Hearing the defense lawyer mention video evidence, Han Lang, Ma Long, and even Tang Geng exchanged confused glances.
However, after receiving confirmation, the defense lawyer calmly signaled his assistant to play the video.
Everyone looked up at the large screen in the center of the courtroom, and Han Lang and the others finally understood the source of the video.
It turned out to be surveillance footage recorded by cameras at the entrance of the Wang family villa.
The angle was almost perfect, capturing the entire scene of Han Lang and Tang Geng fighting Wang Shan that day.
However, to Han Lang's surprise, Zhao Wei in the video did not seem to be as they had felt at the time, not only not participating in the attack but also constantly hindering them.
Instead, he was inexplicably never still.
At first glance, he even appeared to be assisting in attacking Wang Shan.
This greatly puzzled them.
"That's not right, Young Master! This is different from what you told us! Didn't you say Zhao Wei wasn't participating in the fight and was constantly tripping you up? How come?" Ma Long also noticed something was wrong and quickly whispered to Han Lang.
"This..." Han Lang was also bewildered.
He wondered if he had overlooked Zhao Wei's presence because he was overwhelmed at the time.
Seeing Han Lang looking equally confused, Ma Long seemed to understand something and immediately asked.
"Could it be... they tampered with this video?"
Just as Han Lang and Tang Geng harbored the same doubt, an appraisal report of the original video was placed before everyone.
The defense lawyer looked at their astonished expressions with a hint of smugness.
He signaled his assistant to pause the video and then walked back to Han Lang, asking, "Mr. Han, in this part of the video, is this where you said my client, Mr. Zhao Wei, deliberately struck Wang Shan, causing your attack to miss?"
Han Lang looked at the video, then at the defense lawyer's smug expression.
He knew that, according to the video, Zhao Wei's move seemed perfectly reasonable.
But he still had to answer truthfully, "Yes!"
The defense lawyer smiled faintly, signaled his assistant to play this segment on repeat, and then confidently addressed everyone.
"I believe everyone has seen it clearly! If this is where my client, Mr. Zhao Wei, indeed caused Mr. Han Lang to miss his attack, then I believe it could only be attributed to a lack of perfect coordination. Therefore, I believe this explanation for the doubt is more than sufficient!"
Director Chen conferred briefly with the two jurors beside him and then responded, "The suspicion here is cleared. Please continue!"
The defense lawyer nodded and signaled his assistant to continue playing the video.
The second segment of the video showed Zhao Wei attacking preemptively after Han Lang and Tang Geng had worked together to peel off a piece of scales from Wang Shan's back, nearly getting injured.
The defense lawyer paused the video again and said, "My client's cultivation is the same as Mr. Han's, also at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment. Naturally, confronting a mutated S-class esper would be somewhat beyond his capabilities. Therefore, at this point in the video, my client actively attacked the S-class esper but was completely outmatched. If Mr. Han hadn't intervened, my client would have likely met his demise on the spot! In such a situation, does it not seem to align with Mr. Han's accusation of deliberate slacking to interfere with the trial?"
Han Lang's face was somewhat pale. He had not expected the content of the video to be so different from his experience during the battle.
As he was contemplating, the defense lawyer spoke again.
"Furthermore, there is another point in this video that proves my client was not deliberately injured. Please follow me to the next segment..."
The next scene showed Han Lang about to succeed in sealing Wang Shan's meridians with his golden needles. Wang Shan, in a desperate move, attacked Zhao Wei from a distance, and then Tang Geng's flying sword was deflected, ultimately injuring Zhao Wei's right shoulder.
"Everyone, please look. The S-class esper's move here is very tricky. It's clear that after realizing he had no chance of winning, he fought with his back to the wall, wanting to take someone down with him. Unfortunately, he targeted my client, Mr. Zhao Wei. I would like to ask witness Mr. Han, if Mr. Zhao Wei intentionally wanted to get injured during the fight to gain sympathy and thus interfere with the trial, why would he be foolish enough to let an S-class esper attack his vital points? The vital points are fatal with a single touch! This is common knowledge!"
