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Chapter 42: 040 Accept the Trial
Bo Jiao was brought to the Deacon Court, flanked by tall and imposing stewards, their serious expressions exuding a wave of pressure.
Bo Jiao’s legs immediately turned to jelly.
"Now you know fear?" Zhu Yan sneered coldly.
"My lord, my lord, I swear I am utterly loyal to the organization! You must believe me, this is slander by some vile scoundrel..."
Bo Jiao gritted his teeth in hatred. Whoever dared to report him, he would strip their skin and tear their tendons.
"Whether it’s slander or not, you’ll face your accuser in court."
A metallic door on one side slid open, and a slender figure stepped out.
Bo Jiao caught sight of the person and his eyes burned with fury.
"It’s you, after all."
He could never have imagined that a mere Class C mercenary would dare to leap ranks and report him to the legal unit.
She must have eaten bear’s gall and leopard’s courage.
The woman wore black combat gear with a concealed pattern. Her tall and slender figure was fully exposed, topped with a matching beret. She exuded a blend of beauty and commanding aura that blurred the lines between masculinity and femininity.
This was the organization’s standardized training attire. Despite its somber and oppressive hue, it gave her a model-like allure.
Especially striking was the exclusive organizational symbol adorning her chest—a bronze solar divine bird motif.
Within the organization, the color of the chest emblem represented the wearer’s rank.
The material of the symbol varied with rank. For instance, Danhuang, as a mere Class C mercenary, could only wear bronze; Class B had silver; Class A had gold.
The golden solar divine bird was noble and radiant, representing supreme authority.
"Indeed, I was the one who reported you. I’ve already handed the evidence to the Deacon. If you confess now, perhaps the punishment might be lighter."
Danhuang crossed her arms, smiling leisurely.
"You’re courting death!" Bo Jiao suddenly lunged at Danhuang.
A steward intercepted him, pinning him firmly to the ground.
Zhu Yan glanced at the girl, his deep, dark gaze becoming even more cryptic.
Danhuang yawned. "Deacon, I have another task later—could you expedite this process?"
A subordinate approached Zhu Yan and whispered something in his ear.
Zhu Yan’s gaze on Bo Jiao grew even colder.
"Murder for profit, framing your comrades, abusing personal power, illicit relationships—these crimes, do you dispute them?"
The mercenaries possessed extremely high combat capabilities. In the outside world, particularly mingling long-term with celebrities and tycoons, they were easily tempted. Light infractions led to betrayals of the organization; heavier ones could spiral into outright criminal activities, causing severe harm to PT Group’s reputation and interests.
Thus, the legal unit was formed, equipped with laws harsher than societal ones to rein in these mercenaries. The male mercenaries, in particular, often lacked restraint, with many ultimately falling victim to romantic escapades. The legal unit later added a new rule prohibiting illicit relationships. Violators faced severe penalties. 𝘯𝑜𝑣𝑝𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
Of course, relationships weren’t completely prohibited; they just couldn’t serve on the front lines and were relegated to peripheral roles.
Once emotions arose, vulnerabilities were born—a fatal flaw for mercenaries whose lives hung by a thread.
Bo Jiao had always relied on Gouchen’s backing, indulging himself outside the organization. He never imagined he’d face a day of reckoning like this.
"I’m being framed, my lord..."
"Take him away!"
"Hold it." A slightly rotund figure entered the room.
Danhuang squinted at the man. This was Hei Shui, one of the three Great Deacons. His chubby, pale exterior resembled the Maitreya Buddha.
"Bo Jiao has served the organization fervently for years. His contributions should not be overlooked. How can you simply trust a mere Class C mercenary? Who’s to say she isn’t harboring ulterior motives? I suspect her identity to be highly questionable. Tell me—are you an undercover agent for the White Gloves?"
The White Gloves, an international organization, was notorious for its misdeeds and had been PT’s staunch rival for years.
Bo Jiao seized the opportunity and pointed at Danhuang, shouting loudly, "Exactly! She’s an undercover from the White Gloves! She’s treacherous. Arrest her and interrogate her immediately!"
Zhu Yan gazed coldly, unmoved.
Danhuang raised an eyebrow, chuckling lightly. "Hei Shui, your attempt at deflection is admirable, but sorry, you’re out of luck. I have no ties to the White Gloves or any such group. I’m Danhuang, Class C mercenary, loyal to this organization. This time, I merely acted to rid the group of a parasite."
"And do you think his actions outside the organization could escape the police’s notice? If not for my intervention, he’d already be in their custody. Given his lack of resilience, the police wouldn’t even need harsh interrogation before tearing this island apart, leaving you shamelessly distorting right and wrong."
Zhu Yan’s gaze turned icier as he stared at Bo Jiao.
Such actions were precisely what the organization feared most. Even under stringent control, some still dared to push boundaries.
Bo Jiao froze momentarily. No wonder the police hadn’t apprehended him yet—he’d even thought their inefficiency was fortuitous.
Yet he never realized he was the true liability.
Hei Shui squinted, letting out a cold snort. "No matter your eloquence, don’t think you’ll escape punishment. Arrest her!"
"Let’s see who dares." Zhu Yan’s words silenced the room.
"Zhu Yan, you’ve utterly lost your senses..."
Zhu Yan ignored Hei Shui and turned toward Danhuang, gesturing for her to continue.
