Storm of Gods

Chapter 63 Position
The nobles used to be high above, not to be defiled or judged. Now, however, they can be shackled by a bunch of peasants at will. Many people present showed hostility towards Luo Jin.

"Your Excellency Mayor, let me first introduce the progress of the case investigation to the councilors and jurors," Luo Jin said calmly.

For a seasoned night watchman, this is commonplace. Without solid evidence, even the neutral faction will side with Mondliel.

Casey was very nervous, her palms were sweating. Even the Archbishop couldn't help her at this moment, but looking at the calm Luo Jin, Casey found him very charming.

Luo Jin methodically and concisely outlined the recent cases of Lickers and Addicts, saying, "We Night Patrols investigated the files and traced the personal circumstances of the Fallen Ones. Almost all of them are related to Viscount Mondlier, either having borrowed money from him at exorbitant interest rates or having worked in his businesses."

"Captain Luo, the loan sharks are an insult and slander against a nobleman. Do you have any evidence?" Mayor Amborat asked.

Luo Jin nodded. "Yes, there are witnesses and physical evidence, all of which are in the documents in front of everyone. The Night Patrol can review them at any time, but that's not the focus of this case. What I want to say is that all the Lickers and Suckers are connected to Viscount Mondlier. One or two might be a coincidence, but all of them that have appeared in recent years are connected, so it cannot be explained by chance."

"Captain Luo, what you said is inaccurate. The Lin family case that shocked Tianjing six years ago had nothing to do with Viscount Mondlier," one of the councilors said, immediately sparking a discussion.

"The Lin family case from six years ago is not only related, but also significantly related, because at that time all of the Lin family's businesses had become the property of Viscount Mondlier. However, six years ago, the Viscount was on the verge of bankruptcy and did not have the ability to acquire them," Luo Jin said.

Immediately, a murmur of discussion arose throughout the room. This matter had indeed caused a great uproar at the time. On the one hand, the Lin family was indeed a well-known wealthy merchant family, and on the other hand, it was a terrible situation. It was rare for the Fallen to hunt in broad daylight. They were very intelligent and usually attacked by surprise, and they always acted at night.

The assets left by the Lin family naturally attracted the covetous eyes of many. In the end, the city hall held a public auction. The auction price was quite high, and many conditions had to be met. In the end, it was found that only Viscount Mondlier was suitable. It wasn't that no one had doubts, but such things have happened since ancient times and are not uncommon. Who would be willing to be the first to step forward if there was no vested interest?
“Captain Luo Jin, the acquisition of the Lin family's assets was handled by the City Hall. It was open, fair, and transparent, with clearly marked prices. I paid enough lira. As for where it came from, that's my personal privacy. Even if I found it or it fell from the sky, it has nothing to do with you, and you don't need to explain it to anyone.” Mondlier said calmly, “The Kingdom's Constitution clearly states that it protects the property and privacy of any law-abiding citizen. My house is open to the wind and rain, but not to the King.”

“Your Excellency is right, provided you are a law-abiding citizen. What I was just about to say is that the Lin family case is also directly related to you, because you are the ultimate beneficiary,” Luo Jin said. “It is rumored that your funds came from your wife’s family, but in reality, your wife’s Elsie family’s fleet was destroyed in a hurricane and they are bankrupt and heavily indebted. So you simply cannot come up with such a huge amount of funds.”

The people in the room were whispering among themselves, meaning that these fallen individuals were trained by some organization, and such organizations are called cults in the church.

Degenerates and cults are among the most serious crimes, on par with treason, in any country.

Without explicitly stating it, Luo Jin intended to provoke thought in everyone present.

The city hall erupted in chaos. "Silence!"

dong dong dong~~~
With the sound of Amborat's gavel, the city hall fell silent once more. "Captain Luo Jin, are you implying that the Fallen One cases currently appearing in Tianjing are organized?"

