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Chapter 568: A Classic Murder Case (I)

With a loud "thud," Thomas dropped his suitcase and rushed forward. He forcefully swung open the door, revealing the scene inside.

Lex, who had followed closely behind, saw a beautiful young woman lying in a pool of blood. Her chest had been pierced, and she was no longer breathing.

She was dressed in a cheerleader's uniform, her face adorned with exquisite makeup. Around her, various cosmetics lay scattered, now soaked in blood.

Not far from the lifeless body lay a bloodstained javelin. Judging from the wound, it appeared to be the murder weapon.

"Quick, call the police!" Lex stepped back, his face turning pale. He said, "How could someone die here? And..."

Lex glanced at the room number, which read 404. It meant this was the neighboring dorm room, and on his very first day, a death had occurred right next to him. Lex turned away in disgust, seemingly reluctant to cast another glance at the crime scene.

Thomas interpreted Lex's expression as fear and stood up. He took a step back, positioning himself between Lex and the gruesome sight. He said, "You're not from around here, so you wouldn't know. Calling the police won't help; they can't do anything here."

"She must have been a cheerleader. How did she end up dead here? Isn't this a boys' dormitory?" Thomas mused aloud with a hint of confusion.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed near the staircase. Thomas immediately turned to face the source of the sound, and Lex did the same.

Approaching them was Bruce Wayne.

He squinted his eyes, his face stern. Without waiting for Thomas to speak, he exclaimed, "Who's making all this noise? What time is it? Can't people get some sleep around here?"

Bruce closed his eyes, sighed as if he hadn't slept well, and appeared disoriented. Thomas quickly walked up to the staircase, increasing the lighting. It was only then that Bruce recognized Thomas's face and said, "Oh, it's you, Thomas. I thought some new student was throwing a party here."

Thomas turned back to Lex and waved, saying, "Let me introduce you. This is the famous Bruce Wayne, your senior."

"Are you Wayne?" Lex asked as he emerged from the darkness. Bruce, upon seeing him, remained composed but raised an eyebrow. "Correct, I'm Wayne. You're a freshman, right? Was all this commotion your doing?"

"I warn you, you'd better learn some manners. Don't throw parties when I'm trying to rest, or I'll make sure you regret it!" Bruce retorted.

Lex approached, extending his hand. "Hello, I'm Lex, Lex Luthor."

Bruce looked into his eyes but didn't shake his hand. Instead, he said, "Luthor? You're from the Luthor family? I almost forgot about you. What brings you to Gotham? Go back to your Metropolis!"

"I never knew Wayne considered himself the king of Gotham. Are you proud of that?" Lex fired back.

"Wait a minute! Stop arguing!" Thomas hurried between them, separating the two. He then turned his head to look at the crime scene and said, "A murder just occurred here. One of you, please go and replace a teacher!"

After a brief pause, he glanced at Lex, taking in his neatly groomed red hair and well-preserved hands. Thomas's expression changed slightly but then said, "Lex is a freshman; he probably doesn't know any of the teachers. Bruce, you should go." ℟

"No, the teacher at the freshman orientation seemed friendly. I'll go replace him," Lex replied.

Just as Lex was about to leave, Bruce extended his hand to stop him, forcefully pushing his shoulder. It nearly caused Lex to stumble. Bruce said, "Stay here. You look like you'd pass out after two steps. Crying to your parents at home might suit you better."

With that, he turned and walked away. Thomas gave Lex a reassuring pat and said, "Don't mind him. He can be impatient sometimes. You'll get used to it."

Lex turned his head and said, "Thanks. If you were not the first person I met here, I would have thought all Gotham residents were unfriendly."

"Well, not everyone is like that. At least the students at this school seem decent. By the way, you don't look very well. Forgive me if I'm being intrusive, but..."

"I have some genetic illnesses, so my stamina is poor. Plus, my father never let me leave the house, so I didn't have much opportunity for physical activity," Lex leaned against the hallway wall.

"Why did you leave Metropolis this time? From what I know, Metropolis University is much better than Gotham University."

"Two months ago, my father passed away. His former lovers kept coming around, which annoyed me. I also grew tired of his business associates pestering me with questions, so I decided to hide here."

Thomas had a moment of realization, followed by a sympathetic expression. He said, "My condolences."

Lex shook his head, but his expression conveyed that he probably had a strained relationship with his father.

However, Thomas, born into a prestigious family, understood that such prominent families rarely had innocent familial relationships. Lex's parents were both deceased, but it also meant that he had inherited the entire Luthor family's wealth, much like Bruce Wayne.

