To Love You Again

"...The court find the jury's recommendation to impose death sentence is consistent with its verdict and based on the evidence presented..."

"The defendant has fourteen days from the issue to the mandate from the supreme court of our states affirming the sentence of death to elect death by means of electrocution imparted by law."

The courtroom suddenly erupted.

Fourteen days!

Ming Zhi Yi would be sentenced to death through an electrocution chair in fourteen days!

That was the fastest time window a person who received a death sentence ever had in history.

It seemed like the court, and the whole world wanted to kill Ming Zhi Yi the soonest they can.

Ming Zhi Yi who sat motionlessly slightly trembled.

His ears buzzed. The crowd's shock gasp was blurred to him. Only the judge's words remained in his head.

Fourteen days...

In exactly  two weeks, his impending death would arrive.

It was unbelievable. He felt like he was in a dream and none of it was happening. None of it felt true.

How could he, a man who planned ten steps ahead be cornered and have his life and death in the hands of others?

How did it happen?

Ming Zhi Yi's mind began to deny everything.

He must be dreaming! Right, it was just a nightmare!

Ming Zhi Yi's mind began to cramble.

'What's wrong, son? Are you going insane?'

A man's hand reached to his shoulder. The man's voice was cold and deep. When he stepped forward. Ming Zhi Yi could see his entire figure.

'But this is not the end.'

As usual, those eyes were cold and detached.

"Father..." Ming Zhi Yi murmured.

'Did I teach you to be weak and fragile? Look at those people-'

Ming Zhi Yi followed his father's words. He looked up and saw the audience's faces.

Their faces were astonished at first. Then relieved comes forward. Some even gloated.

'Look at them. They are gloating and looking at your pitiful state. Listen to their words-'

"Ming Zhi Yi got what he deserved. But isn't it too lacking? They should have let him live as a paralyzed person for a long time before executing him. After all, many lives have been lost because of him."

"Execution through electric chair is a good death for him. They should let the wild dogs eat him!"

"For a monster like him, a severe death punishment should be given."

"They should let the whole world watch how they electrocuted him!"

The people's angry shout were united. They all cheered for Ming Zhi Yi's death. They advised many ways to kill Ming Zhi Yi in the worst way possible.

'Did you hear their cheers? These people are desperately waiting for your death. I won't doubt that everyone here is watching you break and be filled with despair. Are you giving them what they want?'

Ming Zhi Yi dakly muttered, "No...."

'That's right. So don't show weakness. Even at the end.'

Ming Zhi Yi's crazed eyes started to chill.

Right. He would not be a coward in front of these people.

He raised his chin and faced the people's condemnation.

'Son, do you love me?' A woman's voice sounded behind Ming Zhi Yi. That cold arms hugged Ming Zhi Yi's neck.

'You have killed Lu Shan. But his grandchildren still lives. Look at that child-'

Ming Zhi Yi's cold eyes went to Lu Yin Ze.

Lu Yin Ze was looking back at him. His silver-blue eyes were shining with intense light. There was no fear or regret on his face.

'That pair of eyes....I hate them. I hate them so much that I want to gouge them out. You hate them too, right?'

"...I do."

'Then, if you can't gouge them out don't let it be lit up with life! Let it be filled with despair! With anguish! Sorrow! Hate!'

Ming Zhi Yi stared at Lu Yin Ze.

His mother's words on his ear let his cold face broke out a chilling smile. It was the smile he wore when he killed Old Lu.

Lu Yin Ze stiffened. But then, the people beside him held his hand and give him support. This made Lu Yin Ze recovered and stare back at him with newfound determination.

Ming Zhi Yi's eyes turned dark.

Intense anguish was filling his heart.

...

The judge let the crowd be immersed in their own feelings.

He waited for a few minutes. When the audience started to calm down, the judge spoke once more.

"I have one final thing to say to you Mr. Ming Zhi Yi."

The whole room turned silent. Their eyes went back to the judge then to the motionless man.

"There will be no corporal law redemption for you. You will remain incarcerated until the day of your death is scheduled to occur. In these fourteen days, I sincerely hope you will find your own redemption within yourself. It might be too late for you, but it's not too late to reflect on your wrongdoings and to ask God for your own forgiveness. "

Ming Zhi Yi's hand remained fisted.

Then in everyone's shock, he suddenly laughed.

"Ha! Ha ha ha!"

Everyone looked at him with wide eyes.

What was this madman laughing about?

The people looked at each other.

Did Ming Zhi Yi become insane?

Ming Zhi Yi laughed for a couple of minutes. Tears of laughter even formed in his eyes.

"Redemption? Why would I ask for forgiveness and redemption? I don't regret anything I have done."

The people in the courtroom were silent. Then, they erupted!

"Demon! How could you say those things to the family's victim!"

"A devil in human's clothing! He is worst than any terrorist!"

"He is insane. The court should not give him an easy death."

The family's victim who was inside the court could not help it anymore. Ming Zhi Yi's mocking smile made them erupt in rage. They rushed forward toward Ming Zhi Yi, wanting to tear him to pieces. If the police haven't stepped in time, Ming Zhi Yi would have fallen into countless hands.

"Let me punch him! Are you protecting that demon!"

"He should be burned to death!"

The police also halted. They too wanted to have a piece of meat to roast this monster.

The judge was stunned as he watched the courtroom be plunged into chaos.

Ming Zhi Yi haven't spoken in four days, but once he did, he turned the whole place over!

The judge banged his gravel a few times.

"Order! Order in the court!"

The police finally moved and separated the people from Ming Zhi Yi.

Although Ming Zhi Yi had been protected, there were still scratches on his face. His hair was in a disarray and some of his clothes were torn.

It took a while before the chaos in the room went still.

The heirs at the side had dark faces. They did not join the crowd's melee and just watched there with cold eyes. But their hearts were cold.

Until the end, Ming Zhi Yi did not accept defeat nor regret it a bit. He surely belonged to hell.

Old Xiong and Mistress Tang who was burning in anger slightly calm down when they saw Ming Zhi Yi's sorry figure. There doesn't a need to raise their hands, the people would do it for them.

The judge looked at the motionless Ming Zhi Yi. He sighed.

As a person who gives verdicts on people's life and death, he doesn't see people in black and white. This made him sympathetic towards life itself.

A man was originally born like a blank paper. Their experience, deeds, and decisions made them who they were. It's up to them how they would write their own biography.

Although there were a number of people that were blackened to the point of no redemption, as they were nature was to kill and destroy, the judge had seen people worst than this Ming Zhi Yi.

He could tell the degree of a person's blackness through someone's eyes.

Ming Zhi Yi's eyes, however, might be the eyes of a cold killer, but something in those eyes that the judge could not help but sympathize with. It was like this man doesn't know what emotions was truly for.

But what's the use? This man's only redemption was death.

He hoped that in fourteen days, this man would come around. Although forgiving him was too much, even regretting it a bit would be a form of peace.

The judge used his hammer and loudly declared, "This trial is adjourned."