Chapter 677: Diana's Death—It Was Actually

This hugely profitable yet extremely low‑cost gray industry must be the Count's main means of siphoning wealth!

It seems that Diana, while living in the Cellar, noticed a clue and inadvertently stumbled upon this earth‑shattering secret!

With good intentions, she immediately planned to rescue the people here.

However, the cages are all locked with iron chains, and she cannot open them with her strength.

The only way is to open the deepest room and obtain the key!

Yet the conditions for opening are exceedingly harsh.

It is a symbol of the Nobility, their most precious treasure.

To rescue the abducted innocent civilians, one must either steal or rob!

"Having violated the Nobility's Core Interests, how could they possibly let you live on?" Su Yang shook his head helplessly.

He took the Silver Coin, slipped it into his pocket, lifted the Kerosene Lamp, and walked back.

Strangely, the prisoners in these cages did not call for Su Yang's help, and were even indifferent to the extremely rare light source.

He has reason to suspect they have already been 'tamed'.

Just like the Beast loot in the first‑floor Exhibition Room.

Silently, without a word.

He returned to his original spot, and Su Yang hung the Kerosene Lamp above it.

"Can you get us out?" the woman asked impatiently.

The voice was tinged with a hint of pleading.

"I can try," Su Yang nodded slightly.

He immediately raised his sword, gathering strength, and reminded, "Step back a little."

The woman obediently complied, covering her ears and pulling her head back.

"Ha!"

"Clang!"

Su Yang swung his sword fiercely at the lock, blasting countless Fire sparks; the piercing, ear‑splitting sound echoed through the Passage.

Yet the lock only rattled once and fell silent.

Su Yang leaned in and saw that the iron lock, under his force, showed only a faint mark.

"Not broken?"

He, unwilling to accept defeat, tried again, this time driving his force to the limit; his arm Muscle surged upward, terrifying as a coiling dragon.

"Open!"

"Clang!"

Fire sparks raged wildly, blasting in all directions.

Su Yang stared wide‑eyed; he knew exactly the strength he now possessed.

If this force were applied to Tang Youning, it would easily cleave him at the waist!

Yet the lock only acquired a shallow scar?

"If the lock won't budge, then change the target."

Su Yang summoned his power and slashed at the railing; the sharp metallic screech sounded like a feral ghost's howl.

"Ka!"

Suddenly, a crisp sound rang out, and the sword in his hand abruptly split in two.

Yet the railing remained completely unharmed, with no trace at all.

"Damn it!"

Su Yang cursed, "The weapon crafting in this world is terribly poor; even this force it can't withstand."

Seeing this, the woman's previously hopeful eyes suddenly dimmed.

"It's okay, you did your best."

Su Yang tossed the half‑sword aside and sat down cross‑legged.

"I'll find a way; I will definitely get you out."

He vaguely felt this might be related to a Hidden Achievement.

Rescuing the prisoners is just like rescuing the citizens of Jinshan City.

The theme is to hunt the culprit, which is no different from uncovering the mastermind behind it.

Therefore, he must claim this achievement alone, and thereby fulfill Diana's last wish!

"The longer I delay, the worse it gets for me, especially that Old Era Remnant Faction; with her power, she might tear the cage apart without a key!" Su Yang thought to himself.

There is only one Hidden Achievement; in this All Evil situation, there is no distinction between good and bad.

So this means whoever acts first will obtain this honor!

"There are two more Silver Coins: one on Tang Youning, the other on Zhai Sixin," Su Yang frowned.

So both have an irreconcilable grudge with him.

Pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth is far from easy.

Moreover, he still doesn't know which two of the three coins are the 'key'.

To ensure efficiency, Su Yang must obtain them all.

The woman noticed Su Yang's constantly shifting expression, lowered her head dejectedly, "It's okay, you don't have to blame yourself; perhaps this is God's will."

At that moment, Su Yang noticed the fresh bloodstain on her shoulder that hadn't scabbed yet, and asked, "Who struck this?"

"Becky Louis and Beisi Du Lan Te; they come down every six hours to serve food, and if they're not happy, they'll take it out on us."

"Maid?!" Su Yang's pupils narrowed slightly.

Do they also know this secret?

The Count actually lets two servants make contact?

"Besides them, who else usually comes down?" Su Yang hurriedly asked.

"Sikeite and Gai Lun, the Count's lady occasionally also comes down." The woman said.

Su Yang grew increasingly alarmed as he listened.

From her words it is not hard to infer that everyone in the Ancient Castle knows of these cages' existence.

It must be the Count's tacit approval!

"So it's not the Nobility's Core Interests, but everyone's interests!" Su Yang's Brow furrowed tightly.

If Diana were to broadcast this secret to the world, not only would the Count's interests and status be damaged.

The interests and lives of others would also head toward The End.

As the saying goes, cutting off someone's financial path is like killing one's parents.

Even if they were childhood best friends, Diana's action would absolutely not be permitted.

"It's not the so‑called love‑turned‑hate at all; all of this is just an excuse."

"And that Letter from the black‑haired Maid; she harbors not jealousy but hatred!"

"No wonder Gai Lun Bo Ge has no emotional ties with her yet would strike down at the crucial moment."

Su Yang finally untangled the chain of events; all the Core pointed to two characters—

Interests!

"The Coachman and the Cook also must be based on this."

"Perhaps the Cook discovered it earlier, so he would be the First Place time to sneakily poison, intending to silently handle any aftermath," Su Yang mused.

Although the story's thread has been clarified, the problem arises.

Who is the mastermind?

Su Yang still hasn't found the answer.

From this perspective, everyone could become the mastermind.

Because they are a community of shared destiny.

If one insists on naming who the chief orchestrator of this human‑trafficking is, it can only be the Count or the Count's lady.

"Choose one of the two?" Su Yang rubbed the corner of his Brow.

Just as Su Yang was racking his brain, the woman suddenly extended a hand through a gap in the railing.

A chill sensation brushed his face; Su Yang looked up and saw that the other side was already Tears streaming across the face.

"I can sense, you are a good person."

"Although you deceived me, it was still a well‑meaning lie."

"Actually, Diana must have been dead long ago, right?"

"You know?" Su Yang was startled.

The woman wiped the Tears from her face, let out a soft hum, "When she last came to find me, she said she would personally confront the Count about this matter."

"She also knew this would not have a good outcome."

"I have urged her many times, yet she still persisted."

"Here is a Letter, she gave it to me."

The woman fished a pristine‑as‑new sheet of paper from the lining of her tattered clothing.

Vision Perception shows she has preserved it extremely well.

"There is no light here; I cannot Vision Perception the content above."

"Although I do not know your background, nor your intent, you are a good person; I can Vision Perception you stand on Diana's side."

"This Letter… I will give it to you," the woman said.

Su Yang reached out, took it, and slowly spread it out.

However, with only a glance, his Pupil violently contracted.

"Diana's death—"

"It turns out to be……"