Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 692 Dead Man's Buns Are Not to Be Eaten

"what can we do?"

Zheng Mingxing sat in Li Yiduo's seat and spun the chair around to try out the so-called ergonomic chair that the guy had brought from home.

It must be said that this chair is indeed very comfortable to sit in, even more supportive of the back than the genuine leather chairs in the police station, and it's not even that expensive. It's just a pity that the police station is, after all, a government unit. It's one thing for them to turn a blind eye to Li Yiduo's private actions, but it's really impossible for them to make a unified purchase.

When Zheng Mingxing asked him a question, Li Yiduo thought for a moment and then offered his suggestions.

"Can we restrict the behavior of these online celebrities? They are freely entering and leaving that community to film, which has already affected the daily lives of the residents. I have seen some live stream footage, with seventy or eighty online celebrities setting up equipment there to do live streams, using all sorts of uncivilized language and shouting, making a complete mess of the scene. This is obviously the job of our police station. Although these streamers have freedom of movement and freedom of speech, they can't just inconvenience other people in the community, can they?"

"Because our police force is limited, and they are very clever, they did not go into other people's private areas to broadcast live. They only broadcast live in public spaces, which is a personal freedom permitted by law."

Zheng Mingxing smiled helplessly and said softly, "Even if some people's filming content involves personal privacy and infringes on their privacy rights, it is well known that the law is lagging behind and difficult to enforce. Unless there are video clips, it is very difficult to collect evidence of their illegality in live streaming. Those internet celebrities use 'borderline' but not 'illegal' methods to conduct live streaming, and under the current law, there is a lack of clear legal basis for punishment."

"So, you mean we know they're affecting the lives of local residents, but we can only turn a blind eye? If that's the case, what's the point of you asking me what else we can do, Professor Zheng?"

Li Yiduo sneered.

Zheng Mingxing shook his head.

"My question is, can we, at the network level or at the level of the live streaming company, demand that the platform the other party belongs to order these people to stop spreading and discussing the Wang Jun incident?"

"It's obviously unlikely."

Li Yiduo does not believe that those platform companies will voluntarily give up their profits.

After all, while the Wang Jun incident has impacted society and the people of Zhangzhou, the topics it generated and the revenue from live streaming are undeniable. Behind these live-streaming influencers in Zhangzhou, there are likely platform requirements.

“I understand! Since the lazy and shortcut methods are useless, let the police station handle this matter! First, send someone to persuade them, and at the same time arrange for the affected residents to file a complaint; if any residents indicate that they will call the police, we will have enough reason to get involved and deal with these internet celebrities in a strong manner.”

Zheng Mingxing made a decision quickly.

In this regard, he and Nie Guoqiang were equally decisive. No matter how much benefit the influencer economy might bring, or what kind of publicity it could generate for the local area, if its existence did more harm than good, then it had to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Without hesitation, Zheng Mingxing immediately ordered Zhang Yong to lead a team to deal with the issues of these internet celebrities.

Being an internet celebrity isn't wrong, and live streaming isn't a bad thing; however, when your behavior impacts society and affects the normal lives of others, then your behavior is wrong!
It may be able to evade legal constraints through borderline methods, but it still needs to be stopped.

Soon, three police cars arrived at the residential area where Wang Jun had rented a place before his death.

Despite his passing, Xi Wanjing still lives in the rented apartment. As a fellow livestreamer, Xi Wanjing understands the potential profits from online buzz. So, even if twice as many internet celebrities came, she would welcome them. This woman even hired an assistant to deliver water and gifts to the livestreamers under the guise of caring for tourists, all in an effort to attract more viewers and amplify the topic's popularity.

The livestreamers outside the residential area were also well aware of Xi Wanjing's identity and her motives.

However, everyone's interests are aligned; only when the topic remains popular and its popularity lasts longer can everyone reap higher rewards. This is a feast shared by all streamers and video bloggers, so how can we let it end so easily?

Therefore, while everyone tacitly accepted Xi Wanjing's bribery, they also engaged in various online speculations and conspiracy theories. Some even portrayed Xi Wanjing as a murderer protected by the police, while others defended her, arguing that although her morals were questionable, her actions did not violate the law. Opinions were divided online, with many taking sides; everyone was working together to prolong the hype.

The police cars coming from outside the residential area did not frighten these livestreamers.

Because they've done similar things far too many times. In recent years, with the rise of live streaming, they've traveled all over the country. Where would the police dare to stop them? If they just say a few words about it online, wouldn't the reputation of the police be completely ruined?
However, this time, they ran into a brick wall.

"Put your things away! Live streaming is not allowed here! Do you know you're violating people's privacy rights? This is a residential area!"

Zhang Yong shouted sternly without any politeness, while waving his hand to order his colleagues at the police station to restrain these people. Anyone who disobeyed orders and insisted on resisting would be arrested on the grounds of violating citizens' privacy and affecting public order.

To be honest, although the country's legislation regarding live streaming is not perfect, the public security regulations are all-encompassing. If you really want to find fault with these guys, how could you not find any?

