133: first instance

Shen Mingyuan stayed at the hospital for nearly another hour, assisting the police and the hospital staff in completing preliminary statements and on-site investigations.

Faced with the fact of Qian Qiang's bizarre disappearance, everyone's explanations were pale and weak. Ultimately, it could only be temporarily categorized as "left the hospital without permission, cause pending investigation," and the search area was expanded. However, this was like looking for a specific drop of water in the ocean; hope was slim.

'Conventional methods are no longer effective.' Shen Mingyuan walked on the way back to the law firm, the evening breeze carrying a chill. After a cold analysis, the "Detective's Soul" in his heart began to stir quietly. 'An unnatural existence that is evolving, in desperate need of energy, and likely harboring a clear target of hatred... This isn't a case that can be solved by pulling municipal surveillance and posting missing person notices.'

He even felt a trace of complex emotion, a mix of solemnity and secret excitement, sparked by the absurd reality. 'Well, it seems this "commission" of mine is a bit more complicated than I imagined.' He pushed his non-existent glasses up the bridge of his nose (a signature move of an imaginary Detective), 'It's time to exert some of my real "professional hobbies."'

Of course, his narcissism and that hidden bit of chuunibyou prevented him from saying this out loud, but his pace unconsciously quickened a bit.

When he returned to the law firm, the sky was near dusk. Only a few people remained in the office. Just as he finished hanging up his coat, a female colleague he got along well with walked over, carrying a large cardboard box.

"Mingyuan, is this a delivery you ordered? It arrived this afternoon. Since you weren't here, I kept it at my desk for you." The female colleague placed the box on his desk and glanced curiously at the sender information, "'Interstellar Model Workshop'? You're into this too?"

"Just a... personal hobby, used for relaxing the brain." Shen Mingyuan took it without changing his expression, his tone as flat as if he were discussing the binding of case files, "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Have fun playing with it." The female colleague smiled, asked no more questions, and turned to leave.

Once no one was around, Shen Mingyuan quickly unpacked the box. Lying quietly amidst the packing material was the "twin stars - Tactical Modular Adaptation System" model set he had carefully selected.

The silver-gray gun bodies had smooth lines and precise modular interfaces. Even as models, they exuded a cold mechanical aesthetic. He picked up one of them; it felt heavy in his hand, and the craftsmanship of the details was impeccable.

'The vessel has arrived,' he thought. Without much hesitation, he rolled up the sleeve of his suit on his left arm, revealing the device underneath that looked like a futuristic watch but was actually a biomass fusion armband.

Following the previous instructions from The Forger, he slowly brought the dull crimson orb at the center of the armband close to the body of the model gun in his hand.

Almost the instant they touched, a transformation occurred!

Without warning, a flicker of dark red lit up inside the orb. Immediately after, several crimson electrical sparks, thin as silk yet solid as substance, burst forth!

They weren't ordinary electrical arcs; they were more like living energy tentacles, precisely wrapping around every gap in the gun's body, every modular interface, and even deep into the invisible, complex internal structures.

A faint but clear "sizzle" sounded in the quiet office. The model gun's body vibrated slightly, and a dark red flow of light seemed to flash across its surface for a fleeting moment.

This process lasted for less than ten seconds. The red light suddenly retracted, the electrical sparks dissipated, and the armband returned to tranquility as if nothing had happened. The model gun in his hand... appeared completely unchanged. Its weight, feel, and appearance were exactly the same as before.

Shen Mingyuan inspected it carefully, even trying to disassemble and reassemble the modules; everything was as smooth as usual.

"Does it need 'incubation' time? Just like the motorcycle modification last time..." he whispered to himself, recalling the past event mentioned by The Forger regarding the modification of Lu Jianchuan's motorcycle. It seemed that this process of transforming an ordinary creation into a "biomechanical symbiont" was not instantaneous.

He showed no impatience or disappointment; the patience of a Detective and the rigor of a lawyer merged perfectly at this moment.

He carefully placed the two model pistols and all their accessories into a prepared black briefcase with a shock-resistant lining, setting it beside his laptop.

