From Nun to Real Heiress: Expert at Turning the Tables

Chapter 679: 350 Varied Shapes (Eight more updates) _2

“Who called the police?” Li Ling’s eyes swept over those present, heads bowing wherever his gaze fell.

Zhu Xiangxiang stepped forward quickly, “Sergeant Li, I called for the police.”

Li Ling’s handsome features could be easily mistaken for a scholar’s. He certainly didn’t seem like a rough cop. His eyes were large and bright yet subtly restrained, always revealing a hint of mystery when looking at people. It made people feel inexplicably nervous, as if they were being seen through completely.

Zhu Xiangxiang pointed at Ming Jing, “She’s the murderer, she killed her senior, the heiress of the Zhu family, Ming Xin.”

Li Ling turned and looked at Ming Jing. From the moment he entered, he noticed this girl. Slightly squinting his eyes, he asked, “Where’s the evidence?”

“Evidence? Take her in for questioning and you’ll find out.”

“Outrageous! The police seek solid evidence when handling cases. Are we no different from mobsters if we detain people without reason?”

Zhu Xiangxiang replied, “Officer Li, everything I say is true. You police shouldn’t let personal feelings overrule the law.”

“Personal feelings overrule the law? Are you referring to me?” Li Ling glanced at Zhu Xiangxiang.

Zhu Xiangxiang felt a chill at her heart and quickly added, “I mean, Sergeant Li, you mustn’t let the general public lose faith. If she is guilty, let the law punish her.”

“Determining guilt or innocence is not your call. What you’ve said is just speculation.” Li Ling walked over to Ming Jing, taking big strides. Qu Feitai immediately obstructed his path.

“Mr. Qu, please step aside and cooperate with my work.”

“Brother Li, Ming Jing is innocent.”

“We’ll find out whether she’s innocent or not after the investigation.”

Ming Jing stepped out from behind Qu Feitai, “Officer Li, what do you want to ask? I will fully cooperate.”

“When was the last time you saw your senior?”

A female officer behind Li Ling turned on a recorder, pulled out paper and pen, and began taking notes.

Upon seeing this as a live investigation, the crowd perked up.

“A month ago.”

“At what location?”

“Jingzhou.”

“Can you contact her now?”

Zhu Xiangxiang exclaimed loudly, “She’s lying, she’s the best liar! Officer, don’t be deceived by her, arrest her quickly!”

Li Ling glanced back at her, “Are you instructing me on how to conduct an investigation?”

Zhu Xiangxiang choked, “I just don’t want you to be deceived by her, Officer Li. Ming Xin is gone because of her. How could she get away with it just by talking?”

The recording female officer said coldly, “Any disturbance during a police investigation will result in punishment for obstructions to law enforcement.”

Zhu Xiangxiang had no choice but to shut up unwillingly.

Liu Muxue grinded her teeth, finding Zhu Xiangxiang extremely annoying.

Li Ling asked, “Did you witness this lady committing a murder? Or did you see Ming Xin’s dead body? Or else why do you so boldly declare that this lady has killed someone?”

“I…I…” Zhu Xiangxiang stuttered, “Although I did not witness her murdering, Ming Xin has disappeared and it must have something to do with her. It is more than likely she’s met with misfortune…”

Li Ling interrupted her impatiently, “If you can handle the case by yourself, then why do we need the police? Go home.”

Li Ling turned to leave.

“Wait, Officer, please don’t go. I promise to keep quiet. You go on with the questions.” Zhu Xiangxiang hurriedly stopped Li Ling.

This cop had quite a temper.

“Investigations require evidence. If further evidence proves that Ming Xin is not dead or her death is unrelated to this lady, then you have committed defamation. Do you acknowledge that?”Zhu Xiangxiang instinctively retorted, “How could she possibly have nothing to do with with it?”

