Chapter 276: Someone Tell Me What on Earth Is Going On!

Lao Yang was completely bewildered by Zhou Yi's words.

However, although he felt this was a bit much, he had to admit that it still sounded quite pleasant...

"Young man, you have good awareness; you will definitely have a great future."

However, the two had a good relationship, and the reason Zhou Yi could joke like this was mainly because Lao Yang himself was a fun-loving person.

"Alright, stop joking around. I'll send you some relevant video materials in a moment. These include parts of the footage captured by the Law Enforcement Recorder of our Public Security Department comrades during arrests, as well as some things from the interrogations. In short, you handle it."

"The requirements are the same as before: it must pass our review before being posted, and you need to pay attention to the scale; we are doing legal publicity."

Lao Yang instructed over the phone.

"Alright, Brother Yang, no problem. You can rest assured with how I handle things. When do you need it?" Zhou Yi asked casually.

He wasn't alone anymore; there were plenty of cattle and horses—that is, Laborers—in the Company, so there was no need to worry about time.

"That depends on your schedule; we are ready anytime. Let's cooperate on the publicity. You prepare it first, and let me know when it's ready."

After finishing, they exchanged a few more pleasantries, and Zhou Yi hung up the phone and opened his email; Lao Yang had already sent over quite a bit of material.

It was truly an unexpected joy. Thinking back to when he first met Lao Zhou, he felt that he had to get close to him.

Later, whenever there was something, he would cooperate with the relevant departments for publicity, and now, they were even taking the initiative to find him for publicity.

Like the content captured by the Law Enforcement Recorder—if you were an ordinary Up Master, could you get your hands on these?

I have to say, seeing the scene where these Internet Water Armies were arrested, that feeling was really great.

Don't rush to make the video yet; with these materials, he definitely had to watch them himself first.

It's just that things on the internet are really hard to say.

Just like the last time there was Internet Violence, who would have thought that a dignified Company executive would actually do such a thing.

So, when some people say how could someone who knows the law break the law, you know that this sentence is very ridiculous.

There were quite a few people arrested this time. Lao Yang had already sent over the data. Up to now, a total of thirty-three suspects involved in the crime of Illegal Business Operation had been arrested!

That is to say, a total of thirty-three Internet Water Armies, big and small, had been caught!

This number looked a bit outrageous, because Zhou Yi remembered that in the police report materials sent over by Fang Dazhuang, only about ten accounts were involved.

There's no helping it; it's mainly because the Internet Water Army has been a bit unscrupulous in recent years.

With the high development of the internet economy, major platforms, major celebrities, and major Anchors all need the support of the Water Army.

It's just like extras at an airport.

Maybe today they have to shout "I love you" to this celebrity, and tomorrow, they have to put on the vest of a hater and spray them to death in every way possible.

Anyway, scolding celebrities is definitely not wrong; the entertainment industry is a cesspit, and if you scold them, no one dares to say anything.

Sometimes they even attack simultaneously, pretending to be the celebrity's fans on one side and angry haters on the other, acting like they have schizophrenia.

No way around it, they're just making money; it's not shameful.

Therefore, as the internet develops, the Water Army naturally develops along with it, but cracking down on this group is relatively difficult.

The consequence is that the Internet Water Army is becoming increasingly rampant, and many people hide behind the scenes, not thinking at all that anything will happen to them.

Of course, the most important thing is that some Water Army brothers have the excellent habit of keeping diaries and bookkeeping.

This is, of course, a good habit; once discovered, one can follow the vine to find the melon and pull up the entire chain by the roots.

There was a time when people on the internet often joked about the Water Army with things like "fifty cents per repost," but the current Water Army has long passed the era of working by numbers.

As long as you have information in your hands, registering accounts and such is too simple, and many times, what people can do, script programs can do too.

Zhou Yi looked at the people in the video crying bitterly and didn't know what to say.

Among them, some were crying that they were about to get married.

Others were saying that they had harmed their children...

Life is a cycle; these people only start to regret when they are arrested, just like those who were "very criminal" he encountered before.

He finished watching everything—more than thirty people, more than thirty families. This is the Criminal Law; as long as you encounter it, it will change your life.

Zhou Yi had already imagined what kind of sensation this video would cause once released, and one hundred percent of people would feel pity.

Just like under those previous videos, there would always be people who felt that since they had already regretted it so much, why not give them a chance.

Heh, if regretting could make the Criminal Law give a chance, then believe it or not, these people would regret it every few days.

Never mind, he sent all the materials to the Studio and told them the requirements.

"As for the time, you guys figure it out. Don't work overtime; anyway, as long as there is a result this week."

After giving the instructions, Zhou Yi didn't go to the Company, because the family of "A Xing Dage," who scolded Fang Dazhuang in his comment section, was meeting with Fang Dazhuang today to see if they could reach a Mediation.

