Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

Hong Kong news always follows the latest hot topics. As major events come to a successful close and the heat gradually dissipates, the media immediately shifts their focus to the next breaking news story—police interrogation. But this time, however, they weren't invited…

Outside the High Court on Queensway, dark clouds loomed, thunder rumbled, and rain washed over the white building that symbolized the rule of law and justice, but could not cleanse the grime hidden beneath its solemn emblem.

In the Seventh Courtroom, due to the case involving a highly sensitive scandal of torture and forced confessions within the police force, and to avoid causing excessive public panic, the Department of Justice and the court reached an agreement to conduct the case behind closed doors.

There were no reporters, no flashbulbs, and no noisy discussions in the audience.

The vast courtroom was eerily empty. Only the enormous scales of justice overhead seemed to mercilessly survey the ants below, about to be judged by fate.

Behind the bars of the defendant's dock sat three haggard-looking men.

Sitting in the middle is Qiu Gang'ao, who was once hailed as the rising star of the police force, but now has a full beard and gloomy eyes.

On his left and right were his brothers-in-arms, Ah-Hua and Ah-Quan, who had fought alongside him in the interrogation room that night. Their faces were filled with resentment, unwillingness, and a hint of fear for the future.

"quiet!"

As the judge's gavel fell heavily, the dull thud echoed through the empty courtroom.

The judge, dressed in a black robe and wearing a wig, pushed up his glasses expressionlessly and said coldly, "Court is now in session. The prosecution will begin its statement regarding the case of defendants Qiu Gang'ao, Li Zhenhua, and Wang Quan, who are suspected of manslaughtering suspect Wang Adi (nicknamed 'Raw Chicken')."

In the prosecutor's dock, the top prosecutor from the Department of Justice stood up. He held a thick autopsy report in his hand, his tone cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Your Honor. According to the detailed autopsy report provided by Queen Mary Hospital and the forensic department, the deceased, Wang Adi, suffered extremely cruel and inhumane torture for ninety minutes before his death."

The prosecutor held up several shocking autopsy photos and showed them to the judge and jury.

"The deceased suffered multiple soft tissue contusions in his chest cavity, a typical 'book-pad hammering' technique designed to cause internal injuries without leaving external marks. Even more fatally, the deceased had severe pulmonary effusion and nasal congestion, confirming that he had suffered extremely painful 'waterboarding' asphyxiation before death. This level of violence far exceeds the scope of normal interrogation. This is not only a serious violation of discipline, but also blatant murder!"

The prosecutor turned around, his finger pointing like a sharp sword at Chiu Kang-ao in the dock: "As a senior inspector, the defendant knowingly broke the law and used cruel methods, directly causing the victim's death from cardiogenic shock. I don't think there's anything to argue about that."

Hearing the prosecutor's accusations, Ahua finally couldn't hold back any longer. He grabbed the railing and shouted, "We were trying to save lives! Huo Zhaotang was in critical condition. If we hadn't pried that kid's mouth open, he would have been killed long ago! Our methods may have been extreme, but they were for the safety of the citizens!"

"Silence! Defendant, please control your emotions!" the judge warned, frowning.

Qiu Gang'ao's defense lawyer—a senior barrister hired with funds raised by the Police Officers Association—immediately stood up to defend himself: "Your Honor, although my clients' methods were excessive, their motive was to protect the lives and property of citizens, and more importantly..."

The lawyer paused for a moment, then presented the core point of defense in the case:

"According to my clients, before the trial, they received explicit verbal authorization from their direct superior, Senior Superintendent Szeto Kit. Superintendent Szeto Kit implied and induced my clients to take extraordinary measures by citing reasons such as 'special handling' and 'all consequences to be borne by superiors.' Therefore, this should be regarded as carrying out a superior's illegal order, rather than a premeditated crime."

"Call the witnesses," the judge said coldly.

The courtroom doors were pushed open.

The first person to walk in was Senior Superintendent Situ Jie, dressed in a sharp suit and with his hair neatly combed.

Upon seeing this familiar figure, a flicker of emotion finally appeared in Qiu Gang'ao's previously lifeless eyes.

Situ Jie stepped onto the witness stand, placed his hand on the Bible, solemnly swore an oath, and then sat down. His expression was calm and composed, even carrying a dignified and awe-inspiring air.

"Senior Superintendent Szeto Kit," the defense attorney asked, "did you summon the defendant, Yau Kong-ngor, alone on the night of the incident and imply to him that you could use illegal methods to conduct the interrogation?"

All eyes were on Situ Jie's face.

Situ Jie pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and his gaze swept briefly over Qiu Gang'ao in the defendant's dock.

In that instant, Qiu Gang'ao understood what was in his eyes. It wasn't guilt, nor responsibility, but an extremely cold-blooded disgust, like that of someone looking at a discarded pawn.

