Chapter 954: Life or Death

"Section Chief Li."

Li Xuewu was talking with Wei Wei when he heard Xiang Yunian calling him.

He turned around and saw the other man walking quickly down the stairs, so he stood up.

Wei Wei had been nervous ever since he entered this solemn government office at the top of the steps.

Especially since this was a department he rarely saw in his daily life, but one he heard was in charge of cadres.

Just think about it: cadres manage the masses, and they manage the cadres—how formidable must that be?

Seeing Li Xuewu about to stand up, he also tried to rise while leaning on his crutches, but Li Xuewu pressed a hand onto his shoulder.

"You sit here and wait for now. Someone will come to verify the situation with you in a while; just tell the truth."

"Ah? Okay, okay, Deputy Director Li."

Wei Wei looked timidly at the cadre in a Zhongshan suit walking over, cast a glance at him, and then lowered his head.

He was especially sensitive when the man's gaze swept over his legs; he jerked his body and tucked that crippled leg away.

After Xiang Yunian sized up Wei Wei, he looked at Li Xuewu and raised his eyebrows, his eyes full of confusion.

Li Xuewu tilted his head slightly and explained, "This is Wei Wei."

"Oh?"

Xiang Yunian frowned slightly, realizing who this was. Looking back at Wei Wei on the bench, his eyes couldn't help but show a bit of sympathy.

Where would Discipline Inspection cadres get sympathy from when handling cases? A case is a case; they were all professionals who had long since become "hard-hearted."

But as a man, he still couldn't help but view this matter from another perspective.

"Let's talk over here. Our leadership has already communicated with the higher-ups and there are new instructions."

Xiang Yunian pulled Li Xuewu to one side and said solemnly, "The leadership attaches great importance to this case and has finalized that I will continue to form the special task force."

"While increasing support, we have also coordinated with the Confidentiality Department and the Municipal Bureau."

"Including you here."

Xiang Yunian pointed at Li Xuewu and said earnestly, "I have already applied to the leadership, and they have agreed for you to preside over the interrogation work."

After finishing, he raised his hand to press down, signaling Li Xuewu, who was about to speak, to let him finish. He said, "If you have any arrangements or needs, just tell me directly."

He looked into Li Xuewu's eyes, lowered his voice, and said, "I don't suggest you go to the branch bureau; there are too many affairs and the water is too deep. You can send someone else."

After finishing the coordination with the leadership, he patted Li Xuewu's arm and said, "This time, too many people are involved. First, we will assess the merits, then distribute the rewards. You need to be mentally prepared."

"What does Director Zheng say?"

Li Xuewu trusted Xiang Yunian; otherwise, he wouldn't have acted as a go-between for him.

Xiang Yunian glanced around and then said, "I'll do my best. The leadership's intention is for Director Zheng to be responsible for the arrest coordination, while simultaneously digging deeper into the murder case."

"You don't need to worry too much about him. Our leadership has a good relationship with him. Since there are preparations here, it still depends on you."

He stared into Li Xuewu's eyes and said, "Whatever you want, just ask."

"None."

Li Xuewu replied decisively, "I have no requirements. I will be responsible for the interrogation work for this case, but I need to take leave."

"Fine, I understand."

Xiang Yunian looked at Li Xuewu for several seconds, nodded, and said, "I won't add trouble for you at your factory; you coordinate it yourself. Once finished, start working immediately. Strive to solidify the case by tonight."

"Fine."

Li Xuewu replied, threw the cigarette butt in his hand and crushed it, then signaled toward the duty room to make a phone call.

First, he called the Management Committee office. The secretary replied that Director Li was not in, so Li Xuewu reported the situation.

He then called home. Qin Jingru answered. Hearing that there was a case to handle, she didn't say much more.

Finally, he called the First Detention Center. Huang Gan answered, thinking he wanted to chat, and even shouted about going out to gather that night.

Li Xuewu explained the situation in a few words, told him to prepare quickly, then hung up the phone and headed to the interrogation room.

The person being interrogated was not Du Xiaoyan, but Han Luyao, who was related to the fraud and murder case they were about to investigate.

The other party had already been interrogated several times by the joint Discipline Inspection and Confidentiality teams. By the time he reached Li Xuewu, he was like an eggplant beaten by frost.

