Chapter 11: Evidence

After that earth-shattering declaration, Qiong Cang set down the microphone, placing it directly on the ground.

Ignoring the clamor and chaos around her, she walked down the steps with perfect composure.

The students on the sports field were in an uproar, and the homeroom teachers were desperately trying to calm them down. The noise nearby had become so overwhelming that it was impossible to make out what anyone was shouting anymore.

The school leaders presiding over the assembly were drenched in cold sweat, straining their voices to shout orders at the crowd below, directing staff to help disperse everyone and send all students back to their classrooms.

He Jueyun looked down with a dark expression and sighed inwardly at the emotionally volatile students before him.

Students this age, to put it nicely, were full of youthful vigor. It seemed like anything could set them off, pushing them into a state ready to explode like gunpowder with a lit fuse.

They needed protection, because they were still fragile.

But they also needed guarding against, because they were extremely dangerous.

He Jueyun withdrew his gaze and quickly caught up with Qiong Cang, asking, “What got into you today? How did you end up here? I couldn’t reach you. I thought something had happened to you.”

Qiong Cang said, “I got into a fight with Xu You last night.”

He Jueyun inhaled sharply in shock and asked, very seriously, “Did you win?”

Qiong Cang sighed with regret. “Mutual defeat.”

He Jueyun clicked his tongue. “That’s not good.”

Qiong Cang replied flatly, “I’m not exactly a combat specialist. I’ll aim for improvement next time.”

A trace of exhaustion showed in her tone and expression, probably from prolonged gaming. Most of the time, He Jueyun had no idea what was going through her mind.

He Jueyun asked, “How much is your Suicide Progress at?”

Qiong Cang glanced at her character information, her mood still fluctuating slightly from the ever-climbing number. “96% now.”

He Jueyun was silent for a moment, then asked, “Do you want to head up to the rooftop and pick a good spot first?”

“No need. Even if I were going to commit suicide, I wouldn’t choose jumping off a building.” Qiong Cang said seriously, “Jumping is an extremely painful way to die. Not to mention that during the fall, the heart, eyes, eardrums, muscles, and everything else all experience severe distress from the high-speed descent. And after landing, you might not necessarily lose consciousness right away. The bones would…”

He Jueyun’s train of thought had been completely derailed by her, but he didn’t want to hear any more of her gruesome educational lecture. He quickly cut her off. “Then what kind of painless death would you choose?”

Qiong Cang enunciated each word clearly. “If I had the choice of whether to die or not, I would of course choose to live!”

He Jueyun: “…” Perfectly logical. He couldn’t refute it.

They hadn’t walked far before the school leader who had arranged the evacuation finally had a chance to catch his breath.

The middle-aged man chased after them in a sorry state and shouted furiously, “Wang Dongyan – stop right there! Where do you think you’re going?!”

·

Half an hour later, the First High School Administration Building conference room.

The Principal and several other key leaders had been alerted and gathered in this spacious room to address the incident that had occurred today.

Qiong Cang sat at one end of the conference table, He Jueyun standing behind her. Both of them looked ahead with composed expressions at the dozen or so stern people seated not far across from them.

The several empty rows of seats in the middle of the dark-colored long table divided them into two clearly opposing factions.

The head of the Student Affairs Office was a middle-aged, balding man.

He wore a toupee, but it was so excessively thick that it was obviously fake, sitting on his head like a pitch-black pot lid.

Right now, he was highly agitated, his face flushed red. From his expression alone, he looked like he wanted to trample Qiong Cang underfoot and grind her into the ground.

His fingers tapped incessantly on the wooden table, producing a rhythmic series of sharp raps as he berated her. “Wang Dongyan, what exactly are you trying to do? Something that could have been talked through properly – why did you have to turn it into this? The school administration, out of consideration that you’re a high school student, wanted to give you a chance to repent, which is why we had you come on stage to do a self-criticism. What was that stunt this morning supposed to express? Huh? Do you have any idea that students all over the school are buzzing about it now? You’re causing mass panic!”

Qiong Cang, being reprimanded to her face, showed little reaction. She kept her head lowered, flipping her phone over and over with one hand.

The Student Affairs Director spoke with impassioned fervor, his voice going hoarse by the end. “This matter has very serious consequences! The impact is extremely vile! In all my years working at this school, this is the first time I’ve ever seen anyone dare to act so brazenly! Making mistakes over and over, and instead of repenting, you just push it further! Did you think the school would indulge you? Don’t think you’re too young to bear responsibility. Let me tell you, you’re not young anymore – you’re a senior! You’ve been an adult for a while now! Smearing our school’s reputation like this, we can sue you for defamation!”

Qiong Cang listened carefully until he finished, and seeing that he had nothing more to add, she said mildly, “The difference between defamation and reporting a violation is the difference between fabricated charges and true facts. What I said this morning was all analysis based on facts. There was nothing false about it. In comparison, what Xu You said was entirely slander without a shred of evidence. Instead of blaming him, you come here threatening me. I could reason with you, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t hold up under scrutiny.”

