From observing his microexpressions, Zhou Quan could be certain that Ling Jing had been carrying out his duties properly.
But the Police Force needed a sufficiently complete chain of evidence to reach a conclusion.
Ling Jing's account alone, along with Zhou Quan's personal approval, could not definitively settle the matter of Ling Jing accidentally killing a hostage.
The testimony of others was the real key to getting Ling Jing through this crisis.
"Boss, five days ago, I was assigned to assault position No. 1."
After thinking briefly, Ling Jing began answering his boss's question.
"My spotter, Gao Wenshan, was beside me at the time. He was responsible for watching the broader situation."
"I can't be sure whether he could see such a subtle movement."
"But there was one person who definitely could have seen exactly what happened at the scene."
"Fang Keming was at the second sniper position, at my four o'clock."
"That position faced Ye Tao's left hand directly."
"Ye Tao held a gun in his right hand and a grenade in his left."
"Fang Keming definitely could have seen him hooking the grenade's firing-pin ring with his finger."
After quietly listening to Ling Jing's account, Zhou Quan remained outwardly composed, but inwardly, he could not help feeling a ripple of unease.
According to the original course of Ling Jing's fate, he had ultimately been sentenced to four years in prison for negligently killing a hostage.
The key to that had been Fang Keming's testimony, which had been extremely unfavorable to Ling Jing.
Back when Zhou Quan served in West Kowloon District, the Flying Tigers support he mobilized had included Gao Wenshan and Fang Keming.
At the time, Gao Wenshan had still been a squad commander on the assault team.
Fang Keming, meanwhile, had been known alongside Ling Jing