Chapter 42

"Next, who will go first?"

After Yan Su's words, no one responded.

Following his sharp questioning of Kerry, the atmosphere grew tense, and no one dared to speak.

Yan Su's gaze slowly swept across their faces, his fingers lightly tapping the notebook, producing a rhythmic sound. Zhen Ai knew he always remained still when he was deep in thought, without the habit of fidgeting.

His voice was meant to pressure the group of students.

Zhen Ai couldn't help but smile subtly; she was curious about how many subtle pressure tactics he had, whether implicit or direct.

Yan Su's gaze landed on Daisy.

He looked at her almost commandingly: "Repeat what you wrote in your statement."

Daisy instinctively straightened her posture: "I was at home writing my internship report all afternoon, then I washed up and did my makeup around five, and left for a friend's party at seven. I only found out something happened when I called Qi Mo just now."

"A perfect alibi." Yan Su tapped the hard cover of the notebook with his index finger, his deep brown eyes filled with insight and arrogance. Daisy couldn't withstand his gaze and lowered her head within a second.

"The only thing I want to question you about…" He paused, his tone cold, "Is that what you said is identical to your statement—sentence structure, grammar, and words. Daisy, are you reciting?"

This was how he operated. On the surface, he seemed mild and harmless, but in reality, he was arrogant and domineering. With just one sentence or a glance, he could crush others' psychological defenses.

Daisy trembled slightly, forcing a smile: "Because the situation was simple, nothing particularly happened, so it's easy to remember."

Yan Su didn't pursue it further: "Explain why you're wearing a silk scarf and lace gloves."

Daisy quickly removed them, revealing some minor abrasions on her neck and palm: "I borrowed them from a friend. I fell when I was pushed at the party, and I can find someone to prove it."

Yan Su nodded again and said, "Your outfit looks new."

Daisy adjusted her posture, smiling: "I bought this new outfit for the party."

Yan Su shifted his gaze away from Daisy to Tony: "The statement says you were preparing for a psychology exam, studying at the community library."

Tony nodded calmly: "Someone should have seen me there."

"People's memories of strangers can be flawed. Just because someone saw you doesn't mean you were there the whole time." Yan Su didn't buy his explanation and continued sharply, "As far as I know, that library is only a five-minute walk from here."

Tony hesitated, his previously relaxed tone fading: "It is close, but I was cramming, and every minute was precious, so I didn't come over."

Yan Su was silent for a moment, then his gaze flicked to Tony's hand: "You have a cut on your finger."

Zhen Ai looked over and indeed saw a small cut on the tip of Tony's index finger, easily overlooked. Tony looked down, surprised: "Oh, I got it from a paper cutter. It's nothing, so I didn't use a band-aid."

Yan Su didn't ask further and turned to the other side: "Qi Mo, it's your turn."

Qi Mo, called out, looked up blankly.

Zhen Ai noticed that among the students, Qi Mo's expression was the strangest. He didn't appear particularly calm or anxious; his expression was stiff, as if beyond his control.

After a moment of thought, Zhen Ai realized that either he had genuinely taken medication and was still under its influence, or he was exceptionally good at disguising his emotions.

But she believed Yan Su would be able to tell.

Yan Su asked, "The statement says you spent the afternoon with a psychologist and had dinner at home?"

"Yes."

"What happened afterward?"

Qi Mo avoided Yan Su's gaze, staring blankly at the floor: "I took medication before going out, and on the way, I met Tony at Starbucks. He said he wasn't going to see Anna tonight. I didn't want to go either, so I returned home to sleep. But somehow, I woke up here."

Yan Su scrutinized him, his gaze deep: "But the statement says you took medication before leaving for dinner, and on the way, you started feeling unwell and became dizzy after arriving at high school."

Qi Mo's eyes were wide and vacant as he fixed his gaze on Yan Su, his tone soft yet focused: "Ah, I must have remembered it wrong."

His eerie, vacant stare felt unsettling.

