Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Dong Xuebing’s office.
The Investigation Team had not worked with Dong Xuebing before and did not know his character. They affirmed their suspicions when he said he went out to buy alcohol. Dong Xuebing must have something to do with Wan Sizhao’s death. Which normal person would purposely say something to provoke them?
Wan Sizhao claimed he was not at the scene as he went out to buy alcohol.
Dong Xuebing used the same reason.
Li Taibo stared at Dong Xuebing. “Are you sure you went out to buy alcohol?”
Dong Xuebing laughed. “Yes. Is there a problem?”
“Who can testify for you?” Li Taibo asked. “Tell me, who saw you leaving the restaurant?”
Dong Xuebing sneered. “Do I need someone else to testify for me? Do you have any evidence stating that I was the one who did it? I don’t like your tone. Team Leader Li, you are now accusing a Government Leader, a Party Member. Show me the evidence. When my cousin fell off the building, you did not question anyone like this. Now, you all are questioning in a harsh tone when something happened to Wan Sizhao. You all are scaring me.” He blinked and asked. “I remember Wan Sizhao is not married. How come he has a son?”
If it were not for the age difference, Dong Xuebing would suspect Li Taibo was Wan Sizhao’s son.
Li Taibo was furious and felt Dong Xuebing was too arrogant.
Li Taibo had never expected this. He had covered up for Wan Sizhao several times, ignoring the law and evidence. He had fabricated evidence to help Wan Sizhao more than once. Who was the arrogant one? Dong Xuebing had lost his patience with Li Taibo. You all accused others and fabricated evidence without remorse. Yet, you all want justice done for Wan Sizhao. Dream on!
Did you and Wan Sizhao think you all own this country?!
Did you all think you are the only one who can bully others? When something happened to you all, you all cried foul?!
Dong Xuebing looked at Li Taibo and said. “I will assist the Public Security Bureau in the investigation. This is my duty as a citizen. But if you continue to treat me as a criminal, I will speak to your leaders. Can I suspect you and Wan Sizhao are close? I remember Wan Sizhao was involved in a few rape cases, and nothing had happened to him. Do you have anything to do with these cases?”
The Investigation Team members turned and looked at Li Taibo.
Li Taibo was the only person who spoke to Dong Xuebing in the office. The other officers kept quiet as they did not want to offend a Discipline Inspection Leader.
A few minutes later.
The corridor outside Dong Xuebing’s office.
Li Taibo stepped out of Dong Xuebing’s office and said to himself. I don’t believe I cannot get any evidence against you!
A detective asked. “Team Leader Li, what should we do now?”
Li Taibo replied firmly. “Dong Xuebing must be at Liu Yang Restaurant when the incident happened.”
“But the Discipline Inspection Committee said….” An officer hesitated.
Li Taibo coldly replied. “Dong Xuebing must have used some methods. Go and investigate!”
Ring… ring… ring…. Li Taibo’s phone rang. The call was from a Public Security Bureau Leader. “I don’t care who is involved. You must arrest the culprit!”
Li Taibo immediately knew the City’s Party Secretary had given the orders. His nephew was murdered, and he was furious.
Li Taibo got more confident, and his men started to go around the Discipline Inspection to collect evidence.
Complain Department.
Li Taibo went to look for the Complain Department’s Director, Liang Xuan.
“Director Liang.” Li Taibo looked at her. “When did Dong Xuebing arrive at the Discipline Inspection?”
Liang Xuan replied impatiently. “12.40 pm.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! I am very sure.”
“Could it be the clock in your meeting room is slow?”
“What?!” Liang Xuan looked at Li Taibo. “Are you collecting evidence or picking a fight? Do you think I can’t tell the time? The meeting was at 12.40 pm, and all of us reached the meeting room after our lunch around that time. Are you implying all of us are covering up for Director Dong? Are you trying to say all of us are stupid and can’t tell the time? How can everyone’s watch be slower? Team Leader Li, is this the way you investigate cases? It’s biased.”
