Chapter 180 Blanche: You want to usurp the throne?
Why would I lie to you? Warren did work as an actor in the Happy Circus in his early years, and I even have photos of him performing from his earlier days.
How did a circus performer become a mayor? That's so 'inspirational'! Do they really think they can control us like clowns?
—Haha, you really know how to talk. Aren't you treating us like clowns? Look at the financial revenue of Nerna Port since he took office... It's absolutely unbearable to look at.
—Didn't they say they invited ten celebrities? Who are they?
—Mr. Cromwell, a member of a royal family of a certain country; philanthropist Adams; Ms. Wanshia, founder of Hope Biopharmaceuticals; botanist Jefferson; and the rest I don't know.
Pei Hening flipped through the pages but found no other useful information, so she wrote down the names of the four people.
She messaged Blanche.
[Trevis]: Oh, my dear cousin, I heard that the city of Nerna Port invited the Joyful Circus to perform here ten years ago~
[Blanche]:?
[Trebs]: I want the list of the ten celebrities who were invited at the time, as well as a chronicle of major city events over the past eleven years.
[Blanche]: You want to usurp the throne?
[Blanche]: Tribes, if you want to change careers, can you please stop trying to take my job?
[Blanche]: Can you calm down?
[Tsuibisi]: My dear cousin, you've really misunderstood. I don't want to be mayor. Just tell me whether you'll give it to me or not.
[Tribis]: Perhaps the residents of Nerna are interested in the story of the mayor crying to an adult after losing a fight when he was a child.
[Blanche]: Tribes! Didn't you say you deleted it?
[Cui Bisi]: Yes, it was deleted, but I didn't say there was only one recording.
[Blanche]: "Chronology of Major Events in the Port of Nernas, 2960-2971"
[Blanche]: I don't have the list of big spenders from 2961. I asked Warren for it, but he said he lost it. Also, the list of Happy Circus members he has is incomplete.
[Blanche]: Don't bother me if there's nothing wrong, and don't bother me even if there is something wrong. Go back to filming after the event. Just looking at you hurts my eyes.
[Tsurugi]: (⩌ - ⩌)
Pei Hening opened the "Chronicle of Major Events in Nerna Port from 2960 to 2971" and first looked at the events that occurred after May 2961.
[May 2961]
A fire at the fireworks manufacturing company's factory in Ankan Street, the city, caused an explosion, resulting in partial building collapse and damage, and affecting the surrounding area. Immediately after the incident, Mayor Waren dispatched fire, medical, and other departments to the scene to conduct rescue operations.
"Trappis, have you found any useful clues?"
Sang Jincheng brought over a yellowed photograph: "I found a photo of Prince Peter and Cromwell. Speaking of which, where are their heads?"
Pei Hening inexplicably felt a chill run down her spine from her last sentence.
Yes, where are the heads of these victims?
What did the killer want their heads for?
"You said you were the murderer, what did you want the victim's head for?"
Sang Jincheng shivered. She forced a stiff smile and said, "Who knows? Who can guess what those perverts are thinking? They can't possibly be going to peel off their faces and irises to steal their valuables, can they?"
After a person dies, the muscles quickly relax. The iris is also a type of muscle tissue, so the pupil will dilate rapidly, become fixed, and stop contracting. The iris will then become ineffective.
Once skin tissue is removed from the body, it will quickly become necrotic, stiff, dehydrated, or even deformed, so it's impossible that their faces were peeled off.
However! Those people can easily perform 3D scanning and create highly realistic faces using silicone. With good technique, they can completely fool surveillance cameras and people!
Pei Hening looked at her, her eyes filled with shock. Her casual remark had indeed given rise to a possibility.
Sang Jincheng found her gaze strange, shuddered, and asked, "What kind of look is that? Was what I said too scary?"
Pei Hening swallowed hard and nodded honestly: "It's both terrifying and bizarre!"
Sang Jincheng's lips tightened; this guy was too straightforward.
She knew that Tribes wouldn't say anything nice!
"Look at the photos first!"
She handed over the photo: "Many people's faces in the photo have been blacked out."
Pei Hening took the photo, her fingers inadvertently pressing against the blackened face in the lower left corner, feeling its slightly cool touch.
"Was it Prince Peter who painted it?"
Pei Hening silently counted the number of people in the photo; there were ten in total.
Apart from Prince Peter and Cromwell, the faces of everyone else were blacked out, and it can only be roughly determined from their clothing that there are five men and five women in the photo.
They were dressed in ordinary clothes, making it impossible to guess their identities, but Pei Hening already had an extremely bold guess—the opposing faction.
She asked, "Can I have this photo?"
Sang Jincheng shook his head: "No, I want it too. This is the one I found."
Pei Hening once again thanked Cui Bisi for her character—spoiled and willful—and raised an eyebrow: "Really not giving it to me?"
Sang Jincheng again denied giving her the photos.
Pei Hening drew his gun and pressed it against her head: "I'll give you one more chance~"
Sang Jincheng felt the coolness on his forehead, but his attitude remained gentle: "Cui Bisi, what are you doing?"
"I thought I had made it clear enough, Ms. Sang Jincheng."
Sang Jincheng raised his hands, looking at her as if she were a spoiled child: "Here, take it, I don't want it anymore, can you put down the gun now?"
Pei Hening's cold gun barrel was pressed firmly against Sang Jincheng's forehead. She tilted her head and said cheerfully, "Sorry, I dare not put it down. I'm worried that you'll attack me if I do."
"Come on, didn't you also want to go to the 26th floor? Come with me."
Seeing that she wasn't joking, Sang Jincheng said helplessly, "I've given you the photos you wanted, and I didn't mean to harm you. Cui Bisi, you've gone too far."
Pei Hening's smile deepened. She said, "Where did I go too far? It was clearly you who didn't want to give me the photos. If I hadn't threatened you, you definitely wouldn't have been willing to give them to me! I'm unhappy, so I can only make you feel bad."
Sang Jincheng exhaled a breath of stale air and continued to reason with her: "Cui Bisi, although you are Blanche's cousin, you should still not act too recklessly. If something happens to me, you won't be able to explain yourself."
Pei Hening snorted coldly: "Stop talking nonsense, let's go!"
Sang Jincheng was escorted up to the 26th floor by Pei Hening.
She needed to check on Chu Xuange's safety before figuring out how to deal with him.
Pei Hening led her up the stairs, remaining vigilant throughout.
"Is it necessary to be so wary of me, Tribes?"
Pei Hening held a yellowed photograph in his left hand and a gun in his right.
26th floor, 26-02.
Pei Hening raised her hand and pressed the doorbell.
Sang Jincheng: "Cui Bisi, are you determined to do this?"
Pei Hening ignored her and glanced at her left hand, where there was a small black ink stain on her thumb.