Han Lang was rendered speechless by the questioning.
Because from the current situation, everything that happened in the video indeed seemed to be consistent with what the defense lawyer said!
Just as Han Lang didn't know what to say, Ma Long, sitting beside him, asked seriously, "Lawyer, we admit that from the video, things appear exactly as you say. But you cannot rule out the possibility that Young Master Zhao and the S-class esper had a prior arrangement, can you? Otherwise, how do you explain the S-class esper choosing to attack the farthest person, Mr. Zhao, abandoning the closer targets?"
Han Lang, upon hearing this question, suddenly realized and cast a look of approval at Ma Long.
However, the defense lawyer burst into laughter again.
"Haha... Mr. Ma, isn't this question a bit difficult? Why would the S-class esper choose Mr. Zhao as his target? How would I know? Perhaps it was a whim? Perhaps he harbored resentment? Who can say for sure?"
The defense lawyer's answer stunned both Ma Long and Han Lang!
They never expected the other party to answer so directly, and in a way that left them speechless.
As the two were at a loss, Director Chen on the bench suddenly announced, "The surveillance video is clear, and the evidence is conclusive. There is no need for further questioning. Defense, please proceed to the next issue!"
With Director Chen's pronouncement, the others naturally had no objections.
A hint of smugness crossed the defense lawyer's lips. He bowed respectfully to Director Chen and then signaled his assistant to continue playing the video.
Soon, the final scene appeared.
The subdued Wang Shan suddenly lunged at Zhao Wei, only to be killed by Zhao Wei's palm strike.
"This is witness Mr. Han's final point of doubt. He suspects my client, Mr. Zhao Wei, of maliciously killing the S-class esper, thus destroying the evidence. However, from the video, it seems that things are not as he claims!"
"First, he says the S-class esper was subdued and unable to counter-attack. Yet, what we see is that his speed is still astonishing! This does not seem like the skill of a fully controlled S-class esper!"
"Second, the entire process happened in a flash. In such a situation, let alone a cultivator at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment, even an ordinary person would instinctively react, wouldn't they?"
"And since it was an instinctive reaction, it is reasonable for muscle memory to cause Mr. Zhao Wei to strike at a vital point, isn't it?"
With the experience of the previous two times, Han Lang and Ma Long were no longer surprised by the defense lawyer's sophistry.
As expected, as soon as he finished speaking, many people in the gallery nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Director Chen whispered to the two jurors beside him, then said, "The evidence is sufficient and reasonable. This issue is bypassed!"
He then turned slightly and asked in the direction of Tang Geng, "Prosecution lawyer, do you have any other questions?"
The two exchanged glances and then shook their heads.
"If that is the case, we will deliberate briefly and then render the final judgment!"
Just as Zhao Wei and the defense lawyer were feeling a bit smug about this, Han Lang's heart was churning with immense shock!
For some reason, a sense of unwillingness suddenly arose within him!
He had initially thought that as long as Director Chen's senior investigation department thoroughly investigated the matter and confirmed that the Zhao family had no connection with espers, he would not pursue it further and might even cooperate with the Tang and Zhao families to jointly benefit the cultivation world.
However, the defense lawyer's argument, while seemingly reasonable, was merely sophistry to Han Lang, who had truly experienced that battle!
Although the evidence seemed sufficient, it did not completely dispel Han Lang's doubts.
Just as Director Chen was about to announce the result, Han Lang suddenly shouted, "Wait!"
All eyes immediately turned to Han Lang.
Director Chen's expression was clearly displeased, but he patiently asked, "Witness, do you have anything further to add?"
Han Lang nodded, completely unconcerned by the mocking glances, and said clearly, "Perhaps we can set aside the matter of the Zhao family colluding with espers for now. However, the Jin Chun Feng that the Zhao family supported is itself a dark and evil force! These people have done many things over the years in Le City that threaten the lives and property of ordinary people. While these actions can be convicted under ordinary law, how much more so for the Zhao family, a cultivator family and one of the special investigation bureaus of Xingcheng? Therefore, I believe that while the charge of colluding with espers may not be established, the charge of supporting Jin Chun Feng should be aggravated!"
