Chapter 201: Stomp Him To Death!

“It seems, you people are not as smart as I thought you’d be,” said Colombo. He let out a light sigh and continued, “I have watched no small number of movies. The more the villains talk in the end, the more likely things will get turned around. So, I won’t say much. Now, please die!”

Holding onto a scalpel in his hand, his body abruptly staggered!

Colombo’s body fell to the ground while a translucent spirit body emerged. Still holding onto a scalpel, the spirit body charged at Bei Tai, who was lying on the ground!

Seeing the incoming scalpel, Bei Tai howled. He quickly summoned out a long blade out and threw it forward!

Unfortunately, the long blade simply went past Colombo’s spirit body!

“Just die already! You do not have the ability to harm my spirit body!”

The scalpel was on the verge to descending upon Bei Tai’s neck when…

Ding!

Something descended from the sky like a meteor; then, with a flash of silvery light, the scalpel was deflected!

Colombo’s spirit body uttered out a sharp cry and he rapidly pulled his body backward!

A figure, not too tall, appeared out of thin air and stood before Bei Tai.

The figure wore white coloured clothes, a calm expression and a set of cold eyes on his face.

In his hand was a translucent short sword.

The God of Slaughter from the Warring States era! Bai Qi!

…

“It seems I guessed it right once again.”

Chen Xiaolian’s voice spoke out from the left side.

A dismantled low wall stood at the location.

“Guild Leader, if you were slower by a few more seconds, I would have died.” Bei Tai sighed.

Chen Xiaolian flicked his hand and Fearless War Axe appeared in his hand. Then, he slowly walked out from behind the low wall.

Colombo’s eyes were widened as he stared at Chen Xiaolian. He uttered, “You?”

“Is this that surprising? What did you say just now? We are not as smart as you thought? Err… how about I throw those words right back at you?”

Chen Xiaolian raised his Fearless War Axe and said, “Oh, while I’m at it, I should probably tell you this… back in the afternoon, on the way back, I went to the church. I got some holy water and dipped my weapon in it. I wonder what kind of effect it will have against you?”

There was a stiff expression on Colombo’s face.

Chen Xiaolian moved forward, one step at a time. He then stood beside Bei Tai and asked, “Are you very surprised?”

By then, Colombo appeared to have calmed down.

He gently stroked the scalpel held between his fingers and asked, “When did you find out?”

Chen Xiaolian smiled and replied, “Are you trying to buy time? Oh, no problem. In the movies, if the villains spout too much nonsense, he will find that his situation will be overturned. Luckily for me, I am not the villain here.”

Despite having said that, Chen Xiaolian kept staring carefully at Colombo. He carefully took a step forward…

Colombo’s reaction was incredibly fast! His body shot backward at an extreme level of speed.

His spirit body flashed backward through over ten metres like a beam of light. Then, he moved to stand beside Dr Mu!

His scalpel was pointed at Dr Mu!

Chen Xiaolian raised his eyebrows and pulled back his foot.

“Now you have enough time to spout nonsense. If you do not want him to die immediately, don’t make any rash movements,” said Colombo. There was a peculiar expression on his face. “How did you know?”

Chen Xiaolian glanced at Bei Tai and saw that he was slowly getting up.

Colombo’s eyes flickered. “Did you already know early on? When you left in the afternoon, the reason you left your two companions behind was, in fact, to…”

“No, I am not that smart,” answered Chen Xiaolian, shrugging his shoulders. “When I went out in the afternoon, I did not suspect you.”

After saying that, Chen Xiaolian took a deep breath and raised his head to observe the sky above.

The rain was drizzling down and the sky appeared hazy.

“Ever since this incident began, I have been having this feeling of suspicion,” Chen Xiaolian said coolly. As he spoke, he stepped to the left – he was careful not to move close to Colombo. Instead, he walked around while maintaining a certain distance between them. While maintaining his silence, he walked until he was on the other side. Then, he spoke up, “In the beginning, I had indeed suspected Dr Mu. Although Dagger was an asshole, he did bring up an important question. Why would the vengeful spirit attack Dr Mu?”

Colombo did not say anything.

