Bursting out of the secret room, the bright sunlight beat down, making his pupils sting and water. *My skills are back, but my yin corpse is gone...* Standing at the threshold of the secret room, he looked around and was pleasantly surprised to find himself on an open-air corridor of a faculty dormitory. Behind him was a row of rooms, before him an azure sky, and below lay a small garden.
"Room 3-208."
Zhang Yuanqing glanced back at the room number where he had been held.
"According to the task prompt, the crime scene is Room 404, Building 3—on the fourth floor of this very building."
What a relief. That spared him the time of searching for the dormitory building. After all, he had barely over a minute left; if he ran into the detective squad while searching for the crime scene, he really would have to try taking on seven opponents alone.
Before the Final Battle could even begin in earnest, the contest would peak prematurely!
Zhang Yuanqing broke into a sprint, located the walkway, and dashed toward the fourth floor.
Before long, he reached the fourth floor and pinpointed Room 404.
The door was firmly shut and seemed to be locked, but that posed no challenge to Zhang Yuanqing. Choosing a method that wouldn't damage the crime scene, he channeled Astral Travel. His spirit body slipped out of his physical form, drifted through the security door, and entered the apartment.
*Click!*
The latch sprang open as the spirit body turned the handle from inside.
His spirit body returned, and Zhang Yuanqing pushed open the security door to step into Room 404.
He summoned the Spectacles of Insight, his gaze rapidly sweeping across the living room—passing over the coffee table, television, sofa, and assorted furniture. Everything was neatly arranged; this clearly was not the primary crime scene.
Zhang Yuanqing strode through the living room, pushed open the doors to the bedroom and study, and found the murder scene in the study.
The study was a shambles. Chairs were overturned, books lay scattered, and shattered glass littered the floor, depicting the aftermath of a violent brawl. Pools of dried blood stained the ground.
In the corner of the study sat a single bed with messy, rumpled bedding.
The only thing missing was the corpse, which had presumably been taken away by the Public Security Bureau.
Wearing the Spectacles of Insight, Zhang Yuanqing's gaze turned solemn and focused. Scanning every corner of the study like a scanner, he paced through the room, refusing to overlook a single detail, including the space beneath the single bed.
*If all I have is the crime scene, I can't prove my innocence. Time is running out...*
Suddenly, Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up. He opened his briefcase and pulled out the phone.
The phone lacked a lock screen; a single tap woke the display, and without any further input, the screen automatically played a video.
In the video, the lighting was dim. The curtains were drawn across the study window and no lights were on, creating a dark, quiet atmosphere. The camera angle was aimed toward the desk, where a figure in a dress shirt sat with his back to the lens, wearing a mask and typing on a computer.
"Cough, cough..." The person at the desk coughed a few times and spoke with heavy nasal congestion: "The seasons are changing—caught a cold!"
The perspective dipped slightly as the person holding the phone took a seat.
Then came a silence lasting over a dozen seconds. After some hesitation, the phone's owner spoke up:
"Professor Li, the reason I came to Capital City this time is that I wanted you to take a look at the manuscript."
Sitting before the desk with his back turned, Professor Li paid him no heed, as if feeling there was nothing to discuss.
The phone's owner said anxiously, "I know the previous draft was barely satisfactory and sales were poor, which dragged down your reputation. But I came here full of confidence this time. Please take a look at my new book—you will definitely be satisfied."
Professor Li's voice replied with that heavy nasal tone: "I no longer have any interest in your drafts."
"Professor Li..." The phone's owner sprang to his feet.
"Enough!" Professor Li stood up as well, his tone softening. "Since you traveled all this way to Capital City, I can't let you leave empty-handed. Leave the manuscript. Let's have a drink, and you can tell me about your concepts. But whether I use your work will be at my own discretion."
The phone's owner was overjoyed.
In the video, Professor Li walked toward a glass cabinet beside the desk and retrieved a flask-shaped bottle of imported liquor.
Carrying the bottle back, Professor Li glanced toward the camera and said, "What are you doing with your phone?"
"No—nothing..."
The recording ended there; the suspect had likely stopped filming and put the phone away.
