Chapter 29 - 24: What Do You Mean, He’s Protecting the Police?

The moment the voice sounded, an invisible aura seemed to emanate from Zhang Bingxin on the judge’s bench, sweeping across the entire courtroom.

Inside Courtroom One, everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on Zhang Bingxin at the center of it all as they listened in silence.

"This case is brought by the Lusen City Public Prosecutor’s Office, which has charged the defendant, Wang Qiang, with the crime of intentional homicide. The public prosecution was filed with this court on October 10, 2002."

"In accordance with relevant regulations, the First Criminal Division of the Lusen City Intermediate People’s Court is now holding a public trial."

"This case is presided over by myself, Judge Zhang Bingxin, with the court clerk..."

"Court is now in session!"

The trial... had begun!

The moment those five words were spoken, a jolt went through the hearts of the hundreds of people in the room, their pupils constricting in unison.

In the gallery, Zhang Xia’s expression tensed, and she quickly pulled out a pen and paper to take notes.

She wasn’t the only one. The others were just as shocked, their minds reeling.

’Intentional homicide? The prosecutor is actually charging him with intentional homicide!’

’That’s one of the most serious felonies there is...’

’He spent ten years searching for his daughter, only to kill her buyer while trying to save her. And for that, the prosecution charges him with intentional homicide... I can’t believe they have the nerve!’

’...’

Whispers rustled through the gallery. People kept their heads down, dumbfounded.

Although the notice board outside had already announced the charges against Wang Qiang, hearing the judge say the words aloud still sent a shock through the crowd.

If the details of this case were ever published in the papers... one could only imagine the public explosion that would follow.

At the prosecution’s table.

Prosecutor Hu Guang was expressionless, his gaze sharp, like an emotionless machine.

Beside him, however, Lawyer Chen Wei half-turned to shoot a reassuring glance at Li Youcai and Liu Cui, who were seated behind him.

Then, his eyes fell upon Xu De, a mocking glint in them.

’Heh, once you start breaking down the specifics of "intentional"... this charge won’t be so easy to get out of!’

’A single charge can often be proven in multiple ways.’

’Intentional homicide is no different. There are several categories of "intent," and no matter what, Wang Qiang is bound to fit at least one!’

’Let’s see you argue your way out of this one,’ Chen Wei thought, a cold sneer forming on his lips as he stared at Xu De.

At that moment.

At the very center of the courtroom, on the raised judge’s bench that symbolized justice.

BANG!

The gavel fell, and the courtroom instantly fell silent.

Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin fixed his gaze, which seemed to see right through a person’s soul, on the prosecution’s table. He slowly opened his mouth.

"The prosecution may now present the indictment."

At these words.

In the defendant’s box.

Seated in the chair enclosed by railings, his hands bound in iron shackles, Wang Qiang’s fists clenched.

Prosecutor Hu Guang also took a deep breath.

Holding a document, he slowly rose to his feet and began to speak.

"Your Honor, members of the court."

"The defendant, Wang Qiang, age 52, born April 17, 1950, was arrested on October 2, 2002, on suspicion of intentional homicide."

"Our investigation has determined that the defendant Wang Qiang’s daughter was illegally detained, imprisoned, and raped by the deceased. Consequently, the defendant, in a state of extreme agitation, was the first to engage in a conflict with the deceased."

"Subsequently, the defendant, Wang Qiang, actively engaged in violent acts against the deceased, Li Erniu. He then used a weapon, causing the death of the deceased at the scene!"

At this point,

Hu Guang paused abruptly. His brow furrowed, and his tone turned solemn.

He lifted his head slightly, his gaze traveling across the room to land squarely on Wang Qiang’s frail figure.

The next moment, his voice rang out, firm and resolute.

"His actions have violated Article 232 of the Dongguo Criminal Law and constitute the crime of intentional homicide. The facts of the crime are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient!"

"We have therefore filed this public prosecution and request that the court sentence the defendant in accordance with the law!"

His argument was concise and logically sound.

Every word landed like an immense weight, pressing down on Wang Qiang’s chest until he could hardly breathe. His shackled hands clenched tighter and tighter.

