One Third Remaining Chapter 48: A Taste of One’s Own Medicine

Revelation, after all, uncovers what is secret. The moon over the mountains knows nothing of the heart’s deepest affairs; the wind on the water scatters blossoms before the eyes. In every person’s soul, there lies a hidden corner where even the mountain moon cannot shine—a shy and blushing secret concealed from the world.

Glancing at Jin Yue, who sat across from him as steady as a mountain, He Wei arched his sword-like brows and recited the final, familiar line: “You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say can be used as evidence in court.”

Sitting beside He Wei, Zhang Xiaoman pursed his lips in mild disapproval. He’d always found that phrase rather foolish—weren’t interrogations meant to make people talk? Why remind them of their right to silence? If the suspect stayed silent, what evidence could there possibly be?

With his hands tucked into his sleeves, Zhang Xiaoman winked at Jin Yue. “As the saying goes, ‘Rivers and mountains always meet again.’ I didn’t expect our paths to cross here so soon. But you staying silent like this really isn’t getting us anywhere. After all, this is a murder case, and the facts now are worlds apart from your initial statement. You owe us an explanation, don’t you think? Go ahead and change your story if you like—I’ll wait.”

Jin Yue shot him a cold glance, her thumb digging into her forefinger, her expression unmoved. “I haven’t lied. The killers who stabbed Yang Hai were those two who broke into my home. If the autopsy results differ from what I told you, does that mean I’m lying? Why couldn’t it be your autopsy report that’s at fault?”

He Wei’s fingers drummed the tabletop, each tap sharper than the last. Suddenly, his voice rose several notches. “Jin Yue, I hope you understand, we’re giving you a chance right now. Leniency awaits those who confess; severity for those who resist! As long as you tell the truth, we can plead your case in court and try to reduce your sentence. I believe you must have been forced into this, coerced by the real murderer, perhaps? Say it—let us help you.”

Jin Yue let out a cold laugh. “Is this how police interrogate suspects? You disappoint me…” She raised her head and looked Zhang Xiaoman straight in the eye. “The truth is simple. The ones who killed my husband are your two apprentices. The autopsy was performed by your friend’s apprentice, who deliberately moved the time of death forward by dozens of minutes to exonerate your precious protégés.”

Zhang Xiaoman sat up straight, picked up a paper cup, sipped his tea, and spoke in a calm tone. “Seems you’ve done your homework. Yes, those two hotheads are indeed my students. But how did you know the autopsy report came from my friend’s apprentice? Not many people in the precinct even know that.”

“There are no walls in the world that can keep out the wind,” Jin Yue murmured, eyes lowered. “It doesn’t matter how I know. The facts are plain: to save your own, you dump the blame on a helpless, solitary woman like me…” Her eyes reddened as she spoke, tears streaming silently down her cheeks. Covering her mouth and nose with her hand, she choked out, “It was my husband who died… What do you want me to say—confess to murdering my own husband?”

He Wei’s brows furrowed. He slapped the table. “Jin Yue, cut the act. I know you didn’t kill Yang Hai. Given your strength, you couldn’t have knocked out both Nie Yi and Li Jun at the same time. That’s why I’m trying to reason with you. As long as you honestly reveal who the real murderer is, you could still get a lighter sentence…”

Just as Zhang Xiaoman patted He Wei’s hand, signaling him to calm down, the interrogation room door was suddenly flung open. A cold, stern voice rang out from the doorway, “Captain He, what an imposing display of authority. What’s next—coercion by torture?”

He Wei turned his head to see a man in a silver-gray suit carrying a black briefcase entering the room. His voice was icy. “And you are? This is a restricted area for interrogations. Don’t you know unauthorized persons are not allowed?”

The man raised his credentials. “I am Zhou Bing, head of the Disciplinary Inspection Group from the Prosecutor’s Office. Hardly an unauthorized person, wouldn’t you say?”

“Even if you’re from the Prosecutor’s Office, you can’t just barge in unannounced…” He Wei narrowed his eyes, his tone unfriendly. “Besides, the case is still under investigation. It’s not your place to interfere…”

“He’s not here for the case,” Zhang Xiaoman flicked a few tea leaves into his cup. “He said he’s with the Disciplinary Inspection Group. I’d guess…” He shot Jin Yue a meaningful look. “He’s here for me, isn’t he?”

