Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
This trick by Wada Nakamasa was very useful, and it could be said to have directly attacked Zhong Dian website’s vitals!
As long as they did something about the thing that was the easiest for the other party to make an issue of, everything that followed would naturally not be difficult!
As expected, after hearing what the examiner had said, the jurors at both sides, as well as the 20,000 and more audiences present, instantly became confused.
Was Zhong Dian website making false accusations? Or was it true that Feng Yun website had committed acts of piracy? However, nevertheless, currently if Zhong Dian website couldn’t produce any more evidence, this trial would be considered a failure, and it was very possible that the other party would hit back!
Wada Nakamasa’s move made Zhong Dian website, which initially had the upper hand, instantly fall to rock bottom. Even if the lawsuit this time was a failure, the netizens would think that Feng Yun website was just following the trend. But after all, that kind of effect would be more than ten times weaker than them committing piracy!
“This became hard to handle now!” Hong Weiguo, who was sitting amongst the jurors, frowned seriously and said, “So it was all an act when they previously behaved so frightened and skeptically! Looks like there’s something wrong with this, ruthless!”
“Yes,” Mu Tie rubbed his temples and said, “I didn’t expect that they’d make their move so quickly. Now our only evidence already doesn’t have any effects, then what should we do next?”
“Difficult!” Liu Yihui helplessly shook his head. “Even if we know that they did something with the team of examiners, we don’t have evidence. Too difficult!”
Everyone at the jury side shook their heads and sighed in their hearts. The authors seated below were indignant. “So if it isn’t 60% it isn’t counted as piracy and copyright infringement? Then, is 59% counted? If there’s no problem with this, then in the future, does it mean that I can directly copy from others as long as it doesn’t exceed 60%?”
“Yes, sigh, but there is indeed nothing much that can be done about this, that’s the regulation of the law, isn’t it?”
“But it can’t be too much less than this. This time, if Young Master can’t win, it’ll spell trouble!”
Wada Nakamasa used his trump card to make Zhong Dian website almost break down, and the price that he paid for that was only about 10 million—moreover, they could launch their counterattack against Zhong Dian website!
“Silence!” Upon seeing that the scene was going out of control, the judge firmly pounded on the table. “Everyone, silence please!”
With the assistance of the judicial police, after more than 10 minutes, they finally resumed control over the entire courtroom. However, though listeners who were more familiar with online novels had been asked to tone down, many listeners who didn’t understand the truth, and coupled with the instigation of the Internet Water Army, were unable to keep silent.
“I knew that Zhong Dian website would definitely make false accusations! These few days, Feng Yun website has been doing so well, so they’re scared of it!”
“It’s possible. By maliciously accusing a company in the same industry, this time, their reputation will definitely plunge badly!”
“Yes, this time it’s really difficult to handle. Look at Zhong Dian website’s lawyer, he’s already starting to sweat.”
“He has a guilty conscience.”
Now that the focus had been instantly diverted elsewhere, Feng Yun website’s lawyer behaved as if he were a big general that had returned with victory, as he gleefully laughed loudly and said, “Your Honor, I wonder whether Zhong Dian website has any other evidence?”
Once the judge on the rostrum heard this, he hesitated for a while, then looked at Zhong Dian’s side. “Plaintiff, do you have any other evidence?”
Zhong Dian website’s lawyer thought carefully for a while, then slowly shook his head and said, “Your Honor, I request for the court to be adjourned.”
“Hahaha! Adjourned? You maliciously accused us, and now that you can’t produce evidence, you want the court to be adjourned?” Feng Yun website’s lawyer sniggered and said, “OK, sure. Your Honor, then let’s adjourn first! I’d like to see how they plan to frame us further!”
Now that both parties had agreed, the judge instantly pounded his gavel. “Court adjourned!”
Once the gavel was pounded, the entire court went into chaos!
Zhong Dian website’s lawyer walked back with his forehead brimming with sweat and helplessly said, “Things are hard to deal with now. There is insufficient evidence about the source code. Though there’s no problem with our source code, the examiner side said that a part of it’s a public source code and can’t be used as evidence. Now that it doesn’t reach the minimum of 60%, nothing can be done in this aspect.”
“Lawyer, for the examiner team side, is it possible that there’s a problem?” Hong Weiguo carefully thought for a while, then he frowned and said, “I’ve asked the technical department. The level of similarity of our source code and theirs has already exceeded 64%. Even if it contains public source code, it wouldn’t be 5% and above, right?”
“This is very hard to determine.” The lawyer shook his head. “In normal circumstances, there wouldn’t be so many public source codes. But the problem is, we know about it, but the judge doesn’t. Moreover, if there’s another trial, it would be too rushed and there wouldn’t be enough time. Young Master Dali’s deadline for the bet is almost here.”
“The other party has grasped hold of the timing very accurately.” Mu Tie sighed. “Now, even if we demand a retrial, if they need to examine in detail all the source code in the software and then analyze whether it contains public source code, it would take four or five days. The team of examiners can just claim that it was a mistake in their part and it wouldn’t be a big problem, but by then, we’d already have lost our bet.”
“Difficult!” Liu Yihui sighed. “This sly old fox Shiroishi Kazuma has definitely bribed the team of examiners. They only need to increase the ratio of the public source codes by one or two percent and that’d do, they’re really fast in doing so!”
“Yes, but the problem is that we don’t have evidence.” Hong Weiguo dispiritedly said, “Forget it, don’t think too much about it. Now the biggest problem is, what should we do next?”
