"Do you think he is poor?" Shiller patiently listened to Jenna's long narrative before finally asking.
"He's not poor, but he lacks money," Jenna replied, scratching her hair. "The money he originally had was only enough to sustain his lifestyle, but as the economic situation worsened, his financial condition plummeted."
"Do you think it's because he lacks money that he didn't do better?"
"No, that's not enough to make him feel humiliated. People like him aren't humiliated because they lack money. He could even commit a serial murder under the noses of so many police officers that no one has solved yet. Making money would be a breeze for him."
Many students issued sounds of sudden realization but soon started whispering among themselves because Jenna's words seemed contradictory.
At first, Jenna said the murderer felt humiliated because he couldn't complete his work well, but then she mentioned that he was not short of money. If it wasn't money that constrained him, what was it?
"This case is very special," Jenna spoke again. "The victims' identities are even more peculiar; they are all law enforcers."
This point was not mentioned in the teaching materials, so a student raised a hand and asked Shiller, who nodded and said, "Yes, if you now look up the Gotham Scarecrow serial murder case on your phones, you should be able to see the identities of the victims."
Some students took out their phones and began searching; indeed, as Shiller said, this case was quite notorious. The three victims were agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and because of this, the murderer's warrant level was exceedingly high. Unfortunately, he was still at large.
But after all, this was public information, and it wasn't surprising that Jenna found it on her phone. At this moment, Jenna continued,
"It's not that he didn't want to perfect this case, but because he really couldn't kill more law enforcers without the risk of exposing himself."
"Do you think he was scared?"
"No, he isn't afraid of getting caught; he feels it's a nuisance. Once clues lead to him, it would disrupt his routine, and he doesn't want to pay such a price, so he stopped."
Jenna further analyzed, "From this, we can see that his mental state is different from ordinary people. He isn't a sadistic maniac who commits crimes out of an instinctive need for enjoyment. Hedonists generally would not consider so much and would stop only after they've had their fill of killing in a spree."
"He is rational, not blinded by desire, deeply understanding what kind of plan would allow him to vent yet not disrupt his life. However, this restraint makes him feel very stifled."
"But Miss, these psychological traits are still not clear enough to help us pinpoint the murderer. Do you have more insights?" Shiller asked.
Jenna nodded and said, "I was about to mention that. Since he is a rational person, why would he undertake a case that neither brings him joy nor removes obstacles? What is the reason behind it?"
"Previously, I presumed it was because the law enforcers had wronged him, which might be part of the reason, but it's not the whole story. It's only one of the motives for him to commit this case."
"It's like wanting to commit a case, remembering a dispute with the law enforcers, and thus choosing them as targets. Revenge isn't the primary motive but a convenience."
"What do you think is his primary motive then?"
"This is the key. This case doesn't bring him material progress or mental satisfaction, and after finishing, he probably still feels unsatisfied and might attract more law enforcers' attention, causing him trouble. It seems all negative, but he still goes ahead."
"This proves that his motive isn't rooted in the past, whether conflicts with law enforcers, artistic pursuits, or financial troubles; these past reasons don't hold. So, it has to be related to the present or future."
"The present motive naturally points to impulsive killing, but from the overall methodology of the case, this isn't something he could come up with in a heated moment; it required careful design and arrangement. So, the present motive is also ruled out."
"Thus, it can only be future motives." Jenna stated emphatically.
The students began murmuring below, and one said, "I've heard of past and present motives, but I've never heard of future motives before. Can he foresee the future?"
"He cannot predict everyone's future, but can't he foresee his own? Can't you predict what you're having for dinner tonight?"
"That's not predicting; it's my decision."
"Exactly, you can decide your future, and he can decide his. Once decided, he naturally knows what his future will look like, hence generating a motive."
"You're saying he's paving a path for his future?"
"That might be only part of the reason," Jenna mused. "Killing these people is profitable for him, but it also brings him mental satisfaction."
"But didn't you say he wasn't satisfied?"
"That's a different matter. He indeed feels suffocated for not being able to do better, but doing it is better than not doing it."
As more people began to lose track of her words, Shiller tapped lightly on the desk to quiet them down and looked at Jenna, "Stop beating around the bush, Miss. Are you trying to watch monkeys dance?"