Chapter 88: I’ve Killed At Least Eight Hundred If Not A Thousand, Don’t Give It? Try Me
The Public Security Bureau took action.
When a large number of constables, dressed in their uniforms and with sabers at their waists, appeared on the street from within the prefecture.
The common people were all stunned.
Xu Ming looked at the twenty-five men under his command and said loudly, “We are responsible for the operation in the East City. You are all locals of Anzhou, so you must be familiar with their whereabouts. Who is willing to lead the way?”
“Squad Leader Xu, I’ll lead the way.”
“Good, let’s go.”
Squad Leader Xu waved his hand and immediately took action.
Qian Tao, Wu Yong, and Yang Ming also fully embraced their roles as squad leaders, each leading their assigned constables to their respective areas.
Their goal was very clear.
To uproot the remnants of Huang Shan’s forces and capture them all!
Whether they committed a crime or not was not important; what mattered was that they had to be captured and sent to prison. After interrogation, the truth would be known.
For these men who had just become constables.
Their feelings at this moment were a mix of nervousness and excitement.
Without any prior training, they put on their clothes, picked up their sabers, and were about to go arrest the thugs who usually ran roughshod over people. To say they weren’t nervous would be a lie, but everyone had the same thought in their hearts.
That was eagerness to try.
At this time.
Lin Fan was stationed in the Head Constable’s office of the Public Security Bureau, like a marshal in the central command tent, controlling the overall situation.
The eradication of Huang Shan’s forces was merely the first strike he had made since arriving in Anzhou!
It was intended to establish authority and, more importantly, to bring peace to the people!
“Deputy Squad Leader Li, go to the Prefect’s office now and tell him that I, Lin Fan, invite him to a restaurant tonight,” Lin Fan instructed.
Li Zhengdao asked, “Which restaurant?”
“Choose one on your way. Not too expensive, just a normal one.”
“Yes, your subordinate obeys the order.”
Li Zhengdao was a smart man, knowing that it was best to choose a side quickly. He was most afraid of those who wavered between both sides. Based on his understanding of Lin Fan, he decisively chose to align with Lin Fan.
As for the reason?
Obviously… this man was too capable of fighting!
He was like a human weapon!
The more one understood him, the more they realized how terrifying Lin Fan was.
Although they hadn’t personally witnessed the process of the Stone Dragon Mountain bandits and Tianxian Island sea bandits being eliminated, they had gathered most of the details. The people who went with him didn’t even lift a finger; it was all done by Lin Fan himself.
One against a hundred.
Was this something a human could do?
Clearly, this was not something a human could do.
After Li Zhengdao left, Lin Fan looked at Ning Yu and said, “Go and draft a welfare system for the Public Security Bureau constables, and also draft a proclamation for the Hundred Day Operation. This operation was initiated in Yong’an, and now that we are in Anzhou, we cannot neglect it. At the same time, under the name of the Anzhou Public Security Bureau, issue it to the other seven counties under the prefecture, excluding Yong’an, and order them to carry it out simultaneously without delay.”
“Yes, Master,” Ning Yu said energetically.
Lin Fan nodded with satisfaction.
Then he went to the Head Constable’s office alone. He was not there to drink tea, but to bring out all the files. He wanted to see the situation within these files with his own eyes.
…
At the same time.
In the East City, inside a gambling house called Hongyun.
The air was thick with smoke, and the place was bustling with noise.
The shouts of various gamblers, the clatter of dice, and the jingle of silver mingled together.
Some screamed with joy for winning money, while others wailed in tears for losing their fortunes.
Jin San, a confidant of Huang Shan responsible for guarding this gambling house, stood behind the railing on the second floor, squinting as he looked down, a look of satisfaction on his face.
The more frenzied these gamblers were, the more they earned.
A subordinate hurried to Jin San, his face pale, “Third Master, something has happened.”
“What is it? Has someone skipped out on their gambling debt again?” Jin San frowned. It was indeed difficult to collect gambling debts. Some, pushed too hard, would simply run away; worse still, some would directly jump into the river and commit suicide.
It made things difficult for him too.
“It’s not about gambling debts, it’s just…”
Bang!
Before the subordinate could finish speaking, there was a loud bang. The gambling house door was violently kicked open from the outside, and the immense noise instantly drew everyone’s attention.