"Keep it simple. I ask, you answer."

Li Xuewu was interrogating him together with a criminal officer from the branch bureau and a deputy section chief from Discipline Inspection.

As soon as he entered the room, Li Xuewu saw his decadent gaze and defeated expression.

"Did you participate in the fraud case? Did you participate in the murder case?"

"No, I really didn't!"

Han Luyao raised his head abruptly, looked at Li Xuewu in surprise, and said, "I've been wronged. I really didn't know she would do that."

*Thump~ Thump~*

Li Xuewu tapped the table with a pencil and reminded him, "My time is limited. You don't need to cry injustice to me. Whether you're wronged or not, you know yourself."

"I ask, you answer. If it's you, admit it voluntarily. If it's not you, tell me the reason. That's it."

"It's not me, I don't know."

Han Luyao had not really been characterized as participating in the fraud and murder before. Now, he was very afraid of being implicated and hurriedly explained, "I only knew Du Xiaoyan took money from the cooperative..."

"We already know this. You don't need to say more."

Li Xuewu first applied pressure to him, then interrupted his statement twice, which made him even more nervous.

"Now I'm asking you: did you take Du Xiaoyan's money to help her conceal the investigation into the fraud case?"

"I... I took the money."

Han Luyao hesitated for a moment, nodded, lowered his head, and said, "I did make a mistake. I shouldn't have helped her conceal the account deficit."

"Then I'm asking you now: when I questioned her at the branch bureau, you intentionally shielded her and helped her cover it up. Did you know she had problems?"

"Speak!!!"

Li Xuewu slammed the table and shouted, "It's already come to this, and you're still harboring illusions, wanting to go to the execution ground for her and block bullets for her!"

"I, I, I, I knew."

Han Luyao was startled by Li Xuewu's slam on the table, raised his head, and said with trembling lips, "I, I, I guessed it too. The cooperative suddenly had a sum of money, and her accounts were balanced. I was also very surprised."

"Continue. What else do you know!"

Li Xuewu looked at him with cold eyes and said, "Has she ever told you how she carried out the fraud, and how she committed the murder?"

"No, really no."

Han Luyao guaranteed earnestly, "These really were all guesses of mine."

"She and I... I... I was with her... we never talked about such things."

"She committed the crime on the 29th. She must have had some premeditation and plan before that. Did you notice anything?"

Li Xuewu tapped the table and said, "Did you find her in close contact with anyone, or having frequent interactions?"

"I... it seems... I don't remember."

"You really don't remember!"

Seeing Li Xuewu's unkind gaze, Han Luyao was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead. He opened his mouth to defend himself, "I only had a working relationship with her. It really wasn't that complicated."

"And you still dare to say it's not complicated!"

Li Xuewu slammed the table and cursed, "Is there such a thing as a working relationship that leads to bed!"

"You're still not being honest, right!"

He pointed at Han Luyao and said, "Let me tell you, Du Xiaoyan is terrified of going to the execution ground. She's naming names in that room right now. What she's writing isn't a confession; it's the King of Hell's Book of Life and Death."

"I'm asking you now: are you going to talk or not? If you don't talk, we'll believe her confession entirely. Don't regret it then!"

"I'll talk! I'll talk, I really confess."

Han Luyao was scared pale by Li Xuewu's fierce gaze and trembled all over. "Before the 29th, I really didn't find anything different. It was only after the incident that she changed."

"Be quick. Tell me, how did she change?"

Li Xuewu frowned and said, "She has already implicated many people. I can't waste time on you alone."

"She became cautious, and also became... not like that anymore."

Han Luyao glanced at Li Xuewu, lowered his voice, and explained, "I initially thought we were punished by the higher-ups and she was trying to restrain herself."

"Is it that she no longer invited people home, and no longer lived a life of debauchery?"

Li Xuewu looked at him and asked, "During this period, did she have any close associates?"

"Don't tell me you don't know. You spent more time with her than Zhao Ziliang did. Don't try to fool me."

"Yes, yes, I wouldn't dare."

Han Luyao thought for a moment and said, "I asked her why the accounts changed. She explained that she was afraid of an investigation from above because of this case and had to find a way to balance the accounts."

