Are You Crazy? He's only an Intern Lawyer?-Chapter 57 - 56 Visit the Defendant at Iron Island Prison

“Two charges of first-degree murder, one count of public poisoning, four counts of attempted murder, and even the city’s mail system crashed because of this case.

Would you say the impact is severe or not…”

Professor Luo was halfway through speaking when Zhang Wei’s facial muscles twitched.

“A single count of public poisoning alone brings a minimum of 3-10 years of imprisonment, and if the impact is deemed particularly bad, it could even lead to life imprisonment or the death penalty, plus the two murder charges, four attempted murders…”

If the defendant is found guilty in this case, sitting in jail for the rest of their lives would be the least of their problems—they might as well take a trip down to Naihe Bridge and drink a bowl of Meng Po Soup!

“Alright, I understand.

Professor, do you have the case files?”

“I have some; I can email them to you if you want!”

“Great, when shall we go meet the client?”

“Day after tomorrow.

I will formally submit the application tomorrow.

Meeting with her is tricky, we need the prison to schedule the visit.

This case is too complex, the impact too severe, so she has been temporarily detained in the highly secure ‘Iron Island Prison’…”

Temporary detention refers to when a criminal charged with a serious offense is feared to be uncontainable by a regular detention center, or when there is a risk to the personal safety of other suspects within the detention center, a request will be made to move the individual to a higher-security judicial facility for detainment.

Although it’s temporary, the gravity of the suspect’s actions and potential danger is evident.

Hearing that the person was held in a prison made Zhang Wei feel the situation was all the more troublesome.

This individual must have caused a major incident to be “experiencing life” in prison ahead of the trial.

“I got it.

Let’s meet the day after tomorrow then.

Regarding the case information, we’ll communicate via email!”

After arranging with Luo Feixiang, Zhang Wei made his excuses and left.

He needed to return to Lin Mansion and review the case records to figure out how to proceed.

“Zhang Wei, are you really confident about this?”

On the bus back, Xia Qianyue suddenly grabbed Zhang Wei, looking worried.

Although she wasn’t a law student, as a criminal investigation student, she understood some basic legal knowledge.

Facing so many serious charges was not something easily overcome; the case was extremely tricky!

But Zhang Wei just rubbed his head and then smiled, saying, “Xiao Xiao, understand this—I’m not breaking the law doing this.

The defendant has a right to a defense attorney, and that’s who I am.

Even if a person has committed heinous crimes, they still have the right to a lawyer.

Whatever the client has done in the past is irrelevant to the attorney because our relationship is simply based on a temporary employment contract.

So even if she’s killed ten thousand people, I won’t be implicated.”

As he spoke, Zhang Wei caressed Xia Qianyue’s smooth forehead, much like a father comforting his child, his eyes filled with tenderness.

Xia Qianyue was initially entranced, but she suddenly realized something was amiss.

She felt that the way Zhang Wei looked at her was off, much like how her father looked at her when she was little.

A vein on Silly’s forehead began to bulge, and she could take no more!

“Zhang Wei, you’re treating me like a child, ask for a beating!”

“Silly, it’s a misunderstanding…”

The two of them started their “lover’s quarrel” on the bus, under the watchful eyes of the other passengers.

…

Although he was reluctant to part ways,

Zhang Wei still separated from Xia Qianyue and made his way back to Lin Mansion alone.

He arrived in his room and opened his laptop.

Ding—

The email alert showed that Luo Feixiang’s email had arrived.

Zhang Wei hurriedly opened the email and began to review its contents.

As line after line of text entered his eyes, his brows furrowed tightly, and his forehead twisted into a “川” character.

Luo Feixiang had collected a sizable amount of case information, or rather, there was too much information, such that Zhang Wei needed to read through it all, take notes, and then integrate and organize it all once more before he could understand the sequence of events.

Fortunately, what he had in abundance was time.

In one evening, he had dozens of hours at his disposal.

After several hours of effort, Zhang Wei finally organized the sequence of events.

The defendant, named Wang Yuqing, was a doctoral researcher at the Dongfang Capital Medical University’s affiliated biological research laboratory.

