CHAPTER 846: CHAPTER 846: LIFTING A STONE ONLY TO DROP IT ON ONE’S OWN FOOT

After leaving McCullen, Guryang quickly walked out the door and caught up with the chief judge who had announced the adjournment earlier.

Seeing his fierce expression, the other four judges wisely quickened their pace to leave.

They could guess some of the underlying reasons but didn’t want to get involved.

Once the four had walked away, Guryang stared intently into the chief judge’s eyes and gritted his teeth to say a single sentence.

"What do you mean by that!"

The old man raised his cloudy eyes.

Maybe it’s because of his age, there wasn’t much fear in his eyes, he just looked at Guryang for a moment and then said slowly and firmly.

"General Giulion, I am just a colonial judge, not one of your soldiers. I have no reason to explain my work to you. If you are dissatisfied with my verdict, feel free to file a complaint with Triumph City; they can send a more professional judge over."

In the Army, the judiciary has a certain degree of independence. It is neither part of the officer system nor the civil official system but belongs to the "Imperial Guard" oversight system.

Namely, directly responsible to the Marshal.

It’s just that the Marshal and the Imperial Guard do not involve themselves in the specific affairs of the Army, they only exercise supervisory rights and consider loyalty as an important evaluation factor, so the Imperial Guard hasn’t developed into a factional interest group.

The reason for this design has some historical context tied to the formation of the Army system.

After all, early armies consisted entirely of soldiers and their families, and there were no other professions. Even after the court completed trials, it was mostly up to the Imperial Guard to arrest people, and those caught were all soldiers.

This is similar to the Alliance’s guards; initially, they were just gatekeepers for the base, but as the population grew, it gradually evolved into a police organization, departments were divided, and the Guard was split off.

However, although the Army’s Imperial Guard hasn’t developed into a "Southern Legion" or "Civil Official Group"-like interest group, people have their own interests.

After all, not everyone is as honorable and loyal as the Guards.

Moreover, as the size of the Army expanded, more settlements and colonies were developed, and the judicial system of the Army no longer was limited to Triumph City and other core settlements. Many positions were released as territories expanded.

To further their careers, some judges choose to align with other interest groups, leaving the promotion-constrained Triumph City to develop their careers in the colonies.

Meanwhile, local armies do not monopolize judicial authority in their territories and are happy to cooperate with these judges from Triumph City, leading to some exchange of interests.

In a sense, this is one reason why "laws change their flavor" once they leave Triumph City.

The most typical example is the legislation related to protecting slaves’ rights.

This legislation was never realized outside Triumph City, and the farther the distance, the lower the efficiency of implementation.

The situation is the same now.

Guryang promised him that if he followed orders, he would help him become the chief judge of all colonies in Poluo Province.

Honestly, this proposal was very tempting, even though the Southern Legion only controlled half of West Sail Port at the moment.

However, every deal is a matter of equal exchange.

Compared to a chief judge’s title, the price he’d have to pay was simply too high.

Looking at this unyielding chief judge, Guryang’s eyes narrowed.

"You didn’t say that earlier."

The chief judge responded without hesitation.

"You also never mentioned how deep the waters were behind this case!"

Guryang’s expression stiffened.

Seeing him speechless, the chief judge knew he was right again and chuckled as he said.

"General Giulion, I don’t care about your internal or external grudges, nor do I mind providing some assistance judicially."

"But if you want me to be a historical criminal for you, to make my son laugh at me, to let my wife look down on me, to let my neighbors ridicule me, and risk my career and everything for your conspiracy... I’m sorry, you’re not worth that much."

Guryang’s face turned red with anger as he glared fiercely at the old man.

However, the old man simply nodded slightly and then walked away down the corridor.

Just then, an officer walked up to General Giulion and whispered.

"General, the Crown Prince Akbar from the West Winds Empire has arrived. He is in the military camp now... should we have him come here, or let him wait there?"

"Ignore him for now, let him wait a couple of days."

Guryang glared fiercely at the judge’s departing figure, cursed "old impotent trash", and then turned away.

...

Elsewhere in the courtroom, which was filled with cheers and applause, the officers and soldiers of the Southern Legion had hurriedly left, not wanting to stay any longer than necessary.

Although many officers, including Ross, had strong stances, it didn’t mean they didn’t feel any shame.

