Gamers Are Fierce-Chapter 597 - 595: Case Study
"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!"
The Mule coughed violently, his hand trembling as he set the cup, still partially filled with liquid, on the table.
In the eyes of the other players, his face flushed red, and steam rose from his head as if he had just been plucked from a sauna.
"Drink slower, Mr. Kevin," the Bee said with a faint smile. "This bottle of ’Pale Torture’ is as scorching and stimulating as lava steeped in chili to a first-timer."
"Pale Torture?"
The Mule’s face was crimson. He blinked, wiping away tears and snot, and pretended not to have heard his companions’ explanations. "What is that?" he asked the Bee.
The Bee-headed man repeated the explanation Forest Cat and the Witch had given, adding, "During the Underworld’s Dark Era, those Slavery Councilors who masqueraded as divine Angels invented numerous luxuries related to the soul. They took pleasure in tormenting human souls, extracting Energy from them to hide their own increasingly twisted and ugly exteriors and prolong their corrupt and depraved souls. Soul Brewing Art was one of their inventions. However, this bottle of Pale Torture does not contain the souls of the innocent; it is brewed from the tears of joy shed by righteous souls whose wishes have been fulfilled. For a common Spiritual Body in the Underworld, it is considered priceless."
The Bee spoke of his collection in a calm, indifferent, even detached tone. Regardless of whether he was Napoleon Bonaparte, his long, hellish life had certainly taken something from him.
"In any case," the Bee-man said, placing his cup down. He leaned to the side, crossed his legs, and rested his arm on the soft armrest of the sofa. His numerous compound eyes focused on the Mule. "Mr. Kevin, you’re a lawyer. You must know that during my lifetime, I led armies to win countless battles and created a vast and powerful empire. But what I am proudest of is still the French Civil Code, the compilation of which I presided over during my life. It broke away from the legislative principles of the feudal era, protected people’s property, and, with the passage of time, became integrated into the modern legal system."
There was a subtle hint of pride in the Bee-man’s words. "Even after death, I have not stopped learning. I’ve read works by Auguste Comte, Saint Simon, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Voltaire, and some contemporary thinkers, philosophers, and jurists. Of course, my accomplishments in law, morality, and thought still pale in comparison to yours."
The Bee-man nodded slightly towards the Mule and said slowly, "On your way here, Mr. Ferry must have told you the purpose of this trip. The council wishes to compile a universal legal code connecting the Underworld with the Mortal Realm. By modifying the institutions of the Underworld, we aim to, in turn, stimulate change in the Mortal Realm and regulate its increasingly corrupt morality."
The Mule’s eyelids twitched suddenly; he keenly sensed something was amiss.
"Strange," the Black Trojan frowned slightly, his voice deep. "Based on my earlier conversation with Ferry, it seemed like the Underworld didn’t place much importance on the real world. During the Dark Era, the Dinosaur Majesty even let the Slavery Councilors wreak havoc in the Underworld, concocting secondary settings like Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise Mountain, and extensively torturing human souls. Why do they suddenly care about the moral issues of the real world now?"
"Hmm..." Forest Cat nodded. "It is a bit strange."
The Witch pursed her lips sagely and said casually, "Maybe it’s because the souls of modern humans are no longer pure, like that Bee version of Napoleon just said. Perhaps the deterioration in the quality of human souls is causing operational issues in the Underworld..."
"HEY—"
A soft exclamation came from the other end of the cabin. The three players in their projection forms turned their heads. They saw Li Ang, dressed as the Shadow Man, hugging a bookshelf with both arms in a somewhat sleazy and peculiar pose, enthusiastically embracing its side.
"Um, Mr. Shadow Man?" Forest Cat raised her hand and asked cautiously, "What are you... doing?"
"Me?" Li Ang struggled to poke his head into the bookshelf, trying to peek at the books’ contents without opening them. "I’m trying to see if I can view the pages directly from here."
Tch, Chaichai would definitely be adept at this. Her greatest strength was using the non-physical nature of a Spiritual Body to her advantage. For instance, playing with a phone hidden in a safe, or sticking her head into the refrigerator’s cooling compartment to enjoy the cool air while eating food directly from inside.
Li Ang’s bizarre pose, like a bear scratching its back on a tree, merely made his three teammates grimace. It didn’t interrupt the conversation between the two Spiritual Bodies in the real world.
"Lawyer Kevin, I’m one of the members of the Thirteen Council—possibly the one among the councilors with the deepest understanding of the law," the Bee-man chuckled self-deprecatingly, then stated calmly, "I would like your opinion on a complex case."
It had finally come.
The Mule’s heart pounded. If the previous probes were to test whether he was a Spiritual Body or an impostor, then this test concerned whether the Mule could clear the scenario successfully.
The legal details are up to you guys!
The Mule tried to remain calm, interlacing his fingers and resting them on the table as he silently prayed.
The four players understood his predicament.
Black Trojan extracted legal texts and classic case law from the world’s five major legal systems from his optical databank.
Forest Cat aimed the Divination Polaroid at the captain’s cabin and took a picture.
The Witch, having produced a set of Tarot Cards from somewhere, began a divination in mid-air, keeping to herself.
Meanwhile, Li Ang was still grappling with the bookshelf...
"Please, go ahead," the Mule said seriously. "I will do my best to answer within my capabilities."
"Very well." The Bee-man nodded. "Five young cavers were trapped in a cave following a collapse. Despite the rescue team’s best efforts from outside the mountain, it would still take thirty days to dig a passage. By the twentieth day, the cavers had exhausted all resources. They were out of water and food and couldn’t last the remaining ten days. Among the five, the team leader contacted a doctor in the rescue team via radio, asking if they could survive another ten days by consuming the flesh of one of their members. Although the doctor was reluctant, he gave an affirmative response out of professional integrity. The team leader then asked those outside if they could draw lots to decide who should be eaten, and if there was a judge or government official in the rescue group who could authorize such an act. No one, including the Clergy, was willing to offer an opinion. Subsequently, the radio went silent. Ultimately, on the thirty-second day, the rescue team broke through and saved the cave exploration team, now numbering four. It turned out that on the twenty-third day, the person who had first suggested drawing lots—despite later refusing to participate himself—was still subjected to the draw by his teammates. The result was unfavorable for him. He was eaten by his companions, his flesh allowing them to survive the final ten days.
So..." The Bee-man leaned forward, looking intently at the Mule. "From your professional legal perspective, in this case, should the four surviving young explorers face criminal charges, and if so, what punishment should they receive?"
