Chapter 35 - 30: The Deed is Half Done

"Court’s in recess!?"

"It’s really in recess!"

In a daze, the moment Zhang Bingxin announced the recess, the already restless gallery could no longer contain itself.

"Liu, didn’t the paper predict this case would be over after the first hearing!?"

The reporter, Zhang Xia, covered her open mouth. She watched the judge and prosecutors gradually leave the courtroom, the shock in her eyes indescribable.

Wang Qiang’s case was simple, so almost no one thought it would drag on for multiple sessions.

After all, the prosecutor and the judge were both impersonal. Without any emotional involvement, a single trial session following standard procedure should have been enough to convict the defendant. It would have taken three hours, tops.

But...

’What do you call this? Some unknown defense lawyer pops up out of nowhere after the trial starts, completely derails the proceedings, and forces the prosecution to call a recess to find new evidence?’

’What do you call it when this unknown lawyer single-handedly silences all three prosecutors and still has time to set a trap for a hotshot lawyer, shutting him up completely!?’

And the defendant’s momentum is even growing stronger!

"Where did this guy come from?"

Liu was shocked, too. She was a media professional, after all.

After working in Lusen City for so long, this was the first time she had ever heard of a lawyer named Xu De.

But there was no time for her to dwell on it.

A growing commotion reached her ears.

Liu’s expression changed instantly as she turned her head toward the sound.

Dozens of reporters, seeing the court adjourn and everyone packing up to leave, suddenly shot to their feet, grabbing their microphones and heading for the aisle.

’What’s going on? What are they doing?’

’They’re definitely trying to get the best positions to interview the key players!’

’Damn it, I was spacing out!’

A jolt of panic shot through Liu. She wanted to slap herself.

She frantically grabbed her microphone and hurried out, shouting a reminder over her shoulder.

"Zhang Xia, let’s go! If we don’t hurry, you won’t even be able to squeeze through!"

Zhang Xia snapped out of her daze and scrambled to pack her things. She looked up at the courtroom’s various doors, momentarily flustered.

"Liu, who are we going to interview?"

Normally...

...reporters had two main targets for interviews.

One, the presiding judge. He was the final word on the case, and anything he said was crucial information.

Two, the prosecutors. They held the evidence that determined the nature and direction of the case.

But in this case...

"Is there even a question? The defense lawyer! Block Lawyer Xu!"

Liu took a deep breath and plunged headfirst into the crowd.

Zhang Xia hurried to follow.

...

「In the courtroom.」

"Re... Recess?"

At the defendant’s table, a flicker of movement returned to Wang Qiang’s dull eyes. He stared in a daze as the courtroom began to empty.

He only snapped out of it when the bailiffs came to escort him away.

As he was being led away, his gaze instinctively fell upon the defense counsel’s table.

He saw Xu De quietly organizing his files. As if sensing his gaze, Xu De looked up, met his eyes, and offered a reassuring smile.

Suddenly.

Because of that smile, it felt as if Wang Qiang’s heart began to beat a little stronger.

He took a deep breath and stood between the two bailiffs as they escorted him away.

Seeing his client leave the courtroom...

Xu De didn’t linger. He finished packing his defense materials and turned to leave.

CLICK!

The door to the hallway was pushed open.

But the clear path he expected wasn’t there. Instead, he was met with a dense crowd of reporters packed together like a human wall.

The moment they saw him emerge...

...everyone’s eyes lit up. Without a word, countless microphones and cameras, accompanied by flashing lights, were thrust toward Xu De’s face.

A jumble of anxious voices followed.

"Lawyer Xu, what are your thoughts on this case!?"

"Excuse me, did you anticipate this mid-trial recess? And what do you think of the prosecution?"

"Lawyer Xu, we’re from Phoenix Satellite TV. We’d like to do an exclusive interview with you. Do you think you’ll have time..."

"Can you tell us what made you dare to plead not guilty?"

"..."

The questions from dozens of mouths washed over Xu De like a tidal wave, threatening to drown him.

The fervent atmosphere was like something you’d see with die-hard celebrity fans.

But Xu De had no intention of becoming a star.

He glanced back in the direction the prosecution had gone.

He happened to spot the retreating backs of a gloomy-faced Chen Wei and a furious Li Youcai and Liu Cui, who were stomping away in a rage.

Seeing this, Xu De retracted his gaze.

’The first hearing is over, but that doesn’t mean I get to rest.’

’I need to prepare an even bigger surprise for the prosecution!’

With that thought...

Xu De’s expression became stern and exceptionally serious.

"Excuse me, make way!"

He pushed aside the microphones shoved in his face as he squeezed his way out of the crowd.

Seeing his refusal to communicate...

...the group of reporters grew visibly anxious.

"Mr. Xu, just one sentence would be fine!"

"Please wait, we’re willing to pay for an exclusive interview!"

"Lawyer Xu, just a moment..."

Despite their desperate attempts to stop him...

...Xu De acted as if he heard nothing. In no time, he broke through the crowd and disappeared down the end of the hallway.

At this sight...

...the reporters Zhang Xia and Liu lowered their hands, unwilling to give up.

