âOne final question, are you sure the medicine pack contains purely medicine?â
Hearing that question, Jia Han slammed the table and stood up, âWhat do you mean by that? Are you trying to say that the contents of the medicine are actually⦠No! Impossible! The medicine is meant to cure Jing Jingâs injury, why would I harm her? Miss Mo Li, Iâve heard enough out of you. You are a student just like us. I donât know why youâre here but how can you throw around suspicion like that?â
âPlease calm down.â Xiao Rui warned seeing Jia Han get so agitated. Lin Jing pulled on Jia Hanâs shirt, signalling him to sit back down.
âIâm sorry⦠I was just too shocked by the accusation. After all, weâre just ordinary students. Even though our families arenât the wealthiest at Pearl River, weâre people of reasonable standing too, where would we get human ashes? If we went to the black market, you would have found the evidence already.â
Xiao Rui analyzed the situation in his mind.?Currently there are only 3 victims and the only one who has been cremated is Tian Miao. Could the human ashes have come from her then?
Xiao Rui turned to remind Mo Li, âIf you suspect theyâre the culprit, other than hypothesis, you need to provide us with evidence and motive.â
âEvidence and motive?â Mo Li turned to Lin Jing. âWhen you realize where the human ashes come from, youâll find the motive.â
âYou mean⦠Waitâ¦â Xiao Rui was startled.?Human ashes might not necessarily come from the dead. I should have thought of that when Mo Li asked me to call Lin Jing to come here.
âIf Iâm not wrong, Lin Jing, your arm and leg cast are actually empty, right?â
Si Lin was creeped out when she heard that. âYou mean⦠She has eaten her own ashes?â Kang Zhi couldnât believe it either, this had gotten beyond human comprehension.
âIf you want evidence, you can open the cast now, then everything will be clarified.â Mo Li stared at Lin Jing. Her gaze was oppressive. To everyoneâs surprise, Lin Jing started to laugh and she admitted. âYouâre right. It has been long enough⦠And Iâm done pretending.â
âJing⦠Jing Jing⦠What are you saying?â Jia Han couldnât believe it. He was swindled.
âYes, my casts are empty. My left arm and left leg arenât broken, they have been amputated.â Lin Jing said cavalierly. There was no sadness on her face.
âBut why? Jing Jing⦠Why would you do this?â Jia Han still couldnât believe it.
âBut if thatâs the case, then she would be too incapacitated to be the killer.â
âBecause sheâs not the killer.â Mo Li announced as she turned to Headmaster Shen, âEat brain to heal brain, eat limbs to heal limbs, isnât that what you believe, Headmaster Shen?â
Everyoneâs eyes immediately turned to Headmaster Shen. Mo Li noticed that Lin Jingâs face when from nonchalance, to horror and fear*. Looks like the girl doesnât know the truth either.*
âThere are only so many people who can tamper with the supplements at this school. Although I wouldnât have known it was you if you didnât turn so desperate to kill Shen Tong.â Mo Li shrugged.
Then Lu Xuanâs phone rang. âQin Xuan just sent me the latest lab result. There is poison dart toxin inside Shen Tongâs inhaler!â
âBut why would she kill Shen Tong?â
âI know!â It suddenly came to Si Lin. âDuring the questioning, Shen Tong told us that even though she couldnât be sure when the legend of henna started, it only became popular after Lin Jingâs car accident. She said that was when she drew the henna tattoo on her tongue, however when she showed us her tongue, Miss Mo Li noticed that the color of her tattoo was more faded than the other students. It could only mean that she lied to us and had her tattoo made long before that.
âAt the time, we had no idea why she lied to us but now I think I know. Itâs to hide the real source from where she heard the legend of henna!â
Headmaster Shen frowned but she said nothing.
It was Jia Han who jumped in, âBut why would Headmaster Shen do this? Why do all these things for Jing Jing?â
Xiao Rui answered, âItâs because Jing Jing is her daughter.â
âWait, Jing Jing is the headmasterâs daughter?â Jia Han was shocked again.
âYou donât know that?â Si Lin gasped. âShen Tong told me you only pursued Lin Jing because she is Headmaster Shenâs daughter.â
Mo Li shot a look at Xiao Rui and the latter nodded. âActually, Headmaster Shen, I also wish to know, why havenât you come clean to us about your relationship with Lin Jing? It feels like youâre trying to hide that from us.â
âHow is that my fault? You never asked and you didnât investigate the case thoroughly.â
Xiao Rui pressed, âThen how did Shen Tong find out? Sheâs not that close to Lin Jing. Also, as mentioned by my team member, Shen Tong knew about the legend of henna earlier than most students. When you combine these two details, there is only one answer.â