Chapter 296: Chapter 209: The Terrified Zhao Hailong! (1/4)

What... what’s going on!?

Didn’t he just go to the bathroom?

Why does he look like he’s lost his soul!

Cheng Jia furrowed her brows, stood up, walked over to Zhao Hailong’s side, and softly asked again, "What’s wrong with you? Did you encounter something spooky?"

Hearing the familiar voice.

Zhao Hailong’s unfocused eyes slightly came together, he stared at Cheng Jia intently, his throat rolling with a ’gulp’.

Just as Cheng Jia was about to continue asking...

The other person spoke.

"It’s... Xu Liang."

Xu... Xu Liang!?

Cheng Jia was stunned, not understanding what the other person was talking about.

"It’s Xu Liang!!!"

Zhao Hailong snapped back to reality completely, disbelief written all over his face, he closed the door and shouted loudly:

"I saw Xu Liang..."

"He’s right here in this court!!!"

Xu Liang is in this court?

Cheng Jia was dumbfounded, her mind went blank, until...

"Are you sure!?"

A slightly harsh, sharp voice rang out.

Cheng Jia’s expression turned instantly bewildered, her hair standing on end.

Xu Liang?

Wasn’t he suspended for reorganization, his practice certificate frozen, so now he shouldn’t be able to take any cases on behalf of the law firm!?

"I..."

Zhao Hailong’s lips trembled, but he didn’t dare to confirm, still feeling a bit dazed from before, but with his life at stake, he could only grit his teeth and say:

"It should be... it should be him!"

Upon hearing this.

Cheng Jia’s mind suddenly exploded.

This news was like a sledgehammer, hitting her on the head hard.

The rhythm of the trial, the order of evidence submission... shattered into pieces at this moment!

Xu Liang... in Jiang City Court!

"This is bad, really bad..."

Cheng Jia muttered to herself while sitting in the chair, feeling disoriented.

He didn’t return to Hanhai, but stayed in Jiang City....

Cheng Jia didn’t believe he just came back today!

Appearing in court likely means the law firm’s suspension had already been lifted.

Not earlier, not later, it wasn’t even lifted by noon yesterday.

Yet he shows up today in Jiang City, which can only mean... it was intentional!

"Has he not left Jiang City since the 19th!?" Zhao Hailong understood too.

At this moment he only felt somewhat horrified.

Cheng Jia held her forehead, struggled with her expression, but still sighed:

"Probably so..."

At those words, the two were suddenly enveloped by an unprecedented sense of dread.

From the 19th until now, sixteen days...

A whole sixteen days!

He’s been in this small place of Jiang City investigating for so long, with his capabilities... what could he have found out?

They didn’t know, the two of them didn’t even know where he had been...

In an instant, a fear known as ’the unknown’ seized their chests, as if they were groping in the dark with their eyes closed, feeling extremely anxious.

"Is Zhao Yue’s judicial freeze related to him!?"

Cheng Jia suddenly turned pale and said.

Zhao Hailong’s heart skipped a beat.

They maintained Zhao Yue’s side very well, not out of affection, but purely out of fear that Zheng Shijie would betray them.

Zheng Shijie was in police custody, and the judicial freeze was precisely done by the police, at the exact time between the crime and the trial start.

Moreover, during this time, Xu Liang never left Jiang City...

Even, Qi Tao rejected all lawyers, initially thought to be out of distrust, but now it appears, it was clearly to wait for Xu Liang.

The other party managed to hide until 12 hours before the trial to re-sign the contract, during which the court, Zhao Hailong, Cheng Jia were already fast asleep!!!

Thinking of this.

Cheng Jia and Zhao Hailong looked extremely displeased, as if they had swallowed a fly.

After a long while.....

"The case has been pushed to this point... we have to fight it."

Cheng Jia took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress her inner emotions.

They had no idea what Xu Liang had found, maybe nothing, maybe enough to cost them their lives, but...

They were already in court, with only half an hour left before the trial.

The past couldn’t be changed.

Dealing with the present was most important!!!

With this thought, the two settled their minds, starting to endure the agonizing wait in the waiting room.

Their thoughts were different, yet both were extremely anxious.

