Chapter 165 - 106: Public Opinion Explodes! Surprise Inspection

Lawyer Zhong was stunned.

His overall impression of the newspaper could be summed up in a single word: ’Fake!’

It was absurdly fake—the kind of fake news even a middle schooler could see through!

But that raised a question...

Fake news can be debunked!

All you had to do was read a few other newspapers, find the discrepancies, and you could easily expose it!

But... how could all these different newspapers be reporting the exact same thing?

They even corroborated each other!

Even if there was no official announcement to back them up...

"What... what did Zhang Wei do?!"

After reading through several papers, Lawyer Zhong felt like his decade-plus of studying law had been a complete waste.

He was dumbfounded for a long while, unable to figure out what was going on.

’Something’s not right. Zhang Wei is a fairly well-known Gold Medal Lawyer in Lusen City...’

’Even among the Gold Medal Lawyers, he’s considered second-tier. How could he screw up a case like this...?’

Lawyer Zhong muttered to himself, pacing back and forth. It felt like a cat was scratching at his heart, and he was consumed by curiosity.

He couldn’t make sense of it...

He really couldn’t!

A minor, for crying out loud! Even if an intern handled the case and lost completely at the first hearing, with an immediate sentence... the judge would’ve given fifteen years at most.

But somehow, after all of Zhang Wei’s maneuvering...

Three trial debates, and his client gets the death penalty?!

Lawyer Zhong fell silent.

Of course.

He certainly wasn’t the only person in Lusen City reading the newspaper...

Jinmao Law Firm.

[A Complete Reversal! In the No. 18 Middle School Case, Defendant Liu Jingqi Was Emotionally Agitated After Court Adjourned, Reportedly Crying, "Why Do I Have to Die?". This Suggests the Case Has Taken Its Biggest Turn Yet...]

[...]

Inside Jinmao Law Firm.

Director Han stared at the newspaper in his hands, lost in thought. Decades of legal knowledge seemed to short-circuit his brain, leaving him frozen in place.

"No way..."

"What on earth did Zhang Wei do?"

"Is he even a Gold Medal Lawyer anymore? An intern would’ve done a better job..."

Director Han muttered.

...

Inside Yangzheng Law Firm.

The firm’s director had a few question marks floating over his head. He looked at the paper and commented in amazement:

"In a way, Zhang Wei has achieved a miracle that not even a Red Circle Lawyer could pull off!"

...

Jiamei Law Firm.

Someone was staring at the paper, murmuring.

"The death penalty in a minor’s case?"

"What on earth did the prosecution do?!"

"No, seriously. For a case like this, even if he’d pulled strings all the way to Yanjing, the death penalty should have been impossible..."

...

Huquan Law Firm, Wuyue Law Firm, Qianzheng Law Firm...

Lusen City has a huge population and ranks in the top three for development within Qingwu Province.

So, even though it was only 2003, the city still had nearly a hundred law firms, over a thousand professional lawyers, and countless legal interns.

But now, on the morning of January 5th.

These thousand-plus legal professionals, including dozens of Gold Medal Lawyers, were all staring at their newspapers, lost in thought.

But despite their silence, they all shared a common understanding.

Which was...

Either this was all fake news fabricated by the media!

Or...

Something had gone unexpectedly and catastrophically wrong with the case!

And clearly, the public news wouldn’t keep them waiting for long...

...

That afternoon, the Lusen City Intermediate People’s Court released an official announcement regarding the No. 18 Middle School case.

"Regarding the case that occurred on November 17, 2002, at No. 18 Middle School in the Nanshan District of Lusen City..."

"After investigation and trial... this court, in accordance with the law, sentences defendant Jiang Yu to 15 years in prison, sentences defendant Qiao Wang to 15 years in prison, and sentences defendant Liu Jingqi..."

"To death!"

The moment the announcement was released.

Nearly a hundred law firms were shaken!

Over a thousand lawyers in the industry were dumbfounded, staring at the announcement and feeling as if their decades of legal study were for nothing.

Some even began to denounce the presiding judge of the case, targeting him with conspiracy theories.

In any case.

Everyone tossed and turned that night, lying in bed unable to sleep a wink.

Until the next day...

January 6th.

With the printing of the morning paper and the broadcast of the radio news, the trial details of the No. 18 Middle School case were revealed to all.

The moment the delivery boys brought the morning papers to the various government office buildings, law firm lobbies, and hospital waiting rooms.

The newspapers, usually ignored like ’decorations,’ were instantly swarmed by crowds.

Within minutes, the newsstands were completely empty!

Without a moment’s delay, everyone anxiously unfolded their papers, their eager eyes scanning the pages.

On the front page, the large, bold headlines were particularly eye-catching.

[Case Details! Lv Guangjun, Homeroom Teacher of Class 4 at No. 18 Middle School, Revealed as the True Culprit Behind It All!]

[Trial Details Revealed: Legal Wiretapping! Plaintiff’s Counsel Launched a Surprise Evidence Attack in the First Trial, Catching the Defense Off Guard and Securing a Conviction with Irrefutable Proof...]

[A Minor? An Adult! Defendant Liu Jingqi Suspected of Falsifying Her Age!]

[A Born Criminal: Liu Jingqi Linked to a 12-Year-Old Cold Case, Detailed Analysis...]

[Reversal! The Man with Iron Feet! 4,000+ Kilometer Round-Trip to a Distant Province in 7 Days, Traversing Mountains and Rivers! Sports Professionals Stunned: "Forget Law, He Should Be an Athlete!"]

[Detailed Analysis: How the Victim’s Attorney, in Just Ten Days, Orchestrated an Earth-Shattering Reversal, Tearing an Airtight Case to Shreds!]

[A Textbook Example of Evidence Gathering and Psychological Warfare in a Lawsuit!!!]

[...]

Countless headlines flooded their vision, dazzling everyone who read them.

But as they made out the words, they were all utterly horrified.

It was even more shocking than seeing a minor sentenced to death the day before!

Seven days to drive to and from a distant province? And he had to cross mountains and rivers to find evidence? Identifying people from scratch? Without using official record channels?