The crackdown on organized crime began with the arrest of the mother-in-law.

Chapter 1009 It turns out it was a murder for money

"Apply for an arrest warrant immediately and summon Zhang Tao again!" Xiao Wang decisively ordered.

When the police arrived at Zhang Tao's door, he was watching TV with his legs crossed. A flash of fear crossed his face when he saw the police, but he quickly regained his arrogance: "What are you doing here again? Didn't you say you had no evidence and let me go last time?"

The atmosphere in the interrogation room was tense. Zhang Tao crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair, and acted as if he had nothing to lose: "So what if I took a trip to the village? Does that prove I killed someone? Are you police trying to find someone to take the blame?"

Xiao Wang slammed a screenshot from the surveillance video onto the table: "Explain yourself. What were you doing dragging that tricycle around on the night of the incident? Who was on it?"

Zhang Tao glanced at the photo and snorted coldly: "I just went to the warehouse to pick up some things that day. The truck was carrying my goods. What, is it illegal to pick up goods in the village now?"

"Really?" Xiao Wang calmly took out the evidence report. "The bloodstains found in the warehouse were identified as Wang Dehui's. And the soles of your shoes tested positive for the same mud and bloodstains found at the scene."

"I've been to that warehouse before! It's normal to get some dirt and blood on my skin!" Zhang Tao argued. "You're framing an innocent person!"

The interrogation lasted for three hours, during which Zhang Tao consistently refused to admit guilt. He kept repeating the same few sentences, either claiming he was wronged or remaining silent.

"Zhang Tao, do you think you can get away with it by denying it?" Xiao Wang's voice suddenly rose. "We have enough evidence. If you confess now, you can still get lenient treatment. Otherwise, you will face the full force of the law!"

Zhang Tao remained defiant: "Evidence? What evidence do you have? Don't think that just because you're trying to scare me, I'll admit to fabricated charges!"

Just as the interrogation reached a stalemate, Xiao Sun rushed over and whispered a few words in Xiao Wang's ear. A barely perceptible smile appeared on Xiao Wang's lips as he looked at Zhang Tao again: "Looks like you won't give up until you're completely convinced. Fine, we found a bloodstained crowbar in the cellar in your yard. The test results show that it has Wang Dehui's blood and your fingerprints on it. What else do you want to say?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tao's face turned deathly pale, and his body began to tremble slightly, but he still forced himself to speak: "That...that crowbar was something I put there before, I don't know why there was blood on it!"

"Is that so?" Xiao Wang sneered. "We also found some hair on the crowbar, and after DNA testing, it belongs to Wang Dehui. Are you still going to keep denying it?"

Zhang Tao's mental defenses began to crumble. He kept swallowing, his eyes darting around nervously. But he still didn't confess; he just kept his head down and remained silent.

“Zhang Tao, think it over carefully,” Xiao Wang’s tone softened slightly. “You’re still young. If you confess now and explain what happened, you might still have a chance. If you continue to resist, you’ll only sink deeper into the abyss.”

Time ticked by, and the atmosphere in the interrogation room was oppressive and suffocating. Zhang Tao was struggling internally; he would glance up at the interrogators one moment, then look down again, his hands clenched into fists.

Finally, after a long silence, Zhang Tao sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping: "I'll talk... I'll tell you everything..." His voice was low and hoarse, as if he had used up all his strength.

As Zhang Tao confessed, the truth of the entire case gradually came to light...

The interrogation room lights were so bright that Zhang Tao squinted. The handcuffs on his wrists clinked softly with each trembling movement, creating a faint, rustling sound in the silence. Xiao Wang slammed the test report heavily onto the table, the edge of the paper brushing against the water glass in front of Zhang Tao, splashing water that left dark marks on the table.

Zhang Tao stared at the text on the report, his Adam's apple bobbing violently. He suddenly grabbed his water glass, tilted his head back, and gulped down the water. He slammed the glass down on the table. "You guys are ruthless!" He tugged at his collar, revealing dark red scratches on his neck. "Since you've caught me, I'll talk!"

"Let's start from the beginning." Xiao Wang pressed the recorder, the pen tip hovering above the notebook. "Why are you targeting Wang Dehui?"

"Damn, this is easy money!" Zhang Tao suddenly laughed, his laughter tinged with madness. "That day I was playing cards at the village entrance, and I overheard some old men saying that he always carries cash with him when he goes to buy goods, hiding it in a secret compartment in his tricycle." His eyes turned fierce. "I followed him for half a month, figuring out his buying route and routine. That day he came back from town, and I reckon he had at least 20,000 yuan in his pocket!"

Xiao Wang pulled out Wang Dehui's ledger: "On the evening of August 12th, you ambushed him in the warehouse?"

“That’s right!” Zhang Tao leaned back, crossing his legs. “I blocked the door with a crowbar and made him hand over the money. The old bastard pretended to be stupid at first, saying he had no money.” His voice suddenly rose, “I smashed the crowbar on the shelf, shattering pots and pans all over the floor! Only then did he tremble as he opened the hidden compartment, and there were only a few thousand yuan!”

"So you killed him to cover your tracks?"

“He started it!” Zhang Tao stood up abruptly, only to be pulled back into his chair by the handcuffs. “He grabbed an enamel basin and smashed it over my head. Blood started flowing right away! I got so angry that I grabbed a crowbar and…” His voice trailed off as he stared at the incandescent light on the ceiling. “I don’t know how many times I hit him. By the time I realized what was happening, his head was deformed.”

Xiao Wang pulled up the autopsy photos: "The deceased had seven blunt force injuries to his skull, three of which were fatal. What happened afterward?"

“I panicked! I really panicked!” Zhang Tao clutched his hair, cold sweat seeping through his fingers. “There was some hemp rope for bundling goods in the warehouse, so I tied his hands and feet up and stuffed him into the tricycle. I even covered him with a waterproof tarpaulin on the way, afraid of being discovered.” He suddenly gagged. “When we got to the bridge arch, thinking the place was deserted, I threw the body down there…”

"You changed the tires and cleaned up the scene too?"

"Would you be waiting to get arrested if you didn't do this?" Zhang Tao sneered. "The tires were stained with blood and brains, so I went to a repair shop overnight to replace them with new ones, and I even washed the tricycle inside and out three times." His eyes suddenly dimmed. "Those few thousand yuan, I haven't even had a chance to enjoy it..."

"Was the murder weapon hidden in the cellar a premeditated act?"

"I was thinking of throwing it in the river, but I was afraid it would be fished out." Zhang Tao's voice trailed off. "I was thinking of hiding it in the cellar at home, and dealing with it after things calmed down. Damn it, I shouldn't have tried to save money on gas; I should have just burned it!"

Xiao Wang suddenly opened a new folder: "What's with the unregistered phone number that I was talking to?"

These words sent a chill down Zhang Tao's spine, draining all color from his face: "You...you even found this out?" His breathing became rapid. "It's...it's Qiangzi, Li Qiang! He said he could help me dispose of the stolen goods, and even taught me how to handle the crime scene..."