CHAPTER 117: CHAPTER 114: THE HARSH SENTENCING!_3

But if one attempts to conceal or distort the facts of a crime, it constitutes the crime of perjury, for which there is conclusive evidence.

After discussion with the panel of judges, they decided to add this charge and combine it for the trial.

Meanwhile, in the defendant’s dock, Jiang Lin and the other ten people felt darkness sweep before their eyes upon hearing Zhou Quanmin’s words. They felt utterly weak. Just like Liang Shuqi, they collapsed to the ground, their postures strikingly similar.

Initially, they were charged with a minor crime of defamation. But now... their prison terms might soon rival Liang Shuqi’s, potentially up to five years!

"It’s over! What do we do now?"

"I only got eight hundred likes! That’s just a few months at most. How could I have been so foolish as to commit perjury!"

"Lawyer Zhang, Lawyer Zhang, you must save me..."

Jiang Lin and the others eyed Zhang Wei desperately, their faces filled with pleading.

The people who had come with them... The lightest sentence was three months, the heaviest two and a half years; all had achieved relatively good outcomes.

And they... "stood out," pulling far ahead thanks to the crime of perjury.

The one with only eight hundred likes wanted to cry but had no tears. He wished he could slap himself hard.

Zhang Wei’s mouth twitched when he saw this scene.

Still, he said responsibly, "The trial is tomorrow, and I will attend."

Jiang Lin and the others slowly lifted their heads, hope brimming in each of their eyes. Zhang Wei’s competence was acknowledged by all. Others had obtained decent sentence reductions. They might still have a glimmer of hope.

However, Zhang Wei added calmly, "I will only defend you against the charge of defamation. For your newly added crime of perjury... I’m afraid I can’t help."

Perjury occurred in court. It was ironclad evidence. He did not intend to wade further into this murky water.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Lin and the others suddenly looked as if mourning a great loss, their faces worn and desolate.

In that case... Among them, someone might surpass Liang Shuqi and become the one to receive the longest sentence in this series of cases.

...

「Jin City.」

「Nursing Home.」

"Exciting! Too exciting! Should we continue attending the trial tomorrow as observers?"

"This is what suing is about! Previously, it was just mere bickering. Wouldn’t directly sentencing these people solve it?"

"But unfortunately, we don’t know these people. Watching their sentencing lacks a bit of oomph."

"Xiao Qin, when will you sue someone we know? That would make for a better show."

"Right, absolutely! I think the girl serving food in our nursing home’s cafeteria could use a lawsuit. Every time, her hands tremble, and the servings aren’t even enough to get stuck in my teeth..."

After returning from the court, Zhang Qingyuan and others were still endlessly discussing the case. As they spoke, they even started to actively provide Qin Mu with potential cases: the cafeteria lady serving meals, the old woman who didn’t clean the restrooms properly, and the old men competing for their sweethearts...

This trial seemed to have opened a new world for them.

Qin Mu was utterly exasperated. He finally managed to send Old Zhang and the others away.

This case had lasted half a month. It finally drew to a close. Sixty-nine people would all receive corresponding punishments. The sentencing alone lasted an hour and a half.

The court also ruled that the litigation fees he had previously paid would be jointly borne by sixty people. Besides, each was also ordered to pay him compensation ranging from 2,000 to 3,000. Once collected, the 870,000 he had advanced would be fully refunded. Plus the compensation, he might make a small profit of a hundred thousand or so.

"At last, I can update the next video."

After work, Qin Mu, carrying the verdict, returned to the Mountain and Water Garden District. He entered the study, picked up his phone, and began recording this episode’s video content.

The main content, naturally, was some of the trial proceedings, including the "interesting events" during the trial.

If he hadn’t experienced it himself... he wouldn’t believe it truly takes all sorts to make a world.

Facing the camera, he spoke gravely, "This case lasted a bit long but still arrived at a satisfactory conclusion."

"The delivery guy, eight online instigators, and sixty commenters who engaged in defamation all received appropriate sentences."

"To be precise, there are still ten more people whose outcomes will only be known tomorrow..."

Then, Qin Mu briefly explained the causes and consequences of this "prolonged" case.

"Here’s a reminder for everyone: the internet is not a lawless land."

"We live in a civilized and harmonious society. Please be civilized, reduce hostility, and avoid attacking others without knowing the facts."

His current situation... was a living example.

Had he not been reborn with a strong mentality, the thousands of derogatory comments would have easily broken a normal person. Humans are social animals; it’s impossible not to care about others’ opinions. And in the digital age, these opinions... are undoubtedly a bloodless, lethal weapon.

"Of course, if you encounter cyberbullying in the future, please actively use legal weapons to protect yourself, preserve evidence, and avoid making irrational actions that hurt loved ones and please your enemies."

With that, the video recording was complete.

He then gave a detailed overview of how to file a case for instigating crime and defamation, the sentencing guidelines, factors determining the severity of an offense, and the overall prosecution process.

Following that, he saved the video and started post-production. He added photos of court documents like the indictment, acceptance letter, and verdict into the video. Of course, he blurred out the specific names.

After completing these tasks, it was already past eleven at night.

He picked a title and uploaded the video to a certain site.

...

「Meanwhile.」

「Zizhou.」

「In a high-end residential complex.」

Qing Lan, dressed in pajamas, was playing a match with her online friends.