Having finished all this, he checked the time in the bottom right corner of his computer. Tomorrow morning, Uncle Chen's case would have its first hearing. Despite the shocking variable of Qian Qiang's disappearance, the court proceedings would not stop because of it.

He had to go back tonight to sort through the defense strategy one last time and prepare for the various questions the Prosecutor might raise, especially... how to explain or utilize the sudden situation of the "victim's bizarre disappearance."

He zipped up the black briefcase and held it in his hand. With his other hand, he picked up his suit jacket, draped it over his arm, and turned off the computer and desk lamp.

Outside the window, the city lights were already coming on. Shen Mingyuan—lawyer, Detective enthusiast, and newly born hero—took a deep breath and gently closed the office door.

Shen Mingyuan spent most of the night at his desk, which was piled high with case files and law books. He re-examined the entire chain of evidence and prepared multiple responses for the sudden situation of Qian Qiang's disappearance, ranging from legal procedures to rational inferences, striving to maintain the initiative in court no matter what situation arose. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that he took a brief nap on the sofa, still fully dressed.

The next morning, the alarm clock woke him. After a simple wash, his gaze instinctively drifted toward the black briefcase sitting by the desk.

He walked over and unzipped it. The sight inside made his movements pause slightly.

The "twin stars" model set had already undergone a drastic change.

The originally silver-gray gun bodies, which had the texture of plastic or alloy models, were now entirely a deep matte black. The texture looked more like some kind of dense biological cuticle or specialized ceramic.

And where there had originally been just decorative lines or module markings, dark red veins—resembling lava or biological blood vessels—flowed through the key structures, pulsing slightly as if they were alive.

The overall design still maintained the original sci-fi modular style, but the details were more compact and sharp, exuding a cold, poised-for-action sense of dangerous beauty.

Shen Mingyuan took them out. The feeling in his hand was no longer the light weight of a model, but a solid, warm weight that fit perfectly in his palm.

He instinctively performed several quick-draw and aiming movements, which were so smooth it was as if he had practiced them thousands of times.

He tried docking, rotating, and locking the specific interfaces of the two guns—with a few faint but crisp "clicks" and a synchronous pulse of the dark red veins, the two pistols merged seamlessly into a compact, streamlined sniper rifle form in less than three seconds, the grip as steady as a rock.

"It's complete..." Shen Mingyuan whispered to himself, a flash of amazement in his eyes. This wasn't just a change in appearance; it was a "weapon" that had undergone an essential sublimation from the inside out, from Materials to structure.

He could feel that when his fingers touched those dark red veins, the armband on his left wrist would transmit an extremely faint but clear resonant pulse.

'As expected of The Forger's handiwork.' He disassembled the sniper form back into the dual-pistol state and played with them for a bit, unable to put them down. This new sense of power gave him a bit more confidence for the unknown challenges ahead.

But reality soon pulled him back. He glanced at the time, then at the pair of weapons in his hands that could never be explained away as "models" or "toys," and shook his head.

'The courtroom is not a place where I can take these.'

He carefully returned the dual pistols to a special hidden compartment in the innermost layer of the black briefcase, zipped it up, and solemnly placed the briefcase in a hidden and safe cabinet in his study.

Today, his battlefield was the courtroom, and his weapons were legal statutes, logical reasoning, and solid evidence.

He changed into a neatly pressed dark suit, tied his tie, and performed a final check of the thick case files in his briefcase, ensuring his recording pen, notebook, and other essentials were all present.

In the mirror, Shen Mingyuan's eyes were sharp and his posture upright, looking every bit the fully prepared elite lawyer. The brief rest last night and the "surprise" this morning had not erased the solemnity from his brow; instead, they added a barely perceptible edge of a "Detective" and "guardian" beneath that calm.

He took a deep breath, picked up his briefcase, and headed out the door.

In the Criminal Courtroom of the Intermediate People's Court, the judicial bench sat high above. The gallery was sparsely populated with people—some reporters who had heard the news, representatives sent by the residential community, and mostly relatives of the Qian and Zhao families. The atmosphere was solemn and oppressive.

