Counterattack, A Storm of Questions to Trap You

Half the people in the courtroom had already dispersed. Seeing this, the two section chiefs from the Bloodcloak Guard had no wish to stay and lose more face, so they also requested to withdraw.

"Your Excellency, suspect Simon Sun was indeed lost from our custody. The Bloodcloak Guard is searching for him with all our strength. Please grant us some time—we will find him as soon as possible. As for the night guards who failed in their duty last night, we will immediately deliver them to you for judgment."

Director Wang is a strong character—he can bend or stand tall as needed. If they can't win the case, they'll simply plead guilty. After all, even if they admit fault, what can Serena Feng really do to them? In the end, they'll just throw a few minor figures under the bus to take the blame.

"Approved." The High Court Chief Justice agreed without a second thought. The Bloodcloak Guard couldn't produce the suspect, nor could they convict Serena Feng, so they could only accept their bad luck and go back to search for him.

"Thank you, Your Excellency. We'll take our leave." With that, the Bloodcloak Guard left, swaggering out as if nothing had happened.

Serena Feng watched their retreating figures, unable to describe the feeling in her heart—though one thing was certain, it was far from pleasant.

The credit always goes to those at the top, but when something goes wrong, it's the people below who take the fall. Serena had always understood this, but knowing it didn't stop her from feeling angry.

Even if she won the lawsuit against the Bloodcloak Guard, so what? After all her scheming, the best she could do was embarrass them and force a few small fry to take the blame—never a real decision-maker stepping forward to answer for it.

At this moment, Serena was profoundly grateful that Simon Sun was in her hands. If he had truly disappeared and the Bloodcloak Guard showed this evasive attitude, even she would be powerless against them.

There's truth in the saying, "People can't fight the government." She couldn't do anything to the Bloodcloak Guard, but at least she'd cleared herself of the prison break accusation—that was a win.

Serena closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pressed down the sourness in her heart. Her goal was to get the Bloodcloak Guard out of the way—keep them so busy searching for Simon Sun that they wouldn't have time to meddle elsewhere. Only then could she focus on dealing with Shunning Marquis Manor.

After all, with her current abilities and resources, it was impossible to take on both sides at once.

Once Serena had sorted out her thoughts, she adjusted her expression and signaled Master Advocate Song to step forward. She formally submitted the complaint against Shunning Marquis Manor: "Your Excellency, House Feng accuses Shunning Marquis Manor of framing us. Here is the formal complaint—please review it."

Serena liked to be doubly prepared, so she had two sets of complaints ready—one accusing the Bloodcloak Guard and Shunning Marquis Manor together, and one targeting each separately.

Finally, it was his turn. The attorney for Shunning Marquis Manor was sweating buckets, wiping his forehead nonstop. Before, he could hide behind the Bloodcloak Guard; the courtroom atmosphere wasn't balanced, but at least it wasn't totally one-sided. Now?

In terms of both manpower and influence, Shunning Marquis Manor couldn't compare to House Feng. Plus, Serena Feng had Dominic Zhai standing beside her. Facing this alone, he was already losing ground in terms of momentum—there was no way he could win.

Actually, the attorney for Shunning Marquis Manor was overthinking things. At that moment, Dominic Zhai still hadn't recovered from the earlier shock.

He didn't know the full details, but based on his grandfather's analysis and William Wang Jinling's account, he was certain Serena Feng had rescued Simon Sun. But what baffled him was that the person on the stretcher wasn't Simon Sun at all—just looked so much like him...

Well, only the jawline was similar—the rest wasn't at all. But once wrapped in bandages, it was easy to pass off as the real thing. Serena's trick was brilliant.

When it came to Serena, Dominic Zhai could only admire her. She really did think of every detail—even in a minor matter, she found a way to trip up the Bloodcloak Guard. He could already imagine how Commander Lucan Lu would punish his men when they got back, and how the Emperor would then pressure Lucan Lu in turn.

Thinking about the Bloodcloak Guard's fate, Dominic Zhai felt a sense of balance. But by the time he figured out Serena's scheme, the Bloodcloak Guard had already left.

Watching the Bloodcloak Guard slink away like beaten dogs, Dominic Zhai was so furious he could spit blood. He wished he could drag them back—sure, the Emperor would deal with them, but he hadn't even had a chance to stomp on them himself. And now they were gone—so frustrating.

Dominic's mood dropped, his face dark and menacing. No one around dared to speak, not knowing what was wrong. Seeing this, Shunning Marquis Manor's attorney started trembling all over.

It looked like the attorney thought Dominic's anger was aimed at Shunning Marquis Manor, but he was completely mistaken. Dominic had never planned to get involved in their case—he was just here to watch the show.

Feeling irritated, Dominic Zhai took his guards and moved to the spectator seats, making it clear he was only here to observe. Only then did Shunning Marquis Manor's attorney calm down—but with Dominic there, he still didn't dare act out.

Serena was always good at seizing opportunities. With Shunning's attorney so out of sync, she'd be an idiot not to take advantage. After getting the High Court Chief Justice's consent, Serena began her questioning.

She wasn't a professional lawyer, but she remembered how top attorneys questioned witnesses in court. She didn't aim to leave him speechless and drenched in cold sweat—she just wanted to confuse him and then pick holes in his answers.

To be honest, she'd learned this trick from the three High Court judges. Just now, those three had fired off a barrage of questions so fast she barely had time to think. Luckily, she was well-trained; otherwise, a normal person would have been stunned and blurted out nonsense, which officials could then twist into a crime.

Before questioning, Serena shot Master Advocate Song a look, signaling him to listen carefully—she worried she might miss something important.

Master Advocate Song was smart—he knew more about courtroom matters than Serena. After watching her win two brilliant rounds of argument, he was more than willing to play assistant and support her.

"May I ask how I should address you, Attorney?" Serena smiled warmly, with no hint of pressure, helping Shunning's attorney relax and let go of his earlier nerves.

"Miss Feng, just call me Attorney Xing." He stopped wiping his sweat and stood tall, showing the dignity expected of a courtroom attorney.

"Attorney Xing, hello. I'll be asking you a few questions—just answer directly, you don't need to say much else." Courtesy first, pressure later; besides, Attorney Xing hadn't offended her, he was just doing his job for Shunning Marquis Manor. Serena had no intention of bullying a subordinate.

"You're too kind, Miss Feng. Please, ask away." Attorney Xing relaxed even more, thinking Serena was too green—just because she beat the Bloodcloak Guard, she thought she was invincible. He forgot Bloodcloak lost their prisoner and were in the wrong, while Shunning Marquis Manor had a death and held the moral high ground.

In court, questioning should be like the High Court judges—using official authority to intimidate, rattle the opponent, and make them slip up. With Serena's approach, he felt no pressure at all.

The more Attorney Xing thought about it, the more he felt he'd overestimated Serena. He braced himself and waited for her questions...