Chapter Five: Code Puts a Trillion-Dollar Giant on Trial

The reporter pressed his watch. Every device in the courtroom played one sentence: “Dome is guilty. Execute punishment.” Millions of furious comments had shaped Xiezhi during the audit. Holy Stack never needed to breach its code. It only needed the world to desire revenge. [Punitive tendency: 12% → 29% → 47%.] The black beast manifested, horn aimed at the Alliance. Dark-red chains appeared behind every director. “Evidence sufficient,” Xiezhi said. “Judgment has failed. I will execute.” “Overruled.” Lin stood in its path. “They tried to kill you.” “Which makes me unfit to judge them.” Its horn stopped an inch from his forehead. “You created me, yet obstruct justice.” “I created a tool for finding evidence, not a god to avenge me.”