S.C.I Mystery Series Volume 5 Chapter 209

The Intelligent Killer 14 – Sample

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Under the eager gaze of everyone, Xu Lie opened the "suicide note" left to him by Sun Jian.

This suicide note was handwritten. Because there were many people, Xu Lie simply read it out loud.

The suicide note mainly mentioned that Sun Jian and two others, during their school days, were momentarily confused and, out of jealousy towards Xu Lie and A'Gui, signed a contract with the woman in red. As a result, the woman in red fulfilled their wishes, but they had to pay the price. Initially, they thought it was just a joke, but later realised that the woman in red was serious. They couldn't fulfil their promises or meet the woman in red's demands, which led to A'Gui and Fatty facing tragic ends.

In the suicide note, Sun Jian apologised to Xu Lie, reflected on his own twisted mind, and hoped for Xu Lie's forgiveness.

As Xu Lie read the entire suicide note, Zhan Zhao and Zhao Jue frowned throughout.

Bai Jintang, who had arrived at the door at some point, stood with Bai Ye and Bai Yutang, listening to Xu Lie finish reading the suicide note.

Once he finished, Big Brother Bai suddenly asked, "Is that it?"

Bai Ye and Bai Yutang both looked at him.

The twins behind Big Brother Bai also asked the same question, "So, why did he commit suicide?"

Bai Yutang glanced at Zhan Zhao.

Zhan Zhao and Zhao Jue both found it illogical – Not in a psychological sense, but in a way that was immediately apparent.

Even Xu Lie frowned, "Is this necessary?"

"It isn't!"

"Did Sun Jian ever do anything to wrong Xu Lie? He wanted to, and indeed did some bad things, but if anyone was truly harmed by the contract with the woman in red, it was A'Gui."

"Xu Lie left school early, but he wasn't expelled! The harm he suffered was emotional, perhaps he felt disappointed or sad, but those negative feelings probably only troubled him for a few days before he moved on with his life."

"If the suicide note was addressed to A'Gui, it would make more sense. Even if it was written to Fatty, it would make more sense than being addressed to Xu Lie. Because those two are dead, while Xu Lie is alive and well."

"So where did Sun Jian's guilt towards Xu Lie and need to atone by death come from?"

"Moreover, the end of Sun Jian's suicide note reflects on himself, stating that his psychological distortion was caused by jealousy, which is even more unreasonable! He couldn't fulfil the pact with the woman in red, leading to A'Gui and Fatty's deaths, so it would make more sense if he committed suicide because he was afraid of retaliation from the woman in red!"

Zhan Zhao and Zhao Jue analysed the suicide note's inconsistencies, and the others couldn't get a word in, just waiting for the two to continue.

"Sun Jian's suicide note is a combination of two parts: one is his guilt towards Xu Lie, and the other is the mention of the contract with the woman in red. The problem with this suicide note is that his guilt is directed at the wrong person, and he didn't mention the fear caused by the woman in red."

"A person's language or writing is used to express their thoughts. Even in a state of confusion, the emotions expressed should follow the laws of cause and effect. In fact, the more confused a person is, the more truthful their expression. Only when a person's mind is very clear can they lie or feign emotions without cause and effect. The cause and effect in this suicide note do not match!"

After the two finished their analysis, they looked up at the crowd, but no one spoke.

Zhao Jue glanced at Zhan Zhao, seeming puzzled – What kind of reaction was this?

Zhan Zhao also looked a bit disdainful – It seemed they didn't understand.

Zhao Jue was surprised – They didn't understand this?

Zhan Zhao spread his hands.

"So?" Big Brother Bai felt that they had spoken but seemed to have said nothing, and they listened but seemed to have heard nothing.

The crowd had to turn to Bai Yutang and Bai Ye, the two human translators.

Bai Ye looked at Bai Yutang.

This time, Bai Yutang was a bit unsure and quietly confirmed with Bai Ye, "Are they saying the suicide note is fake? That he didn't commit suicide?"