"She really said that? She even borrowed money from me."

Han Luyao explained, "To balance the accounts, she did say she borrowed money from relatives at home to balance them, and even asked me to help her keep it secret, not wanting people in the cooperative to know."

"And then?"

Li Xuewu frowned and asked, "How big a hole did she fill during the account balancing period? Did you not notice anything at all?"

"I really didn't pay much attention. After all, this was a good thing."

Han Luyao said with a bitter face, "I don't know specifically how much money she took over these years. It was only after you investigated that I understood."

"I went to Du Xiaoyan to ask about this, but she reported injustice with certainty, saying she was also a victim and the money matter really had nothing to do with the fraud case."

"You believe her?"

Li Xuewu asked with his eyes narrowed, "You don't believe her, because you were still shielding her when I questioned her at the branch bureau."

"Yes."

Han Luyao lowered his head and said, "I didn't believe a word she said. She's the one who loves to lie the most, but I... I had no way back."

"No way back? You chose a road of no return."

Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes and asked, "You still haven't answered me. Did she have close contact with anyone? What are you avoiding?"

"... No, no."

Han Luyao lowered his head and said hesitantly, "She... she seems to know someone from your branch bureau..."

"Lai Shanchuan, Section Chief Lai, right?"

Li Xuewu frowned and asked, "Do you mean Section Chief Lai helped her carry out the fraud case and helped her carry out the murder case?"

"No! I didn't!"

Han Luyao raised his head and defended himself, "You asked who she had close contact with, and I just saw that she knew Section Chief Lai..."

"You don't need to try to trick me."

Li Xuewu interrupted him, narrowed his eyes, and looked at him. "You should be able to guess how big this case is. Lai Shanchuan cannot protect her, and he cannot affect the investigation of the case."

As he spoke, he signaled to the criminal investigation personnel beside him and said, "Have you seen him appear here again?"

"Don't you know what this means? Stop playing games."

"I... I'll talk..."

Han Luyao lowered his head as if his spine had been pulled out. "I confess, I confess..."

The Winter Solstice had actually passed, just this past Monday. It was the day with the shortest daylight and the coldest feeling in the heart of the entire year.

After eating the Winter Solstice meal, the days grow longer.

From the Winter Solstice, the daylight hours become longer and the nights shorter.

But this also meant that winter had truly arrived, and it would be colder day by day, especially in northern cities.

Just past three o'clock, small snowflakes were already drifting in the sky, making the thin sunlight appear even colder.

Even though the earthen heating in the room was burning fiercely, it didn't feel warm; it even felt somewhat icy.

The office of the Section Chief of the Public Security Section was not very spacious. Many files were stacked in the filing cabinet, and there were still some urgent tasks piled on the desk.

When government personnel passing through the corridor passed this office, they would lighten their steps and lower their voices, so as not to disturb the leader's work.

But they didn't know that the Section Chief of the Public Security Section had no heart for the official business on his desk, his gaze looking somewhat distractedly out the window.

"Section Chief?"

"Hmm?"

Hearing someone call him, Lai Shanchuan finally withdrew his gaze, his vision focusing on the face of the person in front of his desk.

"What is it?"

It was the office secretary. He asked somewhat unhappily after being disturbed, and casually wiped away non-existent traces on his face.

The secretary was a bit afraid of him and said softly, "Director Zheng just called, saying not to leave after work, there is an emergency meeting tonight."

"Meeting tonight?"

Lai Shanchuan frowned and asked, "Did Director Zheng say what meeting it is? He wasn't at home today, right?"

"Yes, Director Zheng went out in the morning."

The secretary replied cautiously, "He said he went to the Municipal Bureau, it seems there was some training, and then he followed the Municipal Bureau to the Ministry."

"Who else is attending?"

Lai Shanchuan picked up his teacup and took a sip of the already cold tea, frowned in disgust, and put it down.

The secretary wanted to come over to take the teacup and change it for him, but was rejected: "Tell me yours."

"Yes, the Political Section received a notice. Personnel, Discipline Inspection, and Security have all been notified."

"I see."

