Drapeau fantôme

Chapitre 62

Zeng Rihua shook his head and said, "There's no other way but to clear away the chrysanthemums to its east."

Ding Ke didn't directly refute the other person; instead, he turned and walked towards his small house. Zeng Rihua scratched his head, not understanding what the other person meant, and could only stand there awkwardly waiting.

Fortunately, less than half a minute later, Ding Ke came out of the house again. When he came to the edge of the garden again, Zeng Rihua noticed that he had a small mirror in his hand. Ding Ke held up the mirror, adjusted it a few times in the sunlight, and the light reflected from the mirror shone into the garden, landing perfectly on the small chrysanthemum.

"What do you think now?" Ding Ke asked Zeng Rihua with a smile.

Zeng Rihua opened his mouth, then chuckled dryly, "He really can do it..."

"Isn't it more meaningful to ensure that every flower gets plenty of sunlight than to tidy up those crooked plants?" Ding Ke turned to look at everyone and said.

"That's true." Luo Fei sighed sincerely.

"This is what I've been doing since I left the police force, and I haven't stopped for over ten years." After saying this, Ding Ke gently placed the mirror aside, then walked to the table and sat down opposite Luo Fei. Zeng Rihua quickly followed and sat between Mu Jianyun and Yin Jian.

Luo Fei silently observed Ding Ke, his gaze now filled with a profound respect. He finally understood: although this compassionate old man was no longer a criminal investigator, he had never shirked any responsibility; he had simply found another way to alleviate the evil in the world. It was a gentler, more reasonable method, but it also required more patience and wisdom.

The Fate of the Death Sentence (36)

Huang Jieyuan poured Ding Ke a cup of hot tea. Ding Ke took a small sip to moisten his throat. Looking up at everyone, he saw they all seemed distracted, clearly still processing his earlier remarks. He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Did I veer too far off topic? You didn't come here today to hear my rambling, did you?"

The group exchanged knowing smiles. Indeed, their original purpose was to unravel the mystery surrounding Eumenides' origins from eighteen years ago. However, their thoughts had been unwittingly drawn by Ding Ke, and they had all become engrossed in contemplating the karmic connections of evil.

Luo Fei, having clarified some of his thoughts, looked at Ding Ke and said, "What you said was very insightful. If we could stop the process of crime brewing, many cases wouldn't happen at all. From that perspective, it would be best if all of us criminal investigators were unemployed."

"That's just an ideal scenario. In reality, stopping crime is far more difficult than punishing it. When I was a detective, I was known for my 100% crime-solving rate; but since leaving the police force, I've been able to prevent less than half of the anticipated crimes. Not to mention, many crimes are so insidious in their development that you can't find a trace of them until they erupt." Ding Ke shook his head sadly. "Sigh, one example is enough."

Seeing Ding Ke's sorrowful expression, Luo Fei knew that the other man must be thinking of Ding Zhen again. This old man had spent his whole life dealing with evil, but in the end, he couldn't stop his loved ones from sinking into depravity; such a situation was truly lamentable.

Upon closer examination, Ding Zhen's transformation was also related to Ding Ke's selfless dedication to his work. While Ding Ke poured his heart and soul into spreading sunshine throughout the world, he didn't realize that his own seedlings were growing twisted and twisted in the darkness. How could anyone possibly understand the "cause and effect" involved? Thinking of this, Luo Fei couldn't help but sigh softly.

"Let's not talk about that anymore." Ding Ke looked up at the sky, as if trying to cast all those painful memories into the clouds. After a long while, he finally looked back at Luo Fei and said, "Captain Luo, tell me why you're here. Is it about the '130' case?"

Luo Fei nodded with unusual seriousness: "I want to know, is there still a chance we can stop that child?"

Ding Ke pondered for a moment, then said, "Yesterday, when you mentioned that Yuan Zhibang had found a successor for Eumenides, that child was the first person I thought of. I could have stopped him sooner, but I was negligent. I didn't expect him to be able to lie low for eighteen years to cultivate a new Eumenides."

