At around nine in the morning, as a young Judge in his late twenties took his seat on the bench, Bruce's intentional murder case officially went to trial.
Hobart sensed the Judge's imposing aura. He suspected that this Judge was a genuine "Judge" who had come to the Courtroom to act.
The prosecutor spoke first, laying out Bruce's charges. "...The defendant threw roughly 8 pounds of explosives into Mr. Huai En Te's yard.
"Before the trial, I consulted professionals. Eight pounds of gunpowder would have been enough to blow down Mr. Huai En Te's house and subject his entire family to a devastating disaster in their sleep.
"Furthermore, the massive explosion could have affected Mr. Huai En Te's Neighbors, injuring them to varying degrees. It might even have caused a fire, leading to even greater casualties.
"Your Honor, we believe that the defendant's actions seriously endangered the lives and property of dozens of citizens. This is a textbook case of the crimes of explosion and intentional murder!
"That concludes our statement."
The Judge said, "The Defendant Lawyer may now speak."
Hobart, dressed in a black lawyer's robe and wearing a wig, rose to his feet. "Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen observing these proceedings, I truly did not expect the prosecutor to make such an absurd argument!"
The moment he said that, the relatives of Huai En Te's family in the gallery immediately stirred, with some even muttering curses.
The Judge said to Hobart, "Defendant Lawyer, mind your language."
"Your Honor, I am merely stating the facts." Hobart said, "The prosecution's physical evidence is on the table before you. I believe the prosecution has already determined that the fuse was simply twisted from paper. Even if lit, it would have been difficult for it to burn all the way to the