721: 560 draws_2 721: 560 draws_2 The case’s growing complexity boiled down to one critical reason: Lan Peizhi was unwilling to “sacrifice a pawn to save the chariot.”
If Zou Kezhao, the man under arrest, had “accidentally died” earlier, none of what followed would have happened.
It was obvious that in Lan Peizhi’s heart, this man who was now imprisoned, was not soone she could discard at any ti.
After having expended so much effort, even if she couldn’t increase goodwill, she at least couldn’t allow Zou Kezhao’s situation to seed grudges in the other’s mind.
“It won’t take too long, just half a year.
Once the attention subsides and no one cares about the case anymore…”
Jiang Chen’s speech was cut off by the sudden ringing of a cell phone.
A call at this ti?
Bear in mind, Pei Zhi had just been released.
Jiang Chen stopped talking and watched the other party take out their phone.
“Auntie Lan, I’m sorry, I just heard from Jin Se.”
The voice from the other end conveyed an apology.
“After hearing the news, I made calls to various parties, Auntie Lan should be out by now.”
The offer of help ca both promptly and swiftly.
Lan Peizhi’s face showed no ripples, giving no clue to her thoughts, responding with just a “Hmm.”
“That sets my mind at ease.”
The person on the other end seed relieved and then laughingly said, “When Auntie Lan returns to the country, I will arrange a welco for you.”
Lan Peizhi was noncommittal.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the call ended.
Jiang Chen didn’t ask who it was.
“Although this matter has co to a close, staying in Goryeo is still too conspicuous.
I think it’s best to go back first.”
He delicately reminded her.
Since she was released, the travel ban was naturally lifted.
Pei Zhi didn’t reply.
She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat, not at all like soone who’d just been let out of the detention center.
In terms of deanor or complexion, she seed even more at ease than Jiang Chen who was outside, one would believe her if she said she’d just returned from a vacation.
That’s right.
Jiang Chen hadn’t run around much during this period, but the ntal toll was not small.
Pei Zhi, inside, must have had fewer worries.
Jiang Chen also picked up his chopsticks.
The private room grew quiet.
But soon, the serenity was shattered.
Another cell phone started to ring.
This ti.
It was Jiang Chen’s phone.
Jiang Chen took out his phone and saw it was Che Changmin.
“Hello.”
“There’s been trouble with Zou Kezhao.”
Like a thunderclap out of the blue.
Jiang Chen’s brows furrowed instantly, looking at Pei Zhi and asking sternly, “What happened?”
“It was sudden, I’m not too clear on the specifics.
Supposedly, there was a verbal altercation with a fellow inmate during a al that escalated into violence.
By the ti the guards gained control, he had sustained severe injuries.”
“It was sudden, I’m not too clear on the specifics.
Supposedly, there was a verbal altercation with a fellow inmate during a al that escalated into violence.
By the ti the guards gained control, he had sustained severe injuries.”
“Tell the outco.”
Jiang Chen said gravely, already harboring a very ominous premonition.
“Resuscitation was unsuccessful.”
Jiang Chen’s pupils shrank.
On the other end, Che Changmin fell silent.
Fights and brawls in prison were not uncommon, but wasn’t the timing a bit too coincidental?
No sooner had Pei Zhi been released than Zou Kezhao had a conflict and died in prison.
It seed extraordinary, no matter how one looked at it.
“What about An Zairong?”
After a mont of silence, Jiang Chen asked.
“An Zairong is fine for now.
Do you want to notify the prison to give him special protection?”
“That’s not necessary.”
Jiang Chen took a gentle breath, “Okay, I’ve got it.”
The call ended,
Jiang Chen put down the phone and looked at Pei Zhi.
“Speak.”
Lan Peizhi got to the point, apparently catching on to the implications as well.
“There’s news from the prison.
Mr.
Zou had a confrontation with soone and, unfortunately, passed away.”
Jiang Chen spoke unhurriedly.
Pei Zhi fell suddenly quiet.
To hear such news right upon reclaiming her freedom.
What a grand gesture indeed.
————
The funeral ho.
The man who once road the edges of life and death had now beco a box of ashes.
Xing Jie and Xu Kuan, both still in hospital, dragged their injured bodies to the scene, looking at the spirit tablet with great sorrow and anger.
“It’s got to be the work of the Goryeo governnt!
Dammit!
Those bastard sons of bitches!”
Jiang Chen offered a stick of incense.
“Are you really not going to bring Mr.