Yet Yan Su remained as calm as water, meeting Qi Mo's gaze steadily. They locked eyes for a full ten seconds before Yan Su calmly shifted his gaze to Tony.

The latter understood Yan Su's implication and, glancing at Qi Mo, hesitated before saying: "Qi Mo and I met yesterday evening. We didn't see each other today."

His implication was… Qi Mo's mental state was seriously compromised?

Qi Mo's vacant eyes moved to Tony. Unfazed by his testimony being contradicted, he earnestly said: "Oh, I remembered it wrong again."

After he finished his focused yet obsessive statement, the room fell silent.

The windows were closed, and there was no wind, yet an eerie atmosphere hung in the air.

Almost everyone was thinking the same question—was Qi Mo's condition beyond just ordinary psychological issues? Had he lost his mind?

Zhen Ai frowned, confused.

How could this be?

Before today, he might have had psychological issues, but it surely wasn't severe enough to manifest like this. If it were that serious, his psychologist wouldn't have let him go.

Zhen Ai stared closely at Qi Mo, hoping to discern some detail that would reveal whether he was genuine or faking. But she didn't possess Yan Su's keen insight, and after watching for a while, she could only sense that his every move seemed abnormal and strange.

It was likely that he was fine when he left alone, but what could have caused such a drastic change in his demeanor?

Questioning him became increasingly difficult and tricky.

But Yan Su remained unhurried and unexpectedly said: "Let's stick to the statement. Qi Mo, relax a bit and look at me while you speak." He was using psychological suggestion on him. "On your way to the appointment, feeling unwell, why didn't you seek out a doctor?"

This tactic proved effective; Qi Mo lowered his gaze and softly said: "I called Anna, but she didn't answer. By then, I was almost at the school, and I was afraid I wouldn't find my way home, so I wanted her to help me."

"Did you see Anna afterward?"

"I took the wrong path and didn't see her. I think I went home, saw the white sheets and bed, and then I just slept," he said, lowering his head deeper.

The others around them had completely lost track of what he was saying.

Yan Su continued speaking to him as if he were conversing with a normal person: "Why did you call Daisy?"

"I had a nightmare and wanted to talk to Daisy," Qi Mo covered his eyes, his voice choking, "Only Daisy is willing to talk to me. Unlike the others, who just scold me for being cowardly."

Daisy beside him looked worriedly at Qi Mo, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked pleadingly at Yan Su: "Please don't ask him anymore; he's not in a good state of mind. He's not usually like this, and I don't know why he suddenly got worse."

"Are you suspecting him?" Daisy's sadness was palpable. "It's not him; it can't be him. He's too timid to kill anyone."

Yan Su's expression remained cold, devoid of any empathy: "Being timid doesn't exclude someone from being a suspect."

Even Zhen Ai was taken aback by his sudden harshness and lack of compassion, let alone Daisy. She turned pale, staring blankly at Yan Su and said, "I called him back. It can't be him. When he talked to me, he was very disoriented. Someone like him might accidentally harm someone, but he wouldn't plot to hang someone. He was really confused; he doesn't have the ability to kill. He screamed in the phone; he was truly terrified."

As she spoke, she nearly broke into tears, "It's not him; it really isn't him."

Yan Su's dark eyes bore into Daisy: "I never concluded that he is the murderer."

Daisy froze once more.

But he turned to Qi Mo and suddenly asked, "What nightmare did you have? Did you see the murderer who killed Anna?"

Everyone was stunned, and Zhen Ai was also shocked.

Qi Mo abruptly raised his head, a fleeting clarity in his eyes before it turned vacant again. It seemed he was recalling something, his expression changing drastically as he suddenly buried his face in his hands: "No, it's not me, it's not me."

He clutched his head and began to beat it, crying out in anguish, and the scene spiraled into chaos. Several police officers rushed in to restrain Qi Mo.

At that moment, an angry voice came from the doorway: "What are you doing?"

Zhen Ai and the others turned back, stunned.

Is that…?

Harry Parker?