Xu Ming, leading the constables, strode into the room.
The subordinate wanted to speak again, but Jin San interrupted him.
His expression darkened, and he hurried down from the second floor, blocking Xu Ming’s path. He forced a calm demeanor and cupped his hands, “Esteemed constables, this is Master Huang’s gambling house. What is the meaning of this?”
Xu Ming looked at Jin San. A constable came to Xu Ming’s side and said, “Squad Leader, this man’s name is Jin San, a confidant of Huang Shan.”
“Take him down!” Xu Ming ordered sternly without any further words.
Jin San’s face changed drastically. Before he could react, he saw two constables approaching him. He quickly retreated and shouted angrily, “How dare you! Just a few constables, do you really think Jin San is easy to bully? Brothers, get your weapons!”
The thugs guarding the casino picked up their wooden sticks and stared menacingly at the constables.
Clang!
“Everyone obey my order, draw your swords!” Xu Ming’s voice was cold. “Anyone who dares to obstruct or resist will be executed on the spot!”
“Yes.”
A series of sharp metallic sounds echoed. Although the constables behind him were nervous, their movements were not at all hesitant. They all drew their sabers in unison, their gleaming blades reflecting a chilling cold light in the dim gambling house.
The casino subordinates stared with wide eyes, looking down at the wooden sticks in their hands.
Were they really going to fight swords with wooden sticks?
Wasn’t that asking for death?
Jin San clearly hadn’t expected these constables to be so resolute. His momentum faltered slightly. “Esteemed constable, is it necessary to take things this far? Just say what you want. I, Jin San, am not unreasonable.”
He knew that the constables he was familiar with had all been dismissed.
These constables followed that Chief Lin.
In his opinion, it was just a power struggle, and the victor would take over everything. All their gambling house had to do was to bribe the new powers.
Although it meant wasting a sum of silver for nothing.
As long as things remained stable and the casino could continue to operate, the money would flow in like a stream.
“Take him down,” Xu Ming said, too lazy to say more.
The subordinate who hadn’t finished speaking shouted, “Third Master Jin, Master Huang has already been beheaded at Caishi Mouth by the Public Security Bureau constables!”
What!?
Jin San’s pupils contracted, and he was clearly stunned.
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
At this moment, his men were dazed, standing in place, not knowing what to do.
Street.
The common people, having heard the news, had already gathered around, three layers deep, craning their necks to look at the gambling house entrance.
Soon, when the constables brought out a group of people, led by a pallid-faced Jin San, an irrepressible gasp and murmur erupted from the crowd.
“They arrested so many people?”
“Even Jin San was arrested.”
“Of course. Chief Lin already beheaded Huang Shan. What is Jin San compared to him?”
“Exactly. This Jin San has harmed countless people, leading to ruined families. Now, heaven has eyes, and he has finally received his retribution.”
“This is not heaven having eyes; it should be said that Chief Lin is upright and keeps his word. Perhaps Anzhou can truly change its appearance.”
The common people chatted and discussed.
The Public Security Bureau was now, through its actions, changing the perception of the entire city’s populace towards it.
Xu Ming had his gains.
Qian Tao and the others also had theirs. Armed with sharp blades, they were wielding justice. All of Huang Shan’s subordinates were captured, not a single one escaped.
This situation caused a sensation in Anzhou.
As the news of Huang Shan’s beheading gradually spread to every citizen of Anzhou, a feeling of bewilderment, shock, and disbelief completely permeated the city.
…
Public Security Bureau.
Snap!
Lin Fan slammed the file in his hand onto the table in front of the four squad leaders. “Look at this! Look! Can this be called a file? It’s utter garbage, evidence of framing and slander!”
He had been reviewing the files during this time. It was fine at first.
But the more he flipped through, the angrier he became.
It reached the point where he could no longer tolerate it.
Damn it.
The original Yong’an wasn’t this dark.
Yang Ming said, “Sir, these files cannot be taken seriously. Most of the people currently in prison were framed or used as scapegoats.”
Lu Zhongtian said, “Sir, your subordinate knows most of the situation. Originally, Qi Lianhai and the others took money to do things, turning black into white. The files were all written haphazardly by them, and then they forced people to stamp their fingerprints and confess their guilt. The original Anzhou Public Security Bureau was rotten to the core.”
