ATLAS TRANSLATES

Chi Yundai now focuses on studying law, giving public lectures, and speaking engagements.

More often, he debates with scholars at representative meetings.

Over ten years, he has revised five laws.

Three of them are criminal laws.

In recent years, Zhao Jingzhou has become famous online. The cases he’s involved in have been hyped up by netizens. In the legal circle, his abilities are indeed top-tier, far above the average lawyer.

This is what most netizens know about Zhao Jingzhou.

However, the truly formidable lawyers are already beyond this ranking. Most of their cases involve international trade. Only true insiders can understand the gap between them.

Zhao Jingzhou is young and overly praised. Recently, it’s been difficult for him to focus on studying these matters.

Chi Yundai naturally knows Zhao Jingzhou as an outstanding graduate of Jiangjiang Law School. Zhao Jingzhou attends almost every public lecture Chi gives.

Chi Lu’s first strike caught everyone off guard, except for Jiang Fuli.

However, Chi Yundai didn’t stop there. He turned his gaze away from Zhao Jingzhou and instead looked at the witness the other side had called. Staring into the witness’s eyes, he asked, “Witness, are you saying that our client has no connection with Liu Xinming?”

It’s said that those who study law have eyes that people dare not meet.

Chi Yundai was no exception.

The witness was Liu Xinming’s personal assistant. He nodded, avoiding eye contact, “Confirmed.”

“Very well,” Chi Yundai pulled out a photo and a video clip to provide to the judge, “Then may I ask why you appeared at the Xiangcheng Hotel on the day of the incident? What was that letter you placed in Miss Yan Lu’s room?”

The judge accepted the photo and video.

The witness’s expression changed. He instinctively looked towards Director Liu.

“Witness—”

Chi Yundai sat back, resting his hand on the table. He turned slightly, looking at the witness, “Please look into my eyes and answer my question again. Do you confirm that our client has no connection with Liu Xinming?”

The courtroom fell silent.

Liu Xinming’s personal assistant was the only witness present.

His job was to prove that Zhang Shize didn’t know Liu Xinming, and that Zhang had caused trouble and killed indiscriminately.

Originally, everything was going smoothly. Most of the evidence had been deleted by Director Liu, and the witness hadn’t expected the situation to reverse.

Few people in the room dared to meet Chi Yundai’s gaze. The witness began to tremble under his stare.

“I request to withdraw this piece of evidence,” Chi Yundai raised his hand again.

The jury came to their senses. Almost without discussion, they just looked at each other and had the evidence presented by Zhao Jingzhou dismissed. The first witness was also escorted off the stand.

“I have here a petition for appeal, along with video evidence,” Chi Yundai looked at the judge, “signed by nineteen citizens. Liu Xinming repeatedly oppressed his artists, and is suspected of threats and insults. On the day of the incident, he harassed and threatened Miss Yan Lu, provoking our client’s anger. According to the law, the punishment should be reduced.”

This piece of evidence was submitted.

Director Liu in the plaintiff’s seat finally couldn’t maintain his composure. He stood up abruptly.

Chi Yundai pulled out a lawsuit, pressing on relentlessly: “Our client has no criminal record and no subjective malice. The crime of murder should indeed be punished. But punishment is meant to reform criminals. Our client had no subjective malice and poses extremely low danger. Moreover, Liu Xinming bears significant responsibility for this case. Therefore, we request that the court give our client a lenient or reduced sentence, to uphold judicial justice.”

Liu’s side wanted to speak.

Chi Yundai finally looked towards their side, “Lastly, Lawyer Zhao, were you aware of Liu Xinming’s criminal history?”

“I was not aware,” Zhao Jingzhou looked deeply at Director Liu and shook his head.

“Hmm,” Chi Yundai nodded, “The defense lawyer has fabricated legal provisions. I have reason to doubt the other party’s professional ethics and request an appeal.”

The courtroom was like a calm, boiling pot of oil into which a drop of water had fallen.

Suddenly, it erupted.

Chi Yundai hadn’t used provocative language, nor was his voice particularly resonant. He simply calmly pointed out the other party’s issues and filed for an appeal.

But every piece of evidence he provided and every argument he made exploded in the courtroom.

The jury discussed the evidence for a long time.

“Finally,” Chi Yundai looked coldly at Director Liu, “Regarding Liu Xinming’s harmful actions, as his father, were you aware or unaware?”

“I was unaware,” Director Liu supported himself on the table, staring fiercely at Chi Yundai.