Cheng Jia at this moment realized what level of opponent Sunzhou’s Liu Kun and Hanhai City’s Director Zhou were dealing with...

The opponent completely ignored the rules of play!

Cheng Jia didn’t think that going for the practicing certificate in a critical situation was a rash move.

Usually... no, even a top-notch lawyer from a local area, even the opponent, wouldn’t have any means to deal with a law firm’s overhaul!

Only one out of a thousand lawyers can handle it!

Yet, ironically, this person appeared right before her. The opponent not only managed to handle it but could precisely control the unfreezing time...

Turning Cheng Jia’s most insidious move into a fatal blow against her...

In the past, she heard about Director Zhou and Liu Kun and thought they were nothing special.

Especially Director Zhou, who lost while holding a false minor certificate and even got himself caught in it. This is worse than an intern!

But now facing...

A mountain-like pressure pressed down on her!!!

As she was pondering.

A voice suddenly rang out.

"Would both the plaintiff and the defendant please enter the courtroom for the trial."

The voice from the speaker in the waiting room startled both of them awake.

After regaining clarity, the two exchanged a glance, then took a deep breath and stood up together.

Whether it’s good or bad, they would ultimately have to face it in court!

The two of them took their briefcases and, with heavy steps, slowly walked towards the courtroom. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Da-da..."

"Da-da-da..."

Their footsteps eventually stopped at a large door.

Zhao Hailong took a deep breath, braced himself, put his hand on the door, and with a slight effort...

"Creak~"

The door opened.

The courtroom appeared before them.

Zhao Hailong entered the courtroom with a tense heart, then instinctively turned his head towards the plaintiff’s side.

And coincidentally...

The plaintiff’s door was also pushed open at this moment, and Xu Liang walked in, also looking at Zhao Hailong.

For a brief moment, the two unexpectedly locked eyes.

Then, Xu Liang smiled, causing Zhao Hailong’s heart to skip a beat. He instinctively looked away and calmly proceeded to the defendant’s side.

Plaintiff’s side.

"What did you say to him? He’s so frightened?"

Yang Ruoxi looked at Zhao Hailong across from her, with a solemn expression and deep breathing. She clicked her tongue and whispered to Xu Liang.

"I didn’t say anything."

Xu Liang casually replied and then proceeded to take a seat at the plaintiff’s bench, with Yang Ruoxi following behind without concern.

In civil cases, especially those not adjudicated by a municipal court, generally...

The case tends to be dramatic!

What kind of drama?

It’s like participating in a debate competition, purely depending on whose arguments are more compelling!

Except, this current case is somewhat different.

At the plaintiff’s bench.

Xu Liang narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the defendant’s bench and then the judge’s bench.

There were three judges on the bench, a presiding judge and two other judges.

The judge in charge of this case was a middle-aged woman, thin and slight, with slightly sunken cheeks, looking meticulous and extremely serious.

Her name was Liu Shennan.

She was also the sole presiding judge of this case!

Xu Liang’s gaze swept past Liu Shennan, then glanced at the other judges.

He meticulously observed everyone present in the courtroom, including the bailiffs and the court clerk!

He was thinking...

Where was the court’s insider hiding, and under what identity?

Unfortunately, the case clearly did not afford him much time to ponder.

Once both parties were seated.

Liu Shennan, seeing everyone present, nodded, pulled out the gavel, and spoke:

"Would both parties please complete their final preparations. If ready, this case... will proceed according to the law."

Xu Liang snapped back to reality and said, "We are ready."

Zhao Hailong took a deep breath, replying solemnly.

"The defendant is ready!"

With that said.

Liu Shennan did not hesitate further, standing up to begin reading the case.

"This case is named Jiang City Civil Compensation Case. The victim, Qi Yu, was contracted by Jianghe Sunshine Disabled Shelter Center on March 2nd, transferring them to Jianghe Pickle Plant for work."

"On the morning of March 3rd, due to management negligence at the pickle plant, an accidental death occurred, and the case was filed that day."

"On April 3rd, it was lawfully convened by Jiang City Basic-level People’s Court!"

"Hereby declare..."

With that, Liu Shennan paused, her gaze sharp, as she struck the gavel in her hand.

"Court is now in session!"