Vampires? The entire realm under fire is ruled by vampires? Zhang Yuanqing's indignation stalled mid-sentence. He didn't question the authenticity of Zhao Chenghuang's information, since Zhao himself was a werewolf—a natural enemy of vampires. The werewolf's abilities seemed closely tied to his sense of smell, allowing him to detect David's vampiric identity from the scent of the clay pot. "David is a vampire," Zhang Yuanqing immediately recalled the parchment documenting the Lans family's history, "The Lans family is a lineage of witches, whose essence is profoundly yin. Their blood, therefore, is rich in spiritual qualities—just like the spirits that thrive in the night. So David has been hiding within the Lans family, specifically seeking out the witches beneath the earth?" Zhao Chenghuang nodded, energized: "Every clue in the room holds significance. David has long coveted the witches beneath the castle. While he has been quietly undermining the seals from within, the witches are gradually awakening—this is why Lady Lans hears cats calling at night." The story began to unfold clearly. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at him: "But David isn't the murderer!" Zhao Chenghuang seemed drenched in a bucket of cold water, hesitating to speak. Zhang Yuanqing's face turned pale, his once-accusatory expression growing even more somber: "Yi Lan's death was indeed caused by poisoning, and the suspicion against Dong Fashi has diminished. Yet if David isn't the murderer, then it must be Dong Fashi." Yet when tracing the case backward to make Dong Fashi the murderer, many details fell short. Dong Fashi and David were entirely unrelated characters—David's poison could not have ended up in Dong Fashi's hands. If, as he had just suggested, Dong Fashi had stolen David's poison, then it could only mean that the "Castle Mystery" was playing tricks on them—fundamentally not a genuine detective case. If Dong Fashi could steal the poison, then so could any other character—there were countless possibilities, making a solid deduction impossible. Such a "replay" wouldn't be this casual. Since the poison was found in David's room, the act of poisoning Yi Lan must necessarily be connected to David. In fact, if it is confirmed that Ya Lans died from poisoning, then Dong Fashi's suspicion can be ruled out. However, the outcome of the spirit communication points clearly toward either David or Dong Fashi—unless the letter "d" has another meaning. Currently, there is no evidence supporting Dong Fashi's interpretation of "d," so it's likely the name is correct. All these factors have left Zhang Yuanqing's reasoning at an impasse. A few seconds later, he turned to Zhao Chenguang and smiled slightly, saying, "There are three minutes until nightfall. Go to Dong Fashi's room. If he stole the ceramic jar, there should be traces left behind." Zhao Chenguang's eyes brightened, and he promptly left David's room. As they walked down the corridor, Zhao Chenguang suddenly stopped, sniffed the air, and said, "There's a strange odor." He followed the scent and looked at the human silhouette standing along the corridor—left behind after Sun Miao-miao's death. "What's wrong?" Zhang Yuanqing stopped and turned to look at him. "There's a candle scent about Miao Miao," said Zhao Chenghuang, then turned his gaze away and said, "We don't have much time—let's go to your room." The two arrived at Dong Fashi's room. Zhao Chenghuang walked slowly along the walls, drawing his nose thoughtfully and carefully sniffing the entire room, then shook his head and said, "There's no trace of poison." The castle's walls were thick granite, and the doors and windows were all tightly shut. If Dong Fashi had ever stolen poison, the wolf's sense of smell would have detected it. Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Now we can confirm that there's no overlap between unrelated characters. David's poison won't be found in Dong Fashi's room. Among the six characters, Dong Fashi and Ya Lans share one storyline, Daniel and Lunn another, Lunn and David another, and David and Sindy Lans share one. The poison is found in David's room. If David is not the murderer, then the most likely suspect is someone who has had direct contact with him." Lun can be ruled out—there’s no one more suspicious than…” Zhao Chenguang suddenly widened his eyes: “Miao Miao, no, Sandy Lans? Why would she kill her own mother?” “Her letter of love provides the reason—she fell in love with the vampire David, but her mother, Ya Lans, wanted to marry her off to a local noble.” Zhang Yuanqing sneered: “So, in a moment of desperation, she poisoned her mother. What a cunning scheme.” He didn’t really intend to sneer, but the “white-faced” demeanor naturally carried a tone of mockery and subtle sarcasm. “Yet, why poison her mother when she could simply have moved away with David?” Zhao Chenguang shook his head. “What if David encouraged her? Don’t forget David’s status and the reason he’s been living in the castle all along.” Zhang Yuanqing chuckled: “In fact, I suspect the very method used to unlock the witch’s seal was actually stolen from Sandy Lans by David. By luring her daughter to poison her mother, he then aimed to claim the family’s seal. A well-thought-out plan—exactly what I like!” Zhao Chenghuang remained silent for a few seconds, then said seriously, "All of these are speculations—there's no evidence to back them up!" Zhang Yuanqing's face was gloomy: "Sun Miaomiao has already died, and Sir Sande Lans's room