A Certain Force

Smoke filled the city public security bureau's criminal investigation office. Even with the windows open, the heavy smell of cigarettes and the oppressive atmosphere refused to dissipate.

Zhang Qian sat alone at her workstation, the halo of her desk lamp illuminating the pitifully thin case file before her-the case of Lin Feng, suspected of indecent assault. She had lost count of how many times she had read these few pages: a written confession of wrongdoing, scattered and vague corroborating evidence, and the suspect's consistent refusal to make any statement.

The chain of evidence was so fragile it was a joke. Never mind submitting it for prosecution-even she, after reviewing the case countless times, had begun to doubt what she had initially considered "conclusive." In its place was a restless, ungrounded feeling.

She closed the file in frustration and rubbed her throbbing temples. Her fingernails picked unconsciously at a patch of chipped paint on the desk.

Pressure was everywhere.

Yesterday, her uncle had called again, his tone more serious than last time. He had hinted that "leaders higher up" had begun paying attention to the case and told her to "handle it cautiously, in accordance with the law and regulations." She had heard the warning in his words loud and clear. That old dog Zhou Wenyuan has started using his connections to apply pressure, just as I thought!

She had thought Lin Feng was just a college student who had never seen the world. A few scares and a few days in custody would be enough to pry his mouth open and get the crucial statement they were missing. She had never expected the kid's bones to be so hard, his lips so tightly sealed! Still less had she expected the other side to enlist someone of Zhou Wenyuan's stature and make such a huge mess of things!

Now look where she was. She no longer dared use those "necessary" methods that skirted the gray areas, for fear of giving someone a handle against her. But the little she had in hand was nowhere near enough to secure a conviction. Drag it out? Apply for further investigation? Would Zhou Wenyuan let the matter drop? Would those "leaders" remain patient forever?

The frustration of riding a tiger she could not dismount and the panic that her career might be stymied gnawed at her heart like two venomous snakes.

She shot to her feet and paced back and forth across the cramped office, the clacking of her heels against the floor especially grating in the quiet night. I can't wait any longer! I have to break this deadlock!

But how?

The evidence was insufficient, her methods restricted... The only possible opening seemed to be...

Her gaze fell on the word "victim" on the first page of the file-Sun Tingting.

A bold and dangerous idea crept into her mind like a poisonous vine sprouting in the dark. The risk was enormous, but this was the only way to quickly strengthen the evidence and shut Zhou Wenyuan and those "leaders" up!

She seemed to have reached a decision, her eyes turning sharp and cold. She sat back down at her computer, took a deep breath, and typed rapidly, using the internal system to look up a number. The light from the screen flickered across her face.

A few minutes later, she picked up the office phone on her desk and dialed the number.

The following afternoon, at an elegant café in the city center.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled light and shadow across the dark wooden floor. The air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee beans and soft jazz. It was a world apart from the cold, oppressive atmosphere of the detention center and the public security bureau.

Sun Tingting wore designer clothes and meticulous makeup. She arrived a few minutes early and chose a secluded booth by the window. From time to time, she glanced down at her phone, then looked up at the entrance, her expression tinged with a barely perceptible nervousness and unease.

Officer Zhang Qian had suddenly asked to meet her. She had sounded serious on the phone but hadn't said what it was about. Sun Tingting's heart had been bouncing up and down ever since. Wasn't the case almost over? Hadn't Lin Feng already been arrested? Could something else have gone wrong?

When she saw Zhang Qian stride into the café in plain clothes, Sun Tingting's heart leaped into her throat.

"Tingting? Sorry for the wait," Zhang Qian said, walking briskly over. She wore a slightly exaggerated, warm smile, quite unlike her expression during the interrogations, and sat down opposite Sun Tingting as naturally as could be. "Sorry, there's been a lot going on at the squad. I only just finished."

"No, I haven't waited long. Officer Zhang, you wanted to see me about..." Sun Tingting asked cautiously, her hands clutching the glass of lemon water in front of her.

"Oh, don't call me Officer, it's so formal. I'm not on duty now, so just call me Sister!" Zhang Qian waved a hand with a smile, her familiar tone making Sun Tingting a little uncomfortable. "Let's order drinks first. Have a look-what would you like? My treat!"

