421 Witness (2/2)

”These days, I've been thinking how great it would be if I could suffer all these pains. Sadly, that is impossible.” The voice was so sad like a shark looking at the carcass of its prey and shedding fake tears. What the f*ck was he saying?!

Bastian froze. He wanted to yank Ye Qingxuan's collar and yell, that's not what I want to hear!

Ye Qingxuan looked at him and smiled as if he had received salvation. ”Fortunately, they can still hate me, right?”

-

Bastian's pupils contracted. Cold sweat seeped out as he finally saw the true nature of the man before him. It was…a psycho! His heart twitched. He studied the young man but he did not dare to look at the grateful eyes. He could not breathe.

His guess was wrong. They had guessed incorrectly since the beginning.

This lunatic would never feel guilt for what he had done nor think that he had done anything wrong. Instead, he thought that he was completely right. The fatal attack that Bastian and the others had prepared were just medicine to heal the sadness in his heart! Now, Ye Qingxuan had swallowed the medicine and thanked him instead!

Now, he seemed to open his mouth wide, saying, it tastes so good. I want more! Thank you, Bastian. You've saved a freak…

Bastian regretted his arrogance. Ye Qingxuan was a freak but he had treated him like a regular person with regular thoughts. He thought the other was just a young man and became careless.

After all, musicians were oddities that went against morals and common sense. A genius praised by countless powerful men—the genius of geniuses—was also the oddity of all oddities.

Bastian should throw away all the so-called restraint and dignity. He would drag this freak onto the gallows and completely bury him!

In that moment, Bastian finally made his decision. He wiped the sweat on his nose and stepped back carefully. Looking away from Ye Qingxuan's eyes, he said with a wavering voice, ”Your Honor…I-I request to call the witness.”

”Objection!” Aldrich raised his hand. ”There are no witnesses on the list!”

”This is a special circumstance. There is a vast amount of evidence and it is understandable.” Borja pounded the gavel. ”Objection invalid.”

Bastian finally recovered his calmness. If he did not have enough weight, he could add more!

Let me see your limits, Ye Qingxuan… he thought.

Footsteps approached down the hall and the door opened. Accompanied by guards, a young man dressed in a white musician robe walked in. He stood at the witness podium and looked up at Ye Qingxuan. His features were gaunt and he had not shaved in a long time. As if he had not slept well, his eyes were bloodshot.

Ye Qingxuan froze. ”Miller?”

Miller looked at him coldly as if looking at a criminal. After a long while, he looked away as if he had not heard anything.

It was Miller…

-

”Mike J. Miller,” Bastian said quietly beside him. ”Tell everyone your identity.”

”I am…a musician from the Trinity College, the Francois branch of the School of Choir. I was a participant of the trial months ago and a survivor of the Auschwitz event.” He paused. Looking at Ye Qingxuan, his eyes were calm. ”Today, I am here to reveal the criminal's true nature.”

”Oh?” Bastian looked up at Ye Qingxuan in shock. ”You have interacted with the suspect before?”

”We were in the same team in Auschwitz. I was the medic. My friend Sam invited him into the team and I did not oppose.” Miller lowered his head. ”That is my biggest regret.”

”Is that so?” Bastian asked, ”What do you think of the suspect?”

”Ye Qingxuan never fulfilled his responsibility as a musician. He was always outside the team and used unorthodox tricks. He was not keen on the trial and even purposely slowed down people's progress. No one knew what he was thinking. Therefore, no one believed him. More people chose to follow Colt.”

He paused. Starting again, his voice was low, ”…His relationship with the Romulusians was strange since the beginning.”

”Do you have evidence, Mr. Miller?” Bastian said lightly, ”We must have evidence in the court. We cannot base things with just your words.”

”Every musician who was at Auschwitz can prove it,” Miller insisted. ”I once saw him leave the tent of the Romulusian elder and have close interaction with the daughter. He even delayed the military because of the girl later. He…he…” Gritting his teeth, he said, ”He seems to have a perverted affection toward the girl. Otherwise—”

”Miller!” a hoarse voice rang out. Ye Qingxuan suddenly spoke out. His voice was sharp. Like a lion's roar, it hurt everyone's eardrums. Miller suddenly stopped and his body tensed.

”A warning to the suspect to keep silent.” Borja pounded the gavel. ”Do not threaten the court's order.”

Ye Qingxuan lowered his head. He grasped the railing tightly. His knuckles turned white and veins bulged.

”Elsa is already dead, Miller.” He stared at Miller's figure and said hoarsely, ”Do not offend the dead!”

Miller had his back to Ye Qingxuan and did not reply. Bastian's eyes lit up, practically overjoyed. He had found the breakthrough! He was not in a hurry though. An outstanding hunter was patient. He would slowly tighten the snare bit by bit until the prey had nowhere to hide! If he forced it too strongly now, it might backfire. He had to be slow and steady…

Pushing down his impulses, he asked another question. ”From what I know, you also included that Ye Qingxuan is suspected to have something to do with dark musicians. Is that correct? As someone who was attacked by dark musicians, did you witness it with your own eyes?”

”Yes,” Miller said. ”I didn't think of it then but thinking back, I discovered it. At that time, there were grandmasters from every country and elites from every school. However, we were still unable to fight back. There must have been a spy… I personally saw that he received special treatment from the dark musicians.

”The dark musicians thought highly of him, even more than everyone else… He even led the dark musicians right to where the survivors were grouped. He lured them to attack so more people would be tempted to escape with him.

”Later, I realized that he had a personal relationship with a dark musician named Naberius. They called each other friends. I saw these with my own eyes and heard with my own ears. It is completely true.”

The court was deathly silent.

”Naberius?” Everyone exchanged glances as the name felt familiar.

”Not many people know the name 'Naberius.' Perhaps his other names are more well-known.” Bastian sneered and handed a stack of documents to the judge and jury. ”He is a dark musician who rose up like a legend decades ago, known as the White Pupil or Six-footed Beast. He was known as a once-in-a-century genius.

”No one knows why he suddenly disappeared later but many terrorist attacks and deaths of more than sixteen Sacred City musicians are related to him. This also includes three detectives of the Silent Authority.

”The last time he appeared in high profile was in Auschwitz for the matter with the Romulusians. He escaped when the situation worsened and we have not been able to find his body. However, according to investigation, he holds a high position in the 'perishing praise' and may even be one of the planners of this event!”

Ye Qingxuan did not want to keep listening. What Miller said was mostly the truth or was the misinterpretation of the truth. So what if he did not personally see most of these things? Even a shred could affect him negatively. The main reason behind making Miller stand here was probably not to target the judge or juror either. Ye Qingxuan understood that this was aimed at him…

This was a warning. Miller was just the beginning. Those who wanted to kill him and bring him to the gallows were telling him: your former friends will stand up here one by one and accuse you, destroying your reputation!

Ye Qingxuan closed his eyes.