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The courthouse was well-heated, but a somber atmosphere permeated the air.

In the front row were several familiar faces, all small business owners who had been bullied by Heilong Trade before. They were sitting upright, their hands clenched together nervously.

The gavel struck three dull thuds.

The court hearing officially began.

The prosecutor stood up and read the indictment in a loud voice.

"It has been found that since 1980, the defendant Wei Biao has recruited unemployed individuals and gradually formed a mafia-style organization headed by himself..."

"...using violence, threats, and other means to systematically engage in criminal activities such as provoking trouble, extortion, intentional injury, and illegal business operations, seriously disrupting economic and social order..."

The list of charges was read out for a full five minutes.

Each time a line was read aloud, a suppressed gasp would rise from the audience.

Wei Biao's defense lawyer immediately stood up. He was a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses who looked refined and cultured.

"Your Honor, I object."

"The prosecution's charge of 'organized crime' lacks sufficient evidence."

"My client, Wei Biao, is a legitimate businessman. As for the personal actions of his employees, my client should not bear full responsibility."

The lawyer spoke slowly but clearly and logically.

He produced a series of documents, attempting to prove that Wei Biao was not present at the brawl on Chang'an Road.

"This was a fight that broke out from a personal argument and has nothing to do with my client's company operations."

"As for the so-called 'extortion,' that's utter nonsense. It's just normal business dealings and price negotiations in market competition."

The lawyer's defense, like a soft knife, deflected the prosecution's sharp accusations one by one.

In the dock, Wei Biao's originally ashen face gradually regained some color.

As he listened to the lawyer defending himself, he unconsciously straightened his back.

He even looked up at the judge, his face contorted with extreme grievance.

"Your Honor, I am innocent."

"I'm running a legitimate business; it's all malicious slander from my competitors!"

His behavior made an elderly woman in the audience so angry that she trembled and stood up, ready to curse.

"You heartless bastard..."

"Silence!" The bailiffs immediately stepped forward and sternly stopped her.

The old woman's face turned red, and tears welled up in her eyes with anger. She could only sit down indignantly.

After listening to the lawyer's defense, the prosecutor revealed a barely perceptible sneer.

"Your Honor, I request that a witness be called to appear in court."

The judge nodded in agreement.

The side door opened, and two bailiffs escorted in a man dressed in prison clothes with a shaved head.

It was Bald Qiang.

Upon seeing Bald Qiang appear, Wei Biao's body visibly stiffened.

He stared intently at Bald Qiang with a very threatening look.

Bald Qiang lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze.

The defense lawyer's expression also changed.

Bald Qiang walked to the witness stand and stood down.

The judge asked, "Witness, please state the facts you know."

Bald Qiang raised his head and took a deep breath.

He didn't look at Wei Biao, but stared directly at the judge.

"I plead guilty."

"Wei Biao instructed me to do everything."

Wei Biao's eyes widened instantly. He wanted to say something, but the bailiff pressed down on his shoulder, preventing him from uttering a single word.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on the defense lawyer's forehead.

It was as if Bald Qiang had opened a floodgate, spilling everything out like beans from a bamboo tube.

"The order to intercept the car on Chang'an Road was given by Brother Wei. He said to smash all of Xiushan Industry's goods and beat them to death so that they could not do business in the provincial capital."

He also said that after the job was done, he would give each of us five hundred dollars.

"And those wood ear mushrooms, Brother Wei told us to soak them in magnesium sulfate before selling them, so that we could weigh out half a pound more per pound. He said it wouldn't kill anyone anyway."

"Every month he made us go to the market down there to collect protection money. If we didn't pay, he would smash our stalls and beat us up. Ninety percent of the money we collected went into his pocket."

The bald man became more and more agitated as he spoke, and finally pointed to Wei Biao in the dock.

"Your Honor! He's the mastermind! We were all working for him!"

The prosecutor waited for him to finish speaking before calmly adding to the statement.

"Your Honor, we also found three controlled firearms and 120 rounds of ammunition in the defendant Wei Biao's warehouse."

"At the same time, this is the forensic report of our client, Scarface Liu. His back wound is 21 centimeters long and requires 14 stitches. It is classified as a second-degree serious injury. The perpetrator was an underling of the defendant, Wei Biao."

Evidence and photographs were projected onto the large screen.

The evidence is conclusive and irrefutable.

The defense lawyer slumped down, took off his glasses, and wearily rubbed his temples.

He knew he had already lost the case.

A brief silence fell over the courtroom.

All eyes were focused on the defendant's dock.

Wei Biao's body felt as if his bones had been removed, and he slumped limply in the chair.

His lips trembled, his eyes were unfocused, and he kept muttering something.

"It's over...it's all over..."

The hammer of justice is about to fall.

The judge picked up the verdict in front of him, his expression serious.

"Everyone stand up."

With a whoosh, everyone in the courtroom stood up.

The judge's voice echoed clearly in everyone's ears.

"Upon investigation by this court, it has been found that the defendant, Wei Biao..."

"...His actions constitute the crimes of organizing and leading a mafia-style organization, intentional injury, provoking trouble, extortion, illegal possession of firearms, and producing and selling counterfeit and substandard products..."

"The defendant has been convicted of multiple crimes, which are extremely heinous and pose a great threat to society. He shall be severely punished in accordance with the law."

The gavel fell with a crisp, resolute sound.

"The defendant, Wei Biao, is sentenced to death and deprived of his political rights for life!"

"The defendant, Bald Qiang, is sentenced to fifteen years in prison."

death penalty!

When the judge uttered those two words, the gallery erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.

The old woman who had been so upset that she cried earlier was now overjoyed, clasping her hands together and repeatedly saying, "Heaven has eyes."

Several small business owners hugged each other, crying and laughing at the same time.

In the dock, Wei Biao convulsed violently upon hearing the verdict.

He slid off the chair like a lump of mud and collapsed to the ground.

Two bailiffs stepped forward, expressionless, grabbed him, and dragged him out of the courtroom like a dead dog.

The snow outside has stopped.

The cold wind blew against my face, carrying a chilling, deadly feeling.

Lu Qingshan lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

A jeep pulled up silently beside him.

Wang Jianguo, dressed in plain clothes, got out of the car and handed over a transcript that was only half-copied.

"Qingshan, Wei Biao has confessed everything."

His voice was a little hoarse, but it couldn't hide his excitement.

"However, he did mention one thing."