Bone Painting Coroner

She continued, “General Yuchi’s death is part of your plan. You both agreed to invite Ji Li to drink wine at the relay station. Next, he spiked his own drink, happily seeking his own demise. His death was to then be imputed to Ji Li. Unfortunately, there was an unforeseen element which almost jeopardized the whole plan – Kong Yu. Her arrival was a miscalculation, not to mention she injured Yuchi Lin with a curved dagger. However, you were able to reverse the situation and carry out the plan, successfully attaining the desired result.”

“And after that?” Su Ziluo casually asked. He did not deny her conjecture and maintained a very calm demeanor.

Ji Yunshu took a deep breath. She studied his expression while continuing her speech. “You let Kong Yu leave the relay station, but prior to that, you shut her mouth by agreeing to her condition – cancelling her marriage to Qujiang. Next, you destroyed all traces of her visit, except for that half-footprint which was overlooked. If I’m guessing correctly, that handkerchief has long been turned to ashes.”

“For your grand plan to be implemented, everything had to be carried out accordingly. Hence, while Ji Li was still unconscious from the alcohol, you s.n.a.t.c.hed his sword and decapitated General Yuchi where he was slashed by Kong Yu’s dagger.”

“Due to the pain from the slash, his whole body was incredibly tense. Therefore, when he was decapitated by you, his fingers were abnormally contracted, a sign of cadaveric spasm. After you took his life, you put the b.l.o.o.d.y sword in Ji Li’s hand and created a scene which made everyone believe that Ji Li killed General Yuchi during his drunken stupor.” There was no hesitation in her words as she explained everything clearly.

The room suddenly fell into a heavy silence in which sadness could almost be felt alongside the smell of decay.

Su Ziluo faced her accusatory eyes. His mouth curled up as if he was tearing off all his pretense, but he still remained relaxed. He merely asked, “If I understand, you are saying that I kill General Yuchi? Where is your evidence?”

“Everything is my conjecture. If you want evidence, I have it; It’s the crime weapon – the sword. It is still being held at the Ministry of Justice. As long as I can examine it, I can determine if your fingerprints are on it or not. You’re an intelligent man, so you should know that each person has different fingerprints.”

When he heard her words, his smile became more radiant, swiftly becoming provocative. “Don’t tell me you didn’t realize that your deduction is full of loopholes? If people believe or suspect that I killed Yuchi Lin, neither they nor I would allow you to do an autopsy. I would have cremated his body as soon as possible. Moreover, that footprint left by Kong Yu… If I took the handkerchief, why would I leave that half-footprint untouched? It’s half a footprint, how could I not have noticed such obvious details? Besides, the main point of this case is the murder weapon. I could have wiped off my fingerprints after committing the crime.”

“That’s not the way you do things.”

“Why?”

“Because you want me to find the evidence and discover that the culprit is you,” she spoke without hurry, each word uttered with confidence.

Su Ziluo’s eyebrows slightly rose. “Huh? In this world, does such a foolish murderer exist like you think me to be?” Despite his calm exterior, he seemed to be shrouded in a dark gloom. He bent his body slightly, giving off an overbearing pressure.

Ji Yunshu tightly balled her hands into fists. She solemnly asked, “Don’t try to worm your way out or hide the truth. Tell me, what do you want me to help you with?”

‘Huh?’ The sudden question stirred some emotions inside his eyes. He looked at the corpse on the bed, then s.h.i.+fted his sight back to Ji Yunshu. His expression revealed sincerity as he slowly laid out his request. “As expected, Miss Ji is a smart woman. No matter how small the clue, none can escape your eyes.”

“What do you want in the end?” She repeated the question.

“I want you to usher the truth in silence.”

“What?”

“The murderer is Ji Li.”

Ji Yunshu coldly laughed. “You are the murderer,” she reminded him.

Su Ziluo insisted, “Yes, I killed him, and everything is just like you said. In fact, from the start, I wanted to let you know in on it so you can help me keep it a secret.”

“What makes you think I would help you?” She was once again confused by his att.i.tude. This was a homicide case, not a joke. The victim was killed by Su Ziluo, she had no reason to let him escape justice.

However, the next moment, Su Ziluo took out the familiar ta.s.sel and dangled it in front of Ji Yunshu.

Seeing the ta.s.sel, Ji Yunshu’s mood became unstable. She couldn’t help but once again reach for it, but Su Ziluo slowly retreated.

“If you want to know about Ji Pei’s whereabouts, you will help me.” Su Ziluo voiced his condition, waiting to see if she would agree to his deal.

Ji Yunshu’s eyes reddened, but she shook her head in refusal. “No, I cannot do it.”

“You will do it!” He stared at her. “Because in your heart, nothing else matters more than Ji Pei.”

“No…”

“As long as you agree, I will tell you where Ji Pei is. Is he alive? Is he dead? I will tell you everything you desire to know.”

Ji Yunshu didn’t respond as her mind was caught in a dilemma. She staggered back, her legs weakened from the shock. The emotional pain overwhelmed her mind, exhausting her to the verge of vicissitude.

Su Ziluo put back the ta.s.sel in his sleeve, then he rolled his wheelchair to the window and pushed opened the closed shutters. The light outside beamed into the room, illuminating his white clothes. It made his whole figure appear serene and relaxed. His eyes trailed the horizon as he tried to convince her. “A single one of your words can reverse the fate of countless commoners whose homes were lost in the war. You could even save countless soldiers’ lives.”

Ji Yunshu looked at him. “Our 30,000 soldiers have resisted the Great Lin army of 100,000. If you were to expose the truth, our two nations will go to war. At that time, blood will flow into rivers, and the dead will pile into mountains. In the end, regardless of whose side wins, casualties would have reached an unfathomable number.”

As he spoke, he tilted his head and looked at her. The light hit him. From that angle, it highlighted his clear features which were extremely handsome. “What I want is for the Great Lin to return the two cities it took from us five years ago. This is my wish, and also the wish of our countrymen even since we retreated our troops and ended the war. Choose, it’s a very easy choice.”

‘A very easy choice?’ For Ji Yunshu, it was far from an easy one. Her body was on the verge of collapsing, almost unable to stand without support. She could only remain upright with the support of the table corner, refusing to be overwhelmed by Su Ziluo.

After a long time, her red lips slightly parted, telling him how tangled she was. “If I help you, I will put Ji Li on death row. My conscience will ensure I suffer from the guilt for the rest of my life, unable to find peace.”

“So?” he sneered. “As far as I know, he wants to kill you. Why are you sympathetic towards a brother who is always against you and even wanted to take your life?”

He knew that Ji Li was her eldest brother. It seemed that Su Ziluo had investigated her background.

“Life is precious!” Ji Yunshu firmly answered him.