Leng Feng slammed his fist on the desk and shouted, "Court session open! Everyone please maintain silence. We will now have the defendant recount the events."

The twenty-odd people from the Lei and Lü families—Lei Lei’s and Lü Tao’s kin—heard the judge call the session to order, and immediately, amidst a cacophony of voices, began wailing out their grievances. The narrative of events was, in truth, already crystal clear to everyone; this was merely going through the motions. Hearing the resulting chaos below, Leng Feng slammed the desk again with more force. "Enough! The sequence of events has been sufficiently recounted. I now ask the defendant for her statement."

Standing at the defense stand, Nie Juan declared, "Let them die; it has nothing to do with me. I warn you, release me immediately, or you will all be finished!"

Leng Feng glanced at a notification on his phone, then slammed the desk once more. "Contempt of court! Fifty lashes for you!"

Zhu Da grinned menacingly and strode forward. Without a word, he swung both arms out, landing ten resounding slaps on Nie Juan’s face. Nie Juan had never imagined such a thing could happen in P City. Though terrified when she was first apprehended, she had calmed down, certain her father would arrive to save her soon. Now, seeing her father seated below, his face dark and silent, with blood streaming from her mouth and nose, she broke down and sobbed aloud.

The Lü and Lei families had initially assumed some local official was acting erratically tonight, taking out their frustrations on them. They never expected their sworn enemy to receive ten resounding slaps the moment the proceedings began. The sense of satisfaction they felt was immense. The four elders actually knelt on the floor right there in the courtroom, crying out for justice! For a year and a half, their nightly longing had been to see this venomous woman beaten to vent their anger, and now it had materialized!

Leng Feng remained cold as he asked Nie Juan, "Defendant, do you have any comment on the facts presented by the plaintiffs?"

Nie Juan had learned her lesson this time. Covering her face, she stated, "No comment."

"I have an objection!" Secretary Nie, seated below, suddenly stood up.

Leng Feng nodded. "Good, you may speak."

Secretary Nie asserted, "You people have no jurisdiction to interrogate my daughter. Only a legitimate judge can question her. This is a violation of human rights! I will sue you; I will take you all the way to the Central Government!"

Leng Feng responded, "Disregarding the authority of the judge—another fifty lashes for you too."

Secretary Nie was stunned. He couldn't believe anyone dared strike him, but a succession of sharp slaps rained down, making his vision flash with golden light. He couldn't deny it even if he wanted to. Secretary Huang and Director Wu attempted to intervene but were firmly restrained by four police officers. The Lü and Lei families were too terrified to make a sound. They only wanted the poisonous woman beaten, but they had never dared dream of striking Secretary Nie.

After striking the Secretary, Zhu Da turned to the four men. "If anyone else objects, I’ll keep striking. Answer what you are asked, or next time I’ll use my bare hands and strike until you’re nothing but bloody pulp!"

Leng Feng asked Nie Juan again, coldly, "Defendant, do you have any comment on the facts presented by the plaintiffs?"

"None," Nie Juan replied, glancing at her father, who was now slumped over like a wilted eggplant, silent and head bowed.

Leng Feng questioned, "Nie Juan, who were you with on the evening of February 3rd last year?"

Nie Juan stammered, "It was so long ago, I don't remember."

"No matter," Leng Feng said, "Let me remind you. On the evening of February 3rd last year, you were with four low-life thugs nicknamed 'Sappy Dog,' 'Old Mole Rat,' 'Big Cock,' and 'Dirt Peak.' You first dined with them at the Xian Ge Hotel in the city. During the meal, you secretly arranged for these four to ambush victim Lei Lei as she finished her night shift, abducting her to a secluded spot for sexual assault. You immediately gave the four 60,000 yuan in hush money, with Sappy Dog receiving an extra Rolex watch. Old Mole Rat and Big Cock even took the liberty of sleeping with you. You returned home at 10:30 PM. By 11:50 PM, victim Lei Lei was dragged into the small park on Xiangyang Street and brutally defiled. She was then forced to take nude photographs. The next day, when Dirt Peak delivered the nude photos to you, you gave them another 8,000 yuan. Am I correct?"

Nie Juan froze, "How do you know all of this so clearly?"

Secretary Nie below could no longer restrain himself. He shouted, "I object! There is absolutely no evidence to prove the truth of this matter."

Leng Feng commanded, "Summon the witnesses: Sappy Dog, Old Mole Rat, Big Cock, and Dirt Peak."