The night wind blew in from outside, his golden hair tousled, and his blue eyes resembled a dark night sky. His pale face and bright red lips looked like a striking vampire emerging from the night.

Zhen Ai was surprised for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. He indeed resembled Parker but was clearly older. Even compared to the current Qi Mo and Kerry, he seemed more mature.

It was obvious who he was...

"Another son of the Parker family, Harvey," Yan Su had somehow moved beside Zhen Ai, quietly providing her with this context.

Zhen Ai replied with a surprised "Oh," suddenly wanting to laugh: "I could have guessed that without you telling me."

Yan Su was displeased: "But your expression clearly showed you were startled; I was worried you might be scared."

Zhen Ai pondered for a moment, realizing that perhaps his unspoken implication was: Hmph, I care about you, and yet you don't appreciate it.

After considering this, she found it impossible.

Zhen Ai waved her hand dismissively: "Why would I be scared? I'm a staunch materialist. You're overthinking it."

He thought she was overthinking things…

Yan Su looked at her unhappily, then after a while, he suppressed all his emotions and turned his gaze toward Harvey Parker.

Clearly, Harvey was Qi Mo's psychologist. He hadn't approached yet, but his unfriendly gaze swept over Yan Su, who remained unfazed. It wasn't hard to imagine that in Harvey's mind, Yan Su was the bastard who couldn't find the murderer of his brother and was claiming his brother committed suicide.

Harvey quickly comforted Qi Mo and requested to take him away. Officer Jones agreed, but on the condition that Qi Mo's parents be notified. Harvey had no objections to this.

Remembering that Harvey might harbor resentment towards Yan Su, Zhen Ai couldn't help but scrutinize him. He had a handsome face, just like Harry Parker from high school. However, the photo in Harry's file depicted a sunny, carefree boy, whereas this mature, restrained figure exuded a hint of coldness.

At that moment, the remaining students all expressed a desire to go home. Officer Jones glanced at Yan Su, seeking his approval, which he nodded to, allowing them to leave.

Yan Su checked his watch; it was nearly midnight. An unexpected thought crossed his mind: Zhen Ai must be tired, and just as he was about to suggest she go home, he noticed that she seemed thoroughly engrossed in watching Harvey…

Yan Su's mood soured again, and this time it was serious.

His mind quickly began to race, even faster than his previous deductions, analyzing the situation!!!

Why was she looking at Harvey? Did she know him? Did she think he was handsome? Did she like his voice? Was she interested in his profession?

Why wasn't she looking at him? …#￥&*%￥ (rational analysis glitch) … Did she not think he was handsome? Did she not like his voice? Did she not appreciate his profession?

No! Impossible! He was the best! No man could surpass him!

Yan Su mechanically smiled in satisfaction and continued thinking—

Hmm, the premise of this question seemed off…

Why did he want her to look at him? Why didn't he want her to look at other men? Why did he need to prove to her that he was the best?

Just like a peacock spreading its tail, like a male parrot flaunting its colorful feathers, like… After mentally listing thousands of mating displays by male animals…

This wasn't scientific!

He was smarter than peacocks and parrots, blabla!

While he was lost in thought, Zhen Ai came over and pushed him: "Hey!"

Yan Su immediately snapped back to attention, his gaze sharp as he looked at her.

Zhen Ai: "…What's wrong with you?"

Yan Su paused for a moment, quickly returning to his usual demeanor as he asked, "What's up?"

"Oh," Zhen Ai didn't notice his brief moment of abnormality and pointed to the students preparing to leave, "You're just letting them go?"

"What else can we do?" Yan Su took a step outside but paused after a few steps, turning back to say, "I forgot to tell you. The murderer used dry ice to cool the body, so all of your alibis are invalid!"

The students inside the room were stunned.

Ignoring them, Yan Su walked out, continuing to speak to Zhen Ai in the hallway, "For now, we can only let them go. The murder weapon is still at the scene, and there's nothing to destroy. It's likely that neither the victim nor the murderer bled, and since the scene has been cleaned up, finding decisive evidence will be difficult. Designating a suspect too early will only lead us into a dead end."