These people's actions have clearly impacted the lives of ordinary people, and even if they were arrested, they wouldn't be able to be severely punished. However, this is no excuse for police to be lazy. No matter how busy the police are, they cannot turn a blind eye to minor offenses.

"Put it away! No live streaming allowed!"

"Leave the community! Do you realize you're causing trouble for them?"

"Get out of the way! Who gave you permission to gather together?"

"Still broadcasting? You think you can scare me by filming me? You're dreaming. As long as I act according to the law, I have no scruples!"

Under Lin Ge's silent gaze, the police station's operation did not achieve much. These people, relying on their numbers and the fact that the law does not punish the masses, coupled with the fact that the police were too busy, completely ignored Zhang Yong's orders.

The online influencers on the outermost perimeter, after being spotted by the police, chuckled, packed up their things, and disappeared into the crowd, moving to other spots to set up their phones again.

The streamers, eager for as much entertainment as possible, started live-streaming police enforcement activities.

Of course, those who do this are either fools or people who are willing to risk their lives for money and fame. Most people who know a little about the law or have someone guiding them only broadcast live from the ground or the sky while listening to the sounds, making sure the police are never shown.

Zhang Yong and his colleagues worked hard for half a day, but the results were indeed limited.

"Are you forcing me to take action?"

Just as Zhang Yong was getting increasingly angry and even considering resorting to violence, several more pickup trucks suddenly drove up outside. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be vehicles belonging to the urban management officers; Zheng Mingxing had called in backup after worrying that Zhang Yong wouldn't be able to handle the situation.

Moreover, to some extent, dealing with these shameless so-called internet celebrities is indeed something that the urban management department should do.

Or rather, the existence of these people has seriously affected local residents. Even though they have attracted attention online, more people have also discovered their abnormality or their disruption of order and morality, which makes them something that must be addressed.

Therefore, after receiving Zheng Mingxing's signal, the Municipal Urban Management Bureau did not hesitate to send a large team to support the colleagues at Zhanghe Police Station.

With the support of these dozen or so urban management officers, plus the help of residents from surrounding communities who rushed over after receiving the news, the number of police officers immediately exceeded the number of livestreamers. Furthermore, one side was official, and the other was operating a clandestine operation; their aura and courage were vastly different. Therefore, after the first few uncivilized internet celebrities who resisted were handcuffed and thrown aside by Zhang Yong and his men, the others immediately packed their belongings and scattered like birds, quickly disappearing from sight.

But Zhang Yong knew that if he couldn't clearly see the consequences of continuing like this, the police and urban management officers would come back as soon as they left.

After all, these guys have never been shameless.

To put it bluntly, how could someone who cares about their image possibly manage a live stream that's solely focused on generating online buzz? They'd probably break down after being bombarded with insults and negativity in the comments section.

So even though these people left, Zhang Yong still arranged for Zhao Zhigao and Zhang Ke to stand guard here, and after thinking about it, he also kept Sun Chang and Lin Ge behind.

The online buzz fades quickly. If no one continues to hype this topic for two or three days, it will naturally be forgotten, and netizens will shift their attention elsewhere.

And these online celebrities, like beekeepers, quickly move on to the next trending spot. "Can't there be a permanent solution?"

Zhao Zhigao was somewhat annoyed and sighed, complaining, "These guys are just like the gangs of thieves back in the day. They run wherever there's excitement, steal from a city, and then retreat, leaving us police officers exhausted and annoyed."

"Therefore, we must use the strongest measures to restrain them, just like we did during the crackdown years ago, so that they know that the internet is never a lawless zone. Profiting from human suffering and exploiting the tragedy for publicity is utterly depraved!"

Zhang Ke smiled gently, but his eyes were sharp.

"It's not as simple as you say! Besides, internet celebrities aren't without their good points. If they promote the city's advantages and contribute to the city's tourism economy, then they might have a positive side."

Sun Chang gave Zhang Ke a push, then summarized, "Ultimately, someone needs to guide us, right? We can't let online platforms prioritize profit and low-quality content; instead, we should focus on more positive things. To be honest, in my opinion, given the current size of the livestreaming industry in China, with just a little guidance and support, turning a city into a 'celebrity city' would be incredibly easy! The economic benefits that could be generated are unimaginable! The employment rate and career paths that a 'celebrity city' can create would also be a new addition to various industries across the country! This is the true significance of emerging professions, not just creating internet celebrity millionaires!"

"..."

Lin Ge, Zhao Zhigao, and Zhang Ke stared at Sun Chang in disbelief. No one had expected such remarkable words to come from Sun Chang's mouth; only a professional economist could possess such insight.
"What are you looking at? I shouldn't even know such a thing!"

Sun Chang blushed and glared at the two men, especially Zhang Ke.

How dare a boyfriend look at his girlfriend like that? Isn't he afraid of getting beaten up? Besides, why shouldn't what he heard from his own father be considered his own?
Sun Chang didn't feel embarrassed at all.

And after today's chaos, she felt even more strongly that the old man's words made sense. "Internet celebrity" was never a derogatory term! But its rapid development and lack of guidance have gradually turned it into a negative thing in people's eyes.