will never open again. Under the current circumstances, we can only gamble." At that moment, a sharp, piercing meow rang out in their ears. Night fell! Before the night幕 fully settled, Zhao Chenguang whispered: "There are still half an hour left. Don't rush to make a public recommendation just yet. If I die, I hope you'll review the situation once more. If you die, I will too..." His voice cut off abruptly. Moments later, the night幕 withdrew and dawn broke, and Zhao Chenguang stood motionless on the ground—turned into a corpse. The investigation team was now down to Zhang Yuanqing alone. Zhang Yuanqing had regained his original appearance; the night's seal had not only covered his pale complexion, but also sealed away his selfishness, gloom, and cunning. He instinctively raised his hand to his forehead, then thought again, and finally lowered it. If he activated the pale face, he would undoubtedly recommend Sande Lans without hesitation—Zhao Chenguang's final words had made Zhang Yuanqing choose to forgo the pale face. "Then let's go over it again..." He closed his eyes, visualizing the image of his biological father, repeating it again and again, until his mental faculties gradually surged, triggering his long-standing illness. Soon, chaotic images and meaningless noise filled his mind—different from before, in that Zhang Yuanqing could now easily endure the burden of this mental surge, calmly waiting. A few seconds later, the noise faded, and the images became orderly, playing back frame by frame from the moment they entered the "Castle Mystery" case, clear and slow. At that moment, he clearly saw that the ice pen had written not a "d," but the letters "c" and "l." Only at the instant the pen began to melt, the water from the melting pen fused the two adjacent letters together, forming a "d." That evening: Sun Miaomiao died, leaving behind only a charred human silhouette. On the third day: David's room was opened, and Tian Xianggui died from fire that night. The investigation into the cause of death failed, and Zhai Cai also died. ... The memory recall concluded swiftly. After re-examining the entire process, Zhang Yuanqing identified three anomalies: One: The result of the spirit communication revealed "c" and "l." Two: Tian Xianggui had no special skills. Three: After Sun Miaomiao's death, there was no body left—only a charred human silhouette. "What does 'cl' mean?" Zhang Yuanqing frowned. "Isn't it supposed to be a name?" But my spirit-writing plea was to identify the murderer of Yá·Lánshēng—so the outcome must inevitably point directly to the killer, beyond just the name. What else could directly point to the killer? Suddenly, a flash of lightning struck through his mind, and he understood the meanings of c and l. Sandi·Lánshēng! "Sandy for male, Cindy for female—the English spelling of Sandi·Lánshēng is Cindy·Lance. 'Cl' means Sandi·Lánshēng—she is the murderer! I should have realized this earlier. In a decryption-themed quest, there must always be deceptive clues. I've been too confident in the information provided by the quest itself." Zhang Yuanqing strode out of the room and onto the corridor, stopping beside a human silhouette, gently holding a small amount of blackened, oily ash between his fingers, then sniffing it at his nose. He detected a slightly sharp, smoky, and oily scent—no candle aroma as Zhao Chenguang had described. Yet, since the wolves have insisted, it must be correct. How could a person possibly have a candle scent? Unless she wasn't human... Zhang Yuanqing had a sudden inspiration and released a stream of Taiyin energy, transforming it into a lively young fellow, a ghost bride, and a host of spirit servants: "Find any living people inside the castle." The spirit servants turned into black smoke, seeping through the walls and dispersing in all directions. After all, Zhai Cai had already been eliminated—he no longer needed to hide. Soon, the young fellow returned first, emerging from the floor and clinging to Zhang Yuanqing's leg, making a series of "Ah-ah-ah" sounds. "Down below?" Zhang Yuanqing lifted the young fellow, and as he did so, he dissolved into starlight. The next instant, the dark underground chamber of the castle glowed with brilliant starlight. "Ah-ah-ah..." the young fellow, now sitting on Zhang Yuanqing's arm, pointed toward the coffin. Zhang Yuanqing moved closer and looked inside—there, sleeping peacefully, lay Sun Miao-miao. Miao-miao, who was supposed to have died the evening after, now lay preserved in the coffin, her body intact, untouched by ash. You're right—Zhang Yuancheng felt half the pressure lift off his shoulders. He bent down to check Liu Shui's pulse and breathing, confirming she was still alive, and then raised his hand to deliver a solid punch to her round, delicate face. Returning to the castle, Sun Miaomiao found her room in the quiet corridor inside the grand manor and opened the door after paying her points. As the heiress of the Lans family and the eldest daughter of the castle, Sen Di Lans's room was particularly luxurious—thick woolen blankets covered the wide wooden bed, and the furniture, including tables, chairs, and wardrobes, was finished in rich red paint. Silver teapots and cups were also on display. The two of them searched around, eventually discovering a parchment scroll recording black magic, a stack of love letters written by David to Sen Di Lans, and several dozen bottles and jars containing materials used to release black magic. Zhang Yuanqing quickly scanned