*So that's how it went down...* Zhang Yuanqing gripped the phone, his brow furrowed in thought.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from the corridor outside, followed by the sound of a key inserting into the lock, and immediately afterward, the outer security door swung open.
A crowd of people poured inside.
It was none other than the detective squad led by Zhao Chenghuang and Earth God.
By now, Zhao Chenghuang and the others had changed into constable uniforms. A few of them even carried briefcases, looking every bit the part of officers on official business.
*Screeech—* Zhang Yuanqing dragged over a high-backed chair, sat down, and crossed his legs. Looking at the group, he sneered:
"The struggle between good and evil, the clash of light and shadow, the contest between killer and detectives—all of it will be settled today. The gates of destiny have been thrown wide open. Detectives, you are about to meet your respective fates.
"And as the villain, I shall remain at large. For the only one capable of defeating me is the legendary Detective Sherlock Holmes..."
His gaze was sharp, a cold smile played upon his lips, and his expression was wickedly charismatic, exactly like a compelling villain from a television drama.
Before he could finish, Sun Miaomiao cut him off in a crisp voice: "Yuanshi Tianzun, haven't you gotten a little too into character? Stop wasting time and let's get on with the plot."
Zhang Yuanqing said in a deep voice, "Charging straight into violence is what mere lackeys do. A charismatic arch-villain must have his signature lines and grand entrance to match his style."
Sun Miaomiao blinked her big, dark eyes. "Except you aren't charismatic at all. You're just weird~"
Zhang Yuanqing's expression froze. Losing the mood to continue, he waved his hand as if shooing a fly. "Fine, let's start, let's start. Diu lei lou mou..."
As the words fell, the Spirit Realm notification echoed in the ears of the eight contestants:
[All participants present. The showdown begins. This stage is: Confrontation in Court!]
[Showdown Mode: Detectives are requested to present evidence accusing the suspect. The suspect must prove their innocence within the allotted time; failing to do so will result in an immediate guilty verdict. Once the suspect proves their innocence, the detectives must present further evidence within the allotted time; failing to do so will result in an immediate not-guilty verdict for the suspect.]
[Note: Skills and physical combat are prohibited during this stage.]
The rules were simple: all the suspect had to do was overturn piece after piece of incriminating evidence presented by the detectives to prove his innocence. Precisely because of its simplicity, there were practically no loopholes to exploit.
Having heard the rules, Sun Miaomiao turned to World Returns to Fire and praised him, "You guessed right! This round really does come down to who holds more leverage. We have plenty of evidence implicating Yuanshi Tianzun, so our odds of winning are very high."
World Returns to Fire spoke with a hint of pride: "The detectives inherently held the upper hand in this phase. But the suspect is bound to have something to rely on as well—and that reliance should be in the briefcase by your feet, wouldn't you say, Yuanshi Tianzun?"
Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "There are indeed a few clues inside."
"Found them in the cell?"
"Yes."
World Returns to Fire mused, "We were in a room downstairs just now, and the task prompt we received was to arrest the suspect after eight minutes. I've been counting the time; you took about six minutes to escape the cell.
"Based on your skill level, one can deduce the difficulty of escaping the cell, and that difficulty level reflects the importance of the clues inside the briefcase. You came within two minutes of failing to escape, which means the clues in that briefcase must be crucial."
The group immediately looked toward Zhang Yuanqing.
"They are indeed very important," Zhang Yuanqing replied with an affirmative smile and nod.
The expressions of Sun Miaomiao and the others grew complicated. Even the aloof, proud Zhao Chenghuang raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting back and forth between Yuanshi Tianzun and World Returns to Fire.
While still downstairs, World Returns to Fire had made a bold deduction about the mechanics of this stage based on the items and information given to the detective squad. The Spirit Realm prompt had just confirmed his deduction.
A bullseye prediction.
And now, not only had Zhang Yuanqing escaped the cell, he had also obtained crucial clues, making victory even harder for the detective squad.
These details showed that the two were indeed superior to the others when it came to clearing dungeons.
Zhao Chenghuang withdrew his gaze and frowned. "Enough nonsense. Let's begin."
