Chapter 2: Changing Names and Surnames

Zhao Zhi pressed his mouth against the middle-aged police officer's ear and took a deep breath

If we have indeed apprehended the wrong person, based on his reactions and performance, there are still many uncertainties in this case. I do not recommend closing the case immediately

Excerpt from the notes of the renowned forensic psychiatrist Huang Zuo

Zhao stood there with his mouth agape, unable to utter a single word

The situation seems to have taken an unexpected turn

We have already investigated, and no one there knows you. Do not waste your efforts any further

This case has significant implications, so we must not act hastily

It is better to confess early, as it will benefit everyone. We are already very clear that you are the murderer; now we just need a confession. If you come clean, we will advocate for leniency on your behalf. If you continue to resist, then there will be only one outcome—death

A group of people stood outside the interrogation room

In the interrogation room, constantly confronted with horrifying photos of dismembered bodies, Zhao Zhi resolutely shook his head.

All explanations are futile, and all testimonies are nonsense

Liang Zhengyi has been classified as a severe mental illness patient due to his extremely dangerous tendencies towards violence and destruction. The court has mandated his supervision in a psychiatric hospital, and he shall not be released for life unless his treatment is successful

If everyone thinks you are wrong, then even if you are right, you are still wrong

Your fingerprint is on the wallet, and your notes are inside the wallet. Through handwriting comparison, it is proven to be your handwriting

The infamous serial dismemberment case involving renowned psychiatrist Liang Zhengyi was concluded at noon on April 4, 2016.

Hmph! After a while, Zhao Zhi suddenly let out a light laugh, then raised his head and beckoned to the middle-aged police officer with his finger, "Come here, I have something to tell you"

Zhao Zhi is firmly convinced that he is not Liang Zhengyi, even though everyone unanimously tells him that he is Liang Zhengyi

Once the treatment is successful, the criminal charges will be immediately established

In the subsequent archiving process, the police deliberately erased this point as a matter of course

The elderly expert raised his eyes and looked at the director, and there seemed to be something different flashing in his gaze. He spoke slowly and deliberately, saying: "I know"

A Class S psychiatric hospital in Beicheng became his refuge

A suffocating and eerie atmosphere pervaded the air above the conference room

Perhaps the saddest thing in life is nothing more than this

I am not called Liang Zhengyi, I am called Zhao Zhi! Zhao Zhi

My name is Zhao Zhi!

The true culprit of the serial dismemberment case has been apprehended and brought to justice

The senior expert presented the psychological evaluation and said softly, "If I am not mistaken, he indeed has dissociative identity disorder, but the other personality named Liang Zhengyi has completely taken control of the current Zhao Zhi personality. At this moment, Zhao Zhi appears to be himself, but in reality, he is still Liang Zhengyi, which is why we cannot discern it."

However, the past sixty years have taught me that I am very likely to be wrong

At 10:00 the next day, the Supreme People's Court rendered a judgment against the criminal 'Liang Zhengyi'

All evidence clearly indicates that the perpetrator is him; he is Liang Zhengyi, without a doubt

The last one... the Liang Zhengyi you mentioned is a psychiatrist, and I have no knowledge of mental illness at all. This should prove it, right?

Humiliating tears rolled down, falling onto the courtroom floor with a soft thud

Distinguishing the authenticity of human nature may not be our strong suit, but ensuring that criminals are brought to justice is an essential task that we must accomplish

***

My wallet was stolen this morning, the wallet in the room is not mine, I have been framed! Can't you all see that?

I believe this is all a facade of his. If we follow his line of thought, we will ultimately lose our way. Instead, let us boldly hypothesize that all the doubts are traps he has set, all reasons for him to evade guilt. Thinking this way, might it become clearer

One of the younger experts submitted the assessment report and stated: "The emotions are extremely unstable, the personality is relatively unified, there are no obvious tendencies towards fragmentation, but the possibility of a hidden personality cannot be ruled out, and more time is needed for a comprehensive evaluation"

This not only cannot be proven, but it cannot even be elaborated upon. We all know that your IQ reaches 150, and at such a young age, you have already achieved great success. Concealing your abilities is not a difficult task for you.

