Chapter 56: The God of Public Judgment’s Logic (Part Five)

"Killing, of course, must be justified," Chen Tianyu said calmly. "No murderer would willingly shoulder the crime, especially not when it comes to serial killings. You, in order to conceal your vengeful intentions, meticulously orchestrated this grand scheme of divine retribution, making use of Wan Yongkun to create a terrifying atmosphere, employing levitation to simulate death, and, most impressively, executing the perfect move—murder by proxy."

"The special button found in the trap caused the case to take a sudden turn, but in reality, it marked the commencement of your plan to frame others. I suspect it was only after witnessing Yiting's prowess at the crime scene that you decided to improvise. You knew well that no matter how flawless a plan, some flaw would inevitably emerge, especially with a veteran detective by your side. At that moment, the safest course was to shift suspicion onto someone else, diverting the investigation."

"Although you and Li Fuqi had no major grievances, your frequent interactions allowed you to observe his habits, attire, mannerisms, and even to quietly acquire an unusual button. It wasn't strange to pay such attention, but your prior vigilance proved useful in ways you hadn't anticipated, and so your subsequent plans deviated from their original track."

"To truly pin the crime on Li Fuqi, you had to continue manufacturing murder, and Second Uncle Li Qihuai became your ideal target." Chen Tianyu sighed. "Ironically, we in Beiting pride ourselves on being seasoned investigators, yet you, a mere youth, led us around by the nose. With that piece of evidence falling into our hands, all our manpower was diverted to sifting through it, giving you breathing space to set the stage for your next murder."

"You are intimately familiar with Mutu Village, for it is a hub for the trafficking of artifacts and timber, a waypoint for the likes of Hei Qi and Li Futang. It is a crucial mountain junction. You know perfectly well which spots are suitable for secret conversations and which venues make for easy action. So you exploited the situation, leading Li Fuqi and Second Uncle to the stone bridge, luring them into your carefully laid trap."

Qiu Xi denied it, "They went there on their own, what does that have to do with me?"

"Whether they went of their own accord, that's a question for Li Fuqi," Chen Tianyu looked to him. "Did you truly seek out Second Uncle for a private talk, or was there another reason?"

Li Fuqi answered in confusion, "I did feel troubled and sought him out to talk. No one asked me to do so."

"Then why did you suddenly feel troubled?" Chen Tianyu pressed.

"Uh… I can't quite say," Li Fuqi fell into recollection, just as the Fish-Gut Sword caught his eye. "Oh, I remember now. I'd just received instructions from First Uncle, felt immense pressure, and someone suggested I consult an experienced elder for advice. My mind was a muddle, so I naturally thought of Second Uncle…"

"Who suggested it?" Chen Tianyu asked.

"It should have been Qiu Xi. Yes, he was the one I trusted most at the time." Li Fuqi was surprised at how easily he'd been swayed.

"Looking back, it's strange. I merely mentioned a friend from the city had a priceless bronze artifact, but couldn't verify its authenticity, and wanted some advice. Qiu Xi wasn't surprised at all and told me to ask an elder from the village. How could he believe a village elder would know about city antiques?"

Qiu Xi laughed, "I was just making casual conversation."

"If you truly knew nothing of the Fish-Gut Sword, I'd believe you were merely being casual. But today, when it surfaced, you were still unsurprised, so I can only suspect you've seen this artifact before," Li Fuqi was not completely foolish.

"Say what you like," Qiu Xi replied indifferently. "It's all hindsight and pure conjecture."

Chen Tianyu interrupted, "Whether by chance or design, Qiu Xi ultimately succeeded in leading you and Second Uncle to the stone bridge and caused Second Uncle to fall into the river. Had Fuqi not risked his life, Second Uncle would surely have perished."

Li Yiting continued, "Someone tampered with the bridge, and the tool used was hidden within the arch. Though the tool bag bore Fuqi's name, the handle was spotlessly clean, with no fingerprints. Normally, drilling through a stone pillar would leave some dust, and even if we couldn't see fingerprints, it shouldn't be so clean. You must have known we lacked the means to examine fingerprints, so you confidently wiped yours away."

Qiu Xi considered, "Let the tools be sent for analysis. The experts will give a scientific answer. Perhaps they'll find Li Fuqi's fingerprints."

Chen Tianyu chuckled, "You've distanced yourself neatly."

Qiu Xi replied, "I believe in science."

