Chapter 51: The Truth

When they entered the conference room, the employees were in an uproar, trying to flee. Two police officers were desperately trying to maintain order.

Chen Shi stepped forward and shouted, “Calm down! Are you trying to assault the police?”

A chair leg flew through the air, hitting Chen Shi on the forehead, causing a few drops of blood to seep out.

Infuriated, Chen Shi kicked over a potted plant in the hallway with a loud crash, instantly quieting the crowd. With blood on his forehead, he looked menacing as he growled, “Don’t think the police don’t know what you did on the night of October 5th. No matter how much you panic now, it’s futile. The only way out is to cooperate with us. Think carefully about your next move!”

The employees hung their heads, looking like guilty schoolchildren. The male employees, in particular, appeared especially anxious.

Lin Dongxue glanced around; there were ten men, meaning at least five had participated in the rape.

The employees were escorted back into the conference room. Chen Shi used a little trick, having the guards take off their jackets to reveal their loaded guns. Seeing the firearms, the guilty parties quickly calmed down.

One male employee with glasses was brought out for individual questioning.

Lin Dongxue handed Chen Shi a tissue. “Do you want to go to the hospital?”

Chen Shi touched his bleeding forehead. “It’s fine. I’ll just wash up in the bathroom.”

A while later, Chen Shi returned with a bandage on his forehead. The male employee was surrounded by Xu Xiaodong, Lin Dongxue, and Peng Sijue, looking nervous and wringing his hands.

Chen Shi quietly asked Xu Xiaodong, “Which number is he?”

“Number 6, I think.”

These were the numbers from the cups. Chen Shi remembered this man was one of the rapists.

He glanced at the employee’s name tag and said, “Your name is Luo Xiaohui, right? Do you know Xiaoli?”

“No,” came the familiar denial.

“Has your manager threatened or bribed you not to tell the truth? Now that your manager is detained, who can help you? No one! Only you can help yourself.”

“I really… really don’t know her!”

“You know how ridiculous that lie is? It’s textbook material for first-year police cadets.”

The employee lowered his head, remaining silent.

Xu Xiaodong whispered, “Man, this guy needs a wake-up call. Peng Captain, show him the evidence!”

Peng Sijue calmly said, “Your saliva enzymes match those found on the victim.”

The employee’s face twisted in fear, yet he still refused to confess.

Chen Shi walked over to his desk, pulling out a civil service exam book from under a stack of magazines. “Xiaohui, are you preparing for the civil service exam?”

“I’m just looking at it.”

“Just looking? It’s almost completely filled out. Seems like you don’t like your current job. Do you hate your manager or the work environment?”

The employee remained silent.

Chen Shi moved closer. “If you want to be a civil servant, your record has to be clean. Whether or not you have a criminal record depends on your current attitude. This ship is sinking, and there’s no point in defending it. Even if you all stay silent, the evidence in court will be undeniable. We’re giving you a chance now. Think it over!”

The employee suddenly collapsed to the ground, hugging his head and sobbing, startling everyone present.

Chen Shi sympathetically handed him a tissue. After a while, the employee asked, “Do you have a cigarette?”

Chen Shi handed him a cigarette and lit it for him. The employee took a trembling drag and said, “I didn’t kill her!”

“Tell us what happened that night.”

He began recounting the events. That day was payday and the end of a sales quarter, so the company had arranged a feast. But the mood was sour because they knew it would be a night of reckoning.

The company had always promoted a cutthroat culture. Employees with poor performance faced severe punishments—running shirtless in the snow, slapping each other, and even drinking toilet water as humiliation.

A few years ago, a male employee had contracted a respiratory illness after running shirtless in the snow. The manager fired him and sternly reminded everyone that the world is survival of the fittest.

He had often wondered why he endured such humiliation. Some couldn’t and quit, but the job market was flooded with people. As the manager said, “If you don’t do it, someone else will.”

The manager’s abuse, forcing female employees into degrading acts, and physical punishments had numbed everyone. The adaptability of people was truly frightening.

“Get to the point!” Lin Dongxue impatiently interrupted.

“Alright, alright. That night…”

He described how after dinner, the manager, as usual, called out underperforming employees, including Xiaoli. The manager then made them strip and drink continuously, despite their protests.

Several male employees passed out from drinking, and Xiaoli, who claimed to be ill, was forced to drink as well. During the process, the manager groped her, then ordered them to tie her to the table.

Despite feeling something was wrong, no one dared defy the manager. Once Xiaoli was tied up, the manager raped her in front of everyone. Xiaoli, already drunk, barely resisted.

After the manager was done, he went to smoke. A sycophantic employee followed suit, and after him, another, and then another.

“In total, how many?” Chen Shi asked.

“Seven… Seven of us, excluding the punished ones,” the employee said, sweating.

Then, someone suddenly realized Xiaoli wasn’t breathing. Panic ensued, and they tried CPR.

The manager, now sober, felt for her breath and told them, “You’re all in this now. If anyone talks, I’ll have them killed!”