Chapter 391: The Trial Begins

The next morning.

Victory District, Victory Tower.

Tianxuan and Yan Jing stood in the elevator, riding it to the top floor.

Neither had slept the night before. They had spent the entire night working to complete the pollution dispersal.

The dispersal process had given Tianxuan a whole new understanding of Yan Jing's capabilities.

Of the six polluted factories, Yan Jing had single-handedly dispersed the pollution for five.

He had even polluted six new factories on top of that.

Those factories had barely been polluted to begin with, which meant the process required several times—or even dozens of times—more Pollution Dispersing Agent and shift-change maneuvering.

Yet Yan Jing had finished it all by himself.

If Kaiyang had taken the job, it would have required at least thirty to forty days. She had originally figured Yan Jing would be doing well just to finish two or three of the heavily polluted factories.

But now—

Was it a cloning ability? Or some form of acceleration?

Tianxuan had been pondering this non-stop.

From the moment they first made contact, she had never once dropped her guard around him.

Even after he executed the mission flawlessly, that wariness barely waned.

Yan Jing was completely different from the other humans she had dealt with. He always felt impossible to read.

"The person we are about to meet is our target for this operation: the executive director of Nuochen Biotech. This company is a true corporate giant in the Peace Heavenly Kingdom. Over seventy percent of the nation's Gene Potions are manufactured here," Tianxuan said softly.

"The executive director we're facing is newly appointed. According to my intel, she used to be an unfavored child in her family, even exiled to one of our slums in the Peace Heavenly Kingdom. Yet in just a few short days, she completely transformed herself and claimed the executive director's seat."

"Speaking of which—"

Tianxuan's beautiful eyes shifted, landing on Yan Jing.

"This actually has something to do with you."

"With me?"

Yan Jing asked with a smile, feigning complete ignorance.

Tianxuan nodded.

"Your brilliant performance in the Sin Live Broadcast didn't just earn you thousands of curses; it also successfully brought down the former executive director who invested in the event. She was considered a rising star who had defeated countless corporate heirs along the way, only to unexpectedly fall by your hands in the end."

Yan Jing chuckled.

"It was just a coincidence."

"Yes, a coincidence."

Tianxuan sighed.

"Many things in this world are exactly like that—just coincidences. If we really had to settle every single score, everyone would be guilty."

"The most important thing is to focus on what's right in front of us."

Pausing for a moment, she steered the topic back.

"But even though you brought down the former executive director, the fact that this new one managed to secure the position proves she's no simple character."

"She probably asked to meet me just to test the waters."

"You don't need to speak later. Otherwise, everything we've worked for might go up in smoke."

That last sentence was the real point. Tianxuan had built up to this just to let Yan Jing know that the meeting tied into his mission as well, hoping he wouldn't cause any unnecessary complications.

If, for example, Yan Jing suddenly blurted out to the other party that they were the ones who had spread the pollution, everything would be ruined.

However, from Tianxuan's perspective, the chances of that were incredibly slim. She hadn't revealed much information, and Yan Jing had no reason to turn against her.

Yan Jing also had to admit that if he were just a player who had entered the dungeon a day ago, Tianxuan's approach would be entirely correct.

If he were an ordinary player, Tianxuan would essentially be an NPC handing out a quest, and their recent conversation was just the NPC delivering the mission details.

Would an ordinary player with only Fifth Tier combat strength suddenly betray an NPC for no reason?

The probability was far too small.

Of course, this all relied on one premise.

That Yan Jing was an ordinary player.

As they conversed, the two stepped out of the elevator.

They arrived at a sky restaurant. The space was massive, yet the dining area held only a handful of tables spaced far apart. It was a place specifically reserved for big shots to discuss business.

Yes, big shots.

Yan Jing sighed inwardly. He didn't know when it had happened, but he could now be considered a 'big shot' too.

Back in Old Sin City, he had ultimately helped Mantou become the Lord of Old Sin City, but he hadn't gotten to enjoy much of the resulting status himself. And after arriving in Minhu, he had only served as a county magistrate.

Being the magistrate of Bianliu County in Minhu and holding Zeng Qing's current status in the Peace Heavenly Kingdom were two entirely different things.

The two walked toward the very center of the dining area. Sitting at a small round table were two figures.

A woman with a face as cold as frost, and a cat.

"You've arrived."

Zeng Qing stood up, bowing slightly toward Tianxuan along with Mao Si beside her.

"My apologies for being late."

Tianxuan smiled.

"I brought a friend along. I hope you don't mind. He is a human."

Yan Jing's face was concealed by a Small Mechanical Device given to him by Tianxuan. He reached his hand out toward Zeng Qing.

"Hello, Director Zeng."

Zeng Qing looked at Yan Jing's extended hand and smiled. Before she could speak, Mao Si stretched out a paw from beside her.