"Liu, what do we do?" Zhang Xia was at a loss.

The man didn’t say a single word. How were they supposed to write their stories?

Liu took a deep breath and said sternly:

"Just write about what he did during the trial!"

’It doesn’t matter if it’s praise or criticism. As long as we write about it, it’s guaranteed to become the talk of the town!’

’As for when to publish...’

Liu glanced at the people from the dozen or so other newspapers around her.

’These people are all old foxes. If I’m even a step too slow... I won’t even get the leftovers.’

Liu made up her mind.

"Finish writing it today, get the editor-in-chief to review it immediately, and make sure it’s in tomorrow’s morning paper!"

’When tomorrow’s morning paper is released...’

’...public opinion will erupt all over again!’

The two of them hurried away.

As for Xu De...

By this time, Xu De had already walked out of the courthouse. He savored the five o’clock quiet and took a deep breath of fresh air.

Seeing him, a slender figure who had been waiting outside walked up.

"How did it go? How did the trial go!?"

The person who had arrived was none other than the "Nine Heavens Flying Dragon Jade-faced Thunder Origin Universal Transformation of Living Beings Demon-subduing Longevity True Monarch!"

Of course, she also went by Lin Yue. She now stood before Xu De, her expression tense, her eyes darting back toward the courthouse from time to time.

Xu De smiled. He didn’t answer right away, instead asking a question of his own.

"What about the help I asked you to find? Did you find them?"

’No need to rush to talk about the trial.’

’Based on his experience... by tomorrow morning at the latest, the whole of Lusen City would be filled with reports about him!’

’It would be a classic case of an unknown nobody making a name for himself overnight!’

Hearing this, Lin Yue suppressed her curiosity and nodded. "I found them."

Upon hearing that, a sharp glint flashed in Xu De’s eyes. He said:

"It’s getting late. We’ll head straight to Li Family Village under the cover of darkness!"

Lin Yue froze for a second, then said in astonishment:

"Wait... the trial just ended, and we’re going to go steal something without even eating first?"

Xu De cut her off. "No nonsense. We’re on a tight schedule!"

With that said, the two hurried off into the distance.

The national emblem on the courthouse facade hung high above, silently watching their retreating backs until they disappeared from view.

...

...

「Five-thirty in the afternoon.」

Chen Wei, a lawyer from Yangteng Law Firm, was silent.

He took a taxi back to the firm alone. If one looked closely, they would see his collar was askew, his hair was a complete mess, and there were even a few bloody scratches on his face.

Liu Cui had done that.

The reason was his disastrous performance in court...

He returned to Yangteng Law Firm looking just like this—a total mess.

CREAK~

As the door opened, a few lawyers getting coffee in the lobby instinctively turned to look. Seeing who it was, they smiled.

"Lawyer Chen, how’d it go? A triumphant return?"

"Ha, I heard the prosecutor was Hu Guang. With him on the case, I figure you didn’t even have to... huh?"

They had just started making small talk when they got a clear look at Chen Wei’s appearance and froze.

Then they grew hesitant.

"Lawyer Chen, you... what happened to you?"

At their words, Chen Wei took a deep breath, suppressing the intense emotions welling in his chest. He said flatly:

"It’s nothing."

The lawyers exchanged glances, then asked again.

"Lawyer Chen, what about the case?"

"The firm is taking this case pretty seriously. Even though it’s not a reputable one, a win would be great proof of the firm’s strength."

’The case?’

The anger Chen Wei had just suppressed almost erupted.

His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists. He gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words.

"The case... is nothing!"

’What kind of answer was that?’

His colleagues were baffled but didn’t dare ask any more questions. Instead, they smiled and said:

"Lawyer Chen, someone’s waiting for you at the firm. I think it’s an old classmate of yours. You two can catch up. We won’t disturb you."

’An old classmate?’

Chen Wei paused, his brow furrowing instinctively.

Just as he was trying to figure out who it could be, a voice suddenly sounded beside him.

"Haha, Old Chen! How’d the case go!?"

’That voice... was a little familiar.’

Chen Wei’s body stiffened. Then, his blank face slowly turned to the side.

His eyes fell on a face wreathed in smiles.

It was...

Sun Hao!

That’s right. The visitor was none other than Sun Hao from Jinmao Law Firm—Xu De’s team leader and the old classmate who had provided him with that "vital pre-trial intelligence," Sun Hao!

Sun Hao got up from the sofa with a grin and walked toward him.

"So? Old Chen, did you win the case?"

The moment those words were out...

...Chen Wei’s face, which had been relatively composed, flushed red and then darkened at a visible rate. Veins bulged on his forehead, and his features twisted into a snarl.

His breathing grew ragged. The emotions he had been suppressing finally broke free, causing his chest to heave violently.

The knuckles of his clenched fists cracked audibly. Every muscle in his body tensed, the lines becoming starkly visible.

’Sun Hao... Sun Hao...’

"Sun Hao!"

A furious roar echoed through the law firm.

The next second...

...before Sun Hao’s astonished eyes, Chen Wei’s enraged, snarling face loomed over him, followed swiftly by a fist that grew larger and larger.

"You fucking dare to show your face to me!!!"