Chapter 3: Sigh! Judas & Capitalism

Lin Zhiyan remained silent for a long time.

Jiang Yi simply sat there quietly flipping through the files.

The room was extremely quiet.

Only the sound of their breathing remained, along with the faint electric hum of the desk lamp.

“Bzzzz—”

The terminal vibrated.

Jiang Yi accepted the voice call, his tone calm.

“Mm. I’ll head over soon.”

“This matter will be resolved quickly. I won’t be late.”

“He’s there too? It’s fine. No need to bother with that lunatic.”

The call was brief.

After hanging up, he lowered his head and continued reading the documents.

At that moment, Lin Zhiyan realized Jiang Yi was employing the classic homeroom teacher tactic—

Call you into the office, then completely ignore you while grading papers or chatting with someone else, forcing you to stand there until the end of time before finally glancing at you.

Sigh. Looks like Jiang Yi has a lot of patience.

Maybe showing weakness would be the better option.

Lin Zhiyan leaned forward.

Her elbows rested on the desk while strands of hair slid from her neck onto the tabletop.

She tilted her head upward, and the river of hair seemed to flow in reverse.

She gazed at him intently, her posture like climbing vines and trembling flowers swaying in the wind.

“If the result is disciplinary punishment either way, then there’s no difference to me.”

Jiang Yi noticed her fingers curling slightly, trembling softly like some unknown white blossom stirred by the breeze.

He remained reclined against the chair back.

One arm rested on the table.

The other moved downward toward his waist.

His expression did not change.

His eyes carried ridicule.

“Sit properly. I can draw my gun faster than you can attack me.”

Lin Zhiyan: “…”

What kind of thought process is that?

Wait, was “attack” supposed to be a double entendre?

What an utterly humorless double entendre!

A trace of confusion appeared on Lin Zhiyan’s face.

Then she laughed again.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, but I wasn’t trying to attack you.”

“I leaned closer because I wanted to explain myself more clearly.”

“I believe I’m innocent. I have nothing to confess.”

She saw Jiang Yi’s brows begin to furrow and immediately cut him off before he could speak.

“That’s right. According to your theory, the backpack strap could have caught on the wall decoration.”

“But how can you guarantee the other person wasn’t standing beside me at the time?”

“Because he was struggling against me, the strap was stretched tight, making it easier to accidentally snag there.”

“Maybe he noticed it too, don’t you think?”

Hearing that, Jiang Yi almost laughed in disbelief.

“If you insist on this kind of unreasonable sophistry, then once this reaches court, jurisdiction won’t belong to the academy anymore.”

“If you hadn’t suddenly appeared and informed me the case had been transferred to you, I’d already be asleep at my hotel by now.”

Lin Zhiyan replied evenly.

“At the very least, shouldn’t you wait until you have more evidence before making trouble for me?”

Jiang Yi said,

“Why would I be making trouble for you? I’m merely questioning you according to procedure.”

Lin Zhiyan lifted her eyes and looked deeply at him.

“What exactly are you hoping to uncover through me? Something you can use to suppress the police department?”

“Even if we’re from the same academy, even if we divide things according to shared interests, shouldn’t United Military-Political stand united?”

“United Military-Political has never been united.”

Jiang Yi leaned forward slightly to look back at her.

His voice was light and arrogant.

“The fact that you entered the academy from District Sixteen proves you’re intelligent.”

“So, as a student of the Cultural Studies Faculty, please cooperate with the Military-Political Faculty’s investigation.”

Lin Zhiyan: “…”

Amazing.

How could he fit the stereotype of a celestial dragon aristocrat so perfectly?

There had once been online rumors saying United Military-Political Academy only truly recognized two divisions:

The Military-Political Faculty and everyone else.

Whether it was resources or authority, everything tilted toward the Military-Political Faculty.

The nobles and elites sat at the top with their five obedient dogs, while even the heirs of the Financial Studies Faculty were merely pedigree breeds.

Back then, Lin Zhiyan had secretly wondered:

Then what counted as the Cultural Studies Faculty, with all its obscure majors?

Now she knew.

They were the village dogs chained at the doorway to eat leftovers or shit.

Jiang Yi glanced at his wristwatch again.

His time was probably very expensive.

She could even see gemstone-like light flickering across the watch face.

Soon, he looked up at her.

“You seem very confident.”

“You believe I have no evidence.”

It was a declarative statement.

Clearly, he had already given up trying to question her further.

He stood and slowly walked around the desk, looming over her.

“The victim suffered blunt-force trauma to the head measuring approximately five to eight centimeters. No wood residue was found, suggesting a metallic rod-like object over ten centimeters in length.”

“In the surveillance footage, I was obviously not carrying such an object.”

Lin Zhiyan tilted her head up to meet his gaze, her expression calm.

“My luggage is still at the hotel. You can send people to search it right now.”

Jiang Yi smiled faintly.

One hand pressed against the corner of the desk as he continued his analysis.

“The wound patterns vary in depth and appear intermittent. This suggests the weapon was retractable, meaning the striking points weren’t consistent.”