The lawyer thought for a while and said, “If there really isn’t any other solutions, we can only request a retrial. We can just take it slower. Anyway, we don’t have any other choice.”
“Seems like we can only do it this way.”
…
“Mr. Wada, next up, should we…” The lawyer stealthily asked Toyoda Conglomerate’s chief lawyer, Wada Nakamasa. “Next up, should we sue them for malicious accusation?”
“OK.” Wada Nakamasa insipidly nodded, then closed his eyes and took a rest.
…
Zhong Dian website and Feng Yun website both had their own plans, while news had long ago traveled everywhere on the internet!
“Latest news, Zhong Dian website requests for court adjournment due to insufficient evidence. The results of this biggest copyright infringement case in history are hard to predict!”—Easy Net News.
“Earth-shattering huge twist, Feng Yun website’s Feng Yun app did not infringe on copyright, it was only that the level of similarity was high. Zhong Dian website faces the crisis of being sued in return instead!”—Xinhai News.
“Prospects are worrying! Zhong Dian website’s situation this time is not optimistic!”—Soulang News.
…
In the various authors’ group chats—
“I didn’t expect that Zhong Dian website would have insufficient evidence, this time it’s really hard to handle!”
“Yes, sigh, this is really difficult to deal with. The most important factor to sue for infringement of copyright is evidence. Without other important evidence, they’ll probably lose!”
“Damn it, 59% in the level of similarity is not counted as an infringement of copyright. What is this!”
…
In Zhong Dian website’s Great Gods group chat—
Dark Dragon of the Universe: “It’s difficult, the other party is too cunning, who knows which aspect they have tampered with. This time, if the case is lost, Young Master will be at risk!”
Treasure Slayer: “What the heck, with such an obvious situation, are the judges all blind? If there isn’t clear evidence, who would bring up a lawsuit? The team of examiners has definitely been bribed, damn it!”
Dark Dragon of the Universe: “It’s useless even if we know about it. Evidence is essential in the court. We don’t have evidence to prove that there is a problem with the team of examiners, so we can’t do anything. We can only look for other evidence of copyright infringement.”
Treasure Slayer: “How to look for it? Would there be enough time to collect other evidence within such a short period of time?”
Dark Dragon of the Universe: “This proves that the other party has grasped hold of this time period. As long as Young Master loses, by then, Feng Yun’s side would gather more clout, then they’d sue Young Master for malicious accusation. And with the court cases back and forth, by the time the final case results are out, it will be too late.”
Treasure Slayer: “Yes, it’s so nerve-wracking, damn!”
…
On the online novel forum—
Author One: “Zhong Dian website, I was wrong about you. The other party painstakingly creates an app and you sue them after seeing that they’re earning money from that, aren’t you shameless? Do you still have a conscience?!”
Author Two: “Fight against Zhong Dian website! And I previously thought that you didn’t use Luo Xue’s incident to create hype. Now that I look at it, I really thought too highly of you! Jealousy is an illness that needs to be cured!”
Author Three: “Brothers, let’s all not go to Zhong Dian. Feng Yun is the way!”
Author Four: “Aiya, we can’t judge a book by its cover. I can only remain speechless.”
…
The entire internet went into a state of frenzy. Numerous people either supported Zhong Dian or were against Zhong Dian and supported Feng Yun!
This biggest copyright infringement case in recent years in Heavenly State had become increasingly confusing.
Very soon, the period of adjourning had come to an end. The judge pounded his gavel. “Now, the trial continues!”
“Your Honor, I request to conduct a re-examination of the source code.” Zhong Dian website’s lawyer slowly said, “Our side still has doubts about the previous examination.”
“Mm.” The judge nodded. “What about the accused?”
“Your Honor, they don’t have other evidence, which proves that they are falsely accusing us!” Feng Yun website’s lawyer loudly said, “Your Honor, I want to sue Zhong Dian website for malicious accusation! They are falsely accusing us of committing acts of piracy and have greatly affected our Feng Yun website’s reputation! We request them to compensate for the loss in our reputation!”
Hitting back at them! As expected, they had started to hit back!
Since Zhong Dian website couldn’t produce new evidence, their Feng Yun website immediately launched a counterattack and aimed to strike Zhong Dian website down!
“What should we do?” Mu Tie anxiously said, “If we can’t produce any more evidence, we’ll really lose this battle!”
“I don’t have any ideas either.” Hong Weiguo anxiously said, “At this point, what evidence would we still have?”
The listeners started to secretly engage in discussions as well. “Aiya, this is really akin to going out for wool and coming back shorn. They sued the other party yet failed and are instead being attacked by them!” “Yes, this is too ruthless. Once they lose the case and get attacked back, they will at the very least have to compensate with quite a lot of money, right?” “The key is that in this case, Zhong Dian website’s reputation will be ruined. That’s even worse than having to compensate them!” “Yes! Wouldn’t the compensation for such a large-scale case cost tens of millions?”
Just when Feng Yun website’s lawyer was gleeful and Zhong Dian’s side was soaked with sweat, while the audiences present were engaged in their own discussions, a lazy voice suddenly sounded. “Ah, it’s so comfortable to have gone back to sleep in the morning… Xinxin, how’s the trial going?”
Upon hearing this voice, Zhong Dian website’s side instantly spirited!
It was Hong Dali! Hong Dali had actually woken up, he was actually here too!
