Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

Chapter 380: Closing the Case



Park Zhengmin was brought back to the police station, and Luke prepared to conduct an overnight interrogation, aiming to close the case before Christmas.

Robbery and Murder Department interrogation room.

Park Zhengmin was brought into the interrogation room and handcuffed to the chair. He wasn't as nervous as before, but his face was somewhat pale.

The door to the interrogation room opened.

Luke held a cup of black coffee in his hand, while Jackson held a stack of documents and glared at Park Zhengmin. Don't be fooled by his skinny and frail appearance, he was likely the murderer of three victims.

A ruthless man.

Luke sat on a chair, took a sip of coffee, and asked, "Name?"

"Park Zhengmin."

"Are you of Korean descent?"

"Yes."

"Why did you chase and attack the delivery man Ma Zheng?"

"He asked me to move my car, but we couldn't communicate due to the language barrier. He made some insulting gestures toward me, so I retaliated."

"Retaliated?" Luke shook his head, "You stabbed him in the abdomen and then slashed his back. That's not retaliation; it's an intent to kill."

Park Zhengmin sighed, "I was impulsive at the time, too rash."

"Was killing Hashimoto Yumi also an impulsive action?"

"Who's Hashimoto Yumi? I don't know her."

Luke took out a photo of the victim, "Have you seen her? Look closely."

Park Zhengmin glanced at it but then looked away, "No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"We found your DNA in her oral cavity."

Park Zhengmin licked his lips, "So, are you planning to arrest me for solicitation?"

Luke took out a photo of a kimono sash, "The sash in the photo was found at the crime scene, and the deceased Hashimoto Yumi was strangled with this sash. We found your DNA on it.

This is enough to prove that you are the murderer of Hashimoto Yumi."

Luke displayed a sneer, "Judging by your methods and style, I thought you were someone who would own up to your actions. Now it seems you're no different from other suspects, full of lies to evade law punishment, quite the coward."

Park Zhengmin said, "You don't need to provoke me.

I'm not a coward; I just wanted to gauge how much your police force knows about the case. Since you've already determined I'm the murderer and found evidence,

There's nothing more to be said, I confess.

I killed Hashimoto Yumi.

Tonight, I also intentionally blocked Ma Zheng's vehicle, intending to kill him by surprise, but who knew that guy was as strong as an ox and could run after being stabbed.

What a pity."

Luke took the opportunity to ask, "Why did you want to kill Ma Zheng?"

"Doesn't he deserve to die?"

"I don't know him well, why don't you tell me why he deserves to die?"

"He starts delivering orders at nine in the morning and doesn't finish until ten at night, working thirteen hours a day. Plus, he's good at snatching orders, doing it while driving, which is very dangerous.

He completes two to three times the number of orders as other delivery drivers and earns two to three times as much income."

Luke frowned slightly, "Just because he works hard, you think he deserves to die."

Park Zhengmin said, "I've studied the delivery industry. The order dispatching and pricing by delivery platforms are not fixed; they adjust according to market and delivery personnel income.

Most delivery drivers' average salary is not much higher than that of ordinary employees. The platform self-adjusts to ensure delivery drivers earn money but not too much.

Many delivery drivers believe the more they work, the more they deliver.

In the short term, this might be true, but over time, delivery sites will lower the delivery price, reducing drivers' income.

The result is that where they used to earn 5 yuan per order, they now only earn 3 yuan; drivers become more exhausted without much actual income increase.

Before, they could earn money in eight hours; now they need to work twelve hours to earn the same.

Working thirteen hours earns them just a bit more than previously working eight hours.

You say such people are short-sighted, harming others without benefiting themselves."

Luke retorted, "Do you work as a delivery driver?"

"No."

"Then what does it have to do with you?"

"Workers of the world are one family. I can't watch as my family's interests are damaged, nor do I want to see their hard-earned money exploited by capital.

And people like Ma Zheng are traitors to the working class, lackeys of capital."

Jackson frowned, "I can't agree with what you said.

I've been taught since childhood that hard work is a virtue, but to you, it becomes being a lackey of capital."

"If hard work is done within normal working hours, it's commendable. But Ma Zheng works thirteen hours a day; such behavior is criminal."

Luke said, "America is a land of freedom. Aren't you overreaching?"

"Freedom is based on not affecting others, and his actions harm the interests of the majority.

Have you heard the story of 'The Nation of Chickens That Doesn't Lay Eggs'?" Park Zhengmin spoke eloquently, "Chickens, as a delicacy, humans eat not only chicken meat but also eggs.

One day, the king of chickens wanted to change this situation and ordered all hens not to lay eggs.

So chickens became fewer and fewer, turning into pets, even protected animals.

Humans, unable to eat chicken meat and eggs, grew anxious and offered rewards for egg-laying hens.

As soon as a hen laid an egg, it would receive the nation's treasure treatment.

Under this temptation, one hen couldn't resist and betrayed the flock by laying an egg.


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