Case Files 013

Chapter 167: Press Conference

When Zhang Bin walked past the pool of blood, he halted for a moment before he moved on. He didn't dare to stay outside for too long, so he called a taxi and left. Zhang Bin left in the daylight but I could feel the chill in his heart.

Not long after that, Guan Zhenglin called us and told us that Guo Feng had passed away. The knife went in too deep, it was meant to kill. The cut sliced his intestines into several pieces. When the cleaver was removed, the damage inside had already been done.

Guan Zhenglin told us that Wang An cried like a baby. But in reality, Wang An was just an 8 years old boy. Based on our nation's law for the underage, this could be considered an accident, so Wang An would not be given the death penalty. In the eyes of the public, Wang An did nothing wrong either. Wang An was also a victim, and Zhang Bin was the culprit. Guo Feng's death was his doing as well. After hanging up, a sourness spread in my head.

Teacher Zhao raised Guo Feng all alone, she must be devastated when she was told of her son's death. It would be more painful than any pain imaginable. And the task of informing the next of kin fell unto us.

I didn't expect for Guo Feng to die and what's more, die in the hands of his best friend, Wang An. As the saying goes, God favors the unwise, so why did this happen to Guo Feng?

All these happened because Hao Ren did a kind deed. Why would people pay such a heavy price for something as frivolous as face?

I hesitated for a long time before I mustered the courage to call Teacher Zhao. But something unexpected happened. Before I made the call, Teacher Zhao called me instead. Seeing her number, I teetered before finally picking it up. Before I could say anything, Teacher Zhao began, "Officer Wu, Hao Ren just came to find me. He has already told me what happened at the station."

"Then you must have known about" I really couldn't bring myself to mention Guo Feng's death.

Teacher Zhao's voice was peaceful like she was not talking about herself. "I know, my son is dead. Wang An killed him but that only happened because Zhang Bin dragged Guo Feng as his shield, this is not Wang An's fault. By the way, I'm calling you because I will hold a press conference at the school around 10 am. Hao Ren will be there, and I am inviting you to come as well."

The words of consolation were lost in my throat. I was about to ask for more details when Teacher Zhao hung up. Holding the phone, I didn't know what to think. Even though we only shared a meal with her and Guo Feng, I knew that Teacher Zhao loved her son deeply. Guo Feng's death must have cut deep, the scar was the kind that you wouldn't see on the surface.

I glanced at Gu Chen and said, "Teacher Zhao plans to hold a joint press conference with Hao Ren at 10 am."

"A press conference?" Gu Chen asked, "Wait, how did Teacher Zhao manage to find Hao Ren?"

I shook my head. "She didn't. Hao Ren found her." Then I frowned. Hao Ren's reappearance was too coincidental. It had been almost 2 months since Hao Ren sent Zhang Bin's group into the detention centre. Throughout this period, he had been AWOL. After he dropped Wang An off with Teacher Zhao, he basically disappeared off the face of the world. And now the first thing he did when he returned was to find Teacher Zhao. Did he know about the things that happened to his family over the past 2 months? The fire that took his house, the drug that took his son, his son that took Fang Xiao Qi's innocence and life, the revenge taken by Wang An and so on.

I turned to Gu Chen and said seriously, "Come, we'll go fetch Guan Zhenglin at the hospital and then we'll head to Teacher Zhao's primary school. It's now 9 am, we still have around 1 hour." When we arrived at the hospital, Wang An had already been led away by his sister, Zhao Xiaoli. Guan Zhenglin sat alone in the hospital waiting area. When she saw us, she wiped away the tears from her face. For a forensic doctor, death was incredibly common, however, it was hard to remain detached when death claimed someone familiar. It was why officers were asked to stay off cases related to their family and friends. This was just human behavior. Humans were creatures with emotions.

Guan Zhenglin sighed, "It's hard to believe that someone who called you Pretty Sister yesterday afternoon is gone just like that."

I wiped away the tears on Guan Zhenglin's face. "Come on, Teacher Zhao is going to have a press conference. Hao Ren will be there as well."

"Hao Ren?" Guan Zhenglin was surprised to hear that name too.

The school had sequestered a room for Teacher Zhao and Hao Ren to hold the press conference. The room was filled with people, the reporters from major stations were all there. The primary school student with the knife, the murder video and Hao Ren's article at the internet caf were the biggest thing to have happened at Elm Town in a long time. Almost every citizen knew about it.

There were people even outside the room, waiting to hear the truth.

Teacher Zhao, Zhao Xiaoli, Hao Ren and Wang An sat at the front of the room. Microphones from various platforms were placed before them.

Teacher Zhao spoke first. There was an unusual serenity about her. "Law is there to give us justice, but when the law fails, why do we even need the law?" The bustling in the crowd quieted down as Teacher Zhao began. Teacher Zhao raised her head to look at us. "I see some of the law enforcement are with us today and I have something to say. I know this morning, my son was killed. It was done by this student who is seated beside me, coincidentally enough he is also my student.

"It is why I know Wang An didn't mean to do it. I knew it was Zhang Bin who used my son as the meat shield." Teacher Zhao's eyes reddened. "What has happened that a primary student is compelled to bring 2 knives to go after someone? I am Wang An's class teacher, I know what kind of child he is. He is kind. He protects animals, the other students, he even protects my son. Every one of his classmates loves him. He studied martial arts from his father and his father told him that the skills are meant to save others. I told Wang An that physical violence won't solve anything, we have to resort to law. But when the law fail us, Wang An chose to use violence to protect his family."

Teacher Zhao became more agitated as she spoke. "And this is all Zhang Bin's fault. It was because Hao Ren sent him into detention that Zhang Bin decided to burn down people's house, force a bright man into the path of drug and then coerce that same young man to rape his own little sister. Then he even caused my son's death!" As she spoke, the monitor on the screen pulled up different pictures, they were well taken and supported her point. The first picture was Hao Ren's burnt down house, and then the dead Fang Xiao Qi, and the bloated Du Zigui.

We had never released these pictures before and from the angles, they didn't appear to be taken by the police either. So who would have provided these pictures other than the killer?

As each picture appeared on screen, there were flashes and gasps.

Teacher Zhao said, "These pictures are all real, the police can verify that. These pictures are all real and every one of them says that Zhang Bin is the killer but the police still let him go. Why? Because there is not enough evidence, no concrete evidence." Teacher Zhao finally shed her tears. She pleaded, "There are so many ears, so many eyes who saw the truth. Is that not evidence enough? What more does Zhang Bin need to do to be penalized by law?"

Zhao Xiaoli stood up and said, "It was Zhang Bin who raped me. Even though he was masked, I knew it was him because of the wound on his left arm."

Wang An said through his tears. "He did it, Zhang Bin did everything. Zhang Bin told me personally that he would destroy my family and he did it. I hate him but I hate myself more. I said I would kill him to avenge my brothers and sisters but I failed. I killed my best friend instead."

Wang An shouted, "But if the law cannot help me, then I will help myself. As long as Zhang Bin is still alive, I will kill him."

Wang An's eyes shone with determination and no one questioned his veracity. The fact that this claim came out from a primary student's mouth was terrifying. It had a large impact on the crowd as well.

"Zhang Bin must die! Zhang Bin must die!" Someone chanted in the crowd.