An Absurd Verdict and a Chilling Night
The ten-minute recess seemed to last a century.
The courtroom was deathly quiet, broken only by muffled sobs and the uneasy scraping of chairs in the gallery. Lin Jianguo clutched his wife's hand, both of them pale as death. Zhang Fen's tears streamed silently down her face, and she was on the verge of fainting.
Zhang Qian remained in the back row, but beneath the brim of her hat, the corners of her mouth lifted in an irrepressible smile, full of the pleasure of a scheme brought to fruition.
Prosecutor Chen, representing the prosecution, looked down at his fingers, his brow deeply furrowed. Lin Feng's earth-shattering taunt and the presiding judge's uncontrolled reaction had made his sense of foreboding grow stronger.
Zhou Wenyuan sat at the defense table, his face ashen. He had practiced for many years and weathered countless storms, but it was rare to see a presiding judge favor one side with so little concealment, let alone fly into a rage and call a recess over a defendant's reasonable challenge.
He knew the worst possible outcome might really be coming. He quickly considered grounds and strategies for an appeal, but a sense of helplessness still gripped him.
The bailiffs led Lin Feng out of the courtroom. In the holding room, Lin Feng remained calm. He leaned against the cold wall and closed his eyes, as if conserving his strength, or perhaps contemplating something deeper. His earlier outburst had not been a loss of control, but a probe and a declaration-a declaration of his utter contempt for this unjust trial.
Ten minutes later, the gavel sounded again.
Everyone rose. Presiding Judge He and the two jurors returned to their seats. Presiding Judge He's face still looked grim, but she had forcibly restored her air of authority and indifference. Only when her gaze swept over Lin Feng did it carry an undisguised chill.
"Court is back in session!"
The final stages of the proceedings were rushed through. The prosecutor delivered a brief, unconvincing closing argument, emphasizing that "the evidence is reliable and sufficient"-though he hardly believed it himself-and asking the court to rule according to law. Zhou Wenyuan maintained his defense of innocence. Though he knew there was little hope, he still used the most concise language to point out the fatal flaws in the chain of evidence, the unfairness of the proceedings, and the presiding judge's improper conduct. He also solemnly declared that he would reserve all legal rights.
It was Lin Feng's turn to make his final statement. He stood and calmly swept his gaze over the bench. His tone was indifferent, but every word was clear:
"I maintain that I am innocent. Today's proceedings have given me a new understanding of legal procedure. I believe the truth will not be covered up forever. My lawyer will continue to defend me."
He showed no anger and made no pleas, only an extraordinary calm and certainty. That attitude instead stirred an inexplicable irritation in Presiding Judge He.
"The court will now recess for deliberation! The verdict will be announced in twenty minutes!"
The judges retired to deliberate. For those waiting, the twenty minutes were true torment.
When the time was up, everyone rose again. Holding the written judgment, Presiding Judge He began to read it aloud without expression. She spoke extremely quickly, almost mechanically reading from the text, skipping the detailed analysis of the evidence and going straight to the "findings of the court" section.
"...The defendant, Lin Feng, acted against a woman's will and used coercive means to molest another person. His actions constitute the crime of forcible molestation... the charge brought by the prosecution is established... the defendant refuses to admit guilt, shows no remorse whatsoever, and openly defied judicial authority in court, displaying an egregious attitude... in order to uphold the law of the land, punish crime, and protect citizens' personal rights from infringement... pursuant to Article 237, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, the court rules as follows:"
A pin could have been heard dropping in the courtroom. Everyone held their breath.
"The defendant, Lin Feng, is guilty of forcible molestation and is sentenced to a fixed term of imprisonment of... three years!"
The words "three years" exploded through the courtroom like a clap of thunder!
"What?!"
Zhou Wenyuan was the first to cry out, scarcely able to believe his ears! He sprang to his feet, his body trembling slightly with shock and anger!
Even if the charge were established, under criminal law and the relevant judicial interpretations, the usual sentencing range for a case of forcible molestation with ordinary circumstances and no injury rising to the level of minor injury or above was criminal detention to less than one year's imprisonment.
A sentence of three years or more was possible only if the victim was a child under fourteen, or if there were other particularly serious circumstances!
Sun Tingting was an adult, and the so-called "circumstances" rested entirely on her word! The verdict was utterly absurd! It was blatant judicial injustice!
Prosecutor Chen was also completely stunned. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end it became a soundless sigh.
He had won the case, but he felt as sick as if he had swallowed a fly. The verdict was entirely beyond his expectations and even ran counter to his basic understanding of the law. The principles he had always followed-that crimes and punishments must be prescribed by law, and that punishment must fit the crime-seemed so pale and ridiculous at this moment.
