Chapter 397: The Trial from 20 Years Ago (Part 2)
Rather than the severe pain, the first thing I felt was a sense of loss.
A part of oneself was forever stripped away. The face that represented one became food for the moon beast.
Then, the pain finally arrived. His eyeballs were crushed by sharp teeth, his nose was reduced to a bloody hole, his lips were bitten off, leaving only his gums bare. The moon beast greedily plundered the flesh from his face. He became a skeleton rolling in blood.
The swallowing sound became a cacophony, and consciousness fell into chaos. I couldn't tell whether it was tears or blood that flowed from my eyes.
It hurts so much.
It feels so uncomfortable.
Save me.
His soul wandered around praying.
Help me. Anyone. Please. Help me.
It was a true miracle.
A little starlight emerges from the abyss of despair.
The stars answered his prayers.
——We will save you.
——But our strength is very weak.
——If we save you, we won't be able to save the rest of us.
It was a gentle and warm light, like a stove at home in winter, like the warm bed in my memory.
Incredibly, he understood the true nature of starlight at that moment.
He knows what he sees. He knows whose words he is listening to.
So he made a promise.
Then leave it to me.
Save me, let me live.
In return, let me help you.
——
So he stood up.
He covered his bloody face with a piece of iron he had picked up and staggered past the enjoying moon beast.
He couldn't defeat the heretic. The power he was given wasn't enough to do that. All he could do was skirt around the deceived spirit and reach another soldier.
The soldier cried in agony. His internal organs had been nearly eaten away. He stretched out his hands feebly toward the sky. "Save me," he repeated desperately. "I don't want to die. Save me."
He shook the soldier's hand.
"I'm here to save you," he said.
From this moment on, he became a "hero".
·
"Twenty years ago, there was no way Pariman could have survived on his own. It was a 'some force' that helped him accomplish his heroic feat."
"I dare to conclude that the power currently resides in Perriman. If the court allows him to be examined, the truth will be revealed!"
This is the meaning of the trial.
Twenty years ago, at the end of the war, routine inspections failed to uncover any issues with Parriman. Only after he became a hero, and even Speaker of the Senate, did his ability to manipulate public opinion gradually become apparent. Yet, the city-state authorities lacked a legitimate excuse to conduct an in-depth investigation.
There is no evidence, no speculation, no evidence, and this dilemma has continued until now...
Only in this retrial of the old case, by bringing Parriman, the party involved, to the witness stand, can we reasonably launch a comprehensive examination of him!
Benintic nodded slightly and asked, "What does the prosecutor have to say?"
"The prosecutor objects."
Parriman said seriously, "If there's conclusive evidence that a witness is involved, a full investigation should naturally be launched according to legal law. However, the defense is currently arguing that an investigation is necessary before evidence can be obtained. This actually reverses the cause and effect of the argument."
Furthermore, a comprehensive investigation of exhibits and evidence would take anywhere from one week to three months, depending on the complexity of the case. As the Speaker of the City-State Council, I bear the heavy responsibility of advancing the bill and safeguarding Jingsha's independence. The defense's intention is to detain me for a prolonged period of time under the guise of an investigation. This is a political struggle that deviates from the case and will effectively hinder the bill's implementation!
"The objection is valid." Benintic nodded. "Witness Parriman, as the Speaker of the City-State, shoulders a heavy political responsibility. On the eve of Jingsha's independence, this court cannot permit an investigation into him using standard procedures... unless the defense can present clearer charges."
"In what way did the 'power' behind Chancellor Parriman rescue him? Can the defense point to this?"
"Yes!" Trick nodded his face. "To conceal his injuries, Chancellor Parriman wore the 'Iron Mask' year after year. He never took it off after the war; it has almost become a 'symbol' of his image."
"There are very serious doubts about this mask. Therefore, the defense does not require a full inspection... as long as the mask can be thoroughly examined!"
Benintic frowned. "The question about the mask? Could you elaborate on that?"
"I'm sorry, but that's not possible right now. Because of this doubt, we have to wait until the inspection is approved before we can explain it!"
This was an almost unreasonable argument, and not only did the citizens outside the court think it was far-fetched, but Benintieck himself also felt it was far-fetched. However, he was, after all, a symbol of the law, and as long as the request was legally reasonable, he could grant it.
"There was a similar case during a Fallen One pollution trial hundreds of years ago. At that time, a high-level Fallen One infiltrated a city-state and gained a high position. The prosecutors tried every possible means to uncover the truth and prosecute him. It was only after a formal investigation that they obtained definitive evidence..."
Benningtick closed his eyes. "Therefore, this court has ruled that this case may be handled in accordance with the previous case. However, the prosecution of the Speaker is of such importance that this court can only allow one opportunity for review. This court will request a direct investigation by the Thorns Sacred Tree. If the Sacred Tree's direct investigation is found to be correct, this appeal will uphold the original verdict and will not entertain the charges against Speaker Parriman!"
Parriman smiled and spread his hands. "If this is the limit of the defense's efforts... then the prosecution has no objection. We simply hope the defense can deeply understand the consequences of making false accusations in front of 1.7 billion people!"
Everyone, including the judge himself, turned their attention to Trick. After twenty years of forbearance and investigation, he finally saw hope. His answer would determine the future of his own life... and indeed, the entire Jingsha city-state.
But Trick returned to his usual nonchalant look. He was distracted for a long time before he spoke slowly.
"Ah... the defense has objected."
