Lin Shuyue followed Huang Qiang inside, and through Huang Qiang’s narration, she learned about the long-standing events of fifteen years ago.

From his words, Lin Shuyue came to know her senior brother Chen Jianlong, whom she had never met.

It was 1988. Huang Qiang, who had only been working for two years, got a young man named Chen Jianlong as his apprentice, who called him “Master.”

Neither of them had formal training, but because they loved the profession of journalism, they joined this big family without hesitation.

Chen Jianlong was more driven than Huang Qiang. What he liked most was to go among the common people, to worry about what worried them, and suffer what they suffered. He was always smiling, and no matter what he did, he had detailed plans.

His published reports almost always required additional printing. There was a time when the people of Pengcheng felt comfortable and at ease upon hearing the name Chen Jianlong.

Although Huang Qiang was his master, the two got along more like friends. Together with Wang Mingzheng, who wasn’t the editor-in-chief at the time, the three of them were jokingly called the “Three Musketeers” of Pengcheng Metropolis Daily.

Every time they got off work, they would always meet on the streets of Pengcheng, with a small barbecue and a few bottles of beer. The three of them, like carefree teenagers, would talk and laugh loudly.

One night in 1989, after drinking some wine, Chen Jianlong told them that he had received a letter saying that the director of the Public Security Bureau, Yang Baozong, was involved in smuggling crimes.

Yang Baozong was a retired soldier who came to Pengcheng to become the director of the Public Security Bureau after retiring from the military.

The 1980s were a time when various crimes were rampant, and major criminal cases occurred frequently in various provinces. There were countless instances of robbery on the streets, fraud and theft, murder, and the abuse of women.

The first thing Yang Baozong did after taking office was to organize all the police forces in Pengcheng to patrol every corner of Pengcheng day and night, without even letting go of remote areas.

Because of this measure, all the criminals in Pengcheng either fled to other places or behaved themselves.

Pengcheng’s public security was unprecedentedly good, and many businessmen, hearing about it, came here to develop their businesses.

Such a good policeman who served the people was suddenly said to be involved in a smuggling case. Who could believe it?

Chen Jianlong was one of those who didn’t believe it.

But he still decided to investigate, because only after investigating could he openly write a letter to refute the person who wrote him the anonymous letter.

Before he left, he only told Huang Qiang and Wang Mingzheng about his whereabouts.

Huang Qiang heard from him again a month later, on a dark night.

Chen Jianlong at that time was a mess. The once strong man was now skin and bones, and his bright eyes, which were always full of hope, had lost their light. His tongue had been cut out, and four of his fingers were broken.

He placed a package in Huang Qiang’s hand and then walked into the darkness without looking back.

Huang Qiang chased after him but couldn’t catch up.

He returned to his residence and took out the things Chen Jianlong had given him to look at.

They were photos, and in those photos, Yang Baozong’s figure was clearly visible.

Even in those photos, there were many figures of foreigners. And the things they were smuggling, besides the usual items like grain, clothing, and electrical appliances, also included drugs.

In other words, Yang Baozong was a righteous director of the Public Security Bureau during the day, but at night, he was the leader of a smuggling gang and a protector of criminals.

In addition, there were also records of the time and items of each smuggling operation that Yang Baozong participated in.

Chen Jianlong had been working undercover in the smuggling gang, but he was discovered. His hand was chopped off, and his tongue was cut out. He had escaped with the evidence with the help of several people.

Chen Jianlong died that night, along with those who had helped him escape.

Huang Qiang found their bodies three days later. Before he could grieve, he received a bloodstained warning letter. The letter detailed the information about his parents, wife, and children.

It was also from that time on that all of Huang Qiang’s reports could not be published, and his residence was ransacked every few days. His wife and children often said that there were strangers outside their home when they returned.

After much deliberation, Huang Qiang took the evidence to Yangcheng. Just as he was about to reach the Yangcheng Procuratorate, he was arrested.

He was locked up and beaten three times a day. The evidence was snatched away and burned in front of him.

Finally, he was thrown at the foot of a mountain, barely alive. An old man who went up the mountain to hunt saved him.

He didn’t die. He returned to Pengcheng. This time, he learned his lesson. He no longer tried to expose Yang Baozong.

