Damn it...
Xu Zhengyang muttered to himself as he pondered and considered the various methods he had previously thought of, and slowly... he actually fell asleep.
When I suddenly woke up from my sleep, the lights in the room were still on, but Zhongshan was nowhere to be seen.
Xu Zhengyang sat up abruptly, took out his phone to check the time; it was already past 2 a.m. He quickly got up, walked to the door, opened it, and looked outside. The hallway was deserted, the light from the incandescent bulbs dim, and he could faintly hear voices coming from other offices.
"Is the interrogation almost over?" Xu Zhengyang frowned as he returned to the room, picked up a water glass from the table, drank it, and then summoned the county clerk to check on the current progress of the interrogation.
After thinking about it, I put it back. I can't get into the habit of taking out the county records to check them every now and then. Otherwise, if I can't control my curiosity and see something I shouldn't, I'll feel really guilty.
In fact, Xu Zhengyang no longer needs to summon the county register to see the information he wants. He can view it in his mind with just his thoughts, because the county register is connected to his thoughts and exists somewhere within his body. Xu Zhengyang doesn't really know exactly where it's hidden. Sometimes he wonders what this thing is; when summoned, it's like a stone, tangible, but it can be easily retracted into his body with a thought, without him experiencing any discomfort…
Before he could finish his cigarette, the door was pushed open.
Zhong Shan walked in with a gloomy face. Seeing Xu Zhengyang sitting on the sofa smoking, he forced a smile and greeted him in a faint voice, "Zhengyang, you're awake."
"Well, how did the interrogation go?" Xu Zhengyang asked.
"It's alright." Zhong Shan sat heavily on the sofa, rubbing his temples wearily, and then said, "The document you wrote did come in handy. Hao Peng and Zhu Fenjin both admitted it, but they don't admit that Tian Qing and Xing Yufen were involved in drug trafficking."
"What about Cheng Jinchang and Cui Yao? Have they admitted it?" Xu Zhengyang asked.
"Hmm?" Zhong Shan paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "That's not important. The most important thing now is to find a way to get Hao Peng and Zhu Fenjin to cooperate with our police work in arresting other gang members in various places."
Xu Zhengyang said angrily, "Cheng Jinchang and Cui Yao are both dead, how can that not be important? Human lives are at stake!"
"Ahem...that's not what I meant." Zhong Shan realized that his words were somewhat inappropriate, so he said, "They've even admitted to drug trafficking, so why wouldn't they admit to the case of malicious murder and staged traffic accident? It's just...sigh, you're right. Zhu Fenjin and Ma Liang have absolutely no idea that Tian Qing and Xing Yufen were involved in this case. Hao Peng is refusing to speak, and Tian Qing and Xing Yufen are also denying it. The evidence we have is indeed insufficient."
Xu Zhengyang remained silent. Yes, it would be very difficult to find evidence to prove that Tian Qing and Xing Yufen were involved in the drug trafficking case, because Hao Peng, Tian Qing, and Xing Yufen were very vigilant and cautious from the beginning and did not leave any evidence that was detrimental to them, nor did they have any witnesses.
Xu Zhengyang couldn't very well present the county records and claim to be the official in charge of responsibilities or the local deity as a witness, could he?
“Even if Hao Peng confesses, Tian Qing and Xing Yufen won’t admit it. Without strong evidence, there’s no way to convict them…” Zhong Shan sighed again.
"Oh..." Xu Zhengyang nodded thoughtfully.
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind: as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Xing Yufen and Tian Qing are a couple, living, breathing people! Perhaps, perhaps it's a good thing that they're released without charge! Xu Zhengyang's lips curled into a slightly sinister smile.
"Zhengyang, what are you thinking about?" Zhong Shan asked, puzzled, when he saw Xu Zhengyang suddenly grin.
"Oh, it's nothing." Xu Zhengyang shook his head, his expression returning to calm, and said, "Uncle, can I see Hao Peng, Zhu Fenjin, and Ma Liang alone now?"
"Zhengyang..."
"Uncle," Xu Zhengyang said before Zhong Shan could finish, "Trust me, once I've met with them, they will definitely cooperate with your work."
"Explain yourself more clearly."
"I can't say for sure right now." Xu Zhengyang shook his head with difficulty, hesitated for a moment, and said, "How about this, Uncle, you keep watch outside. Um, I have to tell you in advance, if you see anything strange, don't be surprised, and don't bother me, okay?"
Zhong Shan was stunned. He found Xu Zhengyang increasingly unfathomable, and even began to feel a sense of fear towards him.
What exactly is this young man, who seems to have some connection with the mysterious earth god, up to? What can he do? What abilities does he possess?
"Alright." Zhong Shan finally nodded, got up and walked out, saying as he did so, "Don't do anything reckless..."
"Don't worry, I know," Xu Zhengyang replied and followed.
The interrogation rooms are on the second floor, and Hao Peng is being interrogated in the westernmost one.