“Yes, Your Honor, after arresting Philmy, we Night Patrol officers used all sorts of methods. Philmy did not reveal the mastermind, but the case does not lie. The timing of his attack on the Night Patrol officers was to cover for someone, and he also had contact with the Fallen Ones who appeared before. This is not a coincidence. The mastermind is in our City Hall!” Luo Jin said. “Fellow councilors, the second column of the file on your desk contains a detailed record of the entire interrogation process. Key sentences have been marked, and you can refer to them for judgment.”

It was surprising that Philmi, with only half his body remaining, didn't drag Mondliel into the mess. However, under some interrogation, Philmi still expressed strong emotions, such as, "Do you believe I'll return to the city in all my glory sooner or later?", "The Night Watchers will never find out," "You lackeys dare to interfere in your master's affairs," "You'll be worse off than me sooner or later," and "We're minding our own business, yet you insist on meddling in other people's affairs"...

A single statement is insufficient to prove anything, but considering all the preceding events, which suggest an organized effort, it's unlikely anyone present would believe that Mondlier had no issues. Of course, belief or disbelief isn't the deciding factor when it comes to stances and interests.

“Captain Luo, all the evidence at present is speculation and inference, and it is irrelevant to the core of this trial. The principle of innocence applies. Viscount Mondlier himself has no problems. During these seven days of detention, the Viscount has done nothing wrong!”

"That's right, this is a frame-up and slander, an insult and defilement to the nobility, and a stain on the Constitution of Lilong!"

"Sentencing people based on words alone, arbitrarily deciding their fate—the night patrolmen are becoming increasingly lawless!"

Without even needing Zhao Xun's gaze, the people in his faction began to stir...

dong dong dong...

"Silence!" Viscount Amborat's gavel rang out. "The principle of 'innocent until proven guilty' does not apply to cult crimes. We must respect the Church's judgment in confidential matters. Of course, that's precisely why we must be extra cautious and not wrong innocent people. Captain Luo, if you have substantial evidence, produce it. If not, we will hold a referendum."

“Mayor, I request that, given the seriousness and complexity of the case, a referendum be held to extend Viscount Mondlil’s detention period. This concerns the safety of every citizen of Tianjing, including everyone present here,” Luo Jin said.

Amborat looked at Mondlil. "Viscount Mondlil, do you have anything to say?"

"Your Excellency Mayor, colleagues, and jurors, I feel deeply ashamed and saddened by this family tragedy. I am a father, and that is my only beloved son. It was my fault that I did not give him a fair and just identity. But this child has been kind and outstanding since childhood. He graduated from the Order of the Knights with excellent grades and entered the Knights with high honors. He has always held himself to the highest standards of knighthood and worked diligently. I believe he was framed, and I will never let the real culprit get away with it!" Mondl's eyes were red, and his voice was sincere and heartfelt as he faced everyone with composure.

After a few seconds of silence, he looked at Luo Jin and said, "I deeply understand Captain Luo Jin's strong sense of justice, so I fully cooperated with the investigation without complaint. However, he has gone astray and is stubborn. This will only hurt those close to him and please his enemies, allowing the real culprit to go unpunished. The Kingdom of Lilong has moved towards the rule of law. No one can do whatever they want and judge based on their own feelings. Today it is me, tomorrow it could be anyone here. I deny all the charges, but I respect the City Hall's judgment."

Mondlil's voice was deep, containing both sorrow and strength.

"Gentlemen, this is a father who has lost his child. Philmi is an outstanding member of the Church, guarding Tianjing with the Knights. He has a bright future. Why would such a person become a Fallen One? Could there be other factors involved? Is someone deliberately creating problems to gain more power? I hope all councilors will consider this carefully!" A councilor from Zhao Xun's group stood up and spoke passionately.

"Nonsense! The Night Watchers are the most devout believers in the moon goddess. How can you shamelessly question these martyrs!"

"Precisely because they've been exposed to so many mysterious events, what if they get corrupted, what if they fall into depravity? Can you guarantee that the Night Watchers won't fall into depravity?"

…………

(End of this chapter)