He also stopped reporting on social news and switched to entertainment news.

He had kept a photocopy of the original evidence. He hid these things in the newspaper office, and with Wang Mingzheng’s cover, this evidence had not been discovered for fifteen years.

Huang Qiang also became distant from Wang Mingzheng. They interacted like ordinary superiors and subordinates.

But over the years, he still didn’t dare to relax in the slightest.

Ten years ago, Zhengjun’s letter was sent to him. He investigated it and then gave up on the case when he found out about Yang Hao’an’s background.

Because he knew Yang Baozong’s position too well. But over the past years, Huang Qiang had never given up on investigating Yang Baozong.

Two years ago, Yang Baozong finally retired. He had wanted to hand over the evidence at that time, but Wang Mingzheng had persuaded him to stop.

Because Yang Baozong’s protectors in Yangcheng, the provincial department, and the military were still there.

At the same time, he also knew that there was already a group of people secretly investigating Yang Baozong.

He just needed to wait patiently.

Huang Qiang had finally waited for this day.

He had finally lived up to his friend’s trust. After fifteen years, he had finally sent out that evidence.

Huang Qiang finally had the face to go see Chen Jianlong’s grave. Huang Qiang finally dared to pick up his camera and pen again to photograph the various aspects of society and write about the joys and sorrows of all living beings.

After listening to Huang Qiang’s narration and looking at the information he had submitted, the police officer stood up and very solemnly extended his hand to Huang Qiang. “Thank you, Mr. Huang, for the important evidence you’ve provided.”

Huang Qiang and Lin Shuyue left the Public Security Bureau together. At the entrance, they saw Yang Baozong being escorted back under gunpoint.

Yang Baozong also saw Huang Qiang, but he no longer remembered Huang Qiang as a person. Perhaps from beginning to end, he had never taken Huang Qiang, a small reporter, to heart.

The two groups brushed past each other. Huang Qiang took out his phone and called Wang Mingzheng.

Fifteen years had passed. He was finally able to invite Wang Mingzheng out for street barbecue again.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a complete reunion. Their good friend had left them forever on the path of pursuing truth.

And they, being insignificant, had waited so many years to even seek justice for him due to various reasons.

Lin Shuyue watched the two middle-aged men eat barbecue at a roadside stall before dark, crying their eyes out.

In the end, it was a full and satisfying meal. Lin Shuyue took a taxi to send them back home after their drinking session.

Lin Shuxing and Lou Fengqin hadn’t slept when Lin Shuyue arrived home. Seeing her return safely, they went back to their rooms to rest.

The light in Zeng Xiaoyi’s room also went out when she returned to her room.

Lin Shuyue slept very soundly that night.

The next day, when she saw the familiar newspaper from the future by her pillow, she was already used to it.

But today there were three copies of the newspaper.

Lin Shuyue picked up the first one to read. The headline of this newspaper was [Middle-Aged Man Attempts to Bomb Public Security Bureau, Seeking Justice for Wife and Children!]

The report showed Wang Guiquan looking deranged, with explosives strapped to his body, rushing into the Provincial Capital Police Bureau, holding a tape recorder in his hand, playing Deng Ling’s words at the scene of the car accident over and over again.

The article described the Wang Guiquan family’s situation. Ah Qin had already passed away at this time.

The concluding remarks stated that Deng Ling, the perpetrator of the crime back then, had been arrested and brought to justice.

The second newspaper was published a month after Wang Guiquan’s incident. The headline read: [Zhengjun’s Wife-Murder Case: The Culprit is Actually the Same Person as in Wang Guiquan’s Case!]

In this newspaper, the entire truth and process of Deng Ling and Yang Hao’an murdering Liang Haihui were revealed.

Yang Hao’an had liked older women since he was young. Even after dating Deng Ling, he was never faithful behind her back. When he was in college, he got involved with a married woman, which caused a commotion at the school. The school gave him a major demerit for his misconduct and didn’t assign him a job after graduation.

After returning to Pengcheng, he used his grandfather Yang Baozong’s connections to enter the real estate industry. At the same time, Deng Ling became pregnant, and he married her.

