Chapter 234: The Play

"Crazy, absolutely crazy!"

"What's wrong with this guy Fang Lichang? Wasn't it said that the verdict was already decided? Why did he suddenly jump out and accuse that Han Meng of a bunch of crimes??"

"He's been a prosecutor for eight years. Although he hasn't been completely without mistakes, this time it's just too outrageous... It's clear he's going against Chief Gu Yuan. Was he kicked in the head by a donkey?!"

"Did you feel the aura radiated by Chief Gu Yuan just now? I almost thought I was going to be crushed on the judge's bench..."

"Chief Gu Yuan has always been steady and low-key. It seems he's truly angry this time."

"But having said that, I didn't expect the defense lawyer to suddenly turn traitor either... Wasn't there a letter from Deputy Chief Tan Xin? Why didn't he take it out?"

"Don't you see it yet? This time, someone is behind the scenes trying to sabotage the Tribunal... No, it should be said that they are sabotaging the entire law enforcement system, just pure disgust."

“……”

The jury and a group of law enforcers came out from the back door of the courtroom, discussing everything that had just happened enthusiastically. Just as they passed the corner, an old man in a black trench coat stood quietly in front of them.

The moment they saw that person, everyone immediately closed their mouths, their eyes dodging.

Gu Yuan swept a faint glance at the crowd.

"Where is Fang Lichang?"

"Don't know... He disappeared as soon as the trial was adjourned." Everyone looked at each other and said blankly. "Probably because he was too afraid of you, so he escaped and hid in advance... Those law enforcers who supported him are also nowhere to be seen."

Gu Yuan sneered. "He has the guts to betray, but not the guts to see me... I thought this Fang Lichang had suddenly changed his nature, but now it seems I still overestimated him."

"Chief, what should we do now?"

"Yeah, those buckets of dirty water they splashed were too disgusting. Once the media and public opinion ferment, the pressure on the trial in two days will be even greater... Why don't we send someone in advance to..."

A law enforcer stretched out his hands and made a binding gesture.

"We are law enforcers, not bandits." Gu Yuan said in a deep voice. "If we really do this kind of thing, once the other side gets hold of the evidence, the entire Tribunal will be ruined."

"Then... then what other way is there?"

In Gu Yuan's aged eyes, faint glimmers flickered. After a while, he spoke slowly:

"You do what you need to do, don't worry about the rest... I want to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves."

……

Outside the courtroom.

"Are all the photos taken?"

A group of reporters gathered outside the main entrance, and the squinting man said in a low voice.

"Taken." Everyone nodded one after another.

Zhuo Shuqing stood at the very back of the crowd, awkwardly wanting to say something, but hesitated.

"This is the template for the news drafts for the next two days. Write the content according to this. You can improvise appropriately, but the core point must not change. You must insist that Han Meng is a member of the Twilight Society and deliberately opened the city gates to spread the plague, understand?"

"Understood."

"Then let's disperse. Stay at the Meli Hotel for the next two days. The rooms have already been booked for you, don't run around." The squinting man waved his hand, and everyone dispersed.

Zhuo Shuqing looked around sneakily, then hugged his camera and walked quickly into a small alley, his expression very hurried, as if he were worried that something was chasing him from behind...

He went through six or seven alleys, looking back from time to time to confirm that there was no one around, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"Damn it, why did I run into that guy at the court entrance of all places." Zhuo Shuqing wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with lingering fear. "Good thing I left fast, I almost got chased again..."

He calmed his mood and was about to go straight home when he looked up and saw the brown trench coat fluttering in the cold wind at the end of the alley. His steps froze on the spot!

He widened his eyes, as if he had seen a ghost. "You, you, you..."

The next moment, he felt a blur before his eyes, and a powerful hand had already gripped his throat, pinning him against the wall like a chick, making a dull sound!

"I should have told you."

Chen Ling narrowed his eyes, and an extremely icy murderous intent spread in the cold wind. "If you dare to pull any tricks this time... I will kill you."

"Do you think I'm just joking with you?"

The veins on the back of Chen Ling's hand bulged, as if he were about to crush Zhuo Shuqing's neck. Under the gaze of those wolf-like eyes, Zhuo Shuqing couldn't help but tremble all over.

"I, I, I... I didn't do anything!!" Zhuo Shuqing said, his face pale. "They did ask me to write fake news... but this time, this time I really didn't intend to! There isn't a single photo in my camera, and I didn't write a single word in my notebook... I listened to your advice, really!! You can't kill me!"

Hearing this, a flash of surprise appeared in Chen Ling's eyes. He snatched the camera from Zhuo Shuqing's neck and began to check the film.

The film indeed showed no signs of having been used, and the notebook Zhuo Shuqing carried was also blank... It seemed that this time, Zhuo Shuqing was truly terrified by Chen Ling. Even though he had been invited to the scene, he didn't dare to write fake news, but sat there like a quail, honestly from beginning to end.

Chen Ling stared at Zhuo Shuqing for a long time, then his right hand released his neck. The latter immediately stumbled to the ground and began to cough violently.

"Very good, you've saved your own life." Chen Ling said slowly.

Zhuo Shuqing looked at Chen Ling in horror. He had really felt the murderous intent radiating from Chen Ling just now... If he had really recorded anything, this guy would probably have killed him!

Zhuo Shuqing, who had escaped death, asked tremblingly, "Then, can I go home now?"

"Not so fast."

Chen Ling tore a page from his notebook and threw it in front of Zhuo Shuqing.

"Write down all the reporters who were bribed like you and participated in the court hearing, including their names and their media outlets."

Zhuo Shuqing was stunned for a moment and asked tentatively, "What... are you planning to do?"

"That's none of your business. What? You're not going to write?"

"I'll write, I'll write!"

Zhuo Shuqing wrote without hesitation, giving up all his "accomplices" today. At the same time, Chen Ling spoke again:

"Who hired you?"

"It was the prosecutor of the Tribunal, Fang Lichang."

"Did he say how to contact you?"

"Not really... He just told us to publish the news, then stay at the Meli Hotel and don't run around, saying there would be a banquet or something... Probably afraid that the law enforcers would retaliate against us." Zhuo Shuqing continued, "However, I don't intend to get involved in this matter anymore, I just want to go home..."

Meli Hotel... Chen Ling noted this address, then took back the list from Zhuo Shuqing and glanced at it lightly.

"You can go." Chen Ling said lightly.

Hearing these three words, Zhuo Shuqing felt as if he had been granted amnesty and turned to run without hesitation. Halfway through, as if remembering something, he silently turned back to grab his trendy crossbody bag and camera from the ground and ran away wildly.

Chen Ling folded the list and put it in his pocket, looked back at the direction of the Tribunal, his gaze icy.

"This frame-up play is quite well-played... Since you want to act, I'll accompany you to the end."

Chen Ling withdrew his gaze, put his hands in his pockets, and his brown trench coat gradually disappeared at the end of the alley in the cold wind...