frightfiction Chapter 873 Investigation into the Interpersonal Relationships of the Deceased Wang Liqiang
Chapter 873 Investigation into the Interpersonal Relationships of the Deceased Wang Liqiang
After leaving Qin Chuan, Li Ming quickly gathered his team members and meticulously assigned the investigation tasks. He then personally led a group of police officers to the community where Wang Liqiang was registered.
Inside the community office, the cramped space was piled high with documents and files, and the air was thick with the smell of old paper. Li Ming politely showed his identification to the staff member in charge of the area and earnestly explained his purpose: "Hello, we are investigating a murder case with all our might. The deceased is Wang Liqiang. We hope you can provide some information about his family and life, as this is crucial to solving the case."
The staff member pushed up his thick glasses, his gaze behind the lenses thoughtful. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Wang Liqiang is a native of Dongchuan City. His parents went to work in the south many years ago and rarely came back. Later, Wang Liqiang got divorced and has been living alone ever since."
He rarely interacted with his neighbors, and seldom participated in community activities, seemingly deliberately isolating himself from the outside world. Li Ming nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the staff member, and pressed, "Do you know the specific reasons for his divorce?" The staff member sighed softly, a hint of regret on his face: "I heard it was because of gambling. He was addicted to gambling, lost a lot of money, his family's financial situation plummeted, and the conflicts between him and his wife became increasingly acute. Ultimately, his wife couldn't bear the burden and chose to divorce him."
After leaving the community, Li Ming led his officers to Wang Liqiang's uncle's house without stopping. The uncle's house was located in an old neighborhood in the old city, with mottled walls and rusty iron gates telling the story of the vicissitudes of time.
Li Ming raised his hand and knocked on the slightly dilapidated door. After a while, the door slowly opened, and Wang Liqiang's uncle looked at them warily, his tone filled with doubt: "Why have you police suddenly come to our door? What happened?" Li Ming patiently explained, "We are investigating the case of Wang Liqiang's murder and hope to get some clues from you, which are crucial to solving the case." Wang Liqiang's uncle was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before stepping aside to let them into the house.
The room was dimly lit, the furniture was old, and there was a faint musty smell.
Li Ming cut to the chase and asked, "Have you been in contact with Wang Liqiang recently?" The uncle frowned, his face full of dissatisfaction, and his tone was full of complaints: "We haven't been in contact for a long time. That kid is such a disappointment, addicted to gambling. He borrowed a lot of money from us before, and he still hasn't paid it back. We've urged him several times, but he not only doesn't pay back the money, but he also seems very impatient. Gradually, our relationship has become distant."
Li Ming pressed on, "Do you know if he's had any conflicts with others recently, or made any enemies?" The uncle shook his head helplessly, spread his hands, and said, "I don't know. We haven't been in contact for a long time, so I have no idea what he's doing outside or who he's dealing with."
After leaving Wang Liqiang's uncle's house, Li Ming and the police officers visited several other relatives. During these visits, they received the same feedback: Wang Liqiang had not only squandered his family fortune through gambling but had also damaged relationships with his relatives. Everyone was utterly disappointed in him and chose to keep their distance.
Subsequently, Li Ming shifted his investigation focus to Wang Liqiang's coworkers. They arrived at the construction site where Wang Liqiang had frequently worked. The site was filled with the roar of machinery, billowing dust, and busy workers moving about. Li Ming found Zhang Dashan, the burly, dark-skinned foreman.
After hearing Li Ming's purpose, Zhang Dashan sighed heavily, a hint of regret on his face: "I never expected Wang Liqiang to get into such trouble. He's a hard worker, but he's a chatterbox and doesn't think before he speaks, often offending people."
Li Ming, with his keen eyes, pressed further, "Could you give a specific example? Have you ever had a serious conflict with your coworkers because of your gossip?"
Zhang Dashan scratched his head, thought for a moment, and said, "Once, he accused Xiao Li of being lazy in front of everyone. But actually, Xiao Li wasn't feeling well that day and wasn't in good spirits. After hearing this, Xiao Li immediately flew into a rage and had a big argument with him. However, afterwards, the two calmed down and made up. It wasn't a deep-seated hatred."
When Li Ming found Xiao Li, Xiao Li was sitting in a corner of the construction site resting, looking tired. When Xiao Li saw the police, a hint of tension flashed in his eyes, and his body tensed up involuntarily.
Li Ming smiled, trying to calm him down: "Don't be nervous, we're just here to find out some things. I heard you had a fight with Wang Liqiang?" Xiao Li's face flushed red instantly, and he stammered, "I wasn't feeling well that day, and I was working a little slower. He accused me of slacking off in front of everyone without even asking what happened. I was furious and argued with him. But later I realized he's just quick-tempered and has a sharp tongue, but he doesn't mean any harm. We made up quickly, and I absolutely never intended to kill him."
To gain a more comprehensive understanding of Wang Liqiang's situation, Li Ming continued to visit other workers on the construction site. In the noisy canteen, Li Ming found Lao Zhou, who had a relatively good relationship with Wang Liqiang. While eating, Lao Zhou recalled the past: "Wang Liqiang just can't control his mouth. Once, while eating in the canteen, he actually talked about Sister Wang's family affairs, without considering her feelings at all. Sister Wang got angry and warned him not to talk nonsense again."
Upon hearing this, Li Ming immediately asked, "Who is Sister Wang? Is she still working on the construction site?" Old Zhou nodded and replied, "Sister Wang's name is Wang Li. She's in charge of cooking at the construction site. But since that incident, Sister Wang and he have hardly had any contact."
When Li Ming found Wang Li, she was busy in the steamy kitchen. Hearing Li Ming's question, Wang Li stopped what she was doing, her brows furrowing tightly, a hint of anger in her eyes: "Wang Liqiang went too far! He actually spread my private affairs around. I warned him then that if he continued, I wouldn't let him off easily. But that was just an angry outburst; how could I possibly kill someone?" Li Ming carefully observed Wang Li's expression and continued, "Since then, has he bothered you again?" Wang Li shook her head and said, "No, he probably knows he's in the wrong and is afraid I'll really get angry, so he's been avoiding me ever since."
During the investigation, Li Ming also learned that Wang Liqiang had accumulated a considerable gambling debt at the casino. He and the officers arrived at the casino, which was dimly lit and filled with a pungent smell of smoke. The casino owner's face turned deathly pale upon seeing the police, and a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.