Chapter 195 - 180: Judgment Under the Downpour

Chapter 195: Chapter 180: Judgment Under the Downpour

On the tenth day of the apocalypse, the downpour arrived right on time.

Driving rain lashed against the cruise ship, and the world outside was a misty haze.

In the grand conference hall on the third deck of the cruise ship, a general meeting was about to be held.

This was no ordinary meeting; everyone knew five people were about to face a public trial.

On the dais, Wang Dingbei, Yu Dong, and Lin Mo sat in a row.

They were dressed in neat suits and matching black gloves, looking both formal and imposing.

"Reporting. With the exception of Cai Hong, all survivors are present and accounted for. A total of 255 people," Xia Yao announced.

After nine days of struggle, their group had grown from an initial 108 to 255 people.

Yu Dong picked up the microphone and switched it on.

"Alright, everyone’s here. Let’s begin the meeting."

"I hereby declare the first general meeting of the Yanhai City Cruise Ship Base officially open."

"There are four items on the agenda for this meeting."

"First, Wang Dingbei will announce the findings and pass judgment regarding the crimes committed by the group of five new members from the Xiangti Bay Community."

"Second, Lin Mo will read the first draft of the ’Cruise Ship Points Policy (Trial Version)’ and distribute point tokens based on everyone’s work records from the past nine days."

"Third, we will contact the Yanhai City military. Commander Qiao Yunliang will update everyone on their recent operations and achievements."

"Fourth, I will outline and assign tasks for the future development of our cruise ship base."

"Let’s begin with the first item. Officer Wang?"

Wang Dingbei switched on his microphone.

"Testing, one, two..."

"First, let’s briefly discuss law and order. Recently, a few people have asked me in private when we’re going to create a new legal code for the post-apocalyptic era, one specifically adapted for our cruise ship base."

"I told them that’s just wishful thinking. Do you have any idea how much trouble it is to create a new legal code? The level of expertise required? I don’t have that kind of ability, and looking at the people we have on this ship, I don’t think any of us do either. Society hasn’t collapsed. Order still exists. The official military is out there working hard to clear out the zombies. Stop thinking about these random, pointless things. Just live your lives properly. Once the zombies are all gone, we can focus on repopulating."

"All our laws and rules will follow the original official code. However, when it comes to sentencing... it will be more severe, and punishments will be adapted to our current conditions on the ship. For example, in the past, petty theft might have just landed you in a holding cell for a few days. Now, you’ll be placed under strict supervision and sentenced to labor education. You’ll have to do several days of hard, dirty work, free of charge, before the matter is considered resolved."

"As for more serious crimes, like... rape, gang rape, and other vicious offenses, the punishment will be strict confinement. In severe cases, it will be immediate execution by firing squad."

"These are our principles for enhanced and adapted sentencing."

"Talk is cheap, so you might not have a clear picture. Come on, bring the five criminals up here. I’ll give you all a demonstration."

Members of the combat team escorted five people in handcuffs and shackles to the front of the stage.

Three of them hung their heads in dejection, but Zhao Yun wore a look of utter disbelief. "No! I’ve been framed! I’m a woman, how could I rape anyone? Officer, you must have made a mistake, haven’t you?"

Lin Xiaojun’s dark gaze swept over Wang Dingbei, Yu Dong, and Lin Mo on the dais. His eyes simmered with endless hatred as a desperate plan began to form in his mind.

He would risk his life for one last struggle. He would not die a pathetic death!

THWACK!

Yan Yikai struck Lin Xiaojun across the back with a baton. The powerful blow forced him to double over, almost knocking the wind out of him.

"Move it! Why are you just standing there? What are you looking at?"

Lin Xiaojun slowly shuffled forward... to his designated spot.

Wang Dingbei produced the written statements from yesterday, along with an audio recording. Jiang Xupeng and the other two men immediately broke down.

"It was all Lin Xiaojun! He led us to do it! We didn’t plan on doing anything, we just wanted to live in peace, but he made us all go after Yang Yi..."

"We had no choice. He’s too strong. We were afraid he’d beat us to death if we didn’t go along with it."

"And Zhao Yun! She was Lin Xiaojun’s accomplice! She said something about how once we did it, we’d all be birds of a feather..."

The three men pinned all the blame on Lin Xiaojun and Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun’s face flushed red as she yelled, "You’re slandering me! I was scared of what you animals would do to me! I’m a victim too! I should be sitting with Yang Yi."

Lin Xiaojun remained silent, readying his final plan...

Meanwhile, Yang Yi sat in the front row wearing a surgical mask, her eyes vacant.

She felt like her life was over.

’My reputation, my future, my entire life... It’s all gone.’

’Everyone knows I was gang-raped by four men.’

’No one will ever simp for me again.’

"Quiet! Quiet! What is this behavior!"

"Your crime was covering for and assisting Lin Xiaojun. That makes you a serious offender as well."

