Chapter 232: Framing

The moment these banners appeared, the courtroom suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

Zhao Yi didn't make a sound, and the other Third District residents didn't make a sound either. They just quietly held up these banners, their expressions firm and stubborn.

"What are you doing?" A law enforcer saw this, his expression changing slightly, and he hurried over. "You are disturbing the order of the court! Put these things away at once!"

"We are just holding banners, we haven't made a sound, we haven't disturbed anyone, this doesn't count as disturbing the order of the court," Boss Xu said firmly.

"You..."

The law enforcer's expression changed repeatedly, but after hesitating for a long time, he still didn't take action.

It was clear that the Third District crowd had done their homework before coming. The scene Chen Ling had imagined—of them disrupting the court to defend Han Meng—didn't happen; instead, they had exploited a loophole in the rules of the Aurora City Tribunal. Seeing this, Chen Ling breathed a slight sigh of relief in his heart...

Han Meng, in the defendant's seat, seemed to hear the commotion, looked back, and saw the familiar faces in the public gallery, freezing in place.

Gu Yuan glanced at the banners, a faint smile flashing in his eyes, and continued in a deep voice:

"Defendant Han Meng, former Chief Law Enforcer of the Third District, defied law enforcement orders on December 13th, New Calendar 379, and unilaterally clashed with three law enforcers, resulting in the city gate being left unguarded. The trial now begins on the charges of 'defying orders' and 'dereliction of duty'..."

Gu Yuan's voice was unhurried, giving people a sense of being as steady as Mount Tai. Hearing halfway through, a flash of surprise appeared in Chen Ling's eyes.

"Huh..." Wen Shilin also whispered in surprise. "This statement of the case... is interesting. Could it be that someone in the higher-ups of the law enforcers is deliberately protecting Han Meng? After such a big incident, they only accused him of these two charges."

Wen Shilin thought the same as Chen Ling. Although what Gu Yuan said was indeed the truth, what happened at the time was far more than that, including Han Meng publicly questioning Aurora City and opening the gates for Chen Ling and the others, all of which had been deliberately omitted... In the end, it boiled down to the two charges of "defying orders" and "dereliction of duty," which could be interpreted as either serious or minor.

The Third District crowd also vaguely sensed something, but weren't quite sure. Only Boss Xu watched Gu Yuan on the judge's bench, looking thoughtful.

"It seems Han Meng is safe this time." Wen Shilin couldn't help but exclaim. "According to the current charges, even if he is sentenced, it won't exceed seven or eight years at most. That's already the best possible result."

As Gu Yuan finished speaking, his gaze swept over the crowd below and looked toward the position of Han Meng's defense lawyer.

"Defense, do you have any objections to this indictment?"

The defense lawyer stood up. He inadvertently glanced at the jury on the side and the media reporters in the public gallery, faint glimmers flickering in his eyes.

"I have an objection." The person who said this wasn't the defense lawyer, but the prosecutor sitting next to Gu Yuan. As soon as this sentence came out, it immediately attracted the attention of the entire courtroom.

Gu Yuan frowned, narrowed his eyes, and turned to look at the prosecutor. His expression was somewhat gloomy.

"Oh? What objection do you have?"

"During the investigation of the defendant, I discovered more details that contradict the current statement of the case. Please allow me to present them, Your Honor."

As soon as this was said, the reporters in the opposite gallery pulled out their pens and paper in unison to record it seriously. At the same time, countless camera lenses were aimed at Judge Gu Yuan, seemingly waiting for his answer.

Gu Yuan felt the change in the atmosphere in the courtroom, his gaze icy. He stared at the prosecutor beside him, and a faint murderous intent radiated out.

After a long time, he coldly spat out one word:

"Read."

"Third District Law Enforcer Han Meng, during his time managing the Third District, relied on his official power to coerce and exploit the residents of the Third District, led a group of law enforcers to forcibly collect protection money, and even colluded with criminal forces in the Second District to secretly engage in organ trafficking, drug trafficking, and arms trafficking..."

Hearing this, the expressions of everyone in the public gallery changed. They looked at the prosecutor in shock, their eyes full of disbelief.

"Damn it, what kind of bullshit are you spouting here?!!"

"Exactly! Chief Han Meng collecting protection money? Engaging in organ trafficking?? What kind of joke are you making??"

"Whose accusation is this? It's clearly a frame-up!!!"

“……”

The Third District crowd was furious. One by one, they stood up, pointed at the prosecutor's nose, and started cursing. Their voices instantly drowned out the prosecutor's statement, interrupting him.

Zhao Yi also widened his eyes, preparing to get up and say something, but was pressed back into his seat by Chen Ling's hand.

"Don't move." Chen Ling said in a low voice.

Just as Chen Ling finished speaking, several law enforcers, as if they had been prepared, came to the public gallery on this side and said coldly, "You are publicly disturbing the order of the court, your qualifications to listen in are revoked... Those who were cursing just now, please come out with us."

Without waiting for them to resist, the law enforcers swarmed up and forcibly escorted them away from the public gallery. In an instant, the number of people on this side was reduced by nearly two-thirds.

Watching their companions being dragged away while struggling, Zhao Yi's eyes were almost spitting fire. At the same time, Boss Xu's lowered voice came from behind:

"They did it on purpose... Xiao Yi, this is a courtroom, we must not be impulsive, understand?"

Zhao Yi took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress the anger in his heart. "But... this is clearly a frame-up!"

"A lie is a lie. Only by staying here can we become witnesses when necessary. I've finally realized that the forces in this Tribunal... aren't that simple either." Boss Xu looked toward the judge's bench, his eyes narrowing slightly.

On the judge's bench.

Gu Yuan stared at the interrupted prosecutor. "Prosecutor, why didn't you submit these accusations before the trial started?"

"Time was urgent, I only just learned about these things."

"Then you are accusing him now, do you have evidence?"

"I do." The prosecutor nodded. "Regarding organ trafficking, we have detailed transaction records from the underground ruins of the Star Chamber of Commerce, which clearly document the entire process of Han Meng organizing the looting of organs and trading them within the city; as for the forced collection of protection money, we have witnesses..."

"Please call the witness, Old Man Ding."

As soon as the prosecutor finished speaking, two law enforcers escorted an old man out from the side. The moment they saw that person, Zhao Yi and the others in the public gallery widened their eyes in disbelief.

"Old Ding?? How could he be here..." Xu Chongguo muttered to himself.

Zhao Yi seemed to think of something, murderous intent flickering in his eyes. "This damn traitor..."

Old Man Ding kept his head low, his narrow eyes scanning Han Meng and the public gallery sneakily, but he didn't dare to meet their eyes at all. Only after walking to the witness stand did he raise his head and look at the many law enforcers on the judge's bench.

He took a deep breath and said decisively:

"I can testify that everything the prosecutor said is true!"