Chapter 94: Death Penalty, Death Penalty!

Lü Chunqiu was awakened by an intoxicating aroma. She felt a dizzy spell, a wave of nausea threatening to overcome her. When she opened her eyes in a daze, she found three people standing before her.

"Xiao Fei?" Lü Chunqiu called out.

Mo Fei, who had been talking with Officer Tang, was pleasantly surprised to see her awake. "Sis! You're up! Are you hungry? Is there anywhere you're feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm fine," Lü Chunqiu replied, though her mind was still hazy. "Why is the officer here?"

She reached up to touch her face. "Ouch, that hurts."

The officer accompanying Tang took the initiative to call for a doctor from the corridor.

After an examination, the doctor concluded that Zhao Chengye had indeed acted recklessly, administering an overdose of medication that had significantly affected Lü Chunqiu's brain. The symptoms resembled a concussion—nausea, headache, and temporary memory loss. She was told she'd need a period of proper rest to recover.

Mo Fei listened carefully and assured Lü Chunqiu, "Don't worry, Sis. I'll take care of you and myself."

It was impossible for Lü Chunqiu not to be moved, but trusting him completely was another matter. Mo Fei was reliable when it came to important things, but eccentric in the little ones.

Officer Tang chimed in, standing by Mo Fei, "Yes, Miss Lü, don't worry. Mo Fei is dependable; we owe it to him that you were rescued in time."

Lü Chunqiu was reserved around strangers, offering a polite smile and a nod. "That's good to hear."

But she simply couldn’t relax! This guy didn’t even know how to cook; if it weren’t for Grandma Zhang downstairs, Lü Chunqiu suspected he might starve himself.

After speaking, Officer Tang opened his notebook to begin the routine questioning.

However, Lü Chunqiu had almost entirely forgotten what happened after the attack—the information she provided was already within the police’s grasp.

It was hard to say whether this was fortunate or not.

At least Mo Fei thought it was better this way. There was no use remembering such unfortunate events.

Officer Tang had anticipated this. He put away his notebook and greeted Mo Fei, "That’s all the questions for now. I’ll take my leave. Come by the station when you have time."

"What’s he going to do?" Lü Chunqiu, sitting on the hospital bed, looked at them curiously.

"Uh—" Officer Tang hesitated for a moment. "He helped us with our case, so we’re giving him a certificate of merit!"

Really, it was mainly for registration.

Mo Fei’s knowledge of explosives and the strange behavior of stray animals during the bomb disposal… Combined with his testimony during the previous human trafficking case, the police didn’t believe anyone could communicate with animals, but they suspected Mo Fei had animal training skills.

Both incidents needed to be documented.

Of course, the certificate of merit was real as well; Officer Tang simply chose the good news and left out the unpleasant details.

Lü Chunqiu was genuinely delighted upon hearing this. "Cooperating with the police is our duty, after all. If you keep praising Mo Fei, he’ll be over the moon!"

"I’m not that conceited," Mo Fei replied, looking helplessly at Lü Chunqiu. "I’m just handsome, have a good personality, and radiate charm. It’s not my fault I’m so outstanding."

"Look at you," Lü Chunqiu shook her head. "You don’t even have the word ‘humble’ in your vocabulary, do you?"

Officer Tang listened to their exchange with a smile and spoke in a relaxed tone. "We won’t disturb you further, there’s work to be done at the station."

Mo Fei stepped forward, "Let me see you out."

He turned to Lü Chunqiu and pointed at the bedside table. "There’s some meat porridge over there. Have a little, at least."

With that, Mo Fei followed Officer Tang out of the ward.

Lü Chunqiu took the insulated container of meat porridge from the table. When she opened it, she could see bits of green onion sprinkled atop the porridge.

She couldn’t help but smile, "He’s really grown up."

Meanwhile, Mo Fei escorted Officer Tang to the parking lot.

A young Officer Xu sat in the police car, having not gotten out.

Officer Xu greeted him with a cheerful smile, "We meet again."

"I guessed as much," Mo Fei replied with a polite smile. "Let me guess further—Officer Tang plans to drive you straight home, right?"

Officer Tang, just opening the car door, glanced at him in surprise. "You know me that well?"

"I bet you also have something to discuss with me, don’t you?" Mo Fei’s smile became even more composed.

"Ah—" Officer Tang closed the car door, crossed his arms, and studied Mo Fei. "You seem different now. Like a real professional."

"I’m an actor, you know. If you want a different vibe, I can play the part," Mo Fei winked at Officer Tang. "So, what’s the good news?"

"You already know it’s good news?" Officer Tang couldn’t help but laugh. "But yes, it is."

Officer Xu continued, "The serial killer you apprehended—the first trial handed down a death sentence, to be carried out immediately. He appealed, but the court rejected it and upheld the verdict."

This time, Mo Fei truly smiled. "That is good news."

With one less criminal in the world, fewer would be drawn to him, and ordinary people would be safer.

How could it not be good news?

The smile on Officer Tang’s face faded a little as he went on, "After Zhao Chengye was arrested, he refused to confess, claiming he had to see you once."

"But he doesn’t get to choose. The evidence is overwhelming; it’s only a matter of time before he’s convicted."

Mo Fei shook his head slightly.

He thoroughly despised Zhao Chengye—extreme yet cowardly, bullying the weak and fearing the strong, achieving nothing.

"After bringing him in, we performed a drug test. He tested positive, and it wasn’t recent," Officer Tang said, his expression growing grave. "He was likely under the influence while preparing those explosives, but that’s no excuse for his crimes."

On the contrary, it would only make his sentence heavier.

Mo Fei tilted his head, asking, "Death penalty?"

"Most likely a suspended death sentence," Officer Xu replied. "Our country is cautious with such judgments."

Officer Tang nodded, "If he behaves well after the suspension, he might get life imprisonment. If he’s exemplary for ten or twenty years, it could become a fixed-term sentence, but without someone pulling strings, there won’t be any reduction."

"Behave well?" Mo Fei raised an eyebrow. "What counts as behaving well?"

Officer Tang and Officer Xu exchanged a look, the same helplessness mirrored on both faces. "That’s hard to say."

Some people genuinely reform and cooperate, which is considered good behavior. Others are deemed well-behaved simply for staying out of trouble.

It all depends on their connections outside.

But for now, Zhao Chengye was likely to be locked away for life.

Mo Fei understood their implication and smiled. "It’s all right. Light and darkness always walk together. At least now, Zhao Chengye will never walk free again, correct?"