Clang! The main courtroom doors burst open, and the four thugs, who had been in hiding for a year and a half, appeared in the doorway. Secretary Nie's face instantly drained of color. He glared fiercely at Secretary Huang; this matter had been entrusted to Huang, and the sudden appearance of the four meant his daughter was effectively finished.

Secretary Huang was equally startled. Being glared at by Secretary Nie made him step forward involuntarily and blurt out, "Why are you four back?"

The leader, Sappy Dog, replied, "It wasn't my idea to come back, Secretary Huang. We were just bathing in the sea at Hainan Island, and suddenly everything went black, and now we’re here. Can you tell me what’s going on? Am I dreaming? What date is it? Have I been unconscious for days?"

Secretary Huang said, "It’s the evening of September 2nd."

Sappy Dog looked confused. "That's not right. We were only unconscious for a few minutes. How are we back in P City?"

Secretary Huang hissed, "Don't say anything reckless later, or else…"

Clang! Another sound of a desk being struck. Leng Feng warned, "A warning to everyone below: if anyone speaks to the witnesses again, they will immediately receive fifty lashes."

Secretary Huang clamped his own mouth shut. He knew this judge meant business. The executioner standing nearby was smiling at him; any further comment would surely earn him a beating. If even the Secretary couldn't avoid it, what hope did a mere secretary like him have?

Leng Feng tapped the desk and asked, "Sappy Dog, you are the ringleader of this gang. Tell us yourself about the sordid dealings between you and the defendant, Nie Juan."

Sappy Dog’s eyes darted around. "Uh... I don't know this Nie Juan. A woman that hideous and ugly, your grandpa has no interest."

"Very well," Leng Feng sighed. "There is a road to heaven, but you chose the path to hell. Four years ago, a rape-murder case in P City's Huai Shu Zhuang. Three years ago, a robbery-homicide in Building 8 of the Golden Residential Area downtown. Two years ago, a 500,000 yuan robbery at the West Bus Station. As for the countless petty thefts and extortion, we'll skip those for today. I hereby declare that Wei Jianqiang—alias Sappy Dog—has sufficient crimes accumulated to warrant immediate execution. Carry it out now, to serve as a warning to those who remain obstinate."

This declaration stunned even the police officers below. Execution by firing squad—this wasn't like handing out fifty lashes. Usually, such a sentence required extremely rigorous procedure. But this judge announced the death penalty in just a few sentences. Was he joking?

The police hesitated to execute the order, but that didn't mean no one would. Two super-soldiers stepped forward, grabbed Sappy Dog, and dragged him out. Clang! The courtroom door opened and closed again. Everyone held their breath. Suddenly, a crisp gunshot echoed from outside. A moment later, the courtroom door swung open again, and the two super-soldiers dragged Sappy Dog's corpse back in, tossing it like a dead dog in front of Old Mole Rat, Big Cock, and Dirt Peak.

"Ugh!" Some people below couldn't stomach it and began vomiting. A young girl from the Lü family was retching the hardest. Xiao Chuchu, her face pale, whispered to me, "Aren't you being a bit too harsh? Is this really okay?"

I replied, "What is okay or not okay? Taozi wanted to kill him the moment she saw the information in his brain, but we kept him alive to serve as a witness. I am executing him on behalf of the government and the people. If you don't believe me, ask the citizens of P City tomorrow—if a single person says I killed the wrong man, then... then I will never touch a woman for the rest of my life!"

Xiao Chuchu took my hand. "I trust Taozi's abilities, but I simply can't bear it. I'm just a girl. Can't you soothe me instead of being so serious? And never touching women for the rest of your life—can you really do that?"

Old Mole Rat, Big Cock, and Dirt Peak cautiously approached to inspect the body. The three roared, "It really is Sappy Dog! Damn it, they actually executed Sappy Dog!"

No one dared speak below. Still, Leng Feng tapped the desk. "Old Mole Rat, Sappy Dog has gone to atone to God. Now it’s your turn to speak about the sordid transaction between your criminal gang and the defendant, Nie Juan."

Old Mole Rat was so terrified he wet his pants. He plopped onto the ground. "I confess, I confess everything! Don't kill me! It was all that bitch. She gave us money to assault that Miss Lei and take nude photos so she could use them to force her to leave Lü Tao. Later, when Lü Tao completely ignored the assault on Miss Lei, this bitch gave us another forty thousand yuan to disfigure her with acid! It wasn't our fault; it was all the Nie family's doing! You don't know how ruthless that father and daughter pair are. We’ve already crippled several people for them before. All our deals were arranged through that Secretary Huang..."

