"You must have remembered wrong," Liu Zhixin argued.
"Liu Zhixin, do you think we're little kids? Your earlier testimony was recorded on video — no room for denial," Li Hui scolded.
"I'm innocent!"
Han Bin sneered. "Innocent? How so?"
"Even if you found my skin flakes under Sun Qifeng's nails, that only proves he scratched me. It doesn't prove I killed him."
Han Bin changed the subject. "Liu Zhixin, have you been to Hengding Line recently?"
"No."
Han Bin leaned against the table. "Want to know how we caught you?"
"Sure."
"Your shoeprints."
"Shoeprints?" Liu Zhixin looked confused and reflexively tried to scratch his head, forgetting his hands were restrained.
"You left footprints at the scene where the car was dumped. They were different from Sun Qifeng's."
"How can you be sure those were mine?" Liu Zhixin countered.
"Everyone has a unique body posture and walking style. The wear pattern on shoes is as unique as a fingerprint."
"All it took was a shoeprint to catch me..." Liu Zhixin muttered.
"The dump site was covered in your footprints. You can't deny it," Han Bin said seriously.
"Haha… shoeprints… all because of a shoeprint…" Liu Zhixin let out a strange laugh.
"Liu Zhixin, confess and you'll get leniency. Resist and the consequences will be worse," Li Hui said.
"Heh... leniency? Consequences?" Liu Zhixin shook his head. "Does that even matter for me now?"
"Think about your wife. If you don't come clean, she'll have to keep taking the fall, and her punishment will be worse," Han Bin added.
Liu Zhixin rested his head in his hands and stayed silent for a long while.
Just as Li Hui was getting impatient and about to push him again, Liu Zhixin finally spoke:
"I did it."
"Tell us everything."
Liu Zhixin twisted his hands nervously. "I killed Xing Jianbin and Sun Qifeng. I took the money too."
"Why kill Xing Jianbin?"
"He deserved it."
"What grudge did you have against him?"
"Sun Qifeng got into a pyramid scheme with him. The money they used was borrowed from me. They lost it all, haven't paid back a dime, let alone any promised interest."
"Didn't Sun Qifeng have a van? Why didn't he use it to repay the debt?" Li Hui asked.
"That van's been through several owners — it's junk. Not worth much," Liu Zhixin replied dismissively.
"Why kill Sun Qifeng?"
"I needed transportation to commit the crime, but afterward, the vehicle could be traced. I didn't want it to lead back to me."
"You really are ruthless," Li Hui scoffed.
Liu Zhixin smiled faintly. "Officers, did you enjoy the noodles I cooked?"
"Why ask that now?"
"You all ate at the noodle shop, right? I don't think you paid."
"We don't skip bills. Chief Zeng already paid your wife," Han Bin replied.
"Thanks," Liu Zhixin said softly.
Li Hui knocked on the table. "Are you seriously still thinking about money at a time like this?"
"Running a noodle shop is hard work — especially in summer. The kitchen is like an oven. That was blood-and-sweat money, and getting scammed out of it felt like a death sentence," Liu Zhixin said emotionally, slamming his chair as he shouted,
"Those pyramid scheme scammers are the real killers — they just don't use knives!"
"Where's the stolen money?"
Liu Zhixin leaned back. "I don't know."
"You've already confessed — why not tell us where the money is?"
"Ask my wife," Liu Zhixin said, closing his eyes.
No matter what Han Bin and Li Hui said, he stayed silent.
Outside the interrogation room, Li Hui asked, puzzled, "What's his deal? He confessed, but still won't say where the money is?"
Han Bin sighed. "He's leaving that to his wife — giving her a chance to earn a reduced sentence by cooperating."
"..."
Li Hui opened his mouth but had nothing more to say.
—
With Liu Zhixin's confession, his wife also stopped covering up.
To lessen her sentence, she revealed where the money was hidden.
It was buried in a patch of woods near a local park.
All the money was recovered:
$200,000 USD and ¥300,000 RMB.
The case was officially solved.
Criminal Investigation Division, Team 3, Group 2 received a commendation from their superiors.
—
"Congratulations, Officer 577533. You have successfully solved your first murder case."
"Footprint analysis skill proficiency +3; microexpression analysis skill proficiency +3."
"Merit points awarded: 10."
Han Bin smiled. At last, his hard work paid off.
This was the most complex and exhausting case so far — but the rewards were just as big.
The merit from this one case was enough to pay off the installment plan for his microexpression skill training — with some left over.
For now, Han Bin could finally relax a bit and stop worrying about monthly payments.
—
By the time everything was wrapped up, it was already 9 p.m.
To celebrate the team's hard work, Zheng Kaixuan treated everyone to dinner.
There was heated debate over what to eat:
Li Hui suggested barbecue.
Tian Li wanted stir-fried dishes.
Zhao Ming proposed hot pot.
Zeng Ping abstained.
Han Bin hadn't had hot pot in a while and was craving it.
In the end, Zhao Ming's suggestion won by majority vote.
Not far from the precinct was a hot pot restaurant called Jiumen.
The six of them got a private room and ordered a dual-flavor broth — spicy and non-spicy — along with lamb, beef, tripe, fish balls, lettuce, cabbage, enoki mushrooms, black fungus, and more.
The table was completely covered with food.
They wanted to have some drinks, but Zheng Kaixuan, Zeng Ping, and Li Hui had all driven — so they skipped the alcohol.
Once the pot was boiling, Han Bin grabbed the lamb and dumped half into each side of the pot.
"Han Bin, that's way too aggressive! You threw in the whole plate!" Li Hui joked.
"You take half with one bite anyway. What's the difference?" Han Bin shot back.
"Han Bin's right. Lamb's meant to be eaten in big bites!" Zheng Kaixuan laughed. "Meat's ready — dig in!"
Everyone had a healthy appetite — one round of chopsticks, and the whole plate of lamb was gone.
"This lamb's got a great flavor," Zheng Kaixuan said approvingly.
"Word is it's from Inner Mongolia," Zhao Ming said, mouth burning from the heat.
Zeng Ping chuckled. "Hand-sliced lamb really does have a better chew."
"This spicy broth is killing me — is the owner from Sichuan?" Tian Li quickly took a sip of yogurt.
"That's what makes it good," Han Bin grinned. "Hot pot in summer with the AC blasting — can't beat it."
—
"Hello, this is the 110-emergency line."
"Hi, I need to report a crime." A woman's voice came through the phone.
"What can we help you with?" the operator asked.
"My son… he's been beaten to death," the woman sobbed.
"Ma'am, are you saying your son was murdered?"
"Yes! Please send the detectives now! Catch the killer and get justice for my son!" the woman cried loudly.
"When did you discover your son was dead?"
"Just now."
"And your location?"
"Xiangcheng International… his body is in the greenbelt inside the residential area… wuuu…"
The woman burst into sobs again.
"Ma'am, please calm down. I'm reporting this right now — officers will be dispatched immediately."
The operator didn't receive a reply.
The woman on the line seemed too grief-stricken to continue speaking.
(End of Chapter)