The two corpses on the table traced back to a few months ago.
Qin Siyang had gotten lost outside the safe zone, and Li Tianming and the others had organized a rescue.
However, on their way to the rescue, they encountered enemies disguised as their own people.
One of them was Li Si Te's student, Jason; the other was Laudenor, who was registered under Harrison's name but actually taught by Florence.
Their students had both participated in the killing of Li Tianming and the others, so Zhao Longfei needed the two professors to give an explanation.
It was just that the two had been away attending a summit, so the matter had been put aside temporarily.
Now that they had returned, naturally, this issue had to be dealt with first.
Their response would determine Zhao Longfei's future allocation of resources and personnel.
Besides, if they couldn't give Qin Siyang and the others a satisfactory answer, how could they expect Qin Siyang to share his rare materials with them?
When Harrison and Li Si Te saw their students' corpses, they were both stunned.
Li Si Te frowned deeply, gritted his teeth, and demanded, "Principal Zhao, my student Jason, why did he die?"
Harrison was also shocked, "Who killed Laudenor?"
Zhao Longfei pointed at the two empty chairs beside him, "Professor Harrison, Professor Li Si Te, please, have a seat first. I'll tell you everything from the beginning."
Once they sat down, Zhao Longfei recounted what had happened outside the safe zone that day, though he omitted the parts involving his conversation with Guo Jiuxiao and Qin Siyang's material distribution.
"Professors, that's how it happened. So, your two prized students went outside the safe zone to assassinate Student Qin and Professor Li's group, but their strength was insufficient, and they were killed in return."
"That's the explanation I'm giving you."
"Now, I need your explanation. Why were your students connected with Guo Jiuxiao, the [Deceiver], or the Samsara Church?"
Harrison and Li Si Te were dumbfounded.
What? Their students died, and now they're the ones being questioned?
For a moment, neither knew how to respond.
The situation had completely gone beyond their expectations.
Harrison slowly turned to Li Si Te, "Li Si Te, do you have any private connection with those factions Principal Zhao mentioned?"
Li Si Te was still furious, "No."
["Truth."]
Everyone paused slightly as Qin Siyang took out a small bird and placed it on his shoulder, "Sorry, I just want to clear both professors of suspicion so we can cooperate better in the future."
Li Si Te's eyes flashed with displeasure, but he held himself back and forced calm. He asked Harrison, "You, have you been in contact with those factions?"
"No."
["Truth."]
"I have no idea about Laudenor's matter."
["Truth."]
"I'm also clueless about Jason's matter."
["Truth."]
Zhao Longfei asked, "So, you're saying their actions had nothing to do with either of you?"
Li Si Te's voice trembled, "Honestly, I really don't know why Jason would go kill Professor Li. He's been with me for three years, an excellent student in both conduct and academics. After graduation, I planned to keep him as a lecturer. I never saw anything abnormal."
Harrison was equally puzzled, "Laudenor was also a very bright kid, long favored by Florence. I don't understand why he would secretly associate with an organization like the Samsara Church."
Qin Siyang nodded, "I don't know Jason, but I've interacted with Laudenor. He was indeed a good person. If he'd had any ill intent, when I first got the Vine Heart, he should've made a move then."
Li Tianming asked, "Did these two students have any connection with each other?"
"Connection?"
Li Si Te and Harrison both closed their eyes, trying to recall.
Harrison said, "I did have cooperative projects with Li Si Te, but our students never participated together."
["Truth."]
Li Si Te agreed, "They never worked on the same experiment. Also, Jason was a third-year student, while Laudenor was a senior, different grades. They shouldn't have interacted much… Wait!"
Li Si Te suddenly thought of something, "When I left the research group to attend the summit, I received an invitation from Central Glory University for a sequence research conference. I checked, it was a small event, so I let Jason take a paper and attend on my behalf. Harrison, did you receive one too?"
["Truth."]
"I did! I also thought that conference was unimportant, so I asked Florence to send a student. I'm not sure who he sent. Wait, let me check with Florence."
["Truth."]
As he spoke, Harrison pulled out his phone and dialed Florence right there.
["Professor Harrison, do you need something?"]
"Florence, let me ask you something. Do you remember the sequence research conference invitation from Central Glory University over two months ago? Did you attend?"
["No, I was busy revising the Doom Fate Octopus theoretical model at that time, so I sent Laudenor with a paper to attend. I was wondering why that conference was taking so long and couldn't reach him. Why, Professor Harrison, did something happen?"]
Harrison's tone was heavy, "Laudenor is dead."
["Dead?"]
"I'll explain later. I'm busy now, we'll talk another time."
["I… I understand. Please let me know as soon as you can."]
"Alright."
Harrison hung up and looked around, "You all heard it, Laudenor also attended the Central Glory conference."
Zhao Longfei bit down on his cigar and said quietly, "The timing matches. The people match."
Then he looked at Li Si Te and Harrison, "Who organized the conference?"
"Professor Ren Changyu of Central Glory University."
["Truth."]
Hao Liang said, "Ah, so it was Ren Changyu. No wonder."
At the mention of Ren Changyu, Qin Siyang and the others immediately understood.
Ren Changyu was Guo Jiuxiao's die-hard supporter, the same man who fought Hao Liang fiercely at Starfield Ranch.
Li Si Te's golden eyes glared like an eagle's at Hao Liang, "You mean Ren Changyu used that conference to manipulate our two students?"
"Most likely."
Li Si Te slammed his palm on the table, shaking the whole room, "Doing something like that, he's not afraid of ruining his reputation?"
Zhang Kuang scratched his messy hair, "It's just our speculation. We don't have any proof."
Li Tianming said, "Actually, this is my fault. Ren Changyu was targeting me, and your students were dragged into it. I'll do my best to make it up to you…"
"Make it up? Can compensation bring the dead back to life?"
Zhao Longfei held back the enraged Li Si Te and said, "Professor Li Si Te, calm down. It's true that Professor Li killed them, but ultimately, it's Ren Changyu's fault."
"Still related to him, isn't it?"
"Professor Li Si Te, please, calm yourself. We must find the true culprit. Professor Li and the others never intended harm to Jason, right?"
After Zhao Longfei's soothing words, Li Si Te finally stopped glaring daggers at Li Tianming and the rest.
But he was still furious, as if his own son had died.
That puzzled Qin Siyang and the others.
Could it be that Li Si Te and Jason shared a bond as deep as that between Li Tianming and Qin Siyang, one forged through life and death?
Zhao Longfei sighed and explained to the others, "Professor Li Si Te once served in the military. Jason's father was his comrade-in-arms, his life-and-death partner, who entrusted Jason to him before dying."
He gently patted Li Si Te's back, "So he treated Jason like his own child. I hope you all can understand his anger."
After hearing that, Li Tianming lowered his head even more, unable to face Li Si Te.
Li Si Te still couldn't accept it. He smashed the bookshelf behind him with a punch, grinding out a single sentence through his teeth, "Ren Changyu, I'll send you to meet Satan!"