The secretary didn't notice that when he reported the words "Discipline Inspection," Section Chief Lai's eyebrows twitched.

It wasn't just Lai Shanchuan's eyebrows that twitched; his right eyelid had been twitching all day, making him feel uneasy.

Hearing what the secretary said, that the departments at the branch bureau had all received the meeting notice, the burden in his heart finally eased slightly.

"Where is Guozhong?"

Lai Shanchuan frowned slightly and asked, "Why haven't I seen him all day? What did he go do?"

"Team Leader Liu went to look at the scene."

The secretary replied, "He said that nothing has been found at Jin Yuchi for a long time, and he wants to re-examine the scene."

"Look at what scene!"

Lai Shanchuan slammed the table for no reason and said angrily, "Isn't this a waste of time? Can he still find Zhao Ziliang in the ice hole?"

"Nonsense!"

Looking at the secretary's cautious appearance, he also knew it was useless to say anything to him, so he said, "Call him and tell him to come back quickly. It's already the 26th, almost the end of the month. Finish the case closure report first before talking about anything else."

"Yes."

The secretary replied, then whispered a reminder, "If we are closing the case, should we issue the wanted notice for Zhao Ziliang first?"

"I'm already applying for this, but it will take a few more days."

Lai Shanchuan said, then waved his hand and said, "Go call Liu Guozhong first and tell him to hurry up with this matter."

After finishing, he stood up and took his teacup to the tea cabinet at the door to change the tea leaves.

The secretary glanced at his back and walked quickly out the door.

Lai Shanchuan watched the secretary leave, leisurely brewed himself a cup of new tea, returned to the desk with a solemn face, sat down, and found a file to read.

The name Zhang Shuqin was written on the cover of the file; it was clearly a case he had been handling for two years.

Being able to drag it on for so long, involving so many relationships, and with such a large amount of money involved, it could be considered ranked among the top here.

Especially after being teased by three letters, this case revealed strangeness everywhere.

He looked at the names appearing one by one in the case file; some were in custody, some were under investigation, some were under surveillance, and some were in the morgue.

Some say they are not handling cases, but the lives of certain people.

Lai Shanchuan deeply understood this point. Being able to reach this position today, he didn't get here by fame alone, nor by flattery.

When he was young, he dared to charge and break through, solving countless cases, and truly sat in the position of Section Chief of the Public Security Section.

He didn't agree with the idea that people become timid and overly cautious when they get old. Even in the years he had been section chief, he had supervised many major and important cases in the bureau.

The only thing he was vague about regarding this case was a name involved in the case file.

He really didn't want to have any relationship with the other party, and even deliberately kept his distance on the day Li Xuewu came, fearing the other party would see something wrong.

Actually, what worried him most wasn't the case, but Li Xuewu, his confidant's great trouble.

Don't talk about magnanimity, and don't talk about things being in the past. When has there ever been a time when political disputes were in the past?

There is always one side that has to give an account, especially the relationship between them—it's life or death.

The leverage was in Li Xuewu's hands. He was restless day and night, and could be awakened by nightmares at any time in the middle of the night.

The "increasingly haggard" state Li Xuewu mentioned when he saw him that day wasn't because of the case, but because he couldn't sleep well at night, which was torture.

He had thought about getting back the so-called evidence from Li Xuewu, but hadn't found a way for a while.

Later, when Li Xuewu, Wang Xiaoqin, and others were transferred away, it added to his concerns.

No other reason; not in the same system, the relationship between the two sides would gradually clarify and distance itself. By then, if Li Xuewu took action again, he would truly have no scruples.

Sometimes he was really afraid of Zheng Fuhua, afraid that the other party would know about the things in Li Xuewu's hands, and even more afraid that the other party would be transferred away, letting Li Xuewu fire at him with full firepower.

In the past, the position of section chief was his pride; now it had become his inner demon.

*Ding-a-ling~*

The phone rang suddenly, startling him. He steadied his mind, then put down the file in his hand and answered the phone.

"Hello, I am Lai Shanchuan. Where is this?"

"Who? Who took them away?!"

"Director Zheng? Is it him?"

"No, I don't know. Do you want me to give him a call?"

"Good, good, I understand."

