Outside of the restaurant.
A crowd had gathered around Wan Sizhao’s body.
“Move aside!”
“Make a path for the police.”
“Preserve the scene and contact the investigation team.”
Li Taibo was giving out orders and looking furious.
Xu Dabing looked at the body in a daze, and he was panicking inside.
Luo Haiting was relieved when she saw the body was Wan Sizhao, but her heart skipped a beat when she did not see Dong Xuebing. Did Director Dong…. She bit her lips and walked away to call him secretly. She tried calling a few times, and his phone was off, making her anxious.
This should be done by Director Dong.
Why did Xuebing do such a foolish thing?!
Luo Haiting thought about Dong Xuebing’s arrangements for this meeting, and he looked calm. He was too calm, and she felt this was a setup.
The investigation team had contacted the rest of their team to come.
Li Taibo immediately called Fen Zhou City Party Committee, Public Security Bureau Chief Cao Hai. “Chief Cao, I am Li Taibo.”
Cao Hai replied. “What is it?”
Li Taibo said in a serious tone. “Wan Sizhao, Chief Wan is dead.”
“What?!” Cao Hai jumped up from his chair. “What did you say?!”
“Wan Sizhao is dead. He fell from Liu Yang Restaurant’s Room 28 on the fourth floor. He was not breathing now, and the room showed signs of fighting. Scratches can be seen on his neck and body. He must be murdered.”
Cao Hai coldly asked. “Are you at the scene?”
Li Taibo replied. “Yes. I was having lunch here with a few of my teammates.”
Everyone knows this is a serious case as the City Party Secretary’s nephew was murdered.
Cao Hai took a deep breath. “Where is the murderer? Do you have any suspects?”
“It must be Dong Xuebing!” Li Taibo replied. “Dong Xuebing had invited Wan Sizhao here for lunch. We saw them together until the incident happened, and Dong Xuebing disappeared. Chief Cao, I think we should arrest him immediately. He has a motive. His cousin had jumped out from the same restaurant and private room 28 two days ago. He felt Wan Sizhao did it. The truth was Qu Yunxuan was drunk, and that incident had nothing to do with Wan Sizhao. Dong Xuebing is taking revenge and should be on the run now.”
Cao Hai frowned. “Are you sure it is Dong Xuebing? He is a Commission for Discipline Inspection Leader.”
“I am sure. Other than him, there’s no one else.” Li Taibo replied.
“Alright.” Cao Hai replied. “I will prepare the paperwork, and you bring your men to arrest Dong Xuebing.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t forget to call the City’s Commission for Discipline Inspection Committee first.”
“I know.”
After hanging up, Li Taibo waved his hand. “Old Li, Old Wang, follow me. The rest continue to gather evidence and fingerprints.”
Everything happened very fast, and it’s been only three minutes since the incident happened.
Li Taibo took out his phone to call the City Commission for Discipline Inspection Committee in his car. But no one answered. He looked for He Shuien’s number and called him. Informing the department head was the usual practice when a leader in his department had committed a crime.
The City Commission for Discipline Inspection building, meeting room.
“We have shown good results this year, and the Districts and Counties….” He Shuien was summing up this year’s performance when his phone suddenly rang. Everyone should turn off or switch their phones to silent mode in meetings. He Shuien did not need to follow this rule as he was the head. He looked at the number and hung up without answering. A few seconds later, his phone rang again.
He Shuien frowned and answered. “Hello?”
Li Taibo quickly introduced himself. “Secretary He, I am Li Taibo from the City Public Security Bureau Investigation Team.”
He Shuien replied impatiently. “I am in a meeting. Call back later.”
“Don’t hang up first. This is urgent.” Li Taibo said. “Xi Ping District’s Audit Department Deputy Chief Wan Sizhao had just fallen to his death at Liu Yang Restaurant.”
He Shuien was shocked. “Wan Sizhao had fallen to his death?!”
Everyone at the meeting was shocked too.
Liang Xuan and a few staff turned and looked at Dong Xuebing.
He Shuien composed himself and asked. “And then?”
“We suspect this is done by Inspection First Office’s Director Dong. He was having lunch with Wan Sizhao and disappeared after that. The Public Security Bureau had ordered us to look for him. That’s why I am calling you to request his details and family members’ addresses. He must be arrested as soon as possible.” Li Taibo said.
He Shuien frowned. “Arrest him? Do you all have evidence?”
Li Taibo firmly replied. “Yes. We have many witnesses, and it’s only a matter of time before we find evidence. Dong Xuebing also has motives to kill Wan Sizhao.”