"You're talking nonsense!" Secretary Nie could not hold back any longer.

Leng Feng slammed the desk with a clang. "Shut up! If you dare to—"

The room instantly quieted. Old Mole Rat continued, "Go investigate him! Spare us! We were just following orders. That Secretary, who has a beastly heart, is swimming in money. His wife and daughter’s household registrations have already been moved overseas. I overheard the Boss say once, when he was sleeping with the bitch, she mentioned having eight million US dollars in savings abroad. I'll tell you everything, just please don't kill me..."

Eventually, Big Cock and Dirt Peak started spilling secrets about Secretary Nie’s scandalous affairs, competing to show their remorse. The courtroom descended into chaos once more. Leng Feng struck the desk: "Enough! I now announce that you, you, you, and you—you are all guilty! The final sentencing must be reviewed by the Supreme People's Court. Guards, take them into custody first, and escort them back to Jingdu City first thing tomorrow morning to face the Supreme People's Court!"

Someone, unexpectedly, switched on a ceiling light high above. The bright illumination shone directly onto the national emblem hanging above the courtroom, its reflection dazzling Secretary Nie and Secretary Huang, forcing them to squint. Several police officers stepped forward, the kacha-kacha of handcuffs echoing as they clamped restraints on the defendants. Then, they were dragged away like slaughtered pigs.

Leng Feng descended from the dais and addressed the twenty-odd people of the Lü and Lei families. "The Supreme People's Court will mail you the notification after the verdict. You don't need to go to the capital. This case is settled ironclad; even the Central People's Congress Chairman, the Nie family's backer, cannot overturn it. Your vengeance is complete. Alas, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Live your lives well from now on; your loved ones below will rest easier knowing this."

Plop, plop, plop—a chorus of kneeling sounds erupted as all twenty-plus people from the two families bowed down to Leng Feng. The hard cement floor rang out with resounding thuds! The foreheads of the elderly Lei couple were bleeding from the impact. Startled, Leng Feng, Liu Ying, and the others rushed forward to help them up.

The four elders wept torrentially. "Benevolent Judge! You are the reincarnation of Bao Gong! A true, upright Lord of Justice! Our Lü and Lei families will erect a longevity tablet for you for generations to come! We will never forget your immense kindness!"

Old Man Lü suddenly pulled the young girl kneeling on the ground toward him. "Tingcui, this Great Judge is your godfather from now on. From this moment, you take his surname. Without him, the grievances of your brother and sister-in-law could never be settled in this lifetime. He is a living embodiment of justice! You must follow your godfather’s example and seek justice and vengeance for good people in the future!"

Leng Feng, Tian Qing, Guan Yue, and Liu Ying suddenly started crying. They could no longer bear the scene. Punishing the wicked should be a righteous and natural thing, but why were the people so grateful that they were beating their heads until they bled? Was achieving justice in this world truly so difficult?

Leng Feng could not accept the kneeling gratitude from the Lü and Lei families because he knew he had done nothing. If he silently accepted the credit, seeing the bloody foreheads of the Lei elders in the future would haunt him for life. "Elders, please don't do this. To be honest, none of this credit belongs to me. This case was handled by the Director of our Central Rectification Office. Since it was inconvenient for him to appear publicly, I presided over the trial on his behalf. If you wish to give thanks, thank him."

"Where is he?" all twenty-odd people asked in unison.

Leng Feng dared not violate discipline by openly revealing his superior’s identity. He looked up at the solemn national emblem and uttered a sentence with the air of a great leader: "Wherever the national emblem hangs, he is there."

Lü Ting, standing nearby, interjected, "Judge, I have been accepted into Long Teng University's Law Department. I also want to be a judge like you and seek justice for the people. Could you tell me my godfather’s name?"

Leng Feng wanted to refuse, but the elderly Lei couple was already preparing to kneel again, waiting to return home to set up a longevity tablet. Refusing to give a name might not be acceptable; even just providing the surname would have to suffice.

"Aunts and Uncles, I can only tell you that his surname is Zhao. I must keep all other details confidential, or it will be a violation of discipline. Please do not press me further."

Old Man Lü nodded understandingly. "We understand; knowing the surname is enough. Tingting, remember this: from now on, you are surnamed Zhao and named Zhao Ting. Every day, you must light three sticks of incense for your godfather, pray for his long life, and wish that he continues to uphold justice for the common people."