Chapter 34: Crucial Evidence

Inside the sealed-off home of Zhang Xinli, Zhou Yi opened a drawer and found the pill bottle.

It was a blue container with English text covering the packaging. Judging solely by the English on the label, it was indeed a medication for stomach ailments. The crucial detail, however, lay inside: the packaging indicated it should contain gelatinous, yellow, transparent, oval-shaped pills.

Zhou Yi hurriedly tore open the box, took out the plastic bottle, and unscrewed the cap.

Empty!

A wave of profound disappointment washed over him; the bottle alone was useless.

"What do we do?" Chen Yan asked.

Zhou Yi gritted his teeth and said, "Search. Just in case there's another one."

"Right!" Chen Yan was highly efficient. In just one day, much like Wu Yongcheng and Qiao Jiali, he had come to place great trust in this young police officer.

The two began rummaging through cabinets and drawers, turning the place upside down. Just when they thought it was hopeless, they found a single, dust-covered transparent pill in a corner behind Zhang Xinli’s nightstand. It was identical to the ones described on the packaging.

Chen Yan immediately pulled out an evidence bag and used tweezers to carefully pick up the pill and seal it inside.

"Back to the bureau. Get the technical department to analyze the contents of this pill immediately. As fast as possible."

Chen Yan nodded. "Let's go!"

When they emerged from Zhang Xinli’s home, a light drizzle was falling. Chen Yan slammed on the gas, racing toward the municipal bureau. Zhou Yi realized then that Chen Yan’s driving skills were exceptional—fast and steady, far better than many veteran drivers. The journey that had taken half an hour earlier now took only twelve minutes. Chen Yan brought the car to a halt in front of the bureau with a perfectly executed, smooth drift.

Over half an hour later, Chen Yan received the lab report from the technical department.

Zhang Xinli’s fingerprints were on the pill. Furthermore, the chemical composition of the pill contained trace amounts of aflatoxin.

Zhou Yi felt a chill run down his spine. At this moment, the true mastermind behind the 316 case had been unmasked.

"Aflatoxin? What is that? Poison?" Chen Yan asked.

"A potent carcinogen. Zhang Xinli already suffered from gastric ulcers. Long-term consumption of this substance would easily exacerbate the condition, eventually turning it into stomach cancer."

At that moment, the knot in Zhou Yi's heart regarding the twins was finally untied. Even in his previous life, while Zhang Xinli might have escaped legal judgment, she never stood a chance against Zhu Xuejun’s dark schemes. From the moment Zhu Xuejun began manipulating her into killing Du Xiaolin, her fate as a sacrificial lamb was sealed.

The twins she carried would never have been brought into this world. They would have been strangled by their own biological father, serving as collateral damage for their mother.

"Zhu Xuejun’s crime of intentional homicide against Zhang Xinli is set in stone; he won't escape. The report says the surface of the pill was intact, meaning it wasn't tampered with via needle injection. Zhang Xinli was cautious; if the bottle had been opened, she wouldn't have taken it. Manufacturing both the pills and the plastic seal is something an individual couldn't do—it requires professional production equipment. That won't be hard to verify."

"The only thing I haven't figured out is why he wanted to kill Du Xiaolin."

To Zhou Yi's surprise, Chen Yan responded, "I think that’s simple. Most likely, Du Xiaolin got hold of some critical leverage over Zhu Xuejun, either forcing him to divorce or demanding a massive sum of money. That's why Zhu Xuejun developed murderous intent, and Zhang Xinli just happened to be the tool he used."

This answer made everything click into place for Zhou Yi. If that were the case, it all made sense. During the initial questioning, Zhu Xuejun had deliberately led the police to suspect Zhang Xinli. Later, when Zhang Xinli confessed, she repeatedly mentioned how Zhu Xuejun had stoked her hatred toward Du Xiaolin and enticed her with false promises.

