Deep within the Divine Realm, in the dimension where the "Soul Court" resides.
The Scale of Causality, the symbol of absolute justice, was currently vibrating with unprecedented intensity.
The silver-like beam hummed violently, and the hanging pans swung erratically. Blinding light and chaotic energy surged like a tide, only to snap into a sudden, dead stillness as the energy contracted.
In the next heartbeat, the entire scale was erased as if by an invisible hand, dissolving into golden specks amidst the mist, leaving only lingering ripples of energy in the void.
Amidst the ruins stood Lawyer Hans, hands tucked behind his back. Beneath his feet lay the wreckage of a courtroom that once symbolized the arrogance of the human elite; the air was still thick with the scorched scent of collapsed data.
Lacking an assistant, Hans was currently being tormented—driven to his wits' end by a mountain of "criminal" dossiers.
At that moment, seeing his "direct superior" effectively "skipping work" right in front of him, Hans's brow furrowed.
His eyes, usually dancing with a hint of playfulness and insight, flashed with a trace of gravity. He adjusted his monocle and grumbled inwardly:
As an elite "worker", he knew well that if the "Boss" took the lead in cutting class, where would the subordinates find their motivation?
Since the supervisor was playing hooky, he, as the lawyer, naturally had an "obligation" to remind the higher-ups.
Instantly, the scrolls in his hands receded like a tide, vanishing into nothingness. With the red and green nebula swirling upon his forehead, he carefully sent his will toward the center of the Divine Realm.
He gauged his tone perfectly—three parts urgent, seven parts innocent: "My Great Beast God, the 'Scale' has suddenly vanished. It shook violently before departing; it seems... something has happened."
This was a required course for any lawyer—even if your heart is planning a vacation, your face must act out the drama of caring for the boss.
After a long silence, a grand, multicolored divine light descended.
"Ignore it. I've assigned it another task. When the matter is concluded, it shall return."
"I obey the divine decree," Hans bowed deeply.
Taking advantage of the lingering light, he quickly donned a "submissive" workplace expression, even rubbing his weary temples to look as though his workload was reaching a breaking point:
"My Great Beast God, the karma of this Court is tangled and complex. Hans is but one man; I fear it will be difficult to fulfill the mission of judgment on schedule..."
The light vibrated slightly, emitting a cold, concise syllable that landed like a heavy hammer: "Speak."
Suppressing his inner excitement, he finally threw out his true objective. "Hans humbly prays for your grace—could you dispatch a few 'Ablators' to follow my orders?"
"When the affair of the Qinghong is settled, 'they' shall arrive."
The light dissipated; the divine will receded.
Hans hurriedly lowered his head to see the deity off. "Hans understands. Thank you for your grace, The Great One. I am eternally grateful."
Meanwhile, in another dark and sunless dimension, there was no sky and no earth. Only countless towering black stone pillars, like the ribs of a giant beast, propped up this realm of deathly silence.
Bì'àn (Law Keeper), the divine beast renowned for being upright, selfless, and clear-headed, sat perched atop the thickest stone pillar.
Its form resembled a tiger, yet it possessed a majesty and ferocity far beyond any beast, the single horn on its brow shimmering with a cold chill.
Its nostrils flared slightly, as if it could smell the sour stench of rotting souls drifting on the void's breeze. Though silent, it was like a massive guillotine poised to strike.
On the stone platform before it lay a vast, blank parchment. Invisible ink traced the outlines of a courtroom, but it lacked the core legal articles, leaving it hollow and solemn.
After a slight ripple in space, Dìtīng (Divine Listener) appeared quietly beneath the pillar.
It was snow-white, resembling a hound but bearing a single horn. Its agile ears seemed capable of catching every faint murmur from across the myriad worlds.
"To think you would be the one in charge here. I thought Suānní (Incense Guardian) would come."
Divine Listener looked up and lightly tossed a scroll emitting a soft golden light onto the stone platform.
"This is the reformed Code, integrated with the laws of this world, along with the necessary items."
The golden scripture unfurled in mid-air. Countless sacred characters leaped like living things, eventually merging into the parchment.
These were not the primitive "eye for an eye" laws of old, but complex statutes specifically tailored for the "Grey Evils"—those hidden in daily life that erode the foundations of society over many years.
"Incense Guardian's nature is too merciful; he is not suited for this place," Law Keeper's voice was deep as thunder, devoid of emotion.
Divine Listener nodded in agreement. "True. After all, The Great One regards the 'Court of Causality' with great importance."
Suddenly, Divine Listener's ears twitched, seemingly catching a distant message. It gave a slight nod of farewell to Law Keeper. "Those tedious grey evils... I leave them to you."
