After finishing the conversation with Zhao Guohua, Wang Weinan and his team also came down carrying a black plastic bag containing the body. We all got into the car and rushed to the county police station. When we arrived at the station, it was already dark outside and Qin's family had been waiting in the lobby for us. Upon seeing Yin Yunshan's body being carried in, Yin Yunshan's daughter and daughter-in-law immediately burst into tears while her son-in-law Guo Shaojie coughed twice before making fists as if he wanted to confront me and Old Blind Man. However, Wang Weinan stopped him easily.
The rest of what happened was just routine procedure. Liao Qunqi ordered Zhao Guohua and Wang Weinan to take full responsibility for investigating this case along with their apprentices who worked tirelessly without taking any breaks until they recorded our statements that night.
Qin's family accompanied by Wu Zhenfeng took Yin Yunshan's body to be examined by forensic experts while Zhao Guohua informed Wang Weinan that he would record Old Blind Man's statement while he himself would record mine.
The room where we recorded our statements was an interrogation room with a table lamp on top of it; four walls enclosed us creating a somewhat oppressive atmosphere. After I sat down, Zhao lit up a cigarette then opened his notebook asking me: "Little Master, you seem to have a good relationship with Lan Xiaodong."
"Of course," I replied confidently. "We are brothers from different mothers."
"That makes things complicated," said Zhao frowningly after hearing my answer. "It is said that when Lan Xiaodong fought against Yin Yunshan, you helped out too - is this true?"
"Of course," I nodded my head.
"Hmm..." sighed Zhao as he furrowed his eyebrows deeply before taking another puff of smoke then putting down his pen as he leaned back on his chair. "Little Master, I hope you understand one thing," he said while looking at me.
"What is it?" I asked curiously.
"The situation right now," Zhao flicked the ash off his cigarette and continued: "Firstly, you just saved the Chief's life so he has made it clear that this case must not implicate you in any way; otherwise, I'll be sent home to take care of my grandchildren. Secondly, as Old Blind Man's two apprentices, you and Lan Xiaodong are both important to him but he values you more than Lan Xiaodong. We have been friends for many years so naturally, I will help him out by helping you too. Do you understand what I mean?"
Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but furrow my eyebrows tightly together because it was obvious that Zhao Guohua wanted me to lie and give false testimony in order to shift responsibility away from myself.
Little Master, I have checked your information. Your luck is not good. According to your Gregorian birthday, you were just 14 years old on the day of the incident. So if you are implicated in this, you will definitely be sent to a juvenile detention center. Let me warn you in advance that the children in there are all born scum and small hooligans. The environment inside is cruel and discipline is strict with frequent beatings and abuse. Of course, these are all secondary issues. The key problem is that once you go in and leave a criminal record behind, it will be difficult for you to walk normally in society later on which will be very detrimental to you, do you understand?" Zhao Guohua looked at me and said.
"Are you suggesting that I push all responsibility onto JIETOU?" I frowned tightly and said firmly: "That's not possible! To tell the truth, YinYunShan was actually knocked down by me while JIETOU only finished him off."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear what you just said. Right now I'm telling another fact." Zhao Guohua flicked his cigarette ash away as he looked at me saying: "I've already talked with your good brother Lan Xiaodong about this matter so now I can say with certainty that he agrees with my proposal too. And he also asked me to pass along a message for him."
"What message?" Curiosity got the better of me.
"He wants revenge for everything." Zhao Guohua looked at me as he spoke.
"Revenge for everything?" Hearing this made my mind sink into deep thought.
What did JIETOU mean by this?
Obviously, not only was he unafraid of being blamed but also hoped that I would do so because then outsiders would see him as the real killer of YinYunShan instead of someone who simply finished him off with my help. This way, he would feel a sense of satisfaction that he had indeed avenged his parents and killed YinYunShan himself instead of just taking advantage of the situation to finish him off.
I understood JIETOU's thoughts but I really didn't want to push all responsibility onto him because it would make me feel guilty and sorry for him.
"Little Master, you may think that doing this is unfair to your brother but what I'm telling you is if you can't fulfill his wish then that's what will be truly unfair to him. The injustice suffered by his parents is greater than anything else in this world. He has finally been able to clear his name so why do you have to steal the credit? That's not how brothers should treat each other." Seeing me hesitate, Zhao Guohua couldn't help but try and persuade me.
Hearing these words made me finally make up my mind. Then I nodded at Zhao Guohua saying: "Okay, I know what I need to do now. But first, I want to see JIETOU.
This is definitely not possible. Witnesses and suspects cannot meet before the trial to prevent collusion. There are surveillance cameras everywhere in the police station, so if we do this and the Qin family catches evidence, things will become troublesome again," Zhao Guohua looked at me and then said, "Don't worry, I will take care of your brother. He won't be wronged."
"When can I see him then?" I asked.
"After the court verdict is announced, you can meet him," Zhao Guohua smiled and then put out his cigarette. "Let's not talk about that now. Let's start recording your statement. How did you get to that abandoned temple? And how did you get into the basement?"
"You should ask Wang Weinan about that. He knows best," I said.
"His testimony has already been recorded. We're recording yours now for corroboration," Zhao Guohua told me.
"We drove there to find Jietou because Liao Xige was too drunk to go with us. So I let Wang Weinan take her back to the car while I went into the temple myself. Inside, Jietou told me about Yin Yunshan's evil plan and we decided to go after him together - Jietou in front and me behind - down into the basement where we planned on taking down this despicable old dog."
"Okay, so you both went down into the basement with Lan Xiaodong in front of you and yourself behind him? When you got inside, Yin Yunshan was fighting with Lan Xiaodong but when Liao Xige came running in she was confused so you grabbed her before she could hurt herself or anyone else? Then she hit you causing injury while Lan Xiaodong knocked Yin Yunshan down onto ground trying to stab him in chest with a knife just as Wang Weinan walked in witnessing everything?" summarized Zhao Guohua looking at me.
I looked at him helplessly and finally nodded deeply.