BXBX NOVEL Chapter 100 The Public Trial (Part-1)
*Ding! Your stats are improved slightly. Check the character for details.
*Ding! Ice attribute is added to the character.
*Ding! You received a new summon, Baby Penguin.
*Ding! You received a new summon, Tundra hare
*Ding! You received a new summon, Reindeer
*Ding! You received a new summon, Snow fox
*Ding! Total transactions with the store crossed 100,000 gold coins. The system will be upgraded to level-2.
*Ding! Total transactions will the store cross 500,000 gold coins. The system will be upgraded to level-3.
*Ding! Warning: Upgrading to level-2 takes 24 hours and Upgrading from level-2 to level-3 takes 48 hours of time.
*Ding! During this time, the host cannot use System. Except for the Familiars Inventory, everything will be shut down temporarily. Proceed?
Mark, "..."
For a moment, he doesn't know how to react. As soon as he got up from sleep, the first thing he saw was the familiar notification screen but the summons he received from the system caused his mood to collapse.
The upgrade notifications of the system his mood better. He opened the inventory and read their details one by one and let out a deep sigh, "It looked like I was duped by the system. The stats of the ice attribute monsters are even weaker than my lightning summons when I was charged 100 thousand credits. Only the snow fox is barely better. My 500 thousand gold coins…"
*Ding! The host needed to be reminded once again that the rarer the item, the pricier it will be.
"I know that. Just let me rant in peace, will ya." Mark replied. The system stayed silent.
He didn't proceed with the system's upgrade because there was going to be a trial to attend. And when he was outside, any attack can be possible.
"System, open character stats"
Name: Lu Zhen (Mark Spencer)
Rank: 3
Strength: 0.5
Intelligence: 3.6
Defense: 1.2
Agility: 1.6
Vitality: 2.1
Resistance: 1.1
Charisma: 9
Luck: 5
Bloodline: Blizzard Pegasus
Attribute: Lightning, Ice
Spirit path: Summoner
Ether quality: low
Ether energy: 359
Special Skills: Ultimate Defense I, Ultimate Defense II
Assistants: 2 (Allen Spencer, Alina Spencer)
Lifespan limit: 110 (85 years left)
Available credits: 1684
Net worth: 132,964 gold coins, 31 silver coins
Total Debt: 30433 gold coins, 1774 ether crystals (low)
SKILLS:
Active:
Dismantling: Dismantle any object that belongs to the host and exchange it in equivalent credits. Cost: 0 ether points, CD: 0 sec
Absolute Freezing: Freeze your surroundings for 30 seconds. Range: 50 meters. Cost: 100 ether points, CD: 60 minutes. Note: The skill and its cost become stronger along with the host. Note 2: The skill's effect will be lessened as the difference of strengths between the target and the host becomes greater.
Passive:
Ultimate Defense I: By default, the store is invincible under the heavens and cannot be damaged by anyone under the Demigod realm.
Ultimate Defense II: Within the store, the host cannot be harmed by anyone under the Demigod realm. The host cannot also be dragged outside against his will.
***
"Cool, 9 points of charisma. Now, it gets easier to sell the weapons. And luck improved by 1 point." Mark's mood was improved a lot when he saw the stats and the skills.
"7:12, right now. I still have a lot of time. I needed to get prepared to answer all the allegations. The way I speak is more important than the facts themselves. And no matter what, justice should be on my side. Okay, let's recount my history."
Meanwhile, Allen opened the store as usual, although it's obvious that no one would come here with everything in the neighborhood was razed to the ground.
Nearly eight hours passed, the store had yet to receive a single customer.
At around 3:30 p.m., a horse carriage arrived at the store. The second prince stepped out of it and entered the store, then, asking Allen about Mark.
After a while, Mark and Alina came downstairs, wearing the brand new clothes they bought at Huqiu city.
When asked for the reason for accompanying him, the second prince answered that they were now in the same boat because his plan of developing a firearms division solely depends on Mark's innocence.
