Chapter 190: Adjudication
Chapter 190: Adjudication
On the morning of the second day at eight o'clock, a convoy of armed patrol cars led the way as a fleet of vehicles drove out from the Patrol Bureau headquarters, heading toward the Adjudication Court in Yangzhi City.
Wu Yi Academy students had been informed in advance and were deeply concerned about the matter. They arrived early at the Adjudication Court, located on Canglin Avenue in the southern part of the city.
This scene also drew a large crowd of citizens, who dared not get too close and could only watch from a distance. The patrol officers from the Patrol Bureau had arrived earlier, setting up barriers and posting guards every few meters along the streets, extending all the way to the end of the road.
At 8:15, as the sun rose high, the Patrol Bureau's convoy arrived at the Adjudication Court.
One of the armed special vehicles stopped, and the door opened. Chen Chuan stepped out, still wearing his formal uniform, but without the Xuejun Blade this time.
Although he had a weapon permit, theoretically allowing him to carry it anywhere except government departments, he decided not to provoke anyone given his current reputation.
He looked at the Adjudication Court ahead. Under the sunlight, the building appeared solemn and dignified. However, due to the numerous people and forces involved, the Adjudication Court itself could not make the final decision. Its main role was to provide a venue and act as an observer and final judge, ensuring the process complied with the law.
At this moment, he saw the Wu Yi Academy students who had gathered on the square. His deputy, sent by Guan Yuming, said, "Little Brother Chen, let's go."
Chen Chuan nodded and, under the escort of several patrol officers, walked up the steps and entered the foyer of the Adjudication Court. He straightened his clothes in the mirror and then entered the main hall.
As he walked in, a telegraph operator in a nearby building was transmitting a message to a certain location. After it was transmitted, it reached the hands of a specialist in a certain area, who read it and said, "Understood, keep an eye on it."
"Yes!"
He glanced outside, where the surroundings were rapidly receding as the convoy sped down the national highway, heading for Yangzhi City.
Inside the Adjudication Court, after Chen Chuan entered the main hall, he followed the upward slope, passing through the rows of seats, and walked to the front. He could see that many people were already seated, and they were looking at him with hostility, disdain, and hatred, mixed with some caution and scrutiny.
According to Gao Ming, not only would the families of the thirty-seven students be present, but also members of the government hall, the Wu Yi Academy Board of Directors, and government officials. Additionally, some respected and influential individuals would attend as observers.
The Adjudicator, seated in the center, wore a black and red robe, with neatly combed hair and round glasses held by a gold chain, giving him a refined appearance.
Chen Chuan stood at the defendant's position on the Adjudicator's right, which was elevated and surrounded by empty space, placing him at a distance from everyone else but still allowing him to see most of the people present.
He scanned the room and saw Lei Jingli, Guan Deputy Director, and others, as well as Wu Yi Academy teachers like Bian Feng and Yue Hong. Sitting with them were a few others, their expressions stern and their auras solemn, clearly well-trained fighters, likely from the Handling Bureau.
Because the attendees were all prominent figures and officials from Yangzhi City, the usual formalities were skipped. Once everyone had arrived, the Adjudicator picked up a small copper hammer and struck the base of the Xiezhi statue in front of him, the sound resonating throughout the hall.
Once everyone's attention was focused, he said, "This court will now hear the case of the Li An Machinery Old Plant. Please have the plaintiff and defendant read their statements."
The Patrol Bureau and the Secret Sect Review Bureau had already submitted the materials they had gathered, and the evidence was overwhelming, especially since Tan Wang was still alive and could provide numerous testimonies and pieces of evidence.
This was the benefit of controlling the scene immediately. The materials were detailed and left little room for denial.
The influential families were well-informed about the incident and had made extensive preparations. They had reached a consensus: if a complete acquittal was not possible, they would sacrifice some unimportant individuals to divert blame, portraying the involved heirs as innocent victims.
If things went their way, they might even turn the tables and accuse Chen Chuan of colluding with the secret sect, transforming the perpetrator into the victim.
Representatives from both the plaintiff and the defendant took the stage, presenting their views and reasons. Neither of them was a Song Soshi; they were merely Adjudication Court officials tasked with reading the statements without engaging in any arguments.
The audience listened quietly, as the focus of the case was on Chen Chuan. However, the interests of the various parties involved differed. The Patrol Bureau, Secret Sect Review Bureau, and the Chen Chuan case line all wanted to delve deeper into the investigation.
The Handling Bureau, on the other hand, aimed to take advantage of the situation to weaken or break the unity among the Recommended Students, reducing the influence of the influential families on the Academy.
The prerequisite for achieving this goal was to ensure Chen Chuan's safety and establish the legitimacy of his actions; otherwise, subsequent discussions would be pointless.
As for the various noble families, their objective was the opposite. If they allowed the killer of their heirs to go unpunished and walk free without consequences, it would not only be a loss of face but also a decline in their actual power, signifying an end to the status quo.
In the future, to ensure their self-preservation, they might turn on each other, and more people could join the ranks of those seeking to devour them.
They had made thorough preparations, starting by persuading a large number of Mutual Aid Society members to side with them, thereby influencing the Government Hall. This would allow them to pressure the Patrol Bureau, Secret Sect, and Chen Chuan from the top down.
Although these members had intricate relationships with the influential families, the situation was not as straightforward as it seemed.
The Secret Sect, Handling Bureau, and Patrol Bureau were the three most influential local departments with independent military power and deterrence. Without military authority, the Government Hall had to consider the opinions of these departments.