“As such, when I thought about it, there was this possibility: Dr Mu is the murderer and the vengeful spirit wants revenge.

“Dr Mu is indeed a suspicious character. In the first murder scene in the subway station, he was there beside the corpse.

“Moreover, our analysis revealed that the murderer must be someone who is familiar with the field of medicine…

“All of that makes Dr Mu a suspect.

“However, after thinking about it carefully, there are some loopholes in that deduction.

“Don’t forget, our side suffered from the vengeful spirit’s attack a second time when we were in your apartment.

“Back then, the vengeful spirit’s target of attack was not just Dr Mu… there was also Polly! The poor woman was nearly strangled to death in the toilet.

“This brings up an issue. Say Dr Mu is the murderer and the vengeful spirit wants to attack Dr Mu for revenge. That in itself is something that makes sense.

“However, for her to be attacking the other victims? That is ridiculous.

“If so, let’s consider if from a different perspective… perhaps, when the vengeful spirit attacked us, it was not doing so out of its own free will!

“Perhaps… those women who were killed, their vengeful spirits were being manipulated.

“And the one manipulating those vengeful spirits… naturally, it is the one who killed them!

“Thus, by thinking along these lines, the issue was no longer that hard to understand.”

After saying that, Chen Xiaolian sighed. He continued, “Additionally, I also made a mistake back then.”

“Oh?”

“It was during that night in the park when we went looking for Polly… perhaps it was due to our appearance and us hiding in the dark that caused Jack the Ripper to not make his appearance.

“But the questions is… how did the murderer know that we were in the park?

“The other members were laid in ambush outside the park while the four of us hid in ambush inside.

“If Jack the Ripper really have the ability to make himself invisible and was able to find out about our ambush… then, we can forget about solving this case… the advantages given to Jack the Ripper is simply too imbalanced!

“I remember hearing these words before: The system will not issue out a quest that cannot be completed.

“If so… there is this other possibility. Jack the Ripper knew about us laying an ambush in the park because… he was hiding among us!

“Of course… in the beginning, this deduction deepened my suspicion toward Dr Mu.

“After all, all the signs pointed toward Dr Mu.

“However, this afternoon, I went to this place and suddenly discovered the clues that I have been missing… then, I thought of you, dear Mr Colombo!

“That night in the park, when we were laying the ambush, besides Dr Mu, you were also there!”

“Oh? Where did you go in the afternoon to discover those missing clues? Why did you end up suspecting me?” Colombo placed his scalpel upon Dr Mu’s neck and gently used it to stroke Dr Mu’s neck. He grinned, a cold expression on his face.

“Your apartment,” Chen Xiaolian said without withholding anything. “Truth be told, after going out today, I went to several places. I went to all the places that were involved with this case, from the beginning to the end. I went to check on all of them!

“And, in your apartment, I accidentally discovered something.”

Pausing, Chen Xiaolian raised several fingers up.

“First, Dr Mu’s unconscious state began from your apartment. If Jack the Ripper or the vengeful spirit possess a long ranged ability that could harm him… then the system quest of protecting the guide character would be a joke! That would not make any sense!

“Thus, I believe that Dr Mu had encountered something during his time in the apartment, causing him to fall into this state of unconsciousness!

“In the beginning, I thought that it was done by the vengeful spirit… perhaps, during the attack on the apartment, the vengeful spirit managed to somehow harm Dr Mu – back then, that was what I thought.

“However, after returning to the apartment in the afternoon… naturally, that place had been cordoned off by the police. I slipped in and rechecked the scene. I recalled what my guild members told me about everything that happened during the attack.

“Now, let us revisit what happened when the apartment was being attacked.

“Polly was attacked while she was in the toilet.

“Dr Mu, who was in the bedroom was also nearly killed by the vengeful spirit.

“In the living room, my two team members were attacked by all kinds of blades.

“After carefully thinking it through, I suddenly discovered a huge issue. That is…

“The only one not under attack… is you!

“Mr Colombo!

“I still remember what my team member, Lun Tai, had said. Back then, the floating blades had attacked Bei Tai and Lun Tai. However, they did not directly attack you!

“However, due to the confusion during that time, we overlooked that point.

