Chapter 29 The Counselor’s Twenty-Eighth Day “—Would it make your…”

Chapter 29: Counselor's 28th Day on the Job – "Would It Make You, as Humans..."

"Good morning, friends and foes."

Mou Lin's heart pounded as the live broadcast began. He had meticulously chosen his attire for the day: a dark red shirt beneath a black jacket, tie, and trousers, blending seamlessly into the monochrome environment of black, white, and red. Only the silver frost-flower emblem on his tie clip, representing Whitefrost Star, gleamed brightly.

His expression was stern and cold; his usually gentle and scholarly features appeared frosted under the pure white spotlight.

"I am Mou Lin from Whitefrost Star, and I am the host of this trial."

He gazed straight ahead, where the camera lens at the opposite end of the round table appeared as a dark void. Mou Lin wondered how many people were watching on the other side of that lens and how that number would climb.

He also wondered if Cong Xieying was watching, hoping that no harsh comments would appear in the chat stream—and if they did, that his child wouldn't see them.

Mou Lin raised his hand and activated the final program.

Another beam of blue-tinged light descended from the ceiling, accompanied by swirling particles, converging at the center of the round table to form a shimmering, star-like entity.

The star floated slightly, its jets swaying gently.

"Greetings to all citizens of the Federation."

"I am the artificial intelligence auxiliary system [Beiluo Shimen], representing the Military Department, Parliament, and Courts."

"I am here to witness and ensure the fairness of this trial. I also request all participants to pledge to me:"

"That you will make the fairest, most just decisions in this trial—driven by rationality and conscience, free from any interference of interest."

Voices from within the coffins rose one after another, merging into a low hum that, in this setting, felt like whispers from the banks of the Styx:

"I pledge."

The star’s light bands shifted, as if turning to "look" at Mou Lin.

"And what about you?"

Mou Lin’s fingers, hidden beneath the table, clenched and unclenched reflexively. His pledge was distinct: "As the teacher of the accused, I swear—I am not here for personal gain, nor for biased favor toward my student. I am here to overturn an unjust trial."

"Very well, thank you for your response."

The star extended a second and third light band, bending them in unison as if bowing.

"Then, please proceed to host."

The three jets interlaced and rotated, forming an asterisk-like pattern—symbolizing the Military, Parliament, and Courts, just as the AI had stated. These auxiliary AIs always possessed a certain ceremonial flair.

"The Military, the Parliament, the Courts, and all citizens of the Federation have the right to witness this trial."

A rainbow glint flashed across the jets. After its greeting, the star dimmed its glow, yielding the floor back to the humans.

Mou Lin took a deep breath and repeated his opening words: "Friends and foes, regardless of your motives, I welcome your presence."

"Some may already be surprised by my address," he said, scanning the silent giant coffins before fixing his gaze on the live camera lens. "I considered following the most common opening—saying 'Alphas, Betas, and Omegas, in that alphabetical order'—or opting for an older tradition: 'Ladies and gentlemen, and citizens of other or undisclosed genders.'"

"But I found neither appropriate. When I address you by your gender, categorizing you, I inherently divide everyone into labels."

"But omegas are born omegas, just as alphas are born alphas!" a voice from a distant coffin snapped.

"Do not interrupt when the teacher is speaking," Mou Lin retorted sharply. He knew the coffins were transparent from the inside, allowing occupants to see him and the others.

After a pause, hearing no further objections, Mou Lin continued: "Before we begin the formal discussion, I hope everyone here—and all Federation citizens watching—will reflect on what we gain from viewing each other through labels."

"For example, we betas are seen by alphas and omegas as insignificant tools, commonplace cogs in the machine—lacking individuality, mediocre, and interchangeable."

"But from a beta’s perspective? Alphas are irritable egomaniacs, and omegas are indecisive clingers. Both genders are excessively self-absorbed and, moreover, struggle with sex addiction."

Growing more impassioned, Mou Lin shrugged off his jacket dramatically, revealing a dark red short-sleeved shirt underneath. The skin of his arms glowed pale under the lights and against the fabric.

He slammed both hands onto the round table with a loud thud: "In the era of the Empire, to solidify class structures and family honor, the nobility divided everyone with countless minute labels. Now, the Federation has been independent for 379 years. We have been free for 379 years, and we are about to welcome the 380th."

"—Tell me, why must we continue to divide and oppose one another?"

Mou Lin exhaled heavily, withdrawing his hands from the table. "Now, I implore you—not just as a teacher, but as a human being—to cast aside all gender constraints and view this child’s actions, their consequences, and the punishment he deserves simply as a human being."

"—Would it make you, as humans, heart-sickened?"

There was no response—as expected, since open discussion wasn't yet allowed. Mou Lin’s pause was merely intended to prompt reflection.

He raised his hand again, placing his palm on the rhythmically flashing star. Surprisingly, it was warm, and its size fluctuated slightly with its brightness, like stroking a smooth, warm little animal. The AI star’s light jets passed between his fingers, scattering faint starlight that drifted against the young man’s hair.

But this gesture wasn’t meant to be comforting—it was for lie detection.

