It was barely nine in the morning, yet a crowd had already gathered outside the courthouse. Suited thugs and hooded goons lingered in twos and threes, while plainclothes detectives kept watch at the gate. Reporters hovered too — the whole of Gotham seemed to be paying attention.
Jill waved them over. "This way."
Lin Chen noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "You haven't slept, have you?"
Jill glanced at the hands Lin Chen and Harley held and felt put out. Lin Chen reached out, tapped her chin, and the Xuanmen purification technique brushed away her fatigue. Jill straightened up, feeling immediately refreshed.
Detectives and gangsters nearby whispered among themselves.
"Who's that handsome young man?"
"That detective actually does the job. Last time some pervert hassled her and she barely recovered."
"Look — he's brought a girl with him. Stunning."
"If I had that face… things would be different." Someone envied openly.
"Don't you know him? He's the diviner who reads fortunes." "Him? Boss Kane was counted by him."
Lin Chen leaned close to Harley and Jill. "Looks like you two have made a lot of enemies for me."
Harley smirked. "Who told you to steal the bureau's most beautiful cop?"
Jill rolled her eyes. "Harley, maybe he hasn't succeeded yet."
Lin Chen's eyebrow quirked. "Not yet? So you mean… you're close?"
He laughed and the three moved inside. Envious gazes followed them all the way.
In the corridor they were greeted by Harvey Dent and a woman.
"Master Lin, thank you for coming," Harvey said with effusive courtesy.
"I came because Jill asked," Lin Chen replied, looking at Jill. She shot him an exasperated look, but smiled — she liked his answer.
Harvey cleared his throat and introduced the woman at his side. "This is my assistant prosecutor, Rachel."
Lin Chen smiled. "Miss Rachel — Gotham's crime nemesis."
"I watched your livestream," Rachel said pleasantly. "I didn't expect the real person to be handsomer."
Lin Chen inwardly rolled his eyes. He wasn't a fan of Rachel's officious air and shadowed skin. Not my type, he thought. Batman didn't pursue her; she should count herself lucky.
"Master!" A lively voice interrupted from behind. Bruce Wayne, smartly dressed, walked over.
"Wayne, nice to meet you," Lin Chen said, standing.
Bruce smiled. "I didn't expect the Taoist to know me. I'm a fan of your livestreams."
"The God of Wealth of Gotham, the biggest diamond baron — can't say I don't know you," Lin Chen joked.
Wayne turned to Harley. "Miss Quinn, you're prettier in person."
"Detective Jill, you're heroic," he added with a nod.
Lin Chen grinned and quipped in Bruce's ear, "Hush — that face of yours looks familiar. I can't quite place it."
Bruce blinked, taken aback but composed. "I'm just the public face," he murmured.
Dent piped up. "Master Lin, you're so good at fortune-telling — do a reading for Bruce."
Rachel quickly pulled Bruce aside. "It's nearly time. Let's go in."
Bruce gave her a grateful look and she returned it with a bright wink. Dent watched them and thought: Should I get a private reading too?
Dent and Rachel moved ahead to prepare documents. Wayne lingered. Lin Chen plopped onto Bruce Wayne's shoulder and teased, "Your taste is bad — she could be your aunt."
Bruce half-whispered back, smiling: "She's an old flame. I'm used to it."
Kane and his lawyer filed into the court. Kane fixed Lin Chen with a glare and made a pistol gesture at him toward Harley and Jill. Lin Chen simply returned the smile.
Harley hissed to Jill, "Sister Jill — watch him. He's smiling like a pro. Spooky!"
"This is it," Jill breathed. "Kane's luck is run out."
Jill and Lin Chen went off to a separate witness room to prep.
"You finally in a room alone with me — happy?" Jill teased as they settled.
Lin Chen pretended to be offended. "You police tyrant — I'm under surveillance."
"You can come here without surveillance?" she shot back.
They fell quiet for a moment. Jill then softened. "Your new place is really nice."
Lin Chen offered, "I reserved a room for you. Move in once you're settled."
Touched, Jill murmured, "Really… thank you."
An hour later, Jill was taken away to testify. Fifteen minutes after that, Lin Chen's turn came. He rose, strolled to the witness stand, and scanned the courtroom.
Dent and Rachel looked strained. Kane and his lawyer were flushed — something wasn't right.
The judge said, "Defense, call your witness."
An elderly white-haired lawyer stepped forward and began, "Witness Lin Chen, how did you find Tina's body?"
Lin Chen answered simply, "By calculation."
The old lawyer scoffed theatrically. "Calculation? You mean fortune-telling?"
Laughter rippled through the courtroom. The old man sneered as if this was a joke.
"Excuse me, Taoist — do you believe in fortune-telling?" he asked, mocking.
"I don't just believe — I practice it," Lin Chen replied evenly.
"So you expect the court to accept your fortune-telling as testimony?" the lawyer pressed. "The detectives relied on your reading to find Tina. Without you, there's no case. Surely you can see how absurd that is."
He addressed the jury, theatrical and patronizing. "Ladies and gentlemen, fortune-telling is nonsense. You can't base criminal procedure on it!"
The courtroom murmured, some persuaded.
The lawyer turned back to Lin Chen. "If you insist your testimony is valid, then prove it."
Lin Chen's expression grew serious. He nodded and said, "I have no objection."
A cold hush fell. Even Harley in the gallery was covering her mouth to stifle a laugh. The old lawyer angrily cleared his throat and began to argue the impossibility of occult methods serving as legal proof — but Lin Chen simply sat, calm and unruffled, ready to answer.
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(End of Chapter)