ATAPOW Chapter 85
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Chapter 85: Remove the mask?
“Since all of you complied with the decision made by the tribunal court…Men, push the guillotine up here!”
“Hey! Stop! All of you, stop for a moment!” A voice suddenly resounded out, giving the announcer a fright.
He saw a man wrapped up in armor, looking like a tin can standing before the tribunal court’s table while making a time-out gesture.
Once his voice had echoed outwards, everyone’s gazes converged on Ji Bai.
Lan Yu, who had been indifferently sampling his red wine, imperceptibly furrowed his brows. He wasn’t sure what the clown was up to.
The other two knights on the tribunal court had a clear discontent expression written on their faces. In their eyes, the proceedings of this trial were just going through ‘formalities’. By its very nature, there were no grounds that allowed the defendants to defend themselves and it would only be a waste of time if this were to continue on. In other words, this iron-clad weirdo was just here to cause a ruckus.
Ji Yue calmly flipped the booklet in her hands and continued to maintain an appearance as if she were uninterested in anything else.
Below, the death convicts who had already lost all hope lifted their heads up in astonishment.
“Do you have any other insights that you wish to offer, fellow comrade of the tribunal court?” The announcer who was interrupted in his reading had a trace of impatience in his voice.
“Say, isn’t it too quick to sentence them to execution just like that? Don’t you think so? Even if the outcome itself has already been decided, it should still require some time to directly go through the processes themselves, right?
“—Please pay attention to your words! What do you mean by it’s ‘already’ decided?! Such a thing doesn’t exist, alright? You can’t wantonly stir up a ruckus out of nowhere! Now that the evidence is conclusive and the culprits have been caught red-handed, it’s natural that they are to be beheaded immediately!” The announcer spoke in a forceful and just tone.
“Ha…. since all of you have already determined their crimes, what’s the point of having us here? Is the tribunal court something you can ask people to come and go as you wish? Are you telling me that the reason we’ve made our way from afar was just to witness this charade?”
“They’ve already admitted their guilt!”
“Admitted your mom!” Ji Bai spat a mouthful of phlegm and stomped his foot on the table.
“How… How… dare you say such a vulgar word in court!” The announcer could feel his blood pressure surging upwards as he pointed his shaking finger at Ji Bai.
“Have the death convicts below opened their mouths and said anything? I’m afraid you must have heard them in your dreams then? As for me, I can only see you standing at the same spot, babbling to yourself like a clown. Does one no longer have to abide by the court of law when smearing an innocent man’s name?” Ji Bai disdainfully curled his lips.
“I… I…”
“Bale, allow this sire to continue on with his speech.” Lan Yu waved his hand to gesture the announcing official to stand down. He then calmly looked towards Ji Bai who was standing on the side of the tribunal court.
“You’re the section head of the Radiant Knights stationed in Border Town, right? I think there are some issues with you.” Ji Bai narrowed his eyes.
“Oh? Can sire kindly point out the errors that this humble self had made?” Lan Yu spoke with a serene demeanor.
“Heh heh! There’s definitely a problem! Look at your table, do you see what’s on it? Shelled peanuts, melon seeds, bananas, pineapples, cakes, desserts, every variety of food is on it! You don’t look like you’re here to listen to a case, but rather, almost like you’re hosting a party or banquet.
“Look at our end! What is this over here? Apart from a piece of red cloth, there’s only a sheet of lacquer left. Since everyone is present to hear a case, why do you have to pretend like you’re some sort of big shot? Your manners resemble the style of a corrupt bureaucrat while your actions are an open deviation from the 32 guiding principles outlined in the temple association’s eight major decision policies!” Ji Bai exclaimed righteously while his leg was still on the table.
“…I’ve been negligent with my considerations. What does your distinguished self think I should do?
“Give me a table of that!”
“…Bale, serve one of every dessert and fruits on the table to the members of the tribunal court,” Lan Yu commanded.
“Understood.”
After a short moment, several servants carrying platters filled with desserts and fruits walked up to them.
“Mhm… Your attitude can still be considered sincere. I’ll let you off this time.” Ji Bai nodded his head. He then moved his legs downwards and sat down in an upright position.
“Munch, munch, munch…” A pair of hands which were encased in plated gauntlets reached into the plates of food as if in a hurry, it then recklessly stuffed down all kinds of desserts and fruits into the seams of its owner’s helmet.
Although how Ji Bai managed to swallow it all down was an unsolvable mystery, this way of eating was once his habit. He had to learn such a secretive and unique skill as he didn’t wish for anyone to learn of his true identity.
As they were watching below the stage, tears streamed down the frontline knights’ faces and Landi became silent.1
“Tch, tch… How vulgar, the table manners of this village bumpkin is truly unsightly. Munch, don’t you think so? (Takes a banana)” The lofty knight at the same table was criticizing and denouncing Ji Bai’s rude behaviour, all the while marvelling the fragrance of the banana and desserts in his hands.
The other knight’s face was filled with helplessness as he looked at his colleagues who were disgracing them in public. In his heart, he was wondering why his colleague had followed that moron in his foolish act. Now that the two of them were acting this way in front of the watchful eyes of the masses, the missus and the temple association were going to be humiliated as well.
As someone who had stayed out of the matter throughout the whole ordeal, Ji Yue shot a faint glance at Ji Bai who was currently displaying his unique table manners. While she did so, a trace of undulations flashed behind her tranquil eyes.
“Esteemed section head, this…”
“There’s no need to hurry.” Lan Yu indifferently looked at Ji Bai who was currently pouring tea down his helmet. He couldn’t figure out whether this guy was truly a fool or just pretending to be one.
“Now that my fellow cleric members have eaten and drunk to your fill, I wonder if we can begin to hear the case now?” Lan Yu opened his mouth and asked this question.
“Exactly! My commander has to deal with a bundle of problems every day, so don’t waste his time!” The announcer who was standing at the side echoed Lan Yu’s sentiment as well.
“Mhm, not bad! The taste of this dessert is truly old school…” Ji Bai asked a maid nearby for a paper towel and wiped the butter off his armor.
“Alright, since Section Head Lan Yu requested to continue, you should hurry up and release them, all of us can respectively part ways and go back to our homes. Let’s not hold things up any longer than it should be, alright?”
“…” The whole crowd turned silent.
“Missus, this…” The knight looked at Ji Bai, who was still playing a fool and causing a ruckus. He couldn’t help but knit his brows.
Ji Yue opened her mouth, “Let him continue.” Even though her voice wasn’t loud, everyone present was able to hear it.
“…Yes.”
“May I ask what do you mean by that, sir knight? Even though you can eat any food you desire, you’re not allowed to say whatever you want… Can I interpret your act of openly exonerating the sinners as you being their accomplices?” The tip of Lan Yu’s brows were squeezed together as a trace of impatience was suffused in his speech.
“Eh? From the tone of Section Head Lan Yu’s voice, you seem to have acted on your own initiative to convict them of a crime, despite the fact that this tribunal court had only been convened for a short amount of time and our chairs are still cold from the lack of body heat.”
“Mister, can I ask you to stop being so unreasonable?! As a member of the tribunal court, you’ve actually covered yourself up while refusing to allow others to see your face. The way I see it, that there must be some sort of unspeakable secret on your body, right? As a knight, one must pay attention to their conduct while doing things in an open and aboveboard manner. Do you dare take your mask down and speak properly? It might be possible that everyone might recognize that mug of yours, haha…”
At that instant, lively discussions began breaking out between the audience below the stage.