Zhen Ai felt disappointed but also understood. There were no traces of anyone else left on Anna's body, and even if forensic personnel found traces like skin flakes or shoeprints in the first classroom, it wouldn't serve as crucial evidence for a conviction. If they caught a suspect, and he refused to confess, the police would have no way to proceed.

As they passed the first classroom, Yan Su paused for a moment. The room was dark, and forensic officers were inside examining evidence with various glowing instruments.

Yan Su knocked on the door and asked a nearby officer, "Excuse me, are there any traces of spilled drinks in this room?"

Before the officer could answer, someone inside responded, "There's carbonated drink on the floor, but we can't determine the specific type."

Yan Su stepped back and turned to go downstairs.

Zhen Ai's mind raced as she followed him: "Hey, why did you ask that? Does it have something to do with the sleeping pills in Anna's pocket?"

Yan Su replied, "Just a hypothesis. Given the current situation, there are many possibilities, and we can't draw conclusions yet. The only thing we can be sure of is that the man who was supposed to meet Anna is right here. But whether he has anything to do with the case is still uncertain."

Zhen Ai frowned for a second and then understood: "Right! If someone else was supposed to meet Anna and she hasn't shown up yet, her phone should have been flooded with calls by now."

She couldn't help but admire his meticulous thinking and asked, "So, have you started reconstructing the case in your mind?"

Yan Su smiled faintly in the dark: "Of course."

"Who is it?" Zhen Ai asked curiously in a hushed tone.

Yan Su chuckled lightly: "I have a dozen reconstruction scenarios; do you want to hear them all?"

Zhen Ai stumbled down the stairs in surprise: "So many?"

Yan Su explained, "Until the very last moment, every tiny possibility has a chance to turn things around."

In the dimly lit staircase, Zhen Ai detected a mix of arrogance and rigor in his words. She smiled contentedly but then playfully urged, "Then tell me the one with the highest possibility first… ah…"

As she missed a step, she felt herself about to fall, but then she suddenly landed safely in a steady embrace. The flashlight's beam danced chaotically in the stairwell as he caught her, his rich scent enveloping her, exuding safety, and it was those strong, warm hands that held… her chest…

Zhen Ai blinked, her cheeks silently heating up in the quiet darkness, turning into a small tomato.

Once Yan Su steadied her, he was perplexed. Huh? Why was his palm so soft? Driven by his natural curiosity about the unfamiliar, he unconsciously tightened his grip, feeling the softness.

What… is this…?

In an instant, he froze.

In the darkness, he quietly swallowed, his hand still holding Zhen Ai's chest going completely stiff. A second later, he almost gingerly retracted it, finger by finger, and obediently placed his hand into the pocket of his trench coat.

As if to say, cough, I didn't do anything.

In the dark stairwell, the two stood still for a solid five seconds, completely motionless.

Zhen Ai was the first to react, carefully continuing down the stairs, pretending to be casual as she said, "Um, the one with the highest possibility is…"

"Oh, you want to hear? I'll tell you," he matched her pace, eager to comply.

"The sleeping pills in Anna's pocket are unlikely to have been left by the murderer; rather, she might have intended to give them to someone else. Three out of the five tickets for the basketball game were canceled, not because others didn't want to go, but because she anticipated something would happen that would prevent them from attending. Moreover, only Anna's family owns a chemical factory among those five people, making it most convenient for her to get dry ice."

Zhen Ai's mind spun several times: "Are you implying that Anna originally intended to kill someone?"

"Yeah. When I first heard about the time she set for her meetings, I found it strange. What was so urgent that she couldn't say it all at once and had to meet someone for just an hour?"

Zhen Ai pressed on: "Then who did she want to kill?"

Yan Su smirked slightly: "With her strength, who among those people could she actually kill?"

Zhen Ai froze, then recalled the order of Anna's meetings…

Could it be that this murder was an act of self-defense?