Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 164 Hunter and Prey

Qian Fang suddenly stopped laughing.

Zhou Zhao's clear eyes looked at her, making her scalp tingle.

"You've told so many lies that you've started to believe them yourself. When Xie Linniang was killed, all nine of you present participated, without exception. Otherwise, do you think you'd still be alive and well, standing in the Court of Justice spouting nonsense!"

Qian Fang's expression changed; she pursed her lips and clenched her fists.

He then glared fiercely at Su Youde, saying, "Su Youde, neither of us laid a hand on you that day. We are innocent. You were just too scared to talk nonsense, weren't you? Su Youde, now the only two people still alive in that room are the two of us."

Su Youde's mind went blank for a moment, and he didn't understand what Qian Fang meant.

Min Zangzhi, who was sitting to the side taking a statement, frowned, a bad feeling rising in her heart.

Su Youde was clearly terrified of death. If he didn't change his testimony, he would be one of the murderers of Xie Linniang. But as Qian Fang said, of the ten people in that room that day, only the two of them were still alive. As long as the two of them denied it to the death, who could prove that they had done the killing?

This is a difficult situation!

He thought to himself and looked towards Zhou Zhao.

The young girl remained calm and composed, as if all the difficulties were no problem at all in front of her.

Min Zangzhi felt relieved.

He thought, if the sky falls, Zhou Zhao will hold it up; even if the ground sinks and a hole appears, Zhou Zhao will fill it in!

Why is he in such a hurry?
"If neither of you laid a hand on Xie Linniang that day, you can leave the Court of Justice after signing and affixing your fingerprints. Do not leave Chang'an. If there are any changes in the case, the Court of Justice will come to investigate again. By the way, if you find that the other party has met with misfortune, please also send them to the Court of Justice."

I, Zhou Zhao, am incompetent and have yet to catch the murderer. Now that the truth has been revealed, the murderer is highly likely to act desperately and kill out of spite.

As Zhou Zhao spoke, she maintained a businesslike demeanor, as if her earlier assertion that Qian Fang was the murderer's inside man had never occurred.

Upon closer inspection, he does indeed resemble a corrupt official who neglects his duties.

They wished they could kick the two out of the Court of Judicial Review and let the murderer kill them all.

Should he be completely killed by the murderer?

Su Youde suddenly realized why he had come to the Court of Justice to turn himself in—he had come here to hide from the murderer!

If he is innocent and is expelled from the Court of Justice, wouldn't that be like going out to wait for death?
Zhou Zhao is threatening him by shirking his responsibilities! Damn it, why are you threatening me when you're not even investigating the case properly?!

Su Youde was a little dizzy, but he was indeed threatened!
"Qian Fang is lying. To prevent others from reporting us to the authorities after they leave, that old man Sun Yang who grows orchids demanded that we all kill Xie Linniang together. No one will escape! No one will escape! Qian Fang, don't even think about getting away with it! You are also the murderer of Xie Linniang!"

Zhou Zhao nodded in satisfaction.

Over the years, she has reviewed countless files.

Such is human nature: among a group of strangers, who can trust whom? Who would willingly entrust their fate entirely to someone else?

Even if Qian Fang is an inside agent, she absolutely cannot escape unscathed.

Qian Fang's face changed drastically. She glared angrily at Su Youde, "Are you an idiot? I should have killed you first, you idiot!"

Su Youde suddenly flew into a rage, "You crazy woman! What good will it do you to harm us like this? You can go out and live a carefree life, but if I go out, I'll be slaughtered and fed to the pigs! I may be pale, but I'm not a pumpkin, why should I be eaten by pigs!"

Zhou Zhao listened, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

She always felt that Su Youde cared not about being killed, but about being eaten by pigs.

Zhou Zhao glanced at Chen Jiyuan standing at the door. Chen Jiyuan snapped out of his daze and led the somewhat deranged Su Youde away. As Su Youde walked away, he kept shouting, "Sir, sir, can you arrange the safest cell for me? One with people all around! I'll be safe under everyone's watchful eyes!"

As soon as he was taken away, the interrogation room fell silent.

Qian Fang tucked her slightly disheveled hair behind her ears. Her face was no longer relaxed, but she didn't seem particularly fearful either.

"The same thing happened four years ago. I was involved then, and none of us died; we all survived. There must have been an inside man like you back then. Why don't you guess if that person is still alive?"

If she were still alive, why not let her continue as an inside agent instead of replacing her with Qian Fang? If she's dead, why would she die when we had already broken the plan?

Seeing that Qian Fang's expression changed slightly, Zhou Zhao continued speaking.

"The Great Qi Dynasty is so vast, and Qian Liu didn't always stay in Chang'an. So it's not impossible that the same thing happened in other places we don't know about. So there must be one, two, three... many selected inside agents. Do you think they're still alive?"

Qian Fang's expression turned grim.

"The murderer who killed the others was one of the orphans Xie Linniang raised. After he killed them, Qian Liu helped dispose of the bodies. You told him who killed Xie Linniang, so he started seeking revenge."

He's already killed seven people. What makes you think he won't resent you because you were the mole? If you were the mole, you could have easily sabotaged the game and saved everyone, but you didn't. Do you think he hates you? Does he consider you one of his enemies?

Zhou Zhao looked at Qian Fang calmly, but her expression had become serious.

Zhou Zhao understood, and she took her words to heart.

"Qian Liu told you that even if the Court of Justice found out you were an inside agent, as long as you denied it to the death, you wouldn't be imprisoned, right? But you've seen the truth."

You think you're the cat, watching a group of mice struggle in their death throes. But in Qian Liu's eyes, everyone else is a black mouse, and you're a white mouse. You find pleasure in the death of the black mice, but Qian Liu is certainly looking forward to the beautiful scene of your death, the death of the white mouse.

As Zhou Zhao spoke, he smiled at Qian Fang.

That smile, however, sent chills down Qian Fang's spine.

"What would you do? Would you be unable to believe that you are not the hunter but the prey, feel betrayed and curse, or would you cry and beg for mercy like Su Youde... No matter which one you do, it would be ugly enough to please the murderer."

As she spoke, she tapped her fingers lightly on the table.

"No one can toy with another's life without paying any price. You are no exception, Qian Fang."

You think you have many other options, but you're no different from Su Youde. The murderer will find you, kill you, and avenge Xie Linniang. As for me, I can use you as bait. Do you think he'll come?

Qian Fang was startled and looked at Zhou Zhao in disbelief, "You can't be, you're an official of the imperial court..."

Zhou Zhao, however, curled up the corners of his mouth, his eyes full of interest.

In that instant, Qian Fang felt as if she were looking in a mirror.

She felt as if she saw herself in Zhou Zhao.

"You're crazy!"

Zhou Zhao will do it, she absolutely will.

"Help us catch Qian Liu, and that murderer. This is the only way you can go now. Where are they hiding?"

Qian Fang pursed her lips and after a long while said, "Puningfang Wujin Lane, the place where the most beautiful woman, Zhang Ruoqing, died, they are hiding there."

Zhou Zhao paused, stood up, and strode outside.