Chapter 75: Instigation

Chapter 75: Instigation

Qiong Cang lounged lazily in the chair, one leg propped up, as she gathered her thoughts.

Ding Xihua looked at her with anticipation.

Finally, Qiong Cang, with a leisurely tone, began to speak:

"Fan Huai… there's actually not much to say about him. For some reason, your father gave a false testimony for him, which was crucial in sending him to prison. After Fan Huai's release, you helped eliminate the last witness—your father—closing the final door to Fan Huai's exoneration."

"I don't know. He…" Ding Xihua swallowed, struggling to get the words out, "My dad, he's already dead. I don't know what he did back then. I was too young. I killed him, but it was an accident."

Qiong Cang said, "Oh? I find the twists of fate nothing short of astounding."

Ding Xihua smirked and said, "Are you mocking me or ridiculing me? Weren't you going to talk about your student?"

Qiong Cang gestured for him to be patient.

"Besides Fan Huai, I have another student who left a deep impression on me," Qiong Cang said, "He is somewhat similar to you. He was extremely intelligent, had mild social difficulties, and was usually quiet, not good at refusing others. He had extraordinary spatial thinking and mathematical calculation skills, which made him excel in mathematics."

Qiong Cang let out an almost inaudible sigh.

"However, a genius mind doesn't necessarily have sufficient financial acumen. Despite his intelligence, he was stuck in an ordinary, mundane statistical job, earning just over ten thousand yuan a month, running around for housing, cars, marriage, and family. Due to his personality, he often took on heavy workloads for his colleagues but never got promoted. He was very unhappy with his life."

Ding Xihua said, "Ability isn't just about intelligence. Pure intelligence, if not applied, can be replaced by computers."

"You're right," Qiong Cang replied, "He was an exemplary student. He treated his teachers with respect and his classmates with kindness. His personality could even be described as somewhat cowardly; even when subjected to bullying or extortion, he would accept his fate. He hated talking, communicating, showing off, and competing. Sometimes, just looking at him, I could feel his exhaustion."

Ding Xihua crossed his arms and said, "I don't see how I'm like him."

Qiong Cang raised a finger, signaling him not to rush, and continued, "Even I never saw any signs of resentment, hatred, or loathing on his face. Every inch of muscle, every expression on his face, conveyed that he was a nice guy. He had mastered the art of blending in, adapting his behavior to fit societal expectations. He played the role he had set for himself perfectly."

Ding Xihua said dismissively, "I prefer a more high-profile persona."

"He enjoyed being labeled as a 'nice guy' or 'coward,' and he relished hiding behind the internet, watching as unsuspecting people viciously condemned the real killer, who always slipped through the cracks. This extreme contrast brought him unparalleled satisfaction," Qiong Cang spread her arms, "'Look, I'm standing in front of everyone, and yet, who can identify me as the real murderer?' All those social elites were being fooled by him."

Ding Xihua shifted his position and tilted his head to look at her.

"What he enjoyed most was appearing before me. He believed it was the most challenging thing to do. He admired me, or rather, worshipped me, seeing me as a deity," Qiong Cang showed a hint of helplessness, "From his first murder to the time the police officially arrested him, he killed twenty-three people over four years. To demonstrate his devout faith in me, he decorated the crime scenes and left many clues pointing to me, resulting in me being under tight surveillance for three months, unable to even teach freely. No matter how much analysis I provided them, they stubbornly believed I was the real murderer. At that time, I even suspected that someone who deeply hated me was taking revenge."

Ding Xihua laughed softly and said, "With such clumsy methods, shouldn't they have ruled you out as a suspect immediately?"

Qiong Cang laughed too, "Honestly, I really hated that feeling, because like anyone would, I was annoyed by the swarm of flies buzzing in front of me. I wished they could be smarter, and even if they weren't smart, they should at least learn to listen to advice. Don't just get swayed by provocations and end up being manipulated."

"What's even scarier is that to this day, some of them still think I instigated my student to commit crimes, watching me like a wolf, conducting useless crime tendency tests on me every year. If psychological tests were truly effective, my student could have avoided them. Why would they think I would fail such tests?"

Ding Xihua nodded. "People with different abilities don't always see eye to eye. We live in different worlds."

Qiong Cang took a sip of water and continued, "After his arrest, just before his execution, he requested to see me. I talked to him for a long time, and I realized he was an extremely selfish, despicable, and cowardly man. His actions had nothing to do with his talents; they just gave him a reason to console himself."

