Sun Qigang started speaking, his emotions relaxing significantly, and his speech became more fluent.

"In the beginning, the landlord asked each of our families to donate some chickens, ducks, and fish for the ritual."

"The items weren’t expensive, a few families just put together a few dozen yuan, and it was done, we didn’t pay much attention. But since May of this year, things changed."

Sun Qigang rolled up his sleeves, revealing horrifying scars: "Later, the landlord said that sacrificing livestock was no longer enough to satisfy the spirits’ protection of us. We had to offer our own blood to ensure the spirits would continue to shield us."

Hmm?

Zhang Hui and his colleague exchanged glances...

These people must be insane.

"And you all agreed?"

"You don’t understand, you haven’t participated in our landlord’s rituals, which are quite ceremonious. At the time, while he was doing it, we didn’t feel much, plus, no one got sick for such a long time..."

Alright, Zhang Hui had come across similar situations before, it’s a case of brainwashing.

Though Zhang Hui hadn’t personally dealt with such cases, he had heard of similar ones before.

Back more than ten years ago, Qigong was particularly popular, it seemed like anyone could suddenly become a Qigong master, curing diseases, saving lives, punishing evil, and promoting good, capable of anything.

Of course, if such practices could promote health and encourage people to exercise, there wouldn’t be much issue. But some criminals exploited this to manipulate and control people.

Some even had their believers donate money, or worse, themselves.

The most ridiculous case was a bank robbery in Tianzhou City 15 years ago.

Five suspects participated, and during the robbery, they crazily poured gasoline over themselves and then committed self-immolation.

After that, due to numerous similar cases, Qigong practices were banned.

"What does this have to do with the murder of Zhang Xiaotian’s family?"

"Because... Zhang Xiaotian recently wanted to leave the Mutual Aid Association, but the landlord disapproved. Moreover... the landlord and Zhang Xiaotian were involved... They spent nights together."

Hmm?

"The landlord is also gay?"

Sun Qigang nodded: "Probably, three months ago, one night when I returned very late, as I passed by Zhang Xiaotian’s door, I heard strange noises from inside. Out of curiosity, I listened for a bit..."

"And it’s not just me, everyone else knew about it too."

"On the night of the murder, we organized a Mutual Aid Association ritual, and the landlord said he was going to clean house. He instructed us to lock our doors and go to bed early. If we heard any noises, we were to ignore them."

"And you didn’t say anything when the police came?"

"The... the landlord said he cleaned up all traces, and the police wouldn’t be able to track it back to him."

Zhang Hui sighed.

What a bunch of fools.

"He also threatened that if anyone leaked this, they’d be the next sacrifice."

Looking at the burly Sun Qigang, Zhang Hui was suddenly quite angry.

"Just because of a threat over some ritual, you all watched him kill, taking four lives?"

"..."

Sun Qigang said nothing, nothing at all.

However, Zhang Hui saw no pity, regret, or any other emotion in his eyes.

This person...

"Just take him away then."

In such a situation, psychological intervention might be necessary for these people; otherwise, someone could turn into another landlord.

At this moment, in the crime scene investigation lab.

Yang Sen was comparing the DNA verification of the fifth blood sample.

"A hundred percent!"

"Old Liu! It’s a match!"

Liu Guodong, Lu Chuan, and Old Bai, who were also doing comparisons, ran over from their computers.

"Matched the criminal?"

Yang Sen adjusted the computer screen towards the other three: "Yes, it’s a match, it’s the landlord! The landlord’s blood DNA matches completely with the murderer’s DNA we found in the room."

"Great!"

The murderer naively thought that by cleaning up their blood, they could hide their identity.

How ridiculous!

"I’ll report to Captain Qin!"

Five minutes later, in Qin Yong’s office.

"Is it him?"

"Yes, the murderer is the landlord. The DNA information we found of the fifth person at the crime scene is identical to the landlord’s DNA."

"The informant is really calling ’thief’ to catch himself."

"Let’s go arrest him!"

Half an hour later.

In the rental building, landlord Liang Dezhong, handcuffed, was pushed into a police car.

With the police siren wailing, the car carrying the murderer left the rental building.

But it wasn’t over yet; other tenants in the building lied in the initial police inquiry.

All these people need to be brought in to assist with the investigation.

Harboring a criminal involves knowingly protecting someone from legal punishment.

It includes several offenses like perjury, using one’s position to provide special benefits unlawfully, or seeking revenge by framing others, among others.

When Sun Qigang and others were questioned by the police, they didn’t truthfully disclose the actual situation at the crime scene and initially helped the suspect evade police detection.

These people effectively committed perjury.

Exactly how they will be judged, whether it involves detention or imprisonment under three years, is not the concern of the Criminal Investigation Team.

After his capture, Liang Dezhong was still shouting he was wronged.

Screaming in the interrogation room: "You’ve wronged a good man, I’m the informant, why are you arresting me? Let me out!"

It was Zhang Hui who continued to interrogate Liang Dezhong.

"Liang Dezhong, did you naively think that just because you cleaned your blood traces at the crime scene, we wouldn’t find any clues?"

Liang Dezhong’s momentum faltered: "What are you saying, I don’t understand."

"Officer Zhang, you must have got it wrong, how could it possibly be me who killed Zhang Xiaotian? I didn’t kill him, we had no enmity, why would I kill him? If you don’t believe me, ask the tenants in our building, I really didn’t kill him."

Didn’t kill him?

"Liang Dezhong, we found residual bloodstains at the scene of Zhang Xiaotian and 3 others’ murders, which is what you washed away with clean water. The blood was likely from when you were injured while killing the two female victims as they resisted."

Liang Dezhong hid his right hand: "You’re talking nonsense! If the bloodstains were washed away, how could you still find anything? And my right hand injury was because... because I accidentally bumped into something while moving a table."

"Bumped into?"

Zhang Hui pulled out three photos: "You accidentally bumped into the fingernails of the two female victims, right?"

"We extracted blood and skin tissue from under their nails, and the DNA matches yours."

"Liang Dezhong, even if you say nothing now, these two pieces of evidence are enough for a zero-confession conviction as the murderer."

"In addition, do you think the tenants will keep silent about the Mutual Aid Association?"

"How do you know about the Mutual Aid Association?!"

"Not only do I know about it, but I also know about your sacrificial activities."

"Moreover, you and Zhang Xiaotian were partners, right?"

With each word Zhang Hui spoke, Liang Dezhong’s face grew paler.

"Even if you don’t say it, we can deduce why you killed Zhang Xiaotian because he wanted to leave the Mutual Aid Association and cut ties with you, correct?"

"Three months ago, Zhang Xiaotian was with his previous partner, Wang Junshan. He wanted Wang Junshan to join the Mutual Aid Association, but Wang Junshan refused and left. That’s when you took advantage of the situation and got involved with Zhang Xiaotian, right?"

"And when Zhang Xiaotian wanted out, you killed him?"

Aah!

"Yes! I killed them! Betrayal deserves death!"

Liang Dezhong suddenly screamed hysterically, the shackles on his hands and feet clanging.