"Ah-!" Hearing the verdict, Zhang Fen let out a piercing wail and fainted on the spot. Lin Jianguo scrambled to catch his wife, tears streaming down his aged face, his gaze toward the bench full of despair and bewilderment.
In the back row, Zhang Qian could barely stop herself from laughing aloud. She quickly lowered her head, using her hat to conceal the wild joy on her face. Three years! It far exceeded her expectations! Let's see how Lin Feng could keep acting so arrogant now!
Lin Feng himself, upon hearing the verdict, merely paused for a moment, so slightly it was almost imperceptible. He slowly raised his head and looked at the presiding judge. There was no breakdown or intense emotion on his face, only an extreme coldness and calm, as if he had foreseen this outcome long ago. He even gave Presiding Judge He the faintest, mocking curl of his lips.
That look and expression made Presiding Judge He's heart skip a beat for no apparent reason, and a chill rose within her. She had just secretly breathed a sigh of relief at having completed her "task."
"Order!" Presiding Judge He forced herself to remain composed and struck the gavel to restore order. "If the defendant does not accept this verdict, he may file an appeal within ten days of receiving the written judgment! Court is adjourned!"
The bailiffs stepped forward, preparing to take Lin Feng away.
Before he was led away, Zhou Wenyuan rushed to the defendant's stand, disregarding everything else. His voice trembling and choking despite his efforts, he cried out in his mind: [Master! I'm sorry! I was useless! This verdict... this is simply...] However professional he was, he could hardly conceal his immense frustration and humiliation at this moment.
But Lin Feng's voice sounded in his consciousness, unusually calm and without the slightest ripple:
[This has nothing to do with you. The other side came prepared, and the referee entered the game personally. No matter how capable you are, it wouldn't have helped. Calm down and appeal through the proper procedures. Focus on investigating this Presiding Judge He and Zhang Qian, and any dealings that may exist behind them. We haven't lost yet.]
[Yes! Master!] Zhou Wenyuan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Lin Feng's composure was contagious.
The bailiffs took Lin Feng away. The trial ended, and the crowd gradually dispersed amid sighs, curses, and sobs. Only Zhou Wenyuan remained where he was, staring at the empty defendant's stand with his fists clenched tight.
At night, inside the special "storage room" at the detention center.
Lin Feng sat quietly on the bed. The clamor outside had nothing to do with him. He needed to digest everything that had happened today and plan his next move.
Zhou Wenyuan's report came through the consciousness link, his voice tired and hoarse. He reported not only the procedural arrangements following the verdict but, more importantly, finally laid before Lin Feng the full picture of the towering waves that had surged across the internet over the past few days, cut off from him by an information cocoon.
Sun Tingting's tearful video accusation, its millions of views and the one-sided denunciations; the "official confirmation" effect triggered by the highly suggestive "mention of a case" from the Safe City Bureau's official account; the abuse and doxxing directed across the internet at "Lin Feng, the normal university molester"; the vicious curses and online abuse his parents suffered after their information was exposed... all of it slowly unfurled in Lin Feng's mind like an ugly scroll.
So that's how it was.
All his questions had answers at this moment. Why had Zhang Qian suddenly sped up the trial? Why had Presiding Judge He shown favoritism so brazenly? This was no simple case of judicial injustice, but a carefully orchestrated conspiracy to use public opinion to hold the justice system hostage and nail him firmly to the pillar of shame!
After finishing his report, Zhou Wenyuan seemed to lose some control of his emotions. The ace lawyer, always known for his cool rationality, became long-winded over the consciousness link, full of professional weariness and sorrow:
[Master... do you know... the longer I work in this field, the more disheartened I sometimes feel... I'm not afraid of the other side having solid evidence, or of a complicated case. What I fear... what I fear is something like today... when the judge's heart is crooked... once the referee enters the game with prejudice, what use is it for defenders like us, even if we hold the truth in our hands and words pour from our mouths like a river?
It's like swinging a sword in a quagmire; every bit of strength is sucked away... I've seen too much... cases full of holes, just because... sigh, power and prejudice are sometimes more frightening than any evidence...]
He spoke haltingly, as though pouring out the anguish that had built up over many years.
Lin Feng listened quietly without interrupting. He could feel Zhou Wenyuan's profound helplessness. Suddenly, a strange, cold smile appeared on his face.
There was no anger in that smile, no despair, only the mockery of someone who had seen through everything and the resolve that came after complete liberation.
He responded softly in his mind, as if making a declaration to himself:
"Did you hear that, Lawyer Zhou? They tore off their own fig leaf. Since they won't play by the rules and have chosen the filthiest methods..."
He paused, his gaze passing through the small window to the pitch-black night sky outside, as though he could see the malice hidden behind the internet and the grins of the dark hands pulling the strings.
"...That's fine too. It saves me from playing any more legal games with them."
From this moment on, he would set the rules of the game.