36. Trial (2)
The trial for Jo Sun-do and his gang took place fifteen days later. It was only natural that the courtroom, solemnly prepared for this day, was filled with countless faithful from the Balhut Cult. The selected jurors consisted of citizens from South Gyeongju and North Gyeongju, along with some members of the subjugation teams. Jeong Dong-gun served as the prosecutor.
"Damn it."
In truth, since this was a trial to judge Jo Sun-do, he had assumed no defense attorney would be provided. Surprisingly, however, Jo Sun-do had a fully qualified lawyer. But Lawyer Shim Jeong-hun scowled, his expression laced with resentment toward Jo Sun-do, who hadn't yet arrived.
To stage the most impartial trial possible, the Balhut Cult had appointed Shim Jeong-hun—who had practiced law in North Gyeongju before the apocalypse—as Jo Sun-do's defense attorney. But to be blunt, the appointed lawyer had zero intention of defending him. He hadn't wanted the role in the first place, and knowing the horrors of North Gyeongju all too well, Shim Jeong-hun actually desired Jo Sun-do's downfall, not his acquittal or return.
Can't be helped. Yeah. I'll just take the heat myself.
After North Gyeongju was absorbed and integrated into South Gyeongju, Shim Jeong-hun had reclaimed his role as a lawyer. He consoled himself that this was part of reviving the lost rule of law. But it was the first trial—and his first case as defense attorney—involved North Gyeongju's worst war criminal, a monster guilty of heinous sins. He genuinely lamented being stuck defending that criminal.
One could even say taking on this defense was because the Cult had earnestly begged him to do it against his will.
"Please, Lawyer. We're counting on you."
"L-Lady Yu-na doesn't need to bow her head like that!"
"But it's a role that's sure to draw backlash. Even if the Cult compensates you, life will be tough for a while."
It was none other than Balhut Cult leader Choi Yu-na herself who had bowed her head and made the request. He wouldn't have been out of line to outright refuse to defend Jo Sun-do, but he'd shown up to the courtroom precisely because Yu-na had asked.
Without her plea, he might have nodded to the Cult's request but skipped the formal trial, ignoring basic human rights protections.
"But Lady Yu-na is the benefactor of us in North Gyeongju."
The great saintess and Dragon Priestess who had saved North Gyeongju had asked personally. Having been rescued by her, he couldn't refuse. Yu-na had saved his life, and he'd received direct treatment from her in the Cult's main temple, allowing him to move freely now. So the lawyer accepted her request. Even if it wrecked his career, for the honor of the Yu-na who had bowed to him, he'd do his utmost to defend his own enemy—a two-faced monster's human rights.
"Hey. You my lawyer, buddy?"
I wanna go home.
That resolve crumbled instantly under Jo Sun-do's rudeness.
Shim Jeong-hun wanted to drop everything and leave right then, seeing Jo Sun-do saunter into the solemn courtroom like he was heading to a playground, all cocky attitude. No matter how he looked at it, this wasn't a war criminal facing judgment—it was some neighborhood punk off to cause trouble. He seemed utterly convinced he wouldn't be punished.
"Watch your mouth. This is where you stand trial as a war criminal."
"Whoa, scary talk. So I'm gettin' judged? Hilarious. You think a puny cult can punish Gyeongju's king?"
"A king with not a single follower."
When Shim Jeong-hun pointed out that Jo Sun-do was a war criminal, not some ordinary offender, Jo Sun-do finally bristled at the lawyer's audacity, retorting as if no one could judge him. Shim Jeong-hun shot back sarcastically, rubbing his temples at the pain of dealing with someone still calling himself Gyeongju's king.
"So what? Anyone in Gyeongju stronger than me? That Jeong Dong-gun punk couldn't touch me head-on. Only that damn bitch Yu-na could stop me."
"You think you'll be declared innocent just 'cause you're a strong Awakener?"
"Damn right. In this era, Awakeners beat normals. That's common sense, yeah? The stronger the Awakener, the more sins get a pass. Ain't it a great world?"
But Jo Sun-do scoffed, demanding they name someone stronger in Gyeongju. It was a fact that even Jeong Dong-gun, the Cult's military officer, was realistically weaker. Ultimately, Yu-na—not Jeong Dong-gun—had subdued him, and excluding her, the average Cult member's strength fell short of Jo Sun-do's gang. So Jo Sun-do was convinced, factoring in the era and reality, that they wouldn't harshly punish a powerful Awakener like him.
"...Can't argue with that."
As a lawyer who knew that outside Gyeongju, even Awakener murders often got overlooked or acquitted, Shim Jeong-hun had no solid rebuttal. In peaceful times, Jo Sun-do deserved life imprisonment on the spot. But in this zombie apocalypse, punishing him was murky.
Holding a trial like this seemed a luxury—or perhaps a ploy to legally acquit him. Especially assigning a lawyer like himself to such a monster.
God, I hope I'm wrong.
