Choice 034

"Who killed the dog?" Li Hui asked.

"I didn't see."

"Where were you at the time?"

"I ran into an acquaintance at the entrance to the community and was talking there. The dog ran off to play in the greenbelt by itself. When I heard it barking and rushed over, it had already been beaten to death," Li Weina replied.

"Why didn’t you use a leash when walking your dog?" Han Bin asked.

"It's just a small dog, a Toy Poodle."

"It doesn’t matter how big it is. Any dog can carry rabies if it bites someone," Han Bin said.

"My dog doesn’t bite people," Li Weina retorted.

"If it bites someone, it’s already too late."

"At worst, they get a vaccine. I’ll pay for it," Li Weina said indifferently.

"Is it just about money?" Han Bin’s voice was cold.

"I admit it was wrong not to use a leash, but that’s no reason to kill my dog," Li Weina said.

"Yes, a dog is a life too. Beating it to death is too cruel," an elderly man walking his leashed dog commented from the crowd.

Several other dog owners expressed their agreement.

Those without dogs watched with cold eyes, some even gloating at the scene.

It wasn’t that they were heartless; it was just that some dog owners behaved far too inconsiderately.

Li Weina was a prime example.

Many residents avoided walking through the community at night. The lighting was poor, and it was all too easy to step in dog feces, which was infuriating. There was no one to complain to; they could only stew in frustration.

Han Bin was not against dog ownership, but he believed in civilized pet-keeping.

"Recently, have you or your dog had any conflicts with others?" Han Bin asked.

"Yes, and I’ve long suspected him," Li Weina replied.

"Who? Why was there a conflict?"

"His name is Wei Mingzhe. He’s also a resident here. Some time ago, my dog accidentally bit his mother. She’s been in the hospital ever since and refuses to leave, demanding tens of thousands for medical expenses. Isn’t that just extortion?" Li Weina said.

"Was the bite serious?"

"It’s a little dog; how much harm could it do? It broke the skin a little. I gave them five hundred yuan for the vaccine—that’s enough, isn’t it? But he just won’t let it go," Li Weina complained.

"Do you have Wei Mingzhe’s contact information?" Han Bin asked.

"I’ll never forget it," Li Weina snorted, pulled out her phone, and after searching for a moment, said, "138XXXX…"

Han Bin dialed the number. A man’s voice answered: "Who is this?"

"This is the police. Are you Wei Mingzhe?" Han Bin asked.

"I am," the man replied. "Are you really the police? You’re not a scammer, are you?"

"We are investigating a case of intentional damage to private property and need your cooperation," Han Bin said.

"Officer, you must be mistaken. I haven’t stolen or robbed anyone—how could I have damaged private property?" Wei Mingzhe protested.

"Do you know Li Weina?"

"I do."

"Her dog was beaten to death. The body is in the greenbelt. She suspects you and asks you to come downstairs to assist in the investigation," Han Bin said.

"It’s just a dead dog; even the police are involved?" Wei Mingzhe said.

"According to Article 275 of the Criminal Law, intentional destruction of public or private property of significant value or with other serious circumstances is punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment, criminal detention, or a fine. If the value is especially large or the circumstances particularly serious, the punishment ranges from three to seven years," Han Bin recited the law, emphasizing the seriousness of the case. "Being honest will be treated leniently; resisting will be dealt with severely. If you cooperate, the punishment can be lighter."

"Alright, give me a moment. I’ll come down right away," Wei Mingzhe said, hanging up.

A few minutes later, a man hurried over to the greenbelt.

The moment Li Weina saw him, her eyes reddened and she shouted, "Wei Mingzhe, you bastard! Why did you kill my Zai Zai?"

"I didn’t kill it," Wei Mingzhe replied.

"Everyone calm down. We’re here to handle this. No causing trouble—understood?" Han Bin’s face was stern.

As a detective, Han Bin had a certain authority. Li Weina and Wei Mingzhe only glared at each other, refraining from further confrontation.

"You’re Wei Mingzhe?" Han Bin asked.

"I am."

"What conflict do you have with Li Weina?" Han Bin didn’t trust only her side of the story.

She had just claimed her dog didn’t bite people, yet here was this incident—how could Han Bin believe her?

"That woman never leashes her dog, letting it run wild in the community. The other day, my mother was coming back from shopping when her dog chased and bit her, then wouldn’t let go, knocking her down and breaking her leg. She’s still in the hospital," Wei Mingzhe said.

"Nonsense! How could such a small dog knock over an adult?" Li Weina protested.

"My mother is seventy years old; her bones are brittle. Is she the same as a young person?" Wei Mingzhe retorted.

"She fell on her own. What does that have to do with my Zai Zai?" Li Weina argued.

"How can you be so unreasonable? Is this how you keep a dog? It bit someone, and you just throw a few hundred yuan at us—do you think we need your money?" Wei Mingzhe was angry.

"Officer, look at how aggressive he is. He must have killed my dog," Li Weina said.

Han Bin now understood the general situation—it was a conflict sparked by the dog.

Cui Hao came over and whispered in Han Bin’s ear, "Binzi, there are no cameras in the greenbelt, and it’s not a big case. They’re all neighbors. Why not just mediate?"

Han Bin nodded toward Li Weina. "Do you think she’d agree?"

"Wei Mingzhe, come here. I have a few questions for you," Han Bin said.

They moved aside. Wei Mingzhe asked, "Officer, what is it?"

Han Bin studied him. "Did you kill the dog?"

"No," Wei Mingzhe blinked.

"I just checked with security. There are no cameras in the greenbelt, so we can’t directly see who killed the dog. But the surrounding roads, the community gates, and the building entrances all have surveillance," Han Bin said.

"If the person who killed the dog brought a weapon into the greenbelt, the road cameras could well have caught it."

"Why are you telling me this?" Wei Mingzhe asked.

"Killing a dog isn’t a major crime. My guess is the culprit didn’t take it seriously and probably tossed the weapon away—maybe in a trash can, maybe in the greenbelt. But there will be fingerprints and blood. Once we check, we’ll find the killer," Han Bin continued.

"I really didn’t kill the dog." Wei Mingzhe blinked again.

Everyone has different tells when lying. Some touch their nose, some repeat the question, others blink nervously. Wei Mingzhe’s behavior made Han Bin even more suspicious.

Han Bin scrutinized him, trying to break through his psychological defenses.

"There are two possible outcomes to this case. First, if you did it and confess, as long as your attitude is good, the punishment will be lenient—at most, a couple of days’ detention or a fine."

"Second, if you didn’t do it, we’ll shift the direction of the investigation, collect evidence, check fingerprints, review surveillance, and run DNA tests. That wastes police resources and taxpayers’ money, and the consequences become more serious. The suspect could face prison."

Han Bin’s gaze was sharp. "I’ve laid out the consequences. Think it over for yourself."