Li Taibo was speechless. He thought Liang Xuan and other Discipline Inspection Leaders would fear him after the City Party Secretary gave him the authority. He was always the one investigating others and had never been questioned before.
“Do you have anything else?” Liang Xuan asked coldly. “If you don’t have any more questions, please leave. I still have work to do.”
Li Taibo was angry. “Director Liang, this is a serious case, and the Party Committee is very concerned.” He was trying to pressure Liang Xuan. “I want to look at the complaint letters against Dong Xuebing. It would help with our investigation.”
Liang Xuan did not bow down to Li Taibo. “Our Discipline Inspection is also very concerned about this case. We will give you the complaint letters if you want, but Director Dong still has not received any new complaints. He did receive quite many complaints in the previous few years. Do you want them?”
Li Taibo took a deep breath and suppressed his anger. He could tell it was useless to use his authority against people from the Discipline Inspection. After all, the Discipline Inspection is the regulatory body governing all government staff. He could never win against them, and he left angrily.
Around the same time, the other detectives returned.
“Team Leader Li.” All of them looked terrible. They had also been treated badly by the Discipline Inspection staff.
Li Taibo asked. “How was it?”
A detective replied. “Everyone at the meeting said Dong Xuebing was in the meeting at 12.40 pm and had never left the room.”
Another detective added. “I had questioned the staff members, and they said they saw Director Dong in the Discipline Inspection when the incident happened.”
“That’s right. I got the same answer from a few people. Dong Xuebing was not at Liu Yang Restaurant when the incident happened.”
Impossible! Li Taibo did not believe it. The words Dong Xuebing said indirectly admitted he had killed Wan Sizhao. How come there’s no evidence? How did he appear at Liu Yang Restaurant and the Discipline Inspection Committee at 12.40 pm? Did he have a twin brother? But he is a single child. Could it be he got someone to dress up like him?
Li Taibo had a great imagination and was sure Dong Xuebing had committed the crime.
But Li Taibo did not have evidence.
How was he going to prove Dong Xuebing had gotten an imposter?
Maybe Dong Xuebing had hired someone to kill Wan Sizhao after he left.
Li Taibo returned to his car alone after leaving the Discipline Inspection. He called Xu Dabing. “Did anyone go upstairs between 12.30 to 12.40 pm?”
Xu Dabing replied. “No. Levels three and four are private rooms, and our waiters were stationed at the stairwell. Only those with gold membership cards or people with high status are allowed to go upstairs. Even if someone went upstairs, our staff would know. There are the only stairs upstairs.”
This cleared the possibility that Dong Xuebing had an accomplice.
Liu Taibo thought for a while. “Oh, that Luo Haiting is also a Discipline Inspection leader. She had gone to the bathroom when the incident happened. Could she be the one who did it?”
Xu Dabing sighed. “I asked my staff. A female waitress and a cleaner saw Luo Haiting entering the bathroom around 12.38 pm and stayed there. It’s not her. Furthermore, we rushed out immediately after we heard the screams. No one was in the private room.”
“Are you sure your staff did not see Dong Xuebing leaving?”
“No, and this is what puzzled me. I heard Dong Xuebing had returned to the Discipline Inspection, but no one saw him leaving.”
This was what puzzled Li Taibo.
Li Taibo felt he had gotten a clue and thought Dong Xuebing had an accomplice. He must have escaped before anyone reached the room.
That was the only explanation.
Dong Xuebing! You bastard!
Li Taibo’s eyes turned cold, and he asked. “Boss Xu, are you sure you did not see Dong Xuebing around 12.38 pm?”
“No, I did not see him.”
“Are you sure?”
“Huh? You mean….”
“I remember you coming to my private room a few minutes before the incident happened to drink with us. You saw Dong Xuebing in the corridor before you came in. He was still at the restaurant at around 12.38 pm. He couldn’t appear in two places. His claims of being not at the scene might not be true.”
Xu Dabing paused for a few seconds. “I….”
“You should know what to say.”
Xu Dabing had boarded their ship, and it was too late for him to get off it. “I know. I saw Dong Xuebing around that time.”
These two had fabricated evidence again.
