Chapter 670

Gao Zong lowered his head, smoking silently, saying nothing.

"I called you to my office, not the interrogation room, because I wanted to help you. But you won't say a word—how am I supposed to help?"

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui sighed again: "I'll be straight with you—this matter is serious. I have to report it, but before I do, there's still room to maneuver. Once I report it, there won't be any leeway left at all."

Gao Zong's mind raced—he understood from Zhang Zhang Zhonghui's words that someone had betrayed him.

But who exactly? He wasn't sure. If it was Qi Hong, he'd firmly deny it. If it was Chen Chen Zhaolong, the trouble would be real.

"Chief Zhang!" Gao Zong ventured, "I really don't know what you're talking about—can you give me a hint?"

"Fuck!" Zhang Zhang Zhonghui cursed inwardly—he's still playing dumb with me. His face, however, showed a hint of resignation.

"What's your relationship with Chen Erhei?"

"Shit!" Gao Zong's head rang—he'd been betrayed by Chen Erhei after all.

Seeing Gao Zong's sudden change in expression, Zhang Zhang Zhonghui now had his answer.

Breaking through Chen Erhei's circle wouldn't be easy.

So he shifted his target—to break through Gao Zong instead. And so far, it was working perfectly.

Gao Zong struggled internally. Dajiang glanced at Zhang Zhang Zhonghui, then turned and walked out.

Two or three minutes later, someone knocked on the office door. A police officer entered holding a notebook.

"Chief, they've all confessed…"

The officer suddenly spotted Gao Zong sitting there and choked off the rest of his sentence.

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui waved his hand: "I know. Go out for now."

"Alright!" The officer turned and left.

"Confessed? Confessed what?" Beads of sweat broke out on Gao Zong's forehead—it must mean confession.

The cigarette in Gao Zong's hand had gone out, but he didn't notice—he was completely disoriented.

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui picked up another cigarette and offered it to Gao Zong.

Gao Zong snapped back to reality, took the cigarette, and put it in his mouth.

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui lit the lighter again and lit the cigarette for him.

"Speak. If you don't, I can't help you. Once I report it, even if you want to talk, I won't be able to intervene."

"Click. Click."

Gao Zong smoked one puff after another, then gritted his teeth: "Chen Chen Zhaolong's father was named Chen Shun—he used to be with Du Du Yongli. That year, over two hundred men from the compound surrounded Du Du Yongli and more than ten of his brothers—including Chen Shun."

Gao Zong took a deep drag. "That day, Du Du Yongli, Chen Shun, and another brother didn't make it out."

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui picked up his cold tea cup and took a sip.

"Were you connected to Chen Shun?"

Gao Zong nodded: "I was brothers with Chen Shun. He looked out for me. After the incident, I often supported his wife and kids. Without me, Chen Chen Zhaolong wouldn't have survived."

"I actually tried to convince Chen Chen Zhaolong not to follow his father's path, but he always wanted revenge for his dad…"

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui's eyes lit up: "Was Feng Jinmin killed by Chen Chen Zhaolong, right?"

Gao Zong shook his head: "I don't know about that. But back then, Feng Jinmin did take part—he was just a lackey. The leader was Guo Guo Yongliang."

"Bian Bian Xuewu knows the details best. Back then, Du Du Yongli and Guo Guo Yongliang clashed, and Bian Bian Xuewu acted as mediator, trying to reconcile them."

"Actually, Guo Guo Yongliang wanted Du Du Yongli dead. He pretended to mediate just to lure Du Du Yongli out. Du Du Yongli trusted Bian Bian Xuewu, so he agreed to meet Guo Guo Yongliang—and brought only a dozen men."

"Who could've guessed that Guo Guo Yongliang was untrustworthy? Even Bian Bian Xuewu was fooled."

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui's eyes brightened noticeably: "Were Huang Ming, Lü Weizhi, Ma Xing Wenbin, Wu Bo, and Peng Liwang also involved in that incident?"

Gao Zong said: "I'm not sure. You'd have to ask Bian Bian Xuewu."

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui didn't press further: "Go on."

Since he'd already spoken, Gao Zong no longer held back—he laid everything out.

"I just wanted to mess up the Dicos. I never imagined the consequences would be this severe."

As he spoke, Gao Zong's eyes turned red—he was filled with hatred and regret.

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui patted his shoulder, stood up, opened the office door, and nodded to Dajiang standing outside.

"Come in and take his statement."

Dajiang exhaled in relief and walked in with pen and notebook already prepared.

Gao Zong repeated everything to Dajiang. But when it came time to sign and fingerprint, he suddenly grew alert.

Because he knew—once he signed and stamped his fingerprint, there'd be no turning back.

"Chief Zhang, I've told you everything. How are you going to help me?"

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui smiled: "Confess fully, and you get leniency. Resist, and you get harshness. Since you're cooperating, I'll note it in the case file—the judge will consider reducing your sentence."

"Fuck you!" Gao Zong roared in fury, leaping up and lunging at Zhang Zhang Zhonghui: "You fucking liar!"

Dajiang kicked out, his foot slamming into Gao Zong's lower back.

"Thud!" Gao Zong screamed in pain and crashed to the floor.

As he tried to rise, Dajiang twisted his arms behind his back and snapped cold handcuffs onto him.

"Fuck you! Let me go!" Gao Zong had lost all reason.

Once so high and mighty, now a prisoner—it was unbearable for anyone.

Especially since Zhang Zhang Zhonghui had kept insisting they were friends, that he'd help him.

Under that deception, he'd confessed everything—and now he felt like a complete idiot.

He'd believed in friendship. He'd believed Zhang Zhang Zhonghui would help him.

More importantly, he knew full well the gravity of the charges: inciting, planning, creating social panic, endangering public safety.

Even though the plan failed and caused no serious consequences, he'd still be looking at ten to fifteen years inside.

Gao Zong cursed and roared until he ran out of strength and fell silent.

"I'm a police officer. Even if it were my own family committing a crime, I'd still arrest them." Zhang Zhang Zhonghui placed the statement on the coffee table. "Sign it. Stamp your fingerprint. You'll definitely get a reduced sentence."

Gao Zong stared coldly at Zhang Zhang Zhonghui: "Everything I just said was made up. You led me to say it—it's not true."

Zhang Zhang Zhonghui shook his head helplessly: "Don't you know? If you sign and stamp, under normal circumstances, you'll cut two or three years off your sentence."

"But if you keep resisting, even an eight-year sentence will be extended by two more. That's four or five years—worth it?"

Gao Zong sneered: "I treated you like a friend. You treated me like a fool."