*Clatter~*

The phone in Lai Shanchuan's hand fell onto the desk, making the same sound as his inner self.

He was just about to raise his hand to grab the phone, but hit the teacup instead. The tea spilled all over the desk, dampening the files.

Too late to clean this up, Lai Shanchuan grabbed the phone and hung it up, then stood up and put on the overcoat hanging on the chair.

He took a deep look at the teacup on the desk and the files dampened by the tea, found a luggage bag from the filing cabinet, carried it, and walked out without looking back.

"Hey, Section Chief."

The secretary was just coming to find him to sign a document. Seeing him walking out in a hurry carrying a bag with a hurried expression, he called out.

Lai Shanchuan originally wanted to ignore him, but still stopped his steps, took the document and fountain pen from the other party, and signed without even looking.

"My wife just called home saying she fell, it's very serious. I'm going back to handle it."

"Okay."

The secretary took the fountain pen and asked, "Do you need me to help you ask for leave from Director Zheng?"

Lai Shanchuan, who was just about to step out, paused slightly upon hearing this, then turned his head and said, "No need to call specifically. Just tell him for me when the time comes. It's probably about the spiritual study."

"Oh, right, there's more."

Lai Shanchuan pointed at the secretary, signaled to his office, and said, "I was in a hurry just now and knocked over the teacup. Help me clean it up, especially the case files. Re-transcribe them. Thank you for your hard work."

After finishing, he patted the other party's shoulder and turned to go downstairs.

The secretary looked at the leader's back and scratched his forehead, thinking to himself: Is this the first time the leader has patted my shoulder?

If it weren't for something urgent at the leader's home, the other party wouldn't have been so out of character.

Usually, Section Chief Lai was most concerned about his personal image and demeanor. How could he be overly close to secretaries like them?

The secretary curled his lips, walked into the leader's office, first picked up the teacup, and saw that there was no tea inside, but there was a little bit of white powder at the bottom of the cup, like Western medicine that hadn't dissolved yet.

Is the leader sick?

In the past, it was always him who brewed the tea. Today it was unusual, or perhaps it was an unspeakable hidden illness.

The secretary didn't care, washed the teacup in the washbasin at the door, then rinsed it again with clean water, and then put it back on the tea cabinet.

Waiting until he saw the case file on the table that was ruined by water, he secretly complained in his heart about the leader's carelessness; he was going to be the one to suffer.

He picked up a dry rag and wiped the water on the case file. The page the file was opened to was exactly the personnel related to the fraud case being investigated by the bureau.

He had participated in the case file organization, so he knew who this was: Du Xiaoyan, who worked at the credit cooperative.

"Confessed?"

Zheng Fuhua returned from outside, saw Li Xuewu coming out of the interrogation room, and asked while holding a teacup.

"Hmm, there are some problems, like squeezing toothpaste."

Li Xuewu walked to the door of the tea room, looked at Zheng Fuhua, and asked, "Any gains?"

"Hmm, I have quite a harvest here."

Zheng Fuhua nodded, sighed, and said, "I also never imagined that things would develop to this point today."

"Actually, you knew there was a problem with this case from the beginning, right?"

He looked at Li Xuewu, nodded slowly, and said, "At Jin Yuchi, the things you said to him, now that I think about it, I really shouldn't have let you go back then."

"You think too highly of me. I am a human, not a god."

Li Xuewu lit a cigarette for himself, blew away the smoke in front of him, and said, "The problem wasn't something I saw; it was something he exposed himself. He was cowardly."

"Hmm, maybe."

Zheng Fuhua didn't take the cigarette Li Xuewu offered. His throat was swollen and hurt badly.

"I really admire your mentality. You can contain everything and endure everything."

"How could that be~ I'm actually not a good thing either~"

Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Usually, you see me not daring to touch money or sex; that's because I didn't have the opportunity. If someone really hunted me, maybe I would have fallen long ago."

"Hehe, I actually have this confidence in you."

Zheng Fuhua drank a mouthful of hot water and said, "For so many years, I have seen and managed countless cadres, but you are the only one I cannot see through. It's truly rare."

"Maybe the time we spent together was a bit too short."

Li Xuewu smiled and bumped into him, saying, "You invite me to restaurants more often, even if it's just for tea; isn't there an opportunity for mutual understanding?"