Luo Fei's heart tightened, and he asked, "So, you already knew eighteen years ago that Eumenides was Yuan Zhibang?"

Ding Ke nodded and explained, "Although I had already left the police force when the bombing occurred, I couldn't just sit idly by and do nothing about such a big case. I went to your dormitory to investigate and reviewed your interrogation record. Your description of the time of the incident was off by two minutes, and I know you are extremely meticulous about timing. It was from this point that I figured out Eumenides's modus operandi, and his true identity became self-evident."

Luo Fei gave a wry smile. Indeed, that two-minute time difference was the only oversight in Yuan Zhibang's perfect plan. It was a pity that he could only see through it eighteen years later, while Ding Ke, who had seen through it back then, would hide this secret.

Ding Ke understood Luo Fei's thoughts and sighed apologetically, "At that time, Yuan Zhibang had already been blown to bits, and I thought it impossible for him to continue his crazy plan. As for his change of heart, I really couldn't bear to hold him accountable anymore—because, in a way, we both had some responsibility for this."

Luo Fei was taken aback. He had previously guessed that there might have been some hidden story between Ding Ke and Yuan Zhibang in the "130" case, and that this hidden story was the real root cause of Yuan Zhibang's change. But why did Ding Ke say that he was also involved?

"As we just discussed, the causes and effects of everything in this world are truly intricate and complex." Ding Ke then added with a sigh, "Back when I had the idea of retiring from the police force, I started looking for my successor. Do you know who my first target was?"

Luo Fei's heart skipped a beat, and he vaguely guessed what was going on, but given his personality, he was unwilling to voice his suspicions rashly. Mu Jianyun, however, was much less reserved and blurted out, "Could it be Captain Luo?"

"One of the most outstanding cadets in the history of the police academy. With a calm personality, sharp thinking, and an exceptional ability to capture details, he is indeed the most outstanding candidate for criminal investigation." Ding Ke said to Luo Fei, his words full of praise, yet without any sense of affectation.

Luo Fei felt a mix of emotions, a bittersweet feeling. He knew about Ding Ke's recruitment drive at the police academy years ago. As a criminal investigation major, who wasn't eager to try? Unfortunately, Ding Ke ultimately chose Yuan Zhibang, while Luo Fei was destined to embark on a thorny and arduous path. Now, knowing that Ding Ke's first choice was originally him, Luo Fei felt a surge of pride mixed with a profound sense of melancholy.

Mu Jianyun asked Ding Ke, "Then why didn't you choose him?" Her tone also contained a deep sense of regret.

"Because during a later, more in-depth investigation, I discovered some 'blemishes' on him—" Ding Ke answered Mu Jianyun's question, but his eyes were fixed on Luo Fei.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked surprised, and their gazes all turned to Luo Fei. Based on their understanding of this criminal investigation captain, they really couldn't imagine what this so-called "stain" could be.

After a moment of silence, Ding Ke gave a specific answer, word by word: "He was the one who first created the character 'Eumenides'."

Everyone suddenly realized. Luo Fei closed his eyes sadly: it was this matter after all, unexpected yet reasonable—his and Meng Yun's actions at the police academy could fool others, but how could they fool Ding Ke?

"But that's just a game between lovers," Mu Jianyun couldn't help but feel indignant on Luo Fei's behalf. "Although his actions weren't entirely appropriate, they shouldn't be considered a 'stain' on his character."

"I'm selecting the pillars of the police force for the next few decades, so I have to be extremely careful," Ding Ke said, glancing at Mu Jianyun with an air of elder-like caution. "And at the time, there was another candidate, whose qualifications were also outstanding in every way, making it difficult for me to weigh the options. It was Luo Fei's misconduct that led me to make the final decision."

Mu Jianyun, of course, knew who the other candidate was. "Yuan Zhibang—" she said with a bitter smile, "This choice is probably the biggest mistake of your life, isn't it?"