“You could easily have carried it away.”

“You’re free to believe that.”

Lin Zhiyan smiled too.

“As long as you can actually find it.”

“You can search my luggage, check surveillance, dig through garbage bins, even strip-search me if you want.”

“As long as you can find it.”

She even stood and spread her arms.

Jiang Yi lowered his gaze and saw her posture—

Almost like an invitation to embrace.

And that smiling face whose eyes contained no amusement whatsoever.

He raised a hand, pressed it against her shoulder, and shoved her back into the chair.

The moment he did so, his brows tightened slightly.

Aside from the warmth beneath his palm, his first thought was that he might have used too much force.

Because when she sat back down, her expression didn’t look very good.

Jiang Yi couldn’t be bothered dwelling on it.

He merely lowered his eyes and said,

“Bluffing doesn’t work on me.”

“Years ago, regulations were introduced regarding personal defense equipment. Their minimum dimensions were standardized, and special coatings became mandatory to ensure trace evidence could be left behind.”

“Theoretically speaking, your weapon shouldn’t have been a rod-type defensive device.”

His hand still rested on her shoulder.

“But before those regulations were introduced, there existed a batch of defensive tools compact enough to fit within a palm.”

“They also lacked protective coating.”

“A small number are still circulating on the market today.”

“Especially in places with terrible public safety like District Sixteen.”

Lin Zhiyan frowned.

“Did you turn off the recording devices just so you could sexually harass me?”

Jiang Yi ignored her entirely and continued speaking.

“Perhaps you’ll still insist you don’t understand what I’m talking about.”

“But according to the emergency treatment report, the victim appears to have suffered electric shock injuries.”

“And coincidentally, those defensive devices contain stun functions.”

His words remained slow and measured.

Yet his hand slid downward from her shoulder.

Lin Zhiyan gritted her teeth and swung her hand toward him.

“What exactly are you—”

Jiang Yi’s other hand instantly caught her wrist.

He bent forward and reached directly toward the inside of her upper arm.

Very quickly, his fingers touched something hard and palm-sized.

He looked at her coldly.

“You can continue arguing until I call someone in here and have them inspect whatever you’ve strapped to your arm.”

“Oh, and by the way—”

“Your movements, the surrounding areas, and your residence have all already been searched.”

“Bluffing is pointless.”

Lin Zhiyan: “…”

In such a short amount of time, he had already reconstructed the entire sequence of events.

He had even guessed that she’d keep the weapon on her body to avoid it being discovered during searches.

Just how much authority did he have to obtain so much information so quickly?

Could the celestial dragon aristocrats maybe stop playing incorruptible magistrate at times like this?!

Seriously, couldn’t they just let her off?!

Lin Zhiyan was furious inside.

But none of it showed on her face.

Jiang Yi released her arm.

He had no interest in admiring the look on her face after her bluff had been exposed.

“Now,”

he said,

“Describe the details of the crime.”

Lin Zhiyan withdrew her hand and stared at him.

“Didn’t you already figure it out?”

“I didn’t realize self-defense counted as a crime.”

“You struck him directly in the head. He’s still in intensive care.”

Jiang Yi seemed to recall something and suddenly laughed.

He stared at her, visibly incredulous.

“Maybe you intended to disguise the incident as a robbery in order to escape suspicion.”

“You even looted his terminal.”

“But…”

“You even transferred all the money out of his account.”

The smile vanished from his face.

“The nature of the case changed the moment you did that.”

“But shouldn’t he have to pay some kind of price?”

Lin Zhiyan looked into his dark eyes.

There was a strange seriousness in her calm expression.

Jiang Yi replied,

“You already sent him into emergency treatment.”

Lin Zhiyan smiled.

“That’s not a price.”

She stood and looked directly at Jiang Yi, head raised like an earnest student answering a teacher’s question.

“He formed certain thoughts.”

“He acted on those thoughts.”

“What he received afterward was merely a result.”

“Whether he succeeded or failed, those were both just results.”

Lin Zhiyan calmly presented her twisted philosophy while walking past him to stand behind him.

“Being injured by my counterattack was merely a result.”

“It wasn’t a price.”

“But stripping away the very last bit of property he possessed?”

“That was the true price.”

Jiang Yi turned to look at her.

“When the act is interrupted, that itself is already the result.”

“Anything afterward is revenge.”

“Not a price.”

Lin Zhiyan turned as well, then sat down on the opposite side of the interrogation table, reclining against the chair.

“Correct.”

His oversized coat hung over the chair back.

The moment she leaned down, it almost seemed like the coat had wrapped itself around her.

Jiang Yi’s brows twitched.

“You—”

He had barely spoken a single word before she interrupted him, acting as though she were the interrogator.

Lin Zhiyan looked at him seriously.

“Fundamentally, he can attempt to violate me at almost no cost whatsoever.”

“The possible outcomes are either successful assault, or I escape and he’s forced to stop.”

“But for him, what exactly does stopping count as?”