He had worked in the Anzhou Public Security Bureau for many years.
He was very familiar with the situation here.
But he couldn’t do anything. As an ordinary constable, he had no say at all. In fact, because he couldn’t integrate into their circle, he was ostracized.
Anyone else would have quit long ago.
But he endured, persevered, and tolerated it.
He believed that hope would eventually appear.
And now, that hope had finally arrived.
Lin Fan took a deep breath and said, “Give the order. All brothers will work overtime tonight. Half of the men will continue to organize and screen these damn files, and the other half will immediately interrogate all the prisoners in the detention center one by one and inquire about their cases.”
“I want to rectify all these wrongful and mistaken cases in the shortest possible time.”
“At the same time, if the case involves former constables, go and bring them back for a thorough interrogation, make them confess the entire process.”
After speaking, he looked at Xu Ming, “You work hard and make a copy of the Family Portrait Set Meal we prepared in Yong’an. If you encounter anyone who is uncooperative, use torture.”
“Yes, Sir,” Xu Ming replied.
Lu Zhongtian clenched his fists, trembling with excitement.
He knew that the current Head Constable was going to review old cases, which meant that those who were framed and used as scapegoats could be rescued, and the original constables would not escape accountability.
Good, good, good.
This was exactly what he wanted to see.
Qian Tao asked, “Sir, what about Ximen Hai?”
Lin Fan snorted, “Leave him for now. We’ll ‘entertain’ him well in prison. Once we stabilize the current situation, we’ll deal with him.”
Qian Tao and the others understood that Ximen Hai was doomed, just like Hu Yu back then.
Of course, Ximen Hai’s family background was definitely much larger than Hu Yu’s, and his father surely had more connections. But what good were many connections?
When you encounter Brother Lin, no matter how powerful the connection, he would still shut the door on you.
Others might not know.
But how could they not know that their Brother Lin was fully immersed in his role as the Head Constable of the Public Security Bureau, battling all sorts of evil forces based on the law?
But what if Brother Lin decided he didn’t want to play this role anymore?
Then the situation… would be somewhat uncertain.
…
Night.
In a private room at Chunxiang Restaurant.
Lin Fan was drinking tea and eating snacks, quite satisfied with the increase in his poison resistance.
【Poison Resistance: LV2（35/500）】
His level had long since increased, but Tiannanxing was still useful, so he hadn’t rushed to switch to snacks.
Of course, when he wielded the Wild Goose Feather Dagger and went on a killing spree in the city, his blade technique appeared.
【Beginner Blade Technique（Not yet started32/100）】
If it were before, he might have been a little excited.
But now, he really didn’t feel much about these newly appearing skills.
The most comprehensive skill at the moment was the Guiyi Body Refining Method. After practicing it, he improved in all aspects, making any weapon in his hands possess deadly lethality.
At the entrance of the restaurant, a luxurious horse carriage slowly stopped, followed by a row of armed soldiers.
A servant quickly brought over a stool.
Prefect Zhao bent down and emerged from the carriage, stood firmly on the footstool, adjusted his official robes, and then looked up at the rather ordinary restaurant, his brow furrowing slightly.
It wasn’t that the restaurant had any disputes with him.
It was just that the restaurant was too ordinary; he wouldn’t have even glanced at it before.
But now Lin Fan had invited him. When he received the invitation, Prefect Zhao had considered many possibilities, thinking that this Lin fellow wanted to have a good talk with him.
After all, if he offended Lin Fan, even if he, as the Prefect, was fierce and powerful, it would be extremely difficult for him to operate freely in Anzhou.
He had analyzed Lin Fan’s situation.
This person had means, ability, and courage.
But to this day, he had never believed that Lin Fan’s actions were truly for the common people. Instead, he thought Lin Fan wanted to gain prestige among the people through unconventional means to accelerate his progress.
He had succeeded, rising from a mere commoner constable to the Head Constable of the prefecture.
The speed of this promotion was undoubtedly lightning-fast.
Anyone who saw it would be bewildered.
Even he, the Prefect, felt so. He had knelt countless times and licked boots for many years to reach his current position, taking more than a decade to climb step by step.