“You’re calling this a threat?!”

The Student Affairs Director slammed both hands down heavily. His watch struck the tabletop with a deafening crack that rattled the eardrums.

“I can see you’re incapable of recognizing your own mistakes. You are absolutely absurd!”

Qiong Cang nodded. “I’m sorry. I’ve been trying very hard to follow your line of reasoning so I could recognize my own mistakes. But I also feel that you’re a little absurd yourself.”

He Jueyun laughed out loud.

That single laugh immediately turned the Student Affairs Director’s firepower onto him.

“And you! Where are your credentials? Which department are you from? Did your superiors approve you giving investigative information to an ordinary student and letting her broadcast it publicly and fabricate false accusations when things weren’t even clear yet? You can request our cooperation with the investigation, but you shouldn’t be using methods like this!”

He Jueyun’s hand rested on the back of Qiong Cang’s chair, his posture very relaxed. He said, “Procedurally, of course not. I’m a disciplined officer who strictly follows regulations, so I did not disclose my investigation progress to Student Wang Dongyan. However, she’s simply too clever. During the process of gathering her testimony, she deduced the whole thing on her own. If you want to file a complaint, please call us directly. We’ll conduct an internal review.”

The Dean of Students: “Then what was that text message she received during morning assembly? You’re telling me you didn’t send it to her?”

As he spoke, he strode forward aggressively, trying to snatch the phone Qiong Cang had placed on the desk.

He Jueyun moved faster. His large hands pressed down first, trapping even Qiong Cang’s hand before she could pull it back.

The heat from his palm was scalding, but his tone was ice-cold.

“Sir, allow me to remind you—you have no authority to go through a student’s phone, especially personal privacy like chat logs. Not even the police can casually access someone’s communication records without cause. Doing something so inappropriate right in front of an officer… aren’t you showing me a bit too little respect?”

Everyone present was already a successful member of society. Faced with an ordinary student and a low-ranking police officer, their contempt was unmistakable. Once their limited patience ran dry, their arrogance began to show.

“Wang Dongyan, what’s the meaning of this? You brought a cop here to pick a fight with the school? Was yesterday’s fight somehow the school’s fault?”

“Our First High School can’t afford a student like you. Considering you’re just a high schooler, we’ve already been more than lenient. But if you insist on this, we’ll have to speak with your parents!”

If Qiong Cang really were a high school student, she might have been intimidated by such a threat. After all, the college entrance exam is the most critical hurdle for an ordinary senior. It represents the greatest effort a student has poured in since birth and their highest pursuit. The mere mention of it is enough to break someone’s resistance.

Unfortunately, she was Qiong Cang, and this was a game. This kind of threat was worth less than an embroidery needle.

Seeing the situation deadlocked, the Principal—seated at the head of the table and silent until now—finally spoke up.

“Enough, all of you!”

The moment his voice rang out, the clamorous conference room fell instantly silent.

Qiong Cang fixed her gaze directly on him, a smile of genuine interest spreading across her face.

He was a reasonably handsome middle-aged man. Over fifty, with his hair dyed pitch-black, he looked remarkably young for his age.

His features were deeply benevolent, and his demeanor was exceedingly approachable. His words carried none of the overbearing authority that came with his position—far more pleasant to the ear than the Dean of Students.

The Principal said, “Director Wang, your tone just now crossed a line. Calm down. There’s no need for such severe language with a student who’s barely an adult. The harsher you are, the less they’ll listen.”

The Dean of Students drew a breath, clearly reluctant, but held himself back.

The Principal then turned to Qiong Cang and said, “Student Wang Dongyan, I hope you can calm down as well. Arguing back and forth does no one any good—it only inflames emotions on both sides.”

Qiong Cang nodded. “Of course.”

The Principal continued in a soothing tone, “I understand how you feel. Director Wang¹ is an experienced educator, but his teaching style has always been rather forceful. He believes that rewards and punishments for students should be strict and thorough, so they can recognize their mistakes. I’m certain his intentions are kind and positive. He wasn’t trying to stir up conflict among students, and he certainly didn’t want to see you become a target of campus violence. It’s just that unforeseen accidents occurred during the process. This is a misunderstanding on your part. For the harm you’ve suffered as a result, I’m apologizing to you on his behalf.”

Qiong Cang smiled faintly. “When it comes to apologies, it’s better to show some sincerity.”

The Principal: “And what kind of apology would you consider sincere?”

Qiong Cang: “At the very least, not one delivered just to smooth things over—you apologizing for him, him apologizing for me. Who can stand in for whom? We’re not each other’s spokespeople. Am I right?”

Her flippant attitude reignited the anger of the few who had just calmed down.

The Principal raised a hand to settle them, and only after keeping them in check did he maintain his smiling face and say, “I’m already aware of everything you said at the morning assembly. Leaving the surveillance issue aside for now, I will absolutely investigate that matter thoroughly and give everyone an explanation. What I find more concerning, however, is your misunderstanding of the school.”

