Chapter 25 Look, she has a third man.
Alice Space Station, Security Center, Temporary Court.
Ning Shuyin was escorted by detectives through the passageway into the defendant's dock located in the center.
Sitting on the cold metal chair in the defendant's dock, Ning Shuyin trembled slightly. Being transmigrated into a book and brought to a military trial—this level of hardcore reality meant it would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous.
The most outrageous thing was that when the detectives tried to take her away, Situ Linchen actually said:
"Finish your meal before you go."
That's a bit of dark humor.
The scene, witnessed by a group of detectives, really looked like... the last meal before the execution?
However, Ning Shuyin was indeed hungry. She couldn't recall her last meal.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ning Shuyin swallowed the last takoyaki, completely oblivious to the deliciousness of the meal.
The temporary courtroom was set up in the Phantom Opera House on the space station.
The carved walls extend upwards, and the dome is the vast starry sky.
The audience seats rise in layers.
At this moment, the front row seats were filled with high-ranking fleet officers from the orbital region of Planet A.
They were just recently celebrating the space station's survival.
But now, their eyes are filled with doubt.
All the cold gazes were focused on Ning Shuyin.
On the judge's bench, Situ Linchen stood aloof and expressionless. His crisp, dark military uniform accentuated his handsome face, making it appear as if sculpted from ice, concealing all his emotions.
Loran, standing beside him, appeared much more relaxed. His silver hair shimmered with a cool, iridescent light. His gaze swept quickly across the room, soon finding the other protagonist of the incident, and a subtle smile played at the corners of his lips.
The trial began.
The pre-trial judge was Fuberna, the head of the Special Investigations Division.
Fuberna's hair was neatly combed, and his eyes were reserved.
He was a seasoned veteran who had been caught in the power struggles of the Allied Fleet for hundreds of years.
Besides being skilled at handling cases, he was also first-rate at reading people's expressions and understanding their superiors' intentions.
When he learned that Ning Shuyin had been brought back from the Marshal's apartment, or even from the bedroom, he sensed that the case was going to be difficult.
They had to uphold the dignity and impartiality of the Allied Military Tribunal while also trying to fathom Situ Linchen's unfathomable thoughts.
It's so frustrating it makes you go bald.
"Miss Ning Shuyin."
Fuberna cleared his throat and began in a businesslike tone: "The Special Investigations Unit received intelligence, accompanied by a detailed technical analysis. The report indicates that a countdown audio clip synchronized with the explosion has a voiceprint that is over 92% similar to yours. How do you explain this?"
Ning Shuyin sat in the defendant's seat, leaning slightly closer to the microphone in front of her.
"Of course there is an explanation."
Her voice, amplified, carried clearly throughout the venue: "I have an alibi."
“Then please present your proof,” Fu Bernard said. After speaking, he caught Situ Linchen’s subtle expression out of the corner of his eye.
The marshal remained expressionless, his posture unchanged since he entered.
But Fuberna knew that this was precisely the biggest concern.
Situ Linchen was extremely busy, and when he attended court hearings, he usually only sat in a special audience section, spending most of his time with his head down, handling his official duties.
It's rare to see someone so focused as I am today.
In the dock, Ning Shuyin carefully considered her words before speaking: "I have witnesses. I was with Dr. Loran when the space station exploded. Therefore, I did not have the time to destroy the space station, nor did I conduct any countdown."
As soon as the words were spoken, a quiet murmur of discussion arose in the courtroom.
All eyes turned to Loran, who was sitting in the audience.
"Miss Ning, may I ask what you were doing with Dr. Loran at that time?" Fuberna immediately pressed.
This question follows standard procedure and has a clear purpose—to determine the validity of Lorraine's testimony.
Ning Shuyin paused for a moment, then said, "We can be considered... on a date."
The moment he said that, the entire room erupted in uproar.
Fuberna's eyelids twitched. He sensed that the "iceberg" on the judge's bench was beginning to radiate coldness.
He was hesitating about what to ask next.
Loran completely ignored Situ Linchen's displeased expression.
He slowly and deliberately said, "Ms. Ning and I are indeed on a date. Therefore, given this private relationship, my testimony is not credible."
After he finished speaking, he deliberately looked at Ning Shuyin, his red eyes flashing slightly: "Miss Ning, you proved yourself when you resolved the meteorite crisis, and I believe you can do the same this time."
After saying that, Loran calmly sat down, using an elegant "please begin your performance" expression to perfectly throw this hot potato back at him.
Seeing this, Fuberna, who was standing in the courtroom, breathed a sigh of relief and quietly wiped the sweat from the tip of his nose.
It was best that Lorraine did not testify.
Fuberna had long heard of the doctor's temper.
God knows what "dating details" this unpredictable doctor might reveal if he actually opened his mouth.
If the testimonies are full of intense physical activity and outrageous interactions, the courtroom would probably be frozen out on the spot.
In this situation, he will definitely be silenced.
Good heavens, he was just a few years away from retiring and enjoying his retirement, and he didn't want to die in the line of duty because of a sex scandal.
At this moment, Ning Shuyin silently made a mental note of this insidious, scheming, and perverted doctor.
Great, next time there are strange "props", I'll definitely give you priority.
She guessed that Lorraine would not cooperate.
Fortunately, there was a second witness.
Although... it has a bit of a public execution feel to it.
"Your Honor, there was another gentleman on a video call with me when the explosion occurred."
Upon hearing Ning Shuyin offer new evidence, Fu Benna straightened the hem of his military uniform, adopted a calm and cautious expression, and turned his attention downwards.
"Oh? Who is it?" he asked.
After Ning Shuyin finished speaking, she turned on her personal terminal and showed the call log from that day.
"It is Mr. Zhou Zhiheng, Chairman of the Global United Chamber of Commerce, who can also testify."
The moment the name was mentioned, the entire audience erupted in commotion.
Upon hearing Zhou Zhiheng's name, Fu Bernard frowned.
Alice Space Station is an asset of the Zhou family.
The infiltration of such deeply entrenched capitalist forces into serious judicial cases signifies deep-seated trouble.
"Ms. Ning," Fu Benna's voice deepened, "what were your reasons for speaking with Mr. Zhou at that time?"
Ning Shuyin blinked. Sure enough, this question had come up again.
"It's because of... a date invitation. But we're not dating yet. So his testimony should be valid."
The moment the words "date invitation" were broadcast over the loudspeaker, the courtroom was already in turmoil.
The way everyone looked at Ning Shuyin was extremely complicated.
A commoner woman who can simultaneously navigate between an Alliance Marshal, a medical genius, and the heir of the Zhou family is nothing short of legendary.
Fu Bernard glanced furtively at the judge's bench; Situ Linchen's expression, sitting upright, was noticeably stiff.
Loran chuckled gloatingly and gave Situ Linchen a look.
His gaze was full of mockery.
The gist is something like, "You didn't expect this, did you? She has a third man."
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