Meanwhile, the enthusiastic citizens stepped forward amidst the boiling applause and cheers, embracing the Pangolin who had stepped down from the defendant’s seat and warmly patted his shoulder.

"Good job, brother!"

"Thank you for saving my wife and children."

"I salute you, General! We need soldiers like you!"

"These bastards... did so many nasty things behind the scenes!"

"They can’t dream of keeping the lid on it!"

The Old Soldier responded to people’s enthusiasm while soothing their emotions.

"It’s a pity that the evidence we have is too thin, and mere suspicion is not enough to convict a person or a group. But I promise you, I will not give up the appeal, and neither will the people behind me... Three thousand lives need an explanation. Whether it’s the one who set the fire, the one who incited, or the one who brought the torch, they will all face the justice they deserve!"

Though he knew in his heart that what he said was more like a delicious lie, he also believed that as long as he did not give up on the pursuit of truth, it would eventually surface.

And justice would indeed be meaningful.

Through the crowded masses, he saw Penny looking at him with teary eyes.

Those were tears of excitement.

He could even imagine how worried she had been before.

He didn’t keep her waiting for too long.

The Old Soldier pushed through the crowd and gave her a big hug.

The thing she wanted to do was taken by someone else first.

Penny suddenly felt a bit embarrassed that her thoughts had been seen through, and her cheeks couldn’t help but turn red.

Especially with so many eyes focused here, the unspoken blessings in their gazes rendered her speechless with shyness.

However.

Her character was indeed generous, and she soon raised her head, looking into his eyes.

"You once told me my battlefield was in Triumph City; I need to correct you."

She gently straightened his collar with her soft finger.

Her clear eyes revealed a determination that made the member of the Battlefield Atmosphere Group watching her hold their breath involuntarily.

"...This is our war."

"Whether in Triumph City or at West Sail Port, I will stand by you."

"Don’t even think of leaving me behind, or bearing all the burdens by yourself!"

...

The bustling courtroom finally concluded, and people left satisfied from the jury seats, while several local workers came in, carrying garbage bags and brooms after everyone else had left.

They had been waiting aside for a long time, finally, the end of this tedious trial came.

The Weilante people certainly had their quirks, with courts and post offices and such, which was eye-opening for those of us from the countryside.

The only pity is that those big-nosed Weilante people are not very bright and can’t handle things flexibly.

In their view, that judge was truly amateurish and lacked authority, far less than the decisiveness and dominance of a West Winds noble, and not even as commanding as a baron.

That old man not only let the defendant stand during the trial but also allowed the defendant to whisper with others, what a total lack of decorum!

"...Weilante people might be good at war, but they’re no good at passing judgment!"

"Honestly, they might as well have let me do it! What good are fancy words? I say you’re guilty, and what could they do about it?"

"You’re too extreme; the reasoning wouldn’t convince people! You need to be subtle. First whip him 20 times, pour hot sand down his throat, clip his eyelids for a few days, and after tormenting him speechless, let him talk. I guarantee even if he’s got a great grievance, he couldn’t argue his way out."

"Extreme? You’re the extreme one! Just kill him; who needs a reason! It’s just chopping off a head, no need for all that effort!"

"Oh well, no matter what, I figure this judge’s career is over."

"More than just his career! If I were a Weilante, I definitely wouldn’t let him live. If you don’t kill as a warning, how will you control things in the future?"

Their voices were low, making sure the Weilante outside couldn’t hear them.

After all, the Weilante wouldn’t make them judges and might drag them out and bury them instead.

Nearby, an old Lion Clan man sweeping the floor, who seemed somewhat educated, really couldn’t listen anymore and eventually let out a couple of grunts.

"...Too bad you’re not; you’re a Poluo. You can only imagine a high-nosed Poluo lord sitting up there declaring judgments, then behind the scenes, bending to an even greater lord, thinking that the whole Wasteland is just like that."

Not to mention how lowly those methods are, the bottom line for each race is indeed different, determined by many reasons like cultural and ethnic traits.

The Weilante people intrinsically look down upon dogs that wag their tails. A person with such subservience is despised from above, unable to command from below, and eventually marginalized by the whole System.

These big-nosed rules do have their evils, but finding a highly respected, adept at wagging tails and pleasing judge is indeed not easy.

And what truly tears him up is precisely this: the seemingly clever ideas conceived by his compatriots are the very reasons Poluo people are casually treated.