Ding Ke immediately shook his head: "No, in terms of choice alone, I didn't make any mistakes. Yuan Zhibang and Luo Fei are both excellent enough, and each has their own strengths. Luo Fei is introverted, with calm and tenacious qualities. If I had chosen him, his development would have been more stable, progressing very steadily step by step. Yuan Zhibang, on the other hand, is the opposite. He is extroverted, with extraordinary enthusiasm and drive, so I was more optimistic about his short-term prospects at the time."

"But such people often struggle to control their emotions," Mu Jianyun added. "If their enthusiasm is misguided, it can easily lead them astray."

"You have a point." Ding Ke pondered for a moment, "But I wasn't worried about that at the time. Because the person I chose would become my disciple, how could he be misled?"

Mu Jianyun was reluctant to continue arguing with the old man, but she couldn't accept his attempt to use Yuan Zhibang to outshine Luo Fei. So, after a moment's hesitation, she finally said, "But the facts have already proven it. You chose Yuan Zhibang, and in the end, he became the true Eumenides."

"That wasn't a mistake in choice," Ding Ke emphasized again. Then he remained silent for a long time, before adding in a murmur, "If we must trace the root of Yuan Zhibang's change, perhaps only two words can explain it..."

"What?" Mu Jianyun pressed for an answer, while Luo Fei also focused his attention intently.

Ding Ke sighed deeply and uttered two words softly: "Destiny."

"Destiny?" Such an answer seemed too mysterious, and Luo Fei and the others frowned, unable to understand it for a moment.

"Destiny." Ding Ke repeated the two words, then his gaze refocused on Luo Fei. "You, me, Wen Hongbing, and even that child—everyone is involved. It's hard to say who did anything wrong, but when all the factors come together, it leads to Yuan Zhibang's transformation. For Yuan Zhibang, this may be his destiny, a destiny that no one can control."

Luo Fei's brows furrowed even more: to say that creating the character Eumenides might have indeed influenced Yuan Zhibang, that child was only six years old at the time, what ability did he have to change Yuan Zhibang? Ding Ke's explanation was becoming increasingly perplexing.

"That child?" Mu Jianyun asked the same question. "How could he possibly influence Yuan Zhibang? It was clearly Yuan Zhibang who influenced his entire life..."

Ding Ke's gaze slowly swept over Luo Fei and Mu Jianyun's faces: "I can guess what you're thinking. When you came here, you hoped for a clear answer to the 130 case, or rather, a very clear cause and effect: who exactly caused Yuan Zhibang's downfall? Who should be held responsible for that child's tragic fate? But the truth is so complex, just like those chrysanthemums we just saw, all the causes and effects are intertwined—everyone is the source, and everyone is also a victim."

"So what is the truth?" Luo Fei finally couldn't hold back any longer. He directly asked the most crucial question, "At the scene of the 130 hostage situation, the situation was under control. Why did Yuan Zhibang shoot Wen Hongbing?"

Ding Ke remained silent, his thoughts drifting back to that moment eighteen years ago. Back then, Yuan Zhibang was inside the house trying to persuade Wen Hongbing, the suspected hostage-taker. Perhaps it was Yuan Zhibang's eloquence, or perhaps the appearance of his beloved son had softened Wen Hongbing's tender heart; in any case, Wen Hongbing's hardline attitude had clearly softened. Based on Ding Ke's experience, he judged that the hostage situation would likely be resolved peacefully. Therefore, he gestured to the officers around him to prepare for action, while continuing to listen to the sounds inside the house through his earpiece.

But then came a message through the earpiece that Ding Ke found hard to accept. The message faithfully recorded the changes in the situation, the truth of which he had never told anyone.

Even Ding Ke's assistant, Huang Jieyuan, was completely unaware of what happened in the final minutes. He only knew that Yuan Zhibang had been temporarily appointed to bring the child to the scene in an attempt to persuade Wen Hongbing. However, an accident occurred, and Yuan Zhibang shot and killed Wen Hongbing. Ding Ke concealed everything, describing the shooting as a sniper's mistake.

