A Full Confession
Yang Cheng took a step forward, pointed at the group of people blocking the entrance, and said in a tone that left no room for negotiation:
"I am issuing this final formal warning to you. Your current actions constitute obstruction of the police from performing their duties. Move aside immediately! If you continue to refuse to cooperate, we will take immediate coercive measures."
The security captain chuckled and stood with his arms crossed, not moving an inch. He was certain that these ordinary detectives wouldn't dare to make a big fuss; given the Brilliance Group's background, the other side would at most utter a few harsh words.
He glanced at Yang Cheng sideways, then turned his head away and refused to speak, clearly intending to stand his ground to the end.
Yang Cheng didn't waste any more words with him. He immediately dialed the command center, gave a concise report of the situation, and requested SWAT reinforcements.
Within twenty minutes, two Iveco troop carriers painted with SWAT markings rushed straight to the building entrance with flashing lights, their sirens blaring clearly in the lobby.
The car door opened, and more than a dozen fully armed special police officers stepped out. The front row had a riot shield in hand, while the officers behind them were equipped with extendable batons and tear gas spray. Several officers carried Type 79 submachine guns loaded with rubber bullets. All of them were wearing stab-proof vests and tactical helmets, and in the blink of an eye, they surrounded the entrance.
The SWAT team leader quickly walked up to Yang Cheng and nodded in acknowledgment. Yang Cheng then pointed to the security guard in front of him.
Without saying much, the SWAT captain stepped forward and sternly warned the security guards, ordering them to immediately squat down, put their hands on their heads, and cooperate with law enforcement.
The dozen or so security guards who had been so arrogant just moments before froze instantly upon seeing this, and none of them dared to look up and meet their gaze.
The security captain's face paled, but relying on his superiors' orders, he gritted his teeth and tried to argue a few more times. He had just taken a step forward when two special police officers immediately stepped forward, one locking his arm and the other pressing down on his shoulder. Their strength was quick and steady, and they pressed him down onto the cold ground, handcuffing him behind his back with a snap.
The investigating detectives began their search and quickly located the vehicle involved in the case in the underground parking lot. After verifying the information of the security team members, they easily identified the perpetrators.
The three perpetrators were mixed in with the dozen or so people who had blocked the elevator earlier; none of them escaped and they were all handcuffed and taken away on the spot.
The three were taken back to the criminal investigation team and interrogated separately. At first, their stories were surprisingly consistent: they all insisted that they had met the woman by chance in the parking lot that night, and that they had been tempted to flirt with her because she was pretty, and that they had no other intentions.
The police officers handling the case didn't beat around the bush and directly pulled up the surveillance evidence—not only had their car been loitering in a corner of the parking lot for more than three hours on the night of the incident, but the same car had also appeared in the parking lot at the same time the day before.
They circled the location three times, clearly having scouted it out beforehand. Furthermore, the driving trajectory and personnel entry/exit records matched perfectly, indicating it was no coincidence.
Seeing that their lie about "being lustful at first sight" was flimsy, the three started to play tricks again, either lowering their heads and remaining silent, or making irrelevant accusations and downplaying the seriousness of the matter, causing the interrogation to stall.
That afternoon, the legal department of Brilliance Group, accompanied by three lawyers, arrived at the company with all necessary documents, including lawyer's licenses, official letters from the law firm, and power of attorney, and legally requested to meet with the three clients.
Kidnapping cases do not fall under the category of restricted visitation cases, so the police had no reason to obstruct them. In accordance with regulations, separate visits were arranged—each of the three individuals was assigned a lawyer, and the entire meeting was conducted privately. The detention center only maintained video surveillance and could not listen to the conversations.
Once the lawyers had met with the individuals and the interrogation resumed, the three individuals' testimonies immediately matched perfectly.
They stopped making excuses and readily admitted that they intended to kidnap and extort money: they said they had been eyeing the female owner of the jewelry store for a long time, knowing she was a single woman with money and easy to target. The three of them got together and discussed kidnapping her for a ransom, purely because they were short of money.
When asked again if anyone had instigated or mastermind the scheme, all three shook their heads, repeatedly saying, "It was just the three of us who discussed it; there was no one else."
Following the clues, the police investigated the flow of funds and call records, but found no concrete evidence pointing to the mastermind behind it all.
The case is stuck on the part of "tracing the instigator," but the core facts of the kidnapping are clear, the evidence chain, including surveillance footage and vehicle tracking, is complete, and the three individuals have admitted to the kidnapping.
Once the investigation period ended, the police could no longer detain the suspect indefinitely. They finally compiled all the case files and transferred the case to the prosecutor's office for review and prosecution on suspicion of attempted kidnapping.
Logically speaking, when the police interrogate accomplices separately, even if they have colluded beforehand, there will always be loopholes in the details that are overlooked. If you really scrutinize it closely, it is rare to find a completely airtight case. But this case is different. In the end, the case can only fall on the three people who did it, and the case can only proceed according to the legal procedures.
During this time, Shen Jingchuan stayed with Meng Ke, picking her up and dropping her off at work. Meng Ke lived in his West Mountain Separate Garden.
Every day, he would travel back to another world, show his face, make up stories about practicing martial arts, and then return.
He felt incredibly guilty towards Meng Ke, realizing he hadn't shown her enough care and had even taken on another woman in the other world. So, during this period, he only dealt with official business when he returned home and stopped studying with Bai Ruoli.
Besides spending time with Meng Ke, Shen Jingchuan also placed a large number of orders in his spare time.
He officially signed a contract with Factory Director Zhou to begin producing four-wheeled carriages and core components. He also ordered a batch of titanium alloy armor and purchased various "crafted" swords, glass mirrors, and other daily necessities.
Three days after the incident, Shen Jingchuan and Meng Ke received a notification from the Public Security Bureau, and the two rushed over together.
The police officers briefed them on the results of their investigation: all three suspects had been apprehended; they were all employees of a security company under the Brilliance Group, and they confessed to the premeditated kidnapping and extortion.
Upon hearing the words "Brilliance Group," Shen Jingchuan had no idea what they were talking about. He shouldn't have any connection with them. He subconsciously turned to look at Meng Ke beside him.
Meng Ke's face paled slightly, her small hands instinctively clenching the hem of her clothes, her heart skipping a beat. She bit her lip, saying nothing more in front of the police officers, only quietly nodding.
The police officer gave them a few more routine instructions, saying they would contact them again if there were any further developments. The two men didn't linger and left the police station.
After leaving the gate and getting into the car, the two did not go to the jewelry store, but drove directly to West Mountain Separate Courtyard.
The train carriage was quiet the whole way. When they arrived home, the two went to the living room, and Shen Jingchuan poured a glass of water for Meng Ke and himself.
Meng Ke lowered her head, her expression hesitant several times. After a long while, she took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and looked up at Shen Jingchuan:
"Jingchuan, I want to tell you something, but you have to promise me you won't act impulsively."