Who Is the Mole

Revenge Severance is a unique hallmark of Huiyao's legal system, representing a significant concession by the law to 'the strong,' allowing them a certain right to retaliation.

It's perfectly normal for criminals to be punished. Even powerful Awakened individuals are not exempt from the law; they are killed if they deserve to be killed, and imprisoned if they deserve to be imprisoned. But there's another scenario: the criminal's family or friends are strong.

Different human societies naturally foster different social atmospheres and public opinions. On Earth, it's rare for a criminal's relatives to resort to extreme acts of revenge, because individual power pales in comparison to collective power, and there isn't much difference between individuals.

But Huiyao is different. Powerful Awakened individuals can crush ordinary people, and the strong have exceptional survival capabilities. Historically, there have been cases of wrongful convictions that led to the prisoners' relatives, in a fit of rage, ambushing and killing everyone involved in the case, including the nobles who fabricated charges and the officials who rendered verdicts. They remained at large until the Radiant Court overturned the wrongful case, finally prompting the strong individual to cease their actions—as for whether it was truly a wrongful case, no one knows.

While the strong can never directly confront a standing army, if a strong individual engages in guerrilla warfare, killing one person a thousand miles away without leaving a trace, within a city, the Court would find it difficult to deal with.

Furthermore, these unparalleled strong individuals are not the main problem, as their numbers are few, and most are assimilated by the Court. The real trouble lies with the many ordinary Awakened individuals throughout the land who practice Combat Arts. They possess a strong martial spirit, and most are unyielding and principled. For them, avenging their family and friends, even at great personal cost, is almost a given.

That's right, my dad/uncle/grandpa/best friend did something wrong, but he died, and I can't accept it, so I'm going to kill you!

This mindset can gain public approval, as the Radiant Court itself cannot guarantee absolute justice and integrity. For ordinary people, supporting these 'righteous avengers' reduces the likelihood of the Court creating wrongful cases. Since everyone is on the same page, the 'revenge' trend naturally intensifies.

However, it was unsustainable for Court officials to constantly be subjected to such revenge. Therefore, the Court compromised, or rather, skillfully employed an overt tactic: the Revenge Severance Law.

According to the Revenge Severance Law, a criminal's relatives can request a duel with their 'enemy' in public, limited to one time and one target. The 'enemy' can surrender, but must offer compensation or an apology. Life or death is irrelevant during the duel, and after the duel, the animosity is completely wiped clean. Those who violate the order will be hunted down by the Court afterward.

It sounds incredible. How could the Court encourage criminals' relatives to seek revenge on officials?

But legal interest is the basis for criminalization, and ethics are the basis for exoneration. In a society with strong individuals, ethics and legal interests naturally change.

The introduction of the Revenge Severance Law greatly reduced the negative impact of private acts of revenge. Because revenge is limited to only one 'enemy' and doesn't involve others, it gains public acceptance. The old practice of avenging by killing an entire family is no longer condoned and is instead condemned by the public.

Moreover, the Revenge Severance Law stipulates that Revenge Severance must occur in public, transforming covert 'revenge' into overt 'Revenge Severance.' No matter what happens, officials can quickly grasp the situation, preventing situations where someone's entire family is killed without anyone knowing who they offended.

More importantly, the Revenge Severance Law shifts the conflict from between the public and the Court to between the avenger and the enemy.

Whether the enemy is killed by the avenger or surrenders and compensates, it's not the Court's business; it's merely the enemy's personal disgrace, unrelated to the Court's reputation.

Facts have proven that the Revenge Severance Law has completely transformed the social atmosphere. After all, if the Court supports your righteous revenge, then clandestine assassinations will naturally no longer earn praise from others.

The Court also frequently promotes 'positive examples,' such as an avenger in one county defeating their enemy, leading to the case being overturned; or an avenger in another county, though defeated, saw their enemy spontaneously kneel and admit wrongdoing, making the avenger realize their own relative's mistake, and the two subsequently reconciled...

In short, seeking revenge openly and honorably not only gains public approval but is even encouraged by the Court!

"Is someone performing Revenge Severance there?"

"That person is from the Statistics Department!"

"What? Has someone finally sought Revenge Severance from a Statistics Department member?"