She called a server over and, without giving Sun Tingting a chance to object, ordered her a signature specialty drink and an Americano for herself.

Once the server had left, Zhang Qian leaned forward. Her smile faded somewhat, replaced by an expression of shared outrage. "Tingting, I didn't ask you here for anything in particular today. It's just been weighing on me, and I wanted to talk to you about the case."

She sighed, her voice filling with righteous indignation. "That bastard Lin Feng did something so despicable, and the evidence is conclusive. But just because his family has some connections, he hired a powerful lawyer, and now he wants to derail the whole thing and get away scot-free! I just can't swallow that!"

Sun Tingting froze for a moment. She hadn't expected Zhang Qian to say that, and instinctively agreed. "Y-yes... he's awful..."

"Awful doesn't begin to cover it!" Zhang Qian seemed to have found a kindred spirit, and her voice rose a little. "This is a blatant insult to and bullying of us women! Why should we suffer harm and then be suppressed with their money and connections? Do we deserve to be bullied?"

She grew more worked up as she spoke, as though she were the victim. "Tingting, let me tell you, this case isn't just about you anymore! It concerns the dignity of all women! We have to stand together and make sure scum like him get the punishment they deserve! We have to show him the power of women!"

Those highly inflammatory words were like a fire, instantly igniting the unease and fear that had long lain hidden deep inside Sun Tingting because of vanity and lies, and twisting them into a distorted sense of "justice" and "solidarity."

Looking at the policewoman before her, who "spoke up for what was right," she felt her nervousness and wariness gradually fade, replaced by the excitement of being understood and supported.

"Sister Zhang... thank you... I really didn't expect..." Sun Tingting's eyes reddened a little, as though she had found a rare confidante.

"What are you thanking me for? This is what we ought to do!" Zhang Qian swept a hand through the air, her voice ringing with conviction. "Protecting victims and punishing criminals severely is my duty! Especially when it's scum who bully us girls!"

Just then, the coffee arrived. Zhang Qian stirred hers and swept a seemingly casual glance around them. Then she lowered her voice and leaned closer, a dangerous glint flickering in her eyes.

"Tingting, anger alone won't help. What we need now is something more solid. The law requires evidence, so we'll give him evidence! I have a plan..."

At the word "plan," Sun Tingting's heart gave a violent leap. She had a vague feeling that what Zhang Qian was about to say might not be entirely "by the book." But the other woman's earlier talk of "women's solidarity" and "punishing scum" was like a layer of hallucinogen, making her selectively ignore the potential risks.

Almost out of an instinct for self-preservation, or perhaps a subconscious desire to grasp hold of something, Sun Tingting quietly slipped her fingers into the elegant handbag on her lap. Familiar with her phone, she operated it by touch, found the recording app's icon, and gently tapped to start recording.

She maintained an attentive, approving expression as she watched Zhang Qian, seemingly listening intently.

Zhang Qian noticed nothing. Completely absorbed in her vision of the "perfect" plan, she lowered her voice further and spoke faster.

"...Here's my plan... we need to... like this... then you... when the time comes, just say... that way the chain of evidence will be complete... even if Zhou Wenyuan has abilities as vast as the heavens, he won't be able to overturn the case..."

As Sun Tingting listened to Zhang Qian describe the plan in a low voice-how to add details, how to get their stories straight, and even how to make use of certain ambiguous points-her eyes widened slightly of their own accord.

This plan... it's bold, incredibly risky. But it sounds like... it really could nail Lin Feng down for good? Leave him no chance to turn things around?

Her heart began to race, and a shiver of mingled fear and excitement ran down her spine. She instinctively tightened her grip on the phone in her handbag, as though the cold device could give her a trace of illusory security.

Zhang Qian kept talking, the details growing ever more specific...

"...When the time comes, you just... I'll... make sure it's absolutely seamless..."

Outside the window, the sunlight was still bright, soothing music still flowed through the café, and the air was rich with the aroma of coffee.

In the booth, the two women sat with their heads together, whispering, like a pair of close friends who shared everything, planning an ordinary get-together.

And yet a silent, dangerous undercurrent spread through the air.