"I didn’t! I was just scared, I didn’t do anything! I..."

Zhao Yun was still desperately trying to explain herself, but no one believed her.

"I forced Zhao Yun," Lin Xiaojun’s cold voice cut in. "She was the first one I raped... I made her do it."

Yu Dong was startled. He hadn’t expected Lin Xiaojun to take the fall for Zhao Yun. This was a genuine surprise.

The audience below watched this new development, and many felt... it seemed plausible. It was perfectly believable that the wife of a manager could have been coerced into doing something.

A murmur went through the crowd.

Wang Dingbei didn’t dwell on it.

"Alright. The facts regarding Lin Xiaojun’s crimes of rape, gang rape, and inciting others to do the same are clear and undisputed. On behalf of the cruise ship base’s leadership team, and in my former capacity as a detective with the Huangyang Port Police Station, I will now pass judgment."

"I sentence Lin Xiaojun to death, effective immediately."

"Take him outside A Port for execution by firing squad."

Upon hearing the sentence, Lin Xiaojun didn’t so much as twitch. He stared at Yu Dong, Wang Dingbei, and Lin Mo, the madness in his eyes growing wilder.

THWACK!

Yan Yikai brought his baton down on his ribs, the pain sending him straight to his knees. He clutched his side, sucking in a sharp breath.

"Still staring?! Didn’t you hear me tell you to get up!?"

As Lin Xiaojun lay on the ground, his hand furtively closed around a loose splinter of wood on the floor. He wrenched it free, creating a small wooden shiv.

He slowly raised his head and looked at Yu Dong, who was sitting in the middle, only three steps away.

’It’s him!’

’He’s the one who targeted me!’

’The way he looked at me from the very start was wrong!’

’If I can just stab him, not even the gods themselves could save him!’

’With my arm strength, even a small wooden shiv is a lethal weapon!’

’I, Lin Xiaojun, will absolutely not die a pathetic death!!!’

’You want me to die... You’re not getting out of this alive!’

’When a common man is pushed to fury, blood will stain the ground five paces around!’

THWACK!

However, before he could get to his feet, Yan Yikai’s baton cracked down on his hand. The blow made his hand go limp, knocking the wooden shiv away.

"Still trying to pull a fast one!?"

"Men! This thug is trying to attack the leadership! Get him!"

A line of combat team members, armed with police batons, immediately rushed in from outside.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

Yan Yikai and a crowd of others surrounded Lin Xiaojun, their batons a blur as they beat him relentlessly.

They were landing six blows a second per person.

Lin Xiaojun didn’t even have time to utter a single curse before he was beaten unconscious.

Yan Yikai wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Dealing with a thug like that... it’s dangerous work..."

Yu Dong: "..."

Yu Dong remembered his past life. Yan Yikai had beaten Lin Xiaojun in the exact same way. The only difference... this time, he had made sure Lin Xiaojun was stripped completely bare beforehand, ensuring he couldn’t even hide a weapon up his ass.

Wang Dingbei picked up the small wooden shiv from the floor.

"You see? This is the kind of thug who has a ’kill one and break even, kill two and profit’ mentality. He will never repent for his crimes. The death penalty is the most suitable punishment for him."

After what they had just witnessed, especially his final, desperate attack, everyone was convinced that Lin Xiaojun deserved to die.

Watching him get dragged out like a dead dog, they all felt a great sense of relief and justice.

Wang Dingbei continued his announcement. "Given that the accomplices—Jiang Xupeng, Zhang Jiaquan, and Li Huawei—proactively confessed their crimes and were not the primary instigators, they will not receive the death penalty. They will be held in custody as serious offenders for now and transferred to a military prison at a later date."

"Zhao Yun willfully covered for Lin Xiaojun with questionable motives. She will also be placed in custody and transferred to a military prison at a later date."

"As for the victim, Yang Yi... although she concealed the crimes of these individuals, considering she was a victim herself and was threatened, her actions are excusable. She is found not guilty."

"That concludes our judgment for the six survivors from Xiangti Bay, in accordance with our principles for enhanced and adapted sentencing."

"Let this incident serve as a warning to every member of this cruise ship. Do not commit an evil act, no matter how small you think it is. Otherwise, if I catch you... don’t blame me for the strictness of our rules."

The trial was a huge shock to everyone present. Seeing Lin Xiaojun being dragged out for execution... it was impossible not to be afraid.

Among them, the faces of those on the scavenging team suddenly changed.

’Holy shit... We’ve been taking stuff. We’re not gonna get grabbed and shot, are we?’

’Probably not shot, but that guy, Wang... he’s ruthless. We gotta steer clear of him, or we’ll be in for a world of hurt.’

’His combat teams take plenty of stuff too. What we grab is nothing compared to them. We should be fine, right?’

’Let’s go ask Boss Huang in a bit...’