Bai Ye nodded, "Mhmm, that's roughly what they mean."

The crowd then turned back to Zhan Zhao and Zhao Jue.

Both nodded – Right!

Everyone was shocked. As a member of the Bai family, Bai Jintang looked at Bai Chi.

Xiao Bai Chi, touching his chin, also looked puzzled – Where did they hear this?

The crowd had to turn to Bai Yutang and Bai Ye again – Can you give us more details?

Bai Yutang continued to confirm with Bai Ye, "So, the suicide note only clarified that Sun Jian felt sorry for Xu Lie and that the woman in red existed, neither point justifies Sun Jian's suicide, right?"

Bai Ye nodded, "That's what it is in human language!"

Zhan Zhao and Zhao Jue squinted – Were they being insulted?

Everyone else pondered deeply before asking in unison, "Sun Jian didn't commit suicide?"

"Indeed, it wasn't suicide."

At this moment, Gongsun arrived. He had just examined Sun Jian's body downstairs and his conclusion was simple, "He was hung after he died! The cause of death wasn't asphyxiation, but poisoning."

"Poisoned?" Bai Yutang was somewhat surprised, "What kind of poison?"

"A potent poison, something like arsenic..." Gongsun said as he looked around, "There's a strong almond smell in his mouth, suggesting it was ingested orally... What did he eat?"

However, after searching the room, they found one particularly crucial item missing – a cup!

Being a teacher is a profession that strains the voice, so teachers usually have cups, often thermoses.

But there was no cup in this room.

This was quite unusual.

Zhao Hu and Ma Han asked Bai Yutang, "What does this mean? Isn't faking a suicide a bit crude?"

Bai Yutang nodded.

Looking around the scene, things appeared different.

Bai Yutang glanced at the half-man-high windowsill, "It wouldn't be easy to lift the body of an adult male and throw it out the window, would it?"

Ma Han and Zhao Hu both nodded, "Either the perpetrator is very tall or there was more than one person."

"Is there surveillance in the dormitory building?" Bai Yutang asked.

Bai Chi had already checked and shook his head, "There's only surveillance on the road at the entrance. The corridors and staircases are private, so there's no surveillance."

Bai Yutang frowned. Moreover, unlike student dorms, this teacher dormitory building didn't have dorm supervisors or administrators.

Bai Yutang had to ask Jiang Ping to check the external surveillance to see if anyone was seen leaving with a thermos.

While everyone was speculating on the murderer's methods, the twins, who were outside on their phones, suddenly shouted, "Whoa!"

Everyone turned around.

Big Brother Bai glanced at their phone – What now?

Da Ding said, "Someone has published the content of the suicide note online!"

"What?" Bai Yutang frowned and went outside, taking Xiao Ding's phone to look.

Not only social media but also news articles had been published, showing photos of Sun Jian's body hanging outside the building and pictures of the suicide note.

The only two hot topics online were Xu Lie and the woman in red.

The suicide note was posted as a photo, and judging by the background, it was clearly taken on the table at the crime scene.

Bai Yutang asked Jiang Ping to find out who first posted the photo.

Jiang Ping quickly tracked down several accounts, all of which were marketing accounts. When asked about the source of their news, they all claimed it was submitted by enthusiastic viewers. They not only refused to disclose the source but also tried to extract information about the progress of the case.

Meanwhile, Bai Chi had finished reviewing the surveillance footage.

Wang Xiaomei had entered the dormitory building around the same time as everyone else, effectively ruling her out as a suspect.

During the time Gongsun estimated the death occurred, no one else had entered the dormitory building.

Bai Chi speculated, "Could the murderer still be in the building?"

Bai Yutang thought it was quite possible.

Gongsun also suggested, "It's possible that a colleague came to chat with him, spiked his drink when he wasn't looking, and after Sun Jian died, staged the scene and the suicide note, took the photos, and left with the cup. As long as they flushed the tea down the toilet and cleaned the cup before taking it back to their own dormitory, no one would know."