"Whether it’s faith in science or prior preparation, I know you were surprised to see Second Uncle survive, but not alarmed. You'd already succeeded in having Li Fuqi take the blame. That gave you another opportunity to act, and no one would suspect you without reason."

"I've always wondered why you spared Second Uncle in the end. Was it a lingering shred of conscience?" Chen Tianyu mocked.

Qiu Xi remained silent, appearing unperturbed.

Chen Tianyu nodded, "I understand. A drop of kindness should be repaid with a fountain. Though you felt no urge to repay, Second Uncle's wife once raised you, and he treated your mother kindly. Even the hardest heart sometimes softens. Besides, Second Uncle had already faced death once; you could answer to your mother, and Heaven spared him, so you accepted destiny."

Qiu Xi stayed silent, face expressionless.

"Now, let's talk about Sixth Uncle Li Qiubin and First Uncle Li Qisi's deaths. This time, you were even more adept. With Li Fuqi as your scapegoat, you must have been delighted. You repeated your methods, employing your skills to perfection. You pretended to sympathize with Li Fuqi and didn't rebuff Li Yi's approach, which speaks volumes…" Chen Tianyu glanced secretly at Li Yi, who appeared pale and desolate. He chose not to say anything that might hurt this pitiable woman and abruptly shifted focus.

"Fuqi, why don't you tell us how Qiu Xi let you escape?"

Li Fuqi shook his head, "He didn't let me go; I escaped myself."

Kuang Suo was surprised, "You weren't the murderer, so why run? I visited the village office and saw you were used to it, always grinning as if it didn't matter. What game were you playing?"

Li Fuqi hesitated, as if harboring a secret.

Li Yi, who had been barely listening, suddenly broke down in tears and ran out. Li Yiting was about to follow, but Chen Tianyu stopped him, "Yongkun, go quickly and make sure nothing happens to her."

Wan Yongkun hurried after her, Li Qihuai followed anxiously. Only then did Li Yiting feel at ease, knowing he couldn't leave yet.

Li Fuqi, now unburdened, admitted, "My cousin suddenly told me my First Uncle—no, my father—had an incident at the ancestral shrine. In a panic, I ran straight here…"

Chen Tianyu asked, "With so many watching, it can't have been so simple."

"I was frantic, not thinking at all. My cousin not only notified me, she handed me the handcuff key. When I left the village office, I saw no one. I heard it was because… they all went to watch the lantern dance…"

"Watch the lantern dance? Fuqi, that's foolish. How could you believe that?" Li Yiting scolded.

"I… I really wasn't thinking straight…" Li Fuqi admitted.

Chen Tianyu turned to Qiu Xi, "No need to ask; this story was clearly crafted by you. Only you would know Fuqi's greatest weakness and exploit it."

He didn't wait for Qiu Xi to reply, "Truly, your schemes are exhaustive. Not just Fuqi, even we in Beiting were deceived. In hindsight, killing the honest Sixth Uncle Li Qiubin must have been child's play for you. Even the shrewd First Uncle Li Qisi couldn't escape your poison. What can't you do?"

Li Yiting glared at Qiu Xi, "We are brothers, but you are truly vicious."

"Our elders may have erred, but those grudges are from the previous generation. If Fourth Uncle were alive, would he wish to see you sever family bonds and annihilate the Li clan? What happened to you, what madness possesses you?"

Chen Tianyu quickly intervened, "Yiting, it's no use. He's beyond reason now."

Qiu Xi suddenly burst into laughter, "I'm not mad, you all are. It's all chasing shadows, and yet you so-called veteran police make it sound so true. Where is the evidence? Where? Words mean nothing!"

"Look, I'm not the son of Li Qiuyuan, my name is Qiu Xi. I'm a true city dweller, with no ties to you country bumpkins. Stop performing your melodrama for me. All your deductions are built on fiction. Enough, let's meet in court!"

Qiu Xi turned to leave.

Chen Tianyu spoke gravely, "Still unrepentant. Look who's here? Elder Secretary, please speak!"

Qiu Xi paused and turned around. Beside Kuang Suo stood a middle-aged man, face contorted in pain—Zhang Shubing from Tai Village.

Qiu Xi was stunned, "Uncle… didn't you go to the city?"

"Don't call me uncle. I don't have a nephew like you," Zhang Shubing's face was dark, his muscles twisting. "I heard everything just now. What a sin, what a sin, utterly unforgivable!"

Qiu Xi grew anxious, "Uncle, don't spout nonsense, you'll ruin me!"