A policeman stood at the door of the interrogation room; it was Su Lu, the one who had picked up Xu Zhengyang earlier that day. Upon seeing Zhong Shan approach, Su Lu immediately saluted: "Captain Zhong." At the same time, Su Lu glanced at Xu Zhengyang, who was following behind Zhong Shan, with some confusion.
"Hmm." Zhong Shan nodded with a stern face. "Open the door."
Sulu turned and opened the door. Zhong Shan turned and nodded to Xu Zhengyang, indicating that he should follow him inside.
The two entered the interrogation room. Sulu was a little stunned. He wanted to remind Captain Zhong that this was against the rules, but he held back and didn't speak.
Inside, behind three tables arranged in a row, sat three policemen with serious and stern expressions. The one in the middle was reprimanding Hao Peng.
Upon seeing Zhong Shan and Xu Zhengyang enter, all three looked somewhat puzzled and simultaneously stood up to greet them, "Captain Zhong."
Zhong Shan waved and walked inside. As he passed Hao Peng, he raised his hand and slapped Hao Peng on the back of the head.
Hao Peng was furious but dared not speak out.
"You all go out first and organize the interrogation records. I'll interrogate him again," Zhong Shan said coldly.
“Captain Zhong, he…” The police officer standing in the middle looked at Xu Zhengyang.
Zhong Shan said, "He's one of us; he knows this case better than anyone else."
The three police officers were slightly puzzled for a moment before they suddenly realized: No wonder that after Captain Zhong was transferred to take charge of this case, he not only had a very detailed grasp of the case, but also had the confidence to immediately arrest the suspect in such a short time. It turned out that... this case had been prepared in advance, and even an undercover agent had been sent in.
Captain Zhong is indeed no ordinary person! The three of them admired him in their hearts.
After all, a small county public security bureau, although it has solved many cases, has never actually encountered a major case like this, especially one with an undercover agent involved. At most, they have only come into contact with some ordinary informants.
The three policemen nodded and walked out. As they passed Xu Zhengyang, they all nodded and smiled, their eyes full of respect and admiration. The legendary Infernal Affairs...
After they all left, Zhong Shan stared coldly at Hao Peng, who was half-closing his eyes and pretending to be calm, for a while, and then said to Xu Zhengyang, "Be careful, don't go too far."
"Mm." Xu Zhengyang nodded.
Zhong Shan stepped out, and with a clang, the iron gate was locked from the outside.
Zhong Shan stood at the door without leaving. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and slowly took a drag. Then he turned to look at Sulu, whose face was full of respect and doubt, and then took out a cigarette and handed it to him: "Have one."
"Oh, yes, yes." Sulu took it and lit it, then asked in a low voice, "Captain Zhong, I really can't believe that your subordinate, who is so young, dares to venture into such a dangerous place..."
"Don't ask any more questions," Zhong Shan replied curtly, interrupting Sulu.
Sulu immediately shut his mouth. The case was of great importance and involved classified information! He couldn't speak or ask questions...
Zhong Shan turned around and looked inside through the small window, muttering to himself with a mixture of helplessness and expectation: "Zhengyang, you'd better do a good job this time and make Hao Peng cooperate obediently, otherwise, I won't be able to explain it to Zhao Qing."
Volume Two, Gong Cao, Chapter 67: Strikes
The interrogation room wasn't large, about forty square meters. The floor was dark gray cement, and the whitewashed walls were somewhat worn and yellowed.
On the wall directly opposite the door, a small window is set high up, with several rusty steel bars, about the thickness of a thumb, standing upright in a net-like pattern.
Above the center of the roof, a 60-watt light bulb hung, its dim light casting a yellowish glow, making the room very dark.
The room was furnished with only three dark brown tables, three chairs, and an ordinary chair where Hao Peng sat.
There were no advanced recording devices, no surveillance cameras, and no soundproofing or noise reduction measures as seen in movies...
In short, the entire interior setting was extremely monotonous and dull, filled with a profound sense of oppression.
Hao Peng's hands were handcuffed and rested on his knees, his ankles locked in heavy iron shackles. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot, his hair disheveled, and there were faint bruises on his face, clearly indicating he had been beaten. At this moment, Hao Peng was looking up, his eyes filled with confusion and a hint of disdain and mockery, as he looked at Xu Zhengyang standing before the three tables.
A young man in his early twenties, thin and not very tall, squinted his eyes and had a calm expression.
In terms of appearance, this young man does not exude any sense of authority or pressure.
The room was very quiet, so quiet that you could occasionally hear the cicadas chirping outside, unable to bear the loneliness.
Hao Peng looked at Xu Zhengyang with suspicion for a while, realizing that the other party didn't immediately question him, nor did he yell at him, or even resort to torture... Hao Peng found it rather pointless. He knew in his heart that he was doomed. Nothing was more terrifying than death, Hao Peng grinned self-deprecatingly. He'd really been caught off guard; where had things gone wrong? Why had the police suddenly arrested him?
