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Northern Mountain wasn’t a person fitting of his name. When hearing his name, you would imagine a tall, big, and brawny man, but in reality, he was a small man who was thin and resembled a monkey. As soon as he arrived, he cupped his hands towards me and said:

“I’ve seen sir. I am Northern Mountain.”

I gave a glance at Tila. Beside Tila were two bodyguards that I was unfamiliar with, apparently ones that I had never seen before. But this wasn’t an issue I should be confused with at the moment. I mildly said to Northern Mountain:

“The reason why I’ve sought you out this time isn’t because of any major event. I just wanted to ask if you remember returning the sum of money that Luo Chou lent you yesterday.”

Northern Mountain let out a sigh of relief and replied with a smile:

“I remember, I remember. If I could ask, what’s happened? This thing isn’t considered some big matter.”

I replied:

“Indeed it isn’t considered some big matter. But Lou Chou’s money was stolen yesterday.”

Northern Mountain appeared shocked upon hearing this:

“Ah? This happened……sigh. Blame me for not going out much these past two days and not knowing. Then, has the culprit been arrested?”

I answered:

“Not yet, but before that, I want to ask you several questions.”

Northern Mountain doubtfully inquired:

“Ask me? This, I’m not even related to this legal case.”

I replied with a smile:

“You can’t say that. It can’t be guaranteed that you didn’t wish to return the money, so you stealthily went to steal the money back. In order to clear suspicions from your name, you’d better tell me everything that you know, the finer the details, the better.”

Northern Mountain helplessly nodded.

He opened his mouth to say:

“On the 8th day of last month, in my bedroom, Luo Chou lent me 5 gold coins, 10 silver coins, 20 copper coins, and I agreed to pay him back once I struck it rich. An IOU was written, but there were no other people present at the time……”

I gave him a look and Northern Mountain hurriedly said with panic clear in his voice:

“But even though there weren’t any people to testify, I still remember this matter very clearly! It was 6 o’clock in the evening during that time, and the sky wasn’t dark yet. The sun was in the west just about to set, my family’s cat called out three times, my daughter-in-law was cooking a meal in the kitchen, she made stir-fry celery and tree fungus with meat slices, I and Lou Chou were drinking two cups of wine.”

I nodded and said:

“Later on?”

Northern Mountain continued:

“Later on, I gambled in the casino and was losing at first. Afterwards I changed the game, started playing dice, and started winning money in succession. On the first day, I lost no less than two gold coins while on the day after, I won back that loss and then some. In the next several days, my eyes turned red as I fought everywhere with the most I’ve fought in one day being 72 times and reaping 3 gold coins, 7 silver coins. At that time, the casino boss laughed while saying I had good luck, but a person’s success was bound to be variable. After that happened, I started losing again; I remember sitting at a table of four and betting 3 smalls and nearly losing my entire fortune. Afterwards, I began slowly earning back capital I started out with and didn’t dare to gamble. I made haste to return the money to Lou Chou, and that was yesterday.”

I lowered my head and amicably inquired:

“That sounds like quite the leakproof argument……then the moment of returning the money?”

Northern Mountain felt encouraged by my words and continued:

“When I was returning the money, I was also drinking some warm wine. My woman was stir-frying four dishes: sweet roasted chestnuts, vinegar braised carp, pan-fried chicken strips, and radish stewed with meat. Luo Chou and I drank a small cup and after we finished eating, I gave the money back to him. He burned the IOU in front of me and afterwards went home. When he left, it was about……quickly night curfew.”

I nodded and questioned Luo Chou:

“Is what he said indeed the truth?”

Luo Chou nodded:

“Without the slightest doubt. I request brother Jade to seek justice for me, it’s not easy for us merchants to earn money, I can’t just let it pass like so! Moreover, if all outsiders have morality and conduct like this, then we Sky Star City people don’t want these outsiders!”

Like a stone thrown into a still pond, the people of Sky Star City outside all threw up their clenched fists and loudly yelled:

“Get out! Get out!”

“Shameless thief!”

“Shame on you, shame on your family! Pah!”

“Tiger with the thought of injuring people……truly unable to recognize our good intentions!”

“Do West-Resisting City’s people not even have a bit of education?”

Song Nai lowered her head and didn’t dare say a word in response.

Once the rallying cries became unbearable to me, I lifted my hand and pressed downwards. Seeing that this action of mine didn’t have any effect, I walked forward and slammed on the table. The thick wood became filled with cracks and it shook until the cracks filled the entire table. As you can imagine, the sound from this action pierced the ears of everybody present in the lobby and the voices outside ended instantly.

I said to Northern Mountain:

“Sometimes I truly admire people with the ability to remember like you because I might not even remember what I ate at noon a week ago.”

Northern Mountain responded with a smile:

“All I have is a good memory, it’s what I depend on when gambling.”

I smirked:

“That’s great, then, ah, could you repeat what you just said again?”

The smiling expression of Northern Mountain’s face instantly vanished.

He opened his mouth and said with embarrassment:

“There shouldn’t be a need for that right, sir? What was unclear to you about what I said?”

I grinned:

“Nothing, in fact, it’s the opposite; I remember everything clearly. I even remember what dish was eaten. I feel like it was real, like I was there myself. But my ability to remember isn’t especially good, it’s a little difficult for me to comprehend all that you said in one go. Therefore, I was thinking……to hear it again.”

Northern Mountain stammered:

“On the 6th day of last month……”

I corrected:

“Wasn’t it the 8th day? Or did I remember it wrongly?”

Northern Mountain hastily corrected himself:

“Yes yes, on the 8th day of last month, in my bedroom. Evening 6 o’clock, IOU. At the time I was eating, this……”

I didn’t say anything else, instead opting to quietly watch him.

“On the first day I gambled, I lost, winning, not right, lost several gold coins. Afterwards……”

“On the second day, I fought everywhere, winning 72……not right, I think that was the third day. I……”

“Then yesterday I returned the money and at the time my daughter-in-law made several dishes, this, that……”

Northern Mountain was sweating profusely.

I waved my hand lightly and remarked:

“Actually, a person like me isn’t that good at handling cases, gathering evidence, surveying the crime scene, seeking for small clues; in fact, I don’t understand it much. But there is one thing that I do know and it’s that it’s not very hard for people to fabricate a very realistic lie. There are many smart people and sharp-tongued people that can fabricate such a story up on the spot. But there’s a serious flaw in doing so and that’s due to the fact that this event never happened, so as the person’s fabricating, he’s been thinking of what to say next and there won’t be much room to remember this fabricated lie. Whatever he says is whatever will fly past. For example Luo Chou, he’s memorized his part many times already. If I were to ask him to repeat it 10 times, he would be able to perfectly repeat it to me 10 times. But as for you, it’s impossible because you weren’t prepared and as a natural result of that, you wouldn’t remember what you just said, correct?”

I patted Northern Mountain’s shoulder and grinned:

“Actually, the blame isn’t on you. This matter originally had nothing to do with you because Luo Chou wasn’t able to think about the problem comprehensively. All that was prepared were replies to the legal case on hand and not replies to my unexpected inquiry towards the origin of the money. He couldn’t say that it was earnings from a day of profit, so he could only say that someone returned his debt. Then the issue arises; he needs a person to match with his side of the story. After thinking for a long time, his mind jumped to a good-at-speaking and smart person, you. When Tila went to bring you here just a few moments ago, there should’ve been someone who stealthily disclosed this to you, right? That he hopes you can ‘match his story’……”

Northern Mountain gulped in large mouthfuls of air as he fixed his stare over at me.