Inside the Inquiry Hall of the Jialan Imperial Capital Punishment Bureau

Suddenly, a strong scent of blood permeated the hall.

Everyone watched in shock as they gazed at the gradually cooling corpse on the ground.

No one expected that a dignified Tier Eight Saint would die just like this before their eyes.

"Clatter~"

A blood-stained dagger suddenly fell to the ground.

Yet, that crisp sound felt like a heavy hammer striking everyone's heart, tightening their chests.

Especially Qiu Daoyuan, who had previously boasted that Lin Yi wouldn't walk out of this hall alive, now was pale with fright.

Not to mention Viscount Anand, who was already paralyzed with terror on the floor.

Everyone looked incredulously at Katrina, whose hands were covered with blood.

Until the aura around Katrina gradually weakened and eventually disappeared entirely.

At this moment, no one dared to underestimate this woman of extraordinary talent and beauty.

Katrina casually picked up Qiu Daoyuan's robe beside her and wiped her hands.

However, Qiu Daoyuan didn't even dare to cast a glance at Katrina, sitting there rigidly.

Katrina finally wiped the blood off her hands.

However, a corner of Qiu Daoyuan's robe was now stained with blood.

At this moment, Lin Yi looked at Anand, who wore a dumbfounded expression:

"Do you wish to confess your deeds yourself, or…"

Lin Yi pointed at the figure lying in the pool of blood and, in a voice that seemed to echo coming from the Death God, said softly:

"Do you want to end up like him? I'll let you choose."

At this point, Anand was already scared out of his wits.

He couldn't believe that the backer he had sought had died so easily before his eyes.

This person dared to kill even someone close to the Crown Prince!

Who could have expected this?

Faced with Lin Yi's proposition, did Anand even have a choice at this point?

At this moment, a voice suddenly emerged from one side of the hall:

"Do you realize you killed the Crown Prince's teacher? Aren't you afraid the Crown Prince may become your enemy because of this?"

Gongsun Yan appeared above the hall, calling out Lin Yi's identity with a single word:

"Jialan King."

Only then did Qiao Zhenghai recover from the earlier shock, hastily introducing Lin Yi:

"This is our Punishment Bureau's Chief Judge, Lord Gongsun Yan."

Lin Yi met Gongsun Yan's gaze, countering with a question instead of retreating:

"So what you are saying is."

"Is the Crown Prince, too, like him, considering all these millions of citizens as worthless, deciding their life and death at will?"

In the midst of an uproar, Lin Yi unwaveringly locked eyes with Gongsun Yan:

"Is that so, Lord Gongsun Yan?"

Lin Yi's words were light.

But in everyone's ears, they rumbled like Thunder Shock.

Stirring up waves of shock in everyone's hearts.

How should this question be answered?

To say yes.

Would instantly topple the high and mighty Crown Prince from his pedestal by the aroused public outrage.

To say no.

Would turn Lin Yi's act of killing Min Ziqiu into a deed for the people's good, even the Crown Prince couldn't use it as an excuse to trouble Lin Yi.

Gongsun Yan, too, was overawed by Lin Yi's query, momentarily lost for words.

Facing speechless everyone, Lin Yi continued towards Min Ziqiu's corpse:

"As a teacher to the Crown Prince, he failed to set an example and support the citizens of the Jialan Empire."

"Even seeing these citizens, who dedicated their lives to the empire, as worthless rabble, ants to be slaughtered at will."

"Keeping such a treacherous person beside the Crown Prince will only lead him astray."

"My act was to enact heavenly justice, what is wrong with that?"

When Lin Yi finished speaking, silence enveloped the scene.

Everyone's face showed the shock they felt towards Lin Yi, the Jialan King.

They couldn't have imagined he would say such words, placing himself morally high.

If this were to spread, who would dare openly mention it?

Even if the Crown Prince himself came, he could only thank him for eradicating a menace for the people.

Unable to take revenge for his teacher.

What is truly cutting? This is it!

Lin Yi not only killed but also cut to the heart!!