On the judge’s bench.

Zhang Bingxin nodded.

’The human trafficking and the homicide are inextricably linked,’ Zhang Bingxin thought. ’But during the trial, that can’t be used to completely exonerate Wang Qiang. At most, it can only mitigate his sentence.’

"The plaintiff’s legal representative may now present their arguments."

Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin turned his solemn gaze to one side of the prosecution’s table, landing on Lawyer Chen Wei.

At his words, hundreds of heads in the packed gallery swiveled in that direction.

Chen Wei took a deep breath.

He rose, surveying the vast courtroom. Then he glanced at Xu De, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

The next moment,

"Your Honor, members of the court."

"I am Lawyer Chen Wei, representing the plaintiff in the supplementary civil action. In light of today’s proceedings, I will now present our arguments regarding the matter of civil compensation."

"The defendant Wang Qiang’s act of intentional homicide was the direct and sole cause of the deceased’s death. Therefore, according to the law, he must be held fully liable for all civil damages!"

Chen Wei’s tone suddenly sharpened, his voice ringing loudly in the ears of all present.

"Your Honor, this is the complete file on the deceased’s family circumstances."

As he spoke,

he held up a stack of documents and handed them to the court clerk at his side.

"According to the clear provisions of the Dongguo Civil Code, the defendant must pay a death benefit of 49,700 yuan!"

"He must also pay for dependent support. The deceased’s parents, his father Li Youcai and mother Liu Cui, are both 61 years old. They are rural residents with no pension, no source of income, and are unable to work."

"The deceased had no siblings."

"As stipulated by law, the compensation for dependent support should be 64,600 yuan!"

"Furthermore, he must cover the deceased’s funeral expenses of 4,043 yuan, as well as transportation, accommodation, and medical expenses totaling 1,762 yuan..."

"Additionally, as the elderly couple has no other children and have lost their support in their old age, they have suffered immense mental anguish. For this, we demand an additional 100,000 yuan in damages, for a grand total of..."

At this,

Chen Wei paused dramatically. The next second, he announced a figure that stunned everyone in the courtroom.

"218,343 yuan!"

Nearly 220,000 yuan!?

Was 220,000 yuan a lot to pay for a person’s death? Perhaps it didn’t sound like much.

But this was 2002!

Back then, a rural migrant worker earned less than 800 yuan a month—and that was if they were in a high-skilled trade!

How long would it take a migrant worker, saving every penny without eating or drinking, to amass 220,000 yuan?

months.

A full 22, nearly 23 years!

"220,000!? Have they lost their minds? You wouldn’t get that much for a normal person’s death. How dare they demand 220,000 for a dead human trafficker!?"

In the gallery.

At this moment, even the reporters, who were used to covering major events, couldn’t hide their astonishment.

The gallery, which had quieted down out of respect for the proceedings, now stirred with commotion and whispers, unable to contain itself even with the national emblem hanging high overhead.

"220,000? They might as well be robbing a bank!"

"Shameless... Shameless! Absolutely shameless! They’re thieves!"

"Where do they get the nerve to even ask!?"

"That damn shyster! I’m 100% sure he’s the one who told Li Youcai and Liu Cui to ask for that extra compensation. That son of a bitch, that animal..."

"..."

The reporter, Zhang Xia, stopped writing. She couldn’t help but look up, her face a mask of disgust as she stared at the coolly unconcerned Chen Wei.

’There was no doubt about it.’

’Talks with the defense lawyer must have broken down, so he’s deliberately demanding 220,000 in court just to make a point!’

’But...’

’...Wang Qiang and Xu Hong would be the ones forced to pay it!’

Zhang Xia gritted her teeth. She glanced at Wang Qiang, who sat small in his chair—barely five-foot-three and so bony that his uniform seemed to swallow him whole. A storm of emotions raged inside her.

"Bastard!"

She couldn’t stop herself from cursing under her breath.

In contrast to the commotion in the gallery, the order of the court remained unshaken, though the expressions of a few key individuals shifted.

Li Youcai and Liu Cui, seated in their chairs, began to breathe heavily when they heard the sum. Their eyes shone with an impatient, avaricious light, their excitement palpable.

