78 Chapter 77: Trial (1/2)
”Oi! Fei Wu! Are you all right?! What happened?”
While Tang Qi Hong panicked, Tong Xue suddenly understood what I was trying to do. As he left my room, he began shouting.
”Oh no! Fei Wu has died! Someone poisoned him!”
”Eh?” Lian Rou was looking confused, but Tong Xue grabbed her hand and yanked her along.
”We've to go find Elder Zhao and report this to him immediately! And search for the murderer!”
”Eh?! Eh?!” Tang Qi Hong looked like she was in despair. She grabbed me and shook my body violently. ”Don't scare me like this! Didn't you say you're…?”
”Play along,” I hissed in a low voice. ”The murderer might still be out there. He might still be watching me.”
”Oh.” Tang Qi Hong understood. She nodded briefly and then dropped down and started wailing. ”NOOOO!!!! Fei Wu?! How can you have died?! NOOOO!!!! Don't leave me! You're the best assistant I ever had! How will I prepare spirit materials now, when you're dead!?”
Girl…you need to improve your acting. And besides, weren't you preparing your spirit materials just fine before I joined the sect as an outer sect disciple? I could only hope that the outer sect disciples gathered outside wouldn't notice the lack of common sense.
Liang Shao Yang, you bastard…
The one I wanted to fool the most was Liang Shao Yang, the dude who tried to kill me. If possible, I wanted him to think that I was dead or something.
”Stay there with his body, Qi Hong!” Lian Rou instructed. ”Don't worry! We'll definitely find the murderer and avenge Fei Wu's death!”
Evidently, Tong Xue had whispered the idea of faking my death to her, and she had responded well to that. The two of them disappeared shortly.
The commotion had attracted not just outer sect disciples but inner sect disciples as well. By now, a large group of inner sect disciples had also been drawn to the ruckus and were curiously mingling with the outer sect disciples to watch the show. Honestly, what was so interesting about a murder? It was as if they hadn't seen anyone die before…
…wait. They most likely didn't. As much as this was a martial arts world, it was a time of peace and killings rarely occurred, especially within Tushan City. Or so it seemed, anyway. I had gone through so many peaceful days that it felt almost like my original timeline, where the crime rate wasn't high and people didn't die everyday.
Among the crowd were Pang Feng, Tian Jian Hao, Liang Shao Yang and Hao Ying. Even Yin Jing Jing, who had been cultivating quietly beneath the Spirit Engraved Pillars, had stopped and rushed over to see what was going on. Lady, don't you think you've your priorities all messed up?
On the other hand, Liang Shao Yang was here. I wanted to put on a good show and trick him into thinking I was dead.
To seal the acting, Tang Qi Hong stood up, retrieved my blanket and threw it over me. She then turned to glare sternly at the gathered onlookers.
”What are you guys looking at? Fei Wu has been murdered! Have some respect, will you? Go attend to your own businesses, and don't crowd around here. I need the place clear so that Elder Zhao and the Blood Blades can investigate the scene smoothly without any hindrances.” She clenched her fists as her gaze sharpened. Her rage was visible as she swept her gaze, particularly over Tian Jian Hao and Liang Shao Yang.
I felt sorry for Tian Jian Hao. The poor guy was innocent. But since Tang Qi Hong was not supposed to know who killed me yet, she had to put on a show of ignorance. Tian Jian Hao looked puzzled and retreated somewhat timidly, most likely trying to figure out what was happening, while Liang Shao Yang maintained his poker face, refusing to give anything away. I had to hand it to him, the guy was an excellent actor.
Meanwhile, Tong Xue and Lian Rou reached Elder Zhao. Lian Rou rushed into the building that served as both his quarters and office.
”Elder Zhao! Are you here?!”
”What is it, so early in the morning?”
Unlike the disciples, Elder Zhao was deeply focused on his work, and hadn't heard about the murder yet. He raised his head to look at Lian Rou as she dashed into his office.
”Elder Zhao! It's Fei Wu! He has been bitten by Venomous Scarabs!”
Elder Zhao's expression darkened immediately. He stood up, putting his electronic tablet to sleep and laying it on the table. Putting on his coat, he followed Lian Rou and Tong Xue out as they briefly explained the situation.
”Where did those Venomous Scarabs come from?”
”Fei Wu said that Liang Shao Yang threw them at him. I heard someone attack him before I ran over.” Tong Xue provided his eyewitness account. Elder Zhao nodded, his expression unchanging, but rage simmered inside his dark eyes.
