Schofield's [] internal monologue has returned in this chapter.

Nancy's expression rapidly shifted from confusion to surprise. "This is absolutely absurd! What makes you say that?"

Feng Bujue chuckled. "Heh... an expected reaction." He continued his fabrication, "Allow this detective to recount your crime."

[In other words, more nonsense...] Schofield thought. [But... this trick really does work every time...]

"It was in autumn..." Feng Bujue began his narration.

[Suddenly switching to a very weathered voice, and looking so serious, what's he planning...]

"As in previous years, you returned from Vienna to Yassari to spend Thanksgiving at your father's villa." Feng Bujue inexplicably raised his head and recited, "The autumn in the mountains is deep, the maple leaves are like fire, and the slight coolness in the air makes one want to put on long underwear."

[Hey... a strange opening, a literary prelude, and then ending with that kind of line?]

"You drove on the desolate highway, and inspired by the scenery before you, you suddenly thought... why don't I kill my older brother?" Feng Bujue continued.

[Weren't you the one who said a few minutes ago that 'we must follow logical principles and common patterns, but not be bound by these habitual ways of thinking'? It was you, wasn't it? Please, bind yourself!]

"Mr. Feng, if you're trying to make me laugh in this way..." Nancy interjected, "I can tell you clearly, it's not a good idea."

Feng Bujue ignored her, continuing to fabricate his story, "As the daughter of Mr. Corston's second wife, your status in this family has always been a bit inferior. In recent years, your father's health has been failing, forcing you to consider your future after his death..."

[Repeatedly using the same motive to frame different people...]

"Since you were a child, you've been the family's good girl, following your father's will and walking the path he arranged for you." Feng Bujue opened his mind, observing the person in front of him while making up the story, "From elementary school, you excelled in your studies, were of upright character, talented, and well-mannered. You were like the legendary 'child from another family'."

"At eighteen, you entered the prestigious Vienna Academy of Music and remained as a teacher after graduation."

"To others, your life is perfect. You have a privileged background, outstanding looks, a good personality, a stable job, a good income, and high social status."

"Such a life is undoubtedly what every girl yearns for, but... what do you yourself think?"

[Hey, hey... it's not appropriate for you to tell her what she thinks...]

"Your education, your job, even your hobbies... none of these were chosen by you, but by your father." Feng Bujue said, "Perhaps you don't want that perfection, because 'perfection' has made you lose a lot." He paused. "Just to give an example... you're almost twenty-eight and still haven't married." He spread his hands and shook his head. "The reason I can think of why a woman like you is still unmarried is... excellent men think you're unattainable, while some presumptuous and pretentious men are repulsive to you."

"In short... your inner world is probably not as pleasant and carefree as others see it." Feng Bujue said, "No matter how perfect you are, you don't get more attention than your two brothers." He said in a sarcastic tone, "You're like a dog, your master tells you to sit, and you sit; tells you to play dead, and you play dead; tells you to roll over, and you roll over... you stick out your tongue, wag your tail, and make yourself perfect. You don't do it for a bite or two of dog food, but to get your master's attention and recognition."

[You should change careers to be a pyramid scheme salesman... or a cult leader... By the way, why does Miss Nancy look like she's about to believe him? Miss Nancy, hold on! Don't let your character setting be rewritten by a few words!]

"But reality is cruel; a stepmother's child is still a stepmother's child." Feng Bujue continued, "You can tell Mr. Corston's attitude toward women from his attitude toward marriage. He values his two sons more after all, even that good-for-nothing second son. Didn't he grit his teeth and support him for nearly ten years?" His face darkened. "So... you hate your father, and this emotion quickly makes you angry at Dennis and Jack, since these two guys are just your half-brothers anyway..."

"'If father dies, he will definitely leave the inheritance to Dennis,' such a thought is reasonable in my opinion." Feng Bujue said, "The mental factor is jealousy and hatred, and the material factor is inheritance. With these two points, you have enough motivation to act."

[After brainwashing for so long, is he finally going to start talking about the case...]

"Today, you didn't arrive as late as it seems. In fact, you arrived a long time ago, the first one to arrive!" Feng Bujue said, "As early as this morning, you hid your car in the forest a few miles away from the villa, and then, with the murder weapon – a piano string – and wearing gloves, you quietly walked to the villa." He described it vividly, as if he had seen it with his own eyes, "Anyway, the murder weapon is easy to hide. Even if you were spotted by someone in the villa before the murder, you could just say that the car broke down in the woods, and you had to walk back, and that would be enough to fool them." He changed the subject. "You have the key to the villa gate, so it's not difficult to sneak in. Things went smoothly, and no one noticed that you had already sneaked into the villa. So, you took the opportunity to hide and wait for the chance. When Dennis and Jack arrived, and the shooting incident occurred, you, observing from the dark, felt... the time was ripe."

"Acting today could not only get rid of Dennis, but also make Jack take the blame for you. Letting your father watch his two sons die one after another, and finally hand over his life's inheritance to you, the true criminal who has been ignored for years, can be said to be the most perfect revenge."

"Soon after, you seized the opportunity when Dennis was alone, knocked on his door, and entered his room. He heard your voice and naturally wouldn't be on guard. He must have thought you had just arrived at the villa and were coming to chat with him. Then, you killed him and turned the room into a locked room, escaping through the window."

"After the murder, you returned to where you hid the car, disposed of the murder weapon and gloves, adjusted your emotions, and thought about how you should react when facing the police... After a considerable period of time, you arrived late and put on a good show in front of us."

[Oh! So that's how it is! I was almost deceived by her!] Schofield was also fooled.

"Hoo..." Nancy sighed deeply after hearing this, and said to Feng Bujue, "You're really wasted as a detective. I think you should write novels."

"Hehehe..." Feng Bujue scratched the back of his head with one hand, revealing a smug smile, the kind... that just needed him to say "I'm not that good."

Although their personalities are quite different, Nancy is the most like her father among the three children in terms of ability. She is a very smart woman, and she doesn't get easily scared when things happen. When faced with Feng Bujue's absurd accusations, she didn't panic like Carol, nor did she become furious like Jack. Nancy, like her father, refuted with facts and logic.

"My flight was delayed. You can check with the airline to see what time my flight arrived at the airport." Nancy said, "Also, the car I drove was rented. I think the car rental place will have many witnesses who remember what I looked like, as well as the time I arrived and left." She paused. "If your math isn't too bad, you should be able to calculate... how long it would take me to get here from the rental place at least."

Feng Bujue put on a flustered look again, like a villain about to be defeated, stammering, "Wh... what..."

[His confident reasoning was defeated with just two sentences...]