Sixty thousand, that's a number that's neither too much nor too little.

It's important to know that the minimum amount for corruption and bribery starts at six thousand yuan.

Sixty thousand yuan is already ten times that standard.

For the leaders present, who hasn't accepted something worth sixty thousand yuan? But it was all done secretly, never exposed. Now, providing evidence in front of so many people, everyone naturally has to show considerable surprise.

Bjorn Dixon heard these words.

Ecstasy.

Pretending to be serious, he asked, "Chairman Bates, you mustn't say things rashly. We need evidence."

Leonard Bates, full of confidence, turned and pointed to the folder Conway Sawyer was examining, and said, "In that folder, we have a witness's testimony. I dare to stand on this platform and testify because the evidence is conclusive."

As soon as he finished speaking,

the audience erupted in boos.

But no one noticed that at this moment, on the second row of the stage, the face of Idris Wright, the party disciplinary head, was becoming increasingly unsightly.

At this point,

Conway Sawyer and Brogan Grant had finished reading the contents of the folder.

Bjorn Dixon also glanced through it.

Leonard Bates, with his prosecutorial background, seemed to have built an airtight evidence chain.

"Dirk Carter, do you have anything to say?"

Conway Sawyer's face was somewhat grim.

He addressed the microphone and asked.

Dirk Carter removed the ribbon from his body, stepped onto the platform, and Maeve Winters handed him a microphone. After receiving it, he surveyed everyone present and said, "Yes, Chairman Bates spoke the truth. I did indeed take a cash card worth sixty thousand yuan from Director Templeton Quill."

A shocking statement.

Everyone thought Dirk Carter would try to argue.

No one expected him to outright admit it in front of everyone.

This made Bjorn Dixon even happier.

He promptly asked, "The comrade from the Tobacco Bureau, Templeton Quill, are you here?"

Below the stage,

in a corner,

Templeton Quill hesitantly stood up.

After hesitating a bit, he walked towards the stage. Anyone could see that he was a bit wobbly as he walked, clearly quite nervous.

"Comrade Templeton Quill, what do you have to say about this matter?"

Bjorn Dixon asked.

Templeton Quill shivered slightly, his eyes subconsciously glancing towards the second row of the platform.

"Templeton Quill, I'm asking you a question. Why are you looking around?"

This statement startled him again.

He was riddled with guilt.

The evidence from the political consultative conference was irrefutable, and Dirk Carter had admitted to it, so it seemed that lying was no longer an option. Swallowing hard, he said, "Report to the leaders, I... indeed gave Deputy Magistrate Carter a few shopping cards, but these were bought with my own money, not from my corruption or bribery."

"Ha, Director Templeton, it seems like you have plenty of money. You casually buy sixty thousand yuan worth of shopping cards and host meals worth several thousand yuan per table. Are you a rich second generation?"

Leonard Bates said sarcastically.

This made the audience burst into laughter.

Templeton Quill dared not answer, his hands rubbing together nervously like a student awaiting criticism.

At this moment,

Leonard Bates extended his hand again.

The secretary handed another folder to him.

He raised the folder and said, "Today, I have another matter to address—a horrendous matter."

After saying this, he first handed the folder to Conway Sawyer and then faced the audience below, saying, "Last September, a girl named Coltrane Vincent was hired through the proper channels to work at the Tobacco Bureau. Please look at the screen."

After speaking,

Leonard Bates snapped his fingers.

The screen displayed a photo of a girl.

This was Coltrane Vincent's work photo, she looked young, vibrant, and very beautiful.

Leonard Bates pointed at the photo and said, "Less than two weeks after joining the Tobacco Bureau, this young girl returned home to tell her father that she was raped by Director Templeton Quill at work..."

A gasp resounded from the audience.

This time, Leonard Bates didn't pause and continued, "Encouraged by her father, the victim intended to report the incident to the police. Somehow, a group intercepted them midway, abducted Coltrane Vincent again, and Coltrane went missing for about ten days. During this time, she was repeatedly gang-raped by several men, leading to a mental breakdown. A once vivacious young girl was thus sent to a psychiatric hospital..."

Gasps resounded again.

Templeton Quill was utterly terrified.

Wiping cold sweat from his forehead.

Said, "Chairman Bates... you're slandering me; this never happened..."

Leonard Bates chuckled and said, "I knew you would deny it. No problem, Deputy Chief Winters, please come up."

Under everyone's watchful gaze, Maeve Winters, in police uniform, ascended the stage.

Leonard Bates addressed Maeve Winters, "Deputy Chief Winters, please brief the leaders on the specific situation."

Maeve Winters nodded and said, "Report to all leaders, I am Maeve Winters, just appointed as Deputy Chief and head of the Criminal Investigation Unit at the Kenton County Police Department. After my appointment, Chairman Bates requested my assistance to investigate a case. I assigned police resources from the Criminal Investigation Unit for thorough investigations and have now apprehended four criminal suspects. They admitted to being instructed by Templeton Quill to abduct Coltrane Vincent en route and had gang-raped her..."

Maeve Winters' account caused Templeton Quill to stagger.

He nearly fell onto the stage.

Seeing him in such a state,

Leonard Bates continued, "During Coltrane Vincent's disappearance and after entering the psychiatric hospital, her father Dennis Vincent repeatedly reported to the disciplinary committee and police, only to be detained for 'creating disturbances.' Therefore, in this case, it's clear that there are interests intertwined between the disciplinary committee and the police department with the Tobacco Bureau's Templeton Quill."

"After thorough investigations by the political consultative conference, the Police Criminal Investigation Department, and the Prosecution Anti-Corruption Bureau, they have discovered Kenton County Party Disciplinary Head Idris Wright and County Police Deputy Chief Emmett Langdon are closely associated with Templeton Quill. Among their families, too, there's evidence of interest exchanges. I have solid reason to believe they are Templeton Quill's protectors!"

If the preceding was trivial, the appearance of these two names was akin to a bomb.

Idris Wright on the stage and Emmett Langdon below were already trembling with fear, and curious gazes were cast upon them.

Leonard Bates finished speaking and paused, then glanced at Dirk Carter standing nearby.

Murmured, "Even though our evidence only captured Dirk Carter accepting bribery once, I have reason to believe that Deputy Magistrate Carter is also a part of the protection racket."

His thrust never shifted away from Dirk Carter.

Idris Wright and Emmett Langdon dared not make a sound.

But Dirk Carter dared.

He chuckled and said, "Chairman Bates, you flatter me. During my interaction with Templeton Quill, I had just assumed the role of Deputy Magistrate. Before then, I was merely a school council director. Do you truly believe a school council director is worth Templeton Quill's attention? Perhaps he wanted access to the expansive student market?"

This statement did seem to have a point.

Upon reflection, it seemed somewhat far-fetched.

Some couldn't help but chuckle.

Leonard Bates' face turned red with anger, "Yet, accepting bribery is a fact, isn't it?"

"It's a fact, but I handed over the money."

"Handed over? To whom did you hand it over?"

Leonard Bates asked coldly.

At that moment,

Helen Fletcher stepped forward.

Said, "That money was handed over to me by Dirk Carter after the dinner party."

Yet another bomb.

Leaving them stunned.

Helen Fletcher continued, "Of course, if anyone doubts it, those cards are locked in my office drawer, and I can immediately have someone retrieve them. They are clearly documented with their source."

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