After my innocence was proven, I approached the judge and leaned close, whispering into his ear.
"Listen carefully. If news reaches you that the lawyer and the witness are dead… then know this: there is a system behind the child abductions."
The judge stared at me, shock flooding his eyes.
"You're a monster."
I smiled faintly.
"Thank you. But before anything else… I would like to file a compensation claim."
"Compensation?" he asked. "For what?"
"Defamation. He accused me falsely—and even brought a lawyer to support the lie."
The judge crossed his arms.
"So who exactly are you filing the case against?"
"The lawyer… and his witness."
He studied me for a moment.
"Will you demand blood money in exchange for withdrawing the charges?"
I shook my head.
"I don't need evidence. I want you to deliver the ruling yourself. Say this: either ten years in prison for each of them… or a payment of ten million."
The judge narrowed his eyes.
"You're betting they'll pay?"
"Yes," I replied calmly. "And I'm betting heavily."
The judge struck the gavel.
"Order in the court. We have another case. Everyone return to your seats."
The courtroom fell silent as people moved back to their places.
"This case has been filed against the prosecutor and his witness," the judge continued.
"The charge: defamation."
I stepped forward and addressed the room.
"Welcome back, everyone. I'm the one who filed the case. Since the moment I entered this courtroom, I've been wearing hospital clothes and sitting here in chains… yet I still won the trial. Now all I ask is that you listen to what the judge is about to say."
The judge slammed the gavel again.
"You will speak only when I allow it."
The expressions on the lawyer and his witness were almost comical—fear, tension, and dread etched into their faces.
I pretended to cry.
"I was falsely accused!" I shouted.
"Where is this justice you all speak of?"
The judge spoke coldly.
"There is no need for evidence in this matter. We will proceed directly to the ruling."
The entire courtroom held its breath.
"All right," the judge said.
"Listen carefully, lawyer… and you as well, witness. After reviewing the evidence—namely the previous hearing—it is clear that both of you lied.
Your sentence is as follows:
Either ten years in prison… or a payment of ten million.
What is your decision?"
The witness spoke first.
"We will pay."
The judge smiled slightly and looked at me.
"Did you read between the lines?"
I shrugged.
"There were no lines to read between. They were an open book."
The judge struck the gavel once.
Then twice.
"The court has ruled that both the witness and the lawyer must pay compensation in the amount of ten million. The payment must be delivered within two days."
He struck the gavel a third time.
"Court dismissed."
---
The judge called me over to receive the compensation documents.
As I walked toward him, the doctor's words resurfaced in my mind.
Nino is my sister… but from another father.
Does that mean…
my father is the dead one?
Questions piled up inside my head until I was walking without even knowing where I was going.
The judge grabbed my arm.
"First, your restraints will be removed.
Second, you don't need to go anywhere else. Return home. The money will be delivered directly to your house."
I nodded and left.
I changed clothes and got into the police car.
Once we drove away from the courthouse, the officer removed my cuffs. He was cheerful—smiling, talking casually.
He asked questions.
I answered.
We talked like ordinary people.
Then suddenly—
A truck slammed into us from the driver's side.
The car flipped.
Once.
Twice.
Seven times.
My head throbbed violently. I touched it and felt blood running down.
Luckily… I had been sitting in the back.
I looked toward the officer.
He was dead.
I took his gun and slipped it into my pocket.
But his corpse had collapsed on top of me. I could barely breathe. His blood soaked my clothes.
I tried to crawl out—
Then another truck rammed the wreckage.
Everything went black.
---
When I woke up, I was somewhere strange.
Dark.
Oppressive.
I tried to stand—but I was tied to a chair. Something like straw covered my head.
I spoke quietly.
"Wait… didn't I die?"
I looked around.
Nothing.
Only the irritating itch of the straw.
I sighed.
"What a cheap trick."
A strange voice answered.
"Oh… looks like you're awake. How was your nap?"
"It was better than expected," I replied calmly.
"But it would've been even better if I had slept in your mother's bed."
He punched me.
"You really enjoy jokes, don't you?"
"Who doesn't?" I spat blood. "Your mother?"
Another punch.
He grabbed my hair and forced my head up.
"If you speak again… I'll kill you."
"Oh, I'm terrified," I said coldly.
"Go ahead and try. You can't kill me. You're just a pawn on the board.
Or did you finally decide I'd be a good match for your mother?"
He roared in anger.
"I warned you."
Then he beat me until darkness swallowed me again.
---
When I woke up once more, I muttered:
"Ah… I'm still here. I was hoping to return to your mother's bed."
Suddenly someone shouted—stopping the man from hitting me again.
"So," I said lazily, "did you get tired of me after losing the case? Are you here to take your money back?"
A calm voice answered.
"We didn't expect what you did in court. But your performance… it was impressive. If you were an actor, you'd win an Oscar easily."
I chuckled.
"Don't flatter me. But I'll tell you something."
"What is it?" the man asked.
"Did you mark our location? Hide a tracking device in your body?"
"That's actually a great idea," I said.
"Too bad I didn't think of it.
Are you really that afraid of me?"
Another voice spoke—new and unfamiliar.
"Yes. You're not called Saka's disciple for nothing.
After the trial… your bounty rose to eleven million."
I smiled.
"Oh. A new voice—and a valuable piece of information.
Thank you for the chatter.
But let me give you something in return."
A gunshot echoed.
"Well," I said calmly, "it seems you killed the man who told me about my bounty. But that doesn't matter.
Here's the secret:
I'm not Saka's disciple.
I never trained under him.
And there's someone I met once… a man named Tai.
Would you like me to explain him to you?"
Silence filled the room.
Then someone said coldly:
"Listen. Your tricks won't work on us."
"I'm not playing tricks," I replied.
"I'm telling the truth. I don't know this Saka you're talking about.
Yes, my name is Tai… but I ran from that case because I'm not the Tai you're hunting."
After those words, someone stepped forward.
A woman.
She pulled the cover from my head and stared at me.
"You… are quite handsome."
"Thank you for the information," I said flatly.
"But I'm not interested in prostitutes."
She slapped me hard.
"You dare call me a prostitute? Look around you. You're in my hands."
I smiled slowly.
"I never said you were a prostitute.
I said I'm not interested in prostitutes.
You're the one who slapped me… which proves the point.
And I'm not in your hands.
I'm free.
And I can prove it."
End of Chapter 29