The Vigilant Guardian

Chapter Two: The Demon's Prank

Xu Xinnian furrowed his brow. "What do you need that for?"

"I want to solve the case..." Wei Wuji replied in a hushed tone, "I must understand how it happened—if I die, I want to die with clarity. Otherwise, I cannot be at peace."

Directly stating his desire to solve the case would likely lead Xu Xinnian to think he had lost his mind, so Wei Wuji opted for a different approach, reflecting his inherently stubborn nature.

After a moment's hesitation, Xu Xinnian replied, "I've seen the case files; I can recount them to you..."

In the days spent advocating for the Xu family, the case loomed large, and no one dared to lend assistance, leaving Xu Xinnian in a state of helplessness. He decided to pivot his strategy towards recovering the lost tax silver.

Utilizing the Xu family's connections and the resources of the academy, along with some monetary persuasion, Xu Xinnian managed to bribe an official in the Jingzhao Prefecture to transcribe the case files for him.

Yet, lacking any experience in criminal investigation or analysis, he found himself at an impasse.

Wei Wuji raised a hand to interrupt. "You should write it down; oral recounting holds no significance."

All the details of the case lay within the written words, which required careful deliberation and digestion. Diverting part of his mental energy to listen would impede his ability to think and analyze calmly.

In his past life, Wei Wuji's logical reasoning prowess had always set him apart, making him the top student of his grade.

In previous times, Xu Xinnian would have ignored him. Now, with the weight of their impending farewell, which might be forever, he acquiesced to his brother's final request, murmuring, "Please wait a moment."

He departed with swift steps.

As the sound of his footsteps faded into the corridor, Wei Wuji leaned back against the railing, feeling a tumult of anxiety within.

He had no confidence in a reversal of fate; the desire to solve the case was both a yearning and a deep frustration.

The only self-rescue method he could conceive was this—he had to try, to struggle against the inevitable.

In modern forensic science, crime scene investigation, surveillance, and autopsy are the three essential components.

In the case of the missing tax silver, there were no fatalities, no surveillance in ancient times, and he was trapped in a prison, devoid of access to any of those crucial elements.

Fortunately, the case files could partially reconstruct the crime scene.

While digesting the memories of the original owner, he forced himself to eliminate all negative emotions. Only a calm mind could yield clarity in thought, allowing for rigorous reasoning.

"Whether I live or die rests on what comes next..." he murmured.

As a stick of incense burned down, Xu Xinnian returned in haste, handing him several sheets of freshly inked paper.

"It's time; I must go." Xu Xinnian hesitated briefly, adding, "Take care of yourself."

Wei Wuji did not respond; his gaze was already absorbed by the writing on the paper.

In the rush, the script was in cursive; without the years of private schooling, he wouldn't have recognized those chaotic strokes.

"Education does have its merits; had the original owner been illiterate... it would have been the end," Wei Wuji self-deprecatingly mused.