Veins bulged on his forehead, his expression almost hysterical.

“Very good,” Chi Yundai pulled out a record of anti-intrusion, thanks to Young Master Jiang’s help. Not only were all the deleted items recovered, but IP records were also attached. “Here are the video and deletion recovery records. After the witness’s phone incident, the phone only appeared in your hands and those of the Xiangcheng police officer. The video was maliciously deleted.”

“So, Mr. Liu—”

Chi Yundai sneered: “You’re not trying to tell me that the police deleted this video, are you?”

“Huah—”

What could Director Liu say? Accuse the police of deleting it?

Did he dare say that in court? The entire courtroom was once again thrown into an uproar.

Director Liu found himself in a strange predicament. The logical thinking of everyone on their side was firmly controlled by Chi Yundai.

Including Zhao Jingzhou.

You couldn’t find a single logical flaw in Chi Yundai’s arguments.

“Bang—”

The judge struck his gavel, “Order, order.”

The murmuring voices in the courtroom gradually subsided.

Zhang Shize, sitting behind the waist-high iron railing, also came to his senses. From the day of the incident until now, he had been in a state of tension.

He had spent most of his life just getting by, with his biggest dream being nothing more than becoming a small-time actor.

Now, looking at Chi Yundai defending him and the other nineteen victims in court, Zhang Shize finally began to understand what Chi Yundai had meant by what he said to him that day at the end.

The grand opening of this trial came to an end.

The evidence provided by Chi Yundai was comprehensive, effective, and sharp.

After the jury discussed and examined the evidence, at 3:27 PM, they finally delivered the verdict—

A sentence of one year imprisonment.

The motive for killing doesn’t affect the constitution of intentional homicide, but it greatly impacts the sentencing. This should be the first case in the country with the lowest sentence in an intentional homicide case.

In addition, the opposing witness, lawyer…

All were released on bail pending trial!

This was quite explosive even in the entire legal world.

After the judge read out the verdict, everyone on Zhang Shize’s side breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Xiaohan and Wen Qi looked at each other, their eyes flashing wildly—

[The undefeated general of the Red Circle Firm, Zhao Jingzhou, was sued by Chi Lu?]

[Director Liu was also sued? And suspected of slandering the police?]

[The other party seems to be Zhao Jingzhou’s teacher?]

[…]

Yan Lu and Zhang’s mother held hands tightly, while Sister Xin beside them hadn’t come to her senses for a long time. She had thought that a fifteen-year sentence for Zhang Shize would be the best possible outcome.

She never expected that in the end, it wasn’t fifteen years, not ten years, not seven years…

It wasn’t even three years!

Where did this lawyer wearing a chef’s hat come from? Chi Yundai didn’t know that everyone was deeply impressed by his chef’s hat. He stepped forward, just patted Zhang Shize’s shoulder, and encouraged him with a look, “Reform well inside, strive to reduce your sentence. I’ll be waiting for you at Jiangjiang University of Political Science and Law.”

“I believe in you,” Chi Yundai looked at Zhang Shize, “Stay true to your original intention, and you’ll accomplish your mission.”

Zhang Shize scratched his head, “I…”

“What?” Chi Yundai frowned.

Zhang Shize was about to cry: “I was going to say, I might very likely… not be able to pass the entrance exam.”

Chi Yundai sneered: “That’s not my problem. If you can’t pass, be prepared for me to sue you. Let me know in advance if you want to stay for a few more years then.”

Zhang Shize: “…”

After saying this angrily, Chi Yundai turned around and caught Jiang Fuli’s eye.

“Young Master Jiang, this is the best we could do,” Chi Yundai took off his badge and then his lawyer’s robe, startling Jiang Fuli. He defended himself: “This kid didn’t leave himself any way out.”

If it were anyone else today, Zhang Shize, that fool, would be looking at a minimum of ten years.

“Only I could do this,” the great lawyer Chi was a bit smug.

This segment should be submitted to Jiangjiang Law School.

This would make great teaching material.

Jiang Fuli calmly withdrew his gaze and said leisurely: “I was just wondering why that thing on your neck sometimes appears and sometimes doesn’t.”

Ordinary people sometimes couldn’t understand what Young Master Jiang was implying.

Chi Yundai understood in his heart that the other party was criticizing him for the economic case last time.

He had been careless and lost an important battle, causing Jiang Xijue and his group to suffer because of him.

Directly causing a loss of over 100 million for the unit.