With disappointment, Qiong Cang said, "He's not like you. He didn't have your handsome looks, your affluent family, or your social skills. He was an ordinary, gloomy man, constantly looked down upon by others. So, he killed to enjoy the thrill of dominating life. Because when people face death, they abandon their dignity, begging on the ground to be spared. He vented all his pent-up frustration from being bullied on his victims."

Ding Xihua said, "In essence, he could only bully the weak."

Qiong Cang said, "Yes, all the people he chose to kill were either from the lower social classes, single and living alone—from the helpless elderly to migrant workers or uncomplaining sex workers. This way, the bodies wouldn't be found right away, giving the police less time to gather crucial evidence. By the time he saw me, he had already descended into madness, much like a drug addict. He called me over just to ask me one question."

Ding Xihua asked, "What did he ask you?"

"He asked if he had performed perfectly, seemingly seeking my approval, which I found baffling," Qiong Cang said, "I said no. Because a normal person doesn't keep the same smile every time. From the moment he killed his first victim, he had already taken a twisted path."

Ding Xihua kept staring into her eyes, and the more he looked, the more he felt her gaze was dark and unfathomable. When their eyes locked, it felt like he was being pulled into a swirling abyss.

He pointed at his head and suddenly asked, "Is it true? Can you really see... lines, codes, or something else?"

Qiong Cang thought for a moment and replied, "A bit of everything, plus some intuition. So don't lie to me. I'll know."

"That's incredible," Ding Xihua said, "Like a masterpiece with a divine tweak."

Qiong Cang smiled faintly. "You could always bang your head on the ground and see if God feels like opening that door for you. Test your luck."

Ding Xihua shook his head. "I've never been lucky."

"Am I lucky?" Qiong Cang shrugged and pointed to her head. "This injury was given to me by my own mother."

Ding Xihua pointed to his chest. "The scar on my chest? Also courtesy of my mom."

·

Xie Qimeng froze, memories of long-forgotten details flooding back, confusion etched on his face.

He Chuanzhou asked directly, "What are they talking about? What lines?"

Fang Qi explained, "Some people, after a left-brain injury, experience changes in how they perceive the world—like becoming super-sensitive to angles or seeing things in code. Qiong Cang suffered a brain injury when she was young, and some aftereffects remained after she healed."

He Chuanzhou exclaimed, "Can she really see it?"

"Yes, she can. In a messy room, if she's seen it once, even if you've only moved a pen, she'll notice. She says the light is different. But what exactly she sees, she's never told me." Fang Qi glanced at Xie Qimeng. "But some people might think it's just some trickery."

Xie Qimeng remained silent, his mind in turmoil.

He Chuanzhou had a sudden realization. "No wonder Ding Xihua said people love the thrill of being 'decoded.' Her gift draws out the weirdos."

Fang Qi: "..." It was true, but why did it sound so strange?

·

Before Qiong Cang could dive into the shared pain, her phone buzzed on the table.

The ringtone shattered the harmony between them, and Ding Xihua’s eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in them.

Qiong Cang picked up the phone, hung up immediately, and texted the person on the other side.

Ding Xihua didn't disturb her, watching her type in silence. When she put the phone down again, he deliberately avoided the topic of the case and asked, "Your student doesn't sound like he had any redeeming qualities. Do you really think I'm like him?"

"His personality, background, environment, and circumstances are completely different from yours. But," Qiong Cang's eyes bore into him with sharp intensity, and she said word by word, "I know exactly what kind of person you are."

Ding Xihua's face darkened, his eyes blazing with a cold, predatory intensity, like a storm cloud ready to unleash its fury. "Are you insulting me?"

Qiong Cang said seriously, "He used to be a very honest person. Although he had a less-than-innocent childhood, it didn't have to end this way. He never knew, even at his death, that he'd been manipulated and brainwashed, led astray. He thought he was calling the shots, but he was nothing more than a pawn in someone else's game. A fool injures the weak, while a true genius prefers to toy with another genius. That's where the challenge lies, don't you think?"

Ding Xihua laughed incredulously. "Do you really think I am?"

Qiong Cang nodded. "You are. Because you unintentionally said the exact same thing as him. Out of a teacher's intuition, I can't help but suspect that you two are from the same source."

Ding Xihua’s face darkened further, his eyes filled with a cold, murderous intent.

Qiong Cang said, "You’re so eager to know about him—don’t tell me you haven’t already guessed the truth."