"Hahaha~"

Zheng Fuhua smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Stop talking nonsense. Tell me, how are we going to interrogate next? Du Xiaoyan won't easily push herself to the guillotine."

"Hmm, that's why we have to chew on Han Luyao's bone first."

Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "The only thing I'm curious about now is where they hid Zhao Ziliang."

"Yes~"

Zheng Fuhua sighed slightly and said, "Where could they have hidden him?"

"Fine, I couldn't guess it even if I talked to you all day. Better to ask the main person."

Li Xuewu smiled and signaled toward the interrogation room, saying, "I believe she's been waiting for me anxiously."

"Hmm."

Zheng Fuhua nodded and said, "You are young and charming; people are convinced by you."

"Forget it, save the effort of digging at me. Don't let the higher-ups assign me to interrogate you one day. Don't blame me for using public office for private revenge then."

Li Xuewu talked with Zheng Fuhua all the way, heading straight to the interrogation room where Du Xiaoyan was.

Just as he pushed open the interrogation room door, Li Xuewu suddenly turned back and asked, "Lai Shanchuan ran away, right?"

"Hmm, ran away."

Zheng Fuhua paused first, then said with an ugly expression, "I want to see if he can escape from the palm of the Buddha."

"I trust you in handling things."

Li Xuewu didn't know where he learned this sentence, but he used it on Zheng Fuhua.

Smiling, he entered the interrogation room and saw Du Xiaoyan's panicked and stunned face.

"Are the materials all written?"

Li Xuewu didn't care about her changing expression, looked at the stack of draft paper in front of her, didn't move to collect it, but sat behind the interrogation table with Zheng Fuhua.

Before the two could speak, Xiang Yunian pushed the door and walked in. He first glanced at Du Xiaoyan, then said to the two, "Do you still need to interrogate her?"

"Let's interrogate a bit, just go through the procedure."

Li Xuewu raised his head and looked at Xiang Yunian, asking, "How is it on your side?"

"Almost there, the net was cast just in time."

Xiang Yunian didn't say too much, but looked at Zheng Fuhua, who had a normal expression, and asked, "Do you need to prepare special forces in advance? I'm afraid of hurting innocent people."

"No need, isn't Regiment Commander Li here?"

Zheng Fuhua pointed at Li Xuewu and said to Xiang Yunian, "He has a special service team on 24-hour standby, extremely skilled in urban defense and emergency handling. This time is just the right opportunity for him to show his skills."

"I actually don't hope to use the Third Guard Regiment."

Li Xuewu took a puff of his cigarette, didn't care about Du Xiaoyan, who was trembling nervously, and said casually, "Using special services to catch him is like using a cannon to hit a mosquito. It's really not worth exposing our strength."

"You're getting cocky now that I've praised you."

Zheng Fuhua curled his lips and said, "If it weren't for the fact that I was afraid this team would be ruined in my hands and decided to let go, where would you have the room to be arrogant today?"

"Fine, I, on behalf of all the officers and soldiers of the Third Guard Regiment, accept your favor. Thank you for your selflessness in achieving our today."

"Hey~ if you say it like that, I'm going to have to pull you up a bit."

Zheng Fuhua tapped the table and said, "I really don't care for other people's favors, but you and Wang Xiaoqin really have to remember my goodness."

"Right, Section Chief Xiang?"

He said to Xiang Yunian, "If you have a guy who borrows arrows with straw boats and crosses the sea under camouflage in your hands, what would you do?"

"Me? I'd definitely stuff him into an ice hole!"

Xiang Yunian smiled and made a fierce gesture at Li Xuewu, then looked at the door and said, "I've called for food preparation at the cafeteria."

"Just make do with our Discipline Inspection food today. After this case is over, I'll treat you. How about we eat roast duck?"

"Then I want to eat at Bianyifang. I don't eat Quanjude's; it's too greasy."

Li Xuewu put on airs and said, "Is eating roast duck enough? Their meatballs are also good. I won't be polite then."

"Who said I'm treating you?"

Xiang Yunian smiled and signaled to Zheng Fuhua, saying, "I'm talking to Director Zheng here. Why do you keep interrupting?"