“Additionally, my team member, Lun Tai did his best to protect you. Once something happened, he had quickly placed you on the sofa and covered you.

“However, thinking about it in detail… those blades were not flying toward you! Not a single one of them did!

“In the afternoon, I investigated the scene in the living room, inclusive of the blade marks left on the wall! And also the places that you were at in the living room…

“Everywhere I turn, there was only one conclusion: You are the only one who was not targeted!

“Additionally, I also remember this. Before Dr Mu became unconscious, the last person he came in contact with was… you! Mr Colombo!

“You claimed that he was exhausted and was emotionally unstable. Thus, you gave him sleeping pills.

“Did you know what I did?

“I went through the things in your apartment and found your medicine kit.

“Unfortunately… I am unable to find the sleeping pills in your kit!

“Could it be… the sleeping pill you gave Dr Mu happened to be the last one in your kit?

“I think that would be way too much of a coincidence!

“Oh, right… I should also say this. While I was looking through your apartment, I accidentally found this.”

Chen Xiaolian pulled out a set of clothes from his Storage Watch and threw it down onto the ground.

It was… a grey coloured suit and an old hat!

“I began to suspect you,” Chen Xiaolian said coldly. “Let’s go back to when the murders happened…”

“When the first murder happened, you were in your apartment… however, there was no one to testify that! When we arrived at your apartment, you appeared as though you had just woken up – the act you put up was very convincing.

“In the second murder, Black Annie was dragged into the shrubbery and killed… during that time, you were also in your apartment.

“However, after reassessing the details, I discovered an interesting coincidence. The murder occurred somewhere around the time when Phoenix and I had left to find Black Annie.

“At that time, you were in the apartment… but… you were resting in the bedroom.

“I asked Lun Tai and Bei Tai. Back then, the both of them were in the living room while you and Dr Mu were resting in the bedroom!

“In both murder cases, we did not have our eyes on you.

“Maybe that is just a coincidence?” Colombo shook his head. “Something like that cannot prove anything. How could you be certain that I could separate my spirit body out to secretly leave the apartment and go kill the victim?”

“Because I am rather convinced… that the killer had been hiding by our side!” Chen Xiaolian said each word with slow emphasis.

“… … …”

“It’s not that hard to reach this conclusion. Think about all the things we’ve encountered so far.

“The attack we suffered in the apartment!

“Phoenix and I left, so did Phoenix’s team members.

“Thus, leaving only Lun Tai and Bei Tai to make up for the apartment’s battle strength.

“Looking through the past two days, that time period in the apartment represented the moment when our defensive force was at its weakest!

“And yet, the attack just so happened to have occurred during that time period!

“So… the only explanation for that would be… that the killer possessed a thorough grasp of our situation!

“Perhaps, he has always been by our side!”

Chen Xiaolian sighed and continued, “I only thought of all those things after going to your apartment this afternoon.”

Colombo narrowed his eyes and looked at Chen Xiaolian. Then, he turned to look at Bei Tai. “So… after thinking about it, you deliberately chose not to return… instead, you hid over here?”

Chen Xiaolian smiled and said, “I secretly contacted my team members using guild channel and they agreed to it.

“I hid outside and waited.

“I believed that you will definitely make a move tonight – because the time is about to end. You must act before the time runs out.

“I informed my team members to run in this direction when the time comes. I will be waiting here to help out.

“Truth be told, even when I made an agreement with them, I could not be absolutely certain that you are the killer. I still held some suspicion toward Dr Mu.

“At least, the number of possibilities had been narrowed, don’t you think?”

Colombo laughed out loud.

There was something sinister in the way he laughed.

“You are quite the smart alec.” Colombo raised the hand holding onto the scalpel. “But… are you planning on hauling in the nets now, like a fisherman?”

His eyes flickered with an expression of disdain and he said, “Do not forget, Dr Mu is currently in my hands. That system or whatever it is that you are talking about wants you to protect him, right? If I recall, if he dies, you will all fail, right? But now, he is in my hands! So, you had better…”

“Go ahead, kill him. Just do it, now. I’ll watch.”

Chen Xiaolian suddenly uttered those cold words at him!

“… … …” Colombo was flabbergasted.

