Whack-a-Mole (5)
"A petition list?" "I didn't know such a thing existed....."
The murmurs spread. Yet scattered among them are those whose reactions stand apart—not mere surprise, but something closer to sheer terror. They create ripples within the larger wave, clashing against it and producing a jarring dissonance. That dissonance, however, does not escape me. With Vampirism already underway, my senses have sharpened, and every face etches itself into my mind.
"Indeed. As you all know, Dong Cheng recently conspired with the rebel Cao Cao to stage a coup, but we managed to suppress it beforehand. During the investigation, we discovered a petition list bearing the names of his accomplices. That is why I have chosen to make it public here."
As I spoke, I waved the document once more with my left hand. Several faces among the crowd twisted in barely concealed panic. They tried to maintain composure, but the ragged breathing of frightened beasts is easy enough to distinguish. Even if their expressions remain neutral, their cold sweat, labored breaths, trembling eyes, and quivering fingertips betray their guilt. A few more prods and they will crack completely.
Hmm... Shall I reel them in, one by one?
"We can discuss the details later. Since we are observing a period of mourning, let us begin with the names. First—Changshui Colonel, Chung Jip."
"W-what nonsense is this?!"
Oh. A direct hit.
I had chosen Chung Jip for several reasons. First, he had been one of the officers guarding the Emperor in Heochang alongside Wu Zilan and Dong Cheng. Second, his friendship with Dong Cheng ran deep—they trusted each other implicitly. Third, his upright and self-righteous nature made him a poor actor; he would overreact, struggle to hide his emotions, and in doing so raise his blood pressure. The faster the blood flows, the quicker Vampirism can drain it.
—It is spreading nicely.
My right arm, hidden beneath the long sleeves of my robe, had long since vanished below the elbow. The Twin-Headed Serpent had already consumed it. There was no pain, yet the sensation of losing a limb remained unsettling.
"Visual range?"
—To fully encroach upon this area will require more time. If you wish to accelerate the process with Chung Jip specifically, it would be best to provoke him further. Above all, maintain the act so he does not notice the effects of Vampirism.
"Understood."
Once Vampirism begins, the target experiences several strange sensations—lethargy, mild headaches, cold extremities. Should they grow suspicious and step outside the designated range, the process halts immediately. My task, therefore, is twofold: keep their emotions in turmoil so they fail to notice the changes in their body, and agitate them further to hasten the blood loss.
In that regard, Chung Jip made an ideal target. Still, I needed to ensure he neither stormed out in rage nor calmed himself enough to slow the flow. A few extra precautions were necessary.
"Please calm yourself. I am merely reading the contents of the petition. If you are innocent, then this is a grave misunderstanding. However, given your close ties to the traitor Dong Cheng..."
I deliberately softened my tone to prevent him from using anger as an excuse to leave. Had I accused him outright, he might have claimed I was fabricating evidence to frame him. Instead, my measured response forced him to deny the charges rather than counterattack.
"This is a misunderstanding! While it is true that Dong Cheng and I were acquainted, I knew nothing of this plot. Had I been involved, why would I have stood by and watched instead of joining him?"
Because my sudden strike left no time to mobilize, of course. But rather than voicing that thought, I simply nodded with an understanding expression.
"That makes sense. Though our acquaintance is not deep, I have long admired your loyalty and integrity since our time in Huxu. Truthfully, I found it difficult to believe you were involved."
"You flatter me..."
"But then, what of this petition? It lists not only your name but several others present here today. Forgive the impertinence, but experts have examined the handwriting and concluded it matches yours. If your words are true, then someone must have deliberately framed you and the others together."
"Perhaps your subordinates acted overzealously in their loyalty."
Chung Jip offered the most convenient explanation available to him. After all, it would hardly be surprising if, while striking at Dong Cheng, I also sought to purge the old bureaucratic faction from Chang'an that had long been a thorn in my side.
"Hmm... That may be possible. It was Yang Feng who led the raid on Dong Cheng's residence. Questioning him could clarify the matter. Still, the location where the petition was found is rather peculiar, which is why I believed it to be authentic. But now that you mention it, something does feel off."
The phrase "peculiar location" drew visible reactions from several individuals. Chung Jip's response was especially severe—his breath caught, and his body stiffened abruptly.
"P-peculiar location...?"
Ah. His agitation had begun to affect his speech. His voice faltered, and he stumbled over his words. Realizing this only heightened his panic; his gaze darted about, unable to settle.
"It truly was an unusual place. At first, I suspected fabrication, but creating such a space and concealing the document within it in so short a time would be no easy feat. Who could have anticipated—"
I deliberately slowed my words, letting each syllable carry weight, heightening the tension. The crowd swallowed hard, their eyes urging me to continue. Instead, just as the moment reached its peak, I withdrew.
"...No, perhaps it is best I say no more. If your claim is correct and the petition's authenticity cannot be trusted, then further speculation would only harm the innocent. In that case..."
I tossed the document into the brazier burning nearby for warmth. The flames flared briefly, sending up a thin plume of acrid smoke that momentarily veiled Chung Jip's ashen face.
"........!"
"Burning it seems the wiser choice."
"Y-yes... indeed..."
Relief rippled through the room, though not uniformly. I noted those who relaxed most visibly—and those whose expressions darkened with lingering doubt. They matched the faces I had marked earlier.
With suspicion now firmly established, all that remained was to secure evidence or testimony. I turned back to Chung Jip.
"Since we have agreed to set the matter of the petition aside, I will ask no further questions regarding it. However, for confirmation's sake, I must ask one final time. Did you truly take no part in Dong Cheng's rebellion?"
To the onlookers, the question seemed purely formal. The petition—the only evidence—had been destroyed. Only testimony remained, and as the one most implicated, Chung Jip had but one acceptable answer.
He needed only to say, "I did not."
It was a question that required no deliberation. Chung Jip opened his mouth without hesitation.
"That is not so."
"............?"
At first, the crowd doubted their own ears. Some assumed he had misspoken. But Chung Jip shattered their expectations completely.
"I did participate in the rebellion."