Zhang Shubing burst into tears, looking to the sky, "Ruin you? Brat, I'd count it as a blessing if you didn't ruin me… I was blind, letting the wolf into the house. I thought your family had mended your ways after all these years. Poor my sister Wanqiu, to have borne such a beast. She cannot rest in peace!"

Chen Tianyu hurriedly comforted him, "Elder Secretary, what's done is done. Please restrain your grief. Only you can restore justice now. Please, don't let your emotions overwhelm you."

Zhang Shubing nodded, forcing a bitter smile, "If I'd known you'd done so many heartless deeds, I'd never have waited until today. This young man is remarkable; to have guessed everything so precisely, I'm deeply impressed."

Cold sweat poured from Qiu Xi's brow; for the first time, he was at a loss.

"Few know that I am also surnamed Zheng, Wanqiu's brother. I was weak by nature, and to escape an arranged marriage, I married into Tai Village as a useless son-in-law, even changing my surname. Though years have passed, I've never dared speak of it. Today, I care nothing for my old face, let me tell you about the Zheng family's dirty secrets!"

"The Zhengs are a large, wealthy clan, but all are capitalists, exploiters through and through. They had plenty of money but still weren't satisfied. My parents forced me to marry a billionaire's daughter—I fled. Years later, they forced my sister to marry someone she didn't like, also for money. That person was the mute. Perhaps fate plays tricks. The three of us ended up in this remote village, each settling in a different place, unaware of one another for years."

"I worked hard to atone, the mute hid in the mountains, and Wanqiu suffered in Li Village. Later, I became village secretary, the mute went to Emei Mountain to practice, and I never knew who he was. My poor sister had already passed. Fate, so near yet so far!"

"One day, the mute, somehow having learned, came secretly and handed me a boy. He couldn't speak, but left a note saying this was Wanqiu's child. I was half-believing, so I first hid him at a neighbor's. Later, fearing that wouldn't work, I took him to the city, gave him to his grandparents. My father probably did a DNA test and eventually accepted this grandson. After that, I never saw the boy again."

"About ten days ago, the mute came again, saying the child had grown and wanted to visit me. I was surprised at his concern. Now, hearing this young man's story, I realize the mute was Wanqiu's fiancé, a devoted man, so it was natural he'd care for Wanqiu's child."

"This time, the mute told me about the child's origins; he said he saved the boy from a fire, risking his life. Wanqiu managed to hand him through a crack in the door, barely saving him, but both parents died in the blaze. Though estranged from my family, I still cared for Wanqiu. I agreed to the mute's request, thinking after twenty years, old grievances should be laid to rest. The boy came, and I truly liked him."

By now, Zhang Shubing was exhausted, "I think everyone understands. My sister Wanqiu's child is—" He coughed.

"Qiu Xi."

Qiu Xi gave a bitter smile, "Uncle, if you like me so much, why do you wish me dead?"

Zhang Shubing angrily replied, "I thought Wanqiu's child would be as noble as she was, but how could I have known you'd be just like your grandparents—callous, greedy, ruthless!"

Chen Tianyu had Kuang Suo help Zhang Shubing to rest.

"Have you anything to say?" he asked Qiu Xi.

Qiu Xi was silent, his face gray, lost in thought.

"Let me speak for you, then—

"The greatest flaw in your scheme was perhaps your extreme stubbornness and boundless greed. You wanted to exact revenge in the most inhumane way, yet also possess the Fish-Gut Sword. How can you have it both ways? Even your father failed; how could you succeed?" Chen Tianyu concluded.

Qiu Xi laughed wildly, "Against such fools, what can't be done? Compared to selfishness and greed, to stubbornness and arrogance, I am nothing. But man proposes, Heaven disposes. I, Qiu Xi, was born at the wrong time and met such opponents—Heaven intends my destruction."

"Now my great vengeance is fulfilled, I have no regrets. Just remember, do enough evil, and Heaven will punish you!" he shouted, and while the crowd was off guard, grabbed the Fish-Gut Sword and thrust it toward himself, as if the murder weapon would once again be stained with blood.

Chen Tianyu was quick; he seized the tip, stopping Qiu Xi's suicide.

He said coldly, "A sinner like you does not deserve the mercy of extrajudicial punishment."

Li Yiting spoke in pain, "Rather than call you Fourth Uncle's child, it's more accurate to say your family’s curse haunted Fourth Aunt—let the law judge impartially."

"We cannot bear this guilt."