It’s not just that Weilante people don’t consider them human.

Those exalted celestial emperors, those artful family members, even including themselves... who is not like this?

Maybe he was too pessimistic.

Having seen so much of life, the old man felt whether it was Laxi or Absek, neither could accomplish anything.

This zoo was more like a circus.

The clowns playing animals needed a long-sleeved dancing "master of ceremonies."

He didn’t have to know much about natural science, nor be an expert in a particular field.

He only needed one skill, which was to compose a dance for the circus clowns.

And only through that could they live somewhat dignified lives amidst their cunning and complacency.

Yet, whether that could be called hope is uncertain.

The Sun would indeed rise as usual, yet stating day is night here was commonplace.

The loyal would die first, followed by the brave, and lastly, the cunning.

When all the idealists leave the stage, what remains is the battle between hypocrites and true villains.

Whatever the victor, it will be a disaster.

Just two different kinds of disasters.

He loves this land more than anyone and hopes desperately that he is wrong.

Something is ultimately missing here.

Either a true hero, capable of reversing the fate with a solitary effort.

Or civilization itself.

But ultimately, something is lacking.

The person who was stung turned red in the face, but couldn’t grasp the key point and squeezed out a speechless rebuttal after a long while.

"I’m a Snake Clan person! What on earth is a Poluo person?"

The others followed suit, shouting.

"What are you showing off for? Still think you’re a noble!"

"You old bastard, why didn’t those ’Sky Bandits’ wipe out your whole family!"

"If I were a Weilante, I’d have buried you already!"

Boomerangs flew chaotically through the air.

The old man shook his head, not feeling humiliated, only pity, and picked up a broom to the corner...

Not far away, a good-looking boy of about fifteen or sixteen walked in here, nervously looking around as if searching for someone.

Two old men followed behind him, their humble demeanor suggesting they were his servants.

The staff passing by here quickly noticed them and walked over impatiently.

"This is a sacred courtroom, unauthorized persons are not allowed to enter."

Seeing someone trying to send him out, the boy flushed with anger and glared at the staff member.

"My name is Akbar Xilan, I’m the prince of the West Winds Empire... I’m here to find General Giulion, I heard he’s here!"

The staff member was taken aback and skeptically stared at the boy, an obvious disbelief in his eyes.

Just as he was about to ask for identification, suddenly there were flapping sounds from the side.

A crowd of low caste servants carrying brooms, kneeling to the ground, hurriedly prostrated themselves.

"Your Highness?!"

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

"Aren’t you supposed to be in the north?! How come you’re here?!"

Looking at the kneeling citizens, Akbar’s face showed a humility as if loving the people like his children, raising his hands to lift them figuratively.

"Please rise, everyone, I came here to discuss important matters with friends from the West Winds, continue the work you’re doing and don’t neglect our friends."

The people kneeling on the ground got up submissively.

After saying that, the boy named Akbar looked at the staff again, a visible smirk on his lips.

"Now, can you take me to see General Giulion?"

Facing that flaunting gaze, the staff member looked at him with a strange expression for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright... wait here, I’ll go ask for you."

The Empire has already turned into this mess, he didn’t understand why this guy could still smile, or what he had to be proud of.

Maybe he just had a good attitude.

Watching the staff member turn away, Akbar smiled and said.

"Okay, hurry up!"

...

On the other side, General Giulion was in the court’s lounge, truthfully reporting the court happenings to the chief of staff of the Southern Legion.

However, after hearing his report, that second-in-command of the Southern Legion showed no reaction, only responded flatly.

"I understand the basic situation, go on with your work."

Seeing the authority figure give no directives, General Giulion anxiously asked.

"...Is there nothing I need to do here?"

He felt it wasn’t a good idea to let that Pangolin go back alive, but currently, it wasn’t easy to eliminate that guy.

The chief of staff smiled faintly.

"I find what that thousands of leaders called Pangolin said quite interesting."

Giulion couldn’t grasp the chief of staff’s meaning for a moment and cautiously asked.

"...Which sentence, may I ask?"

The chief of staff spoke in a very soft voice.

"What is your purpose in coming here?"

At the moment he heard these words, Guryang was stunned for a few seconds, and a drop of cold sweat rolled down his forehead as he bowed his head.

