People were ultimately creatures driven by self-interest. As long as they were animals, it was difficult to escape the pull of instinct. No one in this world could remain absolutely rational; when faced with a choice, they would usually choose the option most beneficial to themselves.
Sacrificing one person would save himself, preserve the Sabine City Revenue Service's reputation, and even help all law enforcement agencies recover some of their standing. Director Johnson had long known which choice to make. He simply did not want to say it aloud.
The more people were filled with ugliness and darkness, the more they yearned for purity. Yet the more they yearned for purity, the more they wanted to destroy it, by any means necessary.
Perhaps human nature was called "human nature" because humanity's essence was sufficiently complex and sufficiently corrupt, allowing the term "human nature" to hold even more meaning.
Director Johnson wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. Lin Qi's calm gaze felt like needlepoints piercing his body, making him extremely uneasy and uncomfortable.
He rarely encountered such a well-disguised yet aggressively invasive gaze. It was the gaze of someone above him, as if Lin Qi had laid out a condition, knew Johnson could not make a choice freely, and yet magnanimously allowed him to choose—even though there was only one answer he could choose.
It was a little hurtful. The sweat on his face and neck grew heavier. Perhaps it was truly too hot in here, or perhaps being alone with Lin Qi put him under too much pressure. He suddenly stood up.
After rising, he had originally intended to pull out his chair, turn, and leave. But he paused there, feeling inexplicably guilty, and offered an explanation. "I need to think about it. Yes, think about it..."