Chapter 232: I Came to Give You Justice

"Hm?" Yu Dazhang was instantly alert:

"Tell me in detail."

Based on his past experience, the more unassuming a clue seemed, the more useful information it tended to provide.

"I can't remember clearly either." Liu Jinsong scratched his head and replied, troubled:

"It's been too long. I can only recall the gist of it, and there were a lot of things like that happening at school back then."

1998... Yu Dazhang rapidly searched his memory of that year.

He had been only seven years old at the time, and had no concrete impression of that era.

But as he grew older, he did come into contact with some things from the late nineties.

Among them was the Young and Dangerous series from Xiangjiang.

One had to admit, that series of films was genuinely good to watch, but it also had a huge influence on the youth in the mainland.

A considerable number of young people imitated the characters in the films.

Brother Ho-nam, Chicken, Tai-tin...

Back then, almost every school had a few characters like that.

Even if they weren't imitating Young and Dangerous, there were always some students who spontaneously organized themselves into a little gang.

The numbers wouldn't be too many, usually kept under ten.

The names they chose were mostly things like Dragon, Tiger, and the like.

Up north it was even more extreme — they straight up became sworn brothers, imitating the Oath of the Peach Garden.

This wasn't anything unusual on campuses in the late nineties.

Although Yu Dazhang hadn't lived through that era, he had heard plenty of similar stories and had also watched the Young and Dangerous series.

"Besides that?" Yu Dazhang asked again:

"Can you think of anything else?"

In Li Yong's last remaining memories, there were only two names — Shao Xin and Liu Jinsong.

Which suggested that whoever had gotten to him had very likely targeted Li Yong because of that incident back then.

If that could be confirmed, the case could be classified as "revenge."

"Nothing else." Liu Jinsong stared blankly at Yu Dazhang:

"I really can't remember."

It had simply been too many years... Yu Dazhang was at a loss too.

Sixteen years was enough to make a person forget a great many things.

The fact that Liu Jinsong could recall this much was actually already not easy.

Sighing, Yu Dazhang stood up and walked back over to him.

"Have another one."

Another Hua cigarette was placed between Liu Jinsong's lips, and Yu Dazhang took out a lighter and lit it for him.

Then he stuffed the remaining cigarettes into the pocket of Liu Jinsong's prison uniform.

As if no one had ever been this kind to him in those sixteen years, Liu Jinsong was for a moment at a loss, not knowing what to do.

"Officer, I..." His voice trembled, as if he wanted to say something.

Yu Dazhang suddenly raised his hand and cut him off:

"Do you feel you've been wronged?"

Wronged?

Hearing those two words, Liu Jinsong was as if struck by lightning, frozen on the spot.

The word "wronged" — he had only ever thought it in his heart, never spoken it to anyone, and could never get it out.

To pour out grievances in prison, you'd need someone willing to listen.

Crying and making a fuss was even more out of the question.

Prison cures every kind of mischief.

Once you're in here,

if you're a dragon you coil up, if you're a tiger you lie flat.

Sixteen years of serving his sentence had also taught him that everything must be backed by reason and evidence.

But once you're inside, even if you wanted to go find evidence, there's no way to do it.

He also couldn't bear to let his parents run around for him any longer.

So all he could do was stubbornly endure, and keep on living with grit.

But just now, the word "wronged" had actually come out of a policeman's mouth.

And it was directed at him.

Liu Jinsong finally came back to his senses, staring at the fat policeman before him in disbelief:

"You... could you say that again?"

His voice was trembling, even his teeth were chattering.

Yu Dazhang patted his shoulder and sighed:

"Next, let's talk about your case. Don't worry — if you really were wronged, I promise I'll get you justice." Even as he said it, he felt a little uneasy.

Justice...

If it really was a wrongful conviction, how does one account for sixteen years of youth?

The best years of his life had all been left behind inside a prison.

Who could give him that justice — and who could afford to?

As Yu Dazhang finished speaking, Liu Jinsong's eyes glistened with tears, then one by one, clear droplets fell…

A thirty-something man suddenly burst into loud sobs.

He didn't cry when he was wrongfully imprisoned.

He didn't cry through countless appeals that went nowhere.

He didn't cry when he lost his freedom and suffered in prison.

All these years passed, he had even forgotten what it felt like to cry.

But today he cried.

Every single word, every single line, every single detail—every one of them is true!

What makes people cry is never despair, but hope.

Yu Dazhang said nothing to comfort him; instead, he sat back down across from Liu Jinsong.

Ma Jian also stopped, waiting in silence.

The entire room was filled with a Heavy, solemn and oppressive atmosphere.

The sobbing lasted about a minute, then Liu Jinsong forcibly stopped it.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

He frantically wiped his tears and apologized, voice choked.

"Tell me," Yu Dazhang said calmly.

"I think you've found evidence to prove your innocence."

He had already suspected it when reviewing the prisoner's file.

If he hadn't found evidence, Liu Jinsong couldn't have kept appealing from inside prison.

"That's right."

Liu Jinsong took a deep breath, steadied his voice, and spoke slowly:

"Later, I learned the exact time of Shao Xin's death—and during that time, I was at a classmate's house playing a video game."

"I spent the night at my classmate's house; he and his parents can all testify for me."

"So on the night Shao Xin was murdered, I was never at the crime scene."

"And I have irrefutable alibi evidence."

After that, Liu Jinsong spoke for over half an hour.

He recounted every piece of evidence he had gathered over the years and every detail from that time.

This time, not only did Yu Dazhang understand.

Even Ma Jian, the officer taking notes, now grasped the full story of the case.

The police originally singled out Liu Jinsong as the prime suspect mainly because he had an affair with Shao Xin.

Later, DNA tests confirmed the male bodily fluids left inside Shao Xin were Liu Jinsong's.

That was considered ironclad evidence back then.

But Liu Jinsong's explanation was that he had been knocked unconscious before that.

When he woke up, he found himself lying in an abandoned factory.

He suspected someone had collected his bodily fluids while he was unconscious.

The police dismissed this vague account and interrogated Liu Jinsong intensely the night of his arrest.

Liu Jinsong was only eighteen then, emotionally immature.

So…

Under interrogation, he made irresponsible statements about himself.

By the time the verdict came down, he realized his mistake—but it was too late.

After that came sixteen long years.

Although Liu Jinsong never gave up appealing, he got no results.

Some cases are just like this.

Even if someone later spotted inconsistencies, digging deeper inevitably meant offending certain people.

Because if the case were truly overturned, everyone involved in the original investigation would suffer.

This is the most terrifying part of human relationships and social customs.

Preserving collegial bonds leaves no room for fairness or justice.

When personal feelings override the law, how can justice ever be served?

(End of Chapter)