The morning lecture plaza was at its busiest, with merchants hawking their wares and children waiting for lectures. As soon as the news of Revenge Severance broke, it spread like wildfire, and the entire plaza erupted in commotion.

The Patrol Guards at the plaza pushed through the crowd. Upon seeing Le Yu, their expressions immediately changed. Although Qian Yuliu wasn't wearing his vest, his Steel-soled Boots were unmistakable. Moreover, they recognized Le Yu—they had heard rumors of a captain in the Statistics Department who liked to play Battle Cards while apprehending people.

"What are you gathered here for? Disperse, disperse!" the Patrol Guards shouted. "Are you trying to incite a riot!?"

Inciting a riot was a serious charge, one step away from 'inciting rebellion.' But Lin Xue wasn't having any of it. Her voice, subtly amplified by Mental Power, clearly resonated through the plaza: "We wish to perform Revenge Severance with Qian Yuliu. We ask the Patrol Guards to bear witness."

"We ask the Patrol Guards to bear witness!" the people nearby echoed in unison, their voices like thunder.

The Patrol Guards looked troubled, glancing at Le Yu, their eyes seemingly saying, 'We've done our best.'

Le Yu looked up at the Radiant Bell Tower and said, "There are 17 minutes left."

He paused. "There are 17 minutes until the Statistics Department's working hours begin. It takes me 3 minutes to walk there. I serve my master and fulfill my duties; I neither wish for others to break agreements nor do I wish to break agreements with others. Therefore, let's finish this within the next 14 minutes."

"Let me see what abilities Mr. Lin's prized disciples possess," Le Yu said calmly. "Will you all come at once, or will it be a revolving battle?"

The Revenge Severance Law has a tricky point: while it limits avengers to seeking Revenge Severance from only one person, it doesn't limit the number of avengers—yes, ganging up is also permitted under the Revenge Severance Law!

However, if the enemy sees they can't win, they can decisively surrender, at most apologizing and paying compensation. But the avenger then loses their only chance for righteous revenge.

Therefore, the Revenge Severance Law is actually a gentleman's law. If both sides are gentlemen who value their reputation, then the Revenge Severance Law is meaningful, and everyone settles their grievances with one battle.

But if both sides are shameless, the Revenge Severance Law becomes meaningless—if you dare to gang up on me, I dare to kneel and beg for mercy.

I might lose face, but you lost your father/grandfather/friend!

"While I dearly wish to wash away my father's shame myself," Lin Xue took a deep breath and said, "Qian Yuliu, you are indeed talented but morally corrupt. I dare not claim I can defeat you alone. Therefore, please allow me, Gao Jin, and Xia Lingo to take turns challenging you, to sever our ties of enmity!"

As she spoke, a hint of shame and anger appeared on Lin Xue's face—shame for proposing a revolving battle, and hatred for Qian Yuliu. But more than anything, it was self-hatred for her own incompetence!

If she could defeat Qian Yuliu alone, why would she need to request a three-person revolving battle? But to fulfill her father's dying wish, she could only resort to such a shameless act!

As for what price Qian Yuliu would pay after their victory, Lin Xue didn't mention it—if they won, they would have plenty of time to berate Qian Yuliu; if they didn't win, then the harsher her demands now, the more humiliating her defeat would be later.

Le Yu scanned the three people before him.

Lin Xue, no need to mention her, Lin Jinyao's only daughter. When they were in school, Qian Yuliu regarded Lin Xue as his sister, but it proved that any sister of Qian Yuliu was bound to become his opposite.

Gao Jin, an old acquaintance, a foul-mouthed maniac who spoke the loudest. Yet, he looked perfectly decent, appearing to be a passionate, sunny youth. He seemed to be the student council president at the Military Academy, and Lin Jinyao often praised this disciple to Qian Yuliu.

Xia Lingo, Le Yu only noticed him now. On the night Lin Jinyao died, he was also in the courtyard and was taken away by the Statistics Department along with the others. However, he had always been silent and uncommunicative. Even though he was about to seek Revenge Severance with Le Yu, he didn't say anything, just silently watched Le Yu. He had the appearance of a well-behaved, innocent boy, but Le Yu vaguely sensed a threat from him.

Lin Xue, Gao Jin, Xia Lingo...

They really came to seek Revenge Severance with me.

Which means, the White Night's mole is among these three!