“In my over ten years managing First High School, I have always upheld the school motto: Modesty, Diligent Study, Benevolence. I’ve tried to pass these values on to all of you. I’ve done many things for this school, including giving impoverished students like Tian Yun a fair chance at education. I don’t know why you’ve developed such a large misunderstanding. You should trust in our goodwill.”

His eyes and tone were utterly sincere.

Qiong Cang stared at him for a long moment, then leaned forward, half-propped against the table, and said, “Philanthropists and capitalists are not the same. Philanthropists are certainly worthy of respect, but capitalists know how to disguise themselves too. They use so-called charity to polish their shiny exteriors while, behind the scenes, doing things beneath contempt.”

Qiong Cang leaned back, crossed one leg, and her words sharpened. “So Mr. Marx was right. ‘Capital comes into the world dripping from head to foot, from every pore, with blood and filth.’ They’ve just gotten smarter now. They can treat the majority well while being ruthless and cruel to a minority. They seize control of public discourse, stripping that minority of their ability to seek outside help, completing the entire process from subjugation and enslavement to plunder and slaughter. So long as they haven’t squeezed out every last bit of their victim’s surplus value, they won’t put down the butcher’s knife.”

None of the school leaders had ever been denounced to their faces like this by a student, and their composure crumbled.

“Wang Dongyan—”

The Principal, however, let out a laugh, as if regarding an unruly child. Patiently, he said, “What exactly do you think I could possibly gain from impoverished students?”

“I’m only answering the question of what one can gain from impoverished students. This isn’t directed at you specifically.” Qiong Cang’s fingers tapped back and forth, tracing circles on the table. “What one gains is exactly what you’re enjoying right now. Social status. The respect of the majority. Career advancement opportunities. And even more so, spiritual gratification that money alone can’t satisfy. Perhaps there are also some perverse, sick spiritual needs—things intolerable in normal society—that must be supplemented through filthy, insidious methods. People like that only recognize their mistakes when punishment arrives. To be precise, it’s not recognizing a mistake—it’s recognizing a loss. Because they have no sense of compassion.”

Principal: “Am I that kind of person?”

Qiong Cang nodded. “Yes, you are.”

The Principal found it strange. “What gave you that impression?”

Qiong Cang tilted her head up, paused briefly, then said: “Evidence.”

The Principal asked, “What evidence?”

“Tian Yun’s evidence.” As Qiong Cang spoke, her peripheral gaze spread from the Principal’s face to the faces of those around her, her tone utterly unwavering, betraying not the slightest hint of doubt. “You didn’t think she just died quietly without a sound, did you? She was a student on financial aid. Though she lacked a full understanding of society, she’d seen its darker side. She was a very cautious person. Sometimes, she could also be very bold.”

The Principal, seated in the center, showed no unusual expression. Only his interlaced fingers betrayed a slight twitch, but he concealed it well.

The colleagues beside him lacked such emotional control. When Qiong Cang spoke, a few of them displayed small, guilty gestures before quickly suppressing them again.

A deathly silence fell over the meeting room. In that brief moment of quiet, they immediately realized their reactions were off.

Just as someone opened his mouth to speak, Qiong Cang’s voice rang out first: “My relationship with Zhou Nansong has never been good. Do you really think I’d turn around and suspect the school based on a few words from someone else? I’m a practical person. What do you think Tian Yun left behind for Zhou Nansong, and what did Zhou Nansong show me?”

Qiong Cang stood. “Zhou Nansong said… she couldn’t continue, because she didn’t want to hurt other innocent people. But then she also said she hoped someone could avenge her. Why? If there was nothing to go on, how could she expect anyone to avenge her?”

A man barked angrily, “I have no idea what you’re talking about! Where’s this evidence? If you actually have it, then show it!”

“Evidence of sexual crimes that would make a student afraid to speak up, fearing worse consequences… what else could it be?” Qiong Cang walked slowly toward him. “I’ve encountered a few psychopaths before. They all liked to record the crimes they committed, finding kindred spirits to appreciate them at leisure. It gives them a special sense of satisfaction… especially using those records to humiliate the victim’s dignity – practically a second round of enjoyment. Think about it. With just a fraction of authority, a modest amount of money, you can enslave and violate multiple beautiful, young, intelligent, and well-mannered female students, completely control their futures, all while enjoying society’s respect. How deeply satisfying. Over time, propelled by diminishing returns of pleasure, they’ll commit increasingly deranged acts that push the boundaries. And when the group commits crimes together, they behave even more brazenly…”

Qiong Cang stared intently at the man who had spoken before, stopping right in front of him. As her words faded, she suddenly raised her hand and patted his arm.

The man sucked in a sharp breath and instinctively clutched his pocket.

“You—”

The Principal turned his head, casting a gaze of killing coldness toward the man.

The middle-aged man, caught in that glare, snapped instantly alert, then felt as though he’d plunged into an icy abyss. His face went deathly pale. He looked helplessly at the people around him, his Adam’s apple bobbing hard. He repeated, “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

He Jueyun: “…Well then.”

Qiong Cang turned and walked toward the door, smiling. “I’ve said my piece. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Translator’s Notes