"No," Situ Jie's voice was steady and powerful, echoing in the deathly silent courtroom. "As the commander-in-chief of this operation, I did put pressure on Inspector Qiu, demanding that he solve the case as soon as possible and rescue the hostages. This is my duty as his superior..."

"But!" Situ Jie changed the subject, his face showing an extremely innocent and heartbroken expression, "I have never authorized, nor could I possibly have instructed my subordinates to use any illegal interrogation methods! The police force has clear Police General Orders and interrogation guidelines, and any action must be carried out within the legal framework."

"My exact words at the time were: 'We must seize the time and use every legal means possible.' I never expected..." Situ Jie sighed, shook his head, and looked at Qiu Gang'ao as if he were looking at a student who had disappointed him utterly. "Inspector Qiu actually misinterpreted my meaning and did something so crazy. I am also very heartbroken about this."

Lies! Utter lies!

"You're lying!!" Ah Quan, her eyes bloodshot, pointed at Situ Jie and cursed, "Situ Jie! You bastard! That night you were the one who told Brother Ao that you'd take the blame if something happened, and now you're trying to pin the blame on us?! Are you even human?!"

"Defendant! Silence!" The judge slammed his gavel.

Situ Jie remained expressionless, coldly watching the frenzied Ah Quan as if he were looking at a mad dog barking wildly.

The first line of defense has collapsed.

The court then called a second witness.

It was Huo Zhaotang, the victim of this kidnapping case and the "God of Wealth" who was rescued by Qiu Gang'ao and others at great personal risk.

Huo Zhaotang still had bandages on his face, but he was in good spirits. Wearing an expensive custom-made suit, he limped to the witness stand, supported by the two bodyguards who had surrendered earlier.

Before the trial, Situ Jie had already approached him privately. After exchanging favors, this profit-driven capitalist knew exactly what he had to say.

"Mr. Huo," the prosecutor asked, "the defense attorney claims that they resorted to vigilante justice because you were in a very dangerous situation and that your family was constantly pressuring the police, which ultimately led to their excessive actions. What is your view on this?"

Huo Zhaotang cleared his throat, revealing a pitying, hypocritical saintly face.

"I am very sorry and very shocked by this."

Huo Zhaotang glanced at the three policemen in the dock, his eyes filled with no gratitude, only contempt and disdain.

"Actually, I communicated quite well with those kidnappers at the time. I could tell they weren't inherently bad; they were just desperate, poor people with nowhere else to turn. So I tried my best to persuade them to turn back. Later, they even treated me with great respect. There was hardly any emergency at the scene. As for the defendant's accusation of 'pressure,' it's utterly absurd. My wife was simply fulfilling her civic duty by calling the police. We're just ordinary citizens; how could we possibly have the power to order the police around?... Ha, if I had known that these police officers would resort to such illegal violence and beat someone to death just to save me!"

Huo Zhaotang's face was full of pity as he exaggeratedly pressed his hand to his chest, his voice trembling: "Then I'd rather have my wife pay directly! Three hundred million or one billion, I, Huo Zhaotang, can afford it! Money can be earned back, but if you lose your life, you lose everything!"

"Although I'm in business, I still understand the priceless value of life. I absolutely do not want anyone to lose their life trying to save me, even if they are a criminal. I absolutely cannot accept this kind of bloody and illegal rescue plan, and I will not express any gratitude for it."

These words seemed to engulf the entire courtroom in a stench of hypocrisy.

puff--!

Ahua was so angry he almost spat out blood!

If they hadn't interrogated him there, Huo Zhaotang would have been drowned by Da Dong long ago, and they were even getting along well?! Moreover, Huo Zhaotang's stinginess is known throughout Hong Kong; how dare he say such things now?! They risked their futures to save this miser's life! And now, this person they saved is standing on a moral high ground, turning around and accusing them of being "cruel"?

Is there anything more absurd and shameless than this in the world?!

"Huo Zhaotang!! I'll fuck your ancestors!!"

Ah Quan struggled frantically in the dock, his handcuffs clanking against the bars. "If I'd known you were this kind of beast, I should have had Da Dong shoot you dead back then!! Who are we doing this for?! Huh?! Who are we doing this for?!"

Two bailiffs rushed forward and firmly restrained Ah Quan, who was in a state of emotional distress.

Qiu Gang'ao, who had been silent all along, was unusually calm at this moment.

He simply stared silently at Huo Zhaotang's hypocritical, fat face and Situ Jie's sanctimonious demeanor. A cold smile slowly crept onto his lips.

So this is the world he risked his life to protect.

So this is the so-called justice he swore allegiance to.

It's nothing more than a dirty game of collusion among the powerful and wealthy, a game of using and discarding each other after they're done.

"There is one last witness."

Just when everyone thought the outcome was decided, the defense lawyer wiped the cold sweat from his brow and unleashed his final trump card.

"Summon witness, Inspector Zhang Chongbang of the Major Crimes Unit."

Upon hearing this name, hope finally reappeared in Qiu Gang'ao's lifeless eyes; it was his last straw.

