Scarface Hu flicked ash from his thick cigar onto the marble steps of the Jiangcheng District Commercial Court at eight-thirty in the morning, adjusting his oversized gold wristwatch with a sneer.
Beside him at the top of the stairs, Boss Wang rubbed his palms together with an oily grin, while crooked Attorney Deng adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses and tapped a slim leather briefcase against his thigh.
“Don’t worry, Hu,” Attorney Deng said with a sneer. “Those two hundred couriers have no money for real counsel. Even if that little girl Shen Qiaoqiao shows up, she has no standing. By noon, the judge will issue execution orders on their rural land deeds.”
“Good,” Scarface Hu growled, blowing smoke into the cool air. “Thirty million yuan. If Lin Mo wants his delivery fleet running, he pays me fifty million, or his riders walk on foot.”
Two hundred delivery riders stood quietly at the bottom of the steps. Old Ma stood at their head, his fists clenched inside his faded jacket. Their faces were haggard, but their backs were straight.
Suddenly, a convoy of ten black executive vans pulled up to the curb in a perfect line.
The passenger doors slid open in complete unison. Forty young men and women stepped onto the pavement. Every single one wore a tailored charcoal-black suit, a crimson Taichu lapel pin, and white cotton handling gloves.
Between them, the young associates pushed six heavy stainless-steel library carts. Each cart was stacked three feet high with labeled binders, financial ledgers, and forensic dossiers.
At the head of the formation walked Shen Qiaoqiao.
She wore a sharp navy blazer over a crisp white blouse. Her gold-rimmed spectacles caught the morning light. Her round cheeks dimpled as she smiled sweetly at Scarface Hu.
Behind her strolled Lin Mo, dressed in a simple charcoal overcoat. Su Wan and Tie Niu flanked him like silent twin pillars of iron and jade.
“What is this?” Boss Wang squeaked, taking an involuntary step backward. “Is that... an entire law firm?”
“Don’t panic,” Attorney Deng hissed, though sweat beaded on his forehead. “They are trying to intimidate us with paper. A court case is decided by law, not by weight.”
Lin Mo paused on the steps beside Old Ma. He patted the veteran courier’s shoulder.
“Old Ma, go inside and take a front-row seat,” Lin Mo said softly. “The show is about to start.”
At nine o’clock sharp, the oak doors of Courtroom Three swung open.
Presiding Judge Song sat behind the elevated bench. He was an upright jurist in his late fifties with stern eyes and silver hair. Above his head, the national emblem gleamed with solemn authority.
Lin Mo activated his [Pure-Heart Eye].
[Target: Presiding Judge Song, Age 58.]
[Moral Integrity Score: 86/100 (Strict, Impartial Constitutional Jurist).]
[Status: Deeply Disgusted by Corporate Fraud & Predatory Usury.]
Lin Mo nodded slightly. An upright judge who hated fraud was the exact crucible Shen Qiaoqiao needed.
“Court is now in session,” the bailiff announced. “Presiding Judge Song presiding. Docket number 4092: Hu-Claw Vehicle Leasing versus Ma Guoliang and two hundred delivery contractors.”
Attorney Deng stood up immediately, puffing out his chest.
“Your Honor,” Deng proclaimed, waving a thin folder. “The facts are indisputable. Two hundred riders entered into binding electric vehicle lease-to-own agreements. They defaulted on scheduled battery replacement fees.”
He tapped the document folder against his palm. “Under clause thirty-four, compound default penalties apply. The total outstanding debt is thirty million two hundred and forty thousand yuan. We request an immediate asset freeze.”
Judge Song looked down at the documents, his brow furrowing. “Defendant counsel, your response?”
Shen Qiaoqiao rose from the defense table. She did not raise her voice. She did not look flustered. Her sweet dimples appeared on her cheeks as she bowed respectfully to the bench.
“Your Honor, the defense does not merely dispute the debt,” Shen Qiaoqiao said, her voice bell-like and precise. “We move to dismiss the complaint with extreme prejudice, void all two hundred contracts ab initio for criminal fraud, and refer the plaintiffs to the Economic Crimes Investigation Bureau.”
Scarface Hu slammed his beefy palm onto the table. “You little brat! Who are you calling a criminal?!”
BANG!
Judge Song struck his gavel with resounding force. “Plaintiff will maintain decorum or be held in immediate contempt! Counsel Shen, proceed.”
“Thank you, Your Honor,” Shen Qiaoqiao said smoothly. She snapped her fingers.