"I understand now... I’m sorry, I acted without authorization."

The higher-ups don’t want him involved in this matter.

"Removing the messenger of the Civil Official Group through legal means" was entirely his clever interpretation.

Just like his subordinates acting on their own to pour sewage into the dungeon, it was unnecessary and foolish, having not a single positive effect on the situation, and rather it might loss through small negligence.

At that very moment, he suddenly came to his senses and fully understood General Mclen’s meaningful words to him...

Seemingly satisfied with his repentance, a voice of approval came from the other end of the communication channel.

"You’re a smart person, both Teil Legion Leader and I are optimistic about you, but being too clever is not good, especially when your cleverness might put us in a passive position."

"A leader of Thousands cannot influence the big picture, you don’t need to worry about the matters in Triumph City, we have our own deployments to deal with the accusations of the Civil Official Group. As for you, just complete the task assigned to you by Teil Legion Leader, we’re more concerned with your performance on the battlefield, not in unnecessary places."

General Giurion’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, he lowered his head respectfully and said.

"Yes..."

The communication was cut off.

Guryang sighed, tossed the phone with the busy signal back on the table, entirely unaware that his back had been soaked with sweat.

Thinking calmly, whether a leader of Thousands lives or dies indeed changes nothing.

Even if he returns to Triumph City alive, what can be done?

The Civil Official Group in Triumph City are neither mute nor deaf, if they really had any strong evidence, they wouldn’t have to wait for that Pangolin to return first.

Relying solely on a few words and indistinct hints is not enough to establish accusations of the Southern Legion conspiring for the West Sail Port incident, even if Absek stands up himself, it holds no meaning.

The Southern Legion carried out its conspiracy very carefully, leaving hardly any traces pointing to the higher levels, the few suspicions can be explained as accidents, which is why the Civil Official Group hasn’t launched any accusations against them.

Insufficient accusations would constitute slander, which is a serious matter within the legion.

The result of which is his impulsive action led to this foolish act—in the absence of sufficient evidence, he initiated this trial in the name of the Southern Legion.

Now the Southern Legion must supplement evidence to justify their accusations regarding the "three betrayals".

How did a hero who saved over two hundred Weilante survivors become a traitor in their mouths?

What exactly did he betray?

What is the Southern Legion preparing?

If blown out of proportion, it might alarm the Marshal...

The situation has reached such a point that even if they want to withdraw the lawsuit, it’s too late.

If they withdraw the lawsuit, the Civil Official Group in Triumph City will definitely not let it go, they will surely initiate a countersuit immediately, putting the Southern Legion in the defendant’s seat, requiring explanations from them as defendants... and things would only be more passive than they are now.

Guryang finally realized he’d done something excessively foolish, which was even more foolish than assassinating that guy in prison... but it’s too late to talk about this now.

He shouldn’t have stupidly tried to relieve those bigwigs of their worries.

He couldn’t help but curse Mclen, that sly old fox, for not warning him earlier.

While Guryang was still anxious, there were suddenly a few gentle knocks at the door of the lounge.

Taking a deep breath, he restrained his anxious expression and cleared his throat towards the door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and it was his confidant who entered.

Walking to his desk, that officer reported solemnly.

"Sir, West Winds’ imperial prince has reached the court from the military camp, he seems determined to see you."

Not in the mood to deal with that, Guryang said impatiently.

"I said to let him be for two days, tell him to leave."

"Yes..." The officer hesitated for a moment, but nonetheless saluted gracefully and walked towards the door.

Just as he reached the door, Guryang suddenly called out to him again.

"Wait."

The officer, who stopped in his tracks, turned his head back, asking respectfully.

"Do you have any other instructions?"

Guryang didn’t speak, he walked alone to the wall, stared at the map hanging on the wall for a while, and suddenly spoke.

"Let him come in to see me."

Not understanding why his boss suddenly changed his mind, but the officer didn’t ask much, and simply saluted respectfully.

"Yes."

Without looking at his confidant, Guryang just stared intently at the map.

He originally planned to execute the plan he presented at the combat meeting step by step, slowly nibbling away at Poluo Province lands through vassals.

However, as it seems now, his plan might need to be expedited...

Just as the empire’s prince was anxiously meeting the empire’s "old friend", on the northeastern border of Poluo Province in Mammoth State, a war deciding the empire’s fate was finally concluded...