And he was considered relatively sensible and diligent.
At this moment.
The restaurant shopkeeper, seeing the Prefect arrive, immediately bowed subserviently and respectfully said:
“Welcome, Your Excellency the Prefect! My humble establishment is honored by your presence. Chief Lin is already waiting for you in the private room upstairs. I will lead the way, please follow me.”
Prefect Zhao’s expression remained unchanged; he merely grunted.
To the shopkeeper, the Prefect was nothing, but he could only think that in his heart. He would never dare to say it. If he met him, he would still be humble and subservient, how could he glare indignantly? Did he not want to live?
In the private room.
Lin Fan naturally heard the commotion. He didn’t expect Prefect Zhao to bring soldiers. How afraid was he of being killed halfway?
Creak!
“Your Excellency the Prefect, please come in.”
The shopkeeper pushed open the door, stepped aside, bowed, and made an inviting gesture.
Lin Fan remained seated calmly in the main seat, merely glancing at the doorway, “Prefect Zhao, you’ve arrived?”
The Prefect’s face changed as if he were an opera performer. A smile immediately appeared. “Chief Lin invited me, so how could I not come? Even if there were a thousand important matters, I would have to put them aside first, haha…”
“You’re too kind, please sit,” Lin Fan said.
The shopkeeper, being very sensible, quickly bowed and said, “Your Excellencies, please enjoy. I will be waiting downstairs. If you need anything, just command me.”
After saying that, he carefully retreated and gently closed the door.
Coming downstairs, he instructed the waiter, “Keep your ears sharp. If you hear any noise, you must go up immediately.”
“Don’t worry, shopkeeper, I understand,” the waiter nodded. When he heard that Chief Lin of the Public Security Bureau was going to invite Prefect Zhao here, it wasn’t just him who was bewildered; even his shopkeeper was stunned.
The waiter whispered, “Shopkeeper, aren’t the rumors outside that Chief Lin is going to cleanse and rectify the Anzhou Public Security Bureau? How is he with Prefect Zhao?”
In the vast Anzhou, who didn’t know that the original Public Security Bureau was Prefect Zhao’s private garden, and everyone inside obeyed him?
If you were to ask who the biggest corrupt official in Anzhou was?
It would definitely be Prefect Zhao.
Unfortunately, knowing it was of no use. No one dared to act.
The shopkeeper patted the waiter’s head. “You know nothing. These matters in officialdom, true or false, how can we common people understand them? Life is like a play; it all depends on acting! Those so-called upright officials are just for fools to hear.
Which official doesn’t want to get promoted and make a fortune? They might be fighting to the death in public, but perhaps they are as close as brothers in private. They are just deceiving a bunch of fools.”
“Shopkeeper, so am I a fool then?” the waiter blinked.
The shopkeeper whispered, “If you know you’re a fool, it means you’re not that foolish. We just need to do our own jobs; we can’t manage anything else.”
“Oh, I really believed it,” the waiter said with some disappointment.
He genuinely believed that the new Chief Lin would advocate for the people.
In the private room.
Prefect Zhao couldn’t quite grasp Lin Fan’s intentions yet, so he decided to test the waters first, feigning a relaxed demeanor. “Chief Lin, the things you’ve been doing these past two days, I can understand. Our departments should indeed be like this; removing those who don’t listen is normal.”
Lin Fan smiled, eating Tiannanxing, maintaining a polite smile.
Seeing that Lin Fan didn’t speak, Prefect Zhao.
Felt that what he had just said might have hit the mark.
“Chief Lin, the way of officialdom emphasizes harmonious coexistence. Especially for someone as young and promising as you, with an unlimited future, personal ability alone is not enough to advance further in your career. Many times, the strength of a group is crucial. These words were once personally imparted to me by a Grand Secretary.”
Prefect Zhao revealed a little.
He knew officials higher in rank.
Lin Fan smiled and interrupted, “Prefect Zhao, I invited you here because I want to speak with you directly about one matter.”
“Oh… Chief Lin, please speak,” Prefect Zhao said expectantly.
If Lin Fan showed even a little softening, he would take the opportunity to establish a good relationship and jointly control Anzhou. That would be ideal.
In any place, conflicts are cruel and benefit neither party.
Only by uniting can the benefits be unimaginably great.