Hao Peng had considered the possibility of being arrested one day, and he had woken up countless times in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.
But in his dreams and imagination, he, as the head of a drug trafficking gang, should at least be arrested by the municipal or even provincial public security departments, and be interrogated in an interrogation room like those in movies, being questioned by those high-ranking police officers... well, that could be considered a high-level treatment.
But now, he's been arrested by the county public security bureau and is being held in this dilapidated, dark interrogation room... And here comes this unremarkable, young man. Wearing an unnumbered police uniform and without even a police hat, he silently and calmly looks at him instead of interrogating him.
Is this a form of mockery? Or are these police officers, like themselves, trying to keep a low profile? Are they actually special investigators from the provincial headquarters?
Hao Peng has always been cautious and unassuming. As the leader of a drug trafficking gang and a major drug lord, he has always lived as an ordinary truck owner and driver, among ordinary people, and has always kept a low profile.
"I've said everything I needed to say," Hao Peng finally said, unable to bear the silence any longer.
Xu Zhengyang's expression remained calm, his narrowed eyes revealing no emotion. He stood quietly in front of the table, squinting at Hao Peng.
Hao Peng frowned, looking intently at Xu Zhengyang. Then, his body trembled violently. He noticed a sharp glint in Xu Zhengyang's narrowed eyes. It wasn't murderous intent, violence, or anger, but rather an indescribable look that instilled coldness and fear in those who saw it.
Outside, Zhong Shan, observing the scene inside through the small window in the door, felt a little anxious and puzzled. What was Zheng Yang up to?
"I want to have a cigarette." Hao Peng tried to find something to say. He found himself becoming increasingly nervous, so he needed to say something to distract himself.
Xu Zhengyang tilted his head slightly, as if considering whether to offer Hao Peng a cigarette.
Then, Xu Zhengyang walked up to Hao Peng.
He raised his hand high, and then, to Hao Peng's astonishment and confusion, swung it down, striking Hao Peng squarely across the face with a crisp crack, leaving a clear finger mark.
Hao Peng was stunned by the unexpected slap, then smiled contemptuously. Young people, after all, have no patience.
*Slap!* Another slap across the face.
Blood trickled from the corner of Hao Peng's mouth. He arrogantly looked up at Xu Zhengyang, a mocking smile spreading across his face, his eyes filled with disdain.
Since we're all going to die anyway, what's there to be afraid of?
*Slap!* Another slap across the face.
A hint of doubt flickered in Hao Peng's disdainful and contemptuous eyes. What... what was this young man going to do? Not say a word, just slap him across the face? Wasn't that an insult?
*Slap!* Another slap!
"Damn it..." Hao Peng was furious.
*Slap!* Another slap!
Hao Peng's eyes widened, his anger flaring. He jumped to his feet, but before he could even regain his balance, another slap landed across his face, followed by a powerful kick to the stomach. The chair overturned with a crash, and Hao Peng curled up on the floor like a boiled shrimp, his face contorted in pain. His handcuffed hands clutched his abdomen, and he mumbled, "Damn it, I..."
*Slap!* Another slap! Xu Zhengyang squatted down in front of Hao Peng and raised his hand to slap Hao Peng across the face.
Hao Peng glared angrily at Xu Zhengyang, only to find that the young man's face remained calm and expressionless. What infuriated Hao Peng the most was that the young man didn't speak, but just kept slapping him across the face, slowly and deliberately. If Hao Peng made the slightest verbal expression or even showed the slightest hint of something amiss, Xu Zhengyang would deliver a heavy slap.
*Slap!* Another slap!
Hao Peng lowered his eyelids, no longer glaring at Xu Zhengyang. A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle; this was utterly insulting, humiliating, and bullying!
Tap tap tap!
There was a few light knocks on the interrogation room door.
Xu Zhengyang looked up at the small window. Zhong Shan shook his head slightly, his lips moving slightly. Xu Zhengyang smiled and nodded. He knew Zhong Shan was reminding him to be careful and not go too far. Xu Zhengyang's expression was surprisingly calm, but in his mind he was thinking, "Hmm, I won't go too far. Giving them a good beating isn't really satisfying. It's better to do this: slap them one by one, while their hands and feet are bound, unable to fight back… Where else can you find such a good deal? It really… feels so good! Of course, this is far from enough."
"Get up." Xu Zhengyang stood up and said softly, as if chatting casually, showing concern for Hao Peng, telling him not to lie on the cold ground, as it was bad for his health.
Hao Peng looked at Xu Zhengyang with a puzzled expression, but did not move.
"Get up!" Xu Zhengyang squinted and looked down at Hao Peng, his right hand fingers casually outstretched.
Hao Peng trembled. He was convinced that if he didn't listen to the young man, the kid would definitely squat down again and slap him hard across the face. So Hao Peng struggled to move, using his handcuffed hands to support himself on the ground, and his shackled feet to push off a few times before he stood up, his body bent and back hunched.