Chapter 0 Schofield's [Inward] Commentary Returns in this Chapter

The expression on Nancy's face rapidly shifted from doubt to surprise. "This is utterly absurd! What makes you say that?"

Feng Bujue chuckled. "Hmph… an expected reaction." He continued his fabrication. "Allow this detective to recount your crime."

[In other words, he's just spouting nonsense again…] Schofield thought to himself. [But… this trick really does work every time…]

"It was an autumn day…" Feng Bujue began his narrative.

[Suddenly switching to a voice full of vicissitudes, and with such a serious face, what is he planning to do…?]

"As in previous years, you returned from Vienna to Asathalie, to your father's villa for Thanksgiving." Feng Bujue inexplicably raised his head and recited, "The autumn in the mountains is deep, the maple leaves are like fire, and the slight coolness in the air makes one want to put on a pair of long underwear."

[Hey… a bizarre opening, a sentimental buildup, and then ending with a line like that?]

"You drove along the desolate highway, and inspired by the scenery before you, you suddenly thought… how about I kill my older brother?" Feng Bujue continued.

[Are you the same person who said a few minutes ago 'we must adhere to logical principles and common patterns, yet not be constrained by these inherent ways of thinking'? Really? Please, constrain yourself!]

"Mr. Feng, if you're trying to make me laugh in this way…" Nancy interrupted, "I can clearly tell you, it's not a good idea."

Feng Bujue ignored her and continued to fabricate his story. "As the daughter of the second wife of Mr. Corston, your status in this family has always been somewhat inferior. In recent years, your father's health has been failing, forcing you to consider your future after his death…"

[Repeatedly using the same motive to frame different people, huh…]

"Since you were a child, you've been the family's good girl, following your father's will and walking the path he set for you." Feng Bujue's mind raced, observing her reactions while spinning the story. "Since elementary school, you've excelled in your studies, possessed upright character, been multi-talented, and had refined manners. Just like the legendary 'child from someone else's family.'"

"At the age of eighteen, you entered the prestigious Vienna Academy of Music for advanced studies and remained as a teacher after graduation."

"To outsiders, your life is simply perfect. You have a privileged background, outstanding appearance, good personality, stable job, good income, and high social status."

"This kind of life is undoubtedly what every girl dreams of, but… what do you yourself think?"

[Hey, hey… it's not appropriate for you to tell her what she thinks…]

"Your education, job, even your interests… none of these were your own choices, but your father's wishes," Feng Bujue said. "Perhaps you don't want that perfection, because 'perfection' has made you lose a lot." He paused for a moment. "Just to give an example… you're almost twenty-eight and haven't married yet." He spread his hands, shaking his head. "A lady like you is still unmarried, the only reason I can think of is… excellent men think you're unattainable and daunting, while some presumptuous and superficial men are repulsive to you."

"In short… your inner world is probably not as happy and carefree as others see it," Feng Bujue said. "No matter how perfect you are, you don't get more attention than your two brothers." He said in a mocking tone, "You're like a dog, your master tells you to sit, you sit; tells you to play dead, you play dead; tells you to roll over, you roll over… You stick out your tongue, wag your tail, and try to be perfect. Not for a bite or two of dog food, but to get your master's attention and recognition."

[You should change careers and become a telemarketer… or even a cult leader… by the way, why does Miss Nancy look like she's about to believe him? Miss Nancy, hold on! Don't let your character be rewritten in a few words!]

"But reality is cruel; a stepmother's child is a stepmother's child," Feng Bujue continued. "Corston's attitude towards marriage also shows his attitude towards women; he ultimately values his two sons more, even that useless second son, he gritted his teeth and funded him for nearly ten years." His face darkened. "So… you hate your father, and this emotion quickly makes you resent Dennis and Jack, after all, these two guys are just your half-brothers…"

"'If Father dies, he will definitely leave all the inheritance to Dennis,' such thoughts are reasonable in my opinion," Feng Bujue said. "The mental factor is jealousy, the material factor is inheritance, with these two points, you have enough motivation to act."

[After brainwashing for so long, is he finally going to start talking about the case…?]

"Today, you didn't arrive as late as you appeared to be, in fact, you arrived early, you were the first to arrive!" Feng Bujue said, "As early as this morning, you hid your car in the woods a few miles away from the villa, then, carrying the murder weapon—a piano string—and wearing gloves, you quietly walked to the villa." He described it vividly, as if he had seen it with his own eyes. "Anyway, the murder weapon is easy to hide, even if you were spotted by someone in the villa before the murder, it doesn't matter, you can just say that the car broke down in the woods, and you had to walk back, that would be enough to explain it." He changed his tone, "You have the key to the villa gate, it's not difficult to sneak in. Things went smoothly, no one noticed that you had sneaked into the villa. So, you took the opportunity to hide and lie in wait. When Dennis and Jack arrived later, and after the shooting incident, you, observing from the shadows, felt… the time was ripe."

"Acting today, not only could you get rid of Dennis, but you might also be able to get Jack to take the blame for you. Letting your father watch his two sons die one after another, and finally hand over his life's inheritance to you, the true culprit he has always ignored, this can be said to be the most perfect revenge."

"Soon after, you seized the opportunity when Dennis was alone and knocked directly on his door, entering his room. He heard your voice, naturally wouldn't be on guard, and must have thought you had just arrived at the villa and were coming to chat with him. Then, you killed him, arranged the room to look like a locked-room murder, and escaped through the window."

"After the murder, you returned to where you hid your car, disposed of the murder weapon and gloves, adjusted your emotions, and thought about how to react when facing the police… After quite a while, you arrived late and put on a good show in front of us."

[Oh! So that's how it was! I almost got fooled by her!] Schofield himself was also taken in.

"Phew…" Hearing this, Nancy sighed deeply and said to Jue-ge, "You're really wasting your talent as a detective, I think you should write novels."

"Hehehe…" Feng Bujue scratched the back of his head with one hand, revealing a smug smile, his demeanor… was almost saying, "I'm not that good."

Although their personalities are quite different, but in terms of ability… Nancy is the closest of the three children to her father, she is a very smart woman, and she won't be easily frightened when things happen. When facing Feng Bujue's absurd accusations, she didn't panic like Carol, nor did she become furious like Jack. Nancy, like her father, refuted with facts and logic.

"My flight was delayed, you can check with the airline to see what time my flight arrived at the airport," Nancy said. "Also, the car I drove here is rented, I think the rental place will have many witnesses who remember what I look like, as well as the time I arrived and left." She paused for a moment. "If your math isn't too bad, you should be able to calculate… how long it would take for me to travel from the rental place to here."

Feng Bujue put on a look of helplessness again, like a villain about to be defeated, stammering, "Wha… what…"

[His confident reasoning was defeated with just two sentences…]