“Ah,” Chi Yundai had just dominated the courtroom, but now he couldn’t even look Young Master Jiang in the eye, “Even a good horse sometimes stumbles, it was just one oversight, a moment of carelessness…”

He spoke somewhat softly.

Jiang Fuli glanced at his head almost imperceptibly, making no comment on his claim of “one oversight”.

Chi Yundai: “…”

Ah, this damned chef’s hat.

Lawyer Chi smiled.

Thinking about locking up a few Chen Yongkun to play with.

** The verdict was out.

Now they could normally visit Zhang Shize.

Regarding Zhang Shize’s case, most of the people in Class 15 knew about it, mostly told by Yan Lu. She didn’t want Zhang Shize to be seen as a bad person or perpetrator in the eyes of these classmates.

“Hey, it’s okay, we’ll see you again in a year,” Wen Qi said casually, patting Zhang Shize’s shoulder.

Chief Chen had given them permission, and many of them were staying in the detention room.

He smiled, his expression no different from usual.

Ning Xiao was a man of few words. He just looked at Zhang Shize and said, “Now you can truly be considered a good person.”

“Oh, and,” Lu Xiaohan put a pile of notebooks and exercise books on the table, “Lawyer Chi said you want to apply for the University of Political Science and Law. We asked the police, and you can read books during your rehabilitation. These are the books we prepared for you, study hard.”

Zhang Shize grinned, but didn’t smile for even a minute.

He lowered his head and saw a pile of books and notebooks.

“Find time to study well,” Bai Lian sat on the only chair inside, her long legs casually crossed, her arm lightly resting on the back of the chair. Her eyes slightly narrowed, her tone as usual: “Every seven days, Teacher Jiang and I will come to tutor you and check your study progress.”

Of course, this was arranged by Jiang Fuli for Zhang Shize.

Normally, visits are allowed only once every two weeks, but because Zhang Shize is a student.

With a tendency to work hard, an extra visit is allowed. The law is uncompromising, but there is humanity.

“Huh?” Zhang Shize never imagined that not only would he have to study inside, but Bai Lian and Jiang Fuli would come to tutor him? … Jiang Fuli?

This person who even disdains to look at him is going to tutor him?

Bai Lian looked up, very calmly looking at him once, as if asking “Do you have any questions?”

Zhang Shize: “…”

Okay, he has no questions.

The group didn’t take up too much of Zhang Shize’s time. They were representing the whole class to visit Zhang Shize, and later time would be left for Zhang Shize’s family.

The group of boys and girls laughed and chatted, as if nothing had changed from before.

The visiting time quickly came to an end, and they left one by one.

Before leaving, Bai Lian finally patted his shoulder, “Are you afraid?”

Zhang Shize’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

“Don’t be afraid,” Bai Lian’s gaze seemed to look through him to somewhere far away, “You’ve protected far more than those nineteen people. We don’t disrespect life, but when we pick up a gun, it’s to protect those we want to protect behind us.”

After leaving the detention room.

The group of lively students seemed to suddenly have their pause button pressed.

The corridor was dark and narrow, seemingly without daylight.

“One year…” Lu Xiaohan looked back at the small room.

Wen Qi also looked back.

In two more days, Zhang Shize would be taken to Xiangcheng Prison to serve his sentence.

He was only nineteen years old by traditional age counting.

** Regarding Zhang Shize’s verdict.

Some were relieved, while others were dissatisfied.

The first to react was Director Liu.

When he went to find Zhao Jingzhou again, Zhao Jingzhou had just finished cooperating with the police to collect evidence.

Outside the police station, the sunset was as red as fire.

But Zhao Jingzhou only looked coldly at Director Liu, “I remember telling you more than once before the trial that you must tell me everything about the case, without any concealment. No matter what the client has done, as a lawyer, I would keep it confidential for the client. Obviously, you didn’t trust me.”

This is a rule known to everyone in the industry.

But as a businessman, Director Liu couldn’t trust anyone, even if the other party was a lawyer.

So today, Zhao Jingzhou suffered a crushing defeat.

“Lawyer Zhao,” Director Liu also knew he was wrong today. He quickly apologized and then put forward his request, “I want to apply for a second trial…”

Zhang Shize was only sentenced to one year.

He was not at all satisfied with this verdict.

“Second trial?” Zhao Jingzhou stopped and looked at Director Liu, almost laughing, directly interrupting him: “You dare to ask for a second trial against Lawyer Chi’s case? Perhaps you know what Teacher Chi’s main job is?”