Now Luo Fei finally brought up the question face-to-face. Everyone looked at Ding Ke expectantly, waiting for him to reveal the answer.

As his memories subsided, Ding Ke finally spoke: "You're right. At the scene, the situation was indeed under control. But then that child said something that instantly reversed the situation."

Luo Fei turned and exchanged a glance with Mu Jianyun, both showing surprise. They had both initially assumed Yuan Zhibang was manipulating the situation, never imagining the child was the key. Surprised, Luo Fei immediately pressed, "What did the child say?"

Ding Ke's expression turned sour: "I heard the child's voice through my earpiece. He asked his father, 'Dad, did you get my birthday cake?'"

Luo Fei waited a moment, and seeing that Ding Ke had not continued, he asked in astonishment, "Is that all?"

Ding Ke nodded: "Yes. You might not know, but January 30th is Wen Chengyu's birthday, and Wen Hongbing had promised the child he would buy him a beautiful birthday cake. However, his wife was seriously ill in bed, and Wen Hongbing was already penniless. On that day, he was truly destitute, without even a ten-yuan note in his pocket. It was under these circumstances that he took the risk of kidnapping Chen Tianqiao, wanting to use this extreme method to get back his hard-earned money."

"I understand." Hearing Ding Ke's words, Mu Jianyun understood the underlying meaning. "Yuan Zhibang originally intended to rekindle Wen Hongbing's hope for the future through the bond between father and son. Unfortunately, just as the work was beginning to show results, Wen Chengyu's childlike remark instantly dragged Wen Hongbing back into the harsh reality. He couldn't even fulfill his son's birthday wish; the familial love that should have melted his heart instantly became the final straw that broke his spirit."

Ding Ke sighed softly, tacitly agreeing with Mu Jianyun's analysis. Meanwhile, Luo Fei and the others felt a stinging, unbearable ache in their throats, an indescribable feeling of oppression stuck in their chests, with no way to release it.

A desperate father is forced to confront an innocent child full of beautiful fantasies—this is the heartbreaking scene that unfolded in that small house eighteen years ago, and everyone already knows that this cruel emotional clash will ultimately lead to a tragic ending.

Ding Ke recounted the final chapter of the story in a somber tone: "After hearing the child say those words, Wen Hongbing lost control of his emotions. He again demanded repayment from Chen Tianqiao, but Chen Tianqiao insisted he had no money. Wen Hongbing was extremely angry; he even tore at and beat Chen Tianqiao. Given that he was carrying a bomb, such a physical altercation was extremely dangerous. Faced with this urgent situation, Yuan Zhibang had no choice but to shoot and kill Wen Hongbing on the spot."

"I see." Luo Fei slowly shook his head, sighing deeply. Mu Jianyun, however, was still somewhat indignant: "Why use such an extreme method? It was just a fake bomb, wasn't it?"

"Who could have known if the bomb was real or fake at the time? From the perspective of the police officers at the scene, Yuan Zhibang's actions were not problematic. It's just..." Luo Fei sighed softly, seemingly unable to continue.

"But this result is truly unacceptable, isn't it?" Ding Ke finished Luo Fei's sentence, then gave a bitter laugh. "You're an outsider, yet you have such deep feelings. Yuan Zhibang, as one of the parties involved, and who had an instant, deep affection for that child, can you imagine how he felt at that time?"

Luo Fei silently closed his eyes, utterly unsure how to judge that person. A former close friend, yet harboring eighteen years of deep-seated hatred—so familiar, yet so estranged. Should he try to understand him? But when that person had brought Meng Yun to her death, had he ever shown even the slightest leniency towards any subsequent pity?

But then Huang Jieyuan recalled, "I still remember the scene when we rushed into the house after the gunshots: Yuan Zhibang was holding the child tightly, not letting him turn around to see his father die. He himself stood there blankly, looking completely dazed. He was usually a cheerful and optimistic young man; I had never seen such an expression on his face before."