She was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, public poisoning, and four counts of attempted murder…

It was clear that once convicted, she would either spend her life in prison or her life would fast-forward to its end, with no other possibilities.

However, the case dated back to half a month ago.

In mid-December, a member of the Dongfang Capital City Council, Councilor Yang, received a letter in his office, but instead of containing a letter, the envelope had been purposefully filled with a type of fungal powder that was greatly harmful to the human body.

Councilor Yang, unaware, opened the letter, and both he and his wife beside him were infected by the fungus and subsequently passed away within 24 hours.

The Dongfang Capital City Council was outraged and ordered a thorough investigation into the source of the letter.

The Investigation Department, with a mandate to join forces with the Health Department, traced the origins of the letter to a public mailbox within the city and discovered that the sender had sent letters not only to Councilor Yang.

The Dongfang Capital City Council issued an emergency order to lock down the city’s postal system and screen for letters containing the deadly fungus.

After a week of investigation, they found 4 more of the same letters.

Fortunately, the recipients received the message in time and did not open the envelopes, thus avoiding the same fate as Councilor Yang.

Finally, the Investigation Department, after examining, discovered that the fungus originated from the Medical University Laboratory and the number of people who could have come into contact with the fungus, including the defendant, totaled 5.

These 5 individuals were quickly taken into custody by the Investigation Department.

After systematic examination, the Investigation Department finally identified Wang Yuqing as the perpetrator.

As for the specifics of the investigation and interrogation, the email did not say.

That was the sequence of events Luo Feixiang had gathered concerning the matter…

Regarding how the Investigation Department and the Health Department confirmed the source of the fungus and identified Wang Yuqing as the perpetrator, that matter was classified.

Zhang Wei was not yet the defendant’s legal representative and was temporarily unable to access the details of the investigation.

“So that means there were a total of 5 suspects?”

Zhang Wei looked at all the case information in front of him and began to think it through step by step.

Wang Yuqing was just one of the individuals who could have contact with the toxic fungus; there were 4 others.

How did the Investigation Department determine that the other 4 were not suspects and that Wang Yuqing was the perpetrator?

This was the first problem he needed to solve.

The second problem, why would the perpetrator target Councilor Yang and spouse of the city council, and who were the other four individuals, and why did they also become targets?

The third problem, if the perpetrator poisoned through a public mailbox, then were there any nearby surveillance cameras?

Did the Investigation Department confirm the exact timing and the specific individual who administered the poison?

Did they find clues that pointed directly to Wang Yuqing?

Since Wang Yuqing was already detained at Iron Island Prison, this meant that both the Investigation Department and the Procuratorate Headquarters had identified her as the perpetrator, and they had to detain her in prison for a pretrial holding for the sake of public safety.

“I’ll talk after I meet the client the day after tomorrow.

Whether or not she can become my client will depend on what she has to say…”

Thinking so, Zhang Wei closed his laptop.

He was feeling somewhat tired today, having looked at so much information; he needed a good rest.

…

Two days later.

It was time for his appointment with Professor Luo.

Zhang Wei walked to the room on the second floor early in the morning, just about to lift his hand…

“Don’t shout, don’t shout, I know!”

Before he could knock, Zhao Xiaoxiao’s impatient voice came from inside the door.

Just like his second daughter, she was already learning to predict in advance!

“Although you told me not to shout, I still need to tell you, I’m going to see a client today and probably won’t be back for the whole day, so take care of yourself.”

“Oh, I got it, you go on, go on…”

Inside, Zhao Xiaoxiao was clearly not annoyed anymore, but her eagerness for him to leave was obvious.

Zhang Wei sighed helplessly.

This second daughter was not like his first; she stayed hidden in her room all day and didn’t come out to see anyone.

He found that a lively and energetic elder daughter was simply better, no wonder parents always preferred cheerful children.

“Alright then, I’m off~”

Zhang Wei spoke and left Lin Mansion directly.

He arrived at the intersection of Sifang Gate Street and started to wait.

Before long, a white sedan stopped in front of Zhang Wei.

He could tell at a glance that the car was locally manufactured by a Dongfang Capital automaker.