As soon as Han Lang finished speaking, everyone was stunned.
In the cultivation world, although there had always been calls for harmonious coexistence between ordinary people and cultivators, cultivators themselves had always considered themselves superior to ordinary people from the bottom of their hearts!
In their eyes, supporting dark and evil forces to complete tasks that cultivators found inconvenient was almost an accepted practice!
Therefore, Director Chen could not help but swallow to conceal his nervousness when faced with Han Lang's words. After all, such matters were not honorable in the cultivation world!
Moreover, cultivators fostering dark and evil forces to bully ordinary people was also part of the daily work of various special investigation bureaus.
If he denied it, wouldn't he be negating the special investigation bureaus?
With this thought, Director Chen quickly replied, "The witness is correct! Although the Zhao family's collusion with espers can be cleared of suspicion, the fact that they supported dark and evil forces is undeniable. Therefore, the punishment for the Zhao family should be increased!"
After speaking, he lowered his head again to confer with the two jurors.
At this moment, Zhao Wei's eyes seemed to spew fire as he glared at Han Lang.
Just then, Director Chen lightly tapped the microphone and announced, "I will now pronounce the verdict! After two trials, it is confirmed that there is insufficient evidence for the Zhao family colluding with espers, and the charge is not established! However, the private construction of an esper base by Le City's Jin and Wang is conclusively proven, and therefore they are held jointly responsible.
Furthermore, the Jin Chun Feng forces in Le City endangered the lives and property of the people, and their crimes are aggravated! The punishment will be increased.
The final decision is to confiscate one-third of the Zhao family's total assets and order them to hand over twenty percent of their cultivation resources as a warning! It is hoped that they will learn from this lesson and contribute to the development of Xingcheng!"
As Director Chen finished speaking, Zhao Wei and the defense lawyer nodded in agreement, but both cast fierce glares at Han Lang.
If it weren't for his nonsensical words, why would the Zhao family have to suffer such a loss of cultivation materials and money?
But Han Lang sat there expressionlessly, as if he hadn't seen anything.
As the trial concluded and the truth of the matter came to light, the leaders of various levels began to withdraw in an orderly manner.
Only when the room was finally left with Tang Geng, Han Lang, and Ma Long did Han Lang realize that the verdict had been finalized.
"Sigh..." he sighed and said self-mockingly to the two, "I'm not surprised by the trial result, but the trial process has completely surprised me! This is not enough to prove the Zhao family's innocence!"
Tang Geng felt the same way, as he had personally experienced that battle.
"I feel the same, Brother Han Lang! However, we can't blame the higher investigation bureaus. If anyone is to blame, it's only Zhao Wei for being such a good actor. If I hadn't seen this video, I wouldn't have known he did so much during that battle!"
"There's nothing we can do! With this video, let alone others who weren't personally involved in the battle at the time, even I find it hard to doubt it!"
Hearing the disappointment and helplessness in Han Lang's tone, Ma Long couldn't help but comfort him.
"The process might not have been very convincing for you. But in the end, didn't Young Master's quick thinking and words cause Director Chen to increase the punishment for the Zhao family? You didn't see the look in Zhao Wei's eyes when he left just now; he looked like he wanted to eat Young Master alive to vent his anger! Haha..."
Seeing Ma Long laugh, Han Lang and Tang Geng couldn't help but laugh along.
Tang Geng even replied, "That's right, that's right! Even though this punishment is a significant blow to the Zhao family, it might at least make them restrain themselves a bit in the future, right? It's not a complete loss, is it?"
"Heh heh..." Han Lang chuckled wryly, "As I said before. I don't care whether the Zhao family is punished or not. Let alone this gain, it's nothing to us. In this situation, we can only hope that the Zhao family and the espers truly have no collusion!"
Hearing Han Lang's sigh, Tang Geng and Ma Long both nodded with worried expressions.