Lin Fan said, “The Public Security Bureau has been turned into a mess by them. There is no surplus money in the account books, and today we recruited a hundred constables. The monthly salaries are not a small amount. I hope Prefect Zhao can allocate a sum of tax silver from the treasury for the daily operations and salaries of the Public Security Bureau.”
A portion of the various taxes collected in Anzhou was submitted to the Imperial Court according to regulations, and another portion was retained in the local treasury for local administrative expenses.
Hearing this, Prefect Zhao’s expression remained calm. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then put it down. “I know Chief Lin’s difficulties, but before we discuss this matter, I would like to discuss a private matter with Chief Lin, and that is, can you release Ximen Hai?”
As long as Lin Fan agreed to release Ximen Hai.
He would agree to Lin Fan’s request.
“Impossible,” Lin Fan replied decisively. “Ximen Hai attempted to rape a civilian woman in broad daylight. The evidence is conclusive, and I witnessed it myself. How can I release him just like that?”
As soon as these words were spoken.
Prefect Zhao’s face, which had been smiling, instantly turned somewhat unpleasant.
“Chief Lin, why dwell on this matter? Who hasn’t made mistakes when they were young? A small punishment and a lesson should suffice. Why insist on fighting to the end? Moreover, the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce is a behemoth. If we truly fight, I fear Chief Lin, you may not be able to withstand it.”
Prefect Zhao’s words seemed like a threat.
He really didn’t expect this Lin fellow to be so stubborn, insisting on this matter and refusing to let go.
“Cannot withstand it?” Lin Fan smiled. “Then fine, I really want to see what methods the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce has that can make me, Lin Fan, unable to withstand it.”
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as a knife, and pressed again, “Prefect Zhao, I will ask you one question: will the treasury provide the money that the Public Security Bureau is short of, or not?”
The atmosphere suddenly changed.
Who would have thought that Lin Fan’s temper would explode so suddenly?
Prefect Zhao took a deep breath. “The treasury is in deficit, there is no money.”
“Say that again?” Lin Fan said.
“No money.”
Bang!!!
Lin Fan suddenly raised his hand and smashed the table, shattering it into pieces. The delicacies on the table scattered all over the floor. Prefect Zhao, sitting there, was clearly startled, frozen in his chair, staring at the mess at his feet with wide eyes, his face etched with shock and disbelief.
“Where did the money go?” Lin Fan stood up abruptly, his voice like thunder, his eyes blazing, pointing at Prefect Zhao’s nose and reprimanding him sternly. “The money in the treasury is the tax silver paid by the people of Anzhou. How dare you tell me there is no money?”
He was here to demand money, not to negotiate with the other party.
The tremendous commotion startled the shopkeeper and the waiter downstairs, making them jump.
They exchanged glances.
They didn’t know what was happening inside.
But from the sound, it seemed like Chief Lin was furiously scolding Prefect Zhao.
Saying that Prefect Zhao was a corrupt official and was embezzling funds.
The waiter stammered, “Sh-shopkeeper, this isn’t right.”
The shopkeeper’s mouth was agape, and he had no words.
In the private room, Prefect Zhao recovered and glared angrily, standing up and saying, “Chief Lin, what do you mean by that? Who is a corrupt official? Who is embezzling funds? If the treasury has no money, it has no money. Don’t cause trouble in front of me, or I will report you to the court.”
“Very well, I call you Prefect Zhao, but you truly think you are on equal footing with me?” Lin Fan roared, pointing at the other man’s nose and saying, “I’m telling you, I invited you to this restaurant to give you face. I’m telling you privately. If you are ungrateful, I will bring people to the prefectural office to demand it from you face-to-face. I will also report you: the Public Security Bureau has over a hundred people without salaries, and the Prefect says the treasury has no money. We’ll see where this money has gone.”
“You… you,” Prefect Zhao’s chest heaved as if filled with a bellows. “Lin, you… you are too arrogant.”
“Arrogant?” Lin Fan angrily retorted, “If you don’t give me the money, I’ll show you what lawlessness looks like. Zhao, I’m telling you, you have to give this money, whether you want to or not. If you don’t, you won’t see the sun the day after tomorrow.”
