”

“We can’t just arrest someone because they’re bragging; otherwise, there would be countless wrongful convictions every day.”

At this point, Song Jianguo paused and said, "And that's not what I'm most worried about."

“Now that the situation has reversed, I’m afraid someone might try to turn Zhou Xia against us.”

"After all, we now have a way to exonerate him. If even the key figure turns against us, then we may never be able to touch the Li family again."

Man proposes, God disposes.

For some reason, Song Wenxin remembered this sentence.

Wang Chengpeng's plan was meticulous, and he even managed to win over Zhou Xia, a key figure in the scheme.

However, even under these circumstances, the evidence was destroyed by strange little things, as if even the heavens were not on their side.

With a sigh, Song Wenxin could only helplessly say, "I'll do my best."

"I'll go see Zhou Xia and ask him if he has any more crucial evidence."

Asking a criminal if they have any evidence to convict them is the funniest joke in the world.

However, Song Wenxin had no choice but to do it.

She didn't expect the matter to be so airtight that even Zhou Xia, the person involved, didn't know about it.

Since Zhou Xia will find out about the lack of evidence sooner or later, she shouldn't contact the other party directly; perhaps there's still a chance for things to turn around.

Zhou Xia is greedy and ungrateful. If we offer him a large sum of money and use the Li family to threaten him, there might still be a glimmer of hope.

For some reason, Wang Chengpeng's image and his confident statement flashed into Song Wenxin's mind:

"If you encounter any problems that you can't solve, you can ask me for help."

Shaking her head slightly, Song Wenxin gave up on this absurd idea. No matter how capable Wang Chengpeng was, could he conjure up evidence to solve the case out of thin air?

Song Wenxin's estimate was correct, because members of the Li family had already begun contacting Zhou Xia.

This person was none other than Li Dan, Zhou Xia's former lover.

Given Li Dan's naive and silly personality, she was naturally not cut out to be the persuader.

However, as long as someone is giving her pointers and using her relationship with Zhou Xia, she becomes the best persuader.

As long as Zhou Xia still feels even a little bit of guilt towards her, he will easily be moved by her and join the Li family's camp.

In prison, separated by iron bars, Li Dan sent her most heartfelt plea to Zhou Xia:
"Brother Xia, look at me, I'm your favorite Li Dan."

Looking at the incredibly robust Li Dan, Zhou Xia subconsciously took two steps back, distancing himself from Li Dan.

If the other party weren't of any use to him, he probably would never have been able to be intimate with such a person, even if it meant his death.

Ignoring Zhou Xia's resistance, Li Dan said affectionately:
“Brother Xia, I know you must have had your reasons for doing that. It must have been those bastards from the Song family who forced you.”

"But it's alright, God is on our side. They don't have enough evidence to completely convict you."

"Now, as long as you insist that you were just joking before, and that the recording was just bragging between you and your father-in-law, you can be released without charge, and you'll still be my favorite chivalrous brother."

Faced with Li Dan's persuasion, Zhou Xia said coldly, "Li Dan, you really can't see yourself clearly."

"You keep calling me 'Brother Xia,' it really makes me want to vomit."

"Look at yourself, you're not good enough for me."

"Go away. I will not agree to your betrayal. This is the sin I deserve, this is the consequence I should receive, and even God cannot change it."

Lacking evidence? Is God on their side?
To Zhou Xia, these words were nothing short of the funniest joke.

Even if he betrays the Li family and helps them through their crisis, he himself will still die without a burial place.

After all, the Li family has connections in the underworld, so finding a wanted criminal to kill him would be a piece of cake for them.

Most importantly, Zhou Xia did not believe that the Li family would not fall, because Wang Chengpeng was not on the Li family's side.

He didn't know how powerful God was, but he had certainly witnessed Wang Chengpeng's prowess.

It was always the same situation: he seemed to have found a chance to turn the tide and was about to win, but Wang Chengpeng's endless tricks always shattered his hopes, leaving him with a tragic end.

Therefore, his best option now is to stay here obediently and wait for his due imprisonment.

When the time comes to leave, with the benefits promised by the Li family and the money earned from selling jobs, although the future is destined not to be very bright, at least it won't be too bad.

Thinking this, Zhou Xia's gaze towards Li Dan became increasingly hostile.

This stupid woman actually planned to lead herself to her doom; she was both foolish and wicked. He immediately burst into a tirade of curses:

"Get lost, don't you even know if you're worthy to talk to me?"

"Your Li family is finished. I'm telling you, even God can't save you!"

(End of this chapter)