The crackdown on organized crime began with the arrest of the mother-in-law.

Chapter 970 The Truth Revealed, Scene Identification

He swallowed hard, his voice growing even lower: "We wrapped the body in several layers of plastic sheeting. There was coal ash readily available in the cellar; Su Man said coal ash has absorbent properties and can slow down the decomposition of the body. When we pushed the body into the cellar, I heard the sound of ice cracking, like...like the sound of Li Qingmin's neck breaking." Zheng Jun's face showed a pained expression. "Afterwards, Su Man covered the ground with coal ash again to make sure no footprints were left."

"In these three years, have you never thought of turning yourselves in?" Li Ming put down his pen and stared intently at Zheng Jun.

Zheng Jun suddenly laughed, a laugh filled with bitterness and despair: "How could I not have thought of that? Every night I have nightmares, dreaming that Li Qingmin comes to me covered in blood. But Su Man said that for the sake of the child, we have to persevere. When the child grows up, goes to university, and has his own life." His voice gradually choked up, "I thought that as long as we kept our mouths shut, this secret could be buried in the cellar forever."

Silence fell again in the interrogation room, broken only by Zheng Jun's suppressed sobs. Li Ming looked at the distraught man before him, knowing that this long interrogation had finally achieved a major breakthrough.

An hour later, in another interrogation room, the silver handcuffs on Su Man's wrists gleamed coldly under the fluorescent lights. She stared down at the shadow she cast on the table, her nails digging deep into her palms until the pain stung her skin, bringing her back to her senses. When Li Ming pushed the interrogation video of Zheng Jun in front of her, the image of the man collapsing and weeping on the screen made her eyelashes tremble violently.

“He even revealed the brand of the climbing ropes you used.” Li Ming pressed the pause button, and the screen froze on Zheng Jun’s bloodshot eyes. “Now, it’s your turn to tell us about the role Hongyuan Group played in this matter.”

Su Man suddenly chuckled, her voice tinged with sarcasm: "That idiot Zheng Jun, did he think that taking all the blame would protect me and my child?" She straightened her back, the butterfly birthmark on her neck rising and falling slightly with each swallow. "After Li Qingmin discovered my relationship with Zheng Jun, he not only tried to take the child away, but also threatened to expose the evidence of Hongyuan Group's money laundering."

Her narration was eerily calm, as if she were recounting a trivial matter unrelated to herself: "On the night of July 14th, I deliberately provoked him, and when he was completely drunk, I sent a message to Zheng Jun. When he stormed into the office, Li Qingmin was still cursing and saying he would make us wish we were dead..." Su Man's fingernails scraped harshly on the table. "When Zheng Jun grabbed his neck, I stood there and counted the seconds. It was a full 317 seconds before his legs stopped twitching."

When the process of disposing of the body was mentioned, Su Man's eyes became empty: "I chose the cellar. That early morning, as our wheels rolled over the cornfield, I kept feeling that the rustling sound was Li Qingmin's bones making noise."

……

The scorching sun beat down on the earth as a convoy of police cars cut through the city's hustle and bustle, speeding towards Li Qingmin's former office. Su Man sat in the back seat of the police car, handcuffed, her expression blank, her once meticulously styled long hair now disheveled and scattered over her shoulders; Zheng Jun, head bowed, remained silent, occasionally glancing out the window, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

When the police car pulled up in front of the office building, Li Ming got out first, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily. Then, the officers carefully led Su Man and Zheng Jun out of the car. Their appearance instantly attracted the attention of the surrounding crowd, and whispers rose and fell. Under tight security, the group entered the office building and took the elevator directly to the 17th floor.

The office door opened, and despite the three years that had passed, the room's layout remained unchanged. Zheng Jun visibly trembled as he entered. He slowly walked to the spot where the coffee table had stood years ago and began, "That night, Li Qingmin stood right here, holding a wine glass, his face full of disdain as he insulted Su Man." He mimicked Li Qingmin's expression, his voice tinged with hatred, "He said Su Man was a shameless woman and threatened to send the child away so we would never see her again."

Su Man stood in the doorway, staring blankly into the room, seemingly recalling that nightmarish night. Zheng Jun continued, "I used this climbing rope from behind him." He gestured with his hand to indicate the strangulation motion. "I used all my strength. He struggled desperately, flailing his arms wildly, knocking over the glasses on the coffee table, shards flying everywhere." As he spoke, he squatted down, pointing to the ground, "There was broken glass everywhere here, and his feet were still kicking and thrashing about."

Li Ming carefully observed Zheng Jun's every movement and expression, and asked, "How long did he struggle before he stopped breathing?" Zheng Jun frowned and recalled, "About five minutes, those five minutes felt like an eternity. He started by resisting fiercely, then his movements gradually weakened, he made gurgling sounds in his throat, and finally his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground." As he spoke, he used his hands to simulate the posture of Li Qingmin falling.

Su Man suddenly spoke up, her voice low and calm: "After he collapsed, I first wiped the entire room with alcohol, from the doorknobs and chairs to the air conditioner vents, leaving no place where fingerprints or traces might be left." She walked to the desk and gestured the wiping motion, "I can't let my child know in the future that his parents are murderers."

Regarding the body disposal process, Zheng Jun continued, "We stuffed him into this large wooden crate used for building materials. The crate was prepared in advance, and its size was just right to accommodate his body." He moved the crate with great effort, demonstrating the scene at the time, "Su Man and I worked together and it took a lot of effort to seal the crate."

After completing the identification of the first crime scene, the group rushed to Beihong Village without stopping. The atmosphere inside the car was oppressive and suffocating. As the convoy entered Beihong Village and followed the winding road to the back mountain, the corn stalks swayed in the wind, rustling as if telling the secrets of the past.

Zheng Jun stood in front of the cornfield, took a deep breath, and said, "Let's park the car over there." He pointed to a clearing not far away. "Su Man will scout ahead first. Once it's safe, we'll drive the car over." Under the watchful eyes of the police officers, the two pushed the wooden crate full of corpses, struggling through the cornfield. Corn leaves brushed against their faces, leaving red streaks.

Arriving at the cellar, Zheng Jun stared at the rusty iron door, his voice trembling slightly: "It was this door that made a creaking sound when it was opened, which was particularly jarring at night. My heart was in my throat." He reached out and struggled to pull open the iron door, and a damp, musty smell wafted out.