Two police officers rushed in and slammed Zhao Zhi's head down onto the table with a loud "bang"

The only difference with the book is that Zhao Zhi has a black mole on his neck, while Liang Zhengyi does not

Moreover, I am absolutely not the murderer

Two hours later

... ...

I know who I am, yet I cannot prove it

Fourth: Both individuals have blood type A

Based on all currently known evidence, the suspect Liang Zhengyi has been apprehended, yet this case is not yet concluded

Everyone fell into silence

The final verdict is: Liang Zhengyi is found guilty of the crime of mental offense; however, due to the fact that the mental patient does not meet the essential elements of the crime, criminal responsibility is exempted, and he is placed under supervised management

That afternoon, he will set off for the enigmatic psychiatric hospital.

The middle-aged police officer's face was somewhat pale; he gritted his teeth and wiped the saliva from his jaw, saying: "Liang Zhengyi, you are doomed!"

I am truly not the murderer! You can go ask in my neighborhood; they often see me and will testify on my behalf!

I curse your mother

... ...

To my knowledge, he is a genius; if anyone could put us in a difficult position, I believe it would be him

Nevertheless, Zhao Zhi firmly believes that his name is Zhao Zhi and that he has not the slightest connection with Liang Zhengyi

The middle-aged police officer stood tall with his chest out and shouted loudly

Tomorrow, the Supreme People's Court will conduct a trial in accordance with the law regarding his crimes

A pair of handcuffs binds the truth, while a gavel shatters fate

First: The two of them look almost identical

After a long while, the elder expert suddenly sighed and said, "Sometimes, disguising oneself with books is more difficult than being honest, but evidently, he has done quite well"

Right and wrong are sometimes not solely matters of an individual

In this regard, the police explained that during the commission of the crime, he concealed his own birthmark

If he is not Liang Zhengyi, then who is he? You tell me

All the evidence also proves that Zhao Zhi is the true culprit of the serial dismemberment case—Liang Zhengyi

I curse your mother

Two forensic psychiatrists emerged from the interrogation room, their expressions grave

Zhao Zhi could never have imagined in his wildest dreams that he would become a murderer, let alone a murderer suffering from mental illness

The director's lips twitched inexplicably, and in a low, cold voice, he said: "You must take responsibility for what you have said, do you understand?"

Wait a moment, is it possible that he has developed dissociative identity disorder, and Zhao Zhi is just one of his split personalities

6 PM

The statement specifically mentioned the individual who provided important clues and requested that they come to the police station within three days to collect the reward.

We believe in what we see, we believe in what we hear, and we believe even more in evidence

After the meeting, the police department specially invited two legally certified forensic psychiatric experts to conduct a mental evaluation of the 'offender'

The elderly expert kept his head down, remaining silent. Through the glass window, he caught sight of Zhao Zhi's eyes in the interrogation room, which were innocent yet filled with panic. The stubborn corners of his mouth slightly curled upwards, resembling a friend of his from his youth

The middle-aged police officer walked out without looking back

Zhao Zhi continued to shout hoarsely and with all his might, even though his voice had already become hoarse and his lips were dry, he still did not give up the fight

This reasoning suddenly seems to have some merit, but upon closer examination, many inconsistencies become apparent

Zhao Zhi lowered his head and fell into silence

After a long while, the director expressed his position

I told a lie for the sake of a life, I just wanted him to survive, I hope I am right

Is there any evidence that can prove you are not Liang Zhengyi? We can go and collect evidence for you right now

The highest emergency meeting was held at the North City Public Security Bureau, where participants spoke one after another

My name is Zhao Zhi, and I have told you a thousand times! I did not kill anyone; you have arrested the wrong person

The director said with a grave expression: "We do not have more time."

Third: In Zhao Zhi's pocket, a notebook he carried with him was found, which recorded important information about the recently broadcasted wanted notice, as well as the detailed address of the dismemberment case that occurred a few days ago

The middle-aged police officer leaned in with a sense of excitement

Ultimately, we need to wait for his psychological evaluation report to come out before making a decision

The police, in collaboration with several well-known news media outlets, jointly issued a case closure statement

Second: At the residential address provided by Zhao Zhi, a leather wallet was found inside a cramped room, which contained an identification card belonging to Liang Zhengyi

The final scream erupted from the burning throat

I curse your mother

Author's Note (Postscript)