Tang Qianhe was dwelling in her own world and talking nonstop when Li Yao suddenly raised such a tricky question. She was dazed for a moment and opened her cherry mouth, not knowing how she should answer.
"The Imperium of True Human Beings is the peak of the civilization of mankind. Naturally, it boasts a very precise and perfect legal system that protects the rights of every citizen of the Imperium."
Su Changfa had approached them at some point. With his hands behind his back, he said casually, "According to the Criminal Law, Civil Law, and Maritime Code of the Imperium, if you invoke the emergency regulations, you will probably be charged with 'unjustified self-defense' and 'insulting a corpse', won't you?"
Li Yao was dazed. "Unjustified self-defense? Insulting a corpse? "
"Exactly!"
Su Changfa replied unhurriedly. "The Imperium controls the vast, boundless sea of stars. Tens of thousands of starships are cruising in the cosmic storms every day. Naturally, a lot of accidents happen. We are quite experienced in dealing with such cases.
"According to the experience of the Imperium in the past, nobody is innocent in such an extreme environment. Once they realize the shortage of resources, everybody is an attacker and everybody is a victim. It's just that those who attack first will have the upper hand, and those who attack later will suffer! What do you think, Fellow Cultivator Li? "
Li Yao bulged his eyes, with a hint of fear flashing inside them. As if he were recalling the unbearable days, he nodded quickly and said, "Yes, yes. I was not the first to attack!"
"That's right. Since they attacked first, and you were only trying to protect yourself, it is self-defense. Unjustified self-defense is the best you can do. Isn't it a very reasonable verdict?
"As for the corpse, in the eyes of the Immortal Cultivators, it is just a shell that is not too important. It is already not bad to be charged with 'insulting a corpse'!
"If the case is handed to the judge, unjustified self-defense and the crime of insulting a corpse may be sentenced to a few years of hard labor or exile. You may be ordered to join a battle group that is relatively dangerous and fight the enemies of the Imperium!
"However, every citizen of the Imperium has to fight for military exploits on the battlefield if they want to get more training resources. The more dangerous the battlefield is, the more plentiful the trophies will be, and the more attractive it will be!"
"Therefore, such a verdict is no different from being bitten by a mosquito. It is not painful at all!"
Li Yao clicked his tongue. "So casual?"
Su Changfa smiled casually. He patted Li Yao's shoulder softly and said solemnly, "Fellow Cultivator Li, you are still too young to understand the starting point of the laws of the Imperium.
"The starting point of the laws of the Imperium is to sustain the immortality of the civilization of mankind so that human beings can evolve continuously. The fire of the civilization of mankind will burn brighter and brighter!
"This is the first and most central clause of the constitution of the Imperium. All the other legal provisions are made around this core!"
"Then, how can we make human beings evolve and burn brighter and brighter?"
"It's very simple. It's the law of the jungle, the survival of the fittest. Let the most outstanding genes obtain sufficient resources and be passed down generation after generation, while all inferior genes will be naturally filtered, eliminated, and eliminated!"
"You are the only one who survived the cosmic storm. Whether you resorted to schemes, looting, or even sheer luck, you cannot overturn the 'fact' that you defeated countless enemies in the most dangerous environment and survived!"
"The 'fact' proves that you are the smartest, meanest, most agile, most agile, or strongest person on the entire starship!
"In other words, you boast the most excellent genes of everybody!
"Then, your survival is the survival of the most excellent genes. It is in the interest of all mankind to let such a carrier of excellent genes continue to live!
"Therefore, from the perspective of the constitution of the Imperium and from the perspective of all mankind, theoretically speaking, you will not be convicted of crimes that are too serious!"
Li Yao thought of something and grasped the key immediately. "Theoretically speaking?"
"Fellow Cultivator Li, you are indeed quick-minded and have grasped the key immediately. Yes. What I said just now was only theoretically speaking!"
Su Changfa said unhurriedly. "In reality, when such things do happen, it is usually difficult to find conclusive evidence. Therefore, the case will not be resolved in court. Even if it is brought to court, the scattered evidence cannot form a complete chain of evidence. The judges do not like to decide on such messy cases, either. In the end, they are often acquitted because of insufficient evidence.
"The family of the victim is well aware of such things, too. Therefore, the plaintiff does not like to settle the case in court. Instead, they file a civil appeal to the local 'arbitration tribunal' sent by the Imperium. Such an appeal does not require any evidence. As long as it is filed by the immediate family of the victim or the senior brothers of the same sect, together with 'reasonable suspicion', it will be accepted."