”It has only been a few months and already a murder has happened. I can't believe that Liang Shao Yang would be so ruthless as to use Venomous Scarabs to kill a fellow sect member. But then again, he is from the Divine Shadow Sect, known for their brutal assassination methods. Even so, this is not the Divine Shadow Sect! How dare he acts as if this place belongs to him?!”
”I think that he attempted to murder Fei Wu because he had gotten so close with Qi Hong,” Lian Rou said as she bowed her head.
”Murdering people just because he's jealous? What kind of logic is that?” Elder Zhao spat. ”Is he going to kill all the guys in the sect because they're all aiming for Qi Hong? He might as well commit a massacre now.”
He then took a deep breath to calm himself down. Biting his lip, he glared into the distance as he considered a few factors.
”Even so, if Fei Wu is the only eyewitness, it'll be difficult to prove Liang Shao Yang's guilt. Rest assured, I'll definitely investigate this. I'll start by looking into where these Venomous Scarabs come from, probably by finding out who had just returned from Fei Zhou, or at least who has connections with people from Fei Zhou and the means of procuring things from Fei Zhou.”
”Thank you very much, Elder Zhao!”
”You don't need to thank me,” Elder Zhao told Lian Rou and Tong Xue, waving their gratitude away. ”This is my duty, after all. I'll let you guys and Qi Hong know when I have more information. For now, I'll have to go investigate the scene. Tong Xue, do me a favor and contact Shen Cha and his investigative team. Don't tell them anything – just tell them to personally report to me immediately, and have them meet me at your or Fei Wu's apartment.”
”Roger that.”
Tong Xue saluted, and then scampered off.
Elder Zhao nodded as he watched him go, and with Lian Rou accompanying him, he headed toward my position.
*
”Shao Yang, why are you still so anxious? Isn't that Fei Wu already dead?”
Hao Ying watched as Liang Shao Yang paced incessantly across his apartment, surprised by his lack of composure. The latter scowled, his eyes flashing maliciously.
”Not necessarily. During my time in the Divine Shadow Sect, I was taught one thing by my father. If I have not confirmed with my own eyes that the target is a corpse, then I must never assume that he is dead!”
”The venom of the Venomous Scarabs are so toxic that it will kill a fully grown man within minutes. And you saw him get bitten, didn't you?” Hao Ying studied Liang Shao Yang, who didn't deny it. ”Unless they have an antidote on hand, which I'm sure they don't, he should be dead by now. It's been hours since he has been bitten!”
”That may be true, but there is always the possibility that Senior Tang or Senior Lian Rou happen to have the antidote on hand. That acting…was too unnatural.”
Fuck! I told you that you need to work on your acting, Tang Qi Hong! See what you've done!? You gave it away!
Liang Shao Yang paused as he drummed his fingers impatiently against the table, as if trying to remember something that he had forgotten. Something streaked past the greyish pupils of his eyes and he jerked his head up.
”Senior, where did you get the Venomous Scarabs from?”
”I bought them from an outer sect foreign ambassador,” Hao Ying replied. ”He is a regular in Fei Zhou, and he carried a few of them with him for businesses and trade. You know how there's always a market for exotic species of magical beasts and monsters from overseas.” He stopped when he noticed Liang Shao Yang's cautious expression. ”Don't worry, outer sect foreign ambassadors normally operate outside the sect, and I only dealt with him outside Tushan City. There's no way our tracks would be discovered by anyone.”
Liang Shao Yang smiled thinly, his eyes glowing ruthlessly as he gazed upon the trembling Hao Ying.
”Are you sure you want to take that chance?”
Hao Ying felt a chill go down his spine, and he gulped. Shaking his head, he bowed deferentially and took a step back.
”I understand. I'll take care of it right away.”
Drenched in cold perspiration, he quickly withdrew from Liang Shao Yang's apartment. Having grown up in the Divine Shadow Sect as well, he understood just how ruthless the members of the sect were. If he didn't take action and covered his tracks, the authorities – particularly the Blood Blades – would eventually find the Venomous Scarabs connection leading back to him. And in order to prevent suspicion from befalling him, Liang Shao Yang would ruthlessly silence even his fellow sect member, Hao Ying, without any hesitation whatsoever.
Obviously, Hao Ying had no desire to die, so he could only cut off all trails leading back to him and take care of the outer sect foreign ambassador before he ended up being silenced by the young master of his sect.
*
As it was, someone leaked out that I was alive, and…the game was given away. On the other hand, after I was given ample time to recover (not that I needed it, because I had immunity to all poisons), I was summoned to a trial.
”You say that Liang Shao Yang did this to you?”
A council of elders had gathered to pass judgement. Elder Zhao was one of them, but he seemed a little sidelined. As for the Sect Leader Zi Shou De and his wife, Da Ji, neither of them were present. It seemed that they were out on a mission and wouldn't be back for a few days.