Shen Mingyuan sat at the defense table, the carefully organized case files spread out before him.

His client, Uncle Chen, wearing an ill-fitting prison uniform, was led to the defendant's dock by the bailiffs.

The old man's face was pale, his eyes filled with fear and unease. His hands were tightly clasped together, and he didn't dare look up at the gaze of Qian Qiang's Mother in the gallery, which seemed as if it could spit fire.

The Presiding Judge announced the opening of the court, verified the identities of the parties, and read out their rights and obligations. The procedural steps were carried out meticulously, and an invisible pressure permeated the air.

The Public Prosecutor spoke first; he was an experienced middle-aged Prosecutor with a steady and powerful tone.

He summarized the case: While on duty, the defendant, Uncle Chen, had a conflict with Qian Qiang and Zhao Yong, who were acting inappropriately after drinking. During the process, he used a pre-prepared wooden stick to strike Qian Qiang's vital head area, causing him to be critically injured and in peril, and his current whereabouts are unknown.

The Prosecutor argued that Uncle Chen's actions clearly exceeded the necessary limits, constituting the Crime of Intentional Injury, and that the consequences were particularly serious.

It was time for the defense phase.

Shen Mingyuan stood up, calmly adjusted the front of his suit, and nodded slightly toward the judicial bench.

"Presiding Judge, members of the jury." His voice was clear and steady, spreading through the quiet courtroom with a penetrating power that made people unconsciously focus their attention.

"Regarding the Public Prosecutor's accusation that my client, Uncle Chen, committed the Crime of Intentional Injury, the defense holds a completely different opinion. We believe that Mr. Chen's actions fully comply with the provisions for justifiable defense as stipulated in Article 20 of the 'Criminal Law,' and thus he bears no criminal responsibility according to the law."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room before returning to the judicial bench.

"First, regarding the existence and nature of the 'unlawful infringement.'" Shen Mingyuan picked up a document. "According to the surveillance footage from the Security Booth and the surrounding area of the residential complex, it clearly shows that on the night of the incident, from 23:47 to 23:50, the victim, Qian Qiang, and the witness, Zhao Yong, were in a state of obvious intoxication. They continuously slapped and shook the doors and windows of the Security Booth and attempted to break the door lock."

"Please note that the Security Booth's space is less than four square meters, and at that time, only my client, a man in his late sixties, was on duty alone."

"Two young and strong intoxicated men attacking such an enclosed space late at night—their behavior already constituted a real and pressing unlawful infringement and a threat to my client's personal safety."

The Public Prosecutor interrupted, "Presiding Judge, the defense counsel emphasizes the other party's intoxication and numerical advantage, but that cannot change the fact that Uncle Chen used a lethal weapon to strike the other party's head! His defensive actions were clearly disproportionate to the degree of infringement!"

Shen Mingyuan remained unhurried as he picked up another piece of evidence. "The Public Prosecutor mentioned a 'lethal weapon' and 'premeditated preparation.'"

"Please look at Evidence Two: the scene investigation report and photos of the physical evidence. This so-called 'wooden stick' is actually a broken Broom Handle, less than sixty centimeters long and about three centimeters in diameter. It was a discarded item left behind by the day-shift security guard, which my client had temporarily placed by the table, intending to repair it."

"It is not a controlled knife or a professional tool; it does not inherently possess 'lethal' attributes, let alone constitute a 'pre-prepared murder weapon.'"

"In a state of extreme fear and with no way to retreat, my client grabbed the only object near him that could possibly be used for defense."

He then presented the third set of evidence: Zhao Yong's interrogation transcript and a recording of a conversation he had recorded with Zhao Yong yesterday.

"Regarding the 'urgency' and 'intensity' of the infringement, we can catch a glimpse of it from the statements of the co-involved party, Zhao Yong." Shen Mingyuan played a segment of the recording. Zhao Yong's voice, full of contradictions—sometimes saying he was "completely drunk and couldn't remember clearly" and other times being able to describe in detail "how the old man hit people"—echoed through the courtroom.

