Chapter 337

The paper read: This is your fourth test. You once demonstrated your excellent reasoning ability in this lecture building. Unfortunately, I wasnt present at the time. Now, Id like to make up for this regret. As you can see, the student in the cla.s.sroom died from multiple stab wounds. Without entering the cla.s.sroom or sending anything in, you must deduce how many stab wounds he received behind these doors and windows. When youre done, break the gla.s.s with the right answer. You have five minutes!"

I stared at the piece of paper, eyes narrowing with outrage. What he was asking for was almost impossible!

With little time on the clock, I couldn't help but take a picture of the paper and send it to Xiaotao.

I cudgeled my brains, trying to recall all the autopsy methods I had ever come across. Dali and several other students walked up from the third floor, and upon seeing Deng Chaos challenge, Dali sputtered, "What the f.u.c.k! How is this reasonable? Its more like hes asking you to make a blind guess!"

"This is a closed s.p.a.ce, I said, taking a deep breath. I can use the Soul Returning Incense to restore the crime but I don't have time to fetch it. Also, it may be considered as cheating."

Dali asked dully, "Soul Returning Incense?"

I had no time to explain. Right then, Xiaotaos voice sounded from the radio, "Song Yang, Ive seen the picture. Are the windows on the opposite side open? Lao Yao can use Skynet to conduct long-range reconnaissance for you!"

I swept my gaze over the cla.s.sroom and said, "Deng Chao has also considered this possibility. All the curtains are drawn and they are made from opaque cloth. Its impossible to see any reflection on the gla.s.s."

Upon mentioning "reflection, an idea suddenly sprang in my head. I looked at the blood on the ground. Although there was a blurry reflection on the surface, I could see nothing from this angle.

"That cunning b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" cursed Xiaotao.

Dali mobilized the other boys, getting them to invite the science professors upstairs. However, at the sight of the corpse, these supposed think tanks screamed like little girls, doing little else besides disturbing my thoughts.

Some of the more composed professors had a serious discussion, suggesting lasers or sonar, but the same problem remainedwe had no equipment at the moment.

"Thats right!" I exclaimed. We can use sound!

I asked Dali and another boy to go to the front and back doors of the cla.s.sroom and knock on them every second, alternating after each other.

Dali didnt understand what I was about to do, but with only two minutes left, I had no time to explain. I placed my ear to the gla.s.s and listened carefully.

This was actually a variation of the Organ Echolocation which created a three-dimensional image of the internal organs in the mind through the echolocation of the abdominal cavity by repeatedly tapping the ribs.

At present, the sealed cla.s.sroom could be considered as a huge chest cavity and the corpse as an organ inside. My hearing should be able to reconstruct the entire picture in my mind.

However, the cla.s.sroom was so large that it was difficult to accurately capture the subtle changes in the sound waves. Additionally, the people around me were whispering which greatly affected the accuracy of my reading. "Excuse me, professors and students, please don't talk or even breathe!"

A physics professor argued, "Song Yang, this is absurd! Youre not a bat. How can you use echolocation?"

"Please, just be quiet for a while!" I said, folding my arms.

The crowd stopped talking at once and I stuck my ear to the gla.s.s again. At first, my mind was blank like a sheet of paper, but gradually the image of a sitting person appeared; the shape of his face, his body, and even the wounds on his body were as clear as day in my mind.

As the seconds ticked by, I focused all my concentration on the body, my back soaked with cold sweat.

I gradually calmed down, my heart light as a feather and everything faded away, as if I were now walking back and forth in the room observing every single detail.

The knocking suddenly stopped and Dali warned, "Dude, theres only 20 seconds left!"

I nodded, walking confidently towards the windows marked with numbers. But when I saw the numbers, I stopped dead in my tracks. The victim received 11 stab wounds but the largest number on the gla.s.s was only 9. The cheating b.a.s.t.a.r.d!

"You have ten seconds! Hurry up!" urged Dali.

I gritted my teeth, wrapped my sleeve around my fist and smashed the gla.s.s with the numbers "2" and "9".

Times up!

Deng Chao's vaunting voice came from the speakers outside, "Haha, Song Yang, youre wrong this time. The victim was stabbed 11 times. Unfortunately, you failed the test!"

I couldn't restrain the anger brewing inside any longer. "You f.u.c.king son of a b.i.t.c.h! I shouted. You think youre so smart, don't you? Well show yourself and stop hiding like a coward!"

Deng Chao ignored me and continued, "Your mistake has caused the death of two innocent students. Alas, there are now more ghosts wandering around this lecture building."

A loud explosion resounded through the building, the soundwaves splitting our eardrums. Then a wave of smoke flushed down the corridor. I turned on the radio and heard Xiaotao say, "There was an explosion. Are you all right?"

"Im afraid hes killed more people, I sighed. Im going to confirm that now!"

Xiaotao breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness youre alright!"

The smoke in the corridor was thick, mixed with the odor of burning flesh. At the end of the corridor, I found the floor outside the girls restroom covered with broken bricks, and the bodies of a boy and girlboth studentsburied underneath. Their faces were charred beyond recognition.

There were ligature marks on the body, suggesting that these two victims had been detained in the restroom from the start. Deng Chao never intended for me to pa.s.s the test. He wanted me to watch the people around me die one by one.

I bit my lips, fires of fury and hatred burning in my chest. Xiaotao said, "Song Xingchen wants to speak to you!"

The voice of Song Xingchen filled my ears, "Young Master, Ive located where the hostages are hidden..."

I took a few deep breaths to compose myself. "Don't take any action for now, I ordered. He may have planted a bomb or have cameras installed. Ill discuss this with Xiaotao first."

"Be careful!" stressed Song Xingchen.

"Has the command center been moved?" I asked Xiaotao.

"Yes!"

"Get Lao Yao to work with Song Xingchen and rescue the hostages first, I instructed. You can come up with the specific measures. Just make sure you dont alert him of your actions."

"No problem, we'll take care of this," she a.s.sured.

A group of professors suddenly came running up in a hubbub and cried, "Help! The dean's whereabouts are unknown. Its very likely that hes been kidnapped by Deng Chao!"

I quickly asked for the details, to which they explained that the headmaster left to relieve himself while the other professors were called up by Dali to act as think tanks. They went back downstairs, only to find the dean missing and unreachable by call, presumably kidnapped and taken hostage by Deng Chao.