"I noticed it too—" Ding Ke confirmed Huang Jieyuan's statement, "After all, it was his first time participating in a formal operation, and this happened. I was worried that he wouldn't be able to handle the psychological pressure, so I specifically ordered the sniper to take the blame for shooting Wen Hongbing, hoping that Yuan Zhibang could avoid this trouble. Unfortunately, this arrangement didn't achieve the desired effect. That night, I found Yuan Zhibang and saw him sitting alone in a daze. I knew he must have been thinking a lot, because as soon as he saw me, his eyes were red as he said, 'Team Leader Ding, I really regret it—I regret why my marksmanship was so accurate? If the person I killed had been Chen Tianqiao, how much better it would have been?'"

Luo Fei and the others exchanged glances but remained silent. After a moment, Mu Jianyun spoke frankly: "I suspect that many of you here subconsciously share similar thoughts, but we are all constrained by our positions and cannot express them openly."

Ding Ke solemnly said, "That's the problem. We all have a basic sense of right and wrong, but at the same time, we are all constrained by systems and rules, and we won't cross the line. But Yuan Zhibang is different; his temperament is too passionate and difficult to control. When he uttered those words, his thoughts were completely controlled by his emotions, and he lost his principles as a police officer."

"Yes, given Yuan Zhibang's personality, that's certainly the case," Mu Jianyun echoed Ding Ke's analysis. "He originally threw himself into the criminal investigation career with great enthusiasm, hoping to uphold the dignity of justice. But in his first operation, he watched as the concept of justice was distorted under the muzzle of his gun. It's like someone running forward, only to crash into a solid wall right away. If that person were Luo Fei, he would slow down and think about how to get around the wall. But Yuan Zhibang is different. He runs too fast, and he has that kind of tense, unyielding personality, so he won't stop. He'll just turn around after the collision and run in a completely opposite direction."

Luo Fei nodded at Mu Jianyun. The differences in their personalities were indeed as the other party had described. From their university days, whether on the football field or in handling romantic relationships, these differences had been glaringly obvious.

Ding Ke readily agreed with Mu Jianyun's analysis. But then he continued, "About two months later, my fears came true—Chen Tianqiao was robbed in his home..."

"The April 7th robbery—" Luo Fei picked up the thread, "We've already investigated this case, and we suspect that Yuan Zhibang is one of the robbers involved."

Mu Jianyun looked at Ding Ke and said, "You should have found out about Yuan Zhibang soon, right? But you've concealed this matter again..."

Ding Ke did not deny it: "Yes."

"If you hadn't protected him back then, perhaps none of this would have happened..." Zeng Rihua muttered, seemingly with a hint of complaint.

"That's not necessarily true," Mu Jianyun shook his head. "Given Yuan Zhibang's personality, even if this robbery punishes him, his plan to become Eumenides won't change. At most, it will only delay his killing spree."

Ding Ke nodded and sighed, "Alas, the damage has been done, and it's difficult to undo it. Besides, my protection of Yuan Zhibang back then was out of necessity..."

"You're just too compassionate," Mu Jianyun interjected. "You couldn't bear to hold Yuan Zhibang accountable, nor could you bear to recover the money that Wen Hongbing's wife needed to save her life, so you simply resigned from the police force and left."

Ding Ke gave a wry smile, tacitly acknowledging the other party's analysis, and then said, "However, I had long intended to retire, but I kept putting it off, wanting to cultivate a successor. Yuan Zhibang's change of heart disheartened me, and I lost all attachment to the police force. As for that robbery case that left me with a difficult decision, it solidified my idea of resolving crimes by examining the causal connections. So I quickly resigned and devoted myself to studying the causal relationships that breed crime. Back then, who could have imagined that Yuan Zhibang was actually plotting an extremely terrifying and bloody conspiracy?"

"You really wouldn't expect this," Luo Fei said, looking at Ding Ke, "because something else happened in between, something you might not be aware of."

Ding Ke's eyes flickered: "What is it?"

Luo Fei countered, "You must have been involved in the 'March 16th Drug Trafficking Case' back then, right?"

