Gu Jin remained calm, her face calm as the lawyer’s hatred burned toward her.
She didn’t flinch. Instead, she looked straight at Judge Hargrave.
"Your Honor," she said in a clear voice, "I want to know if I can file this case. Not only for myself, but for others like ."
The judge tapped the gavel lightly, thinking. The whole court held its breath. After a long pause, he spoke.
"You may file the case," Judge Hargrave finally said.
"But this hearing ends here. If you wish to pursue such a matter, you will need to file a separate case before the council."
Gu Jin’s lips curved in a faint smile.
She bowed her head slightly. "Understood."
Then she turned without another word.
Long Yifan walked beside her, with a proud grin on his face.
The Gu family rose as well, pride on their faces.
Liang Bao and Lu Xiao followed silently, their steps light.
Behind them, the offense lawyer’s hands shook with fury.
His teeth ground together.
But Gu Jin didn’t spare him even a glance. She walked on, her head high.
The heavy doors of the courtroom opened.
Outside, the reporters had been waiting like hungry wolves.
The mont Gu Jin stepped out, the sound of caras clicking filled the air.
Microphones and recorders shot toward her face.
"Miss Gu Jin! What was the verdict?"
"Were you spared execution?"
"Are you truly not feeling guilty for awakening the necromancy elent?"
The questions rained down one after another.
Gu Jin stopped.
Her lips curved into a small, cold smile.
She turned toward the reporters, her sharp eyes catching every flash of light.
Her calm voice cut through the noise.
"I was not executed," she said. "And I will make sure that other necromancers will not be executed either."
The reporters froze. For a second, no one spoke. Then a wave of angry voices exploded.
"What are you saying?!"
"Do you an you want necromancers to live freely?"
"That’s too dangerous!"
"Are you trying to protect evil?"
So reporters shouted, so whispered, and so looked at her with wide, fearful eyes.
Gu Jin chuckled softly.
Her words, laced with mockery, sounded.
"If awakening a single elent is enough for you to call soone evil," she said slowly, "then this world is far weaker than I thought. Instead of killing the weak, we should be making the world stronger."
The atmosphere stilled.
Then Gu Jin’s eyes moved directly to one of the caras broadcasting live.
She stared into it, her gaze calm and unshakable.
"From this day forward," she said,
"I will file a case for all necromancers. I will fight until the necromancy elent is treated as a regular elent. For that, I need support. I call on those who believe in fairness to stand with ."
One bold reporter raised his voice.
"Miss Gu Jin, aren’t you being too arrogant? Do you think you alone can change the law of the world?"
Gu Jin chuckled again, this ti it was filled with confidence.
"Arrogant? No. I am not being arrogant. I am simply stating the truth. And this truth will soon beco reality."
Her eyes were cold.
She leaned a little closer to the cara.
"I ask you all...will you support ? Necromancy itself is not guilty. Only the wielder decides what to do with it. A sword can protect or kill. Fire can warm or burn. Why is necromancy treated differently?"
The crowd quieted. Her voice sounded like light to many.
"There should be laws to punish cris," she continued, "but not to punish an elent. Not to execute people without even seeing how far their potential can go. How can you be so sure you are right, when you erase everything before it has a chance to grow?"
So reporters lowered their microphones, lost in thought.
Gu Jin’s eyes narrowed slightly. "I am not wrong," she said.
"I know it, and deep down, you all know it too. But you are still not acting. Instead, you hide behind old history, calling necromancers evil just because it is easy. If you oppose , then do so openly. If you support , then stand with ."
She smirked faintly.
"I will not be executed. Not now. Not ever. I will live a long life. And I will make sure change cos."
Then she turned.
The Gu family circled protectively around her.
Together, they began walking away.
Long Yifan trailed at the back.
For a mont, he paused, his eyes scanning the crowd of reporters, morizing their faces.
Then he turned and followed after Gu Jin.
Behind them, chaos exploded.
Reporters shouted into caras.
Comntators rushed to give their opinions.
