In the audience, people were initially slouched, somewhat inattentive, with some unconsciously twirling their pens and others lightly scratching the edge of their notebooks with their nails.
But now it was as if an invisible hand had gripped the backs of their necks, forcing them to sit up straight.
The two members of the on-site visiting team who had just returned from the outer county were particularly noticeable.
They were slumped in their chairs, one of them wiping sweat from his forehead with a mud-stained sleeve, his clothes speckled with dirt.
The other persistently tapped the floor with the tip of his shoe, making a rhythmic tapping sound.
Their arms crossed over their chests, fingers nervously drumming on their arms, shoulders slightly hunched forward, eyes full of suspicion towards this analyst sitting in the office.
However, Jiang An's next words cut into the heart of the case like a sharp scalpel.
