Chapter 4749 — No Need for Complications

Just as the matter was about to be settled once and for all, Kang Jingming suddenly leaped out and cried in high spirits, "Whether the photos are real or not, no one has more say than I do! I came up from the mortal realm myself. Just hand me that camera and let me see whether it has a photo-editing function, and the truth will come to light!"

At once the crowd put on their eager, watching-a-good-show faces again. Kang Jingming's aim was plain as day: if Wei Zhao could be brought down, then by the results of this trial he would without question be the greatest beneficiary. That was why he was so eager.

With this sudden twist in the affair, Wei Zhao thought to himself that things had taken a bad turn. He knew perfectly well the photos of those two had not been edited—their camera was a single-lens reflex, with no such thing as photo editing at all. What he had said earlier was purely to hoodwink those two fools. To fool Kang Jingming, a man from the mortal realm, was plainly impossible.

Sure enough, Kang Jingming took the camera, gave it one look, and launched into an eloquent lecture, laying out facts and reasoning before everyone present with a thoroughness that seemed utterly professional. In truth, he had already spotted it long ago; otherwise he would never have jumped out so readily.

Unfortunately, everyone present was a native of Cloud Terrace Island. No matter how outstanding or brilliant they might be, without a grounding in science they were hopelessly handicapped. And though Kang Jingming kept spitting out terms that sounded profound and technical, they did nothing to help explain the matter—rather, they left everyone more confused than ever, shaking their heads at one another in bewilderment.

Kang Jingming himself was a mere dabbler; to explain the whole thing clearly on the strength of a glib tongue was hard enough to begin with, and with Wei Zhao casually interrupting him along the way, he had to rack his brains and choke for ages. He jabbered on and on until his mouth went dry, and still he could not truly convince anyone.

In the end, all he achieved was to keep those present from siding wholly with one side—leaving them half-believing, half-doubting. It did cause Wei Zhao no small trouble, but in the end he failed to seize Wei Zhao outright as he had wished. The result could only be called passable.

A fine trial closing ceremony had been turned into a debate on technology—the turn of events was truly impossible to anticipate. One honestly did not know what to say. Ning Shanghe was minded to put an end to this farce, yet she had to consider the reputations of Wei Zhao and Huo Yudie. To cut it off abruptly would surely invite gossip, and no amount of explanation or remedy afterward would undo it.

So everyone, Ning Shanghe included, could only grit their teeth and keep listening. Only when a conclusion convincing to all could be reached would this wrangling come to an end.

Huo Yudie, for her part, was listening in a fog, but she had already grasped Wei Zhao's intent and could not help secretly breathing a sigh of relief. If there was no need to speak that rather awkward truth, then so much the better.

Seeing that the crowd was growing impatient and that Kang Jingming's explanations were working less and less, Huo Yudie chose this moment to step forward and say calmly, "Island Master Ning, pay no heed to that fool's nonsense. It was he who wounded Wei Zhao during the trial. He bears us a great grudge, and that is why he is trying by every means to smear us maliciously. Such intentions deserve death!"

"Oh? Wei Zhao was wounded by him?" Ning Shanghe's bright phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. Even without Huo Yudie's account, combining the information she had gathered with the reactions of the two, her keen wit allowed her to infer roughly what had happened.

Wei Zhao and Kang Jingming had most likely fought over the Thunder Mystic Vine, and the outcome was plainly a case of both sides suffering. Though each had obtained a Thunder Mystic Vine, Ning Shanghe's position clearly placed her on Wei Zhao's side. A shameless wretch like Kang Jingming, who flouted the rules, truly deserved death.

"So that means everything he said is a lie—no wonder he rambled on for ages without making himself clear!" Liu Ziqi fixed Kang Jingming with an unfriendly stare. Of course she would take this chance to help her own disciple.

"Indeed. This matter never needed to be so complicated. My disciple's chastity mark is still intact—that is the strongest proof of all. That fool spouted so much nonsense purely to muddy everyone's vision and fish in troubled waters. A despicable wretch with foul intentions!" Huo Yudie said with a cold snort.

"Die'er, is this true?" Liu Ziqi was delighted at the words. She exchanged a glance with Ning Shanghe, and the two at once had Huo Yudie roll up her sleeve—the chastity mark on her arm was wholly intact!

Now at last no one had the slightest doubt left. Unlike the photographs, that sort of counterfeit evidence open to endless wrangling, the chastity mark was solid, irrefutable proof. It showed that Huo Yudie's body had never been defiled, and as for coupling with Wei Zhao in broad daylight—that was naturally pure fabrication.

Ning Shanghe swept her majestic gaze over the whole assembly and finally settled it upon Kang Jingming. Her tone calm, she said, "What was that name again—Kang Kaizi, is it? Let me tell you, on our West Island, falsely accusing another is a grave crime, and the punishment is harsher than ordinary folk can imagine. Will you keep arguing?"

"This..." Kang Jingming was speechless at once. Damn it all, what kind of name was that? When had he become Kang Kaizi?!

But by now he could see it too: if he kept talking, he would not only waste his breath but might well bring fire down upon himself. He could only sulk and choose to shut his mouth.

Kang Jingming had seen the danger and could withdraw in time, but Li Yuzhou and Sun Baolu, the true instigators, were now genuinely stuck astride a tiger. As for false accusation, Kang Jingming was at most a bystander joining the fun—they two were the real culprits!

"As for you two—out of regard for your status as disciples of the Eastern Continent Academy, it is not fitting for me, as Island Master, to punish you. I shall leave you to Vice Principal Liu to deal with when she returns. Let us not spoil everyone's enjoyment," Ning Shanghe said flatly.

"Very well." Liu Ziqi nodded, swept the two with a frosty glance, and threw down a single sentence on the spot: "I will deal with you properly once we are back."

That one sentence frightened Li Yuzhou and Sun Baolu out of their wits. It was over—this time it was truly over! Now the crime of false accusation was stamped upon them beyond any doubt, and they had fallen into the hands of the man's own master. What good end could possibly await them?

Had so many people not been watching, the two of them would have been tempted to flee this very moment—except that West Island experts stood on every side. Never mind here in the Island Master's palace; even outside they could not escape. A single word from her would have the two of them easily caught and dragged back, and then their deaths would be all the more miserable. (To be continued...)