Mutual Redemption with the Villainous Boss [Infinite] - Chapter 21

“Next, whose turn is it among the Lady Sparrows?”

Cuckoo asked with a beaming smile, her words sending a chill down everyone’s spine.

The blue light barrier had not been withdrawn. Ye Qingqing bit her lip, looking around. Since even weapons were cleared by the rules, going up now would be certain death. But staying here offered no way out either.

It was better to take a gamble.

She summoned her weapon—a katana—behind her back and took a deep breath, intending to lure the person outside into the blue light before striking.

“It’s my turn.”

A calm, composed voice drifted out as all eyes turned toward the speaker.

The woman was beautiful, and her unruffled expression commanded a strange sense of trust. Her long hair was tied back, and her loose-fitting skirt, stripped of its corset, did nothing to hide her natural elegance.

This was the woman who had remained calm ever since entering this dungeon.

Yu Jiayi tried to stop Zhu Ci: “Are you crazy? Didn’t you see what happened to that man?”

Chen Jian also stood firmly in front of her, refusing to let her pass. He Fanghui, however, made no move, watching silently from the side.

“Don’t go!” Ye Qingqing added her voice to the protest. Before things were settled, she didn’t want to lose any potential allies. “That guy is already dead. This isn’t a Medium-difficulty game at all!”

Zhu Ci ignored them.

She grabbed Chen Jian’s arm and pushed him aside. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

Yu Jiayi wanted to say more, but He Fanghui interrupted her: “Go ahead. But courage alone isn’t enough. I can trust you, right?”

Zhu Ci smiled at her and turned back to her teammates. “Naturally.”

“I’ve already thought of a solution.”

Her words reached everyone’s ears. The players were stunned. To be so full of confidence in a matter of life and death was no joke.

The other players shook their heads. Seeing that they had finished discussing, Cuckoo made a gesture of invitation, signaling for Zhu Ci to take her seat.

Zhu Ci walked up to the blue light barrier, paused for two seconds, and then stepped through. No electric shock occurred; it seemed the rules permitted her exit.

Zhu Ci sat in the defendant’s seat, adjusted her posture, and said to the Crow Judge, “I am ready.”

A gavel struck.

“The court is now in session.”

Skylark and Wren returned to their positions, their clothes still stained with blood. Cuckoo stood by Kite’s side.

The Crow Judge repeated the previous dialogue: “Plaintiff, please state the charges.”

Kite was much calmer this time, as if merely following a routine. “I accuse the Sparrow. Last night, she used a knife to kill the Robin in the corridor.”

“Plaintiff, please present your testimony.”

“I saw it with my own eyes.”

The Crow Judge then turned to Zhu Ci. “Defendant, please state your plea.”

“I didn’t do it,” Zhu Ci replied.

The players in the jury area were tense. Chen Jian muttered to himself anxiously, “Isn’t this the same as Chen Liangyi’s questioning?”

He Fanghui stared fixedly at the defendant’s seat, biting her lower lip. Yu Jiayi was surprised; it was the first time she had seen He Fanghui show such signs of nervousness. Her own heart felt heavy and stifled, a feeling she tried to shake off.

“Is there a witness?”

“Yes, myself.”

The players were in an uproar. This dialogue was identical to Chen Liangyi’s. If this continued, the judge would find her guilty, the rules would fail, and she would meet the same end.

Ye Qingqing closed her eyes and prayed for her.

“You’re lying!” Kite accelerated the pace, walking up to her and frowning. “You are a Sparrow. Sparrows can’t see at night. How could you be a witness?”

The Crow Judge struck the gavel, and the entire hall trembled. The players had already begun to mourn for Zhu Ci.

The judge spoke: “The verdict is…”

“Wait!”

Zhu Ci’s voice cut in, forcing the Crow to swallow its words.

“Judge, this is my first time in court, and I’m not quite clear on the rules,” she gave a sly, lively smile. “Is it true that one is not allowed to lie in court?”

“Of course not! If everyone lied, how would we find the culprit?” Kite sneered.

“Ah, but you are lying, too.”

Hearing this, Ye Qingqing snapped her eyes open. The woman sitting in the defendant’s seat was not flustered at all. She had just uttered words that shocked everyone.

Kite’s eyes darted around, searching for a rebuttal. Cuckoo’s smile vanished as she lowered her eyes, while the other three watched Zhu Ci.

“A Kite isn’t a nocturnal animal either. Yet you say you are a witness. How did you see it?”

“Who said that! How can you prove it!” Kite, having no answer, shouted loudly, “Judge, don’t listen to her! Hand down the verdict!”

The Crow Judge remained motionless.

“You said you saw me kill the Robin with a knife, right?” Zhu Ci propped herself up against the table and began to pace the hall.

“Yes, exactly!”

“Fine. Then may I ask, where is my knife?”

That single question left Kite speechless. Normally, in such a situation, a player would summon their weapon to protect themselves—specifically the one used the previous night. Not only did she not have one, but she hadn’t used any weapons or items since entering the courtroom.

