Chapter 233: Changes in the Court

*Pop, pop, pop*—

The flashes of magnesium lights went off one after another. The many reporters in the public gallery recorded this scene completely, their pen tips dancing rapidly on the pages, fearing they would miss a single word of the conversation.

Under Gu Yuan's oppressive pressure, fine beads of sweat seeped out on the prosecutor's back. Even so, he still chose to continue speaking:

"Your Honor, I haven't finished reading yet."

"...Read!"

"During this period, the defendant Han Meng actively contacted the Twilight Society. After negotiations, the two sides completed a secret transaction. When the seven major districts lost Aurora's protection, Han Meng abandoned the Third District and defected to Aurora City alone, hoping to use his [Judgment] talent to gain an opportunity to enter the city.

After entering the city, according to the agreement reached by both sides, Han Meng betrayed the law enforcement system and worked from the inside with the Twilight Society to open the gates of Aurora City, allowing the heretic Chen Ling to sneak into the city.

After [Heart of Red 6] Chen Ling entered the city, he committed self-immolation in front of everyone, spreading the plague virus on his body into Aurora City along with the dust, thereby completing a round of biochemical attacks against Aurora City..."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present couldn't sit still, especially the onlookers who had witnessed everything at the scene and had come to the court to watch the excitement. They were so scared that they stood up from their seats on the spot!

"Plague???"

The courtroom was in an uproar.

Amidst this chaos, the prosecutor took a deep breath and said word by word:

"In summary, I suggest that the defendant Han Meng... be sentenced to death by slow slicing!"

Chen Ling's face turned cold as frost instantly.

*Boom*—!!

A heavy gavel strike suppressed all the noise into nothingness.

"Prosecutor." The veins on Gu Yuan's hand holding the gavel were already bulging. "Do you have evidence for what you just said?"

"Here is a medical report issued by Frostleaf Hospital. In the last seven days, there have been more than fifty cases of viral infection, and all these patients were onlookers who witnessed the self-immolation scene that day and were relatively close."

"And where are they now?"

"As of yesterday, the last virus-infected person has been confirmed dead and cremated at the crematorium."

"You mean to say there are no living bodies or corpses carrying the virus available for examination, only a certificate of examination from Frostleaf Hospital?"

"There is also a cremation certificate issued by the crematorium. After all, it is currently unclear how this virus spreads, and cremation as soon as possible can prevent the virus from spreading."

"Then how did you determine that Han Meng had a secret transaction with the Twilight Society?"

"Under the mattress in the cell where Han Meng was held, we found a playing card." The prosecutor paused for a moment.

"The face of that playing card is [Spade 6]."

The whole room was shocked again.

"Heh, this evidence is really convenient." Wen Shilin was a veteran newsman and immediately smelled something wrong. "Frostleaf Hospital, the crematorium, those are all the Star Chamber of Commerce's own industries. Even the so-called organ trafficking records were found underground at the Star Chamber of Commerce... They knew they couldn't hide what they were doing, so they just dragged Han Meng down with them?"

"Just by stuffing a playing card on someone, they can frame the Twilight Society." Chen Ling sneered coldly. "So it's that simple to smear someone. No wonder the Twilight Society's reputation is so bad..."

"But I have to say, this move is really ruthless... Using people's panic about the plague and their fear of the Twilight Society, supplemented by the power of the media to ferment it, even if Han Meng is innocent, he won't escape the sanctions of public opinion. The court, under pressure, won't be able to easily make a verdict... Does this Han Meng have such a big grudge against the Star Chamber of Commerce?" Wen Shilin sighed deeply.

On the judge's bench, Gu Yuan also spoke slowly:

"Prosecutor, relying only on this fragmented evidence is not enough to convict the defendant... I think you should be clear about this."

"Your Honor, when it comes to the Twilight Society, how could we collect such detailed evidence? For the stability and safety of Aurora City, I think it's better to execute Han Meng as soon as possible."

The air suddenly fell into a stalemate.

"Defense." Gu Yuan's gaze fell on Han Meng's defense lawyer.

"Do you... have any evidence to list, or anything to say in defense of the defendant?"

Before the trial, Gu Yuan had already given Tan Xin's letter to the defense lawyer. According to the original process, as long as Gu Yuan finished stating the case, the defense lawyer would show the letter, which would completely clear Han Meng of those two charges. Now, although the development of events was too unexpected, that letter could at least clear Han Meng of most of the suspicion and explain the reason why he opened the gates.

The defense lawyer stood silently under the bench. After feeling the gaze falling from the prosecutor's side, he shook his head.

"No, I have nothing to defend."

*Boom*—

A light sound came out, and the wooden gavel in Gu Yuan's hand shattered on the spot.

"Very good..."

Gu Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly. "Then now, how many people support the execution of Han Meng?"

Everyone looked at each other. Under the coercion of the prosecutor's gaze, several figures in the jury raised their hands, and the continuous flashes of magnesium lights lit up the entire courtroom.

Zhuo Shuqing originally wanted to take pictures, but after seeing Chen Ling sitting opposite him, looking at him with a man-eating gaze, he silently put down his camera, lowered his head, and hunched his back like a quail.

In the countless flashing lights, Han Meng stood silently in the defendant's seat. On that black prison garb, one shackle after another called "framing" was put on him.

Everyone's gaze toward him changed, from the original confusion, curiosity, and support, gradually turning into fear and disgust. The public didn't understand what the truth was at all, but at this moment, they wished Han Meng would be executed immediately, because it would make them feel safe.

At the same time, the prosecutor's voice sounded again: "Your Honor, shouldn't you give the verdict?"

Gu Yuan's aged eyes slowly closed. He took a deep breath, and his low voice echoed in the courtroom again:

"The evidence for the accusations against the defendant Han Meng is insufficient, and the defense is inadequate. I announce that this trial is adjourned... The trial will resume in two days to deliver the final verdict on the defendant Han Meng."

Facing so many and such malicious accusations, and with the defense lawyer not doing his job, wanting to complete a not-guilty verdict for Han Meng was as difficult as ascending to heaven, not to mention there were so many media reporters present... In this situation, adjournment was the only way out and the best result.

"Why adjourn?!"

"Yeah, I also feel this Han Meng is very problematic now. Aren't those people in the Twilight Society all criminals and thugs? Why not execute him immediately?"

"He brought the plague to Aurora City!! I was wondering why my throat has been uncomfortable lately... Damn it!! I'm going to the hospital now!"

"He is the culprit of all this!!"

“……”

Even though the trial had been adjourned, the crowd showed no sign of leaving. The ordinary people in the opposite public gallery stood up one after another, pointing at Han Meng in the defendant's seat and cursing angrily.

Amidst the chaotic courtroom, that figure in black prison garb, who didn't say a word, had already become the target of everyone's finger-pointing;

"Bullshit! Who dares to say Chief Han Meng is a criminal! I'll be the first to disagree!!" After the adjournment, Zhao Yi clearly let go. He led a group of Third District survivors to start cursing back at the opposite side, and the scene was once extremely chaotic!

Amidst this crazy noise and chaos, Chen Ling, wearing a brown trench coat, stood up silently and walked out of the courtroom.

"Where are you going?" Wen Shilin asked in confusion.

Chen Ling didn't answer.

The hem of his trench coat swayed gently in the wind. He walked alone against the current amidst the finger-pointing of thousands, back-to-back with the figure standing in the defendant's seat, walking alone in silence...

A cold wind blew past the courtroom door, and behind those seemingly gentle half-rimmed glasses, murderous rage flickered coldly;