Li Ling raised his brows, “I’ll emphasize again, police investigations rely on evidence. Currently, there’s no evidence proving this young lady committed murder. Yet you insist she killed Ming Xin and demand her life. If it’s proven that she is unrelated, she can sue you for defamation. According to Criminal Law Article 246, intentionally fabricating and spreading fallacies to degrade others and tarnish their reputation is a severe offense, punishable by up to three years in prison, detention or surveillance, or deprivation of political rights.”

Li Ling’s severe and cold voice struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, instinctively making everyone tense as they felt the harshness of the law.

So, the crime of slander was indeed severe.

“I… I didn’t defame her, Mr. Policeman, please don’t scare me.”

Zhu Xiangxiang finally realized that this policeman was siding with Ming Jing. Just now, when Qu Feitai conversed with him, he sounded very familiar and even referred to him as ‘Brother Li’. This Li Ling was completely biased.

“The law is impartial; you say I am scaring you? Are you suggesting that I am joking about the law?”

“That’s not what I meant…” Zhu Xiangxiang was left speechless and cornered.

“Officer, the most important thing now is to find Ming Xin. If Ming Xin is alive, Ming Jing can naturally clear her name. Otherwise, she is the prime suspect,” Tang Wan stepped in.

Zhu Xiangxiang realized she had been baited by this policeman, she shouldn’t have toussled with him over the crime of defamation, or else she would have been framed.

Arguing with a policeman about criminal law was just humiliating.

Li Ling glanced at Tang Wan, “It seems like all of you are hoping that something has happened to Ming Xin?”

Lin Qing flinched, glaring at Zhu Xiangxiang and Tang Wan, gritting his teeth in anger.

Regardless of what was happening with Ming Jing, these two were definitely not good individuals either.

“No, officer, you shouldn’t wrong us…”

“Whether it’s a wrong accusation or not, all of you know in your hearts,” Li Ling turned again to look at Ming Jing.

“From what I understand so far, Ming Xin is the senior you grew up with. You’ve lived in the mountains for a long time, and the only person in this world who might be in contact with her is you. So, I am asking, can you make contact with Ming Xin?”

This Ming Xin was not a social person, her information was not on the system. No network of relationships, no family or friends, even if she quietly died one day, no one would know.

Except for Ming Jing.

Zhu Xiangxiang notwithstanding, from a motive perspective, Ming Jing was indeed the most suspicious concerning Ming Xin’s disappearance.

On the way here, he had already learned all that had happened here.

Ming Xin was the real heiress of the Zhus, while this widely-known heiress was in fact an impostor.

Zhu Xiangxiang was mistakenly taken due to circumstances beyond her control and was being condemned by the public. But Ming Jing, who was well aware of the truth, even more so, faced public censure.

Now with the disappearance of Ming Xin, no matter how you looked at it, Ming Jing appeared more like a malicious conspirator.

In his line of work, priding himself on accurately reading people, he knew how fickle human hearts could be, driven to unimaginable depths of evil.

But now, looking at the calm and composed girl in white before him, he, a public servant who knew the law by heart and was deeply engrained with the importance of evidence, for the first time, felt that evidence wasn’t needed.

Facing countless stares, Ming Jing calmly said, “Officer Li, my senior sister, she…”

“I heard someone cursing my death?” Suddenly, a brisk female voice rang out, instantly drowning out all the commotion at the scene.

Unnoticed by anyone, Ming Jing’s hand, holding the prayer beads, paused slightly.

She lowered her gaze, a sigh escaping from her lips.

The voice was full of vigor and power, drowning out the voices of everyone present. Everybody turned instinctively towards the source of the sound.

A graceful young girl in plain clothes strode in, holding a little girl in her arms and accompanied by two similar-looking little girls. All four of them were dressed in washed-out plain clothes, but their faces were rosy, their spirits high, their eyes clear, and there was a lively aura about them as they walked.

Ming Jing stared at the approaching young girl, as if the grand hall awash with gold and jade had suddenly morphed into a dilapidated old nunnery.

“Don’t be scared, junior, your senior sister will protect you.”