Chapter 50, Chapter 17: You killed him...
Chapter 17 "You killed him"
The Noah cruise ship.
The second night.
Professor Belfa's body was covered with a white sheet and placed in a cabin where the heating was off in the winter.
The bone-chilling dampness of the sea turned this room into a natural cold storage.
Although it lacks the precise temperature control of a professional morgue, this cold stillness has preserved the best evidence and scene for this sudden murder.
At this moment, Professor Belfa's room is empty except for one person.
That was Professor Moriarty.
Normally, he always wore a smile, his expression serene and gentle, his demeanor exuding a composed and refined air that inspired trustworthiness. But now, however, his face was covered with an unusual frost, his expression so grave it was almost unrecognizable. Even his most familiar students would likely be stunned and fail to recognize their beloved mathematics professor.
He didn't rush to turn on the lights, but stood quietly in the center of the room, repeatedly scrutinizing every detail of the incident in the dim light.
Professor Belfa's death was something beyond his control.
Even after receiving the commission from Barton and Michel, he still did not have the idea of forcing Professor Belfast to atone with his death.
Similarly, this might be because he himself loves mathematics and admires the geniuses in the field. It's also possible that Professor Belfa was once his mentor on his own path of mathematical research.
Now, seeing him as a cold corpse, Professor Moriarty's heart was filled with complex emotions.
“There’s definitely something wrong here.”
Professor Moriarty's voice was so weak that it seemed to be blown away by the wind.
Professor Moriarty made two preparations for this "Noah Project".
On the surface, his intention was to help Blackwell resolve the blackmail from Milverton. Within this plan, Blackwell needed to "invite Milverton aboard the Noah's Ark for negotiations" and intentionally reveal his desire to buy out all the leverage Milverton held over him.
“…In that case, Milwaldton would inevitably carry the relevant documents with him at all times,” Professor Moriarty calmly analyzed.
Blackwell was cautious and quickly questioned the criminal consultant's proposal.
"Given Milverton's cautious nature, he certainly wouldn't carry all the documents with him. Even if he wanted to steal them, he would only take one-fifth or one-tenth. This would not only be futile but might also enrage him and cause him to completely break off relations."
On the other end of the online chat room, Professor Moriarty clearly captured the displeasure in Blackwell's expression from the screen.
He calmly replied, "If he agrees to the meeting, it means he still has expectations for the deal. You are also an important client for him, and he won't easily break ties with you."
“I don’t intend to steal the documents directly. Instead, as long as he shows up with the documents, we can follow the trail to find the real location where he stored all the information when his deal falls through and he tries to expose all the evidence.”
Blackwell had already witnessed Professor Moriarty's hacking skills before working with him and was convinced of his abilities. However, she still had reservations: "Couldn't we steal it before boarding?" She was unwilling to take on additional risks while still being blackmailed by Milverton.
Professor Moriarty replied, “You know Milverton’s caution. Even if we manage to steal some of the documents, how can you be sure we’ll get all of them? The best time is when he tries to cut ties with you completely.”
"Only then will he use all the chips he has."
Blackwell had to admit that the crime consultant's considerations were more thorough. She also worried that if Milverton discovered she had only obtained partial information, it might hasten Milverton's retaliation. This buffer was indeed necessary.
Ultimately, Blackwell accepted the offer.
Professor Moriarty demanded £100,000 as payment, which she readily paid without hesitation. The professor wasn't truly after the money, but rather using it to formally establish a commission, both to maintain Blackwell's trust and to subtly guide her cooperation in the operation.
In reality, Moriarty would not provide her with any protection.
Once the second layer of the plan is completed, he will automatically treat the money as a refund for "mission failure".
But that second layer of the plan was his real purpose.
He wanted to cut off Professor Belfa's exploitation of his students.
In fact, Professor Moriarty believed Fred's investigation, which is why he accepted Barton's request.
He had no intention of killing Professor Belfast, but he also didn't want to see his student's talent exploited. Therefore, he urged Barton to contact Milverton. Given Milverton's style, once he got involved, Professor Belfast would surely restrain himself under the threat of blackmail and would no longer dare to act recklessly.
As a professor at one of London's G5 universities, Moriarty could have easily recommended Barton and Michel to other scholars under various pretexts, paving new paths for them.
However, this originally clear plan came to a standstill due to "Professor Belfa's sudden death".
Indeed, the problem that Patton and Michel were worried about was suddenly resolved in the most direct way.
But Professor Moriarty felt a strange, inexplicable unease.
Professor Moriarty believes that only by solving the mystery of Professor Belfa's death can he give a definition to the emotions in his heart.
Just as he was deep in thought, a soft "beep" sounded outside the door. Soon, Professor Belfa's door was opened with a card.