With that, clad in his constable uniform, he opened his briefcase, drew out a document, and read aloud:
"Criminal suspect Yuanshi Tianzun: You were Professor Li's ghostwriter. Refusing to accept being dismissed, you visited Professor Li yesterday afternoon at three o'clock, attempting to persuade him to continue the collaboration.
"Because Professor Li refused, an argument broke out, escalating into a physical altercation. In a fit of rage, you murdered him using the fruit knife on the desk. You yourself were struck in the back of the head with an ashtray by Professor Li before he died, knocking you unconscious.
"Professor Li's wife returned home after finishing her lecture, only to discover her deceased husband and the unconscious you."
Having read the document, his gaze shifted toward Zhang Yuanqing, abruptly turning razor-sharp:
"We now present the evidence: your fingerprints on the fruit knife, and photographs of the contusion on the back of your head."
Zhao Chenghuang drew out the forensic reports from the folder one by one, displaying them to the criminal suspect, Yuanshi Tianzun.
Throughout this process, the other contestants remained silent, calmly looking on to see how Yuanshi Tianzun would respond.
Equally silent were the spectators outside the arena.
The colosseum was currently as quiet as a movie theater; everyone was so engrossed in the drama that they forgot to speak.
*So that was the sequence of events...* Zhang Yuanqing listened intently, piecing together the narrative of the crime. At the same time, the task prompt sounded in his ears:
[Ding! You must prove you are not the murderer within ten minutes. Countdown begins...]
*What I need to refute are the fingerprints on the fruit knife and the contusion on the back of my head. The fingerprints on the knife are an established fact; to overturn them, I need a sound, reasonable explanation...*
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Zhang Yuanqing slipped effortlessly into character: "May I ask Constable Zhao—has the crime scene been tampered with?"
Zhao Chenghuang said flatly, "Apart from the physical evidence taken during the forensic investigation, everything remains in its original state."
Zhang Yuanqing continued, "Before I prove my innocence, I would like to review the crime scene investigation report."
He needed to verify one crucial thing to prove his innocence.
However, the crime scene investigation report was part of the constables' procedural workflow, not a piece of evidence presented against him in this round.
World Returns to Fire shook his head in refusal. "Apart from the evidence itself, we are under no obligation to accommodate your requests, including the crime scene report."
Zhang Yuanqing ignored him and looked at Zhao Chenghuang with a mocking smirk: "Of course, Constable Zhao is entirely within his rights to refuse. After all, I am formidable enough that any small concession might allow me to turn the tables. I understand your fear!"
Zhao Chenghuang raised an eyebrow. "A clumsy provocation."
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed over the investigative file containing photographs and written records.
"Hey, wait—!" World Returns to Fire let out a sharp cry, looking irritated.
*Clumsy or not, reverse psychology works...* Zhang Yuanqing smiled. To save time, he skimmed past the sections on the corpse and fingerprints, focusing his attention on the catalog of trace remnants found at the scene.
Half a minute later, he returned the report and began his defense:
"In reality, I am a person with five diopters of myopia. As everyone knows, with severe nearsightedness like that, the world is a blur the moment you take off your glasses. No lens shards were found at the scene, nor are any recorded in the report. In other words, I broke my glasses accidentally before visiting Professor Li.
"Without glasses, how could I have committed murder?"
Zhang Yuanqing opened the briefcase, took out the broken pair of glasses, and held them up for everyone to see.
The left frame was completely empty, while the right frame still held a lens that was spiderwebbed with cracks.
Tone-Deaf scoffed, "Not having glasses wouldn't stop you from struggling with the victim and stabbing him with a fruit knife. Being nearsighted doesn't make you blind. That doesn't prove your innocence."
"Not seeing clearly and being unable to kill are indeed two different things," Zhang Yuanqing conceded with a nod. "However, the signs of struggle at the scene prove that I am not the killer."
Sun Miaomiao pressed, "How does that prove it?"
"If I harbored murderous intent toward Professor Li while my glasses were already broken and my vision was severely blurred, I would have concealed the knife and ambushed him for an instant kill. I would never have engaged in a physical struggle with him, because with impaired vision, I wouldn't be sure I could win a fight," Zhang Yuanqing said with fluid composure. "Therefore, the evidence of a struggle in the study proves my innocence."
