Transform into a human

The next morning.

It was the same lecture hall that had been temporarily converted into a courtroom. Yue Lai stood calmly on the podium, but this time he was no longer a witness.

Unlike the solemn hearing, the three main cities in the Chain Crystal Network were now in an uproar.

People couldn't believe that a hero who had just saved the police headquarters would do such a thing. Some thought Hou Fan was guilty but still supported Yue Lai, while others insisted on the supremacy of the law and thought he was guilty. Some even questioned the justice of Yue Lai's testimony. Even if someone might have concealed some of the truth at the previous hearing, it was impossible for anyone to lie.

"Impossible! Could someone be framing us? Like... the person behind Avery, who recently saved Police Central, would someone like that..."

"I only believe what I see with my own eyes. Rumor has it that he himself has confessed in his written testimony."

"What is the purpose of the law? If merits and demerits cancel each other out, what's the point of legal provisions?"

"What about yesterday's hearing...?"

"Yue Lai testified in court before, and his integrity was proven! Now you're even questioning that?"

"He himself said that Hou Fan was the real culprit!"

"It's because we trusted Chixin that things turned out this way! So many worms have appeared in the Police Hub, where was Chixin? Where was Chixin when the Police Hub was destroyed by the sealed evil relic?"

"Shouldn't we first consider his motive? What reason would he have to kill Hou Fan?"

"People's hearts change, and they change overnight."

It's chaotic, so chaotic.

In fact, Bryce and the Pacific Group never admitted that they were working for Avery; they merely admitted to the crimes they committed, and their connection with Avery made it impossible for the latter to clear his name.

As the time reached exactly nine o'clock in the morning, three councilors filed in, just like a scene from the past.

Xueji tapped the small gavel, officially announcing the start of the hearing. Although it was not a formal trial, its effect was almost identical to that of a court hearing.

Once the lawmakers representing the three major parties reach a consensus at the meeting, whether they compromise willingly or refuse to yield, it will become the final outcome.

After a set of fixed statements, Xueji looked at Yue Lai, trying to find out what was hidden in the old monster's eyes.

"Yue Lai, in your written testimony you claimed that you orchestrated the attack on Director Hou Fan. Is that true?"

"Yes."

The scene was in an uproar. The rumors were true, and Yue Lai confessed his guilt without any attempt to hide it!

Xueji Dimitrov's expression grew more serious: "Why did you do this?"

"He is the real manipulator behind the Pacific Ocean Group and Bryce."

The noise at the scene grew even louder.

"Silence!" Xueji tapped the small wooden mallet and asked again, "This relates to your previous testimony...?"

"I never said Avery was the culprit."

Xueji was speechless for a moment; it seemed that was indeed the case…

"Do you have any evidence?" Austin then asked.

Yue Lai's sudden "betrayal" was an unexpected bonus for the Central faction. If he could provide substantial evidence, they wouldn't mind going to great lengths to protect him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Assistant Referee, I have no other evidence besides my own reasoning."

Austin frowned. "You'd better understand the meaning of the law!"

His implication couldn't be clearer: in his view, an old monster like Yue Lai, who had lived for hundreds of years, would not risk his life for such a ridiculous reason as "justice." After all, for most long-lived beings, the longer they live, the more afraid they are of dying.

The only possibility is that he has evidence, but because it involves too much, he doesn't dare to offend the Imperial faction to the death.

But Yue Lai wouldn't dare, but his Central Committee members would.

If the other party really can't produce any evidence... for the sake of the stability of the Holy Throne, he can only "act according to the law," which will greatly reduce the blow to the Imperial faction, but will be a huge loss to the Central faction.

Avery will likely still not be able to escape punishment; at most, his sentence will be changed from death to life imprisonment.

Yue Lai nodded: "Mr. Deputy Referee, I am very clear about the meaning of the law, and that is why I cannot weave a web of lies."

The red light outside the window remained unchanged—Yue Lai was telling the truth.

Luo Fu frowned almost imperceptibly. She always felt that Yue Lai was making veiled attacks. As an embroiderer, the word "weaving" hit a nerve.

Reporters on the scene remained restrained due to the presence of important figures, but there were no small wooden mallets to maintain order in the Chain Crystal Network, and a brawl even broke out in the main city's mission hall because of this.

Inevitably, the voices of Yue Lai's supporters gradually faded.

Compared to the previous hearing, today's was undoubtedly much simpler. There was no need to ask about some details anymore, and Xueji couldn't wait to finish this temporary task.

"In that case, I hereby declare..."

"Wait a minute, Madam Judge."

The three councilors' hearts skipped a beat simultaneously. What kind of trouble was this guy up to now?!

A scene that left everyone speechless unfolded, leaving hundreds of billions of people unable to believe what they were witnessing—

Yue Lai then plunged a palm into his own chest!

When he offered it up again, he was holding a still-beating heart in his palm. The heart was as black as night, but its surface shimmered with an eerie glow.

Evil surged and contracted violently in his palm, each pulse steady and powerful, radiating a life force that was almost violent, in stark contrast to its deathly color.

The reporters gaped, their eyes glazed over, while the three councilors looked on as if facing a formidable enemy.

Yue Lai's heart was actually an evil relic!

The details of the attack on Hou Fan were not revealed. It was the first time the councilors had learned that Yue Lai had actually contained an organ-type evil relic that was strictly prohibited by law. No wonder it was not detected!

They finally understood why Hou Fan's body was in that state.

The councilors quickly regained their composure, as the starlight in the air remained completely still.

No one dares to play these little tricks in front of a star.

Austin shouted angrily, "Yue Lai, what are you doing!"

If Yue Lai was bewitched by the evil relic, then his accusations against Hou Fan would be baseless, and Avery wouldn't even be able to get a reduced sentence!

"Have you all been curious about my race? Now I can tell you."

"As for the name, it doesn't matter. You can call me whatever you want. The most important thing is... I can cultivate three paths to becoming a master at the same time."

Xueji, even Love and Austin thought they were hallucinating. They quickly looked out the window, and then the three veteran politicians changed their expressions for the first time—the light of his sincerity remained unchanged, this guy was telling the truth!

Even the seemingly unchanging starry sky seemed to tremble for a moment, not to mention the reporters on the scene and hundreds of billions of listeners.

They first made sure their hearing was fine, then they made sure their minds were still sharp, and only then did they begin to question Yue Lai:

"Has this guy been driven mad by the evil relic?"