Beneath the Dome, Sin within Sins - Chapter 64 - The Scapegoat

My words were too ambiguous for Su Mo to understand right away. “What exactly is going on? Be clear!” he demanded.

“Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything, but not here. First, you need to let me meet Zhang Tu. Some things can only be clarified after speaking with the person directly involved.”

Hearing this, Su Mo wasted no time escorting me to the interrogation room. Just as I was about to push the door open, he stopped me with a slightly nervous tone. “Can’t you tell me now?”

“No,” I replied. “Some things lose their meaning if said too soon.”

I gave Su Mo a small smile, then stepped into the interrogation room.

The police officer inside acknowledged me with a nod before leaving. Now, it was just Zhang Tu and me left in the room.

I placed the incense burner I was holding on the table, then leaned back in my chair in a relaxed position. Taking my time, I said, “Mr. Zhang, losing your wife and child… life must feel unbearable for you.”

The moment I said that, I noticed Zhang Tu’s face darken considerably. And who could blame him? Anyone would react the same way when someone unapologetically reopened such a raw wound.

“Then you must want Zhou Haifu dead, don’t you?”

“Yes! I want him dead! I want to tear him to pieces!” Zhang Tu shouted.

Hearing this, I nodded in agreement and said as I nodded, “You’re absolutely right. Someone like him deserves to die. Not only did he ruin your family, but he also destroyed the family of your relatives.”

As I said this, I noticed Zhang Tu’s expression grow increasingly tense and even a bit nervous. “W-what… what are you trying to say?” he stammered.

I felt it was time to touch on the real wound in his heart. “Don’t you already know what I’m trying to say? The owner of that holiday resort also met a tragic end because of him. Zhou Haifu is a despicable monster, an unforgivable criminal. Don’t you wish you could drink his blood and devour his flesh?”

Zhang Tu froze at my words, speechless. Seeing his reaction, I chuckled softly. “Why so quiet? Do you think I’m wrong?”

“No… no, you’re not wrong,” he muttered. “I’ve dreamed of killing him countless times!”

As Zhang Tu said this, his tone started out hesitant but grew more resolute. By the end, he sounded as though he was working up his own courage, shouting loudly. If not for the shackles binding him, I had no doubt he would have lunged at me right then and there.

“You’ve been dreaming of killing him, but in the end, someone else did. Zhang Tu, that must eat away at you, doesn’t it?”

“Yes… I… No! You’re talking nonsense! Zhou Haifu was killed by me! I killed him! I wanted revenge, so I killed him!”

It seems I hit the mark this time. Zhou Haifu’s killer was clearly not Zhang Tu.

When Zhang Tu spoke, he was visibly agitated, as if confessing to some great achievement while trying to stake his claim against someone attempting to steal his credit.

Looking at him, I couldn’t help but let out a long sigh. “Do you really think that if you don’t say anything, the police won’t find out the truth? Don’t forget, there’s still Zhou Haifu’s secretary. She hasn’t been questioned yet. Once we bring her in, do you really think we won’t figure everything out?”

“W-what do you mean by that?”

“It’s simple, Zhang Tu. I’m here right now because I hold solid evidence. And that evidence tells me you don’t even know how this murder was carried out. Tell me, how could someone who doesn’t even know the method of killing actually have committed the murder? You’re the expert here. Enlighten me.”

These words threw Zhang Tu into silence. He lowered his head and stopped speaking, no longer displaying his earlier hysterics. Seeing his subdued demeanor, I pressed on. “Just because you step forward and claim responsibility doesn’t make it true. There is no escape from the long arm of the law. I trust the state to neither wrongly punish the innocent nor let the guilty go unpunished.”

“He’s not a bad person!” Zhang Tu burst out suddenly, his emotions flaring. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he appeared to realize something, abruptly closing his lips and leaning back into his chair, falling silent.

“Not speaking anymore? You were shouting so loudly just a moment ago. What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” I said slowly.

“No… nothing.”

“Nothing? Zhang Tu, Zhang Yang is a good kid, but even the best kid isn’t allowed to commit murder.”

“You’re lying! Zhang Yang didn’t kill anyone!” Zhang Tu’s forehead was lined with bulging veins, and his tone grew heavy.

“Calm down. As I’ve said before, no matter how much you try to cover for the real killer, they will eventually face justice. It’s in your best interest to cooperate and be honest.”

At that moment, the door to the interrogation room suddenly swung open. Curious, I looked toward the doorway, only to see Zhang Yang standing there, drenched in sweat. Judging by the state he was in, he must have run all the way here.

“Uncle, this has nothing to do with you. I did it! It was all me!”

This sudden admission left me completely stunned. And it wasn’t just me-the astonishment was clearly written across Su Mo’s face as he stood behind Zhang Yang.

Honestly speaking, I never expected Zhang Yang to be this straightforward. To think he would blatantly confess to being the murderer without hesitation! I had thought he would bury the secret deep and try to hide it forever.

“Zhang Yang!”

“Uncle,” Zhang Yang said, his voice steady and determined. “I take responsibility for my own actions. Zhou Haifu-the bastard-was killed by me. You don’t need to take the blame for me.”

As Zhang Yang looked at Zhang Tu, his face was full of resolve, a maturity and sense of duty far beyond his years.

Zhang Tu, upon hearing Zhang Yang’s words, broke down entirely, tears streaming down his face in grief.

Later, as Zhang Tu tearfully began to explain, the reasons behind his willingness to become a scapegoat for Zhang Yang came to light.

It turned out that after Zhou Haifu’s death, Zhang Tu quickly realized that Zhang Yang was responsible. And so, he made the decision to take the blame on Zhang Yang’s behalf. After all, Zhang Yang was still young. He had his whole life ahead of him-family, loved ones, a future. Zhang Tu, on the other hand, had already lost everything. His family was gone, and there was no meaning left in his life. In his eyes, taking Zhang Yang’s place on death row was the least he could do.

But what Zhang Tu hadn’t expected-what none of us had expected-was that Zhang Yang would follow him here and completely unravel his plan.

To be honest, even I hadn’t foreseen this turn of events. I had already prepared to bring Zhou Haifu’s secretary to Zhang Yang’s home in order to catch him unawares. But who knew the boy would come straight to us and lay everything out himself?

“Uncle,” Zhang Yang said, his voice heavy with guilt, “I committed this crime from beginning to end. I can’t let you take the fall for me-especially not for murder, a crime that demands a life in exchange.”

As Zhang Yang spoke, tears began streaming from his eyes. I could see the faint trembling in his body, a fragile, subconscious response to his emotions.

Watching this scene unfold before me, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of bitterness in my heart. People are strange sometimes; they’ll shake and cry in fear when confessing, yet in the moment of killing, they’re cold and resolute.