Chapter One: Every Lie Has a Root

You took it from the inner pocket of your bag and planted it. You wore a disposable laboratory glove, but the right index finger was torn. Your print will be inside the evidence bag.” The room seemed to lose all its air. Chen Hao went white. “That’s insane!” More equations erupted above him, dense and overlapping. Every denial supplied a new variable. Lin Yan barely needed to think. “The gloves are behind the cistern in the third stall of the boys’ bathroom. You didn’t keep the money because this was never about money. There is only one city recommendation left. If I’m disciplined, you’re next in rank.” “Enough!” Luo Cheng struck the desk. A thin equation appeared over his temple. “The school will investigate.”