Even Gongsun Yan was stunned into silence by Lin Yi's words.

After a while, he recovered, casting an amused glance at Lin Yi, and began to praise:

"Truly deserving of the Jialan King of our Jialan Empire."

"These words have truly opened my eyes, and I have gained a lot."

Then, Gongsun Yan sat down in the Chief Judge's seat and said:

"Come here."

"Send the corpse of the criminal Min Ziqiu to the Crown Prince's Mansion, and tell them everything that happened here in detail."

"Afterwards, I will personally write and report to the Emperor."

"The criminal Min Ziqiu failed the Emperor's grace, ignored the Empire's laws, and wantonly worsened the relationship between the Royal Family and the commoners."

"The Punishment Bureau executed him on the spot based on charges of treason."

"His family members are stripped of their noble titles according to the law and demoted to commoners, to be expelled from the Imperial Capital at a chosen date, never to enter the court again."

Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, Gongsun Yan looked at Lin Yi with a smile:

"Is the Jialan King satisfied with my judgment?"

This time, the response was Lin Yi's shock at Gongsun Yan.

He didn't expect this Chief Judge to make such a move.

Satisfied with this result?

Could he not be?

When Lin Yi decided to make an example of Min Ziqiu, he was already mentally prepared to be an enemy of the Crown Prince, and even the Jialan Empire.

But Gongsun Yan's few words changed the nature of the matter completely.

It was obvious.

Gongsun Yan intended to take all the responsibility upon himself.

Additionally, he turned Lin Yi's action of killing Min Ziqiu into a true act of justice for the people.

Under such circumstances, even if the Crown Prince comes personally, he can only stare helplessly.

Because neither the Jialan King Lin Yi, nor the Chief Judge of the Punishment Bureau Gongsun Yan,

are under the current Crown Prince's control.

Lin Yi had to reassess the man in the golden robe sitting above the hall and replied:

"I have no objections."

Only when Lin Yi nodded did Gongsun Yan wave his hand at the guards who had already packed up Min Ziqiu's body:

"Do as I said."

Gongsun Yan looked thoughtfully at the blood on the ground and Katrina behind Lin Yi.

Then he refocused his gaze on Lin Yi and said:

"Now let's review the matter of Viscount Anand's slaughter of the innocent."

But before Lin Yi could speak.

Anand, who was already scared out of his wits, suddenly collapsed like a lost dog, kneeling in the center of the hall and crying to Gongsun Yan:

"I confess, I confess everything."

"Please, Chief Judge and Jialan King, spare my family."

"I alone caused these things, one person does one thing, and one person takes responsibility."

"Kill me, I am willing to take responsibility for my mistakes."

Then under everyone's gaze.

Anand suddenly picked up the dagger that Katrina had dropped on the floor.

Once high and mighty, Anand now seemed soulless, kneeling before Jarvis, and said:

"Kill me, avenge your family."

The words were light.

But the fear of death in Anand's eyes was equally obvious.

He tremblingly held the dagger over his head and said with difficulty:

"I beg you to spare my family, they are innocent."

Jarvis gazed at the bloody dagger in Anand's hand, suddenly in a daze.

Looking at the murderer he wished to cut into pieces before him, Jarvis suddenly hesitated and looked at Lin Yi.

But Lin Yi said:

"Everyone must pay for their mistakes."

"Now the decision is in your hands."

To kill or not, it all depends on Jarvis's thought.

Because in the current situation, Anand no longer has any retreat.

At Lin Yi's signal, Katrina coldly received Lin Yi from Jarvis's hand.

Jarvis looked at Anand kneeling in front of him, slowly reached out and took the dagger from Anand's hand.

When Jarvis took the dagger, Anand's trembling became even more intense.

But he didn't beg for mercy again, instead waiting for death.

Because he knew as well.

It's too late to say anything now.

Jarvis recalled the scene of his parents' tragic deaths at home, and suddenly his eyes turned red, his face contorted as he swung the dagger at Anand, gnashing his teeth and said:

"Die."