Chapter 246: Using His Own Methods Against Him

At this moment, the entire courtroom fell into complete silence. Everyone stared incredulously at Old Ding, then turned to the bewildered Fang Lichang, for a moment unsure of what had just happened. Judge Gu Yuan was also momentarily stunned, a rare occurrence. He had served as a judge for many years, handling countless unusual verdicts, but a scene as bizarre as the one before him was unprecedented.

“Old Ding! What nonsense are you spouting!” Fang Lichang roared in anger. “How could I possibly be Spade 6?”

Gu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly, his mind racing. Before Fang Lichang could say more, he spoke clearly and loudly: “Old Ding, don’t be afraid. This is a court of law; we will protect you if anything happens. First, tell me, are the accusations against the defendant Han Meng—regarding collecting protection fees and joining the Twilight Society to become Spade 6—true?”

“N-No… they’re not! They’re all false! Fang Lichang gave me a lot of money to say those things!” Old Ding stammered, trembling. “It was him… he definitely didn’t want to expose his identity, so he framed that Han Meng! That way, no one would know he was Spade 6… He, he even wanted to kill us to silence us! Quickly, kill him! Kill him! Don't let him escape!”

Old Ding’s shocking declaration completely overturned everyone’s understanding. Even Zhao Yi, who had been about to rush forward and punch Old Ding, was now frozen in place, his eyes wide with confusion.

Just then, an enforcement officer hurriedly ran from a distance, holding several photos, and whispered something into Gu Yuan's ear. A flash of surprise crossed Gu Yuan's eyes. He held the photos, examined them for a moment, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

“Everyone, just now, we simultaneously received several identical reports,” Gu Yuan’s voice rang out again. “Several journalists from different media outlets claimed to have been attacked by Spade 6 and simultaneously identified the assailant as former prosecutor Fang Lichang. At the same time, we also received a letter from a journalist named Zhuo, who identified himself as a ‘Friend of Justice.’ The letter contained several photos taken on the top floor of the Meili Hotel. The scene showed a large number of Spade 6 playing cards and over a dozen victims. Preliminary assessment indicates that the identities of these victims largely match those of the complainants.”

At this statement, everyone’s expressions changed. If Old Ding’s previous words could be dismissed as the ramblings of a senile man, then surely not everyone could be insane if so many people simultaneously reported and identified Fang Lichang? Crucially, regardless of Spade 6’s true identity, since that person appeared at the Meili Hotel, Han Meng, who had been continuously confined in the black prison, could naturally be cleared of suspicion. This meant that all of Fang Lichang’s accusations against Han Meng were invalid.

Hearing this, Fang Lichang’s face was filled with disbelief. He shook his head repeatedly, muttering to himself: “No… this is impossible! I am not Spade 6! This is pure fabrication and entrapment! Judge Gu Yuan… someone is slandering me!”

Gu Yuan watched the nearly frantic Fang Lichang, a faint glint in his eyes. Having served as an enforcement officer for so many years, he was not easily misled by external information. Moreover, all these pieces of evidence had appeared too suddenly and bizarrely; he certainly wouldn't believe there wasn't someone secretly pulling strings behind it all.

Although Gu Yuan didn't know who was behind the scenes, the direction of all this information suggested the culprit's goal was to frame Fang Lichang, perhaps incidentally clearing Han Meng's name. This did not conflict with Gu Yuan’s current plan—Han Meng must be acquitted, and Fang Lichang, the traitor, must be punished.

Within mere seconds, Gu Yuan had already formulated his strategy. He slowly spoke: “Fang Lichang, do you have anything else to say?”

“I truly am not Spade 6! When I saw those cards at the banquet, I knew something was wrong, then…” Fang Lichang was furiously waving his hands, attempting to explain the situation as it had happened. Just then, he suddenly felt an itch at his collar. As he spoke, he absentmindedly scratched the spot. Something floated down from his collar with his fingertips and landed on the floor…

The moment he saw what it was, Fang Lichang’s voice came to an abrupt halt! It was a Spade 6.

“It’s him!! It’s him!!! He is Spade 6!!!” At this sight, Old Ding’s deepest fears were re-activated. He scrambled to his feet and frantically bolted towards the courtroom exit!

“Th-This… how is this possible?” Fang Lichang felt a shiver run down his spine. He fumbled at his collar, realizing that the collar stiffener that had been inside was now gone…

Having personally witnessed the Spade 6 fall out, the enforcement officers on the judge’s bench changed expression dramatically!

Gu Yuan’s face darkened. He slowly spoke: “Fang Lichang… do you have any evidence to prove your innocence?”

“Evidence? I am not Spade 6 at all! What more evidence could there be?!” Fang Lichang shrieked hysterically, “Can a few people’s words, a few photos of unknown origin, and one playing card prove that I belong to the Twilight Society?!”

“When it concerns the Twilight Society, how can such detailed evidence be collected? For the stability and safety of Aurora City, it’s better to execute them as soon as possible,” Xu Chongguo suddenly sneered from the public gallery. “Didn’t you say those exact words when you framed Officer Han Meng? Now that it’s happening to you, it’s suddenly unacceptable? Moreover, the evidence pointing to you now is far more extensive than that which pointed to Officer Han Meng…”

Fang Lichang’s eyes widened, and he was speechless.

Bang—!

A gavel strike resounded from in front of Gu Yuan. He spoke calmly: “Former prosecutor Fang Lichang, suspected to be Spade 6 of the Twilight Society, with current evidence being conclusive, will first be remanded to the black prison for the highest-level interrogation process…”

Fang Lichang’s pupils constricted abruptly. As if realizing something, he recoiled in terror repeatedly. “No… Gu Yuan! You can’t do this to me! I am not Spade 6! I really am not Spade 6!!”

Before Fang Lichang could say anything more, several high-ranking enforcement officers immediately stepped forward. Their terrifying pressure instantly pinned him in place, preventing any sudden escape attempt. Amidst Fang Lichang’s furious roars, his figure gradually vanished from the courtroom.

“Your Honor,” the defense lawyer looked up at an opportune moment. “Regardless of whether Fang Lichang himself is Spade 6, I believe the defendant’s suspicion can at least be cleared. Furthermore, I have a crucial piece of evidence here that can prove the defendant’s innocence.”