"Hello, I am Mao Si."

Mao Si gave a wicked smirk as his paw grasped Yan Jing's hand.

The clash between the two big shots had already begun.

And Yan Jing's performance unfolded along with it.

Tianxuan laughed.

"I've long heard that Director Zeng's tastes were rather unique. Today, I finally get to witness it."

"And this is...?"

She pretended to know nothing about Mao Si.

Zeng Qing's expression remained calm.

She had heard long ago that this councillor was difficult to deal with, but she hadn't expected to feel a trace of hostility the moment they met.

In the past, her stance would have been to hope Tianxuan wouldn't act recklessly. Naturally, she wouldn't have risen to the bait and would have even lowered her posture. But now, having uncovered a few things through the notebook Mao Si had handed her yesterday, the nature of the situation was entirely different.

Eventually, she smiled.

"This is also a friend of mine, as well as our company's specially appointed expert, Mao Si—Mr. Cat."

"Councillor Chen's tastes also seem quite unique."

"To think... he's a human..."

Chen Xue, or rather Tianxuan, offered a faint smile.

"Let's talk about something else, Director Zeng."

"If I remember correctly, you were the one who invited me here."

This was tantamount to applying pressure. From the very beginning, Tianxuan hadn't even sat down.

The implication behind her words was obvious: she could leave at any time.

She naturally hadn't wanted to bring Yan Jing, but when they met this morning, he had actively requested to tag along. Considering Yan Jing's strength, she had no way to refuse.

Zeng Qing started laughing.

"Just a joke, Councillor Chen. I hope you don't mind. Please, take a seat. Since you haven't sat down, Expert Cat and I naturally wouldn't dare to either."

The two finally took their seats.

The conversation began.

The content was mostly superficial pleasantries. For instance, Zeng Qing asked why Tianxuan was attending the trial that afternoon, expressed her apologies, admitted her factories were indeed lacking in some areas but firmly denied exceeding pollution limits, and attempted to win her over...

Tianxuan's responses were flawless and watertight.

They were the kind of answers that couldn't be used against her even if they were recorded.

Beside them, Yan Jing—or rather, Mao Si—listened quietly.

Playing the part of an attendant, he occasionally excused himself to use the restroom.

After the conversation concluded, the two women stood and shook hands.

"I hope this afternoon's trial will clearly demonstrate Nuochen Biotech's preparations for you."

Zeng Qing smiled.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Tianxuan also wore a smile.

Tianxuan led Yan Jing into the elevator.

Standing on her tiptoes, she leaned close to his ear, her breath fragrant like orchids as she whispered, "Did you record it?"

"Right here."

Yan Jing pulled a pocket-sized device from his coat, ejected the chip, and handed it to Tianxuan.

This was an extra task Tianxuan had specifically entrusted to him. She was worried that Zeng Qing might use a muted video of their meeting to spin a narrative or blackmail her. After all, such tactics were hardly rare in the Peace Heavenly Kingdom.

"Thank you."

Tianxuan flashed a dazzling smile at Yan Jing. Then, seemingly by accident, her upper body brushed intimately against him multiple times as she lowered her heels.

Her hair fluttered softly.

Yan Jing's gaze turned a bit dazed.

Suddenly, just as Tianxuan was feeling somewhat smug about her successful teasing, Yan Jing reached out, grabbed her chin, and gently lifted it.

Startled, Tianxuan instinctively tried to dodge, only to find that Yan Jing's strength was terrifyingly immense.

In the end, she had no choice but to helplessly submit.

"You want something to happen between us?"

Yan Jing chuckled.

Though slightly panicked inside, Tianxuan maintained a radiant smile on the surface.

"Only if you don't mind that the woman standing in front of you is a cyborg in her seventies."

Yan Jing smiled and released his grip, but the turmoil in Tianxuan's heart didn't settle.

She hadn't expected Yan Jing to possess such overwhelming physical strength without emitting a single ripple of Weird Energy.

A strength type...

In less than a day, every interaction with Yan Jing sent shockwaves through her heart. Layer by layer, this building realization made her vaguely aware that the man before her was a monster.

That was why she hadn't rejected his touch just now. It was partly an act, but it held a few slivers of genuine intent.

If she could forge a connection with Yan Jing, add a few more restricting clauses to her book, and summon him to help her every time, it would be a massive gain...

On the other side, Mao Si jumped onto Zeng Qing's shoulder and asked, "Did you see that just now?"

"I saw it..."

Zeng Qing let out a long breath.

No one else knew what she had just seen.

When the masked human on the other side had gone to the restroom, he reached a distant corner and suddenly took off his mask, flashing a smile at her while Chen Xue's back was turned.

That face...

It was clearly the human named Yan Jing from the Sin Live Broadcast!

