Chapter 1 The Sound of Freedom

Li Tianran's voice echoed through the deathly still courtroom.

The results of the Eleven Judgments were final and unchangeable.

Six white slips, five black slips.

Li Tianran, not guilty!

On the judge's platform, the representatives who cast the white slips wore excited smiles on their faces. They stood up and began to applaud.

The scattered applause wasn't particularly enthusiastic in the vast hall, but it represented the glow of victory.

"In my capacity as the No. 2 trial judge of the Nancheng Law Office, I announce the results of the Eleven Judgments against Li Tianran as follows... Li Tianran's actions in the heretical cult case are judged to be not guilty!" A young judge stood up, gently tapped the gavel, and continued, "This judgment is valid for life, and multiple copies will be sent to the joint departments of the Political Department and the National Security Department to lift all accusations against Li Tianran!"

Li Tianran's lips quirked up slightly in a smile.

At this moment, he finally relaxed.

"Court adjourned!"

The young judge finished reading the verdict and tapped the gavel again.

This trial made both the military and political departments feel frustrated. They thought they could use the Eleven Judgments to condemn Li Tianran, but they didn't expect the council to cause such a big surprise.

Yu Cheng's words pushed the already controversial council to the forefront of public opinion.

Probably within twelve hours after Li Tianran walked out of the Law Office today, the Nancheng Council would experience a huge shock and change, and many people would be held accountable by their superiors and lose their positions!

Although the heretical cult case had caused the council to be criticized before, it was only public opinion, and the upper echelons wouldn't pay too much attention to it.

But now that the members of the council were starting to expose themselves, the upper echelons couldn't ignore it!

It was conceivable that the Nancheng Council would usher in a major purge.

Yu Cheng's actions had a greater impact on the council than Li Tianran!

Li Tianran didn't think there was any political struggle involved. Yu Cheng was different from Wang Dongchuan, even more so from Li and Guo, and even from Yuan Zhenghong! There was a burning fire in his words, as if he wanted to incinerate all darkness and conspiracy!

Yu Cheng was a straightforward person, a loyal official!

In his eyes, the unspoken rules of officialdom, the smoothness of dealing with people, and even the consequences of interests, were not as important as the words "right" and "wrong"!

He might not be a person suitable for mixing in officialdom because he didn't know how to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages; but he was definitely an upright person. In his eyes, black was black, white was white, right was right, and wrong was wrong!

He wouldn't look for the gray area where black and white meet, nor would he look for the balance point between right and wrong.

Acting according to his heart!

That was enough!

In the past, the Yan Huang history had a person like Yu Cheng, named Hai Rui!

His reputation had been passed down through the ages, but when he was alive, his life was very difficult...

"Good luck..." Li Tianran muttered to himself, thinking of Yu Cheng's back as he left the Law Office, "Good luck to both of us."

People began to leave the courtroom.

Accompanied by the sound of footsteps, a fragrant breeze came.

"Congratulations on regaining your freedom... it seems even the heavens are favoring you." A slightly cold female voice rang out. Ren Xiao stood three feet away from Li Tianran, with her usual indifference on her face.

Ren Xiao...

Li Tianran raised his eyebrows.

This woman actually took the initiative to talk to him, which made him think of something.

Could it be that he had really been recognized?

"It's not that the heavens are favoring me... since the heretical cult case, I no longer place my hopes on any external objects or people, let alone gods and the heavens, such ethereal existences." Li Tianran smiled and said, "Everything I have now is earned through my own efforts! I don't need to thank anyone, this is what I deserve."

Ren Xiao looked at Li Tianran, her eyes flashing with deep emotions.

"The last time we met, you didn't leave me with a good impression... crude, violent." Ren Xiao looked at Li Tianran and said, word by word, "But I didn't expect you to be able to do something like this, it really makes me look at you with new eyes."

Once, Ren Xiao and Bai Jingyan wanted to buy Li Tianran's farm, and some unpleasant things happened after they were rejected.

Ren Xiao had always been angry at Li Tianran's arrogant attitude.

"People themselves are multifaceted. I can be an ordinary farmer, or I can be a hero who saves the world..." Li Tianran said with a faint smile.

"Or, could you also be a robber breaking into someone's house in the middle of the night?" Ren Xiao's eyes suddenly sharpened, landing on Li Tianran's face, as if she wanted to see through him completely.

"What are you talking about?"

Li Tianran's heart skipped a beat, "I don't understand."

"Are you still going to continue pretending now?" A sneer appeared on the corner of Ren Xiao's mouth.

Li Tianran's eyes flashed, and in a flash of lightning, he caught the loophole in Ren Xiao's words.

When Ren Xiao said the word "robber" just now, the ending tone was a hint of doubt, not a firm affirmation!

This showed that Ren Xiao only occasionally suspected Li Tianran, but wasn't sure!

She was just trying to trick Li Tianran!

Although he didn't know why Bai Jingyan hadn't told Ren Xiao his identity, Li Tianran didn't want to get involved with Ren Xiao at this time.

This woman's personality was very strange, and if he got involved with her, it would be very troublesome in the future.

A wicked smile appeared on Li Tianran's face, "This lady, I know I have outstanding looks, and I also know that I have a fatal attraction to girls... but this kind of pick-up line seems a bit too old-fashioned. If you want my contact information, you can say it directly, I never say 'no' to beautiful women!"

Ren Xiao's eyebrows furrowed, like two sharp little swords, exuding a hint of dangerous chill.

She really couldn't be sure that Li Tianran was the person who broke into her villa that day.

She just felt a little familiar when she looked at Li Tianran's eyes when she was sitting on the stage just now...

After a moment of silence, she suddenly raised her hand to cover Li Tianran's face below his eyes.

*Pa!*

At this moment, Li Tianran jumped out of the defendant's table, raised his hand to slap Ren Xiao's hand away, and with a look of shock and complexity on his face, he said, "What are you doing?"

"I know that the current situation has made many people's spirits highly tense, and it has also put a lot of pressure on people, but you can't just degenerate and release your nature because of this! You are a woman, is it appropriate to touch a man in this place?"

A murderous intent flashed between Ren Xiao's eyebrows, and then she took a deep breath and sneered, "What are you afraid of?"

"Afraid?" Li Tianran spread his hands, and asked suspiciously.

Ren Xiao was even more convinced that Li Tianran's action was out of fear that she would recognize him!

"If you're not that person, why are you afraid of me?" Ren Xiao walked forward again, pressing her right hand towards Li Tianran's face, "Dare you not dodge?"

A trace of worry flashed in the depths of Li Tianran's eyes.

This woman was very difficult to deal with.

She saw through his thoughts, and if he kept dodging, he would really seem a little guilty.

Ren Xiao's hand firmly pressed towards Li Tianran's face.

This time, Li Tianran didn't dodge.

He just... gently kissed the center of Ren Xiao's fair palm as she slowly approached.

*Bo!*

A soft sound.

The expression on Ren Xiao's face froze, and her hand was like an electric shock, retracting like lightning.

"Fragrant and soft, well maintained." Li Tianran smiled, put his hands in his pockets, and looked at Ren Xiao, "This time... I didn't dodge."