He Shuien asked. “When did the case happen?”
Li Taibo replied. “A few minutes ago. Around 12.40 pm.”
He Shuien shook his head and did not reply.
“Secretary He?” Li Taibo asked. “Can we have Dong Xuebing’s family members’ addresses?”
He Shuien looked at Dong Xuebing and said. “You don’t need to look for him. He is in the Commission for Discipline Inspection.”
“Huh?” Li Taibo was surprised. “How did he get back so fast?”
Li Taibo did not expect to return to the Discipline Inspection after what he had done. He is too bold.
He Shuien’s following sentence shocked Li Taibo. He said. “If the case happened at 12.40 pm, I am sure Director Dong has nothing to do with it.”
The Commission for Discipline Inspection staff exchanged looks. The Investigation Team had suspected Dong Xuebing as expected.
This was covering up for Dong Xuebing. Li Taibo took a deep breath. “But Dong Xuebing was….”
He Shuien interrupted. “We have a meeting at 12.40 pm, and Xiao Dong was in the meeting room. You said the case happened at Liu Yang Restaurant. The traffic from the restaurant to the Party Committee Building is always heavy and will take at least a few minutes to drive. That does not include coming out of the restaurant and entering the Party Committee Building compound. The traveling time is at least ten minutes. Do you think Xiao Dong can be in the meeting room at 12.40 pm if he committed the crime? It is impossible even if he flew back on a plane.”
Li Taibo was sure it was Dong Xuebing. “Impossible!”
He Shuien got frustrated. “Is the Public Security Bureau saying all our Discipline Inspection Committee staff are lying?!”
“No… but….”
“I allow Xiao Dong to assist with the investigation. If you all want to arrest Xiao Dong, get your Chief Cao to call me!”
He Shuien hangs up the phone.
Dong Xuebing felt he must say something. “Secretary He, I….”
He Shuien waved his hand. “Continue with the meeting.”
He Shuien had treated Dong Xuebing coldly most of the time, and he would look bad if the Public Security Bureau were to arrest the latter in the Discipline Inspection. That’s why he was furious. Moreover, everyone saw Dong Xuebing entering the meeting room at 12.40 pm.
Ten minutes passed.
Gao Wenrong knocked and entered. “Secretary He, the Public Security Bureau’s people are here. They are looking for Director Dong.”
Although He Shuien had told Li Taibo off earlier, he knew this was a severe case as Secretary Wan’s nephew was killed. He stopped the meeting, and it will be continued another day.
Among everyone in the meeting room, Liang Xuan was the closest to Dong Xuebing, and she was worried.
Dong Xuebing gave Liang Xuan an assuring smile before walking out of the meeting room.
Inspection First Office.
Director’s Office.
Dong Xuebing saw Li Taibo and two detectives in his office when he entered. All of them were staring at him, looking terrible.
Li Taibo said coldly. “Wan Sizhao is dead.”
“I heard about it.” Dong Xuebing sat on his chair behind his desk. “Are you all suspecting me?”
Li Taibo asked. “Where were you at 12.40 pm?”
Dong Xuebing replied nonchalantly. “I am at the Discipline Inspection meeting. Team Leader Li, don’t look at me like this. Everyone in the Commission for Discipline Inspection saw me at the meeting.”
Li Taibo replied. “I am not blind. I saw you having lunch with Wan Sizhao at Liu Yang Restaurant.”
Dong Xuebing looked at Li Taibo coldly. “What is wrong with your attitude? Why are you talking to me in this tone? Are you treating me as the suspect? Huh?! I was at Liu Yang Restaurant, but I left around 12.20 pm. I don’t know how Wan Sizhao died.”
Li Taibo did not believe Dong Xuebing. “Where did you go?”
Dong Xuebing smiled. “I went to buy alcohol. XXX brand. The restaurant did not have it, and I crossed the road to get it. On my way there, I received a call informing me the meeting was brought forward, and I returned to the Discipline Inspection.”
Li Taibo and his detectives took a deep breath.
Went out to buy alcohol?!
XXX brand?!
Leaving before the incident happened?!
Dong Xuebing’s replies were precisely the same as what Wan Sizhao said.
This was Wan Sizhao’s statement to the police after Yunxuan fell off the building. He claimed to have left during dinner to buy alcohol. XXX brand and was not at the scene.
Dong Xuebing had used Wan Sizhao’s exact words against Li Taibo now.
Dong Xuebing was amused when he saw Li Taibo’s furious expression.
