Diary of a Criminal Investigator

"One."

"One? Zhang Haifeng, I advise you to confess honestly."

Wang Zhaokai snorted coldly: "You and Zhang Haiyan abducted children with the intent to sell and used violence. Do you know what this means?"

"In the crime of trafficking, this is considered an aggravating circumstance, with a sentence of over 10 years or life imprisonment."

"If you confess proactively about how many children you abducted and make up for your crimes, your sentence might get reduced. But if you remain uncooperative, you definitely won’t escape life imprisonment."

Interrogating in trafficking cases has always been one of the most challenging.

Especially when the suspect is alone.

This group has mostly studied criminal law. Although not very thoroughly, they at least know that abducting more than three people results in heavier punishment.

So, if they can confess to one less, they certainly would.

And if the suspect is alone, then no one knows if they’ve hidden anything.

This case is a bit better since there are two suspects, Zhang Haifeng and Zhang Haiyan, allowing the police to use psychological tactics to break them down one by one.

"Really just one, officer. We didn’t intend to sell the child; we wanted to raise the child ourselves."

If they abducted one child and didn’t intend to sell, the crime is naturally much lighter.

Typically, sentences for less severe trafficking cases are over 5 years, but under 10 years.

Wang Zhaokai could tell right away that Zhang Haifeng surely studied criminal law.

But just because you say you wanted to raise the child, does it make it true?

"Zhang Haifeng, do you think we know nothing about your situation? You have two children of your own, one son and one daughter."

"Zhang Haiyan is your cousin; her family has three children, two sons and one daughter."

"Yet you tell me that you abducted the child not to sell but to raise yourself? Who are you fooling?"

"Zhang Haifeng, you have only one path now: cooperate with us to investigate all the children you both trafficked and recover them one by one."

"Don’t think judges are fools who will believe whatever you say."

Wang Zhaokai pointed at the room next door: "And Zhang Haiyan, next door."

"Are you so sure that Zhang Haiyan won’t confess anything?"

"Zhang Haifeng, let me tell you, there is only one opportunity for a voluntary confession. If she confesses first, it will have nothing to do with you."

"Also, I need to remind you that in this trafficking case, Zhang Haiyan was the one who carried it out while you only drove the car."

"Think carefully about who’s the ringleader and who’s the accomplice!"

At this, Zhang Haifeng’s expression visibly changed.

Indeed, as Wang Zhaokai said, during the process of this child abduction and trafficking, his role was only to steal cars and drive; he wasn’t directly involved in the abduction.

Besides, Zhang Haiheng knew this matter very well. Zhang Haiyan managed everything from start to finish.

The two of them split the earnings three to seven. He got 30%, while Zhang Haiyan got 70%.

After all, it was Zhang Haiyan who found customers; all he did was help.

On the other side.

"Officer, I really don’t know anything. It was all Zhang Haifeng making me do it."

"I only participated this time. I don’t know how many children he was involved with before; I truly don’t know, it was all him making me do it."

Zhang Haiyan sobbed loudly.

"Boo-hoo... I didn’t know the crime was so serious, we just thought of helping those who gave money."

Unlike Zhang Haifeng, who was resisting to the end, Zhang Haiyan began crying and wailing as soon as she came in.

Chen Jiang thought for a while, interrupted the interrogation, and went out for a breath of fresh air.

He came back after half an hour.

"Officer... boo-hoo I’m being wronged, you have to believe me..."

Bam!

Chen Jiang slammed the table fiercely.

Frightening Zhang Haiyan into a flinch.

"Zhang Haiyan! Stop with the nonsense!"

"The principle of leniency for confession, severity for resistance, you should understand. I just went outside to check on Zhang Haifeng’s interrogation; he’s already confessed most of the criminal facts."

"This wasn’t the first time you both trafficked children, and Zhang Haifeng was certainly not the mastermind!"

"For instance, this time, Zhang Haifeng said he was just the driver and you were responsible for the abduction and trafficking!"

"Zhang Haifeng has already confessed to some criminal facts. Zhang Haiyan, if you continue to make trouble, you’ll definitely be the one at a disadvantage."

"Your only way out now is to confess the whereabouts of all the children you and Zhang Haifeng trafficked."

"Seeking lenient treatment is your only path forward."

"I..."

"Think it over, but I must tell you, if Zhang Haifeng confesses everything first, you won’t have any chances left."

After saying this, Chen Jiang folded his arms and stopped asking any more questions.

But at this moment, Zhang Haiyan no longer cried or caused a commotion.

Her face was filled with uncertainty and suspicion!

In fact, before they were caught, Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haifeng had discussed it.

If this trafficking was exposed, they would say nothing if they were caught.

No matter how the police asked, no matter how the interrogation went, they would say that this was the first child they trafficked.

Also, they couldn’t say it was for sale; it had to be for personal raising.

But Zhang Haiyan played a trick, and she didn’t follow the pre-agreed story.

She figured that as a woman, the police would treat her differently during the interrogation.

So from the start, Zhang Haiyan pushed everything onto Zhang Haifeng.

As long as Zhang Haifeng kept his mouth shut during the interrogation, her culpability would be much lighter.

But she didn’t expect that Zhang Haifeng seemed not to follow the agreed plan.

So... to confess or not to confess?

On the other side.

"Zhang Haiyan is the mastermind. Together, we... abducted three children in total."

Having thought it through, Zhang Haifeng fully confessed his part in the crime.

"Last year we abducted one, the year before last another."

"One time was in Tianzhou, another in Binzhou."

"Zhang Haiyan was the one who made the arrangements and then called me to help."

"This time is the third."

"Where did you plan to sell the children?"

"Where did the previous children go?"

"The previous two, one in Qingzhou, another in Heishan."

"Both were sold into the mountains, but I don’t know exactly where this time’s child was sold to; Zhang Haiyan didn’t tell me in advance. I only found out when we got there."

"How much per child?"

"It varies, as much as a hundred thousand, as little as eighty thousand."

"We split the earnings three-to-seven, I took 30%, she took 70%. I was really just an accessory; everything was orchestrated by Zhang Haiyan."

"For instance, this time she arranged everything and then contacted me. I just drove and bought train tickets."