"I wasn't heavily involved. That case was directly commanded by Deputy Director Xue Dalin," Ding Ke said, recalling the incident. "I remember Xue Dalin had a trusted informant who played a crucial role, I think his name was Deng something..."

"Deng Yulong," Luo Fei announced the name, then began to explain the connection between this man and Yuan Zhibang. "After the crime, Deng Yulong embezzled half of the drugs and drug money. Although Xue Dalin discovered his actions, the latter, for various reasons, decided to handle the matter privately. However, their secret conversation was inadvertently recorded by the intern secretary in the director's office. This secretary's name was Bai Feifei, Yuan Zhibang's ex-girlfriend. To silence her, Deng Yulong subsequently murdered Bai Feifei, fabricating a suicide due to a breakup. It was precisely to avenge Bai Feifei that Yuan Zhibang embarked on the irreversible path of becoming an Eumenides."

"There's this part too?" Ding Ke exclaimed in surprise, then sighed with emotion, "In that case, the entire process of Yuan Zhibang's transformation becomes very clear..."

"Yes, the 130 case was a turning point in his thinking. He couldn't shake the pressure from Wen Hongbing's death and began to question the duties of the police. Bai Feifei's murder made him completely betray the path of the police, and he firmly believed that only by using his own strength could he truly uphold justice. At this time, the character Eumenides created by Luo Fei became a signpost guiding him in the opposite direction... Under the combined effect of these factors, Yuan Zhibang finally became a monster that ordinary people could not understand."

Mu Jianyun then described the process in detail. Luo Fei and the others listened and nodded silently, quite agreeing.

"Now you understand why I used 'fate' to explain Yuan Zhibang's transformation, right?" Ding Ke said with deep emotion. "So many unpredictable things happened to him: if Luo Fei hadn't created Eumenides, I wouldn't have chosen Yuan Zhibang to stay by my side; if that child hadn't particularly liked him, I wouldn't have sent Yuan Zhibang to the scene of the 130 crime; if that child hadn't suddenly asked for the cake, the case might have been resolved peacefully; if the sniper's position had been better, Yuan Zhibang wouldn't have needed to take the shot; if Bai Feifei hadn't been murdered, Yuan Zhibang wouldn't have had to resort to such extreme methods to carry out his revenge plan… When all of these things happened to him, how else can it be explained besides 'fate'?"

As Ding Ke spoke, he once again displayed a compassionate and empathetic spirit, and his theory of "fate" clearly contained a sense of leniency towards Yuan Zhibang. The audience around him also showed expressions of admiration, except for Luo Fei, who remained dejected, seemingly still harboring an unresolved inner conflict. After a long silence, he finally decided to pour out his heart.

"Even if everything is 'fate,' there's one thing I will never forgive him for," he said, his eyes red.

"Meng Yun's death, is that it?" Ding Ke immediately caught his thoughts. "--You can't forgive him for killing Meng Yun."

Luo Fei looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and forced down the pain in his heart. Mu Jianyun, standing beside him, turned his face away, seemingly unable to bear seeing his expression.

Ding Ke then looked at Luo Fei and said, "Do you know that besides the need for a scheme, there was another very important reason why he killed Meng Yun?"

"What's the reason?" Luo Fei's heart involuntarily tightened.

Ding Ke said, "Because you are his best friend, and also his most respected rival."

Luo Fei was suddenly taken aback, while Yin Jian and the others beside him also looked bewildered. Only Mu Jianyun nodded as if he understood something.

"Yuan Zhibang is a man of strong emotions, even to the point of being unable to control them. He himself is well aware of this. So when he prepared to embark on the path of Eumenides, you became the most feared obstacle in his heart." Ding Ke looked at Luo Fei and began his analysis, "He cannot sever the deep friendship between you, but at the same time he knows that you will inevitably become irreconcilable enemies, and your strength is something he can never underestimate. This requires him to completely sever his feelings for you, because in future confrontations, this emotion could very well become his fatal weakness."

Luo Fei frowned, seemingly not quite understanding.