Chapter 663

Barry was an employee of the power supply company and had accumulated significant experience at his relatively young age.

For him, this job was considered a secure and stable source of income.

However, he was an honest individual who did not resort to questionable means. He had been transferred to the big city for career development, but little did he know that life would become even more challenging in the urban setting. Despite the salary increase, the cost of living soared. To support his family, Barry had to take up additional work.

“I don’t possess any specialized skills. I’ve always relied on working harder and waiting for an opportunity. I’m willing to do anything,” Barry expressed.

“After a harsh winter, the wires and dampers between the transmission towers required a thorough inspection. We were responsible for maintaining this particular line…”

In urban areas, high-voltage power transmission typically involved underground cables with insulation layers. However, in more remote regions, overhead lines supported by iron towers were commonly used.

According to mandatory standards, newly planned power lines above 35kV in urban areas should utilize underground cables, particularly in downtown areas and busy streets.

However, in Xigbar District, there was a designated “high-voltage line corridor,” and a section of the line passed through the city center where the incident occurred.

“We paid special attention to this line, and every maintenance team was vigilant to prevent any accidents…”

The collapse of a high-voltage line due to strong winds was a grave accident.

“When I arrived at the scene, I realized that no one was there. It dawned on me that everyone was unwilling to take responsibility for the accident. If I were the first to arrive, I had to shoulder the responsibility.”

Although the worker originally assigned to handle the maintenance that day held more accountability, Barry understood that if anything went wrong upon his arrival, it would be his responsibility.

“I was such a fool…” Barry covered his face and wept bitterly. “I didn’t know what I was thinking, using two boards…”

Addressing an emergency failure of a high-voltage line required a power outage operation. Upon reaching the scene, the fault point needed to be identified, and the power outage had to be completed within 20 minutes.

After Barry reported the incident, it only took 20 minutes for the accident to happen.

He was overcome with fear and self-blame upon the girl’s tragic death.

He believed that he could have prevented the accident from happening if he had acted differently.

Blake shook his head and explained, “Taking into account the overall circumstances of the incident, the high-voltage line didn’t fall due to your error, nor was it related to your work that day. You hurried over out of concern, and it took you some time to notice the warning sign. The warning signs were not enough, and the girl’s accident wouldn’t have happened just by looking at the road.”

If Barry followed the regular reporting procedure, he would not have had to shoulder much responsibility. At most, he would have faced internal repercussions within the system.

However, in a panic, he took the girl’s body away.

Lilly asked with sadness, “Why did you take Tracy’s body?”

Barry sobbed as he struggled to answer, “I was afraid of bearing the responsibility. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to explain it clearly. They are skilled at evading blame, and I’m scared that I wouldn’t be able to fight back…”

“And deep down, I felt like I was the one who caused her death. If people found out, I would lose my job…”

“My elderly father needs medication and medical care, my mother’s health is deteriorating, and my wife is unable to work. If I crumbled, what would happen to the entire family?”

“So I took the body away. Even if an investigative team arrived later to ask about what happened that night, I would simply claim that after reporting the fault, I waited at the back door of the mall and knew nothing…”

Everyone suspected that the girl had been electrocuted to death. However, because Barry had placed two boards that were blown away, leaving no traces at the scene, this suspicion was ruled out.

Barry’s words were accompanied by uncontrollable tears.

Blake shook his head slightly, dialed a phone number, and quietly instructed a few people to come over, maintaining a low profile.

Such was the nature of Barry’s family and his character.

In a moment of confusion, Barry made a grave mistake.

The consequences were unfortunate, and it seemed misfortune targeted the poor.

Lilly whispered, “Josh, what is the crime of hiding a corpse? How many years will you be sentenced to?”

Josh shook his head, “I’m not sure. If you fail to report what you know, you may not be charged.

However, taking away and hiding the corpse could be considered a similar offense to covering up or harboring a crime. It could result in a sentence of at least three years…”

Earlier, Uncle Blake said that Barry would be on a “business trip” for one or two years, so it seemed that Barry wouldn’t be able to escape for the next couple of years.

Soon, some officers arrived and dug up the two corpses from the foam box where the vegetables were being grown.

The bodies were charred and severely burned. At first glance, one might mistake them for the remains of a child around eight or nine years old. The body was thinner than the average child of that age…

The girl’s body was stiff, and Barry had pressed it down to facilitate burial. Her arm was broken, and she was wrapped in layers of plastic wrap…

The police placed the girl’s body in a body bag, covering it with other bags, and quietly took it away.

Barry hurriedly returned home and packed some clothes, only mentioning that the project required his immediate departure.

His elderly mother chased after him, calling out, “Shall we have lunch before you leave? Just a quick bite so that you won’t be hungry on the way.”

Barry paused for a moment, then shook his head and replied, “No, we’ve assembled several maintenance teams from across the country, and each team is sending one member… My boss is waiting for me, and I can’t keep him waiting.”

The elderly woman nodded repeatedly, saying, “That’s right, work hard when you go, don’t cause any trouble… The boss trusts you by choosing you, but don’t forget to eat properly after working hard!”

Keisha held her children while the younger one was propped up on the steps. She spoke, “Stay safe, the boss mentioned that the project is confidential and you’re not allowed to make phone calls. I’ll be waiting for you at home, so don’t worry about us.”

Barry struggled to hold back his tears, but his nose felt congested, and tears welled up uncontrollably in his eyes.

He quickly took his little daughter’s hand and reassured her, “Don’t worry!”

His two sons ran over and clung to his thigh, saying, “Daddy, we’ll miss you.”

Barry could only manage to say, “Okay, okay.”

He hurriedly walked away with his luggage.

His family stood at the foot of the stairs, craning their necks to watch him leave. Keisha pulled the children back, trying to shield them from the emotional scene.

The elderly couple stood there for a long time, before finally letting out a deep sigh, “One or two years…”

When people are about to leave, they fear accidents.

Naturally, they also carried their worries, afraid that something might happen during the next two years, and they would not see their son before he left.

But what could they do? They had to keep running to make a living…