frightfiction Chapter 1279 Arrest of Zhang Jianjun
Chapter 1279 Arrest of Zhang Jianjun
“Who is Zhang Jianjun? How did he force you? Tell me the whole story, including how you conspired with Zhang Jianjun, how you lured Zhao Baotian to the parking lot, and how you killed him. Confess now, and you might get leniency.” Xiao Wang handed him a tissue, his tone softening—he knew Zhou Hao’s defenses had crumbled, and now was the best time to get the truth.
Zhou Hao wiped away his tears, took a deep breath, and began to recount in a halting voice, "Zhang Jianjun and I are distant relatives. Last year, I owed him 5 yuan because of gambling. He kept urging me to pay it back, but I said I didn't have the money. He then told me, 'I have a job for you. If you do it, the money you owe me will be wiped clean, and I'll even give you another 2 yuan.' I asked him what kind of job it was, and he said, 'That barber Zhao Baotian owes me rent and hasn't paid it back. He even dared to threaten me. Help me teach him a lesson so he won't dare to mess with me again.'"
He paused, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes: "At first, I thought it was just a lesson, so I agreed. Three days before the incident, Zhang Jianjun asked me to go to Zhao Baotian's barbershop and tell him, 'Boss Zhang wants to talk to you about the rent. He wants to meet you at the Oriental Building parking lot tonight. He'll be waiting for you there and bring you some money for short-term use.' Zhao Baotian was a little suspicious at first and asked me, 'Why the parking lot?' I told him, 'Boss Zhang is meeting with a client at the building tonight, so it's convenient for him to talk to you.' Only then did he agree."
"What exactly did you do on the night of the incident? Did Zhang Jianjun go with you?" Xiao Wang pressed, quickly jotting down notes in his notebook while closely observing Zhou Hao's expression to determine if he was lying.
Zhou Hao's body began to tremble again, as if recalling the terrifying scene: "At 9 p.m., I arrived at the parking lot early. Zhang Jianjun was already there waiting for me. He gave me a black hoodie and told me to put it on. He also handed me a bottle of water with 'something' added to it, saying, 'Give this to Zhao Baotian so he'll behave.' I asked him what he added, and he said, 'Just a sedative to make him sleep for a while. We'll tie him up and scare him.' I didn't think much of it at the time and agreed."
"Around 9:15, Zhao Baotian arrived, carrying a tool bag. He called out to me from afar, 'Brother Zhou, where's Boss Zhang?' I told him, 'Boss Zhang is waiting for you inside. Have some water first, and we'll go in together later,' and handed him the bottle of water. He didn't suspect anything, took it, and drank most of the bottle. About 10 minutes later, he started to feel dizzy and was walking unsteadily, so I helped him walk towards the fire escape, where Zhang Jianjun was already waiting."
Zhou Hao's voice trailed off, his eyes filled with terror: "When Zhang Jianjun saw us coming, he told me to 'do it.' Before I could react, he rushed up and punched Zhao Baotian in the chest. Zhao Baotian screamed and fell to the ground. I was terrified and asked Zhang Jianjun, 'Didn't you say you were just going to scare him?' He said, 'Since it's already like this, let's just kill him to avoid trouble later.' Then he told me to hold Zhao Baotian's hands down, and he used the sleeve of my hoodie to strangle Zhao Baotian's neck, strangling him for several minutes until Zhao Baotian stopped moving."
"Why didn't you move the body elsewhere, but left it in the parking lot? What did Zhang Jianjun do after that?" Xiao Wang caught the key details and further confirmed the crime process.
Zhou Hao's tears flowed again, his voice filled with remorse: "Zhang Jianjun said, 'The parking lot surveillance cameras are broken, no one will find out.' Then he made me open Zhao Baotian's tool bag, take out his ID card and bank cards, and throw them in the trash can. He also made me drag Zhao Baotian's body to a corner to make it look like an accidental death. He then drove to buy a fake business card with the name 'Chen Feng,' put it in Zhao Baotian's pocket, and said, 'To mislead the police and make them think someone else did it.' After that, we parted ways. He told me not to tell anyone, or he would kill my whole family."
"Did you contact Zhang Jianjun again after that? What did you do with the 2 yuan he gave you?" Xiao Wang continued to press, making sure not to miss any details.
Zhou Hao nodded, his voice choked with emotion: "The day after the incident, Zhang Jianjun gave me 2 yuan and told me to leave immediately. I didn't dare spend it and hid it all under the bed in my rented room. We only spoke on the phone once. He told me not to go out and not to answer calls from strangers, but I didn't expect you to still find me. I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have helped him kill someone. I'm sorry to Zhao Baotian and his family..."
The interrogation lasted for more than four hours. Zhou Hao fully confessed to the entire process, from being instructed by Zhang Jianjun to luring Zhao Baotian to the parking lot of the Oriental Building, and then assisting Zhang Jianjun in murdering Zhao Baotian and staging the scene. Every detail was completely consistent with the scene investigation and forensic autopsy results—the hoodie fibers matched the composition of the neck pressure marks, the sedatives in Zhao Baotian's stomach matched the "water with something added" that Zhou Hao mentioned, the source of the fake business card was completely consistent with Zhang Jianjun's actions, and even the detail that he "took away the ID card and bank card" was completely consistent with the missing items found by the police in the parking lot's trash can.
When Xiao Wang asked him to sign the interrogation record, Zhou Hao's hand trembled violently, the pen tip leaving crooked marks on the paper, almost tearing it several times. After signing, he suddenly bowed deeply to Xiao Wang, his voice choked with emotion: "I know I have committed an unforgivable crime. I am willing to testify against Zhang Jianjun and cooperate with your arrest, only asking for an explanation for Zhao Baotian's family, and hoping to mitigate my crime a little."
Seeing Zhou Hao's remorseful expression, Xiao Wang knew that no amount of repentance could bring Zhao Baotian back to life. However, Zhou Hao's testimony provided crucial evidence for Zhang Jianjun's arrest. He put away the interrogation records and told the officers at the door, "Take Zhou Hao away and arrange for someone to guard him to ensure his safety. At the same time, immediately apply for an arrest warrant for Zhang Jianjun. We can't let him escape."
As Xiao Wang stepped out of the interrogation room, dawn was breaking. Standing in the corridor, looking at the morning light outside the window, he knew that this murder case in the underground parking lot of the Oriental Building had finally made a major breakthrough. As long as Zhang Jianjun was apprehended, the truth of the case would be completely revealed, giving Zhao Baotian's family a just outcome. Zhou Hao, who had helped others kill an innocent person to pay off gambling debts, would ultimately pay the price for his cruelty, spending the rest of his life in prison to atone for his crimes.
At this moment, news came from the technical department that, according to Zhou Hao's confession, gloves and strips of cloth stained with Zhao Baotian's blood were found in the trunk of Zhang Jianjun's black Volkswagen Lavida sedan, further strengthening the chain of evidence.