Chapter 247: Innocent

“What evidence?”

“Before the trial began, we received a handwritten letter from the Deputy Chief Law Enforcer of Aurora City. In the letter, Officer Tan Xin stated that the defendant Han Meng’s action of letting the train enter the city that day was discreetly signaled by him…”

As the defense lawyer took the envelope from his bag, a wave of murmuring immediately spread through the courtroom.

“Han Meng opened the gates under Officer Tan Xin’s instruction? What’s going on?”

“I don’t know… If that’s true, then this whole trial is just a misunderstanding? But why didn’t Tan Xin just order the gates opened directly, instead of having Han Meng let the train in that way? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Could there be some other concern? Like internal discord among the Law Enforcers?”

“In any case, Tan Xin has testified on Han Meng’s behalf, which proves he is indeed innocent. The accusation that he is a member of the Dusk Society is complete nonsense.”

“I felt something was off before. Finding a playing card under the bed makes him a member of the Dusk Society? I have two decks of cards at home… That Fang Lichang, he definitely has some major issues!”

The letter was sent up to the judge's bench. Gu Yuan opened it, gave it a quick glance, and then set it aside.

“The defendant’s rebuttal statement is complete.” After saying this, the defense lawyer looked up at the judge’s bench. “The prosecution has already left the court, and the facts prove that all their accusations were deliberate fabrication. How will the final verdict for the defendant Han Meng be handled?”

Gu Yuan sat on the judge’s bench, slowly turning over the documents in his hand. He did not answer immediately. The surrounding jury members also whispered amongst themselves, seemingly discussing something.

Meanwhile, a noisy commotion came from outside the courtroom doors.

Through the glazed windows, figures of residents holding newspapers could be seen gathering outside, peering in. As time passed, more and more people gathered outside. After a moment, someone suddenly shouted:

“Release Han Meng! Law Enforcer Han Meng is innocent!”

The moment this sound rang out, the people from District Three in the spectator seats were all stunned. They looked confusedly out the window, unsure of what was happening.

“Resist the trial’s hidden agenda! Resist deliberate suppression! Law Enforcer Han Meng secured a lifeline for the survivors and faithfully performed his duty! He should be acquitted!!”

“Law Enforcer Han Meng is a true man! If you can even frame him, are you still human?”

“We demand that all details of this case be made public! Clear Law Enforcer Han Meng’s name!”

“Release Han Meng! Han Meng is innocent!!”

More and more figures shouted outside. Their voices echoed through the open courtroom doors, reverberating inside. Standing in the defendant’s box, Han Meng paused slightly, confusion and bewilderment appearing in his eyes.

Xu Chongguo, in the spectator seats, seemed to realize something. He bent down and picked up the newspaper Fang Lichang had dropped earlier. The headline was an article exposing the Starry Group's organ trade. But when he flipped the paper to the second page, he froze.

“This is…”

“Han Meng is innocent!!” Perhaps influenced by the voices outside, the people from District Three, who had been disheartened by the lack of banners and loudspeakers, suddenly seemed invigorated. They all stood up from the spectator seats, their eyes shining like stars!

“Han Meng is innocent!!”

“Han Meng is innocent!!!”

Zhao Yi clenched his fists and led the crowd in shouting, one cry after another. Even Ling’er, who was beside him, stood up. One hand clutched Zhao Yi’s coattail, while the other vigorously waved to their rhythm. Her small face was full of earnestness.

The commotion inside and outside the courtroom left the law enforcers trying to maintain order scrambling. Even passersby in the opposite spectator seats started shouting for Han Meng. With so many people disrupting the court, they simply couldn’t manage. The scene was utter chaos.

Amidst the crowd from District Three, who were shouting and waving their fists, Chen Ling was the only one quietly sitting in his seat. His gaze swept across the entire courtroom, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He gently pushed his glasses up his nose and slowly stood up. Amidst the widespread chaos and shouts, he walked out of the courtroom alone.

His brown overcoat swayed gently in the wind. He resembled the person behind the scenes who, after personally orchestrating a brilliant performance, walks off backstage amidst the audience’s thunderous applause.

The performance was over. Perhaps no one would ever know what truly happened behind it all, nor would anyone know the full truth. But Chen Ling didn’t care. He only cared about one thing—

Today, victory was secured!

The moment Chen Ling stepped out of the courtroom doors, a clear gavel strike sounded from behind him.

Thump—!

“After the final deliberation by the Aurora City Trial Court…”

“The defendant Han Meng is acquitted and released!”

The moment the last four words were uttered, a cheer resonated throughout the courtroom. Amidst the enthusiastic applause, Han Meng, standing in the defendant’s box, seemed to sense something and subtly turned his head to look behind him.

Along the long corridor behind him, bathed in the glow of the glazed windows, a figure in a brown overcoat glanced back, and then turned and disappeared through the courtroom entrance.

“Officer Han Meng really has been acquitted!”

“I knew it, good people get good rewards! Now we can finally get some good sleep!”

“When we leave later, remember to grab the banners and loudspeakers. Don’t forget, those things cost a lot…”

Amidst the joyful conversations of the District Three people, Zhao Yi’s gaze sharpened, as if he had remembered something.

He turned and walked directly out of the courtroom.

“Xiao Yi, where are you going?” Xu Chongguo, holding Ling’er’s hand, saw this and asked, puzzled.

“I have something to do. You all go back first.”

Zhao Yi finished speaking. Without waiting for Xu Chongguo to say anything more, his figure disappeared outside the courtroom doors.

On the judge’s bench, Gu Yuan and the other trial officials stood up, preparing to leave. When his gaze fell upon Han Meng below, he still spoke:

“Han Meng, you may leave.”

Several law enforcers approached with Han Meng’s clothes and personal belongings. Han Meng was silent for a moment, then took them all. “Thank you, Senior Gu Yuan.”

“Don’t thank me, I merely did what I was supposed to,” Gu Yuan replied calmly. “However, had someone not been secretly helping you, this verdict wouldn’t have gone so smoothly. In a way, both you and I should thank him.”

With those words, Gu Yuan, clad in his black trench coat, turned and left.

Han Meng’s powers of observation and deduction had always been sharp. Even without Gu Yuan’s hint, he had already sensed the strangeness in the courtroom today. This series of reversals and the retribution against Fang Lichang—he certainly wouldn’t have believed it happened without someone pulling strings behind the scenes. But since he arrived in Aurora City, he barely knew anyone. Who could be helping him like this?