Zhengjun was a major contributor who had followed him since his company started. Liang Haihui was also hired as the company’s receptionist.

Because she was beautiful and married, Yang Hao’an, who had a particular fetish, took a liking to Liang Haihui.

After his hints were unsuccessful, Yang Hao’an suddenly came up with an idea during a social gathering. He had a company employee call Zhengjun. Before Zhengjun arrived, he left the clubhouse.

He went to Liang Haihui’s house, knocked on the door, and asked Liang Haihui to open it. After confirming that Liang Haihui’s child wasn’t home, he raped her.

Deng Ling had been paying attention ever since she found out that Yang Hao’an had feelings for Liang Haihui. When she couldn’t reach Yang Hao’an on the phone, she followed him to Liang Haihui’s house.

Yang Hao’an was too impatient and didn’t even close the door properly. When Deng Ling walked in, Yang Hao’an was forcing himself on Liang Haihui. Liang Haihui kept scolding and struggling. Angered by her struggles, Yang Hao’an smothered her face with a pillow until she gradually stopped breathing.

At this time, Yang Hao’an still didn’t let her go. He continued to vent his lust. Deng Ling was furious. Instead of hating Yang Hao’an for what happened, she directed all her resentment towards Liang Haihui.

She took a knife from the Zheng family’s kitchen and slashed at Liang Haihui, who was already lifeless.

After pulling up his pants, Yang Hao’an messed up the house, turned on the gas in the kitchen, and lit a mosquito coil.

He was the grandson of a policeman. He knew how to cover up the evidence of his visit. He cleaned up his fingerprints at the scene and directed Deng Ling to clean Liang Haihui’s body.

But Deng Ling lacked experience and left a fingerprint and a shoe print in the bathroom.

This case was solved by the police back then, but Yang Baozong was still the director of the Pengcheng Public Security Bureau at that time, wielding immense power. Under his orders, the police destroyed all the evidence and framed Liang Haihui’s husband, Zhengjun, as the murderer.

After Wang Guiquan caused a ruckus at the Public Security Bureau, Deng Ling and Yang Hao’an were successively arrested, and Zhengjun was released without charge.

The last newspaper was about Yang Baozong: [Former Hero Finally Falls: Smuggler and Murderer Yang Baozong!]

Two years after Yang Baozong retired, his grandson and granddaughter-in-law were arrested by the Public Security Bureau for intentional homicide. A group of people who had been secretly monitoring them seized the opportunity to arrest him, following the clues to uncover the larger network connected to him.

Not only was the director of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department, a big fish, caught, but also several high-ranking military officers were brought down.

All of this happened in 2005.

Lin Shuyue’s role in this was merely to bring the case forward by a year.

The reason it progressed so smoothly was that Yang Baozong had retired and no longer had sufficient control over the Public Security Bureau. Also, he had long been targeted. The information Lin Shuyue had investigated provided those who were watching Yang Baozong with a ladder to climb.

But no matter the reason, the innocent were exonerated, and the criminals were brought to justice. Lin Shuyue was happy.

The next day, Lin Shuyue went to work and met Huang Qiang at the entrance. Huang Qiang patted her shoulder and said to her, “Ah Yue, as a reporter, you must not forget your original intention and be factual!”

Lin Shuyue smiled brightly at him. “Master, and also to be fearless of the powerful.”

Huang Qiang also smiled. He felt that the light in Lin Shuyue’s eyes at this moment was very much like the young man who had called him “Master” fifteen years ago.

The two walked towards the newspaper office, talking and laughing along the way. In their bags, a copy of today’s Pengcheng Metropolis Daily lay quietly.

At the same time, in a rural middle school under Pengcheng’s jurisdiction, a fifteen-year-old boy took the newspaper he had gotten from his teacher and ran quickly towards home.

“Dad, Dad, Yang Hao’an has been arrested, Yang Hao’an has been arrested!”

A man leaning on crutches walked out of the house, eagerly looking at the newspaper, tears streaming down his face. He greedily read the newspaper over and over again and then said to his son, “Ah Wen, kill the chicken at home. We’ll go to pay respects to your mother’s grave. After that, we’ll go to Pengcheng.”

“Okay.”