So called her brave. Others called her dangerous.
Within hours, the news spread like wildfire across the internet.
Reactions ca pouring in.
So voices were furious.
"She’s protecting evil! This generation is dood!"
"This is madness! Can stop her?"
"Darkfire has blinded them all!"
Others began to question.
"But is she wrong?"
"Why punish people for sothing they can’t control?"
"My cousin awakened necromancy. He was killed the sa night. Was that justice?"
More and more families shared their stories.
Children, parents, siblings...all taken away simply because they had awakened necromancy.
People began posting ssages online. Their words touched countless hearts.
And soon, the topic reached international platforms.
Governnts, councils, and academies...all began to debate.
The world had no choice but to face the question Gu Jin had forced into the light.
anwhile, Gu Jin returned to the Gu mansion.
The tall gates opened, and the familiar sight filled her chest with warmth.
She had stayed in Long Yifan’s residence, but nothing compared to ho.
Inside, her family greeted her with joy.
Gu Jichun ran up first, her eyes sparkling.
She hugged Gu Jin tightly and even kissed her cheek. "Sis, you did such a good job today!"
Gu Jin chuckled, patting her head.
"It was what I should have done long ago. I should not have feared. But now, it is better. I have the strength to protect myself, and I will not back down again."
Gu Jichun grinned brightly and turned to their mother.
"Mom, will you cook today? We need a feast to celebrate!"
Mrs. Gu laughed, her face glowing.
"Of course I will. Since we have won, there must be a celebration tonight."
The family laughed and chatted warmly. The mansion felt alive again.
But Gu Jin’s eyes drifted toward Liang Bao.
The young woman stood quietly in the corner, her expression complicated, her eyes lowered.
A glint flashed in her eyes.
"Bao," she said softly. "We need to talk."
Liang Bao looked up, startled.
For a mont, her eyes flickered with fear, then with hesitation. Slowly, she nodded as if she had made a decision.
Lu Siyao moved quickly to her side.
"I will co too," she said firmly.
Gu Jin did not argue. She only turned toward the stairs.
"Co to my room. We will speak there."
Gu Jichun frowned. "Sister, can I co too?"
But before Gu Jin could reply, Gu Jihu placed a hand on his younger sister’s shoulder.
"Let them talk," he said gently. "So conversations should stay between them."
Gu Jichun pouted, clearly unhappy, but she nodded reluctantly.
Inside Gu Jin’s room.
Gu Jin leaned against her desk; her eyes stayed on Liang Bao.
"Liang Bao," Gu Jin said, her voice calm but filled with unsaid curiosity.
"Why were you crying in the courtroom? Why did you look so distraught, even when I was spared from execution? Tell the truth."
Liang Bao’s lips trembled.
Her eyes filled with tears again.
She clenched her fists tightly, her whole body shaking.
Gu Jin waited, silent but steady.
Finally, Liang Bao whispered, her voice breaking,
"Because... because even if you are safe... others like are not. My family... they were all taken because of necromancy. And I could not save them."
Her tears fell freely.
Lu Siyao placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she only shook her head, lost in pain.
Gu Jin’s eyes softened, but her voice was strong.
"Then tell everything. If you want change, if you want justice, you must not hide anymore. Speak. I will listen."
Liang Bao bit her lip hard.
Her hands clenched together, shaking as if she was holding back a storm inside.
After a long silence, she finally lifted her head.
Her eyes were red from tears, but her voice was clear enough to reach both Gu Jin and Lu Xiao.
With a soft sigh, she whispered,
"I truly could not control what happened. My parents... they were once successful mages. They were not recorded in history books, but they had power, influence, and so fa. Our family never lacked anything. We were respected."
She closed her eyes, then opened them again, forcing herself to continue.
"But everything fell apart the mont soone discovered that my father had awakened the necromancy elent. One of his enemies learned the truth. Without hesitation, they filed a case against him. No matter how much he tried to defend himself, it was useless. The world saw necromancy, and that was enough."
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