ASER - Chapter 50
Chapter 50: Outcome
Average looks, exceptional temperament.
Compared to the many handsome and refined young masters, his appearance was rather ordinary, not even as good as Xu Luo's. He was the type who would disappear into a crowd. However, he stood tall and straight, his cotton-like blue robe loose, cinched at the waist with a simple white cotton sash. He wore no jade pendants, unadorned, yet possessed a refined and distinguished air, his eyes sharp and clear like the edge of a sword.
He had also removed the glasses he usually wore. Only after Zhou Jiang looked at him did he raise his head, fiddling with a ring, and slowly said, "The Ministry of Justice has its own procedures for accepting cases; it's not something anyone can just submit. According to the law, murder cases can indeed be transferred to the Ministry of Justice. However, seven days ago, the Supreme Court issued a new directive: murder cases related to education, especially those occurring on school grounds, are to be prioritized for investigation by the schools in conjunction with their legal departments. If they are unable to verify the facts, the case is then submitted to the Academy Alliance for review and supervision, and finally handed over to the Supreme Court for record-keeping."
Hearing this, Cui Liang's expression turned cold. He said indifferently, "Chen Xun, you truly live up to your reputation as the most rule-abiding person in our Jinling Academy. I just wonder, if the deceased wasn't my brother, and the perpetrator wasn't your half-sister, would you still be so pedantic? Or perhaps it's because your father, Official Chen, now has boundless prospects, that you can afford to be so self-righteous."
Chen Xun had already turned his ring twice. He said, "Classmate Cui, as a relative of the deceased, it's understandable that you might lose your rationality due to emotion. However, your rashness in pushing this case to the Ministry of Justice... The officials there, out of habit and duty, will naturally do their best. This certainly has nothing to do with the Jinling Ministry of Justice's investigating magistrate also sharing your surname, Cui. But in doing so, wouldn't they be pitted against the Academy Alliance? If this sparks conflict and the two departments resume their disputes, it would betray the sovereign's decree and destabilize the court's peace. To quell such strife, our Jinling Academy would inevitably have to bear the responsibility. For the death of a mere brother, Classmate Cui, why must you go to such lengths?"
It was a speech full of grand principles, seemingly aimed at currying favor and seeking fame, much like a villain's sophistry. Yet, his gentlemanly demeanor made it seem like the unassailable doctrine of a sage governing the world, allowing no rebuttal.
Cui Liang detested this attitude of his the most. His pupils trembled slightly, and just as he was about to explain, Chen Xun continued, "When it involves imperial decrees, the stability of the nation, and even the thousand-year honor of the academy that educates us to become capable individuals, what is the death of a mere brother? Even if my own father were buried alive today and died here, he would sternly demand that I adhere to this rule and absolutely not do something as brainless as clamoring for retribution out of personal feelings. Classmate Cui, what do you say?"
Truly a perfect model of sagely virtue, spouting "the sovereign and teacher are the guiding principles; one would rather die than bend, even if it means one's father perishes." It was hypocritical to the extreme, yet this was precisely the kind of pseudo-gentleman scholar from a 'pure stream' family.
Full of benevolence, righteousness, and morality when speaking, and morality, righteousness, and benevolence when silent—enough to talk someone to death.
But you couldn't refute it. To refute it meant violating the principles of loyalty to the sovereign and respect for teachers. Delving deeper, it meant going against the political correctness of the imperial court and the reputation and interests of the Academy Alliance.
Cui Liang: "..."
Of course, he didn't care whether Cui Yun lived or died. Indeed, he was just a mere brother, a cousin at that, who harbored ill intentions and wanted to compete with him for family resources. But he did care whether he could use his death to seek the greatest benefit.
If Chen Xun couldn't die, then Chen A'Diao had to.
One of them had to die today.
Cui Liang: "Classmate Chen has a point. In that case, I request Captain Zhou to apprehend this person according to school regulations, detain her for murder, and proceed with investigation and conviction, so as not to delay the exams for others."