For such a good thing, Zhou Yi definitely had to go and see.

Anyway, in Fang Dazhuang's words, the Water Army matter was just something done in passing; when the leeks are ripe, they must be harvested. Zhou Yi wouldn't forget that the main problem still lay with Pinduoduo.

After the Video Part Two was released, the other party started playing dead again. Now they were being scolded bloody, but Zhou Yi didn't care about that; he had just done two interesting little experiments.

Of course, it was actually because Zhou Yi himself didn't know that the other party wanted to do something, but damn it, they couldn't even find a Water Army now...

This matter was truly a coincidence; if they had waited for another period of time, new Water Armies would naturally have filled the market.

After all, this industry is still very profitable. Profitable businesses, even if you write them into the Criminal Law, still have many people who want to do them.

But just during this period, it was truly a coincidence that a bunch of Water Army leaders who were heavy enough to count were arrested all at once.

Those who luckily escaped were now hiding like grandsons, and whoever contacted them, they would say they were farmers.

What? You say I am an Internet Water Army?

Let me tell you, you are slandering me, you know that? He is slandering me!

So, it's ruined.

Anyway, Zhou Yi had already noticed that the other party's stock price had been affected these past few days. Not to mention whether it fell or not, at the very least, it had stopped.

He drove all the way to Lao Difang, and upon entering, he saw Fang Dazhuang already sitting inside with Zhou Xinran.

"Hey, Fang Dazhuang, you came quite early today!"

In the past, Lawyer Fang almost always arrived right on time.

"Because today I am the Plaintiff. Sit down. You called me earlier and said they asked you to cooperate with the publicity? Have those Internet Water Army members all been caught?" Lawyer Fang asked casually.

"They've all been caught, over thirty people. It was quite a spectacle."

"That's good, then the effort wasn't wasted." Lawyer Fang smiled, looking somewhat pleased.

Because they had to wait for others to arrive, the two began their habitual chatting. Zhou Xinran, sitting nearby, was already used to it and would occasionally chime in.

"Last time you asked me about people selling discs, saying things like European, American, or domestic ones—that is, of course, the Crime of Spreading Obscene Materials."

"But Lawyer Fang, tell me, if I buy those discs back, open them up, and find that they contain *Ikkyū-san*, *Astro Boy*, and *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*, then wouldn't the other party be in the clear?"

Lawyer Fang shook his head and said, "That's hard to say. He might still constitute the crime of selling infringing reproductions."

"There are always people who underestimate Criminal Law, thinking that laws meticulously polished by so many professionals would have so many loopholes."

"That statement is correct in principle; after all, the law has a lag, but if you really think about it carefully, there is always one that fits."

One can only say it's criminal, truly criminal.

The two engaged in a detailed exchange regarding the nuances, and just as their conversation was becoming extremely heated, the door to the coffee shop was pushed open.

Dong Shu, behind the counter, looked up and saw a couple, both of whom were slightly advanced in age, then lowered his head again to continue with his work.

"Mr. Fang? Is Mr. Fang Xujing here?"

Liu Xinghui's mother, Bai Qinqin, called out as soon as she entered the coffee shop.

Lawyer Fang raised his hand: "Over here, Mr. Liu."

Bai Qinqin looked over, then hurried over, saying with a polite face: "Mr. Fang, I've finally met you. My husband Lao Liu and I have been worried to death these past few days."

A trace of confusion appeared on Zhou Yi's face; it was the first time he had heard Lawyer Fang being called "Mr. Fang." In the past, people had always called him Lawyer Fang.

This title of "Mr. Fang" sounded like it had a peculiar, stimulating quality to it.

Opposite them, Bai Qinqin sat down in a rush and quickly said: "Mr. Fang, I really want to explain to you right now. Our Xiao Hui has always been a well-behaved child; it might be because the pressure has been too great lately."

"But I can guarantee that he absolutely did not intentionally curse you online; it was just, just something he said off the cuff..."

"And he still has to take the exam to become a Public Servant in the future. If he is really convicted, his whole life will be ruined. Mr. Fang, Mr. Fang, I really beg you to let him go."

Zhou Yi's expression turned strange. Why did these words sound so familiar? It felt exactly the same as what Zhao Xu's parents had said.

Oh no, that's not right; it seemed there was a slight difference. Zhao Xu's parents never apologized from beginning to end, as if they felt their own child was not wrong at all.

So Zhou Yi looked at Lawyer Fang; he was very curious about what kind of approach Lawyer Fang would take.

Because of his own act of "recharging" one million, there were still many people under that Video Part Two cursing him, saying that because of a trivial matter, he had ruined a child's life.

