Chapter 179

Officers Li and Bai stared at the man and woman who had just entered, speechless for a long time.

The female comrade was truly beautiful, and with such looks, it was no wonder Hong Bo had his sights set on her.

However, when they shifted their gaze to Lu Weiguo, they felt a similar sense of oppression as they did from Captain Han.

That menacing aura was truly intimidating.

If such a person were accused of murder, they wouldn’t doubt it for a second.

Guo Ping introduced Lu Weiguo and Shi Tingyu to the two police officers.

Officers Li and Bai, somewhat nervous, stepped forward to shake hands with them.

“Now that everyone is here, you may ask your questions,” Guo Ping said with a smile.

He and Captain Han each took a seat on either side, clearly not intending to leave.

With no other choice, the officers began their questioning.

Officer Li asked, “Last spring and summer, when Comrade Shi’s parents were relocated, was Hong Bo in charge?”

Shi Tingyu nodded.

This couldn’t be hidden; the neighbors were well aware of it.

Hearing this, Officer Bai quickly took out a pen and notebook to jot it down.

Guo Ping stood up and positioned himself behind Officer Bai, hands behind his back, looking down at his notes like an invigilator in an exam hall.

Officer Bai straightened his back, his handwriting becoming noticeably neater than usual.

Officer Li glanced at the two men, then turned to continue questioning Shi Tingyu, “Comrade Shi, did Hong Bo ever say or do anything to harass you?”

As soon as he asked this, the three men present, except Officer Bai, all turned to look at him with some displeasure in their eyes.

Bringing up such a sensitive topic wasn’t very considerate.

Officer Li forced a smile.

Typically, in cases involving the harassment of women, a female officer would conduct the questioning, but they had no choice due to staff shortages.

Few people were willing to come to the military camp, so only the two of them came.

Shi Tingyu carefully chose her words and said, “He once hinted to my father to send me to his superiors in exchange for my parents’ safety.”

Officer Bai’s writing hand paused, and he glanced at Shi Tingyu, feeling a surge of anger.

Such a beautiful young woman, had she been sent to curry favor with the leaders, her life would have been ruined.

In that light, Hong Bo’s death didn’t seem undeserved.

As he pondered how to write this down, Captain Han slammed the table and stood up abruptly, “That scoundrel, he’s really a piece of work!”

People at the time still adhered to the belief that the deceased should be respected, but Captain Han had no such reservations.

Guo Ping shot a glare at Captain Han, noting his hot temper that could tolerate no injustice.

Officer Li, seeing that Captain Han’s temper was being held in check by Political Commissar Guo, continued his questioning, “How did you handle the situation afterward?”

Shi Tingyu replied, “At that time, Weiguo and I were already married. He stepped in, and Hong Bo didn’t dare to make any more trouble.”

“Well done, Xiao Lu!” Captain Han praised loudly, then angrily added, “If he were alive, I’d have him court-martialed. Military marriages are protected by law, and dependents can’t be persecuted at will!”

Officer Li nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Lu Weiguo couldn’t help but find it amusing to see Captain Han so furious.

Almost every time someone spoke, Captain Han would loudly curse in response.

It appeared he was impulsive by nature, but it was actually intentional.

On one hand, it was to intimidate the officers, showing them that they were not to be trifled with.

On the other hand, it emphasized Hong Bo’s faults and the consequences he should face, naturally pushing the officers to Hong Bo’s opposing side.

That’s why Lu Weiguo and Captain Han worked so well together on the battlefield.

Lu Weiguo understood Captain Han’s mindset perfectly.

Captain Han believed in Lu Weiguo, but given that Lu Weiguo was on the suspect list and had a conflict with Hong Bo due to the Shi family matter, he acted this way.

Seeing that Captain Han had quieted down for a moment, Officer Li continued, “Where were you on the night of August 6th? Do you have any witnesses?”

“On the night of August 6th, my wife and I were at home and didn’t go out all night. As for witnesses, our neighbors, Captain Zhang and his wife, can vouch for us because they saw us walking our dog in the evening.”

“Do you have any witnesses for the late night?” Officer Li asked.

Captain Han glared, “Do you have someone watching you sleep at night?”

Officer Li’s mouth twitched, not meaning it that way.

“Captain Han, please calm down. We’re just following procedure.”

Shi Tingyu spoke up, “We may not have direct witnesses, but we can prove we didn’t leave the family quarters.”

Seeing the officers’ curiosity, she explained, “There are guards at the entrance of our family quarters. They can confirm we didn’t go out at night.”

“Yes, the guards keep records,” Lu Weiguo affirmed, supporting his wife’s statement.

Officer Bai recorded everything, planning to verify with the guards and Captain Zhang and his wife.

After a few more questions, the officers concluded their inquiry.

Standing up, Officer Li said, “Thank you for your cooperation. If the information you provided checks out, we won’t need to bother you again.”

Captain Han thought, it certainly was a bother. If this had happened after Lu Weiguo’s promotion, he wouldn’t have been so upset.

The officers needed to verify with the guards, so they prepared to leave.

Captain Han instructed them, “When you question the guards, keep it low-key. Our camp shouldn’t be disturbed.”

The officers assumed it was because of strict military discipline and didn’t think much of it.

Since Lu Weiguo’s promotion was not yet public, Captain Han wanted to minimize any impact, hoping the officers would come and go quietly.

After the officers left, Guo Ping said, “I reviewed Officer Bai’s notes. They were quite precise. I don’t think this will be a big issue.”

Looking at Lu Weiguo, he added, “I know this matter isn’t really related to you, so don’t worry about your promotion.”

Lu Weiguo nodded, having not been worried in the first place.

The incident had nothing to do with them, and the police wouldn’t dare falsely accuse a military officer.

After verifying the information with the guards and Captain Zhang and his wife, Officers Li and Bai rode back to the police station.

When they arrived, Hong Bo’s mother and a Red Committee member, Wang Lei, were waiting.

Seeing them, Hong Bo’s mother and Wang Lei immediately approached.

“Officer, what did you find out? Have you caught the murderer?” Hong Bo’s mother asked anxiously.

Wang Lei added, “Yes, Officer, do you have any updates? Mrs. Hong has been waiting for a long time.”

Officer Li and Officer Bai exchanged glances and said, “We’re still investigating. The places we checked today didn’t raise any suspicions.”

They couldn’t disclose specific details of the investigation to others.

However, they couldn’t leave them with nothing, so they gave a vague response.

Hearing this, Hong Bo’s mother slapped her thigh and started wailing, “My son died so horribly! That wretched murderer, he deserves to be fried in oil! My poor son~~”