Zhao Xiu glanced up slightly, appraising Lu Fei. Seeing the other party was merely a boy of fourteen or fifteen, arrogance bloomed in his heart.
"Where is your guardian? Why are they not present? Today's judgment requires notification to your guardian!"
Lu Fei's voice was calm.
"I am an orphan."
Zhao Xiu nodded as if suddenly enlightened. He had, in fact, already reviewed Lu Fei's related profile documents. The reason for his question was simply to assert dominance over the other party, to break down his mental defenses, and then to subtly guide him into becoming a tool to defeat Zhou Nanfeng.
However, the boy before him clearly surpassed his psychological expectations.
Zhao Xiu continued his questioning. "Very well, then, defendant Lu Fei, you are accused of intentionally murdering another person by controlling a contracted beast. Do you admit to this claim?"
Lu Fei shrugged.
"Of course not. It was entirely self-defense."
He looked at his companions beside him, including Ke Xin, Zhou Shuyi, and Tang Ao, all of whom were present in court as defendants today.
"Heh heh, so you admit to severely injuring Fang Lin to his current state using your contracted beast?"
As the plaintiff's lawyer, Zhao Bing stepped forward.
Lu Fei gave a dismissive smile.
"As a lawyer, you should be more objective and fair. I believe it is necessary for me to recount the events of that day."
Lu Fei began to explain the entire sequence of events to everyone in detail. Some finer points were supplemented by his other companions.
"Therefore, I hope you are not putting the cart before the horse. It was Fang Lin who attempted to harm my companions, and we were forced to act. As for the injuries on this mummy, they were inflicted by his own contracted beast. He can only blame himself for insufficient training."
This was the truth of the matter, and Fang Lin had already explained the factual sequence of events to Zhao Bing. Thus, he was not surprised at all at this moment.
He had thoroughly researched how to find flaws in the opponent's statements. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
He quickly retorted, "You said you were very weak and no match for Fang Lin?"
Lu Fei paused for a moment, not answering him directly.
"I believe that as a lawyer, you should have a certain understanding of the strength levels of beast tamers and do not require me to elaborate further."
"Since your strength is so vastly different from Fang Lin's team, how were you able to use your contracted beast to control Fang Lin's contracted beast? With your disparity in strength, this should be utterly impossible!"
His voice gradually rose, becoming sharper. With a shift in tone, he pointed the finger directly at Zhou Shuyi!
"After our extensive investigation, we discovered that you used Zhou Nanfeng's hired beast tamers, who were secretly protecting his daughter, to launch a surprise attack on Fang Lin, which led to everything that happened afterward!"
Zhao Bing looked at Zhou Nanfeng with a half-smile.
"As far as I know, Chairman Zhou, you arranged for no less than a hundred hired beast tamers for this training exercise in the Yanbei region! You've practically hired every hired beast tamer from the Cang Town Beast Tamer Association!"
"You're spouting nonsense!"
Zhou Nanfeng was furious. He had indeed hired many hired beast tamers to protect Zhou Shuyi, but now they were using it to slander him!
"I told you to keep a low profile, but you insisted on making it public knowledge..." Lin Yuansheng, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but sigh.
"Order! Foul language is prohibited in court!"
Zhao Xiu rapped his gavel.
He then turned to Zhao Bing. "Lawyer Zhao, do you have any evidence for what you just said?"
Zhou Nanfeng panted, wishing he could kill Zhao Bing on the spot. However, such matters required evidence. Based solely on the other party's words, it was merely an attempt to destabilize him.
Just then, however, Zhao Bing spoke nonchalantly.
"Replying to the presiding judge, we have brought a witness!"
Zhou Nanfeng's brows furrowed.
"Let him in!" Zhao Xiu ordered.
Shortly after, a young man wearing a plaid shirt walked in.
Zhao Bing immediately declared, "His name is Da Gou. He is one of the beast tamers hired by Zhou Nanfeng. To clarify the truth of that day, and also because he cannot tolerate Zhou Nanfeng's overbearing and harmful actions, he specifically came to Ping Town to find us, saying he wanted to expose Zhou Nanfeng!"
Zhao Bing patted Da Gou's shoulder.
The two exchanged a look.
"Da Gou, please recount the events of that day."
The young man named Da Gou nodded slightly.
Then, he said timidly, "That day, I saw that the students from Cang Town Beast Tamer Academy did indeed have a conflict with the students from Ping Town Beast Tamer Academy. But as hired beast tamers, to avoid affecting the fairness of the training, we could only watch from the sidelines."
"Later, as the fight intensified, the students from Ping Town Beast Tamer Academy inexplicably chose to stop."
"But then..."
Da Gou suddenly pointed at Zhou Shuyi. "It was her who ordered another hired beast tamer to assist!"
Then, Da Gou pointed at Lu Fei.
"After that, he took advantage of Ping Town Beast Tamer Academy's unpreparedness and launched a surprise attack on them."
"This resulted in the severe injuries of the students from Ping Town Beast Tamer Academy!"
Before he finished speaking, Zhou Shuyi angrily exclaimed,
"You're lying!"
She was about to rush forward but was stopped by Lu Fei.
Lu Fei shook his head at her. Unlike the righteous indignation of the others, Lu Fei remained remarkably calm.
Glowered at by Zhou Shuyi, the already guilty Da Gou's eyes flickered, and he dared not meet her gaze.
He raised his voice as if to bolster his courage.
"The hired beast tamer you instructed that day is also here today. Why don't you confront each other directly!"
A moment later, another young man walked forward. He kept his head down, his expression grim, as if in repentance.
"Who is in the court? What is your name?"
The youth replied timidly.
"Replying to the presiding judge, my name is Li Dan. I am a hired beast tamer from the Cang Town Beast Tamer Association."
Zhao Xiu continued, "Is what Da Gou just said true?"
Li Dan immediately burst into tears and knelt on the ground.
"I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have acted covertly, violating the rules of the training. I beg the presiding judge to show leniency and not restrict my future employment!"
As he spoke, he threw a bank card from his pocket.
"The five million currency inside here was a reward from Zhou Nanfeng! And this golden ticket was also given to me by him!"
Fang Dagang and Zhao Bing exchanged a glance on the side, both revealing knowing smiles.
Li Dan was a tainted witness, already bought off by them. After this court session, Fang Dagang had promised him money that he wouldn't earn even if he worked as a hired beast tamer for his entire life!
"He's lying too! I don't know him at all!"
Zhou Shuyi shouted anxiously.
"Order!"
Zhao Xiu once again rapped his gavel, giving Zhou Shuyi no opportunity to defend herself.
He scanned the crowd below.
"Lu Fei, Zhou Nanfeng, the witness and evidence are all present. Do you have anything further to argue?"
He paused and then got to the point. "If so, please present your evidence!"
Zhou Nanfeng gritted his teeth, his fists pressed against the mahogany table, leaving indentations. He had walked the martial world his entire life, only to be ambushed in such a manner! And by the very methods he himself often employed!
He knew that this court session had been pre-arranged by the other side. It was a trap set for him!
For a moment, the entire courtroom fell silent.
"Since that is the case, I now pronounce..."
Zhao Xiu, eager to deliver the verdict.
Just then, someone sneered.
"I could pull two extras from Hengdian, and their acting would be better than these two tainted witnesses."