Lacking manners and culture, spewing vulgarities, and engaging in vulgar and tasteless conversations; even those streamers signed by major platforms for tens of millions can make money playing simple games like Dou Dizhu (a card game) and mindless games—this kind of behavior is absolutely unacceptable.

On the surface, it expands the income channels for low-educated groups; but on the other hand, it also guides society to change values, lowers people's expectations and demands for their children to study hard, which has a very serious negative impact.

In the past, if you wanted to become famous, you had to go to a film or music academy, right?

Now... as long as you know how to hype things up, and just one stroke of luck, you can earn more money than an average person could in a lifetime. Such values ​​are undoubtedly extremely negative for national development.

Just like now... eating human blood buns and dead people buns has become a perfectly legitimate thing, which would have been absolutely impossible even in the old society or even the feudal period.

The concept of "saving face" seems to have been weakened by societal trends.

Zhao Zhigao and Zhang Ke remained dumbfounded.

Even Lin Ge changed his opinion of Sun Chang.

So…she's that capable? Her explanation was logical and flawless. To some extent, the police are the first to feel the changes in social atmosphere. For ordinary people, the development of the internet and live streaming might just be another way to pass the time; but for the police, it represents much more. And on many levels, it has made police enforcement less smooth and righteous than it used to be.

"Our actions just now will probably be live-streamed online soon. At that time, the violent enforcement, the forced enforcement, or the scrutiny of violations with a magnifying glass will likely spread online."

Zhang Ke sighed.

"So what? As long as I have a clear conscience, there are no taboos!"

Sun Chang thought more freely than Zhang Ke, or rather, she rarely won an argument with her boyfriend on a grand scale, and she wanted to stand with her hands on her hips and hold her nose high.

"How do we resolve Xi Wanjing's situation? If we let her continue livestreaming like this, and keep using Wang Jun's situation to feign grievances and gain views, this matter probably won't be completely resolved anytime soon, right?"

Zhao Zhigao brought up another matter.

Or rather, the whole thing gained popularity entirely through Xi Wanjing's efforts to stir things up.

It's unclear whether she orchestrated the initial video. However, if she hadn't been constantly complaining and explaining her situation in her livestreams, things would never have escalated to this point. She'd rather be condemned by thousands online than give up on livestreaming; this shows just how much profit she's in it.

"Should we talk to Wang Jun's father, and then have him, as the family member of the victim of defamation, sue Xi Wanjing?"

Sun Chang proposed a method.

"Don't you think things have gotten bigger enough? Not to mention how long it will take to get a result in court, do you believe that once the court summons is issued, Xi Wanjing will immediately escalate the situation even further! With government officials getting involved, it could seriously damage the image and authority of the public security, procuratorate, and judiciary!"

Zhang Ke opposed Sun Chang's proposal.

Because he understood one thing very well: no legal judgment can guarantee 100% authority or be without flaws. Humans are best at finding fault, and besides, legal provisions themselves are restrictive, and it's difficult to ensure they are completely consistent with the moral values ​​of ordinary people.

Just like those controversial cases in previous years, regardless of whether the judgment is right or wrong, the slightest misstep could be a major blow to social order.

In essence, public security, procuratorial, and judicial organs should be kept away from entertainment and personal hot topics. Only by maintaining absolute independence and fairness can they gain the trust of those involved in legal matters and prevent them from raising questions.

Only independence can achieve selflessness, but this is already very difficult to achieve in today's economic society. Given this, why further undermine the authority of the law and the public security organs?

"What should I do?"

Sun Chang was a little annoyed; she had just made a name for herself when that jerk rejected her.

"Let's talk to Xi Wanjing."

Zhang Ke sighed and looked up at the balcony of the room where Xi Wanjing was.

He knew this matter was not simple.

Xi Wanjing would rather continue living in a house where someone died, and continue live streaming despite being criticized online. How could she possibly compromise so easily?
Xi Wanjing won't let Wang Jun off the hook until she's fully capitalized on this wave of attention. In the end, she might even resort to legal action, all to continue generating buzz.

Wang Jun was truly blind to have encountered such a woman. Last time, he was lucky enough to be saved from the jaws of death by Mimi, but this time, no one was there to save him. If Xi Wanjing had just glanced at him then, he might have survived.

"Sigh! Let's give it a try. Her borderline live streaming falls into a gray area that's not explicitly prohibited by law. But if we really investigate, surely we can find fault with her?"

Zhang Ke made his decision, scoffed, and said, "She's already made enough money. If she's still so stubborn, we'll find a reason to ban her live stream. Without her embellishment, no matter how much others hype it up, it'll only be a short-lived buzz, and they'll be replaced very quickly."

"This is the only thing we can do! Hopefully, the platform she uses for live streaming won't be like her, only concerned with making easy money and ignoring the impact on social values."

Zhao Zhigao sighed, not believing that things would be as simple as Zhang Ke thought.

And this is just the beginning; many more people watching this have yet to step in!

When it comes to self-interest, morality and ethics don't apply.

(End of this chapter)