PFC The incident in Chapter 54 is temporarily over.
The incident in Chapter 54 is temporarily over.
Even at this moment, this person still did not show the slightest bit of regret or self-blame.
"In order to avoid suspicion, you lured those women, tricked them into eloping with you, and let them leave the city alone to clear your name?"
Seeing that Ning Liang was too angry to speak, Chu Ling took over the interrogation.
Upon hearing his voice, Shi Hanxi stirred.
He casually glanced at the furious Ning Liang, then looked at Xie Yan and Chu Ling standing together. Suddenly, he realized something and said to Xie Yan, "So it was you!"
"Who exactly are you two? If it weren't for you, this foolish prefect would never have known it was me."
"What did you say?!"
Ning Liang, who had suddenly jumped up, was pushed back down again.
"Lord Ning is simply blinded by his own involvement," Xie Yan regained her composure. "From the very beginning, your behavior in front of us has been highly suspicious. That's why we've focused our investigation solely on you."
Upon hearing this, Shi Hanxi glared at him menacingly, "Then how did you know I would go to see Yanru?"
"Actually, we didn't know. But our investigation revealed that you've only been to three brothels to paint recently."
Xie Yan curled her lips into a smile. "In addition, your killing cycle is getting shorter and shorter. We are certain that as long as we push a criminal out to take the blame for your crime, you will feel at ease and commit crimes again."
"Then we'll send people to infiltrate these three brothels and wait for the fish to bite."
"But I never expected that I would meet you first."
It was through this undercover operation that he discovered that all three brothels had women who admired Shi Hanxi, and these women were all somewhat famous.
Xie Yan smiled shyly at Shi Hanxi and said, "When I first saw you seducing me, I thought I was your next target."
It would have been better if he hadn't brought it up, because the mention of it reminded Shi Hanxi of how she had flirted with a man back then, and her face turned ashen as if she had swallowed a fly.
"Later, when you painted for me, you probably couldn't paint anymore, right? So you were very anxious, but you didn't dare to go to those famous girls for a while, and that's when you thought of Yanru, who wasn't very popular."
That's why Yanru pretended to be sick and then escaped using the method Shi Hanxi had taught her. However, before she could even get out of the city gate, she was stopped by the officials who had been lying in wait.
Having said all that, Shi Hanxi had nothing more to say. Perhaps he shouldn't have let those two in in the first place.
Seeing him fall silent, Xie Yan spoke again: "Actually, if Hua Ran hadn't died in the city, we might not have noticed this series of murders."
Upon hearing this, Shi Hanxi's expression faltered slightly.
Meanwhile, Ning Liang had gradually calmed down and was equally surprised when he heard Xie Yan's words.
You see, as long as Shi Hanxi can kill Hua Ran silently as before, and then find a corner where no one knows about her to bury her.
In this way, since there is neither a body nor any evidence, the incident can be easily disguised as a case of escaping.
But why did he insist on leaving Hua Ran's body in the city this time, and even try to frame Tang Shicheng?
"It's nothing," Shi Hanxi said with a frown, somewhat agitated. "It's just that it would be too suspicious if she disappeared right after becoming the Flower Goddess, so I just found a scapegoat."
After saying that, he seemed eager to end the conversation and shouted loudly at Ning Liang without stopping, "I've already confessed, what are you still interrogating me for? Take me away right now!"
However, how could Chu Ling let him off so easily? Those eyes slowly turned and looked directly at Shi Hanxi.
Stared at by those eyes, Shi Hanxi felt as if all her secrets and thoughts were laid bare before Chu Ling, leaving her no room to hide.
"You've fallen for her."
Upon hearing this, Shi Hanxi's body trembled involuntarily, as if someone had touched the most hidden corner of her heart.
That's why he made Hua Ran drink the sleeping potion and die without realizing it, and that's why he couldn't bear to leave Hua Ran's body exposed in the wilderness.
At this moment, everyone's eyes were focused on Shi Hanxi, while he lay there stiffly like a statue, not moving for a long time.
After a long while, he finally broke the silence, chuckled expressionlessly, and coldly retorted, "You're overthinking it."
A moment later, Shi Hanxi was escorted away from the place by the officials.
Ning Liang had just turned around, preparing to leave, when suddenly, as if a flash of inspiration had struck him, he stopped in his tracks.
He slowly turned his head, his gaze falling once again on Chu Ling and the others, his face full of conflict.
"Oh, right, there's something else that's been bothering me. Do you remember the woman in red that the gatekeeper at Xunfang Pavilion described? Could she really be a ghost?"
However, faced with Ning Liang's doubts and worries, Chu Ling smiled slightly, seemingly confident.
He shook his head and said, "At first, those words almost misled us. However, after learning from Xie Yan that Shi Hanxi possessed lightness skills, I knew that it was actually Shi Hanxi."
Upon hearing this, Ning Liang's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, and he blurted out, "Huh? But didn't everyone say it was a woman? How could this be?"
Seeing this, Xie Yan raised her eyebrows slightly and asked him in return, "Let me ask you, if I were to change into a bright red dress, let my hair down, and stand on a rooftop that ordinary people can't see clearly at night, do you think I would look like a man or a woman from below?"
Upon hearing Xie Yan's words, Ning Liang suddenly realized and said, "So that's how it is."
Fortunately, they were not misled by the security guard and did not go in the wrong direction to investigate, otherwise they would have wasted a lot more time.
For Ning Liang, this perplexing case has come to a temporary close. But for Chu Ling and his team, there is still one issue that remains unresolved.
That was the treasure map that Shi Hanxi was given to complete.
Since we couldn't easily expose this matter under everyone's watchful eyes, we had no choice but to wait until now to search for it.
Fortunately, the group didn't have to search for long before they found it on the desk in the side room.
Xuanfeng stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the treasure map that was now completely intact.
He stepped forward and carefully observed every detail. The parts that were once missing had now been perfectly filled in, with smooth and natural lines that looked completely natural.
"I didn't expect him to actually complete it," Xuanfeng murmured.