Regardless of whether Chen Xun could later use his connections, leveraging the principal's admiration for him, to save Chen A'Diao's life, Chen A'Diao's exam results had to be nullified.
First, ruin her future, then wait for Chen Xun to make his move... Once he truly pulled strings for this half-sister, Cui Liang could seize the evidence, report it to the Ministry of Education, and further destroy Chen Xun's prospects, seeing which top university would dare to accept him.
Cui Liang had calculated the value of Cui Yun's death clearly, but would the situation really unfold as he wished?
Cui Liang came on aggressively, and even the many examinees who understood nothing of the situation could see that Chen A'Diao was in a bad predicament.
The Tian siblings were extremely worried, but they were just commoners; how could they get involved? They also didn't know if Chen A'Diao was terrified. She must be very... The two siblings looked over with concern, and suddenly, they were stunned.
It turned out that the 'terrified' Chen A'Diao's eyes had reddened, and she was muttering to herself, "I killed someone? Did I really kill someone? Even if he was a beast, deliberately insulting me in my ear during my exam, I shouldn't have done this. After all, I used to not even have the heart to step on an ant, and now I've actually killed someone?"
As she spoke, she gently patted her own cheek with her small hand, "Chen A'Diao, you're so naughty!"
The force was comparable to a lover gently patting their paramour's cheek flirtatiously, complete with a self-directed 'You rascal, you're so naughty' atmosphere. So very gentle.
Zhou Jiang: "..."
Everyone: "..."
From Cui Liang +333!
From...
But the keywords she provided were very pertinent, and intelligent people quickly sensed something fishy.
Insulting her in her ear?
How is that possible?
There was no one else near her during the exam, unless!
Zhou Jiang's eyes lit up. He immediately darted forward to inspect A'Diao's clothes, but Chen Xun glanced at him, his gaze sweeping over A'Diao's attire first. He then lifted her hoodie, revealing a tiny insect underneath.
Not only did he see it, but anyone in that direction who wasn't blind could see a gold-spotted ladybug under the black hoodie. It was very small, but they were all elites. Their bodies had undergone marrow cleansing, and their five senses surpassed those of ordinary people. Never mind the ladybug, they could even see loose threads on her clothes.
Not good!
The moment Cui Liang saw this thing, he knew it was bad. A sinister look flashed in his eyes, and his hand gripped the other small arrows in the mecha scabbard at his waist. Unfortunately, others reacted quickly too.
Zhou Jiang was an expert in this. He recognized it at a glance, immediately took the insect, and said, "Mind Ladybug, Forbidden Item C-5246, special category, used for inducing hallucinations..."
Before he could finish, he suddenly heard Cui Liang shout angrily, "Things have come to this, my brother Yun has died tragically, and you still dare to slander him! I will definitely kill you!"
Swish, swish, swish! Three small arrows shot out from the scabbard at his waist, swift and fast. The red light on their tips flickered, looking as if they would explode at any moment.
Everyone watched, terrified, instinctively wanting to flee to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
A'Diao had also wanted to dodge, but she saw that Chen Xun in front of her hadn't moved, and his fingers were still turning the ring on his middle finger.
Although many years had passed, and she thought she had forgotten, she still remembered this legitimate elder brother, who had a stern face like an old antique since childhood, holding a scroll in one hand and turning a thumb ring or a regular ring with the other, faintly looking down at her as she tried to please him.
He was very intelligent, the most intelligent person she had known since childhood. This intelligence was purely a matter of superior intellect.
But he was also low-key, so low-key that you could only glimpse some of his thoughts from his occasional small habits.
Back then, Chen Ran was just a minor official of low rank. He was low-key and forbearing, much like the studious older brother from next door, his reputation modest, only matching his family's background to a certain extent.
His prominence grew with his family, step by step, steadily and surely.
For example, now, his turning the ring meant the situation was still within his expectations, like a circle, spinning round and round but staying within its bounds.
So, A'Diao didn't move either.
