Chapter 98: Injustice

"Uncle! We encountered highway robbers, my brother was stabbed to death!" Chang Huaqiang said briefly.

Old Yuan glanced at the truck behind him and said, "You wait here!" Saying this, he returned to the guard room, picked up the phone, and started cranking it.

Before long, two police officers in plain clothes ran out of the building, came to the gate, and took the introduction letter from Old Yuan's hand to look at it: "You are Chang Huaqiang? Is the person in that car?" One of them pointed to the car behind Chang Huaqiang.

Chang Huaqiang nodded with eyes full of expectation.

After the car door was opened, the two police officers lifted down Chang Huasheng's already cold corpse.

The knife that had taken Chang Huasheng's life was still stuck in his chest. Although the two police officers were not forensic doctors, they could tell at a glance that the deceased before them had likely died from this stab wound to the chest.

They looked at each other, and the older police officer said, "Xiao Liu, you and Master Yuan take the corpse inside. Chang Huaqiang, you drive the car in!"

After Chang Huaqiang followed instructions and drove the car in, he brought Chang Huazhong into the lobby.

Before long, the older police officer came over and said to Chang Huazhong, "You are that youngest one, Chang Huazhong?"

Chang Huazhong nodded, and the older police officer said, "My surname is Shi. You come with me for a moment first!"

Chang Huazhong looked hesitantly at Chang Huaqiang. Chang Huaqiang said, "Oh, Leader Shi, I am his eldest brother. You can just tell me whatever the matter is."

The police officer surnamed Shi said with a straight face, "I know. You wait here first, let him come up with me to understand the situation first." After saying this, he took Chang Huazhong toward the second floor.

Chang Huaqiang didn't think much of it, thinking the police must have their own procedures, so he waited obediently downstairs.

Before long, the younger police officer surnamed Liu came down, beckoning to Chang Huaqiang from afar: "Chang Huaqiang, you come with me for a moment!"

Chang Huaqiang said "Hey!", and ran along with him up to the second floor.

After arriving at a windowless, sealed room, Chang Huaqiang saw only one person sitting inside; it was the police officer surnamed Shi, and he didn't see his brother Chang Huazhong.

He hunched over and asked the police officer surnamed Shi with a smile on his face: "Cough, cough! Leader Shi, why isn't my brother here?"

The police officer surnamed Shi signaled Xiao Liu to close the door and said, "Sit down and talk!"

Chang Huaqiang glanced at the chair in the middle of the empty room and sat down. Then, the police officer surnamed Liu sat beside the police officer surnamed Shi, took out a clipboard, and held a pen in one hand, ready to record.

Chang Huaqiang thought, is this to understand the situation?

Just then, he heard the police officer surnamed Shi say: "Name? Age..."

After asking like this for about ten minutes, Chang Huaqiang found that something was wrong. Although he hadn't experienced these things, he felt it didn't look like the behavior that should be directed at the family of a victim!

The police officer surnamed Liu glanced at Chang Huaqiang, handed the clipboard he had been writing on for a long time to Chang Huaqiang, and said: "You take a look, if there's no problem, sign your name on it!"

At this moment, Chang Huaqiang suddenly thought of a terrifying possibility! He was being treated as a "suspect"!

He shrank back vigilantly and asked: "Leader, I... we both came to report a case, my brother was killed by someone, what is the meaning of this?"

The police officer surnamed Shi said: "Chang Huaqiang! We are just questioning you according to normal procedures. As long as what you say is the truth, what are you worried about? You just stay here today, and tomorrow, after we investigate clearly, we will naturally give you an explanation!"

Chang Huaqiang had no choice but to watch helplessly as the two locked the door and left!

The cold, long night finally passed. In the morning, apart from Old Yuan bringing him a steamed bun and a bowl of thin porridge, no one else paid him any attention.

Chang Huaqiang was filled with grievances, worried about Chang Huazhong, and even more unsure of what fate he would encounter in this unfamiliar small city in another province. This day passed in anxiety!

When the sky was already dim, footsteps finally came from outside the door. Then the door was opened, and a familiar voice said: "Chang Huaqiang! Come out!"

Chang Huaqiang didn't know what time it was in the windowless room. Upon hearing someone call him, he hurriedly responded, "Hey! Hey! Coming out!", and stood up impatiently to walk out.

He saw the police officer surnamed Shi outside the door accompanying a short, white, and chubby middle-aged man in a police uniform. Seeing Chang Huaqiang come out, the police officer surnamed Shi said in a low voice: "Director Du, this is the older brother, Chang Huaqiang."

The white, chubby man called Director Du said with a serious expression: "Hmm! Let them go handle the procedures!" After saying this, he whispered something else to the police officer surnamed Shi, then turned and left.

Chang Huaqiang finally felt relieved; it seemed the matter had been clarified!

But what happened later was beyond his expectations!

Seeing the person called Director Du leave, Old Shi said: "Chang Huaqiang, you come with me for a moment, there is a procedure you need to handle."

"Hey!" Chang Huaqiang still hunched over and smiled humbly.

The two came to a simple office with two desks placed back-to-back and several filing cabinets. Old Shi sat down at the desk near the inside, then pointed to the stool in front of the other desk and said: "Sit down, sit down and talk."

Chang Huaqiang sat down as instructed, leaning forward, looking like he was all ears.

Old Shi first picked up the tea mug at his side and took a sip of water, then, as if remembering something, said: "Oh, drink some tea, I'll pour you a cup." Although he said this, his butt didn't lift from the chair at all.

Chang Huaqiang hurriedly said: "Leader, don't be so polite, I'm not thirsty. That... you called me over, is... is that murderer caught yet?"

Old Shi made a "slurp, slurp" sound while drinking tea. After hearing Chang Huaqiang's words, he put down the tea mug and said with a serious face: "Chang Huaqiang, we are still investigating your brother Chang Huasheng's matter. As for whether it was a fight or a highway robbery as you said, it remains to be verified! The village you mentioned has always had simple folk customs, so highway robbery shouldn't happen. Did your brother Chang Huazhong also participate in the armed fight? Before there is conclusive evidence, we cannot make rash conclusions about what really happened!"

Chang Huaqiang listened to Old Shi's words, and the more he heard, the more he felt something was wrong! This was clearly an attempt to confuse the public. If this were determined to be a hooligan fight, then... Chang Huaqiang thought of the possible consequences and couldn't help but feel his hair stand on end! Then Huazhong...? (In that special period, the crime of hooliganism could potentially be punished with the death penalty!)

Old Shi looked at the pale Chang Huaqiang and said: "We have also verified that the cause of your brother Chang Huasheng's death was indeed the stab wound to his chest, but whose knife it was and who stabbed him, you all can't explain clearly. If it weren't for the people from your brigade testifying on your side, we would even suspect that Chang Huasheng's death had other reasons!"

Chang Huaqiang heard this and doubted if his ears were having problems. He was about to speak, but heard Old Shi continue: "Of course, now that it's clear you are brothers and usually have a good relationship, plus I also feel you two don't look like vicious people, that's why the bureau dismissed the suspicion against you."

Old Shi didn't forget to claim credit, thinking it would pave the way for what followed.

But his next words made Chang Huaqiang jump up all of a sudden! ===== CHAPTER 99 =====