Chapter 455: Lying Is Completely Meaningless
Hearing the sirens over the sea, numerous guests on the brink of a mental breakdown cried tears of joy.
"Finally! They’ve come!"
"We’re saved!"
With the Vesperian police assistance, even if they can’t find the real culprit, at least they can leave this godforsaken place and return to Veridia. Their lives would then be guaranteed safety!
...
In just this half hour, Cecilia Vaughn witnessed the multifaceted nature of people—many who are considered dignified elites in high society were either cursing the heavens or shedding tears loudly. Few remained truly calm, and those who did were typically the older, more experienced individuals accustomed to major events.
What surprised Cecilia the most was Sean Grant, a mere seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy, who remained quietly seated cross-legged on the deck clutching his sketch pad. His face was handsome and indifferent, seeming deaf to all the commotion around.
Cecilia sighed in awe, as though the Isle of Whispers experienced eternal springtime, the chill of the night wind made staying on deck uncomfortable. She and Wyatt Law silently distributed hot tea to everyone.
She proactively handed a cup to Sean.
"Are you alright?"
"Thank you, I’m fine."
The young man nodded faintly. Seeing his calm expression not resembling a feigned act, Cecilia slowly dismissed her concerns about him developing a psychological shadow. She nodded towards Sean and proceeded to Adrian Law, offering him the last cup of hot tea on her tray.
"Adrian, who do you think the murderer could be?"
Adrian Law briefly scanned over Sean Grant, who was sipping tea quietly, his expression contemplative until Cecilia tapped his shoulder once more.
"Hey, what are you looking at him for? Relax, I was merely being humanitarian by offering a classmate a cup of tea. Don’t overthink it, quickly answer my question..."
Adrian’s eyes shifted to Cecilia’s face and then glanced past her towards the unremoved corpse in the distance—Chloe Alden’s exposed skin had turned bluish-purple in the cold.
"The murderer... likely someone familiar," he remarked.
"..."
Cecilia was startled; her eyebrows knitted slightly. "Why do you say that? Is it because of the malfunctioning surveillance?"
Wyatt had already gone over details, stating the surveillance couldn’t be restored temporarily, not ruling out the possibility of deliberate tampering.
Everyone knew Chloe’s personality—arrogant and aggressive to the extreme. Should she have quarreled with someone on the cruise this time, the chance of impulsive and passionate murder wasn’t negligible.
...
Adrian Law remained silent, gently rubbing the ends of Cecilia’s hair.
"You’ll find out soon enough."
"Alright then."
Cecilia shrugged her shoulders; over there, ten police officers had arrived from Vesperia’s force led by an aged, bearded male coroner.
The forensic examination was swift, reporting results in accented English.
"Young Master Law, according to our current findings, this woman was likely pushed unexpectedly into the sea from the front. At the time, the victim probably had no ability to resist, judging by the extent of scalp tearing and slight bruising around the neck, hinting that there was physical confrontation with the attacker."
"Additionally, based on various details of the body, the incident likely occurred around half past nine at night, with possible slight deviation either way. Precision comparisons using instruments should provide more accurate timing."
The bearded coroner sighed regretfully.
"What a pity that the monitoring systems on this cruiser have been destroyed, otherwise we might have promptly identified the suspect."
Adrian Law listened to the forensic report, nodding coolly.
"Given that there was physical confrontation, starting with the perpetrator’s DNA left on the victim should be our priority. None of the guests or staff have left the cruiser—it should not be difficult to identify the results."
The Vesperian coroner evidently shared the same thought with Adrian, nodding repeatedly to the man.
...
Soon, the police arranged to capture everyone’s DNA and record their statements.
If no DNA from someone is found on Chloe Alden’s corpse and they have an alibi, they could be quickly cleared of suspicion and permitted to leave the coast.
At nine-thirty, most guests were singing and dancing in the ballroom, while Adrian Law and Frank Law were engaged in discussions, with several security guards and staff attesting outside. Naturally, these individuals were the least suspicious.
However, Cecilia Vaughn’s situation differed; during this time, she had first gone back to the door of room 1507 in the cabin without witnesses, later heading to the deck on the cruise’s top level, where Sean Grant was also present.
...
The Vesperian police recorded the timing information Cecilia provided, their voice tinged with slight doubt.
"Miss, did you say you had a physical altercation with the victim?"
Cecilia nodded quickly; the DNA on Chloe Alden’s body was about to be tested soon. Cecilia had argued with Chloe around nine o’clock, subsequently pulling Chloe’s hair to the railing.
The DNA traces couldn’t be removed, making lying utterly pointless.
Cecilia had always conducted herself uprightly, and she presented the narrative to the officer objectively and meticulously.
"Yes, because when I reached the third-floor corner, Chloe suddenly charged out, hurling insults at me. In a moment of anger, I performed a shoulder throw and taught her a lesson, but absolutely didn’t intend to toss her into the sea to let her fend for herself. After giving her ample warning, I left."
The officer frowned, examining Cecilia’s thin, pale wrists, seemingly finding it hard to fathom this seemingly delicate Veridian woman had the strength to shoulder-throw Chloe Alden.
"Were there any witnesses during your altercation with the victim?"
Cecilia’s gaze flickered slightly, instinctively thinking of Katherine North, yet she couldn’t confirm whether it was indeed Katherine.
"There should have been, because I saw a waitress in a checkered uniform pass through our vicinity, but she seemed uninterested in getting involved and left silently. I pursued her, but finally lost track."
"Alright, we’ll further investigate specific details later. We will also look for the checkered uniform waitress you mentioned."
"Okay, thank you."
Cecilia answered comprehensively. Her mood was heavy regarding Chloe Alden’s murder.
Among the guests and staff recording statements, it seemed Cecilia was the only one to have argued with Chloe that day, with no witnesses before heading to the top deck.
It appeared Cecilia bore the greatest suspicion.
...
Fortunately, DNA extraction from the body could still be done; this comparison result would come out soon.
The coroner gravely addressed all present.
"The DNA comparison results are now available. Besides the deceased herself, there are only two females’ DNA found!"