Chapter 225 - 133: The Labeling Tactic

On the stage, the host urged,

"Will the presenting team please come to the stage immediately for the review!"

Immediately come to the stage for the review...

All at once.

Colleagues in the audience who recognized the Lusen City team discreetly turned to look at them in the back row. Their eyes clearly held a look that said they had just dodged a bullet.

"We’re second?"

Zhang Bingxin muttered under his breath, "Just our luck!"

It really was bad luck.

The first team had been made an example of. In theory, that meant today’s mid-term review should have been a breeze, as no one would have much energy left for asking difficult questions.

But they weren’t first, nor were they last. They were second—the spot where tensions were wound tightest.

Lin Yue and Xu De nodded. "Definitely bad luck."

Except...

"How can the three of you have the nerve to say that!?"

Huang Shi grumbled at the three of them as he stood up from his seat beside them.

"I’m the one who has to present the No. 18 Middle School case!"

The No. 18 Middle School case was a public prosecution case, filed by the procuratorate. Huang Shi was the prosecutor assigned to it, which meant he was the one who had to go on stage for the review.

As for Xu De...

"Here."

As Huang Shi passed by Xu De, Xu De suddenly lifted his hand and discreetly slipped a script into his.

Huang Shi paused in his tracks. He glanced down at the papers, then looked up at Xu De with a frown.

Xu De said,

"It’s for the Q&A on the sensitive aspects of the No. 18 Middle School case."

"You can read from it when you get on stage. Honestly, if you use the script you prepared... you’d just be walking into a death trap."

He had seen the script from the procuratorate. If Huang Shi went up with that, he’d almost certainly get stumped.

Huang Shi paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay."

He clutched the script, took a deep breath, and walked toward the stage with heavy steps.

CLACK...

CLACK... CLACK...

In a conference room so quiet you could hear each other breathe, his footsteps echoed with stark clarity. The crowd watched in silence as Huang Shi ascended to the review stage, until...

On the review stage, before the lectern.

Huang Shi exhaled and looked up. Before him, the tiered lecture hall was a veritable sea of faces, an intimidating wall of people. His gaze fell to the front row, where the top brass from Qingwu Province’s four major systems—the public security bureau, the procuratorate, the courts, and the police—sat. These were figures who stood at the absolute pinnacle, people an ordinary person might never see in their entire life.

Huang Shi’s scalp tingled, and the pressure on him intensified.

’I can’t believe it. The pressure up here is so much worse than it was down in the audience!’

But pressure was just pressure. His professional training kept his mind from going blank. Instead, he picked up the script the procuratorate had prepared and scanned the lines.

A moment later.

After steadying his breath, his clear voice echoed throughout the conference room.

"Esteemed leaders, members of the review panel, colleagues, good afternoon."

"I am Huang Shi, from the Lusen City Municipal Procuratorate. Today, I will be presenting on behalf of our team..."

Huang Shi began, reciting the opening remarks.

His voice carried to every person in the room.

The four taciturn, middle-aged men in the front row scrutinized him, their gazes as sharp as an eagle’s.

Huang Shi continued,

"Regarding Lusen City’s handling of this case, my report will cover several key areas: the case’s origin, the main points of contention, the trial process, the final judgment, the case’s outcome and impact, and the implementation of subsequent reforms."

"I welcome any criticism and guidance from the leaders and the panel."

"First, the origin of the case..."

"There was a long-standing conflict between the defendant and the victim, a classic case of school bullying..."

Huang Shi’s voice was a little shaky at first.

But once he got the first sentence out, his delivery grew steadier. His intonation and the rhythm of his narration were perfect.

He went from the origin of the case to the points of contention.

From there, he moved to the heart of the dispute, and finally, he summarized the trial and its verdict.

When he mentioned using evidence to prove the defendant was not a minor, leading to a correction of his legal age and subsequent prosecution, many in the audience nodded in approval.

"Not bad, not bad at all. Lusen City did some excellent work this year."

"This guy’s ability to handle pressure is pretty good, too. Looks like he’s had some training..."

"This case made the rounds in our city. The higher-ups ordered us to study it to prevent similar miscarriages of justice."

"The defense lawyer on this case was a stubborn one, too. Driving two thousand kilometers to Lianshan County on a tight deadline, all based on a single unconfirmed tip... that’s a one-of-a-kind case."

"..."

The audience murmured amongst themselves, offering their commentary.

Judging by their comments, Huang Shi’s performance was excellent, far surpassing the previous presenter.

And it was true.

"Prosecutor Huang’s ability to handle pressure really is impressive. He’s holding up well."

「At the back of the lecture hall.」

Xu De nodded with a sigh of admiration.

Beside him, Zhang Bingxin, who had been listening intently, shot a dark look at Xu De and said,

"Hah. He should be thanking you."

Xu De’s two high-intensity ambushes had pushed even the good-natured Huang Shi to his breaking point.

His ability to handle pressure had practically skyrocketed. In the past, he never would have been able to perform this well under these circumstances.

"I barely did anything, really."

Xu De said humbly.

Zhang Bingxin was speechless.

’Whatever.’

He shook his head and turned his gaze back to the stage, his eyes fixed on the man at the lectern.

The pressure of the presentation was immense.

But...

The real test was only just beginning.

...

「On the stage.」

"In summary, that concludes the report on Lusen City’s ’No. 18 Middle School case’."

Huang Shi felt a wave of relief wash over him. He looked up at the audience below.

"Our presentation is complete."

"I now invite the esteemed leaders and colleagues to provide their comments."

As his words faded, his heart leaped back into his throat as he waited in grim silence.