Chapter 7: Commencing the Investigation and Uncovering the Issues

The next day, after rising and having a simple breakfast at the local police station and gathering a bit of the information he needed, Zhang Heng departed.

Once he left, he headed toward the market town. Following the directions given by a villager and the intelligence he had gathered at the station, he arrived at the home of the village head.

"Ding-ding-ding..."

After he knocked, a woman who appeared to be middle-aged opened the door. Looking at Zhang Heng, she asked with a puzzled expression, "Hello, who are you looking for?"

Since Zhang Heng had arrived from Beijing in plain clothes and was only carrying his police ID, an ordinary person would simply mistake him for a young man if they did not see his credentials.

"Hello, ma'am. I am a police officer from the capital, Beijing."

As he spoke, Zhang Heng pulled his police identification from his pocket to show her. Upon seeing the badge, the woman immediately slammed the door shut and cried out, "Please, leave me alone! We’ve already paid the protection money; we don't have any more left..."

Watching the door close, Zhang Heng was bewildered and confused. He knocked again, calling out, "Ma'am, I am a public security officer. I am not here to collect protection money. Collecting protection money is a criminal act; I am truly not here for that."

"Ma'am, please open the door. I really am a police officer."

"Ma'am!" Zhang Heng continued to knock.

"Are you... are you really not here to collect protection money?" the woman asked from inside.

"That's right, ma'am. I am a police officer from Beijing. I am here to investigate and gather evidence. Please, open the door."

Hearing this, the woman finally opened the door, but only halfway. Zhang Heng immediately held up his ID again and said, "Ma'am, look. I really am a police officer—a public security officer from the capital."

Upon seeing the ID again, the woman suddenly lunged forward and embraced him. "Officer, officer from the capital, you’ve finally come! You must seek justice for my family!"

"Alright, alright, ma'am. Could we please go inside and talk?"

Hearing this, the woman froze, released her grip, and wiped away her look of distress, instantly replacing it with a forced smile. "Yes, yes, of course. Officer, please, come in, come in quickly..."

Zhang Heng was led into the living room and sat on the sofa. "Officer, please sit. Let me wash some fruit and make you some tea."

Zhang Heng quickly replied, "No, no, thank you. I just need to ask a few questions and then I'll be on my way."

"Oh, nonsense! A guest is a guest. Sit and rest for a moment, Officer. Just give me five minutes, okay?"

"Very well, thank you, ma'am. Sorry for the trouble."

"Don't be so polite. Please, sit."

Zhang Heng sat down as the woman headed to the kitchen to busy herself. He took a look around; the room was very modest. Opposite the sofa was a large table holding a television and various miscellaneous items. On the wall hung four maps: a world map, a map of China, a map of Shanxi Province, and a local map. To his left were two doors, likely the master and guest bedrooms, and to his right were the kitchen and bathroom.

After a brief scan, Zhang Heng concluded that this was a very ordinary household. There were no valuable items to be found, save for the large table and the LCD television.

Presently, the woman returned from the kitchen with a plate of fruit and a cup of tea. "Here you go, Officer."

"Thank you, ma'am." Zhang Heng stood up to take the tray and placed it on the table. The woman sat down next to him and urged him to eat. Zhang Heng picked up a strawberry and ate it. Seeing him eat, the woman smiled and took one for herself.

After finishing the strawberry, Zhang Heng asked, "Ma'am, which village are you from?"

"Yanjing Village," she replied.

"Oh, right. And you are the wife of the village head of Yanjing, correct?"

"Young man—oh, no, I mean, Officer, forgive me. I had a slip of the tongue," she said with a smile.

"It's quite alright, ma'am. Please, go on."

"Officer, do I look like a village head to you? In our country's rural areas, how many women are village heads?"

Zhang Heng chuckled. "Then, by your logic, your husband must be the village head."

At the mention of her husband, the woman burst into tears. "Wuu, wuu, wuu..."

Zhang Heng immediately grabbed a tissue from the box on the table and handed it to her. She took it and wiped her eyes.

"Ma'am, did I say something wrong? Did I upset you? I apologize."

She dried her eyes and looked at him. "Officer, I'm fine. You were right—my husband was the village head, but that was in the past. He isn't anymore."

"I see. Where is your husband? Is he not at home?"

"Officer, you must seek justice for me!" The woman broke into tears once more.

Zhang Heng hurriedly tried to comfort her, gently patting her back. After a moment, her sobbing subsided.

"Ma'am, please, tell me what happened."

The woman stood up and walked toward the bedroom. Zhang Heng remained seated, waiting. A short while later, she returned carrying a file folder. She sat back down and handed it to him.

"Officer from Beijing," she began, "you must know the darkness that plagues our city. The underworld gangs are rampant here. My husband... my husband was killed by a local gang called the Black Dragon Society. Officer, this—" She pointed to the folder. "This contains all the evidence I’ve painstakingly collected regarding how that gang murdered my husband. Please, I beg you, take this directly to the central office for organized crime suppression. Do not hand it over to our provincial office. I beg you."

With that, she prepared to kneel before him. Zhang Heng immediately stopped her. "Ma'am, you mustn't! I promise you—I promise I will deliver these documents."

"Good, good. Officer, take a look. See if there is any more evidence I need to add. Tell me after you've checked it."

"I will."

Just as Zhang Heng prepared to open the folder, a loud "thump, thump, thump" echoed at the door.

"Ma'am, someone is here."

"Shh, don't speak," she whispered.

From outside, a voice shouted, "Stop hiding! I heard you talking in there. Open the door right now, or I'll tear it off its hinges!"