Now seeing this old scoundrel being beaten by Master Zhao to the point of spitting blood, I can’t help but feel a sense of great satisfaction.
"You two search this room, make sure to do it thoroughly, leave no stone unturned."
"Understood!"
The two nodded enthusiastically and began searching through everything in the room.
Lu Jicheng sat quietly on the ground watching, his face showing no emotion.
He only had two rooms in total, and not much furniture, so Big Eye Lamp and Erqiangzi finished searching quickly.
"Master Zhao, look, this is what we found under the mattress of this old scoundrel." Erqiangzi approached with a look of disgust, holding a red undergarment.
Before Zhao Ya could ask, Lu Jicheng began to explain.
"Master Zhao, I admit I stole this undergarment from my neighbor, Widow Li, but as a single man with no wife, is doing something like this really so unforgivable?"
Zhao Ya showed no expression and didn’t bother with Lu Jicheng’s explanation, simply saying: "Continue searching!"
He could see Lu Jicheng was somewhat confident, as for an old hand in the Jianghu like him, handling the aftermath of a crime without leaving a trace was basic knowledge.
But Zhao Ya also believed he couldn’t possibly leave no trace, so he added:
"This search is specifically targeting knives, especially carving knives and those unusual in ordinary households."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jicheng, who was previously unfazed, finally changed his expression.
"Alright!"
Now having specific targets, the search became much easier.
Big Eye Lamp and Erqiangzi were even more meticulous this time, not even missing the restroom.
Soon, Big Eye Lamp excitedly ran in with a small knife.
"Master Zhao, look, this guy hid the knife on the ceiling of the restroom."
Zhao Ya reached out to take it, feeling a sense of assurance.
It was obvious this knife was frequently used by a left-handed person, and it was a carving knife.
Zhao Ya looked down and asked: "Jade Butterfly, do you have anything to say?"
"Heh, just this knife alone is enough to claim I’m Jade Butterfly? You think the authorities will believe that?" Lu Jicheng was obviously not ready to confess easily.
Zhao Ya understood this, so he smiled and said: "Seems you still don’t agree, alright, let me tell you why this knife is enough for me to identify you as Jade Butterfly."
"Every time you commit a crime, you leave behind a Jade Butterfly as your mark. The same thing happened a few days ago at Aunt Xue’s case. I saw that Jade Butterfly. Though the material was ordinary, and the carving was average, I noticed something interesting."
"The lines of this Jade Butterfly were quite unusual. Normally, if a person were to carve with a knife, the lines should be shallow on the left and deep on the right due to most people being right-handed."
"But this Jade Butterfly had lines that were shallow on the right and deep on the left, proving the carver was left-handed."
"Later, I went to the authorities and checked the Jade Butterflies left from your previous crimes, and they were all the same. What do you have to say about that?"
Lu Jicheng glanced sideways, "There are plenty of left-handed people; why pin it on me?"
"There are indeed many left-handed people, but one who carves, is limp, and also has good Lightweight Skill—there’s only you."
Lu Jicheng let out a cold laugh, "A brilliant deduction, but it still doesn’t prove I’m Jade Butterfly, nor can you claim that more than a thousand taels reward."
"You’re right, even though you are the primary suspect, without solid evidence, it’s mostly conjecture, which is hard to convince others and claim the reward."
"Hmph!" Lu Jicheng chuckled triumphantly.
But he quickly stopped laughing because Zhao Ya said, "But now things are different with this knife."
"It’s only been a few days since Aunt Xue’s incident. I trust that Jade Butterfly was carved not long ago; there should still be jade shavings on the knife. A comparison would reveal if they match."
Sweat began to appear on Lu Jicheng’s forehead.
"And that’s not all; since Jade Butterfly is of common material, relying solely on that is not enough. But you forget, a blade has its own signature."
"This carving knife must have been used for a long time, with worn edges and unique habits, making the lines it carves very distinctive. Compare the lines, and what else do you have to say?"
Lu Jicheng’s psychological defenses finally crumbled.
He looked at the young man, steady and in control the entire time.
"Fine, I am indeed Jade Butterfly, but you arrested me for money, right? Honestly, I have money. If you release me, I can offer you more than the reward money, how about it?"
Zhao Ya raises an eyebrow, his eyes seemingly shining more brightly, "Oh? How much can you offer me?"
"Two thousand taels of gold, how about it? That’s way more than the reward money. Do you agree?" Seeing he might persuade Zhao Ya, Lu Jicheng hurriedly said.
"As tempting as it is, you look so impoverished; it’s hard to believe you have two thousand taels of gold." Zhao Ya frowned.
"You don’t get it; I’m just a gatekeeper. Even if I had money, I can’t show it, else it would arouse suspicion. So over the years, I’ve hidden the wealth accumulated from my crimes in a secret location."