Mou Lin stated: "Under the radiant witness of Beiluo Shimen, I will truthfully recount the subject of this trial and their actions, withholding only personal details."

"Artificial intelligence auxiliary system [Beiluo Shimen] acknowledges."

The star brightened, expanding slightly and arching the back of Mou Lin’s hand.

"I will track your biometrics in real time to jointly vouch for the truthfulness of your statements."

Mou Lin took a deep breath, countless thoughts flashing through his mind: "My student—let’s call him Little Tree for simplicity—was raised in a household that favored his alpha brother. Until my school’s acceptance letter arrived, there were no signs he would present as omega. He believed he would maintain this state, naturally maturing into a beta."

"However, after that, Little Tree underwent differentiation, and his situation suddenly became desperate. First, gender differentiation and my school’s—which I must regrettably call outdated—principle of the Mech Operations Department not accepting omegas meant he would be unable to attend. To pursue higher education, he would have to repeat senior year and retake the college entrance exams."

"The second issue followed immediately: his family would never support him repeating a year. Instead, they would treat him as a commodity—marrying him off to bear children to benefit another family in exchange for benefits."

"Therefore, with the help of another student of mine, Xiao Ming, Little Tree obtained and used a gender suppressant to enter the Mecha Department. During a recent group activity, the suppressant unexpectedly failed due to an accident. The only person affected was Xiao Ming—and only Xiao Ming. It should be noted that my partner and I intervened promptly, limiting the impact to a temporary bonding mark."

"Apologies for interrupting, but I must ask."

The light bands of the star in Mou Lin’s palm rotated faster, as if it too were tense.

"Regarding the source of the gender suppressant—we are all aware it is not a legal medication. Could you provide more detailed information?"

"My partner and I are conducting follow-up investigations. After this trial, we plan to share our progress with a dedicated inspection team." Mou Lin lifted his free left hand, adjusted his glasses, and tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear.

"Understood. I'm now informed. Should you require assistance, please page me via StarNet at any time. Let us now return to the main subject. Please continue."

Mou Lin nodded to the star. "Very well. There’s actually little left for me to say. Let me reiterate one final time: if judged solely by the Federation’s existing laws, the scale of the impact is completely overlooked. Given that the event proceeded normally and the direct victim suffered limited harm, I believe Little Tree should not face such severe punishment under a law holdover from the Imperial era. That concludes my statement."

"Thank you for your explanation."

The star’s jets rotated slowly, dimming.

"Artificial intelligence auxiliary system [Beiluo Shimen] confirms that all the above content is believed to be true by the speaker, with no signs of falsehood or fabrication."

The black-haired counselor withdrew his hand. The pure white spotlight cast a frost-like glow on the ends of his curls, accentuating his sharp, frost-pale features. "Now, everyone may freely ask questions or raise objections. I welcome all challenges and debates. Under the eternal radiance of Whitefrost Star, we will reach three new verdicts."

The star at the center of the round table pulsed like a beating, blood-pumping heart. Its soft, neutral electronic voice sounded.

"I will represent the military, the parliament, and the court to witness and ensure the validity of the proceedings. Please speak freely."

Almost as soon as it finished speaking, voices clamored over one another, and a buzz of conversation erupted around the round table. Some participants, dissatisfied with their voices being drowned out, shouted hysterically.

For a moment, shouts and the dull thuds of pounding on the coffin mixed together, making the room clamor like a graveyard where the dead had just risen.

Mou Lin raised his hand and tapped the air at waist level. A black high-backed chair upholstered in wine-red velvet manifested from nothing. He draped his thrown jacket over the back of the chair, sat down with his back straight, and fixed his eyes on where the live camera was positioned.

Amid the noisy arguments, he raised his hand and casually adjusted his tie, appearing calm and confident.

—No one knew that the black-haired young man, who exuded the aura of a crouching tiger, was drenched in sweat down his back.

AI Beiluo Shimen politely rapped the table with its three light bands, signaling the end of the first round of speeches. However, this faint vibration was completely drowned out by someone’s furious pounding on the coffin.

"..."

"CLANG!!!!"

A tremendous—

Sound—

It shook Mou Lin’s mind until only one line remained: "Xi He striking the sun, a sound like shattering glass" (a classical poetic reference). It also shocked everyone present into silence.

The star hovered at the center of the round table, retracting its three light bands.

"I’m pleased you all acknowledge my authority now. I will now play back the summarized recordings of the first round of speeches."

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Author's Note: "Xi He striking the sun, a sound like shattering glass" is from Li He’s poem "The King of Qin Drinks."

Mou Lin: On the surface, dominating the room with Alpha energy; in reality, his back is drenched in sweat, and if he didn’t sit down, his legs would have given way.

In this chapter, Teacher Cheng may seem silent, but he did speak—he was just blending into the crowd.

Next chapter, watch Teacher Miao and Teacher Orange working in tandem to control the scene, hehe. Then, a new arc begins, somewhat similar to "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" [throws confetti]. Teacher Miao and Teacher Orange are living together, oh~