“You… you dare to threaten an Imperial Official?” Prefect Zhao didn’t expect Lin to be so audacious.
“Threaten? An Imperial Official?” Lin Fan snorted, “I’m telling you, I, Lin Fan, have killed no less than eight hundred, if not a thousand people. If you don’t get the money from the treasury, you can try it and see if I dare to touch you.”
This was hardly a dinner banquet.
It was a world-shaking Hongmen Banquet.
And it was a vulgar and violent Hongmen Banquet.
Before they could even exchange a few words.
The man exploded on the spot.
It was truly a case of a scholar meeting a soldier – reason was useless.
At this moment, Prefect Zhao was truly terrified by Lin Fan’s ferocity. He was a civil official, skilled in intrigue and verbal art. At most, he would exchange insults.
But this Chief Lin, who spoke of killing people like flies, was not even one-tenth as ferocious as the most vicious soldiers and bandits.
“Chief Lin, do you really want to be like this? Aren’t you afraid of being impeached and losing your official position?” Prefect Zhao still retorted defiantly.
Lin Fan walked up to Prefect Zhao, his voice deep and measured, “Prefect Zhao, you are free to impeach me, but I will still say one thing: after you impeach me, you will surely die. If you don’t believe me, then try it.”
For Prefect Zhao, he felt that what was close to him was not a person, but a ferocious, man-eating beast.
That aura truly suppressed him.
Lin Fan walked to the door, pushed it open, and turned back to look at Prefect Zhao. “Tomorrow, I will send someone to your place to get the paperwork. You had better have the money for me tomorrow, or else, see what I do to you.”
After saying that, he left the private room.
“Ah…” Prefect Zhao’s face turned ashen with anger. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and looked down at the solid wood table that had been smashed to pieces by a palm. He seemed to feel the residual powerful force.
He swallowed his grievances and resentment.
Downstairs.
The shopkeeper and the waiter tried to remain calm, but their trembling bodies indicated that they had heard all the conversations upstairs. When they saw Lin Fan, they were scared and nervous.
Lin Fan smiled warmly and approached the shopkeeper. “Shopkeeper, I apologize. I broke the table upstairs. How much does it cost? I’ll pay you.”
“No, no, it’s fine,” the shopkeeper waved his hands repeatedly.
Lin Fan said, “I must pay. Look, is this enough?”
He took out some broken silver and placed it on the counter.
“Enough.”
Lin Fan nodded with a smile and walked towards the door. The soldiers brought by Prefect Zhao were blocking the entrance, watching Lin Fan vigilantly.
“Get out of the way.”
Lin Fan roared angrily, scaring the soldiers into stepping aside. They had naturally heard the commotion upstairs and knew that the person in front of them was the new Head Constable of the Public Security Bureau.
His methods were domineering.
Ximen Hai was arrested.
Huang Shan was killed, and his subordinates were all swept away by the Public Security Bureau constables with lightning speed.
Lin Fan walked towards the distant night sky and gradually disappeared.
Not long after.
Prefect Zhao came down from upstairs. But anyone could see that Prefect Zhao’s face was dark and terrifying. The shopkeeper and the waiter were so scared they didn’t dare to breathe, curling up in the corner, not daring to speak, let alone greet him.
After the horse carriage left.
The shopkeeper and the waiter let out a heavy sigh of relief.
When they went to the private room and saw the mess, they opened their mouths slightly.
“The sound just now was ‘bang’, right?”
“Yes.”
The shopkeeper walked to a piece of the table, picked it up, and looked at the palm print indentation on it. He looked at the waiter and said, “This table… it’s not fake, is it?”
“Yes!!!”
…
Public Security Bureau.
“What a shame, a table of food wasted like this. I shouldn’t have ordered so many dishes,” Lin Fan shook his head, regretting it slightly. Entering the Public Security Bureau, all the offices were brightly lit, filled with figures. Everyone was busy.
He walked into an office. Yang Ming and some constables were talking with a group of people.
“Sir.”
Seeing Lin Fan enter, Yang Ming and the constables immediately stood up to salute.
The common people were even more like startled rabbits, hastily standing up, heads bowed, rubbing their hands nervously, not daring to meet Lin Fan’s gaze.
“How did the interrogation go?” Lin Fan gestured with his hand, indicating for everyone to sit down, and asked in a gentle tone.