Chen Xiaolian raised his eyebrows and he stepped forward while looking at Colombo. He asked, “Why aren’t you doing anything? Mr Colombo? Oh, esteemed forensic doctor, or should I address you as Jack the Ripper? You have your scalpel pointed at Dr Mu, why aren’t you killing him? KILL HIM!”

“… … …” Colombo gripped onto the scalpel, but was unable to stab it in!

“If you want to kill, then just kill!” Chen Xiaolian’s gaze was akin to a sharp blade. He continued, “Back in the subway station, he was the first witness to the scene of the crime. However, you did not kill him. Instead, you ran away! Back in the apartment, you were also with him in the apartment. You had plenty of chances to kill him, yet you did not. You only used some methods to knock him unconscious.

“I believe that there is some form of restriction.

“Thus, you cannot personally kill him!

“You can only make use of the vengeful spirit to kill him!”

Colombo stared intently at Chen Xiaolian without saying a single word.

“I only have two questions that I have yet to figure out… why did you knock Dr Mu unconscious?” asked Chen Xiaolian as he regarded Colombo. He said, “Since it’s come to this, you might as well explain things for me, won’t you?”

“… … he suspected me,” Colombo sighed. “It’s very simple. The answer is lying at your feet.”

Chen Xiaolian lowered his head to look at his feet… what he saw was the grey coloured suit and the old hat.

“When he was resting in the bedroom, he saw the clothes that I hid inside the closet. Thus, I had no choice but to make a move against him… unfortunately, I had no way to harm him. It was as though there was some form of restriction placed onto my being, leading to me being unable to directly kill him… thus, I could only use condensed sevoflurane, a very powerful anaesthetic agent on him.

“Thank you for answering the question for me.” Chen Xiaolian smiled and said, “My last question… just who exactly are you? Are you Jack the Ripper? What I mean by that is… are you Jack the Ripper from history? Could it be that you are a monster who could live for over a hundred years? Or are you… a ghost?”

“I am ME!”

Colombo suddenly roared out!

Both the pupils of his eyes suddenly shone with black coloured flames! His voice became infused with a trace of arrogance.

“… … why do you think it is that Jack the Ripper from history had never been caught?

“That is because; I am not an ordinary human!

“I am a doctor, one with an exalted status!

“To be exact, I am a witchdoctor!

“Killing people is simply a way to further my research into black magic… every time I kill a person, their blood and internal organs become sacrifices, allowing me to acquire even greater power!

“A hundred years ago, I had succeeded once!

“This time… for some unknown reason, some unknown power had allowed me to be reborn into this world. Thus, I will do it once again!

“… … wait, holdup. You mean to say… you are Jack the Ripper from history? Then… the you from history, what happened to you in the end. Didn’t you manage to evade being caught by the police?”

“I died!” Colombo sneered. “The public would obviously think that I have never been apprehended. Even the police would have no records of it.

“However, the truth was… back then, the me from history had killed five people and my black magic grew to a great level… did you think something like this could be solved through the police’s meagre abilities?

“In the end… a group of bastards similar to you people appeared! Those strange fellows hunted me down and finally… I was killed!”

Chen Xiaolian’s body quivered.

Could it be… the Jack the Ripper from history… in the end, a group of Awakened ones… or perhaps Players… killed him?

Could it be… the historical Jack the Ripper’s case… is also… an instance dungeon?

So, right now, the system picked out this storyline and replayed it?

Colombo sneered. “Do you think you are strong enough to deal with me? I have killed four people! I now have enough power to decimate you all! Compared to those strange fellows I encountered a hundred years ago… you people are far too weak! Even though I did not manage to kill five people… killing four is enough to restore my strength by half! At the very least, it is enough for me to kill you all!”

“Black magic… killing… sacrifice…” Chen Xiaolian sighed and said, “Every time you kill a person, your strength will be increased… is my understanding of this correct?”

He suddenly shook his head and continued, “Who said I am going to be personally fighting against you? Thankfully, even though my strength is not that good, I have a very powerful helper.”

After saying that, Chen Xiaolian raised his hand and said in a haughty manner, “Bai Qi! Stomp him to death!”