Mark couldn't help but like the second prince's straightforwardness. He wondered whether it is because Shang Wen didn't grow up, surrounded by politics every day. Of course, the prince was also something like a stepping stone for Mark to improve his fame and is also an important part of Mark's plan to create the dependence of the Imperial family on his firearms.
Allen and Alina also tagged along with Mark, not just because of providing protection but both of them are also part of his crimes, according to the decree. Allen is involved in the Song Mansion's demolition, erasing the evidence by killing the Xu sect members, and Alina is involved in the rest of the crimes.
After an hour of travel, they reached the Grand Arena where the tournaments and also public trials take place.
By the time they reached the destination, 30% of the arena is filled up with thousands of citizens. Four tents were set up in the arena, one for the Emperor, Grand Secretariat, and the Supreme Commander, the second one for the ministers, the third one for the prosecutors, i.e. the Crown Prince and his aides. The last one is for defenders, i.e. accused and the ones that support them.
Mark, Allen, and Alina entered the arena along with the second prince, bringing a deep frown on the Crown Prince, who was already waiting there with the heads of Meng Clan, Lei Clan, and Qian Clan. As for Sui Clan, only an elder attended in place of Sui Rong.
The main three judges haven't arrived yet as they had to come at the last moment.
Amid the gazes of the public and enemies, Mark made his way towards the tent, allotted for the defenders, which was placed right beside the prosecutor's tent.
On his way, he continuously stared at all the victims coldly, making them shudder for a second.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince's attention was stolen by Alina. It was obvious that he was enamored by her beauty and he couldn't remove his eyes off her. The faces of the clan heads were darkened when the Crown Prince commented, "Her beauty is indeed peerless just like the rumors."
Soon after, Song Yue arrived with Lin Xue and the third prince.
The third prince and the Crown Prince exchanged glances before the former stepped inside the tent.
Lin Xue whispered, "Look at that girl sitting behind Lu Zhen. Allen was right. She indeed looked like a twin to Allen, although she was more expressive."
Song Yue's face darkened for a second as if she was threatened by Alina but remembering where she was, she put away those thoughts and followed the third prince to enter the tent.
"Brother Wen, I didn't expect that we would stand on one side. After all, we belong to different worlds." Shang Wei let out a comment with a smile, to which the latter nodded and simply replied, "A pure coincidence. You came here to defeat Brother Zexi and I came here to support Sister Yue and Lu Zhen."
The third prince didn't comment on it and turned towards Mark, "You must be Lu Zhen, the talk of the town. Well, we have nothing to do with each other but for now, let's work together."
Mark silently nodded. It was this person who stole his identity and fortune but he doesn't hold the grudge against someone who didn't commit a crime against him. Just like himself, the third prince was also exchanged from his mother against his will. In fact, he pities him for being embroiled in politics.
The third prince frowned at Mark's lack of response. Just as he was about to take his seat beside the second prince, Allen asked him, "Excuse me, Prince Wei. Aren't you the same person who visited the store with an adventurer named Mo Jiang?"
"Hmm?" Everyone turned towards Allen. Mark who was about to greet Song Yue also shifted his attention towards the Android.
Shang Wei's face darkened immediately. Meanwhile, Allen continued with a cold tone, "If Mo Jiang is your henchman who attacked Big brother, are you an enemy?"
"Hmm???" Everyone now turned towards the prince and waited for his answer.
"Allen, read the situation." Lin Xue hurriedly came to his rescue. "This isn't the time to fight amongst ourselves. We can talk once we are done with the trial."
As the third prince refused to speak further, Mark simply took out a gold ring from his inventory and stretched his hand, "if it belonged to the servant, then, you can return it to him. It is useless to me, anyway."
The second prince, Song Yue, and Lin Xue couldn't help but become speechless by his actions.
If Allen made the atmosphere tense, then, Mark made the mess out of it.
The third prince replied, "I have nothing to do with him. He's just a temporary bodyguard for a day I borrowed from Swordmasters guild."