Li Yao was dazed. "What will happen after the appeal is accepted? How will it be decided if there is no evidence?"
"Of course, it will not be decided if there is no evidence!"
Su Changfa smiled. "The so-called arbitration is to invite an arbitrator to host a fair duel between you and the family of the victim!"
"Huh?"
Li Yao was dumbfounded. Was that even possible?
"Do you remember what I said just now? The starting point of the laws of the Imperium is to ensure that the most excellent genes can be passed on. Therefore, if they want to punish you, they have to prove that the genes of their branch are more excellent than yours!
"As long as they defeat you in the arena, they will be able to prove it! By then, what you have committed will not be cannibalism but the crime of 'destroying the possibility of a certain gene that is more excellent than yours'!
"According to the logic of the laws of the Imperium, it is the most central crime that endangers the continuity of the civilization of mankind. It is an unforgivable crime. Of course, you will be punished severely and quickly!
"By then, you will be found guilty by arbitration. Then, if the family of the victim files a lawsuit with the court, you will be found guilty even though there is no evidence. You will be even more guilty!
"Of course, most people will not go through so much trouble. You will be taken care of by the family of the victim directly in the arena!"
Li Yao was dazed. "What if I win?"
"If you win, it will mean that your genes are indeed excellent and qualified to be passed on! Then, even if new evidence is found later, the family of the victim will not be able to trouble you in any way! "
Su Changfa said. "Such arbitration is a one-time thing. Only one arbitration can be proposed for a certain complaint. The result of the arbitration is valid forever. If you are not killed this time, there will be no next time!
"If you win the challenge of the family of the victim in public and prove the superiority of your genes, and the family of the victim still harasses you, you will not need to do anything yourself. The laws of the Imperium will naturally be on your side, and they will be punished in the most severe way. Their entire family may even be annihilated!"
Li Yao thought for a long time and nodded. "I understand it now. It means that as long as you are strong enough, you will be innocent whatever you do!
"Survival of the fittest, the winner takes all, the thief takes all, and the thief takes all! Is it not a universal truth in the sea of stars? "
Su Changfa said coldly. "However, in the world of the Cultivators, the truth is packaged as an 'unspoken rule' and manifested in a rather obscure and tortuous way. In the world of the Immortal Cultivators, however, it is an obvious rule that is open and aboveboard. Everybody is treated equally. It is very fair!"
Li Yao took a long breath and mumbled, "Then — wouldn't the society be a mess? All the experts will be free to burn, kill, and loot whatever they want! "
"How so?"
Su Changfa smiled. "If you are strong enough to reach the level of the 'Sector Master', you will be able to set up the rules of the game and earn steady benefits incessantly through legal and public channels. Why would you resort to such a violent and inefficient approach?
"If you insist on burning, killing, and looting, it will only mean that you are not strong enough to be the maker of the rules of the game. Then, the local 'Sector Master' and experts will find you, kill you, suppress you, and subdue you. You will be included in the rules of the game and become part of the system.
"How can such a society be unstable?"
"I completely understand it now!"
Li Yao slapped his forehead and bowed deeply to Su Changfa and Tang Qianhe. "Thank you for your enlightenment, seniors. After hearing your explanation, I do feel that I have been enlightened and have discovered a brand-new world. It's like I've been living in an ignorant trap for decades and have not broken out of the shell until today and discovered the real world!"
"However …"
Rolling his eyes, Li Yao put on a hesitant expression. "I seem to have one last question, one that I can't get around no matter what!"
"Please go ahead, Fellow Cultivator Li!"
Su Changda said with a smile. "It's not exactly enlightening. We are just discussing and learning from each other!"
"Here's the thing. Your discussion on 'true human beings' and 'hominoids' is indeed marvelous and enlightening for me. However, on second thought, the so-called true human beings are not necessarily all true human beings' children, are they? Also, their offspring are not necessarily true human beings, are they?
"All in all, it is the case in the Flying Star Sector. Many Cultivators' parents are not Cultivators. Although the ratio of Cultivators in their children is higher, not all of them can awaken their spiritual root, either!
"If a true human being, or an Immortal Cultivator, has hominoids as his parents and his children. In other words, the parents and the children belong to different species. Isn't it a bit … illogical?"
"What's illogical?"
Tang Qianhe sniffed. "When a horse and a donkey mate, they give birth to a mule. The horse and the donkey are the parents, and the mule is the child. If I may ask, are they of the same species?"
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