“He actually refused?” Tang Zhi was taken aback. Hearing Xu Ze’s words, seeing the unfeigned expression on his face, and recalling the mysterious internal martial arts technique Xu Ze possessed—along with the possibility of an identity far more complicated than he had initially realized—Tang Zhi fell silent for a long moment before finally letting out a soft sigh.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few cards, and handed them over. Then, placing a hand on Xu Ze’s shoulder, he spoke with solemn caution: “I know you’re not reckless, but still—be careful. As long as it’s not something too major, the old man will cover for you. But… you have to give him the chance and the time to step in. Understand?”
Xu Ze looked at Tang Zhi gratefully and nodded. Taking the cards, he smiled faintly. “Please convey my thanks to Elder Tang. There may come a time when I’ll have to trouble him for help.”
With that, Xu Ze pushed open the car door and stepped out, walking toward the four people waiting at the school gate who were watching him curiously. He gave them a slight nod.
…
The five of them took a taxi and arrived at the courthouse by 8:30 a.m. By then, the entrance was already swarmed with reporters and hundreds of students from Xing University.
A line of police officers held up barricades, barely maintaining order as they blocked off journalists and students without hearing permits who were trying to force their way inside.
Just then, a student from Xing U spotted Xu Ze stepping out of the taxi. Instantly, they erupted in excitement, shouting in surprise: “Xu Ze… It’s Xu Ze! Xu Ze is here!”
“Xu Ze? He came?” At that cry, the entire crowd of Xing U students turned to look. When they saw Xu Ze, they burst into cheers: “It’s really him… He actually showed up!”
The students’ exhilaration caught the attention of nearby reporters. “Who is Xu Ze? Is he connected to this case? Why else would these students be so excited?”
Realizing this, the journalists—who had been barred from entering the courtroom—suddenly perked up. Cameras swung around, scanning the crowd behind them.
After a few seconds of searching, they finally spotted their target. The students had already parted, forming a wide path as they watched the group of five approach the courthouse entrance with eager anticipation.
At the front was a young man walking calmly through the crowd, his handsome face expressionless, utterly unaffected by the students’ excitement. Every reporter had the same thought: “What a unique, striking young man…”
Seizing the moment, they began snapping photos frantically. Regardless of how this young man was connected to the case, the students’ reaction and his own extraordinary presence were enough. Even the slightest link to the trial would give them plenty to write about tomorrow.
A female student’s suicide… A handsome young man appearing at the courthouse amid cheers from countless students… The connection alone would draw endless attention.
Xu Ze walked forward indifferently, moving along the path the students had cleared for him, heading straight for the courthouse doors.
Behind him, Luo Zi, Gang Zi, and the others couldn’t maintain the same composure in the face of their peers’ cheers. Though they had experienced similar excitement during basketball games, it had never been this intense.
“Luo Zi, go get ’em!”
“Captain, can you guys get in?”
“Gang Zi… if you make it inside, hold your ground! Tomorrow, I’ll give you that elite sword you’ve been eyeing!”
Grinning, they occasionally reached out to shake hands with familiar classmates or exchanged nods as they followed Xu Ze.
Finally, under the hopeful gazes of the crowd, the five reached the entrance. Xu Ze handed out the cards to Luo Zi and the others before leading the way past the police barricades and up the courthouse steps.
As Xu Ze passed the security check, the students outside erupted in excitement. At least they had representatives inside now.
Just as Xu Ze reached the top of the steps, a sharp, tearful voice cut through the noise: “Xu Ze… Go get justice for Xiao Xiao! Don’t forget what you promised her!”
Xu Ze paused, then slowly turned. His gaze settled on Tong Tong, the girl in the crowd with tears streaming down her face, and the two other crying girls beside her. He gave them a firm nod before turning back and continuing inside.
The moment he did, the crowd behind him exploded into a frenzied, unified chant: “Xu Ze! Xu Ze! Xu Ze!”—just like the roaring cheers from the basketball court, leaving the reporters stunned.
“Justice for Xiao Xiao?” The journalists stopped snapping photos, staring in bewilderment at the still-chanting students. Who was this Xu Ze? A lawyer? A student? How did he get five hearing permits? And against the Zhang family, what kind of justice could he possibly deliver for Tao Xiao?
Their minds raced with possibilities. “Is something big about to happen?”
The students, however, were simpler in their hopes. They knew only that Xu Ze carried endless potential—his incredible hypnosis skills, his near-miraculous acupuncture, and most importantly, the fact that he never failed at what he set out to do.
Maybe this time, he would bring them another miracle?
Filled with faith in life and hope for justice, these young men and women watched as Xu Ze and his four companions disappeared into the courthouse.
…
Inside Courtroom No. 3, Tao Xiao’s parents and relatives had already arrived. A handful of approved journalists were in place, and Zhang Juntao—along with his co-defendants and their lawyer-parents—had slipped in through the back door, preparing for the trial to begin in just over ten minutes.
Then, the distant but unmistakable sound of chanting reached them.
“Xu Ze! Xu Ze! Xu Ze!”
At the sound of that name, several faces in the room darkened.
Tao Xiao’s father, a bespectacled middle-aged man, stood up in surprise, looking toward the entrance. He was deeply grateful to this young man who had helped his daughter multiple times and had fought tirelessly for justice after her death. Even if this trial seemed hopeless, the fact that Xu Ze had managed to get inside moved him.
On the other side, Zhang Juntao’s expression turned grim. He knew that name all too well—and the role this person had played in the case.
What frightened him most was the meaning behind this name, one that had risen to prominence at Xing U over the past six months. A strange, almost eerie guy. That was how Zhang Juntao assessed him.
The others in the room—reporters included—stared curiously at the door, wondering who could incite such a reaction outside. What was his connection to the case? How had he gotten hearing permits?
Amid the lingering chants, Xu Ze stepped inside. Spotting Tao Xiao’s father standing in the aisle, nodding at him in gratitude, Xu Ze returned the gesture before walking over.
The two shook hands briefly. Without a word, Xu Ze moved past him and took a seat in the front row of the gallery. Luo Zi and the others followed, sitting beside him, tense as they waited for the trial to begin.
A few reporters snapped photos before studying this young man who had caused such a stir, trying to guess his identity. Two even sidled up to Tao Xiao’s father, probing for information.
…
The trial commenced quickly. Zhang Juntao and his two accomplices took their places in the defendant’s dock. Xu Ze observed them silently, his gaze lingering on each one.
Zhang Juntao squirmed under that clear, penetrating stare—he had never seen eyes so sharp and unsettling.
His two friends, however, felt no such unease. Meeting Xu Ze’s scrutiny, they glared back defiantly, thinking: “The hell are you looking at, pretty boy? Just wait till we’re outside—we’ll wreck you.”
After studying them, Xu Ze turned his attention to the judge as the proceedings began.
Time passed minute by minute. As the lawyers dueled verbally—and with no solid evidence to support Tao Xiao’s family—the case tilted in the expected direction. Zhang Juntao and his friends grew visibly smug, while their parents and relatives shot increasingly disdainful looks at Tao Xiao’s family.
This outcome had been predetermined. Their high-priced lawyer had assured them after reviewing the internal reports: This case was already won. The young masters would walk free.
Unlike the despair settling over Tao Xiao’s family, Xu Ze’s expression remained calm. Only his eyes grew brighter, sharper—as if waiting.