Ye Qingqing realized this and quickly retracted her own katana.

“One more question,” Zhu Ci pressed on. “Since you say I killed the Robin, but also say I can’t see at night, then how did I kill him?”

“You said it yourself—a Sparrow is not a nocturnal animal.”

A series of questions exposed all the holes in the story. Chen Jian made a victory sign. He Fanghui snorted coldly, “Don’t celebrate too early. They haven’t let her go yet.”

Ye Qingqing was worried and asked, “What if she angers the RM (Room Master) like this?”

The three didn’t answer her; clearly, this question troubled them as well.

Kite’s eyes darted several times, but unable to think of a move, he sighed and stepped back.

Cuckoo stepped forward and bowed to the judge. “Please allow me to act as the defense for the plaintiff.”

“Permitted.”

Cuckoo smiled again, her voice rising and falling like a song. “Sparrow, you killed the Robin. Why won’t you admit it?”

“The Robin was a kind bird. He used his melodious song, like a flowing spring, to heal our souls. But you killed him. His soul speaks of it constantly, his pain is evident, and his heart and mind will never find peace.”

“If you didn’t kill him, why is there a bright red stain on his breast? If you didn’t kill him, why has his song become painful and helpless?”

“You killed him with a knife and placed his feathers under the table, upon the floor. This is the evidence.”

The Crow Judge listened and nodded toward Wren. Wren understood immediately, went to the defendant’s seat, searched around, and picked up a red feather, presenting it to the judge.

“Defendant Sparrow, the evidence is conclusive. Do you have any defense?”

What kind of nonsense logic is this?

Zhu Ci took a deep breath, feeling slightly speechless. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and said, “That’s not mine.”

“Then it fell off you! I saw it with my own eyes!” Seeing the tide turn, Kite jumped back into the fray.

She was about to argue back.

“Zhu Ci! Role-play!” He Fanghui shouted from within the blue barrier.

Before entering this dungeon, the introduction had clearly stated that this was a role-playing dungeon. As long as you played your role well, you could win.

Zhu Ci was the Sparrow. If she didn’t admit to killing the Robin, she would fail to fulfill her role. If she did admit it, an execution would await her.

Zhu Ci, who had intended to deny Kite’s words again, was snapped out of it by He Fanghui’s reminder. She lifted her head. “I don’t need your reminder; I can figure it out.”

He Fanghui didn’t get angry; instead, she smiled. Yu Jiayi looked at her, her heart churning with an unfathomable depth of emotion. Why? Why do I hate seeing her look at someone else like that…

Zhu Ci changed her approach. “Fine. Since you say you saw this fall off me, then let it be mine. However, it’s not yet certain if this is actually the Robin’s feather.”

Kite called for Skylark. Skylark approached the feather, examined it closely, and even leaned down to sniff it.

“Judge, this is indeed the Robin’s feather. I am absolutely certain.”

“Reason?”

“He and I were very close friends,” Skylark said respectfully. He was a good friend of the Robin, a statement the Crow Judge accepted.

“But that proves nothing. This feather was given to me by the Robin. He said I was his friend,” Zhu Ci argued, refusing to let them find a breakthrough.

“The Robin would not be friends with you.”

“Why not? We are both birds. This feather is the proof. Am I right, Judge?”

The Crow Judge pondered, then nodded. “The feather was on your person. Since you carry it with you, the ‘friend’ claim can stand.”

Cuckoo looked back at Kite, who gave her a look.

Cuckoo continued her questioning: “A friend of the Robin killing the Robin—how tragic! For the Robin to die by the blade of trust is even more heroic and sorrowful. And you, the killer, the blood remaining on your hands is the evidence.”

Evidence came one after another. Zhu Ci parried, saying, “My hands are clean.”

“Then let Wren smell them. She has a hidden sense of smell; no one can escape her.”

Wren walked over, took Zhu Ci’s fair right hand, and sniffed it close to her face.

“There is blood on your hand. It has been wiped dry, but the scent remains in the air.”

“Now how will you talk your way out of this!” Kite stood up, snarling. “It was you! You killed him!”

The Crow Judge struck the gavel. The people in the jury grew restless. Chen Jian frantically studied his compass, trying to find a breakthrough. “What do we do? The compass won’t even spin.”

“I told you, items can’t be used here. No one’s items work.” He Fanghui understood the situation was dire, but she couldn’t think of a way out for the moment.

“It’s already too late,” Ye Qingqing’s voice sounded like a ghost’s. “We’re all going to die here. I’m next.”

Ye Qingqing’s pessimistic words affected everyone. Yu Jiayi shouted to Zhu Ci, “Zhu Ci, run through the back door! Don’t worry about us!”

Zhu Ci turned a deaf ear. Everyone saw the sleeve of her arm flashing, as an SR card pulsed continuously on the screen.

Calm Reflection: Will keep you permanently calm. Will also provide you with more directions for thought.

“Fine. That’s enough. It was I who killed the Robin.”

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