Chapter 115

Ronald clapped his hands in appreciation.

"Remarkable! Impressive!"

"I've been thinking about this for over two months before I figured it out, and you got it in just a moment or an instant?"

"Tell me quickly, this matter is very important to me. I have to admit, you are definitely qualified to be my daughter's mentor. Howard's judgment was right. If I were Howard, I would have chosen you without hesitation, and I would have introduced you even earlier!"

Ronald was dignified, like a leader publicly praising outstanding workers at a meeting.

"Firstly, I have seen a photo of George from over twenty years ago. Although his face was burned, his eyes still bear some resemblance. However, since it's an old photo from over twenty years ago when George was still young, we can't conclude from this alone."

"Yes, makes sense, go on," Ronald said.

"Secondly, Bob recalled the incident where you deceived George and Cedric back then. I paid special attention to two details. The first detail is that George and the cook Cedric knew each other; they were both employees at the old steel mill, and George was his foreman. The second detail is that when the old steel mill discovered Cedric was in contact with the outside world, they almost beat Cedric to death, but he still didn't give up George."

"What can you deduce from this?" Ronald asked with a frown.

"You... still don't understand George. In your perception, people have no emotions. George is just a brainless, enthusiastic fool."

I looked at Ronald's puzzled expression and sneered.

"In your eyes, perhaps only power and status can earn people's respect and recognition."

"Isn't it? Could it be Frank and Tom, or Howard's pursuit of money?" Ronald sneered disdainfully.

"Giving up power for money is a mistake almost everyone in this city makes. Money is like the villa Frank bought in Starlight Rivers District, with a shelf life of only a few decades. Power is like ancient stone buildings that can stand for hundreds or even thousands of years. Even if they are damaged, like the Delphi Temple, or even if they disappear, like the legend of Atlantis, people still talk about them with great interest and continue to pursue them. Do you understand? In this world, only power matters, and all beings will crawl at your feet!"

"You are wrong. George is uneducated, and never went to college; he is just a worker. Yet this worker earned everyone's recognition in the factory. He proved his fairness and selflessness through his actions, winning everyone's trust. Even after he disappeared from Sand Village for over twenty years, people still remember his goodness. Such a remarkable character will inevitably inspire others to sacrifice for him. Or rather, the cook who died for George did so not for George himself, but for the light of humanity, for kindness, friendship, nobility, goodness, optimism, confidence, and so on. These are the purest and most noble qualities of being human, and they are eternal."

"George had it, my husband Alan had it, and they influenced Tony, Lally, Tom, Joseph, and others. But you don't, because you don't understand."

Ronald was silent for a long time, then nodded with difficulty.

"Nancy, I don't agree with your viewpoint, but I respect your right to express it and acknowledge its rationality. However, this is a base, vulgar, and fragile human weakness. You need to understand that your reasoning is acceptable. Continue, what is the third point?"

"The third point is the hint you just gave me. Laura is the girl who tried to kill George back then. I guessed this. You had Laura deceive others and conceal this matter. So, the ones who know the truth are you, Laura, and Douglas, the three suspects. It's a very simple logic, in a case, those who know the details are not only the suspects but also the victim. Since the suspects didn't speak, the one who did must be the victim."

"Combining the above two points, I can easily guess that this person is George himself."

I looked at Ronald's thoughtful expression and felt a wave of sadness. How heartless could this person be? I continued.

"So, the reason you killed Mike and Bob is not because Frank planned to kill Douglas, nor for the infighting among those kids back then. You don't care whether Laura lives or dies, nor who wants to kill Laura or protect her. On the contrary, if they did well, you would be very pleased with your teaching. Am I right?"

"Correct. If it weren't for Alan's interference, Frank would have been my best disciple. But Frank always resented Alan, wondering why every step he took couldn't escape Alan's predictions. You and Alan are indeed a perfect match."

Ronald laughed bitterly.

"Because Frank could never let go of his hatred, while Alan could. When a person is deeply obsessed, their potential is most stimulated, but also when they are most vulnerable. Alan seized on this point."

I didn't know how Alan intervened, but from his guidance, I understood that he had known about Frank's schemes from the beginning. He hid clues in the Silverlight City Journal's archives and the notes he left for me.

Without his guidance, I wouldn't have investigated this far.

"So, the real reason you killed Mike and Bob is because they knew it was Cedric who died back then, not George. And the two of them should have been in frequent contact. At this time, George told them about the incident where he was framed. One of them told Tony, Tom, and others the truth. However..."

I glanced at Bob and said lightly.

"These two also wanted to use someone else's hand to kill Laura, so they only told the real culprit but didn't reveal that George was still alive. As for the reason, it's easy to guess."

"I initially wondered how a seven or eight-year-old child like Douglas could have the power to plan this and harm all the other children one by one. Then, considering Laura's behavior and the incident of framing George, I suddenly understood. The children who betrayed the oath of sharing weal and woe and advancing and retreating together were not just Douglas, but also Laura."

Bob trembled violently, his face pale, looking at me in disbelief.

It seemed I guessed right again.

"And you, Ronald, have been covering for Laura, not exposing her identity. The reason is also easy to guess. You believe in power and have a strong desire for control. Douglas and the others have a grudge against each other, so they can't play together. Even if they appear harmonious in front of you, they probably hate each other behind your back. You fear losing control over the children, so you planted another pawn, which is Laura."