To Love You Again

[Shocking! A list of black waters of major companies around the world is revealed!]

[XX Major company denied the allegations!]

[ABC Major company denied Lu Jin's claims on the blacklist!]

Lu Jin's confession shook the entire world.

As Xiong Zhi and Linfeng expected, the exposure of the list had created more waves.

Not only the masses and media were worked up due to Ming Zhi Yi's case, but the other countries where some of the major companies took their roots were rattled as well.

New cases were piled up. Some were reopened and were investigated once more.

The industries that were affected were in chaos.

Most government agencies had been pressured by the great number of investigations that they need their attention. The public's reactions were also not helping but instigating the heat to be fanned more.

For a while, the blacklist had been the focus of both the media and the public.

....

While the whole world was busily investigating the blacklist, the person involved was currently transferred into another room.

When Lu Jin looked up and saw the person in the room, his cold face broke.

"Brother." Lu Yin Ze hugged Lu Jin.

The other heirs were inside the room as well and expressed their support for Lu Jin.

Linfeng patted Lu Jin on the back. "You did well. Don't worry about the aftermath. I will take care of it."

Lu Jin understood what Linfeng meant. He nodded gratefully.

"Thank you for giving me time." He knew that Linfeng used his connection to have a few minutes' talk with his brother.

After exchanging greetings, Tang Yin dragged the other heirs to give the two brothers time to reconcile. "We would wait outside."

When the others left the room, Lu Yin Ze looked at his brother with grievance. "How can you make a decision like that?"

Lu Jin's cold face softened. Only in front of his brother he was willing to take off his mask.

"I'm very fine. If that's what you are asking me." His voice was gentle and full of doting.

"Brother..." Lu Yin Ze could only helplessly shake his head. "I am doing well in the past days too."

Lu Jin nodded. He could see that.

"Brother, will you promise me to not expose anything anymore? Whatever you testify today would be used against you. When your trial comes, we would do everything by ourselves."

Lu Jin agreed without hesitation. "I will. I just told everyone what I've been keeping for years. And it just felt good."

Lu Yin Ze smiled. He too felt that relieved when he spoke about the secret he had been keeping for many years. He was glad his brother had freed his burden. To heck with those people who used this matter against his brother. As long as his brother felt it was right.

"Yin Ze." Lu Jin suddenly called out to him.

"Yes, brother?"

"Tomorrow.... the court will announce his verdict. Will you be there?"

"Yes. I am. I have to witness everything from start to the end for Mom and Grandpa."

Lu Jin smiled. His brother's strong answer made him relieved.

He was glad his brother seemed to cut off any sentiments towards the man who they once called father. Perhaps it was only he who felt nervous for tomorrow's verdict.

"Brother." This time it was Lu Yin Ze who called out.

"Yes?"

Lu Yin Ze stared at his brother. Although his brother looked fine outside, he could somehow guess how difficult it was for him.

Unlike him, his brother had lived under Ming Zhi Yi since childhood. Ming Zhi Yi took up the role of his guardian and father. Even though the experience and memories of that time were not something to be called pleasant, it was still something that Lu Jin cared about.

Lu Yin Ze hugged his brother.

"You have done the right thing. Thanks to you, many people are able to achieve justice. My friends and I are alive today because of you. We owe this to you."

Lu Jin's shoulder stiffened.

His brother....have seen through him.

Lu Jin smiled helplessly.

Was he that obvious? He thought he was keeping his emotion in check. It turned out his perfect mask has flaws too.

"We are all thankful." Lu Yin Ze continued.

Lu Jin smiled. He hugged his brother back while trying to ease the heaviness in his heart.

"Even if he is our father, he should pay for the crimes he committed. You should not be guilty over it. If you feel guilty about it, don't. Think of me and the lives you saved because of what you did."

Lu Jin's eyes heated. He patted his brother's back which seemed strong and reliable right now.

"Thank you. I will keep that in mind."

Right. Even though he made a decision to make things right and betrayed his father, a part of him was pained because of this.

How he could not?

Even though Ming Zhi Yi was a terrible person, a villain who control the life of others, he was still a father to Lu Jin.

His father's view and love were twisted, but Lu Jin could feel it.

His father's hands were heavy and merciless but Lu Jin could feel the care from it.

Yes, it was laughable. How could a cold-hearted man have such feelings?

Perhaps it was only him, who live all his life under Ming Zhi Yi's wing, could see through the little bit of warmth from that overbearing coldness.

What was given to him might be a twisted, cold, and ruthless love. But it was still a fatherly love.

Lu Jin smiled sadly.

He also betrayed his father out of love. He wanted to stop his father's madness and set him free.

If his father's love could be described as cold and twisted, then what kind of love was his?

***

On the next day, the famous Ming Zhi Yi's case caused the entire world to focus their attention to the case.

It was the awaited day for Ming Zhi Yi's verdict.

The courtroom was filled to the brim. Not only the area at the entrance building was crowded, but even the nearby road was also full of people too.

Media from other countries had arrived. As it was a hot topic of the entire world, the internet had crashed for the whole day. Nevertheless, the trial continued despite what happening outside.

The room was silent as the judge started to read his verdict.

"....Mr. Ming Zhi Yi, the court has thoroughly reviewed and considered the evidence and the witness testimonies concerning your trial. The court also evaluated and waived the aggravating factors the jury has found to exist beyond the unreasonable doubt and mandating the circumstances established by the evidence...."

Ming Zhi Yi did not show any emotion on his face. His paralyzed body was glued to the chair. What words echoed in the courtroom seemed like they had nothing to do with him.

His poker face made the people watching him in and out of the courtroom be angered to the point of wanting to hurry the judge's speech and be direct to the point.

They wanted this man's cold face to break in despair. To make him feel agony and helplessness while they decided his life and death.

"-the court has assigned an appropriate penalty to each crime that is presented to the case. In account of manufacturing and distributing drugs, the defendant shall be sentenced for thirty years...."

"-in account of extortion and illegal tradings the defendant shall be sentenced for twenty years..."

"-in account of kidnapping and torturing...the defendant shall be life sentenced without parole..."

The crime list was given each verdict. It was so long that the judge need to take a break and drink water in the middle of it.

"in account of sending people to attack the Victory Banquet and the murdering of several people....the defendant is hereby sentenced to death."

The silent hall was suddenly filled with breaths of relief.

Finally!

Hearing the word 'sentenced to death' put the people's aggravated hearts at ease.

The earlier verdicts were only life sentences. Such punishment would not suit Ming Zhi Yi's heavy crime.

But it was not the end.

"-in account of creating a potent drug and using of the said drug to murder....the defendant is sentenced to death."

"-in account of using children for murder...the defendant is sentenced to death."

"-in account of planting spies in government agencies and endangering national security...the defendant is sentenced to death.

"-in account of...."

Many of Ming Zhi Yi's crimes had been given a verdict of a death sentence.

The outcome was clear.

The only thing that hasn't been declared was the day of Ming Zhi Yi's death.

The public looked at Ming Zhi Yi's cold face. They watched him with gloating. They waited for any sign of him breaking down. However, the man only fisted his hand. Nothing more.

In the face of the public's sigh of relief regarding his impending death, Ming Zhi Yi's eyes just turned cold. Although he wanted to kill everyone here, his body was not allowed to.

He could only watch this familiar scene.

A scene where a person decided the life and death of the other. But this time, it was not him who was in control. It was his life and death that was being decided right now.