It was a mid-range model, with an on-the-road price between 140,000 to 170,000, a practical choice for the average consumer.

From the model and make of the car, one could tell Luo Feixiang wasn’t wealthy.

You ask why, the reason is simple: the car is practical.

In Dongfang Capital, the less practical your car, the wealthier you must be!

Dongfang Capital is a flat city; driving a million-plus SUV serves what purpose other than showing off?

Behind the wheel, Luo Feixiang stuck his head out.

“Zhang Wei, get in!”

Without hesitation, Zhang Wei got into the passenger seat, buckled up, and they set off.

“How come you live around here?”

“What’s the problem with Sifang Gate Street?”

“Nothing.

It’s just that I heard from an old professor that Sifang Gate Street used to be where the ‘nobles’ of Dongfang Capital lived, but I can’t remember exactly what he said.”

Professor Luo mentioned it offhand, but Zhang Wei didn’t take it to heart.

Even if there were nobles, they would have likely moved away by now.

This place is now a commercial street.

What kind of noble would live here?

The most prestigious person he knew on Sifang Gate Street was none other than the master of the neighboring Zhao Mansion, Zhao Qingyan.

But the guy was just a programmer…

The two set off on their journey, with Luo Feixiang at the wheel and Zhang Wei taking in the scenery outside the window.

Thirty minutes later, they finally made it out of the second ring road and drove towards the east coast port of Dongfang Capital.

Iron Island Prison was indeed an island, and moreover, an artificial island surrounded by the sea on all sides.

To get to Iron Island Prison, one must take a boat.

Their current destination was the eastern port of Dongfang Capital, where they could board a special vessel that goes to Iron Island Prison.

An hour later, they arrived at the port, and after searching for a parking spot for ten minutes, the two were exhausted.

“I’m so over complaining about the traffic in Dongfang Capital…”

After taking out his briefcase from the car, Zhang Wei couldn’t help but complain.

“Can’t help it, the city is developing.

It’s the necessary price to pay,” Luo Feixiang replied, in a better mood today, at least willing to engage in conversation with Zhang Wei.

“Let’s go.

Here is the pass.

You’ll need it when boarding the boat!”

Saying this, he handed a recognition card to Zhang Wei, a temporary pass for entering Iron Island Prison.

You had to scan it at the port; without it, they wouldn’t let you on the boat.

This showed just how strict the security was at Iron Island Prison.

Entry and exit required passing through various checkpoints.

Iron Island Prison was said to be the highest-security prison in the south, detaining only those who committed serious crimes.

If you weren’t a particularly vicious criminal, you wouldn’t even qualify to be detained there.

However, according to Professor Luo, Wang Yuqing wasn’t that kind of person.

But who could know if a seemingly harmless person, wasn’t, in fact, a brutal murderer behind the facade?

Zhang Wei and Luo Feixiang arrived at a dock at the very edge of the port, submitted their identity proof, scanned the pass, and were then notified that they were allowed to enter Iron Island Prison.

After waiting another 30 minutes, the boat arrived at the dock.

Describing it as a mode of transportation, Zhang Wei felt the speedboat was more like an armored vehicle, with camouflage-clad members of the War Department on board, armed with weapons.

“This security is seriously tight!”

After the soldiers confirmed their identities, Zhang Wei and Luo Feixiang boarded the speedboat, which then made its way toward Iron Island Prison across the coastal waters.

Aboard the speedboat, the two felt the sensation of thorns at their back.

They were under 360-degree, no-blind-spot surveillance by the soldiers on the vehicle, any slight movement potentially arousing suspicion.

Although Professor Luo was a law professor, he had never been treated this way before and felt uneasy throughout the journey.

However, seeing Zhang Wei beside him appearing so calm and collected, even gesturing as if admiring the seascape, Professor Luo couldn’t help but be surprised.

He had assumed that Zhang Wei was a student and would be more fearful, but unexpectedly, the other party did not show any fear at all.

“This guy is not simple, at the very least his mental fortitude is stronger than mine!”

This made Luo Feixiang’s evaluation of Zhang Wei rise a few notches.