the magical scroll and spotted the spell of wax figure substitution—this was precisely the technique the witch used to silently take Sun Miaomiao away. Zhang Yuanqing and Sun Miaomiao leaned their heads together, quickly reading the love letter: "Miss Sindy, you may not know that the Lans family is a renowned family of great witches, and your bloodline flows with that of a witch—born a natural magician." "I have here a book of magic that I would like to offer you—please keep it a secret..." "Sorry, my abilities have now faded beyond teaching you, my beloved. You need a more gifted teacher in the art of dark magic. She resides beneath the castle..." "Your mother is the most self-centered person in the world. She lacks the gift for magic, and she envies your talents. She only wishes to marry you off to a noble from the countryside, rather than allow you to become the mistress of the castle and restore the glory of the Lances family..." "Our plans have been progressing smoothly. Tonight is the full moon, the peak of the feminine energy. It is time to summon that great witch back to the world of the living. However, her body has weakened under centuries of enchantment and requires a new vessel. She is your ancestor—the most gifted witch of the Lances lineage. You and Lady Lance share this bloodline, making you the perfect vessel. I believe you already understand my meaning..." As they read through one letter after another, Zhang Yuanqing's mind slowly began to unfold the true story of the castle's mystery. Vampire David, seeking the power of the witch, has been stationed at the ancient Lans family manor, posing as a family tutor to lure Sandy Lans. The cat cries heard by Yaya Lans at night stem from the gradual unsealing of the witch's powers, as both Sandy and David slowly awaken her. On the previous full moon night, inspired by David, Sandy Lans poisoned her mother, whose physical body was meant to serve as the vessel for the witch's ascension. However, a demon hunter arrived at the manor, sensing the presence of dark magic, and before the witch could fully manifest, pierced Yaya Lans's heart with his great sword, thus completing the exorcism. Gong the mage likely also intervened—the ice pen serves as proof. The two likely departed hastily, pursuing the witch, and the lingering scent of blood attracted the bloodthirsty werewolf, who happily consumed Yaya Lans's internal organs. Unbeknownst to them, the toxins transferred into the werewolf's body, causing it digestive distress, which explains the pool of vomit found in the room. "It's such a simple case—why didn't I open my door first!" Sun Miaomiao said with confidence. "As soon as my door is opened, everything will be revealed." "No!" Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "Your door will never open." "Why not?" Zhang Yuanqing turned to look at her round face. "The witch-arrival ritual was disrupted by the exorcist Daniel and the priest Dong. Do you think, without a physical body, a witch would choose to descend upon someone?" Sun Miaomiao wasn't slow to grasp the point—her face immediately changed. "Me!" "Exactly. The witch will not allow us to enter this room. Pure logic won't fool the saint or the sovereign. The real challenge of this quest lies in the lack of information—so you will surely die. However, the witch has certain limitations: she can only kill at night and cannot kill herself. That's why you've faked your death. Because of the fake death, no body has been left behind—this is a clear hint from the quest itself." "If I can't uncover your feigned death, I'll never be able to open Sirin Lans's room," Zhang Yuanqing said. Sun Miao Miao furrowed her brows. "But the witch kills one person each night at random. If I don't die on the following night, then who does? There's no one left!" "The one who dies is Tianxia Guihuo!" Zhang Yuanqing said with great confidence. Sun Miao Miao was stunned. "Didn't he die on the third night?" Each character has a skill, but Tianxia Guihuo doesn't—perhaps not entirely without one, but simply unaware of it himself. For instance, he might have a passive skill, or perhaps no hint at all. Suppose Tianxia Guihuo's passive ability is resurrection or immunity to one attack. Then, on that night, he dies—but the passive skill activates, saving him, while he himself remains unaware. All the phenomena now make sense. Zhang Yuanqing's assumption isn't purely speculative—it's grounded in fact: Tianxia Guihuo is a vampire! Vampires are known for their longevity, resurrection, and vigorous vitality! "That one we'll explain once we step out of the painting. Let's focus on identifying the culprit first," Zhang Yuanqing said. Character skills are classified information—by now, he didn't want to fall at dawn's edge. "Alright!" Sun Miaomiao nodded, beaming, "It's us who made it to the end!" What are you so happy about? Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her, and the two of them silently named the murderer: "Sandy Lance!" The very next second, a chime sound reached their ears: 【Ping! Correct answer! Congratulations—you've uncovered the true culprit of the castle mystery.】 Zhang Yuanqing exhaled deeply, relieved, and saw Sun Miaomiao lift her head, smiling and showing her little虎teeth. Then, her face began to blur, and the surroundings started to fade. In the next moment, he found himself back in the room with the four paintings, watching Guan Ya, Zhao Chenghuang, Hong Ji Ge, Tianxia Guihuo, and Zhai Cai gradually step out of the paintings.