Therefore, to suppress this incident and achieve their goals, they needed a justifiable cause that aligned with the rules of the Da Shun Republic. Using force to suppress the case would not only be ineffective but also lead to further resistance, and these departments would be unlikely to cooperate with them in the future.
The procedures had to be followed.
The plaintiff and defendant finished their lengthy statements, and then it was the turn of the deceased's family members to speak. The speakers were the elders and women of the victim's family.
They narrated heartwarming and touching stories of the "victim," recalling fond memories that moved the audience. Their words were sincere and heartfelt, and at emotional moments, they couldn't help but weep and cry, causing many of the spectators to be deeply touched. Soft sobs echoed from below the stage.
The judge observed silently from above. After the family members finished their statements, he followed the procedure and asked, "Defendant Chen Chuan, the plaintiff accuses you of killing thirty-seven students on the night of the 20th in the Li An Machinery Old Plant in the Xigang District. Do you admit to committing this act?"
This was a standard procedure, and typically, the defendant would deny the charges, followed by the appearance of both Song Soshi for a courtroom debate. Considering the complexity and the involvement of multiple influential forces, this could be a lengthy process.
However, to everyone's surprise, Chen Chuan calmly admitted, "Yes, I killed them. I killed all thirty-seven people that night."
The judge was taken aback by Chen Chuan's swift admission, but the focus was not on this. The key was the reason behind the killings.
He continued, "Were you coerced by any party before or during the killings, or were you manipulated by a secret sect ritual, leading to your murderous actions?"
Chen Chuan replied calmly, "No, I killed them entirely out of my own volition. I was not coerced, nor was I influenced by any secret sect ritual."
His words caused an uproar among the audience.
"Murderer!"
"Murderer!"
Finally, someone couldn't contain their emotions and stood up, their voice shaking with emotion, they asked, "My child was kind and obedient, always respectful to their parents. He was just a child, still a child... Why did you kill him?"
Why?!”
Chen Chuan turned his gaze towards the speaker, and said, "That's because he's damn well guilty."
In the 16th book of the 9th volume, I saw the unerring version!
The man, upon hearing this, couldn't help but tremble, "You...you..."
Chen Chuan, with sincere eyes, looked at everyone sitting in the courtroom, and said, "Every single one of them is guilty. They intended to control me using a secret sect ritual, but they failed. They later shot at me, and for self-protection, I had no choice but to kill them all."
"Intended? How do you determine their intentions?"
From below, voices of anger and accusation rang out, "Even if they shot at you, that's not a reason to slaughter them. You have no authority; you're the murderer here!"
"In fact..." Chen Chuan turned towards him, "I have that authority."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and reached into his pocket, causing everyone to tense up. Some even wanted to call for security.
The judge also felt a surge of tension. He knew that Chen Chuan had single-handedly killed dozens of armed Wu Yi students and security fighters. If he were to snap right here, it would be dangerous, despite the presence of security.
The judge hurriedly said, "Student Chen, what are you doing? What are you taking out? Our personnel can help you retrieve it."
Chen Chuan slowly replied, "I'm just showing you my authority." He slowly took out his hand, and in it was an additional card. He held up the card for everyone to see.
It was an azure-black jade card, with a vermillion blood aura pattern like a crimson bloodstain.
Due to the distance, some people couldn't see clearly, but those in the front row had a good view. Those who recognized it exclaimed in surprise:
"Infinite Defense Certificate?!"
The judge stared intently, adjusting his glasses to focus on Chen Chuan. He muttered, "And it's a Beta Certificate..."
Chen Chuan's calm and powerful voice resonated in the courtroom:
"You ask if I have the authority, and I tell you I do. This is the rightful defense authority granted to me by the Da Shun Republic. When I realize someone is persecuting me or endangering my life, I gain the right to infinite defense. So...I eliminated all threatening targets within my sight, leaving none alive!"
The courtroom fell silent, except for the lingering echo of his final words.
Many people stared at Chen Chuan in fear, some trembling slightly. They couldn't tell if it was because of this news or something else.
"Infinite Defense Certificate? How can he possibly have it?! It's fake, it must be fake!" Someone from the audience immediately raised doubts, sparking a chorus of noisy voices.
The judge picked up the hammer and knocked once, a loud 'dang' sound temporarily drowning out the commotion below. He looked at Chen Chuan and said, "Student Chen, for the sake of fairness and justice, please allow me to inspect the defense certificate in your hand."
Chen Chuan nodded, "Go ahead."
The judge stepped down from the podium and took the card from Chen Chuan's hand, examining it closely. "It's real. The material, the number on it, all match. And...this is a Beta Certificate."
His words left a deathly silence in the courtroom. Many influential family members turned pale, some sitting there powerless, because they knew that with this certificate, unless caught red-handed or with extreme evidence, it was almost impossible to be convicted.
Wei Hang couldn't help but close his eyes, knowing this was the last thing he wanted to see.
They hadn't failed to consider this possibility, even though it was highly unlikely. But they couldn't possibly stop pursuing this case based on this deduction. How could they willingly give up on seeking justice? So, even if Chen Chuan truly had the infinite defense certificate, this step was necessary.
However, doing so meant they couldn't use the official process to send Chen Chuan to his death, but he had another choice, one that couldn't be undone once taken.
He turned to the young man sitting beside him, who nodded in response. Leaning on his cane, he stood up and said, "Judge, and everyone here, I have something to say."
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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