Good and Evil Chapter 51 The Epilogue of the Corpse-in-the-Police-Station Restroom Case

After the questioning concluded, and following Ning Yanran’s efforts, Su Qian decided to appear in court during Xue Sheng’s trial to testify against him and identify his crimes. As for the child Su Qian was carrying, since the pregnancy had already surpassed one hundred days and the fetus was well-formed, the risks of an abortion were high. Despite the child being Xue Sheng’s, Su Qian ultimately chose to keep the baby. Her parents were initially adamant in their opposition, but after Su Qian’s persistent pleas and the doctor’s advice, they finally agreed to let her keep the unborn child. No matter how cruel or perverse Xue Sheng was, the child remained innocent.

With the testimonies of Su Qian and Xiao Ma, combined with earlier investigations, evidence collected from Xue Sheng’s various residences, and his own confession, the series of public restroom body-hiding cases quickly entered the judicial process.

On July 19, the S City Public Security Bureau held a press conference to inform the media and the public about the progress of the case, stating that the case would proceed to prosecution against Xue Sheng as swiftly as possible. Upon learning that the public restroom murder case had been solved, both the media and society at large expressed admiration for the police’s efficiency while also launching a fierce condemnation of Xue Sheng, whose crimes caused a great public outcry.

On August 10, Xue Sheng’s trial was held openly at the S City People’s Court. Besides the prosecution, the families of the seven victims, Su Qian and her family were present. Numerous journalists attended, reporting on the trial.

In the courtroom, Xue Sheng stood calmly in the defendant’s dock, clad in a yellow prison uniform, his face expressionless as he met the angry stares of the prosecutors and the victims’ families. However, when Su Qian appeared on the witness stand, her slightly rounded belly visible, the unchanging mask on Xue Sheng’s face finally shifted—a bitter smile flickered across his features. It was uncertain whether this was from remorse for his murders, or from seeing Su Qian’s pregnancy and feeling guilt over the unborn child.

During the trial, Xue Sheng made a full confession to his crimes and pleaded guilty in court. He did not hire a lawyer, but the court assigned one to him. The lawyer argued for leniency in sentencing, citing Xue Sheng’s full cooperation with the authorities and his admission of guilt as mitigating factors.

After deliberation, the judges rendered their verdict: for the intentional murder of seven people, having taken lives illegally with particularly grave consequences and severe social impact, Xue Sheng was sentenced to death, with all personal assets confiscated and lifelong deprivation of political rights. In consideration of his cooperation, a lighter sentence could be imposed. For kidnapping, Xue Sheng was sentenced to five years in prison. For the serious crime of illegal restriction of personal freedom, he received three years. For rape, with severe circumstances and consequences, he was sentenced to seven years. Ultimately, the S City court sentenced Xue Sheng to death—immediate execution—for intentional homicide, kidnapping, illegal restraint, and rape, confiscating all assets, depriving him of political rights for life, and ordering compensation to the seven victims’ families and Su Qian.

Even upon hearing his death sentence, Xue Sheng’s expression remained unchanged. He accepted the verdict and stated he would not appeal. However, he refused to apologize to the victims’ families when requested.

The death penalty for Xue Sheng was the just punishment the law demanded and met society’s expectations. Yet his refusal to apologize caused deep resentment among the victims’ families, and media reports of this further fueled public outrage. People denounced Xue Sheng’s inhumanity, and his execution without an apology only reinforced the perception of his twisted, perverse nature.

After approval from the Supreme People’s Court, Xue Sheng was executed at the end of September. With a sharp report of gunfire, the demon responsible for seven deaths finally received his due.

On the eve of the execution, Xu Lang visited Xue Sheng in prison for a three-hour conversation, the contents of which remain unknown. At the end, Xue Sheng, smoking, looked at Xu Lang with a complex, enigmatic smile and said, “Xu Lang, I admit I’m a depraved murderer, a beast. But what about you? Are you human—or a beast?” Xu Lang did not answer and left.

After Xu Lang’s departure, Xue Sheng asked the prison staff to sign the necessary documents, agreeing to donate his organs and allow his body to be used for medical research after death. Perhaps this was the last shred of humanity left in his corrupted soul. The prison and judicial authorities approved his request.

After Xue Sheng’s case concluded, the S City Public Security Bureau held another press conference. Lu Ye had intended to invite Xu Lang, but he declined, so Lu Ye attended with Wu Yong and Ning Yanran. They outlined the investigation details for the media and public. Reporters also inquired about Xu Lang, noting that he had resigned from the police four months earlier but had still participated in the investigation. At this time, Lu Ye revealed that Xu Lang was a criminal investigation consultant for the S City Bureau, an official member of the police system.

