The tenth defendant appeared on the platform like a shadow walking out from behind a screen. He wasn't particularly tall, nor did he exude overt authority. He wore a dark gray woolen coat and square-rimmed glasses. His appearance was clean and proper, his demeanor quiet, restrained, and intellectual.
If someone passed him on the street, they might assume he was a scholar. And in some sense, that was exactly what he was—
An expert in "public discourse manipulation."
A high-profile public opinion strategist.
Founder of the platform "JusticeVoice."
He spoke slowly, clearly, and gently:
> "I have never fabricated a case, never forged a testimony, never misrepresented the facts. Every scandal exposed on my platform—was based on real data and legitimate sources."
It was true. He didn't need to lie.
His sin was something else.
He only needed to select which cases to expose.
Which perspectives to push forward.
Which subjects to amplify.
And—when to remain silent.
One by one, screens around the courtroom lit up.
Clips from news segments, trending topics, viral outrage campaigns…
Some led to convictions.
Some led to suicides.
Some ended with the crowd moving on, leaving behind the destroyed lives.
All carefully timed.
All perfectly calculated.
When asked how he chose which topics to elevate, Gu Qingheng simply replied:
> "I pick the ones that the people are most ready to believe."
Shen Yan stared at him for a long time.
"Do you believe in justice?" Shen finally asked.
Gu Qingheng returned a faint smile.
"Justice is a narrative with good timing."
That answer made the courtroom stir.
Shen's voice grew cold. "Then what about the people left behind after your 'timely narratives'? Those falsely accused? Those harassed to death? Those deemed guilty by trending hashtags?"
Gu Qingheng didn't look away. "I never told them to die."
"No," Shen said. "You just handed the mob a torch and pointed at the kindling."
The air grew tense.
"You don't lie," Shen continued, "but you destroy faster than lies ever could."
Gu Qingheng did not respond.
"You don't kill," Shen said again, "but you design a path for others to walk straight into ruin."
"I offer perspective," Gu replied.
"A perspective you chose."
That distinction seemed to echo off the courtroom walls.
"You've turned public discourse into a forge," Shen said. "And you mold the public's anger into arrows. You never verify the target—you just trust the crowd to aim."
"You are not a journalist," Shen concluded. "You're an alchemist of emotion. You refine rage, package it, redirect it—and then say: 'I only opened a door.'"
Gu Qingheng chuckled softly. "In this world, few want the truth. Most want something to be angry at."
Shen nodded.
"And that," he said, "is why you are guilty."
> System Verdict: Guilty
> Defendant: Gu Qingheng
Crime Identified: Willful manipulation of public discourse through selective exposure and emotional amplification. Resulted in multiple cases of psychological and social harm.
Failure to uphold basic standards of verification, proportionality, and accountability in mass communication.
Statistics Update
> – Number of Defendants Successfully Declared Innocent: 0
– Number of Defendants with "Rational Human Defense" Acknowledged by the System: 2
> Note: These metrics do not affect the overall challenge level but will influence the protagonist's psychological resilience score.