After suddenly gaining a multitude of new memories in his mind, Edward York felt that he was now a seasoned detective, with over a decade or two of police experience—no joke.

These additional memories were of the same origin as his own, merging seamlessly in an instant, as if they were his innate memories, without the slightest sense of discord.

As a result, even his way of handling things began to change unconsciously, making him more and more like a veteran detective, rather than a rookie who had only been on the job for a few months.

“Officer York, you… you’re not going to abandon me too, are you?”

Grace Bennett looked at him, asking hesitantly.

“What do you mean by that? Have you been abandoned before?”

Grace Bennett nodded repeatedly and said, “The people at the Gantang police station lied to me, saying they would investigate for me, but the next day someone came to threaten me, saying if I dared to talk nonsense again, they would… they would rape me… and kill me…”

At this point, Grace Bennett’s face turned bright red, whether from embarrassment or anger, or perhaps both.

Edward York nodded.

This was a common threat used by criminal gangs in society, and if the victim didn’t comply, they really would go through with it.

In Edward York’s memories, he had handled many similar cases.

As for whether his colleagues at the Gantang police station had intentionally “let things slide,” Edward York couldn’t be sure right now, but honestly, it was quite possible.

The whole town of Gantang could even be called Henry Dawson’s “backyard.”

Sometimes, it really wasn’t about professional ethics, but about survival.

To ordinary people, police officers at the local station seemed quite impressive, as if they were high and mighty, powerful figures. But when facing a “big shot” like Henry Dawson, they were just as vulnerable as Grace Bennett.

To strip you of your police status, it would only take a word from Henry Dawson.

“Don’t worry, I’ll see this case through to the end!”

After a moment, Edward York said slowly, his tone very calm, not at all agitated.

Yet Grace Bennett felt her spirits lift as she listened.

Her intuition told her that Edward York was telling the truth, and definitely wasn’t lying to her.

That’s just how people are.

Some people, no matter how much they swear or vow, you’ll never believe them; others, with just a casual promise, you know you can rely on them.

Edward York was undoubtedly the latter.

Then, Grace Bennett told him the whole story of the case, leaving nothing out.

“You’re a student at Jingjiang Normal University?”

This identity of Grace Bennett suddenly triggered Edward York’s buried memories, and he couldn’t help but ask.

This was quite a strange situation, still related to those suddenly acquired memories from another timeline. Because the time was so short, sometimes Edward York still had trouble adjusting.

“Mm…”

Grace Bennett nodded lightly.

No wonder her dress and manner of speaking didn’t seem like a country girl who had never seen the world.

“My family isn’t well-off. We mainly rely on my brother to support us… At the normal university, the tuition is reduced.”

Grace Bennett then explained a bit.

Actually, with her college entrance exam scores, she could have gone to Jingjiang University, but in the end she chose Jingjiang Normal University, and this was the reason.

“I got the call at school and found out something had happened to my brother and the others. I rushed home, but by then, the people from the mine were already handling the aftermath.”

“How did they handle it?”

“Each person got twenty thousand yuan in compensation… outsiders got fifteen thousand.”

Edward York felt a wave of frustration inside.

Damn, that’s really shady!

Granted, in 2002, the cost of living wasn’t high, and police salaries—including base pay, allowances, bonuses, and various subsidies—averaged less than a thousand yuan a month. But for a coal mine accident, to compensate only twenty thousand yuan per death, and just fifteen thousand for outsiders, that was just too much.

But then again, since the Sanping Coal Mine was contracted by Henry Dawson, it made sense.

Could you really expect someone like Henry Dawson to be a “philanthropist”?

Putting on a show was what these people loved most!

Clearly a damn thug, yet insisting on acting like a great benefactor.

“What did the others think?”

“What could they think? They’re all terrified of Henry Dawson!”

Grace Bennett said angrily.

That was to be expected.

Not only was Gantang Town Henry Dawson’s backyard, his influence was everywhere in that area. Even in the city, didn’t Mr. Dawson do whatever he wanted?

In Edward York’s memories, there were also many cases in the city related to Henry Dawson, most of them assault cases.

Henry Dawson and his gang were a classic example of a criminal syndicate, with clear mafia characteristics. Ordinary people really didn’t dare go up against them.

“Then why aren’t you afraid?”