Fang Liang and Lu Tao wheeled the first two steel carts directly before the bench.
“Cart one contains forensic chemical analysis reports from the Jiangcheng Criminal Science Institute,” Shen Qiaoqiao announced. “Under ultraviolet and mass-spectrometry examination, every single one of plaintiff’s contracts shows evidence of disappearing ink. The riders were instructed to sign blank spaces where interest clauses were subsequently printed at an annualized rate of one thousand eight hundred percent.”
Attorney Deng went paper-white. “That... that is slander! Those are standard industry agreements! Every leasing outfit in the province operates under these exact terms!”
“Then every leasing outfit in the province is operating a criminal enterprise under Section 175 of the Penal Code,” Shen Qiaoqiao countered cheerfully. Her dimples deepened as she smoothed her notes. “Industry customs do not supersede state criminal statutes, Attorney Deng. If a syndicate of pickpockets calls theft standard practice, it remains grand larceny.”
She turned slightly toward the gallery, where forty Taichu associates sat with open law manuals. Every one of them nodded in rhythmic, terrifying agreement. Shen Qiaoqiao snapped her fingers again.
Lu Tao pushed cart two forward.
“Cart two contains the complete transaction history of forty dummy shell companies registered to Hu Tianbiao’s sister-in-law,” Shen Qiaoqiao continued. “Over the past thirty-six months, Hu-Claw Leasing collected ninety-two million yuan in illegal usurious interest. Not one single fen was reported to the tax bureau. Total municipal and state tax evasion exceeds forty-two million yuan.”
Boss Wang’s knees buckled. He dropped heavily into his chair, gasping for breath like a dying fish.
“Wait, there is more,” Shen Qiaoqiao said, her eyes twinkling behind her lenses.
This young woman is not just litigating, Lin Mo thought, watching her from the gallery with quiet amusement. She is running a full-scale demolition operation. If I gave her a nuclear launch code, she would probably audit the missiles first.
Shen Qiaoqiao walked over to the plaintiff’s table. She stopped directly in front of Scarface Hu and tilted her head.
“Mr. Hu, you might be wondering why your financial backer, Young Master Zhao’s cousin, did not send any senior lawyers to assist you today,” Shen Qiaoqiao said in a soft, melodic whisper.
Scarface Hu swallowed hard. His scar twitched violently. “What... what did you do?”
Shen Qiaoqiao lifted a bright red binder from cart three.
“Cart three contains forensic wire logs from the Macao Venetian Casino VIP accounts,” Shen Qiaoqiao said loudly, ensuring every person in the gallery heard. “Hu Tianbiao skimmed eighteen million yuan from his syndicate’s operating funds over the last two years. He hid it in his mistress’s personal offshore account, defrauding his own partners.”
Scarface Hu’s eyes bugged out of his skull. “How did you... how could you possibly find that?!”
“I have forty forensic accountants and fiber-optic servers, Mr. Hu,” Shen Qiaoqiao said sweetly, cracking her knuckles. “And math does not lie.”
In the back row, Tie Niu let out a low, gravelly chuckle. “Chairman, she is skinning him alive without leaving a drop of blood.”
“She is an artist,” Lin Mo whispered back deadpan. “Never interrupt an artist when she is painting.”
Judge Song adjusted his spectacles, his expression turning colder than arctic ice. He reviewed the Institute’s chemical seal and the certified bank audit sheets.
“The evidence presented by defense counsel is overwhelming, comprehensive, and horrifying,” Judge Song declared, his voice echoing through the silent chamber.
He glared down at Attorney Deng. “Attorney Deng, your submission of falsified documents with disappearing ink constitutes deliberate fraud upon this court. Effective immediately, your license to practice law is suspended pending disbarment.”
Attorney Deng collapsed into his seat, burying his face in his trembling hands.
“Furthermore,” Judge Song continued, raising his gavel. “Under the Anti-Usury Protection Law, all two hundred vehicle leases are declared null and void. The defendant riders owe zero yuan.”
In the public gallery, Old Ma and Brother Da-Hai half-rose from their wooden benches, their eyes fixed on the projected banking ledger.
“Pursuant to statutory triple damages for predatory extortion,” Judge Song announced firmly, “plaintiff Hu-Claw Leasing and Hu Tianbiao personally shall pay fifteen million yuan in restitution to the two hundred defendant couriers. Court bailiffs are directed to seize plaintiff’s assets immediately.”
Judge Song looked toward the side door. Two uniformed police officers from the Economic Crimes Division entered the courtroom.
