[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-shadow-empire":3,"chapter-the-shadow-empire-the-shadow-empire-chapter-63":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Shadow Empire",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2267683,4428,"Chapter 63","the-shadow-empire-chapter-63",63,"\u003Cp>On Wednesday morning, Fatty Boss Joni was wheeled into Jincheng City Court by his daughter, as his case was to be heard today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jincheng City is prosperous, so many cases require court sessions daily; minor cases go through fast-track courts, but criminal offenses like assault must undergo formal trials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You must grant both defendant and plaintiff the right to defend themselves and assert their legal rights—that’s written in the Charter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m a little worried, Dad,” said his fat daughter, sitting beside him; her odor was strong, even Joni could barely endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wondered whether her boyfriend had rhinitis, or whether his daughter possessed some special talent that kept a man from leaving her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, these thoughts flashed through his mind briefly; he maintained a confident expression. “I consulted a lawyer—this is just a minor case, nothing unexpected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two had already discussed this twice, but his daughter still felt uneasy. “But they hired a lawyer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mentioning this annoyed Joni, and his voice rose involuntarily—a common trait among the lower class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When questioned, they try to prove their point by raising their voices!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you, I consulted a lawyer—I’m the undeniable victim. They can’t make the judge ignore my current suffering just because they hired a lawyer and claim I attacked them alone!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The outcome of this case is simply how much they’ll pay me, and whether I forgive them—that’s all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, a man in formal attire approached. Honestly, it was late September, the hottest time of year—wearing a full suit was a feat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If nothing unusual happened, this man was a lawyer, for only lawyers dressed so meticulously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Joni?” The lawyer stood arrogantly before him, casually raising his hand, waiting for Joni to shake it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That condescending gaze made Joni feel humiliated, though the man had done nothing but speak one sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After three seconds, he nodded slightly, then indicated he couldn’t shake hands. “It’s me, so…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lawyer retracted his hand, glancing back; only then did Joni, tilting his head, see several young men sitting across the corridor, laughing and joking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still remembered how cruelly they had attacked him; those painful memories resurfaced, and his blood pressure began to rise. “You want me to forgive them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lawyer shook his head. “I mean you could settle out of court. I know it sounds outrageous now, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he finished, Joni roared, “I’m the victim—I’m the one who decides the outcome of this trial, not you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now get the hell away from us with your damn arrogance!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joni turned to look at his daughter. “Push me somewhere else. I feel sick seeing people who’ll do anything for money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His daughter awkwardly faced the lawyer. “I’m sorry, I…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lawyer shrugged indifferently. “It’s your choice,” he said, then shook his head and walked toward the young men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His daughter wheeled Joni aside. “You shouldn’t have said that—he’s a lawyer. Lawyers can make trouble for us easily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joni didn’t care at all. “Let him come if he wants. These vampires wouldn’t lift a finger unless there’s profit. They want us to settle out of court?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m telling you—don’t even think about it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of that night—his pitiful pleas ignored, their brutal acts—he no longer cared about money. He wanted to vent his rage, his foul anger!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His daughter’s unease grew stronger. “You should at least hear him out. Maybe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t even dream it. Even if I die and fall from here, I won’t listen to another word from him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joni’s temper was uncontrollable. Perhaps the woman who left him could have stopped him—but she was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His daughter sighed. “I think we’re going to mess this up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joni snorted, saying nothing. He was already planning to tell the judge in court how vile those lawyers and brats were—just like in the movies, righteous and stern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lawyer returned to the young men, wearing an expression of regret. “The plaintiff refused out-of-court settlement. My only task now is to minimize your compensation and your jail time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young men’s parents wanted to speak with Joni again, but the lawyer deemed it futile—though he wouldn’t stop them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, when they explained their intent, Joni told them to get far away, which angered the parents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though their children were wrong, it had nothing to do with the adults, and they came with good intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over twenty minutes later, the formal trial began. Joni was wheeled to the plaintiff’s bench, then the judge hurried in, looking exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a series of courtroom formalities, the judge glanced at Joni. “Did your lawyer arrive late, or didn’t you hire one at all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joni shook his head. “Respected Judge, I consulted a lawyer. He said this case is so obvious it doesn’t require legal representation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The judge almost smiled but held back. “I’ll note that.” He turned to the defendants and their lawyer. “Since the plaintiff has no lawyer, you begin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lawyer stood, bowed. “Thank you for taking time to hear this case. I am Anthony of Gold Diamond Law Firm, currently handling this matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Honor, first, I must introduce my clients…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lawyer presented documents, informing the judge that at least four of his clients had been diagnosed with conduct disorder exhibiting violent tendencies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He emphasized this was neither a crime of passion nor random violence—they were merely young men blinded by friendship, who lost their reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At their friend’s request, they sought revenge against a master who oppressed and exploited apprentices. But due to their youth, emotional immaturity, and violent tendencies, the situation escalated severely—though not irreversibly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He produced multiple documents: proof of their active participation in community volunteer work, and transcripts showing they had at least achieved C+ grades in high school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neighbors testified that these youths were usually well-behaved, obedient, and willing to help others in the neighborhood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, he presented ample evidence proving this was an accident, with no subjective criminal intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the primary party responsible for these consequences became the apprentice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The apprentice’s mother had pleaded with the lawyer several times—this was the last thing she could do for her son before leaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing how the attractive woman allowed him to manipulate her, the lawyer eventually agreed to defend the apprentice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he warned her: the apprentice would almost certainly serve jail time. The best possible outcome was three to five years, likely around five—his absolute limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she could raise at least fifty thousand, he might attempt an acquittal and reduce the sentence to one and a half to two years, then use other means to get him released immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the apprentice’s mother had no such money—even if she started earning with her skills now, it would be too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the advantage of hiring a lawyer—but Joni didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reviewing all documents, the judge confirmed: these youths weren’t outstanding, but at least qualified as federal adolescents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced again at the clueless Joni, then asked the lawyer, “I noticed your documents mention this young man being oppressed and humiliated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lawyer turned to look at the apprentice, who stood. “Indeed, Your Honor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The judge pursed his lips. “Could you tell me how he humiliated you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced down again. “Your documents also mention your mother?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1208,"2026-06-19T21:10:27.799Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d9629c635b4784c927a4862b16304921d63b4519ca4ff38f9fa703d6a5210a80","the-shadow-empire-chapter-64","the-shadow-empire-chapter-62",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-shadow-empire-cover.jpg"]