Zhou Bing gave a thumbs-up. “I’ve long heard of Professor Zhang’s reputation. Meeting you in person today, I see it’s well deserved.” He took an investigation order from his briefcase. “We’ve received an anonymous letter accusing you of using contacts in the police during the villa murder investigation to deliberately steer the inquiry, falsify autopsy reports, and severely compromise the fairness of justice. I think you have some explaining to do. Please come with me.”

He Wei sprang to his feet. “Nonsense! Who’s spreading these lies? I’ve always played by the rules. Everything can be verified. If I’ve shown even a hint of favoritism, I’ll hand in my badge and go home to farm.”

“Captain He,” Zhou Bing pulled a tissue from his pocket and handed it to Jin Yue, his face expressionless. “Volume doesn’t make you right… Just look—you’ve managed to make the suspect cry just by questioning her. It reminds me of a certain old drama, ‘The Grievance of Dou E.’ Do you plan to become a corrupt official like Tao Wu?”

Zhang Xiaoman chuckled, rose from his seat, waved a hand at He Wei, stretched lazily, and turned to Zhou Bing. “Very well, I’ll go with you. We’re not getting anywhere here anyway…” He strolled toward the door, grinning as he passed Jin Yue, revealing his yellowed teeth. “Your acting is exceptional. Now I’m more curious than ever who’s really behind that mask of yours…”

Zhou Bing put away the investigation order, raised two fingers, pointed first at He Wei and then at his own eyes. The corners of his mouth curled up. “Watch yourself, Captain He. I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

With that, Zhou Bing followed Zhang Xiaoman out of the interrogation room, every inch of him radiating a youthful energy.

He Wei also stepped out, only to spot a young man in a blue uniform across from the door, holding a cup of coffee. Suddenly everything became clear; He Wei clenched his fists, teeth grinding. “Chang Ping, was it you who tipped them off?”

Chang Ping blew on his coffee, sipped, and replied with a blank face, “I don’t know what you’re talking about… But let me remind you—handle cases with care and try not to let personal feelings get involved. Otherwise, you’ll harm both others and yourself.”

He Wei was about to argue, but was interrupted by a young officer who dashed up, panic written all over his face, shouting, “Bad news!”

Before He Wei could ask, the young officer burst out, “Captain He… something serious has happened! The remaining third of the dismembered body has been found in the suburbs!”

“Oh?” He Wei’s eyes lit up; he rolled them in exasperation. “Why’s that so bad? Now we have the whole body, we’ll finally know who the victim is, and the investigation can move forward…”

“That’s not it…” The young officer swallowed hard. “The person who found the remains was an old lady—no, an influencer—no, anyway, now the whole internet is talking about the discovery. It’s trending at the very top; people are saying all sorts of things. Some are accusing us of covering up the truth and leaving the public in danger.”

He Wei dismissed it with a wave. “We just need to explain clearly once the case is solved. People online jump at every rumor; you should know that by now. There’s no need to panic.”

“There’s more…” The young officer’s face grew grim. “The remains were found in a sewer. And inside… there’s another decomposed corpse. Photos of it and the dismembered body have already been posted online. The whole city is in an uproar!”

He Wei’s expression froze; his head felt as though it had doubled in size. He stared blankly at Chang Ping, and in Chang Ping’s eyes, he saw deep shock as well. He Wei’s voice turned solemn. “No matter how much you dislike me, this time you have to help. Decomposition cases are your specialty. This isn’t just my problem anymore—it concerns the entire department’s reputation…”

Chang Ping slowly shook his head, finished his coffee in one gulp, and exhaled. “You’ve got it wrong. It’s not that I dislike you… Never mind, you’ll understand one day. You just take a bit longer to process things. As for the decomposed corpse, I’ll give it my all. But I’m not helping you—I’m helping the victim.”

“Say what you want,” He Wei breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze steeling. He glanced back into the interrogation room at Jin Yue, who sat with her head lowered, and said coldly, “Uncle Man once taught me: if you’re going to be a villain, be prepared to rot in jail. I think he’s right. When we catch these bastards, I’ll make sure to recite those words in their ears again and again…”

Jin Yue paid no heed to He Wei’s words. Only the words “sewer” and “decomposed corpse” echoed in her mind, making her shudder. She cupped the paper cup in both hands, took a sip of hot water, exhaled a long breath, and forced herself to remain calm. When He Wei paced back into the interrogation room, she looked up with an indifferent face and said, “Officer He, may I call my lawyer?”