She didn't move, but someone else did.
A flash of light, like a curved lightning bolt, instantly pierced the three small arrows from a distance. Were they crushed and then exploded?
Not at all.
Swish! They were assimilated, turning into three stones.
As the stones hit the ground, the smart control signal was cut off, leaving no chance for an explosion.
Cui Liang was astonished. He quickly looked towards where the flash of lightning had come from, only to see a person standing on the roof of a teaching building two or three hundred meters away. He couldn't make out their appearance, but it was likely an expert from Jinling Academy.
Since the resurgence of Spiritual Energy, Cui Liang knew that all provincial academies and universities were no longer the simple places of education they once were. Personnel changes were extremely secretive.
Cui Liang had some inkling but dared not investigate, because now even the powerful and noble kept a wide berth from the Academy Alliance.
That was a circle formed by the most intelligent people in the entire country. Cui Liang also wholeheartedly wished to become one of them but absolutely dared not contend with it.
Realizing the other party's identity, Cui Liang's face immediately paled. He raised his hand in a salute and said loudly, "Teacher, please don't misunderstand. I was merely agitated for a moment. After all, this girl is insidious and cunning; not only did she brutally kill my brother, but she also tried to frame him. I simply couldn't bear it. I absolutely did not intend to offend the dignity of Jinling Academy. After all, I am also a student of Jinling Academy."
After a pause, he specifically added, "Moreover, I have passed the direct admission assessment for Kyoto University and have been accepted. I came today specifically to bid farewell to the teachers."
His words caused quite a stir.
In the Tang-Song nation, the university rankings had been dominated by three unshakable pillars for thousands of years across dynasties: Kyoto University, Beichuan University, and Minghai University.
Among them, Kyoto University was located in the Tang-Song capital, Kyoto, teeming with influential figures, and hailed as the cradle of Tang-Song power holders. For Cui Liang to pass the preliminary selection early meant he was already ahead of the top students at Jinling Academy.
Even... surpassing Chen Xun, who had always dominated the academic exams and ranked first in the past.
This was likely due to the opportunities brought by the resurgence of Spiritual Energy, as the Cui Clan was indeed stronger than Chen Xun in terms of Spiritual Energy resources, achieving an 'overtake on the curve' in this aspect.
Impressive!
The three top universities were also the ultimate goal for these examinees present, but they also knew their chances of getting in were extremely low.
The way these people looked at Cui Liang also changed—to admiration, respect, and envy.
But Cui Liang wasn't saying these words for them; he was saying them for the people of Jinling Academy.
Zhou Jiang: "Ah, no wonder he's so arrogant, twice violating school rules to attack, attempting to kill Chen Xun and Chen A'Diao. He certainly has backing. Because now he's no longer just a student of Jinling Academy, but a student of Kyoto University."
The teachers of Jinling Academy had varied expressions, but Cui Liang was most concerned about Chen Xun. The latter's expression remained unchanged as he slowly said, "I've said before that Classmate Cui is accustomed to acting on impulse. Once or twice makes no difference; it's merely a trivial detail. What's important is this insect. Whether it's slander or not can be found out with a simple check—signals are always activated from both ends."
He didn't mention the university at all, presumably to avoid his sharp edge.
Cui Liang narrowed his eyes. "During the exam, all students and exam materials are inspected by instruments. It's impossible to bring such devices in. This Mind Ladybug naturally couldn't have been brought in by her. Then there's only one possibility—she deliberately placed this ladybug on herself after coming out."
Before Chen Xun could continue speaking, a weak voice suddenly chimed in.
"Um, although it's not good to interrupt you all, I have to remind you, actually, Big Brother Cui Yun was just buried alive, not dismembered. If we dig up the grave—er, no, dig up the earth now, maybe he can still be saved. What's the point of you all arguing like this? Saving him is what's important."
She had an expression of profound compassion, instantly making people forget how ruthless she had been when burying Cui Yun alive, and making them seem like terrible people.