"Witness Zhao Yong's statements are contradictory and logically confused; the credibility of his testimony is questionable. But even so, he admitted in the initial police interrogation that they were the ones who first started 'messing around'—which was actually slapping and attacking—the Security Booth."

"More importantly," Shen Mingyuan raised his voice, "my client, Uncle Chen, was at an absolute disadvantage in terms of physical condition (elderly), spatial conditions (small and enclosed), and strength comparison (one against two, young and strong against the elderly). The fear he felt and the danger he faced were real and immense."

"The law cannot require an elderly person in such a situation to precisely measure how much force to use or which part to strike for it to be considered 'proportionate' in the heat of the moment. His counterattack was an instinctive and necessary self-protection when his life and safety were under serious threat!"

The Public Prosecutor immediately countered, "But the result is that one party's 'instinctive protection' resulted in the other party being seriously injured and on the verge of death! The severity of this consequence precisely proves that the defensive behavior exceeded the necessary limits! If it were just shoving or a warning, wouldn't that have been enough to stop them?"

"Presiding Judge," Shen Mingyuan turned to the bench, his tone becoming more earnest, "at the time of the incident, my client was not facing ordinary shoving or a verbal dispute."

"According to the surveillance and the witness's vague descriptions, Qian Qiang had already forced his way into the Security Booth and made physical contact with my client."

"In such an environment of extreme pressure and fear, requiring an elderly person to produce a 'just right' and precise resistance is asking the impossible. It also does not align with the legislative intent of the justifiable defense system, which is to protect citizens who bravely fight against unlawful infringements in emergency situations."

He finally concluded, "In summary, the defense believes the facts of this case are clear: there was a real and pressing unlawful infringement; my client, Uncle Chen, acted to protect his personal rights from an ongoing unlawful infringement;"

"The actions he took to stop the unlawful infringement were directed at the unlawful infringer himself;"

"Although it caused significant damage, it did not clearly exceed the necessary limits. The root cause of the significant damage lies in the illegal acts committed by the unlawful infringer himself."

"Therefore, Uncle Chen's actions constitute justifiable defense, and he should not bear criminal responsibility according to the law."

"I urge the court to ascertain the facts according to the law, adopt the defense's opinion, and rule my client, Uncle Chen, not guilty."

Shen Mingyuan finished his statement, bowed slightly, and sat back in his seat.

Silence filled the courtroom, save for the faint sound of the Clerk typing on the keyboard. The Presiding Judge exchanged opinions in low voices with the Judges on either side. In the gallery, Qian Qiang's family members looked indignant, while the Community Representatives and some other observers showed contemplative expressions.

After listening to Shen Mingyuan's defense, the Presiding Judge nodded slightly and turned his gaze toward the Public Prosecutor's bench. "Public Prosecutor, do you have any response to the new evidence and related defense opinions presented by the defense counsel?"

The middle-aged Prosecutor was clearly prepared as he stood up steadily. "Presiding Judge, first, our side has doubts regarding whether the evidence collection procedure for the recording of the conversation with witness Zhao Yong, submitted by the defense counsel, was completely legal and whether the content was selectively edited."

"Secondly, even if the recording is accepted, its content only proves that Zhao Yong's testimony is contradictory, but it cannot overturn the basic fact that Qian Qiang suffered serious injuries."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more solemn. "The most critical point of this case lies in the consequences caused by the defensive behavior."

"A wooden stick striking near the temple, the most vulnerable part of the human head, caused the victim, Qian Qiang, a skull fracture, intracranial hemorrhage, and a deep coma—this is clearly recorded in the forensic appraisal."

"And the latest situation is," the Prosecutor paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping across the defendant's bench and the defense bench before finally looking at the Presiding Judge.

"According to the emergency report just submitted to the court by the hospital, the victim, Qian Qiang, suffered serious complications due to his injuries and left the hospital on his own last night. He is currently missing, and the police are doing their best to find him. His life and safety are now in a state of extreme uncertainty."

"Whoa—" A wave of suppressed exclamations rose from the gallery, and Qian Qiang's Mother couldn't help but let out a cry of grief.