“Hu Tianbiao and Wang Defa are remanded into police custody for tax evasion, illegal usury, and contract fraud,” Judge Song concluded.
BANG!
The gavel struck the sound block. The hearing had lasted exactly forty-two minutes.
Police officers moved swiftly, snapping heavy steel handcuffs around Scarface Hu’s thick wrists. Boss Wang wailed loudly, clinging to the wooden railing until two officers hoisted him by his armpits and marched him down the center aisle.
The hallway outside echoed with Boss Wang’s desperate shrieks. Spectators from neighboring courtrooms poked their heads out, murmuring in astonishment as Jiangcheng’s most notorious loan shark was hauled away in broad daylight.
“Lin Mo! Shen Qiaoqiao! You ruined me!” Scarface Hu roared, thrashing against the four officers holding his shoulders.
His face turned purple with impotent rage. “The Zhao family will never let you leave Jiangcheng alive! You think you won?! You just declared war on the entire commercial council!”
“Tell them to send better accountants,” Lin Mo remarked casually as Hu was hauled through the side door.
The courtroom exploded into thunderous applause.
The two hundred delivery riders rushed the defense barrier. Old Ma led them, tears streaming down his weathered cheeks.
“Lawyer Shen! Chairman Lin!” Old Ma shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. “We are free! Our houses are safe! Fifteen million yuan!”
Shen Qiaoqiao smiled warmly, taking off her spectacles to wipe away a stray tear of relief. “You are completely free, Old Ma. Not a single person can touch your scooters or your wages ever again.”
Lin Mo stepped forward, raising his right hand gently. The room immediately silenced.
“The court awarded you fifteen million yuan from Scarface Hu’s seized estate,” Lin Mo said in a clear, resonant voice. “That money will take several weeks to liquidate through judicial auctions.”
He pulled out his emerald-green [Benevolence Charity Card] and handed it to Su Wan.
“We do not make honest workers wait for bureaucracy,” Lin Mo said. “Su Wan, disburse five million yuan immediately from the Taichu Benevolence Fund as a legal victory bonus. Twenty-five thousand yuan per rider, wired to your accounts within five minutes.”
Old Ma gasped. “Chairman Lin! You already saved our lives! We cannot take more money from you!”
“You can, and you will,” Lin Mo replied with a faint smile. “You endured six months of threats without breaking the law. That kind of integrity deserves a dividend.”
Su Wan tapped the screen of her tablet. “Transfer executed, Chairman Lin. Five million yuan disbursed to two hundred verified riders.”
A magnificent chime rang out in Lin Mo’s consciousness.
[DING! Pure-Heart Benevolence Expenditure Confirmed!]
[Recipient: 200 Righteous Delivery Riders (Goodness: 82–93/100) — Received: ¥5,000,000.00 Legal Victory Bonus.]
[Calculation: Total Spent: ¥5,000,000.00 RMB | Multiplier: 100x Pure-Heart Return.]
[Refund Amount: +¥500,000,000.00 RMB Transferred to Personal Vault!]
[Benevolence Merit Points: +500,000 BMP Awarded!]
[Personal Vault Current Balance: ¥69,008,180,000.50 RMB!]
[Good People Network Expanded: 1,922 Verified Righteous Allies!]
A warm, golden pulse washed through Lin Mo’s chest, replenishing his internal qi with crystalline purity.
Outside in the courthouse hallway, two hundred mobile phones chimed at once. Shouts of uncontainable joy shook the stone arches. Tough men hugged each other, laughing and crying in the sunlight.
Fang Liang jogged over to Lin Mo and Shen Qiaoqiao, holding a tablet displaying a live court auction bulletin.
“Chairman Lin, General Counsel Shen,” Fang Liang said, his eyes burning with excitement. “The court just published an emergency notice. To satisfy Scarface Hu and Boss Wang’s tax debts and restitution orders, thirty regional logistics delivery hubs across Jiangcheng are going up for judicial auction at twelve o’clock sharp!”
Shen Qiaoqiao pushed her glasses up her nose, her dimples deepening into a brilliant smile.
“Thirty delivery stations,” Shen Qiaoqiao said, glancing at Lin Mo. “Covering every district in the city. If we acquire them, Taichu Express becomes the largest independent logistics network in Jiangcheng before sunset.”
Lin Mo checked his watch. It was nine-fifty in the morning.
“Su Wan,” Lin Mo said calmly. “Prepare thirty million yuan. Let us go buy thirty delivery stations.”