"Brother Yan, you're brilliant. That must be it. Zhu Xuejun lives a lavish lifestyle and keeps mistresses everywhere. Even as a renowned medical expert, he couldn't possibly earn that much. He must have deeper, darker secrets, and the key lies in Du Xiaolin's possession."

Chen Yan was so excited he paced back and forth. "I'm going to find Captain Wu and apply for an emergency search warrant for Du Xiaolin's house."

"Zhou Yi, wait for me. I'm going to find the Captain right now." Chen Yan ran off as he spoke.

"Wouldn't calling him be enough?"

"He doesn't have a phone at home," Chen Yan shouted back, disappearing from sight.

"You must be Zhou Yi, right?" A gruff voice sounded from behind him just as Chen Yan left.

Zhou Yi turned to see a burly, imposing man staring at him with sharp eyes.

"I am Zhou Yi. And you are..."

The large man suddenly grinned and extended a broad palm. "Jiang Biao, from the Third Squad."

Zhou Yi immediately realized that this massive man, who stood a head taller than him, was the "Biaozi" that Wu Yongcheng and the others had mentioned. He lived up to the name; he certainly looked formidable.

"Brother Biao, I've heard so much about you." Zhou Yi shook his hand.

"Brother, let's skip the pleasantries. Welcome to the Third Squad!"

"Thanks, Brother Biao, but I haven't officially joined yet."

"Hey, it's only a matter of time. By the way, have you seen Captain Wu or Xiao Qiao? Chen Yan would work too."

Zhou Yi briefly explained the whereabouts of the three. Jiang Biao pondered for a moment, then slung an arm around his shoulder. "Fine then, it'll be you. Come with me."

"Brother Biao, where are we going?"

"That bastard's lawyer is here, trying to force us to release him. Without Captain Wu's word, that scumbag isn't stepping a foot out of this bureau. We’re holding him for twenty-four hours—not a second less."

Jiang Biao chuckled. "I have a short temper. I'm afraid if I go alone, I won't be able to stop myself from beating him up. You come with me to keep me in check."

Zhou Yi couldn't help but laugh; this man was quite a character—impulsive yet rational enough to ask for someone to hold him back.

"Let's go, Brother Biao." Zhou Yi waved the lab report. "Not only is that bastard not leaving in twenty-four hours, he’s never leaving again!"

...

When Zhou Yi woke up in the bureau's lounge, bright sunlight was streaming through a gap in the curtains. He saw Chen Yan sleeping on another cot, mouth wide open, snoring loudly.

Suddenly, the door opened.

Wu Yongcheng walked in, looking refreshed, and placed two bags of steaming buns on the table.

"Yo, our big hero is awake?" Wu Yongcheng laughed.

"Captain Wu, we need to search Du Xiaolin's house immediately. She might have explosive evidence against Zhu Xuejun."

Zhou Yi jumped up. He vaguely remembered going with Jiang Biao the previous day to meet Zhu Xuejun’s lawyer to inform him that the police had sufficient evidence to arrest Zhu Xuejun for intentional homicide. They told him to stop wasting time and go prepare for the trial to see if he could save his client's neck.

After the lawyer left, looking dejected, Jiang Biao took Zhou Yi out for a late-night snack and drinks. Jiang Biao was a typical rugged man from the Northeast, downing alcohol like water, and he soon had the less-tolerant Zhou Yi passed out. Zhou Yi’s last memory was being carried on the shoulder of the 1.93-meter-tall Jiang Biao like a lamb.

Wu Yongcheng laughed heartily. "While you were dead to the world, we already searched everything that needed searching and interrogated everyone who needed interrogating."

"Interrogated them already?" Zhou Yi was stunned.

"You're bold, kid. In the whole bureau, who can outdrink Biaozi? His family owns a distillery; he's been soaking in vats of alcohol since he was a kid."

"Captain Wu, stop teasing me. Tell me what happened."

Wu Yongcheng grabbed a bun, took a bite, and held up two fingers. "With the dirt we found on Zhu, a collective second-class merit for this case is guaranteed."