"Director Zheng, let's do it like that."

He smiled and greeted Zheng Fuhua, signaled to Du Xiaoyan, whose terrified body was already shaking like a sieve, and said, "You guys hurry up. The cafeteria is about to open for dinner. Don't be late."

After finishing, he didn't look at anything else and left easily, as if the case had truly been cleared up.

When the interrogation room door closed with a *clatter*, Du Xiaoyan was startled, then her emotions collapsed. Snot and tears flowed down, wetting the thick stack of draft paper in front of her.

"Stop crying first, wipe your tears. How worthless are they?"

Li Xuewu took the tissues prepared on the table, pulled a long strip, walked over while folding them neatly, and handed them to Du Xiaoyan when he reached her.

Du Xiaoyan lay on the table, crying very hard, her body shaking. It could be seen that she was truly terrified.

The interrogation room itself wasn't big. Her crying was shrill, and hearing it suddenly really gave one a feeling of hair-raising horror.

This was a release of emotion—despair, heart-wrenching, and grief-stricken.

Li Xuewu stood beside her, placed the paper on the small table, and listened to her beast-like wailing without any movement on his face.

No matter how hard she cried, they were crocodile tears. She would repent sitting here, but if she walked out of here, would she still think she was wrong?

No, she would think she had escaped a disaster again and would be careful when doing these things in the future.

Just like those tigers in warning documentaries—do you think they are really repenting, really reflecting on the mistakes they made?

No, most are thinking that they were unlucky, caught by someone, or accidentally implicated.

Some are even trying every possible way to escape their crimes, just like the confession letter in front of Du Xiaoyan, dampened by her tears.

Why isn't Li Xuewu interested? Because it can't write down all of Du Xiaoyan's sins. "Too numerous to record" is exactly this.

Who would believe that what she wrote herself was a complete confession?

The words Li Xuewu said before leaving—I'm afraid before he even left the door, Du Xiaoyan had already prepared how to escape and how to conceal.

And when Li Xuewu stood at the door and asked that question to the outside, and she saw that the person answering Li Xuewu's question was Zheng Fuhua, her heart went completely cold.

Even the person she relied on most had been discovered and designated as an arrest target. What else did she have to say?

The words on the paper, and the attempts to contact people outside, all became empty documents.

Right in front of her, the three of Li Xuewu were talking and laughing, relaxed and free, already discussing where to celebrate after the case ended.

What does this indicate? Was her confession too slow, or had someone betrayed her in advance?

Any situation was possible. She knew she couldn't afford to gamble. From this moment on, she had no bargaining chips or room for negotiation.

She knew too well what the consequences of the things she had done would be, and knew too well what the punishment for the things she had done to Zhang Shuqin and Zhao Ziliang would be.

Du Xiaoyan was truly afraid. Thinking of spending the most agonizing time alone, eating the last meal, being tied up and taken to the execution ground, and feeling the bullet fired from behind, her heart ached unbearably.

She really wanted to cry to death here at this moment, without having to endure the inner agony, and without having to experience the pain of fear.

Zheng Fuhua was drinking hot water very patiently. His throat hurt badly. The few words he said to them just now were all supported by sheer force. He just wanted to rest well now.

The driver helped him find anti-inflammatory medicine. He took one in the morning and one in the afternoon, but it was of no use.

Xiang Yunian said this was his heart fire being too strong, and he wouldn't be at peace without removing the root of the disease. He also said he had a good prescription that would guarantee the medicine would cure the disease.

He really wanted to say the other party was talking nonsense. If this prescription was so good, it should be used more on the people in Discipline Inspection.

The root of the disease—the reason it's called a root is that it's deeply rooted, with too many entanglements and ties.

Pulling out the root of the disease brings up not only blood and energy, but also bone-deep pain.

But even if he was sick, he had to hold on, just like the various major and important cases he had encountered over the years; he had to sit in the bureau.

Those on the front line—where is there any talk of being sick or not? Don't leave the front line with minor injuries; just do it.

The reason he had been drinking hot water was that it was getting dark outside, and some things couldn't be left overnight.

His own people—he had to bring them to justice himself; he couldn't let others do it for him.