“His cost of committing crime is practically zero.”

“If I don’t resist, I get violated.”

“If I do resist, then if I succeed, I escape.”

“But if I fail, I still get violated—possibly even worse.”

She said quietly,

“That itself is unfair.”

…This was bandit logic.

Jiang Yi remained silent for several seconds.

He had no interest in debating philosophy.

Coldly, he said,

“You’re trying to convince me to let you go.”

Lin Zhiyan smiled along with him.

She leaned forward slightly.

“Yes.”

“Then you shouldn’t be wasting time arguing with me.”

“I also dislike people who talk too much.”

Jiang Yi continued,

“So you’re maintaining your position?”

“You refuse to admit guilt?”

“I refuse.”

Lin Zhiyan leaned further into the chair, nearly sinking into his coat without noticing.

“My crimes are at least lighter than trapping an entire airport for an hour.”

“If my actions, done for a reason, still count as crimes, then how are your crimes any lighter than mine?”

Hearing that, Jiang Yi looked at her steadily before speaking again.

“Is my seat comfortable?”

“You should get up now.”

Only then did Lin Zhiyan realize she had sat in the interrogator’s chair.

She made no attempt to stand.

“It is more comfortable than the interrogation seat.”

Mockery flickered through Jiang Yi’s eyes.

His thin lips moved slightly, as though listening to a joke.

Eventually, he truly smiled.

“So the issue is merely that you lack the ability to make everyone wait an hour.”

“Not that you wouldn’t want to.”

“Isn’t that right?”

When Jiang Yi smiled, he somehow appeared even more aloof and aristocratic than when expressionless.

Clearly, he no longer wished to waste time with her.

He pressed a button, summoning several officers to restrain her.

Picking up his coat, Jiang Yi stood and walked toward the exit.

“Take her for a body search.”

“Once the weapon is recovered, complete the evidence chain and send the report to me.”

“The remainder will be transferred to the committee.”

Then he glanced lightly at her once more.

“Congratulations on being admitted into United Military-Political.”

“But clearly, you’ll be missing the opening ceremony.”

“Though perhaps this is the most suitable first lesson for you.”

“Learn obedience.”

“Talk less.”

“And remember your place.”

What place?

Four-time Joint Exam champion of District Sixteen?

Orphan?

Top student?

Ex-girlfriend of a criminal?

Incoming freshman at United Military-Political?

A District Sixteen commoner whose attempt at black-eating-black backfired?

A civil-service dreamer trying to climb up from absolute zero?

Or just another test-taking prodigy whose dreams shattered beneath the weight of three private aircraft?

This interrogation room couldn’t possibly hold that many identities.

Logically speaking, Lin Zhiyan ought to have delivered some cultured response—

Something that demonstrated her integrity in the face of power and her refusal to be tainted by corruption.

Something that revealed the lonely tragedy of a poor student studying far from home.

But unfortunately, once she became stubborn, she refused to let go of her meaningless pride.

So she laughed again.

“Why bother adding that extra line?”

“You sound like someone pretending to leave during a business negotiation, waiting for me to stop you and say, ‘Fine, fine, I’ll plead guilty—let’s call it making a friend.’”

Her eyes sparkled with sharp intelligence.

That cool, pale face carried a mocking smile.

Yet strangely, it didn’t seem bitter or harsh.

Instead, she resembled a fading ember buried within charcoal—

Weak and fragile, yet still stubbornly burning outward.

…When she lowered herself earlier and acted weak, she definitely wasn’t talking like this.

Sarcasm nearly escaped Jiang Yi’s lips.

But then he realized their conversation had stretched on endlessly, one line after another.

Less like an interrogation.

More like children bickering.

So he shifted his gaze away without replying and turned to leave.

Just like yesterday, when he walked through the airport corridor, his posture remained tall and composed, strolling leisurely as though through his own courtyard.

Behind him, Lin Zhiyan was escorted into the police station’s search room by officers.

Lin Zhiyan asked wistfully,

“Before the search… could you at least tell me what happens afterward?”

One officer replied,

“At this point, the logical chain is basically complete. We’re only missing the key physical evidence.”

“Once the evidence is recovered, it’ll be tested.”

“Then documented, submitted, and disciplinary measures will be evaluated.”

“What kind of punishment?”

Lin Zhiyan asked.

“There are many possibilities.”

“For lighter cases, community labor or reduced academic credit weighting.”

“For severe cases, expulsion and transfer to judicial authorities.”

the officer answered.

Understood.

Young masters and young ladies receive symbolic punishments.

Meanwhile people like her go straight to execution.

Everyone has a bright future.

Lin Zhiyan calmly accepted her fate.

The officer patted both her shoulders.

Lin Zhiyan glanced at the floating surveillance drone monitoring law enforcement inside the room.

Then she lowered her head and spread her arms while turning around, like a Jesus figurine that had lost its cross.

Sigh. Turns out there’s a Judas among the alumni.

And nobody even told her lunch would be her last meal.

Otherwise she would’ve eaten more.