A formidable lawyer may lack solid foundational knowledge, but must have a strong heart, and Zhang Wei clearly met this requirement.

For some reason, he began to harbor some hope for this court hearing.

He felt that Zhang Wei might be able to help him!

Luo Feixiang shook his head, dispelling these “impractical” thoughts, as meeting Wang Yuqing was the urgent matter at hand.

After another 20 minutes of sailing, a gray-black artificial island emerged before them.

The island was large, shaped like a pentagon, resembling a sea fortress, but several times bigger than Dongfang Capital’s city stadium.

It was said that the island held over 1000 felons, employed 400 staff members, and was also home to a permanent enforcement squad from the War Department tasked with suppressing any riots that might occur in the prison.

Impenetrable as a fortress, the island was none other than Iron Island Prison.

At the prison entrance, after passing through layer upon layer of security and safety checks, the two were finally allowed into the visiting room’s preparation area.

“Hand over all metal items on your person and pass through the security check to enter the visiting room.

Our prison will monitor your every move, there are 3 surveillance cameras in the visiting room, but there will be no audio recording and your conversation will not be eavesdropped.

You must be aware of this…”

Following the security personnel’s reminder, after a thorough search, they even had to hand over their mobile phones to proceed.

On entering the visiting room and waiting for a couple of minutes, a person appeared from the prison corridor on the other side.

“Yuqing!”

Seeing the newcomer, Professor Luo couldn’t help himself from calling out first.

“A-Xiang?”

The person was naturally Wang Yuqing, and their nicknames for each other made Zhang Wei beside them rather speechless.

“Xiang” was not exactly a complimentary name…

Zhang Wei looked at Wang Yuqing, who, as a former postdoctoral researcher at the Medical University, could now only be described as down-and-out.

Dressed in the prison’s orange-yellow uniform, her complexion was sickly pale, her eyes red and swollen, completely devoid of color.

It seemed that she had suffered a lot in prison.

“Yuqing, you haven’t been bullied here, have you?”

Wang Yuqing sat down dejectedly and forced a smile at Luo Feixiang more unsightly than crying: “Everyone here has their own room, so I am fine…”

“You’ve suffered!” Luo Feixiang hurriedly held her hand, ready to exchange pleasantries.

“Cough cough!” But Zhang Wei had to play the third wheel and quickly interrupted.

“Dr.

Wang, let’s talk about the important matters first.

Did you or did you not poison Councilor Yang?

That is the crux of the problem!”

“Right, right, right, listen to Zhang Wei!”

Luo Feixiang quickly nodded and introduced him, “His name is Zhang Wei, a student from our law school.

Although young, he is a master in court hearings and very capable.

He even won a case against the Procuratorate Headquarters a while ago!”

Wang Yuqing didn’t hesitate and immediately denied, “Of course, I didn’t do it.

I haven’t even met Councilor Yang, so why would I harm him?”

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“So here’s the problem, the Procuratorate Headquarters decided to prosecute you, not your colleagues; they must have quite a bit of evidence, right?”

Zhang Wei didn’t know the Procuratorate Headquarters too well, but he was aware that they would gather ample evidence.

Since Wang Yuqing was the one locked up in Iron Island Prison, there must be conclusive evidence against her in those files.

“Regarding that, I don’t really know.

All I know is that I was taken away by people from the Martial Association.

They questioned me all night, and a few days later, they took me out of the detention center and into this place.”

“So it seems that they found evidence to incriminate you in those few days?”

Zhang Wei squinted at Wang Yuqing, wanting to observe any changes in her expression.

“I’m not aware of any evidence.

I only know that I am a scientist who studies biology.

My research is focused on developing fungi that can treat illnesses and save lives, not on any poisons!”

Wang Yuqing’s facial expression was as resolute as her tone.

This satisfied Zhang Wei, as he knew he probably hadn’t approached the wrong person.

“Then let’s start with the first question.

Dr.

Wang, would you be willing to commission me as your defense attorney?”

Wang Yuqing looked at Luo Feixiang, and seeing him nod, she naturally agreed.

“Alright, now that the attorney-client relationship is established, I will need to ask you some questions next.

I hope you will answer me truthfully…”