The reason he became the father

"What?"

"You didn't finish reading the code, and neither did the rest of you."

"But that's all right. I don't have many sons, but I have plenty of nephews, so I'm very patient when it comes to teaching."

"Ladies and gentlemen, close your law books."

Damn old bat. Was he finally about to bare his bloodsucking fangs?

He'd put on an act at first, but now he wasn't even bothering, was he?

Han Mingxuan didn't open the law book in front of him. Instead, he stood up and strolled leisurely around the vast courtroom.

He looked just like a teacher who didn't need to bring a textbook to class.

"Now, turn to the last page of the code."

The last page of the code?

Though puzzled, the nobles present did as they were told.

They immediately saw a sentence.

"This code places fairness and justice above all else. Any provision that fails to align rights with responsibilities is void."

As Pationa read the sentence, a chill ran down her back.

"That's right. Rights and responsibilities must align."

Han Mingxuan strolled behind Pationa, his voice gentle and calm.

"As nobles, you enjoy more privileges, gain more benefits, and wield more power."

"Accordingly, the laws that apply to you and those that apply to commoners are not interchangeable."

"Besides, in Quintus Hive City and on Nostramo as a whole, nobles and those in power are not the vast majority."

"Therefore, the principle that the law does not punish the majority still applies."

"Next... Sevatar."

"Present!"

"Give me the scales."

"Yes, sir!"

Han Mingxuan took the scales and placed them in front of Pationa.

"Do you think people carry equal weight on these scales?"

Equal weight?

The answer was no.

In the nobles' eyes, there were only two kinds of people: nobles and disposable trash.

What a vicious old bat.

If they wanted to invoke the principle that the law did not punish the majority, they had to become part of the general populace.

That meant legally surrendering everything they had as nobles, including but not limited to titles, resources, and privileges.

If they refused, never mind the handful of nobles in their Hive City-even if all the nobles on Nostramo were counted together,

they would be only a drop in the ocean of the planet's population.

"Now turn to the second-to-last page."

At his words, the nobles present turned to the second-to-last page.

"Use words to subvert the law, use force to violate its prohibitions."

Looking at those words, Pationa felt all her strength drain away.

The nobles understood as well.

That sentence referred to them.

Just as they were doing now, before the laws had even gone into effect, they were trying to seize more legal advantages.

They had even wanted to use violence.

"Finally, turn to the third-to-last page."

Like puppets on strings, the nobles blankly turned to the third-to-last page.

A sentence was written there.

"Violence is power."

"That's right, head of the Tempatio Family. Violence is power. The essence of power is violence."

Old bat!

Old bastard!

Old thug!

Pationa was screaming inside.

Then Han Mingxuan took out a hair and placed it on one side of the scales.

"Look, this is a hair that fell from my head. Which do you think weighs more, my hair or all of you?"

"We do?"

"Wrong."

Han Mingxuan pressed down slightly with the hand that had placed the hair, and the other side of the scales shot up and stayed there.

"Do you see?"

"In this damned world, in this filthy Hive City, one of my hairs weighs far more than your so-called nobles."

"Perhaps killing one person to save ten is a sin in other worlds, but on Nostramo, even killing a thousand people to save one is worthwhile."

"That goes for everyone, especially vermin like you. Do you understand?"

Now the nobles saw reality for what it was.

Did the old bat listen to reason?

Of course he did.

But if they thought reason could constrain the old bat, they were sorely mistaken.

Did the code work?

Of course it did.

But anyone who tried to talk their way around it was certain to die!

A tiger that learned to read was still a tiger.

If he was willing to reason with you, it was simply because he was willing.

If someone wasn't willing to reason, the only thing left was to lie down in the grave!

If the old bat was willing to reason with you, you should count yourself lucky!

If he followed the crude Nine Laws of the Night Bat, or the Eternal Night Justiciar's methods,

they and eighteen generations of their ancestors would already have been wiped out.

Pationa stood up and looked at Han Mingxuan.

Finally, she made an unexpected move.

She knelt on one knee, lifted one of Han Mingxuan's hands with both of hers, and brought it to her lips.

She kissed his hand in a gesture of utmost humility.

"I sincerely praise your mercy and tolerance, Father of Night."

"The Tempatio Family will give its full support to every decision you make. From this point on, we will become part of Nostramo's general populace."

"Like a drop of water in the sea, a speck of dust on a mountain."

"You show promise."

Han Mingxuan helped Pationa to her feet.

The matter was ultimately resolved perfectly. Of course, that only meant the implementation of the laws had been resolved perfectly.

"Since none of you have any questions about the implementation of the laws, let's proceed according to the rules."

Here it comes.

Only now had the old bat placed his fangs against their necks.

"Ladies and gentlemen, under the law, you are guilty. Naturally, you are the exception, head of the Tempatio Family."

Holding the thick law book, Han Mingxuan began reading out the charges against everyone present.

As they listened to the charges against them, they all glared resentfully at the newly appointed head of the Tempatio Family.

Damn the Tempatio Family!

We put our lives on the line to come here with you.

And now look at you. You've washed your hands clean.

Old Tempatio must have lost his mind to put a woman in charge!

"The penalties for multiple crimes will be combined."

As soon as those words came out, everyone saw their fate.

Certain death.

"Father."

"The new laws have only just begun to take effect. If we slaughter the upper ranks outright, I'm afraid we won't be able to win the people's support."

"When that happens, we won't be spreading order, only fear."

Here it comes. Father and son are playing off each other.

The nobles present were all thousand-year-old foxes. They could tell at a glance what the father and son were doing.

But there was nothing they could do. The situation was stronger than they were.

Even though they knew the older and younger men were putting on an act, they couldn't expose them. They could only play along.

"Praise your mercy, Lord Inquisitor."

The irony!

How utterly ironic!

A terrorist and an old bat were finding ways to strip them of their wealth while keeping a constant eye on their lives.

And now they had to be grateful to this father and son.

It was more disgusting than making them eat Corpse Starch!

"Very well. Since you put it that way, they may be spared death, but punishment is unavoidable."

It's over.

This old bat didn't want to suck their blood. He wanted to flay them alive!

In the end, at Han Mingxuan's direction, the Tempatio Family took the lead in paying the fines.

As for the fine rate?

95%.

Yes, 95%.

On top of that, they had to pay taxes.

The taxes were calculated from what little remained of their wealth.

What? Why didn't anyone resist?

The heads of those who resisted had already gone flying.