Everyone laughed when Epson said that.
It gradually became bright outside. One by one, the Staav University professors reported for work. Students also gradually woke up in the dormitories and went for their classes.
Everyone had believed Brenda when she said with absolute conviction that Barbarian would definitely take action-after all, Interpol had extraordinary status.
Regardless, Epson still went to the university president’s office and told him that the serial murderers or whatnot didn’t exist at all. He even pointed out something angrily and said, “Professor Mayer was probably killed at home by people seeking revenge on him, but that group of people are not only clinging onto this but even carrying this over to a serial killer hypothesis. This is just the police’s excuse for their incompetence! There are so many projects to be done at Staav University, are we really going to follow their instructions and leave work on time every day? This is ridiculous!”
Upon hearing Epson, the other professors and students rushing their work also approached the president to lodge their complaints.
“Our projects cannot afford any more delays! Since nothing went wrong in Professor Epson’s lab last night, this means it’s okay for us to work after hours too.”
“Yeah, we can’t halt our progress just because of a murderer who may not even exist.”
“If our progress is affected, it will also affect Staav University.”
The president couldn’t hold up under the pressure of so many people, so he went to Brenda.
“Captain Brenda, I know you guys are from Interpol, but nothing has happened at all last night. The murder pattern of that serial killer ‘Barbarian’ you mentioned, is that once he starts killing, he must kill one person every day before he’ll stop, but no one died last night. The professors and students have begun to raise objections and they are complaining that your regulatory measures are too strict!”
Brenda, who was dressed in a military uniform, straightened her back. She looked at the president and slowly asked, “Are you sure there is nothing wrong with all the professors?”
“Yes, I’m sure!”
The president sighed. “Although we are morally obligated to cooperate with you, nothing of the sort that you mentioned happened yesterday, so I think you must be mistaken. It’s impossible that Barbarian would be in the school. Alternatively, maybe the screening was done well yesterday, so he didn’t have a chance to enter the school at all. I’m afraid we can’t cooperate with you anymore.”
Brenda explained nervously, “Sir, yesterday’s situation was indeed unexpected and non-conforming to Barbarian’s killing pattern, but trust me, I have been tracking him for three years now. There’s no way I would be wrong. He must be the one who killed that professor on the first day! He’s definitely here in Staav University!”
The principal replied, “I believed you when you told me this yesterday. When I asked you if you had any evidence, you told me that you were basing this on intuition. But Captain Brenda, there are times when one’s intuition can go wrong. Do you have any actual evidence? For example, traces of himself that Barbarian leaves behind after he kills someone?”
A stern-faced Brenda explained, “He has always been cautious and doesn’t leave anything but a poker card behind after he murders someone. When Professor Mayer died, there was a poker card in his home.”
The president sighed. “But what if the murderer deliberately did that to mislead you? So that you’ll suspect it’s Barbarian? The school carries out and researches hundreds of projects every year and many of them are pressed for time. They really can’t afford to be delayed! Captain Brenda, do you think…”
Brenda’s expression tensed up and she said, “Sir, do you know who Barbarian is? He has gone on five killing sprees during the past three years, and each time, he killed five people in a row before he stopped. Some of them might have been bad eggs, but some of them were also innocent citizens! In order to kill someone, Barbarian once placed a bomb and killed an entire bus full of people with him! He has no concept of life at all. It’s most dangerous when there are many students in the school. I don’t think you would want murders to take place, either, right?! Once Barbarian shows up, if there are too many people around, there will be countless casualties. Are you sure you really don’t care?”
Brenda’s words made the president’s jaw tense up. After a while, he sighed and said, “Fine, you’ve convinced me again. But if the situation still differs from what you say after tonight, then we may not be able to cooperate with you anymore.”
Brenda nodded. “No problem.”
When she came out, Aaron came forward at once. He said, “Captain Brenda, what on earth is up with Barbarian? He didn’t do anything last night? The professors and students are all calling us good-for-nothings now and some are even telling our men stationed at their positions what to do! Our guys are all feeling really awful!”
Aaron gritted his teeth in fury and added, “That guy named Epson is especially bad. He brought his students with him and openly called us incompetent.”
