Chapter 1082: The Mystery of the Circle
Criminal A had been sentenced to prison. Considering his more than 60-year sentence, there was no doubt he would spend the rest of his life in the dim, narrow cell without ever seeing the outside world again. However, he still had one last chance for a desperate struggle.
Why not give it a try? His lawyer advised him this way—after all, even if the appeal was denied, his situation wouldn't get any worse.
Among the evidence held by the prosecution, a significant portion consisted of indirect evidence, and they had indeed overlooked many pieces of real evidence. To be honest, if Criminal A had looked a bit more presentable instead of the villainous figure he was now, the jury might have acquitted him a long time ago. In other words, within the bags of case files held by the prosecution, there might be clues and evidence yet to be discovered.
If they found those overlooked pieces of evidence, it would spell disaster for him.
Of course, Criminal A had no idea about the evidence he had left behind. If he had known, he wouldn't have left any evidence at all. It was only after he entered prison that he heard through his contacts that someone could provide assistance. He used every means to contact that person, and after reviewing the case files of his own crimes, Criminal A discovered just how much evidence he had inadvertently left behind.
"Now is not the right time," that person whispered to him during their rounds. "We are still missing a few people. Inform your lawyer and prepare for the appeal when it's time for you to notify him."
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait very long. This prison was filled with members of gangs and associations. Several high-ranking figures had also been apprehended. When they entered the prison, they quickly contacted that person for help. However, it seemed that the person had their own selection criteria, and in the end, they chose three others.
After the first installment of money was transferred to that person's account, Criminal A anxiously awaited his retrial in the cramped cell. If that person could indeed get him out of prison, he would spend all his wealth for his freedom. The large sum he had sent earlier was just a down payment, amounting to only twenty percent of the total.
As a high-paying client, he couldn't resist inquiring about the plan to secure his release.
"How do you make the jury believe you're not the criminal? It's simple – just create the presence of another 'criminal.' Regardless of whether that person is truly related to the case, once the jury starts to doubt in the courtroom, you're free. Even if it's later proven that the real culprit doesn't exist, based on current laws, the prosecution can't retry you on the same charges."
She smiled softly at this point, looking like any ordinary young and pretty girl in the city.
But... it sounds simple, but where do you find another 'criminal'?
"That's where you all need to cooperate with each other," that person whispered, "I've already arranged for another person to act as the 'real criminal' in your case. Correspondingly, you also have the obligation to help the next person in the circle. That's why I've come to see you; I need your DNA."
"Wait, with such solid evidence, wouldn't it risk putting me on trial for the other guy's crimes instead?"
"Of course not. I carefully selected cases to prevent such a low-level mistake. Don't worry; when the next victim on the circle dies, you'll be in another city's jail, with no stronger alibi. Plus, during the trial, we only need to present evidence of the 'other criminal's' existence; no further investigation is allowed. After the truth is revealed by the prosecution, all four of you will be free."
Four – she had mentioned earlier that there were four people in this 'mutual aid' circle. The first person, which was him, would become the 'true criminal' in the second person's case, and so on, creating a circular connection like a serpent swallowing its tail.
"So, what about the evidence I leave behind?"
"That can be taken over by the previous person who helped you. You're quite fortunate; I've reviewed all the evidence you left behind, and with the right explanation, most of it can be traced back to the person before you in the circle. However, of course, the previous person also has absolutely undeniable evidence of not committing the crime you were charged with."
And so, as requested, he forcibly plucked hair from his groin and scalp, even scratching himself several times, almost drawing blood. Criminal A picked skin flakes from beneath his fingernails and carefully placed them together with the hair into the sealed bag provided by the warden. The bag was small, adorned with an embroidered satin ribbon fastened around it. She casually rolled it up, tying it to her braid as an ornament, and walked out in broad daylight, causing Criminal A to feel a sense of unreality.
"Now, do you understand?"
During Lin Sanjiu's explanation, she didn't forget to give Bohemia a serious look – the organism on her neck, which resembled a cluster of bushes, had already blended completely with its surroundings, making it indistinguishable.
"It's the role you played that linked the cases of four criminals together, creating confusion. Criminal A used fabricated evidence to become the true culprit in B's case; B became the true culprit in C's care; C became the true culprit in D's case; and D became the true culprit in A's case. As indicated by the arrows on the circle, these four lines connect to form a circle. When these four cases were tried at different times and places across the country, it was challenging for people to connect the independent cases and, therefore, no one suspected you."
Bohemia grumbled, "Why are you staring at me? I didn't do it. How did you, or should I say, your mimicry, how did they figure it out?"
"In 'Prison Storm,' there was a very subtle clue." Lin Sanjiu's Higher Consciousness never had the chance to fully recover, and she had already deactivated her mimicry– luckily, she had done so early; otherwise, if she had taken a little longer to think, Bohemia probably wouldn't have had the chance to attack her. "Do you remember the female doctor mentioning that the stomach contents of a suspected cannibal had no trace of the victim's DNA?"
Well, maybe she remembered something like that...
"If you weren't too lazy to read the entire report carefully, you'd have noticed an important detail at the end," Lin Sanjiu glanced at her and concluded that Bohemia couldn't be bothered to read it, which didn't sit well with Bohemia. "In fact, for the sake of time, the initial examination only compared it to the victim's DNA. However, the doctor stated in the report that she suspected the contents had DNA that closely resembled a human... It's just that further testing would take time."
"I... I remember!"
"Even though the cannibal ate someone, that person was not his victim. If you follow this clue, you'll discover that in another criminal's case, the biggest uncertainty arises because the police never found the body of his victim... The warden, just before the retrial, did something to ensure his victim's body could never be found again. The exact details of how your character meticulously coordinated the timing are not clear to me; the game didn't provide a lot of details. However, the meaning of the circle is undoubtedly correct."
Wasn't her mimicry smart enough to notice that her current condition wasn't normal?
Bohemia sighed inwardly. But in any case, Lin Sanjiu had successfully unraveled 'Prison Storm,' which meant Bohemia only needed to deliver one punishment through that creature.
There was a layer of Higher Consciousness protecting her brain, so it probably wouldn't be shattered like those villagers, resulting in death... But how would a shattered brain recover? Would she have to go through life with half a brain exposed?
No, no, before worrying about something so distant, there's another more urgent issue.
"I mean..." She momentarily left 'Final Exam' and asked in a low voice to the Descartes Spirit, "How should I deceive her into giving me the Nostradamus Card?"