Golden Dragon: Six Thousand Years of Empire
Chapter 431 - 263: Trampling Injustice, Unfair Judgment_2

Chapter 431: Chapter 263: Trampling Injustice, Unfair Judgment_2

The problem, however, is that all participants are children. According to the Golden Dragon Code, young offenders can have their crimes mitigated at the judge’s discretion, giving them a chance to reform.

This places a portion of the sentencing power in the judge’s hands, providing the judge with some discretion with the aim of allowing a more just ruling based on current circumstances.

But judges are human, subject to emotions and external influences, especially when weighing one life against seven. Thus, the death penalty is virtually impossible to mete out.

Dong!

The judge seated at the highest position delivered the final verdict after multiple adjournments and consultations.

"According to the Holy Golden Dragon Code, this court rules the following: The main offender, Jeross Burn, due to a lack of proper upbringing by his parents resulting in poor judgment and cognitive awareness, accidentally caused the suffocation and death of a fellow companion while playing.

After the incident, given his good admission of guilt and genuine remorse, considering his young age and the timely payment of thirty Repentance Coins, a sentence of seven years’ imprisonment is commuted to a three-year probation.

Collaborator Claude... considering his youth and his parents’ payment of fifty Repentance Coins, is sentenced to three years’ imprisonment commuted to a three-year probation.

Collaborator... paying sixty Repentance Coins, is sentenced to one year, imprisonment commuted to one-year probation.

...

Lastly, Raven Claude, who was investigated and found to have been merely observing throughout and not participating, is thus acquitted."

The judge’s booming declaration echoed through the courtroom, and the expressions varied among the middle-aged couple seated at the plaintiff’s bench. The deeply wrinkled man sat in silence, but the woman beside him cried bitterly,

"My child was only fifteen, what did he do wrong?"

"Why does he have to suffer such a fate?"

"Why won’t these demons face any punishment?"

Anyone with sound intellect could discern that the judge’s verdict closely tied to the amount of Repentance Gold paid; the more paid, the lighter the crime, and the noble child at the end faced acquittal without even needing to pay.

In response to the woman’s cries, the judge merely frowned and lightly tapped the gavel,

"Order! There shall be no unwarranted clamor in the courtroom."

The young defendants, sitting with their well-dressed parents, started laughing and joking, indifferent to the woman’s wails.

The composed men present expressed no emotion at the judge’s ruling; even a mild smile was absent. The outcome was within expectations since they had paid sufficient Repentance Coins.

"Don’t be like this."

The farmer at the plaintiff’s bench reached out with a rough hand to grasp the continuously wailing woman and whispered in her ear,

"They promised to compensate us with thirty Gold Coins."

That simple statement greatly quieted the farmer woman’s cries; for a rural family, this compensation was monumental, far more effective than the judge’s warning.

"Plaintiff and Defendant, the court hereby declares proceedings concluded. Does anyone object to the verdict?"

The defendants, largely exonerated and avoiding jail, naturally had no objections, while the plaintiff farmer remained silent. The woman still sobbed but also kept silent.

Though losing a child was deeply painful, the thirty Gold Coins compensation could greatly improve the life of their remaining children and allow them to purchase more land, whether leasing or cultivating, thus enhancing family conditions.

In this silence, those youngsters who had tortured and dismembered a coeval shared laughter with their parents, starting to plan post-court celebrations and leisure, contrasting sharply with the crying farmer’s wife, albeit with little concern from others.

"Neither side raises an objection."

Seeing the farmer’s family not making any further complications, the rotund judge picked up the ruling and stood, proceeding with the final formalities under the spiraling golden dragon holy image behind him,

"Then, under the Holy Dragon’s witness, the court hereby declares the ruling...

Boom—

A black thunderbolt suddenly coalesced from the air and descended in an instant, shattering the judge’s ruling and the lectern before him.

Ah!!!

The judge let out a miserable cry, wailing incessantly because the thunderbolt had also grazed his hand, turning both hands to charcoal. An unspeakable pain coursed through his body, causing violent trembling, and he collapsed into the chair, crying like a slaughtered pig.

"Someone’s attacking the judge!"

"Who dares assault the courtroom?"

"Lockdown! Seal the entire court!"

The sudden change startled the initially lax bailiffs into alertness, the sharp whistles soon drawing in local defensive forces.

In a town placed far from Elisium, near the Valley of Flames, situated in the wilderness, considerable defense forces were required.

However, once the guard team, including the captain, rushed into the courtroom upon learning of the disturbance, they froze.

For they beheld black flames blazing atop the dome, the golden holy dragon swirling overhead began to move.

"Holy Dragon!"

With an uncontrollable shout of astonishment, stone dust trickled down as the holy dragon once a mural came alive.

The once howling judge now dared not utter a sound, large beads of sweat rolling massively from his body, soaking his dragon-patterned robe. Fearful of making a sound, the courtroom was enveloped in an invisible field, intimidating everyone present.

"I contest this case’s judgment."

Encircled by black flames, a stone dragon just over twenty meters landed in the courtroom, overseeing the cowering judge, then turned to the defendants showing visible fear and unsettlement,

"I declare the verdict of this case, null and void!"

Noah could not tolerate the case ending this way: a group of youths with certain assets and backgrounds collectively tortured a farmer’s son, and the farmer, pressured by poverty, chose to accept compensation without further pursuit.

Such a verdict perhaps highlighted the superiority of the Golden Dragon Territory’s system, as even the death of a farmer’s child compelled such notable figures to bleed financially.

Even those with noble backgrounds underwent formal court proceedings, albeit a façade, an occurrence impossible outside the Golden Dragon Territory.

When have nobles torturing farmers been considered crimes? Being selected and able to provide fleeting pleasure to a noble should be an honor for the farmer, such a thought is mainstream.

Thus, appropriately speaking, this verdict was relatively just, with those of significant social standing and assets paying a price, while the farmer who lost his child received what can be considered a substantial compensation.

Though losing a son was heartbreaking, they still had more children to raise, and the living should not bear the burden for the deceased.

Hence, it was a satisfactory verdict for many sides, fully embodying the advanced superiority under Golden Dragon Law.

The only disregarded party was the innocent, tragically deceased youth, the farmer’s son who could no longer speak, appeal for injustice, or denounce what befell him.

Such flaws were hard to notice and amidst countless cases, this one would soon be buried, forgotten.

Yet sadly, the Holy Dragon’s will happened to visit today, witnessing the trial, and such a flaw was intolerable to the perfection-pursuing Dragon.