Thinking about this, Thomas's expression changed once more. But before long, hurried footsteps echoed from the staircase. Several female students came running up, with the lead girl being exceptionally beautiful and wearing the same cheerleader uniform as the deceased, even holding pom-poms used by cheerleaders.

Upon seeing the deceased's face, the young woman let out a cry of despair. She rushed over and knelt beside the corpse, exclaiming, "Doris! How could this happen?!"

"Christine, do you know her?" Thomas inquired.

"Of course! She's Doris, a member of Gotham University's cheerleading squad. We just finished our rehearsal, and she hadn't even had a chance to change her clothes..."

"You were rehearsing this early?" Thomas asked.

"Yes, because we have a performance coming up in half an hour. Normally, we would be waiting backstage by now." Christine's beautiful face was filled with sorrow, and she began to weep. She continued, "Doris is the lead dancer of the second group. Her group members couldn't replace her, so they came looking for me. I thought she might have overslept..."

"But I called her home, and no one answered. Her parents told me she hadn't returned all night. That's when I realized something might be wrong, but I never expected... how could this happen?" Christine bit her lip, tears streaming down her face.

After a moment of respite, she stood up and looked at Thomas, asking, "What's going on here? How did she end up dead in a male dormitory?"

"I don't know. I was originally heading to my own room to get my keys. My room is on the third floor. But on the way, I met this freshman, Lex, who couldn't carry his suitcase. His dorm is on the fourth floor, so I helped him carry it up."

"But as soon as we got upstairs, we saw this young lady lying here. When we saw her, she was already..." Thomas shook his head.

The other members of the cheerleading squad behind Christine began to cry. From their badges, it was evident they were all part of the second group, and Doris must have been well-liked, as their grief was palpable.

Christine clenched her teeth and said, "Who dares to commit murder at Gotham University? Doesn't he value his life? Even the Twelve Families wouldn't dare..."

Thomas sighed and said, "I don't think it's the work of a gang. This place has always been a sanctuary, and the Godfather enforces restrictions on the Twelve Families and their affiliates. Gangs are not allowed to target students here. As long as they don't leave, it should be safe."

"Speaking of which, since you knew her, do you have any information about her personal life? I know it might be a sensitive question, but in college, conflicts in relationships can have serious consequences."

"Doris did have a boyfriend," one of the girls behind Christine suddenly spoke up. Thomas immediately asked, "Who is he, and what department is he in?"

"No, he's not from Gotham University. He works at the Central Research Institute in Metropolis, and it seems he graduated two or three years ago."

Thomas looked at Lex, who shook his head and said, "I don't know. I've never been to the Central Research Institute."

"If you can, please call and see if you can replace Doris's boyfriend. At the very least, he should come and check on his girlfriend," Thomas said, his voice filled with sadness.

Lex displayed a somewhat reluctant expression but eventually agreed, saying, "Okay, I'll make the call."

Just then, several more composed footsteps approached, and Schiller Anna and Bruce walked up. Upon seeing the gruesome scene, Anna took a step back, covering her nose, and said, "Doris from the chemistry department? Poor child, how could this..."

Schiller, after a brief look at the crime scene, took a step back and pointed the tip of his cane at the ground. He ordered, "Everyone, gather around and line up against the wall, and put down everything you're holding."

"Professor!" Christine stepped forward and said, "The cheerleading squad has a performance soon, and we're running out of time..."

"Is the performance more important than a life?" Schiller asked, and Christine bit her lip, choosing not to respond. Cowed by Schiller's reputation, several students complied, except for Lex, who was still making a phone call at the end of the hallway.

After a while, Gordon rushed over in a hurry, followed by his officers who swiftly entered the hallway. They began to cordon off the crime scene, set up barricades, and take photographs for evidence.

Flashlights continued to flicker, and the lights from police cars below blinked. Several students who had arrived at the scene were escorted by officers, descending the staircase, getting into police cars, and heading to the police station to provide statements.

Thomas, Christine, and the other cheerleading squad members were also taken away. However, just as officers were about to take Lex and Bruce in the same manner, Schiller intervened.

Gordon exchanged a glance with his subordinates, and they hurriedly left through the staircase.

In the dimly lit corridor, with only a faint, cold light near the window, Schiller, Gordon, Bruce, and Lex remained standing.

Schiller leaned against the windowsill and looked at Bruce and Lex, saying, "Alright, all the unrelated parties are gone. Now, tell us your thoughts."

"The identity, motive, and method of the killer... let's start with the identity. Who is the murderer?"

"Thomas Elliott."

The two spoke in unison.

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