Chapter 34:
Two police officers stood at the door of the room and exchanged a glance. One of them, who was jotting down some information, closed his notebook and stopped writing. "We have good news. We've apprehended the person who took your belongings. However, you'll need to come and identify them. Do you understand what I mean?"
He didn't use crucial terms like 'theft' or 'burglary,' opting for 'took,' softening the nature of the case for Lin Qi while exerting pressure.
Not everyone had the courage to identify criminals. Statistics from last year indicated that around 61.94% of witnesses were unwilling to identify criminals, with over 77.53% of them unwilling to testify in court.
This revealed a lot. It could be seen as a consequence of the deteriorating public security by the Baylor Federation or as a result of the brazenness of criminal forces.
In any case, compelling someone to identify a criminal undoubtedly increased witness pressure. But Lin Qi was not those people; he immediately changed into different clothes. "What are we waiting for?"
The two police officers were somewhat unclear about Lin Qi's situation, but they did hope for a "satisfactory" resolution.
On their way to the police station, the cop sitting in the passenger seat talked about the "culprit" they had apprehended.
"It's a young student. He denies having done these things, and we don't have enough evidence to firmly nail him..."
That statement was neither entirely correct nor entirely wrong. They were treating Lin Qi like an outsider. In the police station, if they deemed someone a criminal and felt it necessary, manipulating the evidence a bit could easily frame the person. Obviously, that wasn't their intention this time.
The cop glanced sideways at Lin Qi. "I think we should give that kid a chance. The evidence in this case isn't strong enough and could ruin his future."
He paused. "You haven't been harmed much, and your losses are limited. If he's willing to compensate you, I think you two should talk."
After saying this, the police officer turned back. He had said what he needed to; the outcome wasn't something a frontline officer like him could decide.
For the two officers in the car, how Lin Qi chose to proceed didn't really matter to them. After all, even if the sky fell, it wouldn't hit them. They were simply trying to follow orders as much as possible.
During the rest of the drive, they didn't exchange further words with Lin Qi until the car stopped at the police station.
"Have you made up your mind, young man?" a policeman asked as he led him toward the main office building of the police station, opening the door to the lobby for him.
Lin Qi calmly nodded. "Maybe I should indeed talk to him."
"A wise choice." The policeman patted his shoulder and guided him towards an interrogation room. A faint smile appeared on his face, and in a low voice, he said, "You can take a bite out of him like a lion, pull some money from him. He's a rich brat, at least wealthier than us. Do you know what I mean?"
Lin Qi nodded in understanding. The policeman, satisfied, stood outside the interrogation room, and opened the door. "We've turned off the recording system. Remember to knock when you're done. I'll be waiting outside." He said in a low voice again.
Such good-hearted people were rare. Lin Qi nodded firmly and entered the room.
In fact, by this point, the entire process at the police station had been thoroughly botched. Before appearing in court, the victim and the accused, or the plaintiff and defendant, shouldn't meet. However, some things just happened like that.
Rules were rules, and reality was reality.
The interrogation room contained only a table and four chairs, firmly fixed to the ground. Michael Junior sat despondently on one side of the table.
His arrival made Michael Junior look up, completely perplexed. He couldn't fathom why the ring from his father's drawer turned out to be stolen goods. This realization momentarily relieved him but also put him on high alert.
This ring wasn't evidence of Michael's betrayal to the family, but its questionable origin implied potential criminal involvement on his father's part. He felt a struggle and pain within himself, unsure of what to do, while simultaneously feeling empathy for Michael's challenges.
The police had also spoken with him, mentioning they would summon the person who reported the crime. If he could persuade the reporter to drop the case, then after paying the bail, he could leave directly.
This incident wouldn't tarnish his record if the case were dropped, and for a certain period, as long as he didn't commit further crimes, all the information would be sealed away where the general public couldn't access it.
When Michael Junior saw Lin Qi, he opened his mouth, then closed it. He didn't know how to begin.
Children of his age often had very clear moral compasses. He saw Lin Qi as the "victim" and suddenly felt dirty because he was attempting to obstruct justice and fairness, like certain people he disliked.
The feeling of shame rendered him speechless, only able to remain silent with his head lowered, waiting for Lin Qi's conditions.
Whatever conditions Lin Qi presented, as long as they weren't too extreme, he would agree. It wasn't entirely his fault, but he wanted to atone for his father.
He wasn't clear why Michael stole Lin Qi's ring, but the deed had been done. Arguing about it further was pointless. He needed to offer sufficient compensation to Lin Qi and protect his father.
However, sometimes, young people were reluctant to acknowledge their naivety and would eventually be struck in the face by reality.
After Lin Qi sat down and paused briefly, "I didn't come here to discuss how much money can resolve this matter," Surprised, Michael Junior lifted his head. And Lin Qi continued, "Don't think that because you have money, you can manipulate justice. Even if the case goes to the state court, I won't compromise!"
Lin Qi's statement made Michael Junior realize that things weren't progressing as he had initially thought. People were dramatic; a moment ago, he was trapped in a self-inflicted sense of moral degradation. Now, Lin Qi's refusal to compromise shook him to his core!
Before he could speak, Lin Qi continued, "Everyone is responsible for their actions, whether you're a student or anyone else. Even if you're a government official, you must face justice."
"The court, the judge, and the public will give you a fair trial. No matter how high you stand, when the judge's gavel falls, you'll be brought down. The higher you stand, the harder you'll fall."
Sweat started to trickle down Michael Junior's face. He hadn't fully immersed himself in the role of a suspected criminal but had instead placed his father, Michael, in that position.
This brought about an indescribable struggle, conflict, and pain within him. He could imagine everything that would happen if Michael were convicted in court. Their family would be ruined in an instant.
"Is there... no room for negotiation?" His voice was tinged with bitterness and a hint of hope.
Lin Qi shook his head. "If I broke into your house, took your most precious possession, then slapped you with a stack of cash, telling you to forget it, would you accept that?"
Michael Junior fell silent. His emotions were incredibly low. Lin Qi faintly smiled and then stood up.
"I came here just to tell you my stance, there's no room for compromise. I don't want your dirty money, and don't look down on others!" With that, he got up, walked to the door, knocked, and left amidst the puzzled gazes of the police.
Soon, the police came in, looking at the dejected Michael Junior, baffled. "Have you settled things?"
Michael Junior sighed heavily. He knew their current life, family, and social status all depended on Michael's job.
Once Michael was reported and convicted, even if he didn't go to prison, his job would be finished. The Federal Tax Bureau wouldn't want someone with a tainted record in management. If Michael lost his job, they would have to move out of the middle-class community to the poorer residential area.
Their future would be shrouded in gloom. Keeping Michael's job intact was crucial for their family's stability. Michael Junior even envisioned how Michael might find a way to pull him out and provide him with a new identity to start over elsewhere.
Compared to implicating Michael, Michael Junior made a decision. He took a deep breath and looked at the police. "I confess. I admit I committed burglary..."Please vote for this novel at /series/blackstone-code/
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