Jian Rushuang glanced at the camera and transmission equipment that had been automatically set up at the back of the hall, and said calmly, "Let's begin."
The court recorder stood up, his voice clear and loud. "Please be seated, all those in attendance, and remain silent. I now announce the rules of the court: First, the parties and their legal representatives and those in attendance must..."
"Wait a moment."
Li Ang's voice rang out from below the stage.
Jian Rushuang, who was flipping through the case files, raised her head and saw Li Ang sitting in the defendant's seat, his face expressionless.
"These cameras,"
Li Ang pointed to the camera equipment at the back of the hall, "they're working, right?"
"Yes."
Jian Rushuang nodded. "The footage will be projected to the Special Affairs Bureau headquarters, recorded, and archived."
"If I remember correctly,"
Li Ang said slowly, "criminal cases involving supernatural elements will have some content disclosed to the public, right?"
Jian Rushuang thought for a moment and replied, "Yes. In order to completely settle the case, we usually give the victim's family a rough explanation of the situation."
In the past, in order to maintain order, the Special Affairs Bureau adopted the strategy of disguising all supernatural events as accidents.
But now, since there is no need to deliberately hide anything, and with technological advancements and staff expansion, the Special Affairs Bureau's strategy is becoming more and more open.
Li Ang nodded. "So, what about now?"
"Are you referring to your case?"
Jian Rushuang said calmly, "We will cut out the video of the court trial process, blur it, and hand it over to the victim's family so that they know that the suspect has received due justice.
This is the rule, and previous cases have been handled in the same way."
"The rule..."
Chai Cuiqiao, disguised as Li Ang, savored the word.
"All of this,"
She looked around and said calmly, "Don't you find it all ridiculous?"
"Ridiculous?"
Jian Rushuang slowly withdrew her hand from flipping through the case files, her brow slightly furrowed. "I'm reminding, or rather warning, you not to show contempt of..."
"Enough."
Li Ang shook his head and pointed to the camera equipment. "'I' have the awareness that one day I will be arrested and captured.
He who kills shall be killed, it's very fair.
What I can't accept is this."
Jian Rushuang's brow furrowed deeply. "It's just recording a video, is it that important..."
"It may be irrelevant to you, but to me, it's very important."
Li Ang said calmly, "I am guilty,
but not wrong."
"..."
Jian Rushuang stared at Li Ang. She could understand what he meant. Guilt is a man-made concept, linked to violating rules, punishments, and penalties.
"If it weren't for the fact that I am a mid- to high-level player, you might even have invited the so-called victims' families to the gallery in the hall."
Li Ang said faintly, "Let them glare at me from below the stage, cursing me in their hearts as the murderer who killed their loved ones with cruel methods and destroyed their families,
let them clap their hands, rejoice, and be grateful when they hear the verdict,
thanking the Special Affairs Bureau for being so fair and just, even towards supernatural criminals."
Li Ang paused and said slowly, "Just thinking about that scene makes me feel disgusted."
Jian Rushuang was silent for a moment, then said calmly, "We are not as unbearable as you think. We have done a great deal of work in places you can't see. All of our actions are to maintain..."
"Order and justice."
Li Ang interrupted, "You know, all of this is meaningless to me.
I have traveled through countless worlds,
slaughtered lofty gods, and killed invincible demons.
Steel torrents are like chickens and dogs to me,
and all the rules of the human world are as small as dust to me.
Before becoming a player, no rules could bind me,
and now, you think you can trap me in this small defendant's seat?
The only reason you are still alive and able to stand here
is because I care about Wang Congshan and her thoughts,
that's all."
Jian Rushuang took a breath. "I'm warning you again, you are showing contempt of..."
"So what if I show contempt?"
Li Ang said faintly, "You should have realized it long ago,
no matter how nice you put it,
the worlds of the supernatural and ordinary people are divided,
and the degree of division is getting bigger and bigger.
For ordinary people, a stable and healthy social order and environment are always the most important.
But for the supernatural, they don't need as many of the production and living systems that ordinary people need.
Supernatural people can largely be self-sufficient, and even if order collapses, they can still live very well, and even live better in terms of controlling and possessing others.
In my eyes, the so-called rules and other people are really not important at all."
"Do you know what you're saying?"
Jian Rushuang said in a deep voice, "This is not helping your own situation.
Your resume is very good. Although the methods in the case are relatively brutal, there are emotionally understandable motives, and your current age can also alleviate your situation.
If you are willing to cooperate with our work, things won't be so serious.
However,
if you continue with this attitude, it will be difficult for me to help you."
"You still don't understand what I mean..."
Li Ang sighed and said calmly, "I don't need help, nor do I need anyone's pity or concern."
He slowly stood up from the defendant's seat, and under the vigilant gaze of the Special Affairs Bureau's armed agents, he said peacefully, "However, before I make a decision, I want to hear something else.
According to the Special Affairs Bureau's normal procedure, what kind of verdict will I face?"
"..."
Jian Rushuang and Li Ang stared at each other in silence for several seconds before she pointed to the back of the hall, a metal recliner that looked a bit like a surgical bed and was out of place with the style of the hall.
"See that device?"
Jian Rushuang said slowly, "If you confess to all your crimes, considering your age and motives, we will place you on the device.
You will be put into a dream, your memories will be wiped clean, you will believe that you are an ordinary person, and you will be tried in a dream world without any supernatural elements,
serving a thirty-year prison sentence and three death sentences.
After each death sentence, your memories will be wiped clean again, and you will be re-projected.
You will not be released until the sentence is completed, and you will return to the real world, retaining all the memories in the virtual dream.
Every memory will be extremely clear, and all emotions will be extremely sincere.
This will serve as the punishment you have suffered."
"Then,"
Li Ang raised his head, "what happens after that?"
"After that,"
Jian Rushuang looked at a colleague below, who stood up and dragged a heavy metal armor out of thin air.
"You will regain your freedom, but freedom comes at a price.
You will be forced to join the Special Affairs Bureau's Mobile Task Force, and the prison will accompany you.
This armor is your new prison."
As if in response to Jian Rushuang's words, the two-meter-high dark blue power armor's indicator lights automatically lit up, illuminating Li Ang's face.
"..."
Miss Chai stared at the power armor's yellow-brown opaque mask,
and the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.
"Haha, hahaha, hahahahahaha."
She laughed, laughing loudly, and slammed the table of the defendant's seat with her handcuffed arms. "Is this how you deal with supernatural criminals?
Live, imprison, utilize."
A hint of coldness flashed in her eyes. She was about to say something, but her hand trembled slightly.
She suddenly turned her head and looked in the direction of Yin City.