As such, this council of elders served as a substitute to investigate the attempt on my life. With nothing to lose, I told the truth.
”You are aware that you're making quite the accusation, right?”
A hawk-nosed elder, Ying Bi, reminded me. His expression was predatory and grave, almost like that of a hawk.
”I can only describe what I saw,” I replied firmly. ”If you don't believe me, then there's nothing more I can say.”
”So he says. What do you have to say in your defense?”
Another elder, this time named Elder Tong Pan, turned to Liang Shao Yang, who had been brought here to testify as well.
Liang Shao Yang maintained his nonchalant expression.
”There must be some mistake,” he declared coolly. ”I never stepped out of my apartment the whole night, until I heard the commotion.”
He then glanced at me, as if challenging me to contest that. It was his word against mine, and given how the majority of the elders were gazing at me suspiciously, I knew whose word they would believe more.
They did realize that this dude was from the Divine Shadow Sect, a sect known for assassinations and underground dealings, right? Why were they more suspicious of me than they were of him?
The answer was pretty clear. Liang Shao Yang had displayed more talent in Spirit Engraving and blacksmithing than I did, and was well on his way to becoming an inner sect disciple. With someone whose future was so bright and would most likely bring great contributions to the sect, they couldn't bear to dismiss him in favor of a slightly above average and merely hardworking outer sect disciple who didn't have that much of a prospect beyond being…I dunno, a Blood Blade or an assistant for an inner sect disciple.
”Do you have evidence that I was the one who attacked you?” Liang Shao Yang was addressing me now, his eyes glinting maliciously.
”Well, I saw you with my own eyes.”
”Are you certain that the person you saw was me? Wasn't it dark? How were you able to see the features of your assailant?”
I frowned. The guy was trying to provoke me. He was expecting me to shout and yell at him, to threaten and rage at him. It appeared that he was slightly disappointed that I didn't take the bait and was acting just as calmly as he was.
”How did you know it was dark?” I countered. ”If you weren't there, as you claimed, why do you know the details about the lighting of the environment?”
Liang Shao Yang stuttered, caught off guard by my question. Elder Ying Bi glanced at him, and then decided to intervene to help him.
”Just answer the question, Fei Wu.”
Biased bastard. I noticed he wasn't asking Liang Shao Yang to answer the question.
”The corridor is pretty well-lit. You should know. There are a lot of fluorescent lights in the corridor of the residential buildings.”
”…that is true.”
The elders couldn't deny that.
”But an investigation carried out shortly after the attack showed no traces of Liang Shao Yang's qi. Or anyone's qi, for that matter. Are you certain that someone actually attacked you?”
”I heard it!” Tong Xue called out from my side of the room. ”I heard someone attacking Fei Wu!”
”But are you sure that was Liang Shao Yang? Did you actually seen him?”
”That's…” Tong Xue faltered, but Elder Zhao stepped in.
”The question was whether he was sure that Fei Wu was attacked. And at least one other eyewitness heard it, so we can be certain that Fei Wu wasn't lying, and that he really was attacked last night.”
Nobody questioned that after that. However, I suddenly understood why Liang Shao Yang didn't resort to more direct methods, such as attacking me. He used Venomous Scarabs because they left no evidence of his involvement. If he attacked me personally, he would inevitably leave behind traces of his qi, lingering qi signatures that could be traced back to him. On the other hand, if he used the Venomous Scarabs or some other creature to carry out his murder for him, then he wouldn't have to use any qi at all.
Elder Zhao realized this, for he added, ”Since the attempted murder was carried out using Venomous Scarabs, it's obvious that no qi would be involved. Otherwise the accused would just attack with his own weapons and martial arts rather than rely on monsters to do the job for him.”
”You need evidence that I'm the owner of those Venomous Scarabs,” Liang Shao Yang countered coolly. Cunning bastard. That was something no one possessed, at least not yet. ”Otherwise this is all just conjecture.”
”Then, do you have evidence that you were in your apartment during the attack?” Elder Zhao asked. He was probably the only one in the council who was on my side. Liang Shao Yang maintained his poker face, his earlier blanching a faint memory.
”Yes. I have an alibi.”
Stepping down, he gestured for Hao Ying to step forward. The inner sect disciple took his place and glanced nervously at the elders.
”I was there, in Liang Shao Yang's apartment, when the attack took place. I can testify that Shao Yang was inside his apartment until we both heard the commotion and headed out to see what was going on.”
”…didn't you guys arrive separately?” Elder Zhao frowned. ”I have a couple of eyewitnesses who testified that you both didn't show up in the scene together.”