"What the hell?!" "Wake up, sir!" "That old man has helped so much!" "He's just talking nonsense!"
The noise outside was so loud that it could be faintly heard even inside the courtroom. Trick said calmly, "The defense isn't objecting to the 'one-time inspection' restriction... but rather the method used by the Thorny Shass Sacred Tree to conduct the inspection."
"The defense believes that in this case, third-party technology from outside the Jingsha City-State must be used for the investigation. Because even if the Jingsha Divine Tree itself took action, it would be impossible to detect the power behind Parriman!"
"——Objection is invalid!"
This time, it was the judge himself who stood up. Benintic's face was expressionless.
"Since the founding of the city-state, all major cases have been investigated by the sacred tree itself, and its results have never been inaccurate. This is the duty of the Jingsha sacred tree, and the very reason we honor it as a deity.
The sacred tree is a deity, not a leader. Regardless of its direction, the sacred tree will not interfere with the operation of the city-state due to personal feelings. This is the cornerstone of the stability of the city-state system and the most basic source of authority for Jingsha law.
"The defense's current opinion, however, questions the neutrality and objectivity of the Jingsha Sacred Tree. If this court approves this request and sets a precedent, future trials in the city-state will be plagued by endless problems. Countless individuals implicated in the case will use the 'Jas Trick Case' as a precedent, presenting unverified third-party test results to confuse the public and attempt to escape guilt. This court will not allow Jingsha law to be flouted in this way!"
Trek pressed his temples again and again, he knew that the biggest difficulty of this operation had appeared.
The cards to bring down Parriman are almost complete, but the judge is this guy Gu Mu... Benintik is not just playing around at this time, he is serious.
In court, he was an absolutely neutral and selfless machine. A man who valued upholding the law, he would never allow such unconventional means. Even if the reasoning behind the accusation was not wrong, he would not allow his actions to undermine the legal system!
"Hey, Benintic..."
Benintic's expression remained stern. "Defendant, please be quiet. The prosecution and defense are supposed to speak during the trial. You have repeatedly disregarded courtroom discipline. Now, you may not interfere with the trial without permission. The defense attorney should now speak!"
Trek shrugged helplessly and patted his daughter's shoulder. Rico instinctively shrank back, like a frightened cat. She took a deep breath and replied, "The defense asks the judge to reconsider the request for third-party testing."
"Please give your reasons."
This was her last chance. Convincing the strict judge, defeating Pariman, and telling everyone the truth were essentially the same thing. That was what she had to prove.
"The defense argues that both the Jingsha legal system and the overall functioning of the Jingsha city-state require this unconventional precedent...
Because the power behind Speaker Perriman is inevitable, not accidental. As long as the city-state of Jingsha exists, that power will reappear over and over again in the centuries and millennia to come, becoming an oversight that the city-state system alone can never detect! If our laws continue to rely solely on the judgment of the gods, then even if this case is resolved peacefully, the city-state will be plunged into danger again in the future.
Li Ke slammed the table and shouted stubbornly, "And by that time, no one will stand up for the city-state. Because this one chance has already been abandoned by the court!"
The judge's gaze met hers in mid-air, like the clash of invisible blades. Benintic looked toward the witness stand. Perryman remained uncharacteristically silent, as if anticipating the verdict.
He brought down the hammer.
"This court will only grant the defense one final opportunity to present its case. If the defense cannot provide rigorous reasoning and evidence in this case, the test itself will be dismissed," Benintic said solemnly. "Begin now!"
"Thank you, Your Honor. Now, let's examine this case from the beginning."
Rico walked down from the defense table and came to Parriman.
"In the final analysis, what can the power behind Chancellor Parriman actually accomplish?"
She posted 15 investigations into coincidences.
"On the Speaker's path to success, this power can cause all sorts of coincidences within the city-state."
Place the fourth pulse sequence survey book.
"Amidst the unrest of the Fourth Order, this force can convey Perriman's opinions through the mouths of ordinary citizens."
Produce the testimony of the sergeant of the second pulse sequence and the proof that the white lotus can dispel mental interference.
"During the civil war between the Second and Fourth Veins, this power could guide and change everyone's thoughts."
Finally, take out the transcript of Ji Huaisu's sudden attack on Mansa Star Castle.
"During tonight's citywide wanted notice, this power can restrain the captains of the Divine Guards, transform the public's gaze into pressure, and turn what the public mistakenly perceives as 'truth' into reality."
Li Ke stood across from the witness stand, looking directly at Parriman. "It's not hard to see that Parriman hasn't been exploiting the public, but rather that the public has been helping him. The public's coincidences have become his aids, their misunderstandings have become his truths, and their thoughts have become his strength. Speaker Parriman often said he was a vessel for 'public opinion,' and now it seems that this statement revealed the truth from the very beginning."
"That's right, you are merely a vessel. But the power that supports this vessel cannot be detected by any means within the city-state. This is because that power is public opinion, it is all living beings, it is the other side of the city-state system that is often overlooked."
"That's the sentiment of 1.7 billion city-state citizens, accumulated since the founding of the Jingsha city-state. It's the manifestation of a massive collective subconscious!"
The court suddenly fell silent.
The air changed at this moment.
In that instant, 1.7 billion people lost their expressions. In that instant, 1.7 billion eyes turned cloudy.
Only one person made a sound. A man without a face, without a gaze, existing merely as a vessel.
He laughed out loud under the attention of everyone.
(End of this chapter)
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