"Hei Shui, you’re so eager to condemn me. It’s hard not to suspect you and Bo Jiao are colluding..."
Hei Shui sneered. "You’re quite the talker. But no matter how you twist things, I refuse to believe you."
"Is that so? If the evidence isn’t enough, I have a witness too."
Hei Shui frowned.
Bo Jiao’s head jerked up violently.
Where could she get a witness? Was she going to summon Xie Beichun? Impossible.
Danhuang smiled brightly. "Come in."
A frail figure hurried inside, head bowed, visibly nervous and trembling.
The man knelt on the ground, hands splayed out. "Subordinate Ji Lou greets the lords."
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Bo Jiao’s pupils contracted in disbelief. "Ji Lou, what are you doing?"
Ji Lou trembled slightly and pressed his forehead against the floor, speaking swiftly. "I have followed Bo Jiao for years and can confirm every accusation by Danhuang to be true. Furthermore, I possess additional evidence of Bo Jiao’s crimes."
Ji Lou retrieved a USB drive from his pocket and offered it reverently.
The USB drive was taken away for contents verification.
Bo Jiao stared daggers at Ji Lou, his eyes bloodshot. "How dare you betray me?"
Ji Lou pressed his lips together, his spine straight as an arrow. "I cannot aid wrongdoing any longer. My lord, may the heavens strike me down if even one word I’ve spoken is false."
Such a solemn vow indicated an unyielding resolve.
Bo Jiao collapsed onto the floor, utterly defeated.
Hei Shui furrowed his brows, raising his gaze to look at the leisurely Danhuang.
Despite her young age, this girl was ruthlessly cunning.
If not for his rash intervention, she wouldn’t have played the Ji Lou card.
Clearly, she had planned this all along.
The tide had turned; Bo Jiao was finished.
"Bo Jiao, you nearly deceived even me. Confess promptly, and perhaps the punishment will be less severe."
Hei Shui’s disdain meant nothing to Bo Jiao anymore—he knelt there, utterly numb, his face a picture of defeat.
The validation process concluded swiftly. The accusations were confirmed, and Bo Jiao was set to face harsh judgment.
Gouchen, upon hearing the verdict, expressed deep sorrow. Yet given the circumstances, he had no choice but to publicly denounce Bo Jiao, maintaining appearances flawlessly.
Still, Bo Jiao was his subordinate, and as his superior, Gouchen bore responsibility for his lack of oversight per organizational doctrine. This meant he was to face punishment as well.
However, Bo Jiao was confident that given his stature, Zhu Yan wouldn’t dare act against him recklessly.
Sure enough, Zhu Yan severely punished Bo Jiao but let Gouchen off with a light slap on the wrist.
At that moment, someone entered.
"Qin Yuan, you’ve graced us with your presence. Is there an instruction from Bai Ze?" Hei Shui asked respectfully, echoing the curiosity of everyone present.
The young man, whose smile was gentle and whose features were striking, was Bai Ze’s personal secretary. Along with Xuanxu, he oversaw the Class A mercenaries—a world shrouded in mystery that even Bo Jiao had longed to be part of.
Thus, even if he resented this man who was young enough to be his son, Bo Jiao had no choice but to lower his head.
"Bai Ze is furious upon learning of Bo Jiao’s crimes. He tasked me with informing the stewards that this individual must face severe punishment as an example for others."
The young man’s gaze swept across the room, his age belied by an overwhelming presence. The entire hall fell silent.
Gouchen’s chest tightened instinctively, and he bowed his head.
Hei Shui’s eyes darted nervously. He sensed he might have acted impulsively today, potentially arousing Bai Ze’s suspicion.
"Rest assured, Bai Ze can count on the legal unit to handle this impartially."
Zhu Yan’s cold voice reverberated throughout the hall.
Qin Yuan’s gaze landed on the girl, his lips curling into a gentle smile.
"Your name is Danhuang?"
Danhuang instinctively straightened her posture. "Class C mercenary Danhuang, greetings to Lord Qin Yuan."
"You’ve done well. Starting today, you will take over Bo Jiao’s position."
"Absolutely not!" Gouchen objected reflexively.
"My lord, she’s merely a Class C mercenary. Leaping ranks would disrupt the hierarchy!"
Qin Yuan maintained his gentle smile, but his gaze toward Gouchen was piercing and icy.
"If I say she can, then she can. Do you doubt Bai Ze’s judgment?"
So this was Bai Ze’s decision.
Evidently, Bai Ze aimed not only to undermine his authority but also to plant a spy within his ranks.
Gouchen gritted his teeth. "The organization’s doctrine stands supreme. Even Bai Ze cannot amend it arbitrarily; otherwise, it would sow discord."
"If she wishes to take Bo Jiao’s position, she must undergo the trial. If she succeeds in advancing to Class B, I’ll relent. Otherwise... even Bai Ze himself wouldn’t be able to force her into my unit."
Gouchen’s tone was righteously resolute, though everyone knew his underlying intentions.
Qin Yuan turned to Danhuang.
The girl raised an eyebrow, flexing her wrists. "I accept the trial."
Gouchen’s lips curled into a cold smile.
The ignorant brat didn’t know better—entering the Trial Grounds outside of December? No one emerged alive.
This time, she wouldn’t leave intact.