The lawyer felt a chill as he entered the courtroom, packed with jurors, prosecutor Jeong Dong-gun, and spectators. Not just civilians—reporters paid to cover world news, hobbyist NerTube streamers broadcasting live, and Cult community posters updating current events were there too.
And the largest group...
"........."
Were Jo Sun-do's victims. Most had been called as witnesses, but with insufficient evidence, over half the gallery were those who couldn't testify. Considering those still bedridden, unfinished with treatment, the number awaiting the verdict was double this.
"What're those nasty stares? Eyes off, slaves."
Hah.
Jo Sun-do kept his cocky vibe as he took the defendant's seat. The lawyer swallowed hard under the barrage of hateful glares, following behind. Jo Sun-do's gang was already there, handcuffed and seated.
"What, that bitch Yu-na the judge?"
And finally, Yu-na took the judge's seat. The gallery and jurors were surprised yet unsurprised that she was presiding.
"This trial will not be conducted by me. It will be led by Bahamut himself."
A transparent mirror materialized before her in an instant, revealing a gentle dragon's visage within. Jeong Dong-gun bowed deeply upon seeing the dragon's face. Cult executives and South Gyeongju residents who'd beheld the dragon showed reverence without hesitation.
"What, that dragon's joinin' to judge me? Ha. Some show trial this is!"
Bluffing, huh.
Jo Sun-do responded as if amused, but the lawyer beside him saw through the bravado. He clung to his cocky front, but his face twisted in dismay, hands and feet trembling. He might've talked his way out of Yu-na or Cult brass, but with the dragon as judge? No chance.
"Silence. The trial begins now."
One word—"silence"—overwhelmed the room. Only Bahamut's declaration echoed in the hushed courtroom.
"The charges: murder, forced relocation, enforced disappearance, enslavement, child abduction, cannibalism, torture, prisoner execution, forced impregnation, destruction of towns and villages unjustifiable by military or civilian necessity."
Just hearing them made one's head ache. Each alone branded one history's greatest villain, yet this was one man's tally. Victims in the gallery ground their teeth, praying Jo Sun-do would face the dragon's stern judgment.
"And various other offenses. Does the defendant admit to these?"
"Hell no! This is cult judicial murder! Lynch-mob justice ignoring presumption of innocence!"
Bahamut noted more charges, and Jo Sun-do shouted denial before his lawyer could speak.
The lawyer sighed at his client's reckless outburst, letting him ramble. Showing up was loyalty enough, frankly.
"Silence. Speak through your counsel."
"This trial's invalid! I reject it! I'm Gyeongju's king! Who dares punish a king?!"
Bahamut urged quiet, but Jo Sun-do ignored it, yelling whatever he pleased. He refused the Cult's law and any right to punish him.
"Silence."
"Yeah, it's all a frame-up! I just did my Awakener duty! In this world, only Awakeners survive disasters! Weak normals gotta be Awakener footstools to live—that's obvious!"
Everything was a false accusation, not his fault. He'd merely fulfilled his Awakener duty, nothing punishable.
Bahamut said "silence" curtly, but Jo Sun-do's mouth ran on.
"What's wrong with that?! You're no different!"
As he claimed the Balhut Cult was just like him, the gallery couldn't hold back and started shouting.
"Si— No. Silence."
"...! ...!"
Bahamut finally cast Silence on Jo Sun-do. The man tried ranting to the crowd, but no words came. Forced mute, he glared murderously at Bahamut in the judge's seat.
"They say even Buddha's face is turned away after three times. Silence shall hold until the defendant calms. And..."
"...! ...! ...! ......!"
Bahamut declared it boldly, noting Jo Sun-do had disrespected the court first. In retaliation, Jo Sun-do pointed and mouthed off, but
"Pfft!"
Under Silence, it came out comically. The gallery burst into involuntary laughter, faces brightening with satisfaction.
But the trial had only just begun.
"Do the remaining defendants admit to the stated charges?"
With Jo Sun-do silenced, Bahamut turned to his gang.
"W-We just followed Jo Sun-do's orders!"
"Y-Yeah! It was all his fault! We only obeyed!"
"We weren't bad! Circumstances sucked, world's gone mad—we just followed the strong guy's orders!"
"Powerless as we were, how could we defy Jo Sun-do?!"
Predictably, no. Knowing admission meant harsh punishment, they desperately shifted blame to Jo Sun-do, claiming mere obedience to his tyranny.
But to the victim spectators, it was infuriating.
"I know all about it! Those bastards exploited us gleefully even without orders!"
"Even after the Cult's intensive healing, their abuse scars linger on me! Bad enough to show right now!"
"Innocent? Bullshit! That one's a rapist who violated my child!"
Gallery victims countered vehemently, some baring abuse scars, others showing smartphone evidence of atrocities.
"Shut up! Unawakened trash, butt out when Awakeners are talkin'!?"
As testimony turned against them, the defendants panicked, yelling at the gallery to shut it. Cult guards on standby and Bahamut's glaring presence prevented extremes, but everyone sensed this trial wouldn't end easily.