The Lawyer's Confession

On the evening of March 2, 2013.

In the interrogation monitoring room of the Xiacheng District Public Security Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division, the captain and deputy director walked in, greeting the duty officer. "So, has he confessed?"

The officer pointed at the man handcuffed to the chair in the video. "The suspect has admitted to the murder. He's still explaining the details, but his attitude is cooperative. The victim was his friend. According to him, it was an impulsive act due to a debt dispute."

The deputy director glanced at the surveillance footage, connecting it to his own actions earlier in the day, and sneered, "This guy must be out of his mind."

"His mind's fine. He's a lawyer."

"A lawyer?"

"He's called Zhang Chao, runs his own law firm, specializes in criminal defense cases. He's somewhat well-known in Hangzhou."

"Criminal defense lawyer Zhang Chao?" The captain frowned as he recalled. "I think I remember him now. There was a case we handed over to the prosecutor's office last year. The suspect hired him for defense. I heard he did a good job, and the court gave the lowest sentence, which really irritated the prosecutor's office."

The deputy director stared at Zhang Chao on the screen, studying him more closely. "Why did he take the body to the subway station?"

"To dump the body."

"Dump the body?" The deputy director's eyes widened in disbelief. "He took the body to the subway station?"

"He planned to take the body to Xianghu Lake in Xiaoshan, toss it into the lake along with the box."

"That's insane! Why didn't he just drive there?"

The officer explained, "Zhang Chao murdered the victim in his apartment. Afterward, he was so scared that he stayed there the whole night. By the next morning, he decided to dispose of the body, but he was too scared to drive. He drank a lot of alcohol for courage but couldn't drive because he feared being caught for DUI and having both himself and the body exposed. So, he took a taxi. Unfortunately, on the way to the subway station, his taxi was rear-ended by another car. Both drivers claimed the other was at fault, and they reported it to the traffic police. Zhang Chao panicked. Fearing the body would be discovered, he pretended to have an urgent matter and dragged the box out of the trunk to leave. Suddenly, he thought the subway might be an easier way to smuggle the body out without being caught, so he tried his luck there. But when he reached the security checkpoint, he panicked, ran off, and was caught by security and police."

The deputy director frowned. "So, why did he claim there was a weapon and that the box might explode? This led to Hangzhou's subway being shut down for the first time ever, and the news was all over it."

The officer sighed. "He was drunk and terrified. His mind was all over the place, and in his panic, he started babbling nonsense. Now that he's sober, he barely remembers the events at the subway, just some vague fragments."

The captain exhaled. "No wonder he was so drunk when we first arrested him, slurring his words and constantly repeating that the box was empty."

The deputy director nodded, then turned to the officers. "He's a criminal defense lawyer and knows how the system works. We can't take everything he says at face value. Be thorough during the interrogation and cross-check everything with the evidence. We can't afford any mistakes in this case. It's a big deal, and the government is already asking for updates."

The captain responded, "The forensic report will be ready tonight. We've already had a preliminary look at the crime scene. Tomorrow, we'll send people for a more thorough investigation and compare it with his statements. If all goes well, we should have everything wrapped up in three or four days."

Over the following days, the investigation proceeded smoothly.

Zhang Chao was cooperative, and his confession aligned perfectly with the evidence. The murder motive and method were consistent with his account. As a criminal defense lawyer, he seemed to understand the procedures well, likely hoping for a lighter sentence due to his full cooperation. He even led the police back to the crime scene and helped them find the weapon. The forensic report and the crime scene investigation matched his statements in every detail.

It was supposed to be a simple murder case, but the unexpected subway shutdown caused by the incident made it a media frenzy. This was the first time in Hangzhou's history that a subway had to halt operation due to an emergency, and with hundreds of eyewitnesses, the case became the talk of the town. Media outlets chased down every detail, and the police had to organize a press conference a few days later to explain the situation.

The suspect, Zhang Chao, had once been a law professor, but he quit his job to become a lawyer. He had known the victim, Jiang Yang, for over ten years. Jiang was a former prosecutor at the Jin City Procuratorate. They had a close relationship—Jiang had been Zhang Chao's student at university, and they had stayed in touch as good friends after that.

However, Jiang was corrupt and had been sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of bribery and gambling. After his release, he often came to Hangzhou under the guise of needing a break from work and family troubles. Zhang Chao, feeling sympathy for his old friend, offered him a place to stay in his small apartment and encouraged him to get his life back on track. Jiang even borrowed 300,000 yuan from Zhang, claiming he was planning to buy a house and remarry his ex-wife. But after a month, Zhang discovered that Jiang had used the money for gambling. Furious, Zhang demanded repayment, but Jiang not only refused but also asked for more money. Their relationship deteriorated, leading to frequent arguments and even physical fights. Just two days before the murder, the two had a confrontation that involved the police.

On the evening of March 1, Zhang Chao went to confront Jiang again. In the heat of their argument, Zhang Chao impulsively strangled Jiang with a rope, killing him. Afterward, he was consumed with fear and regret. Unsure of what to do, he chose not to report the crime, knowing that it would destroy his career and family.

He sat in his apartment for the entire night, unsure of his next move. The following day, he decided to dispose of the body at Xianghu Lake in Xiaoshan. But after drinking heavily, he didn't trust himself to drive, so he took a taxi. After a fender bender, he panicked and fled with the body, eventually attempting to smuggle it onto the subway, which led to the chaos.

The evidence was overwhelming. Surveillance cameras showed Zhang's car entering his apartment complex on the evening of March 1. His fingerprints were found on the murder weapon, and Jiang's body showed signs of a struggle. A taxi driver confirmed Zhang had carried a heavy box that smelled of alcohol, and CCTV footage from the taxi route confirmed the details of his journey.

The investigation was straightforward. At the press conference, the police revealed all the details. Zhang Chao admitted to the crime and expressed deep regret. Jiang Yang, the victim, had once been a prosecutor but had fallen into a life of corruption, gambling, and illegal activities. Zhang Chao had offered him help but was betrayed in return, leading to the tragic ending.

The case was wrapped up quickly, but the media's appetite for the story seemed insatiable. After the press conference, reporters pressed for an interview with Zhang Chao, hoping to hear from him directly. Despite his initial reluctance, he agreed, and the interview was arranged through a glass partition.

Most of his answers mirrored what was presented at the press conference. But when asked if he regretted his actions, Zhang Chao paused for a moment, then looked into the camera, his gaze strangely calm, and said, "I don't regret it."

That response didn't raise any alarms at the time. The media moved on, and the story quickly lost its novelty. Within days, the public had forgotten about the strange look in Zhang Chao's eyes, and the case faded into obscurity, lost in the bustle of everyday life.