But to overturn a case that is about to become an ironclad conviction, especially one with such a negative impact and with the county’s top leaders urging progress almost every day—overturning a case like this is just too difficult.

Eric Carter had no leads for the moment, so he decided to visit the suspect’s home to see if he could find any clues.

John Lee was an employee at the county commercial bureau’s food company and lived in the company’s staff housing—a row of single-story houses. But now, John Lee’s small room had already been sealed off. Eric Carter and Scott Dawson went to Room 3, where John Lee’s parents lived.

Both of John Lee’s parents worked at the food company. His father had passed away early, and John Lee had taken over his father’s job. His mother’s surname was Zhang. She looked to be in her forties, but her face was haggard.

When Eric Carter and Xiao Du showed their police badges, Aunt Zhang didn’t react much. She just sat cross-legged on the bed, staring blankly. The person sitting next to her nudged her and whispered a few words in her ear. Only then did she seem to snap out of a trance, her body jolting as if possessed. She looked at Eric Carter, then struggled to get off the bed and suddenly knelt before him, actually trying to kowtow. She kept repeating, “Please save my son, please save my son, my son wouldn’t kill anyone, he’s a good boy, he wouldn’t kill anyone…”

The room was full of people—all Aunt Zhang’s relatives, there to keep her company. These past few days, Aunt Zhang hadn’t eaten or drunk anything, nor slept at all. Her relatives were all very worried.

The young woman who had just whispered to Aunt Zhang was her sister-in-law, named Helen Dean. She had told Aunt Zhang that a high-ranking official from the county bureau had come, and if she believed Xiaojun was being wronged, she should speak up quickly. But she hadn’t expected Aunt Zhang to put on such a display. Helen Dean helped support Aunt Zhang while wiping away her own tears, feeling that her sister-in-law’s life was truly too bitter. Her sister-in-law wasn’t even that old, but a few years ago, her husband had died in a freak accident, and now she was about to lose her only son. It was black-haired people sending off black-haired people—how cruel fate could be.

Helen Dean’s husband, who was also John Lee’s uncle, Paul Lee, was right there beside them, sighing deeply, lamenting the misfortunes that had befallen his brother’s family. Although he had some status in Guangning, in this matter, he was completely powerless to help.

After being knelt to by Aunt Zhang and seeing her dazed, vacant look, Eric Carter felt a pang in his heart. If this really was a wrongful conviction, it would mean a living person’s life was at stake—a life that many people cared deeply about. The person who might be executed was not just an isolated individual. If this trial was a mistake, the harm would not be limited to John Lee alone.

Eric Carter couldn’t help but recall, in his previous life when he was imprisoned, the family, friends, and brothers outside who shed tears and blood for him.

He also thought of his adoptive parents. In his previous life, he had been too extreme. Now, he realized the importance of tolerance. Even though they hadn’t treated him well—he had to go hungry every day and work for labor points like an adult—they had still raised him. Once this case was over, he should go visit them.

Especially his adoptive mother—she actually cared for him a lot, but at home, she had no say.

Eric Carter chatted briefly with John Lee’s relatives, but of course, found nothing that could be considered a clue. All of John Lee’s relatives said he was sensible, timid, and quiet, and even when he suffered losses, he always kept it to himself.

But Eric Carter couldn’t help but feel even more disappointed, because these personality traits were, ironically, common among many notorious killers in history.

Eric Carter and Scott Dawson took their leave, and John Lee’s uncle, Paul Lee, saw them out. Paul Lee was the deputy head of the county propaganda department and director of the county radio and television bureau. He wore a gray Lenin-style jacket with a pen clipped to the breast pocket, and his hair was meticulously combed, giving him an impressive appearance.

Eric Carter had heard of Paul Lee before, since the establishment of the county TV station was a big deal, and Paul Lee was the one leading the project.

But official circles weren’t so complicated these days. In his nephew’s case, he had no special privileges. Even minor updates about his nephew’s case wouldn’t be shared with him.

Eric Carter also thought that if this were ten or twenty years later, not to mention anything else, just by virtue of Gao Zhikai’s wife Zhao Hongxia working at the TV station, as the top leader of the county TV station, Paul Lee would at least know something about his nephew’s situation, instead of being so lost and helpless now, not even knowing whether his nephew was alive or dead.

Moreover, at this point, Paul Lee might have to worry about whether his nephew’s case would affect his own career. These days, promotions for officials still paid a lot of attention to family background. Having a nephew who was a murderer would be a terrible stain.

Seeing Paul Lee sighing so heavily, perhaps it wasn’t just because of his nephew.

After escorting Eric Carter and Scott Dawson to the entrance of the alley, Paul Lee looked around, hesitated, and tentatively asked Eric Carter, “Commissar Lu, has Xiaojun’s case been decided?”

Eric Carter made a troubled expression, indicating he couldn’t say anything.

Paul Lee immediately said repeatedly, “I know, I know, I shouldn’t have asked. That was out of line.” He deeply regretted it, and felt a faint sense of unease. Ever since his nephew had been arrested, this sense of insecurity had haunted him every day, as if disaster was about to strike.