Who would study psychology if they didn't have some kind of problem?

Chapter 530 Lying
The leader cleared his throat.

He had answered this question countless times before the trial, and he clearly had a prepared answer in mind.

Therefore, he answered fairly fluently: "I used to own a company, and most of them were my employees."

The prosecutor asked, "What company? You said 'most'; are the defendants present here your employees?"

The leader looked around and nodded, saying, "Yes, they are all my long-time employees."

He answered the second question first, which could be answered more concisely.

He then answered the first question in reverse: "The company creates and manages AI-generated digital avatars, which are essentially virtual anchors."

This answer is very well-structured—it begins with a professional, written introduction, followed by a more accessible explanation to help the listener understand.

As mentioned before, he has clearly been asked these questions countless times.

The prosecutor asked, "Why did you commit fraud?"

Upon hearing this question, the leader tilted his head slightly toward the lawyer, as if he wanted to look at him, but then stopped himself.

"At first, I heard people say that the AI ​​industry was the new era's hottest sector, and that it was easy to make money; I happened to have some money, so I invested it and started a company. This virtual streamer field has a relatively low barrier to entry..."

His speech became less formal and less concise, even sounding somewhat like storytelling.

"After entering this industry, I found that it was already very saturated, and I couldn't compete with those who entered earlier. I was almost bankrupt, and then, to make matters worse, I got scammed..."

He spoke with great emotion, and towards the end, the sobbing he had barely managed to suppress almost returned.

"Thump, thump." The presiding judge decisively raised his gavel and struck twice.

"Wang Zhenhai, don't talk about things that are irrelevant to this case. Just answer whatever the prosecutor asks."

The leader's emotions subsided very quickly this time.

"I was already close to losing all my money, and then I got scammed. I even reported it to the police when I was scammed, but the scammers were never caught, and I never got my money back."

The leader's account finally became brief, but his tone was strange, pausing between each sentence.

He would nod vigorously every time he paused after speaking a sentence.

“At that time, one of my employees had served in the military and told me during a chat that people who had just been discharged from the military would have some spare money. Later, I was really broke, and because I had been scammed and had a desire to take revenge on society, I started scamming people. Once I got the first one, I couldn’t stop.”

The prosecutor asked, "Is that veteran employee here too?"

The leader nodded vigorously: "Yes, sir."

As he spoke, he looked at the other person in the defendant's dock.

A low murmur arose from the scene. Those who were hearing the inside story for the first time couldn't help but sigh, while the victims showed expressions of indignation.

Nan Zhuren exchanged a glance with Chonghui and raised his eyebrows slightly.

……

The prosecutor's questioning was not yet over.

The prosecutor then asked, "How did you carry out your first fraud?"

The leader nodded vigorously: "Every year, the names of the new recruits are listed on a website. I have my employees check if they know anyone in their hometown companies, and then calculate roughly who will be discharged that year."

"After selecting the right person, they are handed over to the employee in charge of making phone calls. They pretend to be a new clerk from the People's Armed Forces Department or the original unit, saying that they need to verify the veteran's information and obtain basic information such as phone number and address."

The leader continued to nod vigorously: "Then select suitable veterans, call them, say that there are good job opportunities available, have them scan a QR code to download an app, and get the information in their photo album. My company happens to have AI synthesis equipment such as motion capture for previous business, and they all know how to use it. Then, a specialized technician will forge special videos, and then we can get the money."

The answer made the victims below frown, as if they were being scammed again. Some people involuntarily crossed their arms.

The prosecutor then asked, "How did you carry out your second fraud?"

The leader's answer echoed in the courtroom.

According to the leader Wang Zhenhai, his team was a professional targeted demolition team, not a scam that casts a wide net, but rather one that specifically targets a particular group.

Therefore, Wang Zhenhai could recount almost every crime he committed.

"..."

How did you carry out your third scam?

"..."

"The fourth time..."

"The fifth time..."

Wang Zhenhai nodded vigorously every time he answered.

His strength increased with each word, and his head began to move his entire neck and most of his upper body, as if he were bowing with every sentence he spoke.

At the last moment, he almost lost control, nearly hitting his head on the railing in front of him, and then burst into tears again.
"I'm sorry to those veterans. I was just too greedy for money. I was scammed too. I just..."

The presiding judge interrupted loudly without changing his expression: "Wang Zhenhai, control your emotions."

Then he turned to Wang Zhenhai and asked, "Does the prosecutor have any further questions for Wang Zhenhai?"

The prosecutor shook his head.

……

Chonghui leaned slightly towards Nan Zhuren and whispered, "What do you think of this Wang Zhenhai, the leader?"

Bai Qinghua turned to look at his two disciples but said nothing.

Attending a trial as a witness is a form of training; observing a trial and watching the proceedings is a form of training; and analyzing the reactions and emotions of the criminals and other people in the trial is also a form of training.

As long as they are not expelled, the disciples can train in whichever direction they want.

Nan Zhuren recalled for a moment and said softly, "This leader... is very skillful."

Chonghui kept his eyes on the stage, his lips barely moving as he spoke so as not to interfere with the trial: "Tell me, let's verify each other's claims."

Nan Zhuren and Chonghui spoke in almost the same way: "Throughout the entire process, they used the methods most effective at gaining trust."

"Maintaining eye contact for an extended period of time increases the credibility of your words through your posture."

"Take the initiative to confess and conceal information, needless to say, to make it seem like you are completely honest and can be treated leniently."

"There are also intermittent 'emotional breakdowns,' and the recovery from these breakdowns is faster as the story progresses. This can be basically confirmed as a performance, aimed at showing remorse and at the same time lowering one's own status to gain trust and even the slightest bit of sympathy; at the same time, it is subtle enough not to cause annoyance."

"Nodding repeatedly while speaking is also to increase the credibility of one's words. But..."

As he spoke, Nan Zhuren frowned slightly: "There is another interpretation to this nodding gesture."

　I'm experiencing writer's block. I've revised and deleted several times, and I only have one chapter tonight.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)