Tao Jing smiled grimly and seemed to still be savoring the pleasure of revenge from that night.

"I’d like to get one thing straight. Did you instruct him or suggest he commit those murders?"

After a brief pause, Tao Jing affirmed, "Yes, I ordered him!"

But I noticed her microexpressions. "Your body language tells me you’re lying. So the crimes were entirely the Imitator’s idea. At most, your involvement changed the way the last victim was killed, but that doesn’t count as instigation."

"You’re wrong,” she frowned. “I hired him to kill them!"

"Then how did you pay for his services?" I asked.

"I transferred the money to him last night."

Xiaotao immediately...