With those words, Divine Listener vanished into the void.
Law Keeper lowered its head, using a massive claw—one capable of crushing stars—to gently stroke the golden scripture.
As the words embedded themselves into the blueprint one by one, the entire space began to shake violently.
In an instant, buildings rose from the ground—heavy desks, the gavel of judgment, the witness stand, the dock... everything became whole in a heartbeat.
This was no longer a simple slaughterhouse; it was a true Sanctuary of Soul Judgment.
Inside the deep eyes of Law Keeper, the cold light grew sharper.
It was waiting.
Waiting for those petty evildoers who thought they could escape the law of "an eye for an eye," ready to drag out the "sins" hidden beneath their masks one by one.
In truth, Law Keeper felt that Beast God knew in Her heart that this was far from enough. Mere punishment and fear might temporarily curb evil acts, but they could not fundamentally alter the trajectory of the human soul.
What She needed was not just a high-and-mighty judge, nor just a divine beast to enforce rules.
She needed a Guide. A Guide who truly understood the "Light of Humanity".
This Guide had to have experienced human suffering personally, witnessed the ugliness of human nature, and yet remained steadfast in kindness amidst the darkness.
They had to understand the power of forgiveness yet recognize the importance of boundaries; they had to empathize with humans while transcending human limitations, leading those souls still capable of redemption toward a new path of harmony with nature and all living things from a macro perspective.
Only then would the majesty of Beast God descend upon every forgotten corner.
The reckoning had only just begun.
Meanwhile, space flickered within the Soul Court as the mysteriously vanished Scale returned.
Seeing this, Lawyer Hans quickly abandoned his bored posture. He stood up, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply—all in one fluid motion.
However, the returning Scale was clearly not in a good mood. Don't ask why; call it a "worker's intuition".
The moment it touched down, it teleported in front of Hans. Without a word, the left scale pan whistled downward!
"CLANG—!"
The heavy pan slammed precisely onto Hans's forehead, leaving him dazed. His eyes went wide as he clutched the rapidly swelling bump on the right side of his head, shouting in disbelief, "My Lord, why—"
Before he could finish, the right scale pan followed suit. "WHACK!" It clipped the other side of his forehead.
Now, he was perfectly symmetrical.
The Scale swayed playfully in the air, seemingly satisfied with the two even "lumps" it had created, before drifting away unhurriedly. Before vanishing, it left a line of burning characters in the void:
[ I can hear the thoughts of all beings ]
Hans stared at the fading words, his hand frozen mid-air as he rubbed his head. His heart sank instantly.
He understood everything. This boss wasn't just hot-tempered; it was a "Mind Reader" with built-in radar.
For a lawyer who made a living through rhetoric, disguises, and psychological games, this superior was his predestined nemesis.
He sighed, tears wanting to fall but none coming, and resignedly began processing the next dossier.
This time, he didn't even dare to complain in his head.
Amidst the swirling mists of the Divine Realm, upon a high terrace constructed of moonlight and stardust, Beast God watched this comical scene through layers of water mirrors.
A rare, faint smile actually flickered across Her cold lips.
"Divine Listener seems to have become quite cheerful."
The nearby Nightmare Beast heard this and grumbled wildly in its heart:
Cheerful? In tens of millions of years, who in the myriad worlds has dared to say "no" to that elder? This human is essentially tap-dancing in a minefield; he's not far from death.
However, seeing Beast God's interested expression—as if She had found a novel toy—the Nightmare Beast wisely kept its mouth shut.
It shook its head and stood dutifully with its head bowed. Its form was illusory, composed of flowing shadows, save for its eyes which flickered with a faint, soul-piercing light.
Before it hovered a scroll woven from nightmare silk, densely packed with names.
Every name emitted an unsettling black aura—these were the humans who, even after experiencing ultimate pain and terror in the Dream Trials, still chose to cling to their evil thoughts or even doubled down on their wickedness.
Their names twisted and writhed on the list like venomous snakes unwilling to be bound.
"The Great One," the Nightmare Beast's voice sounded like night wind brushing over dry leaves, carrying a trace of cold fatigue. "This is the list of the 'unrepentant' from the Dream Trials."
Yet, Beast God, seated upon the high terrace, did not look down at the heavy blacklist.
Her gaze pierced through the barriers of the Divine Realm, crossed the sea of stars, and landed directly on the Blue Planet—that blue world soaked in scars and tears.
Her vision seemed to penetrate the surface, reaching the deepest abyss of the planet's core.
There lay not only geological darkness but the dormant, massive crises and deeper malice accumulated by human civilization—yet to explode.