Chapter 1274: Judgment

Han Meng's appearance here took Chen Ling by surprise.

Under his deliberate arrangement, both the Pu family and the Nanhai Police Station had been led in circles, with almost all their attention drawn toward the fleeing Pu Jianyue... But no matter what methods Chen Ling used to shake him off, Han Meng seemed able to grab his tail time and time again, then lock onto his location.

He had only just shaken off Han Meng at the Pu family gate, and in the blink of an eye, the other party had actually chased him all the way to the Nanhai Police Station...

Even arriving faster than those police officers!

"If everyone in the Nanhai Realm were as smart as you, I'm afraid I would have died long ago." Chen Ling laughed at himself.

"It's different." Han Meng replied calmly, "I chased you here not because I'm smarter than you, but because... I understand you better than anyone else.

Everyone treats you as the world-ending Mocking Disaster; only I use 'Chen Ling's' way of thinking to simulate your logic."

Chen Ling did not answer.

He scanned the towering Tribunal pillars around him and the silver light patterns covering the prison, asking with a half-smile:

"Then, Officer Han Meng... are you going to try to arrest me?"

Familiar words lingered in his ears, instantly pulling Han Meng's thoughts back to the Aurora Realm... After a brief moment of distraction, a faint, imperceptible smile curled onto that stern face again.

"...You know the answer."

The entire Nanhai Realm, and even all human realms, treated Chen Ling as an enemy of humanity, labeling him with all sorts of accusations. Only Han Meng stood up for his justice, going so far as to judge the councilors for him at the Alliance Council...

So, while anyone in the entire Nanhai Realm might arrest Chen Ling,

only Han Meng would not.

Han Meng knew better than anyone what Chen Ling had done and what kind of person he was.

Chen Ling raised an eyebrow, "Then this grand Tribunal of yours..."

Han Meng stood in the center of the Tribunal and glanced casually outside the prison.

"I know you are innocent, but there are always some fools who think they know better... If I weren't here, it would be one thing, but since I am here, I naturally cannot stand by and watch them take you away... wouldn't you agree?"

……

Outside the prison.

"Hurry!! Support the prison!!"

"Do we know who the enemy is??"

"I just sensed a terrifying aura of disaster inside; I suspect it might be..."

"Chen Ling?? He actually forced his way into the Nanhai Police Station??"

"People have already been sent to the Pu family to ask for help; they should be here soon!"

"Never mind, let's rush in first!"

Several officers with five or six stars on their chests inquired around, then gritted their teeth and swarmed toward the prison.

But just as they were about to break into the prison, strands of judgment light patterns bloomed from the outer walls of the chimney-like prison. The aura of the [Judgment] leader surged backward, directly forcing all the officers present to retreat several steps!

"This... this is..." The officers' faces were full of astonishment.

"Is it a domain?"

"It's [The Tribunal]!"

"I remember now, a man in a black trench coat rushed in the moment the attack started. Could it be that legendary genius Law Enforcer?"

"Damn it, this [Tribunal] not only trapped the enemy but also blocked us out... How are we supposed to go in and provide support??"

"If that officer is the one taking action... do we even need to provide support?"

"But even the [Judgment] leader can't beat the Mocking Disaster, right?"

"And if we go in, would we be able to win?"

Everyone fell into silence simultaneously.

None of the Divine Path possessors currently at the police station could break Han Meng's [Tribunal].

And even if they did break in, they wouldn't be Chen Ling's match... In that case, why were they in such a hurry to go in?

"Forget it, let's wait for the Pu family's rescue; they should be here soon."

An officer patted the outer wall of the Tribunal and let out a long sigh.

……

Chen Ling was silent for a long time:

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Han Meng said calmly, "I should have cleared your name in the human realms and restored your innocence, but I failed to do so... I am sorry."

"It's not really a matter of 'sorry.' After all, even you can't wake up a group of people who are pretending to be asleep."

Han Meng thought about his experiences during this time and nodded:

"You're absolutely right."

He looked at the shivering Xiao Bai and the limp, powerless Xiao Tao, and asked again: "People from the Fusion Faction?"

"Yes."

"People from the Fusion Faction shouldn't enter the Nanhai Realm... especially when they are so young."

"I didn't intend to bring them here; an accident happened along the way."

"But coming here with such a grand display to save them, it will be hard for you to escape."

"No matter how hard it is, I have to save them." Chen Ling paused for a moment, pointing at Xiao Bai and Xiao Tao one after the other. "This one is a junior from my Ghost Mocking Abyss, and that one... is Xi Renjie's younger sister."

Hearing the name "Xi Renjie," Han Meng froze in place for a moment.

His gaze immediately fell on Xiao Tao, and he looked at her carefully for a long while, gradually matching her features with those of Xi Renjie in his mind.

A complex look flickered in Han Meng's eyes...

"Then she must be saved. If it were me, I would save her too."

Han Meng and Xi Renjie had a friendship spanning many years. Back in District 3, Xi Renjie had always done things for him, and their relationship was far closer than that between Chen Ling and Xi Renjie... This girl might be the last relative Xi Renjie had in the world, and Han Meng would not allow anything to happen to her.

Even if she was a Fuser.

"I need your help." Chen Ling looked at Han Meng and said solemnly.

"Help you escape?"

"No, help me let the Fusion Faction people in... just like you opened the gates to let the survivors of District 3 into Aurora City back then."

Chen Ling briefly explained the current plight of the Fusion Faction and his purpose for coming to the Nanhai Realm. Now that Chen Ling's identity was exposed and he was trapped in the police station, it was uncertain whether he could escape alive... In the worst-case scenario, he could act as bait to attract the attention of the Nanhai Realm, but at the same time, he definitely needed someone who could open the gates for the Fusion Faction.

Now, a very good candidate was right in front of him.

But after hearing his description, Han Meng shook his head without hesitation:

"No, I refuse."

"Why?"

"Back then, I opened the gates for the District 3 survivors because I knew them. They were residents of my jurisdiction, and I had an obligation to protect their safety... But this time is different." Han Meng's tone was incredibly firm.

"You want to open the gates to let the Fusion Faction into the Nanhai Realm because you are familiar enough with them, but I don't know them. I don't know if they are good or evil. I cannot put the entire realm at risk because of my personal friendship with you."

"They are good people, a group of pitiful people." Chen Ling added.

"I trust you, Chen Ling, but that doesn't mean I trust everyone you trust..." Han Meng's tone was extremely serious.

"Whether they are good or evil, I only trust my own judgment."