RT Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Stepping Forward

The moment the morning trial concluded, the Municipal Procuratorate convened a press conference, with the Procurator-General personally acting as the spokesperson.

Such a swift reaction was truly rare.

The press conference was held in the largest function hall of the Municipal Procuratorate, and every seat was filled.

After the reporters from various media outlets set up their cameras, the Procurator-General walked onto the stage, looking solemn. His gaze swept across the entire room as he slowly began to speak.

“Good morning, everyone from the media. The purpose of convening this press conference today is to provide a formal response to the recent public opinion storm regarding Prosecutor Shu Lingxiao.”

“First, on behalf of the Municipal Procuratorate, I solemnly declare that Prosecutor Shu Lingxiao strictly adhered to legal procedures during the chemical plant explosion case. There was no ‘procedural violation’ or ‘abuse of power’ whatsoever. Throughout the entire process, she performed her duties in accordance with the law, demonstrating an extremely high level of professionalism and responsibility.”

“From the moment the City Central Hospital case was transferred to the Procuratorate, she immediately stated that she had a vested interest in the case and voluntarily applied for recusal. Apart from acting as a witness for the victim, she did not intervene in the case in any other capacity. There was absolutely no ‘procedural violation’ or ‘abuse of power.'”

“Hereby, our Procuratorate solemnly declares and reserves the right to pursue the responsibility of those who attempt to interfere with the independence and fairness of the judiciary through rumor-mongering.”

One reporter couldn’t wait to ask:

“Procurator-General, as one of the survivors of the explosion case, did Prosecutor Shu Lingxiao’s experience affect the direction of the case investigation? Did she use her position to seek personal gain?”

The Procurator-General replied in an official manner:

“Prosecutor Shu Lingxiao is indeed one of the survivors of the City Central Hospital explosion case, but her identity did not affect the fairness of the case. She applied for recusal according to the law at the first instance, taking practical actions to safeguard the fairness of the case.”

“Even if she is a prosecutor, she cannot be deprived of her right as a victim to legally protect her legitimate rights and interests. She cooperated with the investigation according to the law and testified in court as a victim witness, which is in accordance with the law. How can there be any talk of using her position to seek personal gain?”

Another reporter coldly said:

“Procurator-General, why wasn’t it announced in advance that Prosecutor Shu Lingxiao would appear as a witness in the City Central Hospital explosion case? Does this mean that the Procuratorate, and she, are avoiding certain issues?”

The Procurator-General looked directly at the reporter:

“According to court regulations, witnesses have the right to have their safety legally guaranteed. The City Central Hospital explosion case is defined as a terrorist incident, and the identity of each witness should be kept confidential according to the law to ensure their personal safety.”

Speaking of this, a hint of mockery appeared on the Procurator-General’s lips:

“This reporter, if you didn’t have such obvious targeting, you would find that the identities of all witnesses in this case are confidential and were not announced in advance, not just Shu Lingxiao. Shu Lingxiao cannot be deprived of her basic human rights just because she is a prosecutor, wouldn’t you all agree?”

“Hahaha…”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Afterwards, some reporters asked questions, which were nothing more than elaborations around the aforementioned issues, all of which the Procurator-General defused one by one.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the Municipal Procuratorate was well-prepared this time.

An hour later, the press conference ended.

A heated discussion erupted again on social media.

Netizens who supported Shu Lingxiao forwarded the relevant content of the press conference, adding the caption: “Justice will not be absent, thank you for your hard work, Prosecutor Shu Lingxiao!”

However, voices of doubt still existed.

Some netizens believed that the Municipal Procuratorate’s statement was “too official” and lacked substantial evidence.

They demanded the release of more case details to prove Shu Lingxiao’s innocence.

As a result, after the City Central Hospital explosion case concluded its court session that afternoon, the official website of the Municipal Procuratorate immediately published evidence that Shu Lingxiao had applied for recusal from the case at the first instance.

There were pictures, videos, and a formal written application, as well as the Procuratorate’s internal review records.

At this point, the direction of public opinion was completely under Shao Chengxi’s control.

Subsequently, he ordered relevant personnel to thoroughly investigate the questioning media and influential public figures, using this public opinion storm to ferret out the opposition supporters hidden behind the scenes.

Taking this opportunity, he would carry out one last purge of the opposition.

After the afternoon court session ended, a group of defendants were taken onto specially made police vehicles to be sent back to their detention centers.

Vehicles from the Ministry of Defense’s special forces team followed closely behind to ensure nothing went wrong.

Shao Chengxi’s vehicle brought up the rear, stopping by the side of the road a few hundred meters after turning a corner at an intersection.

The car window lowered, revealing Shao Chengxi’s cold and stern face. He glanced at Shu Lin, who was leaning against the wall, one hand in his pocket, obediently waiting there.

“Get in the car.”

Shu Lin’s eyebrows and eyes curved, seeing that there was no one else in the car besides the driver, he smiled shyly and quickly climbed into this special ops vehicle comparable to a Hummer.

He had originally planned to leave with Shao Shiyan after the court session.

As a result, before the court session was over, Shao Shiyan said he had something urgent and left first.

Afterwards, Shu Lin received a message from Shao Chengxi asking him to wait here.

The interior of the car was spacious, but it seemed a little cramped due to Shao Chengxi’s tall figure.

As soon as the car door closed, Shao Chengxi reached out and pressed the partition button, completely separating the front and rear seats.

Before Shu Lin could react, he was pulled over and pinned down by him.

“Shao Chengxi, you…” Shu Lin’s lips were blocked.

Having not seen him for a few days, Shao Chengxi’s kiss was forceful and passionate, with a hint of eagerness.

His palm cupped the back of Shu Lin’s head, his fingertips caressing his hair, while his other hand tightly gripped his waist, imprisoning his entire body in his embrace.

Shu Lin’s breath was filled with a cool, icy scent, and his own sweet apricot pheromones overflowed, perfectly blending with his.

Shu Lin struggled a bit at first, but he was quickly submerged in Shao Chengxi’s aura.

Shao Chengxi’s kissing skills became more and more superb, and every touch made Shu Lin’s heart beat faster and his breathing disordered.

Shu Lin’s hand unconsciously grabbed his collar, his fingertips trembling slightly, as if seeking some kind of support.

After a long time, Shao Chengxi finally pulled back slightly, his forehead pressed against Shu Lin’s, his breathing rapid and his voice low and hoarse:

“Baby, I haven’t seen you for days, and I’ve been so pent up. I finally get to hold you and kiss you. Be good, tell me, did you miss me?”

Shu Lin was stunned by his question, his earlobes turning slightly red, and then he turned his face away without saying a word.

“You won’t say it? It doesn’t matter, your body will tell me if you missed me or not.”

As he spoke, he began to move restlessly.

“Ah…” Shu Lin gasped, frantically grabbing his restless hand, “Shao Chengxi! You’re messing around again, there’s someone else in the car…”

Shao Chengxi’s hand did not settle down, staring at Shu Lin’s flushed cheeks:

“I knew it, baby also missed me.”

Shu Lin was so embarrassed that he buried his face in his arms, unable to say a word.

Shao Chengxi gently kissed him:

“Baby, wait for me two more days, just two days, and I’ll repay you double for what I owe you these days. I guarantee, you’ll be satisfied.”

Shu Lin’s voice trembled slightly: “I beg you, you, don’t say anymore…”