Chapter 78: Aftermath

The driverless passenger bus entered the station.

Lin Ke remained until the last passenger got off.

The local wizard apprentices or Storm Sea Newbloods who rode the bus back to school, um… most of them were Storm Sea Newbloods, basically forming small groups of three or five.

Listening to their laughter and cheerful voices, some clear and crisp, some bright and hearty, smiles warm like a spring breeze or radiant like sunshine, unconsciously, Lin Ke's killing heart, killing intent, and killing aura were softened.

In this world, there are many good things.

There's no need to let one's mood be affected by killing a scum who abused public opinion violence.

Lin Ke smiled, thus consoling himself, and strode toward the academy.

Soon after, Lin Ke reached the dormitory building, but before he could go up, his Portable Smart Brain vibrated.

He took it out to see that it was a notice from the Academy Enforcement Department, ordering him to immediately go to the Enforcement Department office in the Administrative Building for questioning.

After learning about the history, current situation, and related regulations and unwritten rules of the West District and Black Market, as well as the academy's attitude and handling practices toward wizard apprentices, especially Storm Sea Newbloods who die off-campus, Lin Ke steeled himself mentally for this ordeal.

However, he had originally planned to slowly look for an opportunity during the one-and-a-half-month vacation, not expecting to act on the first day of the vacation.

The timing was truly perfect, fleeting in an instant.

If he didn't act decisively, Lin Ke would feel sorry for such a good opportunity.

After putting away his Portable Smart Brain, Lin Ke turned and walked toward the Administrative Building.

The office of the Academy Enforcement Department is adjacent to the Campus Disputes and Accidents Investigation and Mediation Office, separated only by a wall.

The door was tightly shut.

Lin Ke stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

A familiar voice came from inside the office.

Lin Ke pushed the door open while searching his memory, and immediately identified the speaker.

The person in charge of the neighboring Campus Disputes and Accidents Investigation and Mediation Office, an old man whose casual glance alone gave him the pressure of a mountain.

How is he here?

A doubt flashed through Lin Ke's mind, but it did not prevent him from politely greeting: "Hello, I am Linke Grand, here for questioning."

The old man, namely Wizard Ke Di, sat behind the desk, gave Lin Ke an indifferent glance, and asked: "Do you know Harold Andrews?"

"I've heard of that name."

Lin Ke had already entered a state of pure rationality, his tone steady as he replied: "Perhaps we've met in passing, but we're not acquainted, and we've never had proper communication."

Not a single word in that sentence was false; it was completely true.

His attitude was as sincere as it could be.

Wizard Ke Di didn't believe those lies at all—people have been killed by you, and yet you claim you only met in passing?

But he himself was merely following the investigation procedure outlined in the Academy Enforcement Department's regulations; he had no intention of necessarily finding Harold Andrews' killer and upholding justice.

Thus he also let Lin Ke gloss over the question.

Wizard Ke Di continued asking: "Where did you go today? Do you have any proof?"

"I went to Ruiwosuosi City, toured all five districts to familiarize myself with the environment."

Lin Ke continued to answer truthfully, without fabrication,

"I first went to the Central City District Main Tower, obtained a resident ID, then took the orbital transit train through the North City District and got off in the East District.

"After touring the East District, I again took the orbital transit train to the South City District.

"As for the West District, I had just finished lunch, so I walked there, taking the opportunity to digest.

"Perhaps you could verify my travel records."

He had told a lie, and would need countless lies to cover it up.

The more lies he told, the easier they were to be exposed.

Therefore, Lin Ke adhered to the principle of telling no falsehoods and not revealing the whole truth, to cope with this questioning.

Lin Ke believed that only in this way could he better "cooperate" with the Academy Enforcement Department, and swiftly downplay the handling of Harold Andrews' off-campus violent death.

This gave a reasonable explanation while leaving no opening for the Academy Enforcement Department to be embarrassed.

Therefore, Lin Ke roughly summarized his itinerary and gave a comprehensive description in more concise language.

"Hmm."

Wizard Ke Di, through the spirit of the tower of the Junior Academy's Intelligent Management Center Central Tower, contacted the spirit of the tower of Ruiwosuosi City's Intelligent Management Center Central Tower to verify Linke Grand's travel records.

After confirmation, Wizard Ke Di's face grew stern, while he muttered to himself.

This kid is really impeccable, full of scheming through and through.

On his first visit to Ruiwosuosi City, first time in the West District, first time in the Black Market, he knew to cut through the South City District on foot rather than take the orbital transit train.

Thus, to determine when and which route he took to the West District would require pulling a large range of surveillance footage.

This time, only a Storm Sea Newblood died.

Moreover, unlike the previous incident where an intelligent enforcement puppet signal jammer entered the academy, which the academy administration required the Enforcement Department to solve, Wizard Ke Di simply couldn't be bothered to invite trouble.

His itinerary was fine, the questioning passed.

Wizard Ke Di once again let Lin Ke gloss over a question.

He tapped his fingers on the table, Wizard Ke Di gathered his emotions, lifted his gaze, fixed his eyes on Lin Ke, and asked solemnly: "Harold Andrews died this afternoon in the Spider Tail Alley of the West District. What do you think of this incident? Please elaborate."

Lin Ke lowered his head in thought, naturally avoiding Wizard Ke Di's gaze.

Sometimes, making eye contact can show sincerity;

sometimes, forcing eye contact instead reveals guilt.

Lin Ke knew that Wizard Ke Di knew he had killed Harold Andrews, and Wizard Ke Di knew that Lin Ke knew that he knew Lin Ke had killed Harold Andrews.

Given this whole set of nested knowledge, Lin Ke should not force eye contact with Wizard Ke Di at this moment.

After a brief silence, Lin Ke raised his head, met the gaze of Ke Di Wizard, and answered seriously: 'Sorry, I refuse to answer this question because I don't really look.'

Hmm…

Ke Di Wizard fell into thought after hearing that.

On the surface he asked 'How do you see it?', but in fact he was asking 'After killing Harold, do you feel any regret or hesitation?'

On the surface he replied 'Not really looking', which meant 'Since it's already done, where would any regret or hesitation come from?'

After a moment, Ke Di Wizard made a decision.

Or rather, he had already decided earlier; he had just finished the incident-handling procedure, leaving nothing for the academy's management to pick on.

He entered a closing statement on the office smartbrain, clearing Linke Grand of suspicion and ruling Ha Luo De An De Lu Si's death a headless cold case.

The corpse didn't need an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

All harvestable organs were removed and recycled.

Organs that couldn't be harvested, along with other non-recyclable parts, were used as biological culture material.

You may go.

After filling out the closing statement, Ke Di Wizard waved at Lin Ke and issued the order to evict.

Small in stature but big in spirit, with a wicked heart, just looking at him is annoying.

Sorry for taking up your time.

Lin Ke bowed, performed a salute, and slowly retreated from the academy's law enforcement office.

The academy officially stamped and closed the case.

From now on, no one may publicly blame Lin Ke for Ha Luo De An De Lu Si's death.

Otherwise, you'll be opposing the academy!

(End of chapter)