Cui Liang, who from beginning to end had only thought about Cui Yun dying so he could maximize his value: "..."
There were quite a few shrewd people present. They hadn't quite figured it out just now, but with A'Diao's gentle reminder, many had an epiphany: Yes, if one truly cared about a relative, the first reaction should be to rush to save them, at least if it happened to themselves. But looking at Cui Liang's reaction... his objective was very clear.
The halo of Kyoto University immediately dimmed.
From Cui Liang +1200!
A'Diao coldly watched as the psychic power on the toilet approached nearly two hundred and fifty thousand.
Today's psychic power income was extraordinary, but she knew the biggest crisis hadn't passed. Since she had chosen to bury Cui Yun alive, she had already considered how to wrap things up.
If Cui Liang hadn't been there, she was confident she could have retreated unscathed. But since Cui Liang had come, it wouldn't be easy to handle.
So...
As A'Diao spoke, she had actually already run to the weapon rack, picked up a shovel, and started digging.
"Teachers, quick, come and help! A life is at stake!"
The teachers were a bit stunned, but on second thought, it was true. Digging up the body—no, saving the person was the top priority.
The group, almost led astray by A'Diao, anxiously grabbed tools and began digging with great enthusiasm.
Cui Liang was very displeased: Handing it over to the Ministry of Justice was a no-go. He said the academy should apprehend and convict her, but instead, a group of people were busy digging up a body, and no one was going after Chen A'Diao.
But he absolutely wouldn't get a third chance to launch a sneak attack and kill her.
"Dig the person out, and check if Cui Yun has any evidence on him connecting to the Mind Ladybug. However, what Classmate Cui Liang said is not without reason. Our exams do have equipment scanning enabled, and something like a Mind Ladybug absolutely cannot be brought into the examination hall. Therefore... Classmate Chen A'Diao is still under suspicion. Both logically and reasonably, she should be apprehended first. Captain Zhou, what do you think?"
Wang Hai's words were well-reasoned, gentle, and polite, and quite persuasive. Many teachers also agreed. After all, burying someone alive in front of them was indeed too brutal. Moreover, they found this Chen A'Diao to have a somewhat wicked aura. And most importantly, Cui Liang was already soaring, while Chen A'Diao was still just... Chen Xun's prospects were also not as good as Cui Liang's.
It wasn't difficult for them to choose.
After Wang Hai said this, A'Diao, however, wasn't flustered at all. She glanced at Zhou Jiang.
If she remembered correctly, when she gave her account after being attacked near the restroom, she had specifically mentioned the splashing water and the other party fleeing in disarray, stepping through water. In that case... this man couldn't be completely useless, right?
"Teacher Wang, I think you're absolutely right, so..." Zhou Jiang raised his hand, a spiritual light flashing in his palm. Just as Wang Hai and Cui Liang felt a surge of joy in their hearts, the next second—
Bang!!
Wang Hai was kicked over. A rope flew out from Zhou Jiang's palm, directly coiling around and binding Wang Hai. Then, Zhou Jiang stepped on his head with one foot and swiftly disarmed him of all weapons with one hand.
"Captain Zhou! What are you doing?!"
Almost everyone was shocked, except for A'Diao, Chen Xun, and Zhou Jiang himself.
Other teachers frantically asked about the situation, but some sharp-witted teachers sensed something was amiss and stopped the panicked ones, waiting for Zhou Jiang to explain.
Zhou Jiang kept his foot on Wang Hai's head, giving him no chance to question, defend himself, or play the 'thief crying "stop thief!"' game.
"Don't bother struggling. This is the Forbidden Item, Spirit-Binding Rope. Although it's only D-grade, it's more than enough for you. So, trying to escape through the wall again is impossible."
"However, Wang Hai, as someone who teaches pedagogy, how could you forget that when an assassination fails and you flee barefoot over wet ground, you leave behind skin flakes from your feet? And those skin flakes not only prove you have smelly feet but also match your DNA."
"Do you have any idea what your outcome will be?"
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