The Prosecutor took the opportunity to emphasize his tone, "The defense counsel repeatedly stressed the 'urgency of the infringement' and the 'necessity of defense,' but I ask the court to note: how could a justifiable defensive act lead to such uncontrollable, near-fatal, and serious consequences?"

"When the damage caused by the defensive act is far greater than the damage the unlawful infringement could have caused, can it still be called 'justifiable'?"

"The social harm of this case has expanded drastically due to the high probability of the victim's death. Our side maintains that the defendant Uncle Chen's actions clearly exceeded the necessary limits, constituting the Crime of Intentional Injury, and both the circumstances and consequences are particularly severe. He should be severely punished according to the law!"

Pressure like a mountain bore down on the defendant's bench once again. Uncle Chen's body began to tremble slightly.

The moment the Prosecutor mentioned the "disappearance," Shen Mingyuan's eyes had turned completely calm, as if he had entered another state of absolute rationality. He stood up again, his tone still steady but even sharper:

"Presiding Judge, the Public Prosecutor's equating 'serious consequences' with 'excessive defense' is putting the cart before the horse in terms of legal logic. The essence of the justifiable defense system is to encourage citizens to resist unlawful infringements, not to use the hindsight scales to harshly measure whether every bit of force was 'just right.'"

"As our side stated before, requiring an elderly person to precisely control the location and force of a counterattack in that situation is asking the impossible and goes against the legislative intent."

"Regarding the situation of Mr. Qian Qiang leaving the hospital and going missing," Shen Mingyuan spoke clearly, facing the thorniest issue head-on, "the defense expresses deep regret and concern and believes the judicial authorities will do their best to find him."

"However," he emphasized his tone, "the victim's current status and the legal characterization of the defendant Uncle Chen's actions at the time of the incident are two independent legal facts."

"One cannot use a result that has not been finalized and is caused by complex factors to reverse-engineer or even aggravate the responsibility the defendant should bear at the time of the incident."

"Otherwise, the law will lose its objectivity and stability, becoming a 'consequentialist' tool that Judges crimes purely based on results."

He finally concluded, "The facts of this case are clear, and the application of the law is definite. I urge the court to adhere to the principle of 'taking facts as the basis and the law as the criterion,' exclude the improper interference of 'result-only theory,' legally determine that Uncle Chen's actions constitute justifiable defense, and declare him not guilty."

Both sides held distinct positions, and the debate had fallen into a deadlock. One side stuck to legal principles and the context, while the other emphasized consequences and social impact. The unexpected variable of "Qian Qiang's disappearance" made the case even more blurred and complicated.

After a quick, low-voiced exchange of opinions with the Judges to his left and right, the Presiding Judge struck the gavel.

"Silence!" The Presiding Judge's voice was loud, suppressing the slight commotion in the court. "Given that a major new situation has arisen in this case—the victim Qian Qiang's disappearance from the hospital—his injuries, whereabouts, and some facts of this case remain to be further investigated."

"To ensure the objectivity and fairness of the trial and to fully clarify all facts of the case, I now announce: Court is adjourned! After the relevant situation is clarified, the time for the next hearing will be notified separately. The Collegiate Bench will deliberate according to the law to decide whether the compulsory measures against the defendant Uncle Chen will be changed. Court is adjourned!"

The gavel fell, its sound echoing in the solemn courtroom.

The first trial ended in such a suspenseful and uncertain manner. Shen Mingyuan knew that this breathing room in the legal process was exchanged for an even greater real-world crisis.

He quickly packed up the case files, cast a reassuring look at the still-terrified Uncle Chen, and whispered, "Let's go back first. The situation has changed, but the direction of the defense remains the same. Leave it to me."

(Is this too many words? If you feel it's not good, I won't write this much in the future. It's mainly because his profession is a lawyer, so I wanted to make it feel realistic and specifically looked up information online. It might be a bit inaccurate, but I tried to be as precise as possible. However, for a defense like this, is the word count too high? I tried my best to fit all 6,000-plus words into this one chapter so as not to affect the plot. If you think it's not good, please let me know after this set of parentheses, and I won't write like this again.)