The visitor did not insert the room card into the power outlet and stepped directly into the dark room.
The faint light filtering through the doorway outlined a silhouette, and Professor Moriarty recognized it as Patton.
His gaze sharpened slightly in the shadows, but he remained motionless, silently watching Barton enter the room and walk straight to the desk, crouching down as if he were hiding something in the shadows under the desk.
Perhaps fearing discovery, Barton quickly left the spot, completely unaware that there was a second person in the room.
Until Patton's figure disappeared outside the door and his footsteps faded into the distance.
Professor Moriarty then emerged from the shadows and silently arrived at the spot where Barton had just been standing.
He bent down and shone a beam of cold white light from his phone, illuminating the gap between the table leg and the corner of the wall at an angle. Under the cold light, a few fine, soft cat hairs reflected a faint luster.
"..."
Silence filled the darkness.
Patton's actions completely overturned Moriarty's original impression of him.
There's nothing extra to do here.
Professor Moriarty went to visit Ivy Blackwell. But halfway there, he encountered Milverton.
He sat alone on the sofa in the living room, with no one around him.
Milverton's head was slightly lowered, and the silver frames of his glasses obscured his eyes. From a distance, he resembled a silver statue from the Carolingian Renaissance—detached, aloof, and unapproachable.
Professor Moriarty paused for a moment, but quickly continued walking, since he had no reason to avoid Milverton.
"Professor Moriarty, have you ever considered taking my side?"
Milford looked up, his silver-gray pupils swirling in the warm light, like uncontrolled flames spreading in mercury.
Professor Moriarty's calm expression remained unchanged. Yet, the information he had received from Albert was already flashing through his mind. This man was cautious to the point of obsession, even his own residence was covered in a dense network of electronic eyes, as if he wanted to control everyone's actions and expressions.
And who knows if this seemingly ordinary cabin is silently recording everything?
Professor Moriarty said, "Mr. Milverton, I don't understand what you mean?"
Milverton didn't mince words: "I know who killed Professor Belfast, and I know their methods and motives. I also have evidence against them. Are you willing to sacrifice yourself to protect the future of young people?"
Barton's image flashed through Professor Moriarty's mind.
Professor Moriarty remained calm and composed, saying, "If you know the murderer, shouldn't you contact the Scotland Yard? Or perhaps you could confront the murderer directly, or even exchange him? Why me?"
“Because that person, isn’t he your client?” Milvolton lowered his voice, as if stating a secret that had already been exposed. “Shouldn’t you protect your client and get him out of there unscathed? I’m giving you a chance. Don’t you want it?”
These words, once spoken, were like a stream of ice water silently seeping into my chest.
Professor Moriarty felt a slight tingling sensation on his scalp, while his brain struggled to control the stress response of every cell in his body.
His gaze settled steadily on Milverton's face, his voice completely unwavering: "Mr. Milverton, do you seem to think I'm doing some kind of side business?"
"There's no one else here, it would be too boring to say it now. You could also choose to let me say it in a more appropriate setting..."
Professor Moriarty's expression remained unchanged. So far, everything the other party had said was shrouded in mystery, difficult to discern as truth or falsehood, more like a meticulously designed test. Naturally, he wouldn't reveal any flaws that could be exploited.
But before the thought could even cross his mind, Milvolton’s voice rang out softly, clear and resonant, like a thin blade slicing through silence.
"Professor Moriarty is a crime consultant."
“You should know that I, Milwaldton, would never say these things publicly without solid evidence.”
As soon as he said that, Professor Moriarty couldn't help but laugh.
He tilted his head slightly, and his strong mental fortitude brought a faint smile to his lips. "If Mr. Milverton wants to seriously investigate Professor Belfarg's case, he should have done it in a better way, instead of starting with such an absurd opening."
Even if the evidence were presented to him, Professor Moriarty would not admit it.
This has nothing to do with trivial matters of saving face. Rather, it's because admitting it is the most fatal flaw.
Once you openly admit something, it's like handing over a dagger—a "handle"—to the other party. Words become evidence, expressions become corroboration, and even if there's no third ear at the moment, it could become the final straw that breaks the camel's back in some carefully orchestrated situation in the future. Moreover, with someone like Milverton, every word he says could be a recording, a trap, or a bargaining chip with a price tag in some future deal.
Professor Moriarty was well aware of this.
He spoke again, saying, "In fact, there is no so-called murderer in this case."
"The security chain inside the door was intact, with no signs of being pried open or dismantled. The room itself was a completely enclosed unit, with no adjacent ventilation ducts, no hidden doors, and no way for a second person to sneak in or escape."
"In other words, this is a completely sealed room. No one can simply disappear from here after committing a murder."
