Tokyo: Are you even a proper lawyer?

Masashi Akiyama did not answer immediately. He stopped and stood under a roadside tree.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light on his face, softening his usually expressionless features.

"Ms. Arimura," he turned to look at her, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.

The smile was faint, almost not a smile at all. "Perhaps that's the difference between you and me."

Rio Arimura was stunned.

Masashi Akiyama withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward, his voice drifting calmly over.

"Just watch. I have a solution now."

Back at the office, Masashi Akiyama took the case file from the drawer and spread it out on the table.

He picked up a pen and wrote down a few keywords in the blank space.

Rio Arimura sat opposite her, her hands on her knees, her posture as upright as a student in class.

She looked at Masashi Akiyama, waiting for his so-called "solution".

"First," Masashi Akiyama looked up, lightly tapping his pen on the paper, "I'm collecting everyone's positive feedback on Masaji Fukuyama."

"Good review?" Rio Arimura blinked, not understanding the meaning of the instruction.

"That's right." Masashi Akiyama nodded, leaning forward slightly, his eyes behind his glasses appearing exceptionally clear in the light.

"The trial is not only a contest of evidence, but also a psychological battle. If you presuppose that Masaji Fukuyama is a 'good person,' then you will subconsciously resist the idea that he 'committed a crime.'"

He paused, then continued explaining.

"So the first thing we need to do now is to help him get 'positive reviews'. Filial piety, kindness, thrift, helpfulness... any kind of positive reviews are fine, the more the better, the more specific the better."

He looked at Rio Arimura, "I'll leave this to you."

"Okay, okay!" Rio Arimura immediately took out her notebook and quickly jotted down notes. "I know a few of his colleagues at the convenience store, and also some of his former classmates..."

"Second," Akiyama Masashi interrupted her thoughts, drawing a second line on the paper with his pen, "collect negative comments about the police officer who interrogated Fukuyama Masaji."

"Why is that?" Rio Arimura stopped writing, looked up, and her eyes were full of confusion.

"Did you hear that?" Masashi Akiyama leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the window. "Masaji Fukuyama said that the officer in charge of the interrogation threatened and assaulted him. If he wasn't lying—that officer is most likely a repeat offender."

He turned his gaze back to Rio Arimura:

"Fukuyama Masaji is probably not the only one who has been harmed by him. We need to find those people and collect their testimonies. We need to prove that this officer's interrogation methods themselves are seriously flawed."

"I understand." Rio Arimura nodded vigorously and wrote another line in her notebook. "Leave this to me too."

"Thirdly," Masashi Akiyama raised his third finger, "hand over Masaji Fukuyama's case to the media to amplify its impact."

He looked at Rio Arimura and added:

"I know people who can help with that, so you don't need to come."

Masashi Akiyama contacted Maki Suzuki.

The phone was answered after only one ring.

Maki Suzuki's voice came through the receiver, as cheerful as ever.

"Moshi Moshi, Yas? That's strange, you actually contacted me first."

"Maki, there's a case I need your help with." Masashi Akiyama got straight to the point, without any time for pleasantries.

"Oh?" Suzuki Maki's voice held a hint of interest. "Tell me about it."

Masashi Akiyama described the case in the simplest terms: a convenience store clerk was accused of murdering the store manager, and the only evidence was the fingerprints on the murder weapon. However, the clerk insisted that he was in the park at the time and was suspected of being subjected to violent interrogation.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. Then, Suzuki Maki took a deep breath:

"...Unjust crime?"

"Suspected," Masashi Akiyama said, not giving a definitive answer, "but there were definitely problems with the interrogation process. I need public attention to put pressure on the prosecution and the court."

"Understood." Suzuki Maki's voice turned serious. "I will arrange interviews, starting with the angle of 'violent interrogation.' If there is indeed a wrongful conviction... this will be big news."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Suzuki Maki chuckled. "But Masashi, why are all the cases you've been taking on lately getting more and more difficult?"

"Bad luck," Masashi Akiyama replied curtly.

A soft laugh came from the other end of the phone, followed by the sound of papers turning:

"I'll arrange it tomorrow. Let's stay in touch."

"it is good."

The phone hangs up.

Sure enough, a few days later, related reports began to appear one after another.

First, several local newspapers published short news items in their social sections about "suspicious points in the convenience store clerk murder case".

Then, online media began to follow up, with headlines that were increasingly sensational.

Violent Interrogation? A Young Shop Employee's Ten-Year Wrongful Imprisonment

Behind Fingerprint Convictions: The Missing Alibi

"Metropolitan Police Department's 'Standard Practices': Kicking, Threatening, and Torture to Extract Confessions."

The section where Maki Suzuki works even did a special report, interviewing several of Masaji Fukuyama's former colleagues and finding a former convict who had received "special treatment" from the same police officer.

The ex-convict tearfully described on camera how he was kicked, punched, and threatened to confess.

"That policeman went too far! He clearly kicked someone, and then said it 'didn't mean to'!"

"They're practically gangsters! And they call themselves police officers!"

"Scum like that will definitely be tortured into confessing!"

Discussions about the topic began to rise on social networks.

Some people shared their experiences of being wronged by law enforcement, some questioned the rationality of "conviction based solely on fingerprints," and others launched a petition demanding a reinvestigation of the case.

The tide of public opinion began to rise slowly but surely.

"and then?"

Inside the office, Rio Arimura stared at the ever-increasing number of reports on her computer screen, then turned to look at Masashi Akiyama, her eyes sparkling.

"Public opinion has been created, what's the next step?"

Masashi Akiyama closed the file in his hand and stood up from his chair.

The afternoon sun shone from behind him, casting a long shadow in front of him.

He walked to the window and looked into the distance, towards Dongshan Park.

"Finally," he turned to look at Rio Arimura.

"We need to get Masaji Fukuyama's alibi."

"Where to?"

Dongshan Park.

Masashi Akiyama picked up the suit jacket draped over the back of the chair, put it on deftly, and then took out a camera and a voice recorder from the drawer and stuffed them into his briefcase.

"Now?" Rio Arimura hurriedly got up and frantically packed her things.

"Now." Masashi Akiyama had already reached the entrance, his hand on the doorknob, and glanced back at her.

"The sun is shining brightly; it's perfect for a trip to the park and a cup of coffee."

The door was pulled open.

Rio Arimura grabbed her handbag and jogged after her.