Yang Ming said, “We’ve basically figured it out. Their cases were all handled by the former Squad Leader Ma Zhen. To make them confess, they were subjected to torture, and they could only confess because they couldn’t bear it any longer.”
Lin Fan nodded. “Do you know who the actual criminals are?”
“Yes, we’ve clarified it very clearly,” Yang Ming replied.
Lin Fan looked at the common people who had been framed, sighed softly, and said gently:
“My fellow villagers, it’s alright now. Your cases will be re-examined by our Public Security Bureau, and we will surely bring you justice and vindication. We will never let you suffer these injustices and torment for nothing.”
“Since the case is now basically clear, you can all go home first, rest well, and when the subsequent procedures are completed, you may need to come again to sign.”
The common people present suddenly looked up, staring blankly at Lin Fan.
They already knew that the constables and squad leaders of the Public Security Bureau had all been dismissed, and the person in front of them was the Head Constable transferred from Yong’an. It was this Chief Lin who had made the decision to flip through all the files, find all the wrongful and mistaken cases, and reinvestigate them.
“Sir, can we really go home?” a man with a haggard face and sunken eyes asked tremblingly, his voice full of hope and disbelief.
Lin Fan affirmed, “Of course, you can go home. To be honest, the former Public Security Bureau was truly inhuman, causing you to suffer so much injustice and torment in vain. Don’t worry, we will not let those people off the hook. We will bring you justice.”
“Tonight, all of us in the Public Security Bureau are working overtime to sort through the files. Tomorrow, we will issue a formal announcement declaring your innocence. At the same time, after all matters are handled, the prefecture will provide you with corresponding compensation based on the situation. Although it cannot fully compensate for your losses, it is our token of sincerity.”
Everyone was completely stunned.
To have their innocence restored was already a cause for immense gratitude.
And they were going to receive compensation?
This was something they had never imagined.
Thump! Thump!
Several people were so moved that they knelt down directly, their voices choked with emotion.
“Thank you, upright official! Thank you, Sir, for restoring our innocence.”
“We will never forget your kindness, Sir.”
Lin Fan quickly helped them up and said, “This is a disgrace to our Public Security Bureau for such a thing to happen. I really wish I could drag them to Caishi Mouth and have them all beheaded.”
“Sir, this has nothing to do with you. Your arrival has brought us hope. We are grateful to you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Lin Fan sighed and nodded, then looked at Yang Ming. “Have [Truncated: Max tokens]
Lin Fan nodded with a sigh, then looked at Yang Ming, “Have their procedures all been completed?”
“They have all finished.”
“Mm.” Lin Fan nodded and looked at them, saying, “Everyone, it’s getting late, so let’s head back. Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”
“Oh, thank you, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”
The falsely accused Common People thanked them profusely, leaving the office with backward glances.
Lin Fan escorted them to the entrance of the Public Security Bureau. He waved at them, watching their mutually supportive, unsteady yet joyful figures gradually merge into the night.
He couldn’t help but sigh:
“Look at this. With power, how easy it is to frame an ordinary person. If no one had overturned their case, their lives would have been ruined.”
Yang Ming said, “But they met you, Brother Lin.”
Lin Fan gazed at the dark night sky, his tone heavy, “Yes, they met me. But what about other places? Not far away, in just one prefecture’s eight counties, Yong’an is fine, but who knows what the situation is in the other seven counties.”
Yang Ming fell silent. He couldn’t disagree with Brother Lin’s words. The situation in the other seven counties was hard to say, but there was definitely framing and slander.
“Brother Lin, we have the crimes of former Squad Leader Ma Zhen, and he is the final name on the file. Shall I take the Brothers and arrest him tonight?” Yang Ming asked.
Lin Fan waved his hand, calmly saying, “No rush. Let him sleep soundly tonight. Tomorrow morning, bring the Brothers and arrest him. In front of everyone, let him understand that taking off his Constable Uniform and thinking he’s in the clear is just a dream.”
Yang Ming seemed to recall a scene and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Tonight, all the constables at the Public Security Bureau were as if they had been injected with chicken blood, not tired at all, full of energy. There were many files, but their efficiency in handling matters was even higher.
…
Early morning.