Milverton said, "So you mean Professor Belfar committed suicide? Even if it was suicide, the suffering of a madman would not allow the deceased to lie peacefully in bed."
“What if strychnine wasn’t a poison, but a stimulant that enhances thought and ideas?” Professor Moriarty’s eyes sharpened. “In the early 20th century, strychnine itself contained elements of a stimulant, but people didn’t realize that the so-called ‘reduced fatigue and increased alertness’ were early signs of neurotoxicity. Some people have even died from this stimulant.”
Professor Moriarty continued, "Mathematics is also a mentally demanding field, so it's not surprising that some scholars use stimulants for non-medical purposes. In fact, there have been cases of cardiac arrest caused by sublingual doping. Not to mention, one cannot perceive abnormal bodily reactions during sleep, and may very well lose the opportunity to save oneself when lying down at night."
"The pill under the tongue can serve as evidence in itself. Whether it's a stimulant or poison, the truth will be revealed once it's handed over to a forensic expert."
Milverton didn't hesitate at these points of argument. "As far as I know, very early in the morning, without any prior notice, Barton and Michelle would suddenly go to find Professor Belfast. And, even though the bed was clearly in a blind spot, they were able to immediately notice that Professor Belfast was in trouble, rather than being unconscious. Didn't they know beforehand that he was dead?"
“Their anxiety is proof enough that the pills are stimulants,” Professor Moriarty said. “As Professor Belfa’s students, they know he uses stimulants to aid his thinking, and there have even been instances where he took them while sleeping, nearly causing serious injury. Therefore, they are closely monitoring Professor Belfa’s condition.”
Milverton pressed on, "Since it was so clearly known that this was an accidental death, why didn't anyone step forward to explain when Holmes said 'homicide'?"
"First, the use of stimulants is a scandal that cannot be publicized. Second, there was cat hair in the room."
Professor Moriarty's voice was clear and firm, "If you intend to kill someone, it's entirely possible to carry out the perfect murder in full view of everyone. But the fact that you never went to Blackwell's room means someone is trying to fabricate a story that 'you killed him.'"
“As expected of Professor Moriarty.” Milverton’s lips curled into a smile. “When exactly did you see the whole truth?”
Professor Moriarty said, "In fact, I already had a basic understanding of the whole story before I met you this morning."
“Then why didn’t you say anything for me at the dinner table?” Milwald asked in return.
“Because I also want to know who is trying to frame you,” Moriarty said, neither humble nor arrogant.
“It was Barton, wasn’t it?” Milverton cut straight to the point. “I just saw him sneak into the room. If you deny it, I can say you’re covering for each other.”
He had indeed seen everything.
Moriarty said, “He did place the cat hair. But he didn’t know that the cat hair that really aroused suspicion had already been collected by Mr. Holmes that morning and sent to Scotland Yard as evidence. If he really was the one who initially placed the cat hair, there would have been no need for him to do it a second time. So…”
“Strange,” Milverton interrupted again, a glint of something like a cat hunting a mouse in his eyes, “I still feel… something is wrong.”
Thus far, from dawn till now, every question Milverton asked and every probing question he made had precisely fallen within the logical framework laid out by Moriarty. Everything was within calculation, everything was within response.
But the professor felt no sense of complacency whatsoever.
On the contrary, a barely perceptible sense of unease was quietly spreading, like the dampness at the bottom of the cabin. It was too smooth. As fluid as an over-rehearsed play. Reason told him that the other side had no moves left to make, but a deeper intuition, beneath the seemingly calm surface, heard a subtle, continuous cracking sound deep within the ice.
"Mr. Milverton, do you have any further questions?"
“I only told Holmes that I hadn’t been in Blackwell’s room.” His voice suddenly became very soft, but every word was sharp. “And after I parted ways with Holmes, I’ve been traveling with you. I’ve never seen you speak with him. So how did you know that?”
Professor Moriarty paused almost imperceptibly.
"You might be thinking that Albert told you. But I'm sorry, no."
"It's such a pity, such a pity."
Milverton's tone was like the first crack in ice. He paused for a moment, letting the word hang in the air between them.
"Check."
Moriarty's Adam's apple bobbed very slightly. His gaze remained steady on Milverton's face, but a faint throbbing sensation could be felt in the blood vessels at the edge of his retina due to the sudden increase in intracranial pressure.
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Author's Note: He·MGM Lion·Ji: Meow~
The next title is still "You Killed Him." I remember a reader asking me why all the main characters have the surname He. One reason is my path dependence (i.e., laziness); the other is that foreigners who haven't systematically studied it basically can't pronounce "HE" correctly, which feels quite funny in the context of studying abroad.
I'll randomly give out 20 small red envelopes. Thank you for your support!
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