Don't know if it was because he drank too much hot water, or the anti-inflammatory medicine took effect, or Du Xiaoyan's crying relieved the fire in his heart.

Just as Du Xiaoyan gradually stopped, the pain in his throat was slightly relieved.

"I will die, right? Right?"

"Wipe your tears first. Can you listen to me in your current state?"

Li Xuewu's tone was relaxed, without any intention of scaring her, and without any pressure.

Du Xiaoyan grabbed the tissues in front of her with teary eyes, looked at Li Xuewu, opened her mouth, and couldn't say a word for a long time.

"Do you want me to call a doctor to give you an IV?"

Li Xuewu picked up the teacup from the table, opened the lid, and signaled to feed her water.

Du Xiaoyan looked at Li Xuewu, shook her head slightly, and tilted her neck to take the warm water he sent.

At this moment, her heart was icy cold. The water she drank seemed to replenish her dried-up tear glands, and more tears surged from her eye sockets.

"Crying for a while is enough. Don't go on endlessly."

Li Xuewu waited for her to finish drinking, put the teacup back on the table, and moved his chair from behind the table to the side and front of Du Xiaoyan's interrogation chair.

While sitting down, he rubbed his hands and said, "I met Wei Wei at the door just now. He came to accept questioning and investigation."

"Wei Wei..."

Du Xiaoyan was stunned, her eyes full of shock, staring foolishly at Li Xuewu.

"Hmm, it is Wei Wei."

Li Xuewu crossed his legs, nodded slowly, and said, "It's quite a coincidence. I've known him for a year. I met him a bit earlier than this time last year."

"I moved out of my house to live alone at that time and went to the market to buy cooking utensils, and happened to meet his junior brother, Yang Shuqian."

"You know Yang Shuqian, right?"

Li Xuewu asked, and seeing Du Xiaoyan nod, he continued, "He said the three master and apprentices were living together, their jobs were lost, there was no rice in the pot, and they were selling kitchen utensils to exchange for some rations."

Hearing him say this, Du Xiaoyan's tears fell again, without crying, silently shedding tears.

"It was also a coincidence. The factory was short of cooks, so I thought of them."

Li Xuewu nodded slowly and said, "I only got to know Wei Wei when I went to their house to find people, and I also discovered he was a cripple."

"Wuwuwu~"

Du Xiaoyan pursed her lips tightly, not letting her crying sound out. She was afraid she couldn't even listen to this.

Li Xuewu didn't care about her and continued, "Since they entered the factory, I often met him, but mostly just greeted each other, never having any in-depth communication."

"You should know my identity. In the factory, I am the Deputy Section Chief of the Security Section. Before, in the branch bureau, I was the Deputy Section Chief of the Public Security Section. Now, my relationship with the branch bureau has been transferred to the Garrison District as a Deputy Regiment Commander."

"It can be said that it was because of this case that you met me; otherwise, I would never know how Wei Wei's leg became crippled."

Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows and said, "The leaders he served and knew were much higher than mine, and I never heard him mention this matter."

"I don't know if I should say it's your luck or his misfortune, after such a long time."

"If you had met me earlier, or if he had told me about this earlier, let alone one Lai Shanchuan, even if two of them came, I could have handled you. Believe it or not?"

"Wuwuwu~"

Du Xiaoyan cried out this time, but Li Xuewu was sitting right in front of her, so she didn't dare to cry hard even if she wanted to.

He didn't have a fierce expression, and didn't deliberately apply pressure. He just recounted a fact, but it made her fear and dread from the bottom of her heart.

"I don't want to know who you were crying for just now, but I want to ask you: how much of the tears you are crying now are for Wei Wei?"

Li Xuewu frowned slightly and looked at her. "Do you have even a trace of remorse, or if you were given another chance to live, would you still betray him, betray your family?"

Du Xiaoyan lowered her head and shed tears without speaking. Perhaps she was also thinking about this question deep in her heart at this moment.

Or perhaps from the moment she was handcuffed and shackled, she had been thinking about this countless times.

Li Xuewu tapped the table in front of her and asked, "Wei Wei should be in the lobby right now. Have you thought about how to face him when you go out from here in a while?" ===== CHAPTER 955 =====