Anzhou was bathed in sunlight.
“Do you know? The Public Security Bureau did something big last night.” In front of a breakfast stall, a few familiar stall owners gathered, discussing in low voices.
“What big thing? Who did they arrest this time?”
“It’s not about arresting someone. Remember I told you before? My neighbor was arrested by the Public Security Bureau, accused of raping and killing a girl.”
“I remember, you told us. That person was framed.”
“Exactly, he was framed. But it was useless. The Public Security Bureau had already decided. If they said you did it, you did it. But guess what happened.”
“Don’t keep me in suspense. How could I guess?”
“Heh, the person returned last night. His family was so happy they shouted for joy. I went to ask, and he said that Chief Lin made all the constables work overtime to sort through the files and re-interrogate everyone one by one. They cleared his name and let him go.”
“Ah… so that’s how it is. I think this Chief Lin is truly someone who gets things done. Some people even said Chief Lin was just putting on a show for us. I don’t think that’s the case at all.”
“I think so too.”
The Common People exchanged words.
Just then, the Common People noticed a group of constables appearing. They were lining up in an orderly fashion, standing tall with full of spirit.
For this group of constables, they had joined yesterday. Their excitement hadn’t subsided, and they had been working on cases, which kept them highly energized. Even without sleep, they didn’t feel tired at all.
So far, they hadn’t even shared the joy of joining the force with their families.
They didn’t even have time to see them.
“Officer, where are you going?” a common person asked.
Yang Ming, leading the group, smiled and said, “We’re going to arrest people.”
“Going to arrest people so early in the morning?”
“Yes, there are too many people to arrest. We need to hurry or we won’t finish.”
Yang Ming thought of the list of people to arrest, and his head felt a whole size larger. There were too many. Not a single one of the former Public Security Bureau members could escape.
Even Brother Lin himself had to go out personally.
He originally thought recruiting a hundred people would be enough, but now it seemed that was truly not enough.
At the same time.
The notices that Ning Yu was responsible for were also posted throughout the city.
As soon as the notices were posted, a large crowd of Common People immediately gathered to watch. When they saw the content on the notices, their eyes widened in shock.
“My heavens, this… this is a notice of overturned cases. How many cases have been overturned?”
“June 8th, after re-examination, the case of Li Si’s rape and murder was framed, and the true culprit is someone else. It is now officially overturned…”
“May 3rd, the case of Niu Da’s assault resulting in death…”
The content on the notices was dense. Every line represented a case, and each case represented an innocent common person who had been wronged.
The Common People watching became increasingly angry as they read.
“Damn it, what kind of beast could do such a thing?”
“These are truly people deserving of a thousand cuts. Isn’t this clearly destroying someone’s life? Look at these cases, some are from three years ago, and the people have already been sentenced to death. What’s the use?”
“You can’t say it like that. That’s what the beasts in the Public Security Bureau did before. Now the Public Security Bureau is managed by Chief Lin. If he can overturn cases, it’s to restore the reputation of those who were wronged. Who wants to carry the stigma of a murderer?”
“That’s true. Those constables before really deserved to die. They were worse than pigs and dogs.”
The sensation caused by the notices spread rapidly throughout the city, like a stone dropped into water.
In a teahouse.
Several dismissed former constables were gathered, leisurely drinking morning tea and speaking ill of Lin Fan. The surrounding teahouse patrons felt indignant, but even though they were no longer constables, ordinary Common People dared not provoke them.
After all, their families had good standing in Anzhou.
“When do you think we’ll return to the Public Security Bureau?”
“What’s the hurry? Didn’t the Squad Leader say to wait patiently? When the time comes, we’ll be distinguished constables again.”
They spoke without restraint.
They were saying it for the sake of the surrounding commoners to hear.
Suddenly.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the staircase.
A group of constables appeared, led by Lu Zhongtian, who sternly declared, “Bai Yun, Tan Yong, Zhang Fu, you are guilty of corruption and lawlessness, and framing and slander. Now, come with us to the Public Security Bureau.”
“Lu Zhongtian, what are you pretending for? You dare to arrest us?”
“Damn it, you’ve started following that guy named Lin, do you really think you’re someone important?”
Facing their clamor, Lu Zhongtian waved his hand.
“Take them down and escort them.”