The dungeon prompt did not chime; the argument was insufficient.
World Returns to Fire smiled.
"You have a point, but isn't there another possibility? Perhaps you intended to ambush him, but because of your blurred vision, you made a noise, got discovered by Professor Li, and a struggle ensued."
"That is certainly a possibility!" Zhang Yuanqing readily agreed. Just as smiles began to form on Sun Miaomiao's and the others' faces, he asked in return:
"Then why are the bloodstains on my back?"
Saying so, he rose from the high-backed chair and turned his back to them.
Only then did everyone see the large patch of dried blood across his back, along with dark stains splattered on the back of his trouser legs.
Zhang Yuanqing turned back around and smiled.
"The autopsy report states that the victim died from a single stab straight through the heart. Why would blood spray onto my back? It's impossible for me to have killed him while facing away from him. Combining the broken glasses and the bloodstains, one can deduce that the killer was not me."
[Ding! The detectives must prove within ten minutes that the suspect is the killer. Countdown begins...]
*As expected, all I need to do is raise doubts and create a paradox to overturn the detectives' accusation. Even if my fingerprints are on the fruit knife, the presumption of innocence applies...* Zhang Yuanqing breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
World Returns to Fire narrowed his eyes. Though frustrated, this outcome was well within his expectations; after all, his opponent was Yuanshi Tianzun.
It wouldn't be settled that easily.
The other contestants frowned. Though the group included Qingsongzi and Earth God, who had voted for Zhao Chenghuang, that belonged to the previous round; right now, Yuanshi Tianzun was their common target.
If they failed to eliminate Yuanshi Tianzun, every one of them would be deducted ten points.
Outside the arena, the official realmwalkers watched with rapt fascination.
"When I saw the crime scene earlier, I thought of that very point! Yuanshi Tianzun spotted it too, just as expected. But I caught it because I'm a Scout—how did Yuanshi Tianzun manage it? His brain works terrifyingly fast."
"Now the pressure is back on the detective squad! This is what makes it fun. Future arena tournaments should use this format; it's so captivating!"
"Ah, this is so boring! Hurry up and fight! I want to see combat! If it comes down to it, let me go in there instead!"
"Pfft, vulgar Fire Master."
Clad in a leather jacket and leather pants, Earth God chuckled and said:
"Not bad at all, young lad. You have no investigative experience, yet you overturned the accusation in such a short time—you're very talented. Allow this old man to test you a bit, then."
He immediately drew a stack of documents from his briefcase and said:
"Constables lifted fingerprints belonging to three individuals from the scene: yours, Professor Li's, and his wife's. Furthermore, according to the statement provided by Neighbor Lao Wang, you were the only person who visited Professor Li around three o'clock that afternoon, right up until his wife finished work and called the authorities. Therefore, the murderer must be you."
[Ding! You must prove you are not the murderer within ten minutes. Countdown begins...]
Zhang Yuanqing received the task notification once more.
This was an unfair contest. For the detectives, all they had to do was present their evidence step by step to accuse the suspect, deflecting the pressure outward.
The suspect, on the other hand, had to rack his brains using limited information to prove his innocence.
*The fingerprints and the witness statement point directly to me. How do I overturn them? No, they can't be refuted directly, because that evidence is factual. How do you disprove something real?* Zhang Yuanqing pondered, falling silent for a long while.
The contestants visibly relaxed, happily counting down the time in their heads.
*Change the line of thought: when ironclad evidence cannot be overturned, how do I prove my innocence? From my perspective, if I am innocent, then the killer must be someone else...* He carefully recalled every detail of the case, and his eyes suddenly lit up:
"Between the time I entered the room and the time Professor Li's wife returned, no other visitors came by, that is true. But what if the killer was already inside the room?"
The fingerprints and testimony were hard evidence, but that didn't mean the conclusion was correct!
World Returns to Fire's expression darkened abruptly.
The other contestants lagged by two seconds, and then their hearts sank in unison. Yuanshi Tianzun's sharp intellect and sheer tenacity were proving exceedingly troublesome.
Chapter 198