Zou’s ashes back to his holand?”
Dressed in black, Pei Zhi gazed at the photo on the spirit tablet, her face emotionless, “No need.”
Jiang Chen didn’t press any further.
Though there’s a saying, “fallen leaves return to the roots.”
There’s also a saying, “death is like the snuffing of a light.”
Whether it was Lan Peizhi or Zou Kezhao, neither were pretentious people.
“I’m sorry.”
Jiang Chen gazed at the morial tablet.
The ones locked up with Zou Kezhao were irredeemable felons, it was impossible to get any news from their mouths.
But this matter clearly wasn’t that simple.
I didn’t kill Bole, yet Bole died because of .
Zou Kezhao died in prison, and he bore an inescapable responsibility.
“It has nothing to do with you.”
Given her usual character, Lan Peizhi would hardly respond, but today she seed out of the ordinary.
“From the mont he agreed to plead guilty for you, he was prepared.”
Prepared?
Prepared for what?
Was he prepared to die?
But he had promised to save him.
Jiang Chen turned his head, looking puzzled at the woman beside him.
The other party looked forward, her face that defeated the years expressing neither anger nor elation, neither sorrow nor joy.
“That day in the parking lot, it was your first ti killing soone.”
A declarative sentence.
Not a question.
But Jiang Chen nodded anyway.
Lan Peizhi didn’t continue, changing the subject so abruptly it was hard to counter.
“The industries of Zushi Society that you’ve bought can be left in their care.
They have always followed Zou Kezhao and are very familiar with all aspects of Zushi Society’s businesses.”
‘They’ naturally referred to the following Xing Jie and Xu Kuan.
That day in the parking lot, they had proved their loyalty.
As for the death of Zou Kezhao, Lan Peizhi didn’t seem to be too angry, and from her face, it was hard to see a trace of sentintal emotion.
Having said that, she then turned to leave.
“Who exactly is it?”
Jiang Chen couldn’t help but ask towards her retreating figure.
If Zou Kezhao’s death was no coincidence, then the only possibility was that it was the work of the unseen hand scheming behind the scenes.
Lan Peizhi’s steps faltered, then continued on.
“You need to recognize your opponent.”
The words ca through.
Irrelevant to the question asked.
But it seed to carry a deeper aning.
Jiang Chen’s gaze fluctuated continuously as he watched the dark figure move further and further away.
Recognize his own opponent?
Was it a rebuke for still not understanding the other party?
Or was it a reminder that the behind-the-scenes mastermind who remotely controlled everything and had never shown their face was none of his business, warning him not to ddle?
Lan Peizhi had already left, destined not to offer any further explanation.
Jiang Chen withdrew his gaze, once again looking towards Zou Kezhao’s morial tablet.
Different from Xu Kuan and Xing Jie, he didn’t have a deep friendship with Zou Kezhao; at most, they had only t a few tis, so it was definitely not possible for him to be overly sorrowful.
But he felt guilty.
“That day in the parking lot, it was your first ti killing soone.”
Lan Peizhi’s words surfaced again in his mind.
Perhaps.
What she ant was that he was still young.
Indeed.
The fact that Quan Shangying remained unhard had made him believe the behind-the-scenes operator wasn’t a very cruel person.
But now it seed.
He was too optimistic.
If he had been more cautious, more comprehensive in his considerations, perhaps Zou Kezhao could have avoided this misfortune,
If Lan Peizhi had dealt with the situation, such an incident might not have happened.
Jiang Chen slowly exhaled, his gaze on Zou Kezhao’s morial tablet showing regret, but not defeat.
No one is a saint.
Who can be faultless?
The growth of a person requires ti.
He had been out of school for less than a year.
“Mr.
Zou, does he have relatives in his holand?”
“He has an old mother, but she passed away not two years after Brother Zou ca to Goryeo.”
Xu Jie struggled to hold back his pain, the man who would usually remain unflinching in the face of blades and axes, his eyes now brimming with tears.
A man does not shed tears easily, only when he is truly heartbroken.
No wonder Lan Peizhi didn’t choose to send the ashes back to his holand.
After standing in front of the morial for a while, Jiang Chen turned and left the chapel.
Crossing the threshold.
The phone rang suddenly and without warning.
From the holand.
An unfamiliar number.
Jiang Chen pressed the answer button, picked up the phone, and put it to his ear.
“Hello.”
“This ti, it’s a draw.”
Jiang Chen didn’t respond, he just hung up the phone.
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