Prosecutor Hu Guang frowned slightly, shooting a sidelong glance at Chen Wei but saying nothing.

Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin’s brow, however, was tightly furrowed. After a moment, he spoke.

"Are the parents of the deceased present?"

As his voice faded,

Li Youcai and Liu Cui’s eyes lit up. The excitement on their faces quickly vanished as they called out, "We’re here, we’re here! Here we are!"

As if realizing their reaction was inappropriate, the two of them instantly changed their expressions. Liu Cui lowered her head, choking back sobs and letting out an occasional sniffle.

Seeing this,

Zhang Bingxin remained inwardly unmoved. After a moment of thought, he asked:

"Plaintiffs, does the statement just made by your legal representative align with the facts?"

Li Youcai choked out, wiping at his eyes as he sat in his chair.

"It’s true. What Lawyer Chen said is the God’s honest truth."

"I was nearly forty when I finally had him. We worked the fields to the bone to raise him. He’d just gotten married, had a child of his own, and was about to start taking care of us in our old age..."

"And then... and then this happened!"

As he spoke,

Liu Cui, at his side, suddenly chimed in.

"We raised that ungrateful brat for ten years in our home, and this is how she repays us... Ten whole years!"

"She ate our food, drank our water! We spent so much money on her over those years! It’s one thing to be ungrateful, but to conspire with an outsider to murder our son... There’s no justice in this world! No justice! Your Honor, you have to stand up for us!"

With that, she broke down into choked wails, tears streaming down her face.

The entire courtroom echoed with the sound of her howling cries.

But a sense of revulsion slowly settled over the onlookers. After a long moment, their brows only furrowed deeper.

A moment later, this feeling gave way to a sense of helplessness, and they sighed.

If he had killed an actual human trafficker, things would be different. There would be legal leeway, and the wailing of Li Youcai and Liu Cui wouldn’t have mattered.

But in the end, the deceased was not legally a ’human trafficker,’ and the court would not define him as such.

Under the law, what he did was a minor offense!

It was hard to believe, but Li Erniu had only committed a minor offense. And Wang Qiang had killed a man who had only committed a minor offense.

Therefore, because their son was killed for committing a minor offense, his family was naturally entitled to demand compensation—and a hefty sum at that.

But...

"220,000 yuan..."

Someone muttered the figure, and soon the courtroom fell quiet again, leaving only the sound of a few lingering sobs.

After a long pause,

*Sigh.*

Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin took a deep breath, his brow heavy. He finally focused his gaze on the defense, which is to say...

the defendant’s table!

At the long defendant’s table, a young man in a crisp suit sat with his back ramrod straight.

"To the defense, in response to the statements from the prosecution, the plaintiff’s legal representative, and the plaintiffs themselves..."

Zhang Bingxin, from his high bench, looked at Xu De and asked:

"Does the defense have any objections?"

The moment those six words were spoken,

the restless courtroom fell silent. Hundreds of heads turned in unison, their gazes converging on the lone figure of Xu De at the defendant’s table.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Xu De slowly rose to his feet. He glanced around, his expression showing no agitation whatsoever.

"Your Honor, members of the court, regarding the statements made by the opposing side..."

"The prosecution’s claims are unsubstantiated by any evidence and are therefore invalid! Their narrative is inconsistent with the facts of this case! The court should not accept it! It is not credible!"

"The plaintiff’s legal representative has engaged in exaggeration and subjective speculation, which are completely divorced from objective fact!"

"The claims from both parties lack evidentiary support, are based purely on subjective conjecture, do not align with the facts, and should not be admitted!"

"The truth is..."

Xu De paused briefly.

Then, his voice rang out again.

"My client, Wang Qiang, at no point ever initiated an act of murder."

"This so-called ’killing’ was, in fact, an act of a Good Samaritan, compelled by the circumstances at the scene—an act undertaken to protect the seven police officers present from harm!"

The Judge’s Bench: ?

The Gallery: ?

At the prosecution’s table, Prosecutor Hu Guang, who had been lost in thought, suddenly froze. He looked up, staring blankly at Xu De at the defendant’s table.

’What... the hell?’