"But this suicide note... is it in Sun Jian's handwriting?" Bai Yutang found Sun Jian's lesson notes on the desk, opened them, and compared the handwriting, finding them identical.

"This is indeed Sun Jian's handwriting..."

While everyone was puzzled, Chen Mi, who had been watching silently, suddenly asked, "Could it be that this isn't a suicide note?"

Xu Lie looked at him.

Chen Mi asked, "Could it just be an apology letter?"

Zhao Jue and Zhan Zhao exchanged a glance – That makes sense! It would make sense that Sun Jian wrote the letter not to commit suicide, but to apologise to Xu Lie!

Xu Lie checked his social media account and saw a flood of comments, many of them unsavoury, saying things like the three who hurt Xu Lie deserved to die.

Xu Lie sighed, shaking his head as he looked at the suicide note in his hand – Who could guarantee they were a complete saint who never made any mistakes or had bad thoughts? Three lives for such a trivial matter, did they really encounter a ghost?

But Jiang Ping discovered a more serious issue, "Boss."

Bai Yutang listened to the phone, "Did you find anything?"

"I might have found the motive."

Bai Yutang put him on speakerphone.

"Right now, searches for 'how to summon the woman in red' are skyrocketing online!" Jiang Ping said worriedly, "The upward trend is a bit scary."

Everyone looked at each other.

"So the murderer is using Xu Lie's fame to spread the urban legend of the woman in red?" Zhan Zhao also found this trend concerning.

"Many people will sign a contract with the woman in red, won't they?" Zhao Hu sighed, "Aiya, human nature, so easily tempted."

"But it's already proven to be very dangerous and fatal, would people still sign a contract?" Ma Han found it hard to believe...

Hu Zi pointed at Ma Han, "Xiao Ma Ge, you won't understand these things as a person who loves the third dimension!"

Ma Han indeed didn't understand what "a person who loves the third dimension" meant and looked at Zhao Hu confused.

"The amount of data is massive, it's hard for people to resist short-term benefits, otherwise, there wouldn't be the saying 'enjoy now, pay later'." Zhan Zhao clicked his tongue and looked at Bai Yutang.

Bai Yutang frowned, "The woman in red is related to Lin Tian, and Lin Tian is connected to the AI witch."

"This sample size is much larger than that of a serial killer!" Zhao Jue found everything made sense now, "If using serial killers to collect data was the first step, then this is the second step. It's like poisoning, first using poisonous insects to refine the poison, then targeting groups with tendencies towards this."

"People willing to sign a contract with the woman in red, knowing the huge price, must have 'adequate' reasons and even the 'determination' to pay the price and perish together." Bai Yutang shook his head, feeling this trend could form a cult...

"That's how selling fake medicine works too!" Zhao Hu said to Ma Han, "First, they find a famous patient to perform, then it's miracle time, one magical pill and dead horses turn into flying horses!"

Ma Han nodded.

"I've seen those cult leaders too!" Issel and Eleven joined the conversation. "The leader's magic turns vegetative states into superhumans! Who needs princes to wake sleeping beauties? The leader's 'Hi' revives everything with inner strength!"

Bai Yutang and Bai Ye exchanged a silent look at the two jokers by the door.

......

Bai Jintang nodded to the twins, signalling them to take Xu Lie away and hide him... This matter wouldn't be resolved quickly.

At that moment, Zhan Zhao said, "Let's catch the murderer first, before they slip away."

Zhao Jue nodded in agreement.

The people at the door were stunned, and everyone turned to look at them, "What do you mean? You two know where to catch the murderer?"

Zhan Zhao and Zhao Jue nodded, each pointing in opposite directions.

Bai Yutang frowned at them – Are you two on the same page?

Zhan Zhao and Zhao Jue exchanged glances, both challengingly raising their chins: "Want to race?!"

With that, they both walked out, one pulling Bai Ye to the left, the other pulling Bai Yutang to the right, leaving the rest looking back and forth – Who should they follow?

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: July 19, 2024 by Angel

Edited: December 30, 2024 by Soojin