Zhang Chongbang, his sworn brother.

That night, when Situ Jie called him out, Zhang Chongbang was outside the interrogation room. Although he didn't participate in the conversation, he definitely heard what Situ Jie said to Qiu Gang'ao in the command room! If Zhang Chongbang was willing to step forward and prove that Situ Jie had indeed given "hints" and "inducements," then it could prove that they were acting under orders from their superiors, and their crimes would be much lighter. At the very least, they wouldn't go to jail; at worst, they could just take off their police uniforms and go home!

This was the last hope, and Qiu Gang'ao's only remaining trust in the world.

The door opened.

Zhang Chongbang, dressed in a neat police uniform, walked heavily to the witness stand, his face as pale as paper.

He dared not look at the defendant's dock. From beginning to end, he kept his head down, his hands gripping the railings tightly, his knuckles white.

"Inspector Zhang," the defense attorney approached him and asked, "On the night of the incident, before the interrogation began, did you see Senior Superintendent Situ Jie call Qiu Gangao into the command room alone? Did you hear Situ Jie issue any illegal orders to Qiu Gangao?"

At that moment, time seemed to stand still.

Qiu Gang'ao raised his head, his eyes fixed on Zhang Chongbang's profile.

Lord, just say one word...

Meanwhile, in the witness stand, Zhang Chongbang was going through an internal struggle.

Situ Jie sat in the first row of the audience, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on Zhang Chongbang's back with an extremely cold gaze. His eyes were filled with a silent threat—think carefully, your future, your sense of justice, all depend on your single thought.

Zhang Chongbang closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He knew that if he testified against Situ Jie, not only would he not be able to save Qiu Gangao, but Zhang Chongbang himself would also be completely purged by the police leadership, ruining his future.

At that moment, cowardice and reality completely triumphed over conscience.

"I……"

Zhang Chongbang's voice was hoarse and trembling.

"I did see Commander Situ call A'ao into the command room, but..." Zhang Chongbang avoided Qiu Gang'ao's burning gaze, looked at the ground, and said with great difficulty, "I didn't go in. I don't know what they said in there."

"Furthermore... during the subsequent interrogation, I left the scene early because I opposed violent interrogation. So... regarding whether A'ao was instructed by superiors, and what exactly they did..."

"I...I don't know, I don't know anything."

Boom—

A thunderclap boomed outside the window.

The last glimmer of light went out.

His best brother, in a life-or-death situation, chose to protect himself, chose silence, and chose... betrayal in order to preserve his reputation.

"Hahaha...hahaha..."

Qiu Gang'ao, who had been silent all along, suddenly lowered his head and let out a chilling low laugh.

The laughter grew louder and more manic, sounding extremely jarring in the deathly silent courtroom.

"Defendant, please remain silent!" The judge frowned slightly and tapped his gavel.

"Hahaha..." Qiu Gang'ao ignored him and suddenly raised his head. At that moment, the tears in his eyes had dried up, replaced by a hatred and murderous intent towards the entire world that seemed to come from the depths of hell.

He looked at Zhang Chongbang, but his gaze was no longer that of a brother; it was that of someone looking at a dead man.

"Good, very good!" Qiu Gang'ao nodded, his voice as gentle as if he were saying goodbye to an old friend, "Zhang Chongbang, you did well."

Zhang Chongbang trembled all over, so ashamed he almost wanted to disappear into the ground.

He knew that from this moment on, the policeman named Qiu Gang'ao was dead.

……

"This court hereby pronounces its verdict!"

After a half-hour recess for deliberation, the judge struck the gavel again.

"The defendant, Qiu Gang'ao, as a police officer, knowingly violated the law and abused his power, resulting in the death of the suspect. The circumstances are serious. He is sentenced to three years imprisonment!"

"Although defendants Li Zhenhua and Wang Quan were accomplices, their participation in the violence was egregious. In light of the circumstances, they are hereby dismissed from all police duties and immediately removed from their posts!"

"Court adjourned!"

At the judge's command, two bailiffs stepped forward and put cold handcuffs on Qiu Gang'ao.

Qiu Gang'ao did not resist or defend himself.

He slowly turned around, and in that instant, his gaze swept over Situ Jie, who sat in the front row of the audience with an indifferent expression; over Huo Zhaotang, who looked hypocritical and relieved; and finally, it settled on Zhang Chongbang, who dared not look him in the eye.

His eyes no longer held anger, only a chilling stillness.

It was the final gaze of a wild beast upon the outside world before being caged.

He remembered everyone there, every face.

Three years.

He said this to himself silently.

Three years from now, I will crawl back from hell.

When the time comes, I'll make all of you pay back everything you owe me, with interest!

Torrential rain.

The once-promising police officer was put on a prison van and driven towards the towering walls of Stanley Prison.

Justice for Qiu Gang'ao has come to an end.

But the era of revenge belonging to "A'ao" has only just begun.