Don't find it strange; there are always plenty of people who talk without feeling the pain. When they see criminals regretting and crying there, they just feel sympathy, thinking that one shouldn't ruin someone's life directly because of one incident.

However, what is the purpose of Criminal Law?

Is it to send you inside? Or is it to make you think of the consequences and feel afraid before you do these things, so you don't do them?

Lawyer Fang's expression was very calm: "Mm, yes, please continue."

Perhaps feeling encouraged, Bai Qinqin's spirit was further bolstered: "Mr. Fang, you think so too, right? The child is really still young. His life hasn't even started yet; it shouldn't be blown out of proportion to this extent just because of such a small matter."

"After all, it was just cursing a few words. In our daily lives, anyone can curse; it was just a moment of emotional agitation."

"Very reasonable. Please continue."

"This... there's nothing else to say. It's just that we hope you will withdraw the lawsuit, and then, we have also prepared compensation here. Mr. Fang, what is your view?"

As Bai Qinqin spoke, she began to feel that something was wrong.

Lawyer Fang shook his head: "I have no view. Didn't you just say it yourself? The child is still young and we can't ruin his life."

"So, are you planning to withdraw the lawsuit?"

"No, no, no. Ms. Bai, is it? And Mr. Liu, I must tell you that the child is not young anymore; he has been out of university for more than a year."

"He has reached this point today, and half the responsibility lies with you!"

Lawyer Fang said very calmly.

"Yes, the end of all careers is a stable government position, but you have to make him realize the importance of such a position yourself. And you must accept one point: there are always people who fail the exam. Why must that person who fails not be your own child?"

This was a question that Zhou Yi and Lawyer Fang often discussed when chatting; parents always pin the things they didn't achieve onto the next generation.

As if the next generation is definitely that genius!

He can go to university, he can go to graduate school and get a doctorate, he can take the exam for a Public Servant; as long as he works hard, he can definitely do it.

If he can't do it, it must be because he didn't work hard enough.

We have already provided you with such good material conditions, we have already told you not to rush to make money, so why can't you still pass the exam?

That's right, as long as you work hard, you can definitely do it. So, why didn't you parents achieve it yourselves?

"Therefore, you think that Liu Xinghui only cursed me a few times and that this is a small mistake. But unfortunately, Liu Xinghui has already formed the habit of cursing people online."

"Whether he is playing games or doing anything else now, he curses people, and he views it as a matter of course. Even now, you still think it's a small problem, even though he is about to go to jail!"

A trace of anger had already entered Lawyer Fang's voice.

Surprise appeared in Zhou Yi's eyes as he watched the drama. Lawyer Fang rarely got angry; even when he was sending you inside, he would do it with a smile and say that the inside was a good place.

But getting angry—that was truly rare!

"But Mr. Fang, we are willing to pay money, we are willing to apologize. As long as you withdraw the lawsuit, then, then wouldn't everything be fine?" Bai Qinqin hesitated for a moment, but still said it.

Well, Zhou Yi picked up his coffee and drank it in one gulp. Needless to say, this matter definitely wouldn't be settled.

If it were said that he, Zhou Yi, would choose Mediation because the other party apologized properly, then Lawyer Fang was someone who had to make the reasoning clear to the other party.

His reasoning was that you parents are the ones who have the problem in this matter.

As it turned out, the couple opposite him—the husband was a silent type, and the wife could talk, but unfortunately, nothing she said was to the point.

If it were anyone else, they would have definitely agreed, but Lawyer Fang was different. He had dedicated his whole life to "laying out the facts and reasoning."

If one simply thought that an apology and compensation could solve the problem, then they had truly misjudged the person.

Sure enough, seeing that the other party remained in this state, Lawyer Fang sighed.

"Since that is the case, Ms. Bai, then we have nothing left to talk about; let's leave it at that."

"Let's go."

"Ah? Wait, Lawyer Fang, this, what is going on here?"

In Modu, inside Mengxun Company, Manager Han stood before Tian Zong.

"So, there is still absolutely no way, is that it? You actually cannot even contact a single person? Could it be that they are all dead?" Tian Zong's eyes were filled with anger.

Manager Han hurriedly defended himself: "Tian Zong, I did indeed contact some people, but they are all unwilling now. I don't know why; I have already raised the price by twenty percent, but they are still unwilling."

"What on earth is going on!"

Just finished accompanying a client back to the hotel. Only one chapter today; the backlog of owed chapters is back to 110,000.

Thanks to mrh, Xiahou Wuji, Ququ Zhiming Xiaoshang, Wenchidage, 11th Root of Xian, Huanyou Tudui, Feimaowuyu, Wushi Zaixian, Tianqi cq, Mingyou. Thank you brothers for the tips, thank you.

(End of this chapter)