And that human was unmistakably Luo Sheng's subordinate!

It was hard to describe Zeng Qing's current feelings. She was a completely different person from Chen Xiaojing.

Chen Xiaojing was fragile. Her core was unstable and she yearned for love, which was why she had been so completely drawn to Luo Sheng after meeting him.

But she was not.

She preferred keeping most matters firmly in her own grasp. She disliked mysteries and hated being passive.

Therefore, the more she understood Luo Sheng's power, the more terrified she became.

It was a visceral, physiological fear.

Because if Luo Sheng could toy with so many people, he could certainly toy with her as well.

Everything depended solely on his whim.

Was it possible that she was just another piece on the chessboard? Maybe tomorrow, she would end up suffering the exact same fate as Chen Xiaojing...

The moment this thought surfaced, she suddenly felt cold and shivered.

Then, she reached out, pulled Yan Jing off her shoulder, and hugged him tight against her chest.

"Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing?!"

Yan Jing struggled desperately.

"I'm warning you, woman! You've been losing your sense of boundaries lately. If you dare treat Fourth Master like a pet, Fourth Master will slaughter you!"

"Don't be so stingy for a cat."

Feeling Yan Jing's fluffy fur, Zeng Qing finally felt a trace of warmth.

Afternoon.

Victory District.

Victory Court.

A male Smart Seed sat at the very center of the courtroom, a white curly wig perched on his head. With a stern expression, he raised his gavel and slammed it down hard.

"Silence."

He did not look like someone to be trifled with, which was evident just from the wig on his head.

Few people nowadays still insisted on wearing such ancient relics. Being indifferent to hairstyles was also a form of freedom; some judges didn't even bother wearing their robes during trials.

But that was only on the surface.

In reality, he was a guy who would switch sides for a mere hundred thousand Eerie Points (roughly five million Surface World Currency), and the very backer he relied on was Nuochen Biotech.

Below him, the prosecution and the police stood on opposite sides. Behind the prosecution sat the direct supervisor of the polluting factory alongside the best lawyer the company could hire. Behind the police sat a skinny, bony-looking otter.

He looked a bit old, but not truly elderly. In his forties, wearing a crumpled white shirt and a tie, he seemed rather nervous as he kept glancing at a prepared sheet of paper containing his arguments.

And beside him was a brown bear.

That was the lawyer Crocodile had hired for these people.

His track record wasn't great. He hadn't handled any particularly major cases, and his overall win rate was only thirty percent.

But he was already the best lawyer Crocodile could afford to hire.

No one wanted to wade into these muddy waters.

Even if Crocodile offered a high price, it would be useless.

Of course, it wasn't actually a huge sum. He was dead broke; the money primarily came from Papa Rat.

Zeng Qing activated her Disguise Module and sat in the very back of the public gallery with Mao Si.

—

—

Logically speaking, she shouldn't have come. If her identity were exposed, she would be drowned in spit by the rows of emaciated, tattered figures sitting in the front. But she came anyway.

She spotted Chen Xue in a corner on the other side. Chen Xue had clearly noticed her as well and greeted her.

The Disguise Module was practically useless against Sixth Tier beings.

At this stage, physical appearance was no longer the most important thing. The Weird Energy fluctuations, the aura surrounding them, their personal habits—

All of these could be used to identify a person.

She just wondered why Chen Xue hadn't brought that human along with her this time.

"It's starting."

Zeng Qing gently patted Yan Jing, whose eyes were closed.

She thought he had fallen asleep.

But Yan Jing hadn't. He stood up, looking at the tightly shut courtroom doors behind them, and spoke.

"People are arguing outside."

"I didn't hear anything."

Zeng Qing was taken aback.

She might not have heard it earlier because the courtroom was noisy, but it had grown completely silent after the judge banged his gavel, yet she still couldn't hear a sound.

"I'm a cat."

Yan Jing's eyes flickered. There were definitely people arguing.

At that moment, outside the doors, hundreds of meters away at the corner of a corridor, figures with vastly different physical builds were locked in a fierce dispute.

"I have to go!"

Crocodile swung his arms, waving them vigorously to show the grounded Papa Rat just how agitated he was.

"They hired the best lawyer! That bear kid won't be able to handle it!"

"You promised me. You are not going."

Papa Rat's face was dark.

"You need to understand. If you don't show your face and we lose the trial, we can still gloss over it. But if you step out there, the nature of this entire situation changes completely."

"Besides... how long has it been since you last worked as a lawyer?"

Papa Rat posed this soul-piercing question, causing Crocodile to freeze. After a moment, he suddenly fell silent.

He looked down and adjusted his suit, taking a deep breath.

"But I prepare myself every single day to be a lawyer."

"Even if it's tomorrow... No, even if it's the very next second."

"If they need me, I will stand right back in that damn spot and defend them."

—