Chapter 378: Admitting Yet Denying

2022-05-20

“No need to beat around the bush.” I straightened up and said, “You don’t have to change the subject, either. We’ll get to the bottom of this, one way or another. I know for certain Hu Ningning is still alive. Hu Ningning didn’t take part in this, and you’re not the type to kill innocent people, are you?”

I pointed at Guo Limin and said, “So it’s best if you just tell me where Hu Ningning is. And tell me the full truth about Wu Zui. Your son is dead; as a mother, you know what it’s like to bury your own child. Hu Ningning is the same age as your child.”

Guo Limin nodded. “I admit it, I killed them. If you want me to answer your questions, it’s simple. I have just one request.”

“You want us to let your husband go?” I asked. “You want to take all the blame on yourself?”

But, to my surprise, Guo Limin just scoffed. “You caught Zhang Zijun; that’s your business. Why should I care about him? As a man, he’s as cowardly as a dog. We’ve been divorced for ages. I’m single now, no husband to speak of.”

I frowned. “Then what’s your request?”

Guo Limin stood up.

I got to my feet, too. “Well? What’s your request?”

“I know what I’ve done. Those three deserved to die, but now that you’ve caught me, I know how this ends. You also know everyone in our family is gone, except for my child. So after I die, all I ask is that you bury me next to my son.”

With those words, Guo Limin knelt on the floor, though her voice still carried that edge. “That’s all I want. If you can’t agree to that, you won’t get anything about Hu Ningning from me.”

She never got to spend a single full day with her son while alive. Only after death would she finally have him by her side each day.

“Alright.” I nodded. “Take her back. The rest of you, keep searching the apartment and gather every bit of evidence. Uncle Chen, have a few people escort Guo Limin.”

Uncle Chen nodded.

It was eleven in the morning.

Once we promised Guo Limin her wish, she didn’t hesitate. She told us everything.

Half a year ago, when Guo Limin and Zhang Zijun found the body while cycling, their world fell apart. They brought the body home, grief washing over them. But after the tears, life had to go on. When they tried to change their son’s clothes, they discovered countless wounds across his body.

Those children had done a thorough job. Every visible spot was untouched, but underneath the clothes, fresh scars covered his skin.

The cuts and bruises hid beneath the fabric—what you can’t see doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

Finally, they saw it.

Both of them realized something was terribly wrong, but Zhang Zijun wanted to make it public and call the police. Guo Limin stopped him because she understood something. If a teacher had done this, the evidence could ruin their entire life.

But what if it was other students?

The oldest elementary kids were only around thirteen. At that age, there would be no real punishment. To Guo Limin, that felt so helpless.

A child loses their life, decades of future gone in an instant. But the children responsible would pay nothing—they’d just keep going to class, playing, growing up, maybe even bullying someone else.

That wasn’t enough for Guo Limin. She wanted more than that—she wanted someone to die.

Guo Limin, usually so indecisive, put her foot down for the first time and even made Zhang Zijun afraid. Zhang Zijun suddenly regretted not sending their child to a better school, even though he could have.

Does the environment change people, or do people change their environment?

That’s a question without an answer.

This time, Zhang Zijun finally listened to his wife.

That night, Zhang Zijun and Guo Limin packed up what little they could and disappeared into the night with the body. They moved so quickly the neighbors never noticed. Not a single piece of furniture left with them—if they lingered, someone was bound to call the police.

The best way to hide was simply to get out fast.

All they needed to transport their child’s body was a travel bag.

After that, things progressed as you’d expect. No one noticed as they arranged Zhang Zuochen’s transfer to another school, and the careless principal didn’t even check where the child had gone. Transferring out was normal at Taishan Elementary, since it wasn’t a great school.

Once the paperwork was done, Guo Limin divorced Zhang Zijun.

Up to this point, Guo Limin’s account matched my own guesses. But as she continued, things took a turn I hadn’t seen coming.

Guo Limin went on: “I wanted revenge. But cowardly Zhang Zijun couldn’t do it. He didn’t dare to kill, so I did. After the divorce, I started looking for information and coming up with a plan. Hu Ningning was a good kid, she gave me what I needed to know. Using her, I started killing.”

I shook my head. “You believed everything a little kid said? Just took her word for it?”

Guo Limin let out a bitter laugh. “I never paid attention to kids’ feelings before. That’s why my son died. If I’d noticed sooner, maybe he would still be here. Of course I believed every word Hu Ningning said.”

She rattled her handcuffs. “I’ve got nothing to gain by lying now. That’s how it started. I began killing them. Before I drove out, I’d study the cameras around the school, figure out where I wouldn’t be spotted, where to strike. But I never thought you’d catch me just because of a fishhook.”

I tapped the table lightly. “No, you’re lying. The person who called was a man—the voice was disguised, but the evidence shows it was a man. Yours is nothing like that deep, rough voice. Can you imitate it for me?”

Guo Limin replied, “I used a voice changer.”

“Fine. How about your car? You used a car when you grabbed the kids, and it was Zhang Zijun’s car. If you two aren’t connected, how did you end up with his car? You even stayed at Zhang Zijun’s rented apartment for a while. The split came after the murders, didn’t it?”

Guo Limin let out a mocking snort. “Why you care about the connection between me and Zhang Zijun is your business. Do as you like. I’ve told you everything I know. After that, I used my own car to find targets, to grab and kill. And eventually I ended up here.”

“What if those kids never bullied your son?”

I met her eyes. “Maybe all of this—yours or Hu Ningning’s accusations—was guesswork. Sure, these kids bullied others, but they may never have touched your son. Maybe someone else did. So who gave you the right to kill?”

Guo Limin stared right back. “I don’t know. I can’t be sure if they were the ones. But as long as they hurt people, as long as they bullied others, then killing these three isn’t unjust. Life’s too long anyway, and they’ve had plenty. Why should they get more?”

“Shameful,” Mary said.

Guo Limin retorted, “Better than pretending to be all righteous. If you called the police, what would happen? Call the kids in, scold them, and then my son stays dead? This was the best choice. So let me be clear: I’m Guo Limin. Zhang Zuochen was my son. I kidnapped Hu Ningning, and killed Li Jun, Liang Zhengyu, and Guo Li. I confess—it’s as simple as that.”

I let out a sigh. Guo Limin was determined to take all the blame. From the wedding photo, it was clear how deeply Zhang Zijun loved her. Yet at the critical moment, he left her to shoulder everything alone. I didn’t see a single photo in the place Guo Limin rented. But right now, her only wish was for death—so Zhang Zijun could go free.

Different choices—what does true love mean?

“One last question: Did Wu Zui help you?” I asked.

“Who’s Wu Zui?” Guo Limin said. “I have no idea who that is. Never met them.”

I pressed my fingers to my temples. Everything about this screamed Wu Zui’s style—every move, every cover-up was flawless.

Thinking of that, I asked, “Then why did you clean up the blood afterward?”

“Blood?” Guo Limin looked confused. “I left right after the killings. I never cleaned up anything. Are you sure you’ve got your facts straight? Who is this Wu Zui that you’re so worked up about?”

“You didn’t?” I pressed. “You didn’t wipe away any traces?”

Guo Limin shook her head.

That made it stranger. If she hadn’t scrubbed the scene, then it had to be someone from Wu Zui’s group. But why would Wu Zui help cover up for Guo Limin? That meant Wu Zui was involved—without ever letting Guo Limin know.

Things were getting more complicated.

“And Hu Ningning?” I asked.