With this clarification, the reporters understood. Since Xu Lang did not attend, the interviews focused on Wu Yong and Ning Yanran, while Lu Ye left after revealing Xu Lang’s status.

Following the press conference, local media reported extensively on Xue Sheng’s case and revisited the once-famous police officer Xu Lang. Journalists tracked down his detective agency and reported on the earlier “Human Char Siu Rice Case” and the “Celebrity Rape Case” he had helped solve. The latter involved many victims, so the media coverage of Qiu Liang’s case was restrained, while the “Human Char Siu Rice Case,” given its malign influence and pending trial, received only a brief mention—due not to lack of interest but to official restrictions on reporting unresolved cases.

After the verdict, the families of the seven victims collected the remains from the police and arranged for cremation. As for the compensation ordered by the court, they received nothing, not because of Xue Sheng’s refusal but because, apart from twenty thousand yuan in cash found in his room, he had no other assets. His father, Xue Yiming, had been missing for over two years, and his mother, Chen Hua, had remarried and could not provide compensation. Thus, the matter was left unresolved.

Following a period of hospitalization and her testimony at the trial, Su Qian left S City with her parents to start anew elsewhere. They wished to leave behind the city of their sorrows. With Su Qian pregnant and disfigured by Xue Sheng, her parents sought ways to restore her appearance. Thus, after the case closed, Su Qian vanished from public view.

Not long after the Xue Sheng verdict, a stabbing occurred in TW City. The assailant was none other than Xue Yiming, whom police in both TW and S City had long sought. After learning of Xue Sheng’s sentence, Xue Yiming attacked Chen Hua and Fang Ping with a watermelon knife—severing one of Fang Ping’s fingers and nearly killing Chen Hua, who lost a hand but survived due to timely medical intervention. Xue Yiming committed suicide when police arrived. An autopsy revealed he was missing his tongue and three fingers, including his right thumb, likely lost to creditors due to gambling debts.

With Xue Yiming’s suicide and Xue Sheng’s execution, the case finally came to a close, though the repercussions and lessons it left behind were sobering.

Shi Dehua, the lawyer who once defended Xue Sheng, commented, “Xue Sheng evolved from ignorant criminal to professional, even high-IQ, criminal.” Indeed, Xue Sheng had been born into a wretched family—his mother left early, his father was an alcoholic and abusive, leaving Xue Sheng deprived of love, sensitive, insecure, and craving acceptance. This could be seen in his academic drive. But was it really Chen Xiao’s spreading of rumors that decided his fate?

Yes, Chen Xiao’s behavior was unethical and deserving of censure. The six other victims and three survivors had also gossiped and spread rumors in their daily lives, for which they should indeed be criticized. But none of this justified murder.

While condemning Xue Sheng’s inhumanity, should we not also reflect on ourselves? If these people had not been so eager to spread rumors, would they have drawn his attention or met their end? When you share someone else’s misfortune as a joke or a story to others, do you ever consider the victim’s feelings? Should listeners not also stop the spread of rumors in time?

Aside from family education—Xue Sheng certainly suffered from parental neglect—what about the role of schools? Shouldn’t schools, in addition to imparting knowledge, pay attention to students’ psychological well-being? If Xue Sheng’s issues had been addressed and guided, might these tragedies have been prevented?

Psychological pressure is even more daunting than material hardship, especially for minors, whose mental health needs the attention of families and teachers. After all, they will one day become pillars of society.

Prisons, too, should note that many released inmates reoffend not only because they cannot integrate into society, but perhaps because they did not receive psychological counseling while incarcerated. If their mental problems are addressed, might the rate of recidivism decline?

In this restless age, while protecting ourselves from harm, should we not also refrain from harming others? A careless word can lead to disaster—Xue Sheng is a prime example.

Since the founding of the 610 Major Crimes Unit, over a thousand police officers have been mobilized across two provinces and two cities. Besides capturing the notorious murderer Xue Sheng, they arrested or detained more than three hundred suspects. Most were not serious offenders, but a significant number had served prior sentences, a fact worthy of reflection. After Xue Sheng’s case, prisons nationwide began psychological counseling programs for inmates, starting at S City’s Fengyun Prison. Police departments in every city also checked up on all individuals with prison records, monitoring their post-release lives.

With the closure of Xue Sheng’s case, the 610 Major Crimes Unit was disbanded. The first and second criminal investigation teams resumed their separate duties. The brief collaboration fostered mutual understanding—Lü Xing’s computer skills had greatly aided several cases, Li Lei excelled at crime scene investigation, Bao Chen was meticulous, and Ye Xuefei was a consummate forensic pathologist, all qualities to be admired.

Zhao Hua and Li Lei, after spending a long time in TW City, returned to S City once the case was solved. Xu Lang, now famous again because of the Xue Sheng case, rarely appeared at the police bureau thereafter.