Chapter 209: Motive
“One final question, are you sure the medicine pack contains purely medicine?”
Hearing that question, Jia Han slammed the table and stood up, “What do you mean by that? Are you trying to say that the contents of the medicine are actually… No! Impossible! The medicine is meant to cure Jing Jing’s injury, why would I harm her? Miss Mo Li, I’ve heard enough out of you. You are a student just like us. I don’t know why you’re here but how can you throw around suspicion like that?”
“Please calm down.” Xiao Rui warned seeing Jia Han get so agitated. Lin Jing pulled on Jia Han’s shirt, signalling him to sit back down.
“I’m sorry… I was just too shocked by the accusation. After all, we’re just ordinary students. Even though our families aren’t the wealthiest at Pearl River, we’re people of reasonable standing too, where would we get human ashes? If we went to the black market, you would have found the evidence already.”
Xiao Rui analyzed the situation in his mind. Currently there are only 3 victims and the only one who has been cremated is Tian Miao. Could the human ashes have come from her then?
Xiao Rui turned to remind Mo Li, “If you suspect they’re the culprit, other than hypothesis, you need to provide us with evidence and motive.”
“Evidence and motive?” Mo Li turned to Lin Jing. “When you realize where the human ashes come from, you’ll find the motive.”
“You mean… Wait…” Xiao Rui was startled. Human ashes might not necessarily come from the dead. I should have thought of that when Mo Li asked me to call Lin Jing to come here.
“If I’m not wrong, Lin Jing, your arm and leg cast are actually empty, right?”
Si Lin was creeped out when she heard that. “You mean… She has eaten her own ashes?” Kang Zhi couldn’t believe it either, this had gotten beyond human comprehension.
“If you want evidence, you can open the cast now, then everything will be clarified.” Mo Li stared at Lin Jing. Her gaze was oppressive. To everyone’s surprise, Lin Jing started to laugh and she admitted. “You’re right. It has been long enough… And I’m done pretending.”
“Jing… Jing Jing… What are you saying?” Jia Han couldn’t believe it. He was swindled.
“Yes, my casts are empty. My left arm and left leg aren’t broken, they have been amputated.” Lin Jing said cavalierly. There was no sadness on her face.
“But why? Jing Jing… Why would you do this?” Jia Han still couldn’t believe it.
“But if that’s the case, then she would be too incapacitated to be the killer.”
“Because she’s not the killer.” Mo Li announced as she turned to Headmaster Shen, “Eat brain to heal brain, eat limbs to heal limbs, isn’t that what you believe, Headmaster Shen?”
Everyone’s eyes immediately turned to Headmaster Shen. Mo Li noticed that Lin Jing’s face when from nonchalance, to horror and fear*. Looks like the girl doesn’t know the truth either.*
“There are only so many people who can tamper with the supplements at this school. Although I wouldn’t have known it was you if you didn’t turn so desperate to kill Shen Tong.” Mo Li shrugged.
Then Lu Xuan’s phone rang. “Qin Xuan just sent me the latest lab result. There is poison dart toxin inside Shen Tong’s inhaler!”
“But why would she kill Shen Tong?”
“I know!” It suddenly came to Si Lin. “During the questioning, Shen Tong told us that even though she couldn’t be sure when the legend of henna started, it only became popular after Lin Jing’s car accident. She said that was when she drew the henna tattoo on her tongue, however when she showed us her tongue, Miss Mo Li noticed that the color of her tattoo was more faded than the other students. It could only mean that she lied to us and had her tattoo made long before that.
“At the time, we had no idea why she lied to us but now I think I know. It’s to hide the real source from where she heard the legend of henna!”
Headmaster Shen frowned but she said nothing.
It was Jia Han who jumped in, “But why would Headmaster Shen do this? Why do all these things for Jing Jing?”
Xiao Rui answered, “It’s because Jing Jing is her daughter.”
“Wait, Jing Jing is the headmaster’s daughter?” Jia Han was shocked again.
“You don’t know that?” Si Lin gasped. “Shen Tong told me you only pursued Lin Jing because she is Headmaster Shen’s daughter.”
Mo Li shot a look at Xiao Rui and the latter nodded. “Actually, Headmaster Shen, I also wish to know, why haven’t you come clean to us about your relationship with Lin Jing? It feels like you’re trying to hide that from us.”
“How is that my fault? You never asked and you didn’t investigate the case thoroughly.”
Xiao Rui pressed, “Then how did Shen Tong find out? She’s not that close to Lin Jing. Also, as mentioned by my team member, Shen Tong knew about the legend of henna earlier than most students. When you combine these two details, there is only one answer.”