Chapter 261: In the Face of Facts, Any Struggle Is Futile

Let's talk about the child first, then the murder case.

The meaning is clear without words.

Your husband can end it all with death, but before he dies, pinning the murder charge on him will have the greatest impact on the child.

Having a murderer for a father is absolutely a fatal blow to the child's future development.

If it gets out, the child will inevitably be ostracized by classmates at school; over time, they will feel inferior.

When they grow up, they will also face social prejudice and discrimination.

Such prejudice could affect their employment and social life, causing dual psychological and practical troubles.

Moreover, when applying for schools or professions with strict political review requirements, proof of no criminal record for direct relatives is required.

Just on this point, the child's future path to taking the civil service exam is completely blocked.

"Harm doesn't reach the wife and children"?

Dream on.

"You, you..."

Upon hearing about the murder investigation, the woman immediately panicked:

"What evidence do you have that he is involved in the murder case?!"

So you know... Yu Dazhang could tell from her expression that she knew some inside information.

"I'm here to investigate, not to arrest," Yu Dazhang replied with a cold face:

"Why are you so panicked? Guilty conscience?"

"I, I'm not panicked." Just as the woman was about to continue defending herself, a man's voice suddenly came from inside the ward:

"Let them in."

The voice was not loud but very clear; it did not sound like that of a patient, but rather like someone giving orders to subordinates.

Upon hearing this, the woman's face instantly turned pale, a flicker of panic flashed in her eyes, then she calmed down, took a deep breath, and said to Yu Dazhang:

"Go in, but try not to stay too long. You should have learned about his physical condition before coming."

Yu Dazhang said nothing, merely nodded, and then walked into the ward.

This was a private ward; the furnishings inside were simple yet clean and tidy, with bright windows and a clean desk.

Besides the bed, there was a sofa.

Lying on the hospital bed was a man so thin he no longer looked human; saying he was skin and bones was not an exaggeration.

"There's a chair by the window."

While speaking, he propped himself up to sit, leaning against the head of the bed.

Just this one action exhausted all his strength, and his face became even paler than before.

Liu Jinsong went to the window, brought a chair, placed it beside the bed, then went with Ye Zhiyu to sit on the sofa, leaving the space to the two of them.

After sitting down, Yu Dazhang looked at the man before him, who resembled a skeleton, with no trace of pity in his eyes.

"My colleagues have already gone through the procedure, so there's no need for us to waste time; besides, time is very precious for you now."

"No." He Tianxin's voice was hoarse and unpleasant:

"What I need least right now is time. Dying is undignified; otherwise, I would have gone already."

After speaking, he even forced a smile, but it looked worse than crying; that expression made people feel deeply depressed.

"You don't want to say a single word about what happened sixteen years ago, do you?" Yu Dazhang asked with a stern face.

He could tell this from He Tianxin's attitude.

What the other party just said actually expressed one meaning: I'm not even afraid of death, let alone the police.

"It's been too long; I can't remember."

He Tianxin closed his eyes and shook his head slightly:

"Besides, there are some past events I don't want to recall; let them pass."

He's playing the shameless rogue card... Yu Dazhang has seen too many people like this.

He has even seen people more shameless than him.

The best way to deal with such people is to threaten them with what they care about.

Saying "threaten" sounds bad.

Use what they care about to intimidate them.

That sounds much better. "I think you already know the news about what happened to those nine people."

Yu Dazhang stared into his eyes and said slowly:

"Next, I will read out several names to see if they can awaken your memory."

"Liu Jinsong..."

He read out the names of the ten wrongfully accused people one by one, pausing for one second after each name.

During this time, Yu Dazhang's eyes kept staring at He Tianxin's sunken cheeks.

By the time the last one was read, He Tianxin's face had turned as gloomy as if water were about to drip from it.

"Looks like you should have remembered."

Yu Dazhang said with a cold face:

"Thanks to you, these ten people are still serving time in prison, but soon they will regain their freedom."

"Why aren't you speaking? Do you think I'm bluffing you?"

"Fine, I'll read out another ten names to help consolidate your memory."

!

"Shao Xin..."

Then Yu Dazhang reported the names of the ten people they had killed, one by one.

In a small group like this, everyone would certainly know each other's affairs.

After all, a pledge of allegiance only works if it's made public within the group.

Only by each holding the other's leverage can they keep one another in check.

When Yu Dazhang reached the last name, He Tianxin finally couldn't hold back and interrupted:

"Enough!!"

His voice was still hoarse, but his gaze was sharp and full of warning.

"What do the names you're reading have to do with me?" He Tianxin said, glaring.

"Even if I knew what they did, so what? It wasn't me who did it. I have nothing to feel guilty about."

Knew you'd say that... Yu Dazhang wasn't surprised by his reaction.

Seeing He Tianxin's brazen, careless manner, Yu Dazhang's voice also turned cold.

"Then I'll mention one that does have something to do with you."

Yu Dazhang paused, then, under He Tianxin's puzzled gaze, slowly began:

"Han Lianwen — that name should leave an impression on you, right?"

Sure enough, the instant he heard the name, He Tianxin's pupils shrank slightly and a flash of shock crossed his face.

His complexion also turned ugly, even tinged with a trace of pain, as if he didn't want to recall anything tied to that name.

He really does know him... Yu Dazhang had brought up that name precisely to trick him.

"You even found him?" He Tianxin stared at Yu Dazhang in disbelief.

"Don't get clever with yourself." Yu Dazhang didn't answer him directly, but said coldly:

"Everything you've done will be dug up. Don't count on that person to help you — he's barely able to save himself now."

He believed He Tianxin would understand.

Of the so-called Twelve Young Masters of Xicheng, only He Tianxin and that mastermind remained.

Seeing him fall silent again, Yu Dazhang continued:

"Ten people, ten pledges of allegiance, twenty victims — the whole truth has come to light now."

"Do you really think what you've done can still be hidden?"

This is what it means to lay out the facts and present the evidence.

The twenty victims' names Yu Dazhang had just read off to him were meant to tell him: the police had already gotten to the bottom of it and had all the criminal evidence in hand.

Even the dead one had been investigated — the point was to make him give up any fluke hopes.

The moment the words "pledge of allegiance" were spoken, Yu Dazhang noticed a flicker of panic in He Tianxin's eyes.

He closed his eyes slightly; when he opened them again, the panic was gone, replaced by a look of resolve.

He stared at Yu Dazhang and said:

"I'll cooperate, but before I talk, you have to agree to two conditions."

(End of chapter)