Chapter 686: Sikeite

The Count slightly lifted his head, his exhausted, utterly weak face slightly twisted.

"It was Rex who sent you, right? That guy is using my reputation to do unsavory deeds; now he finally can't hold back, can he?"

Between the words a thick wave of resentment and anger seeped.

It also carried a hint of helplessness and self‑mockery.

It's easy to imagine that, after being imprisoned for so long, his body was tortured from a stout, robust middle‑aged man into this gaunt, skeletal form.

His body covered with countless dense scars, his eyes rendered blind.

Both hands and feet were nailed to a cross, and beneath his feet lay filth.

As a member of the Nobility, to be left helpless as this, to feel no grievance, would make one a heartless fool.

Yet this resentment somehow shifted a few degrees onto Su Yang.

He could clearly feel the other's hostile eyes.

They harbored an urge to skin, to wrench muscles, to crack bone and suck marrow.

"It seems so, you truly are the Count." Su Yang slowly steadied his turbulent emotions, his tangled brain constantly pondering the whole story.

If this explosively shocking news were to spread.

The other players would surely be stunned, eyes wide and tongues tied.

At the same time, the previously deduced events would have to be largely overturned.

Moreover, someone is covertly pulling a black hand in this game.

Deliberately concealing the truth, misleading players onto a false path.

"Rex?" Su Yang caught a fresh name and asked, "Who is he?"

"Stop playing dumb here; if you're going to act, do it quickly, I've had enough of your damned theatrics!" the Count shouted emotionally, inadvertently tugging his wound and coughing violently.

Blood spurted out, some splashing onto Su Yang's clothing.

Dropping his gaze at the smeared red 'stain', Su Yang's eyes flickered, understanding dawning inside.

"I'm indeed not the one you mentioned being sent, but from what you're implying…"

"It seems all this is orchestrated by Rex?"

The Count gasped heavily, his already bloodless face turning even paler.

Seeing his posture, Su Yang truly feared that after a couple of sentences he would gasp his last breath.

"If you're not Rex's man, then who are you?" the Count croaked.

"Just as you said—a Outsider." Su Yang replied.

"Can Rex tolerate an outsider entering the Secret Room so easily? I'm now half crippled, yet my brain is clear!" the Count said haltingly.

Su Yang observed his condition, confirming he could still breathe, then said, "The situation is somewhat complex; a sentence or two can't fully explain."

"But according to your words, it could be seen as a messenger sent by the Divine."

The Count strained to open his eyes, looking at Su Yang's red eyes.

In the instant of eye contact, he suddenly felt his soul being pulled away.

Deep and boundless.

"You treat me like a three‑year‑old child? Do I look so easily fooled?" the Count rasped.

"Believe it or not, that's up to you, and I don't care what you think inside." Su Yang said lightly.

"Then what did you come in to do?"

"Simple: find the murderer, that's all."

"Rex that bastard dead?"

"No, it's Diana."

"What did you say?!"

The Count suddenly became agitated, coughing heavily again.

Su Yang looked at his state and shook his head helplessly.

At this rate, he won't survive the night.

"Diana dead?" the Count asked, his eyes reddened.

As if an Echoing Light Return, his voice suddenly surged with vigor.

Su Yang neither affirmed nor denied, but nodded, "She died, beaten to death by eight people in the Ancient Castle, tortured to death."

"Beast!!!" the Count screamed wildly, the whole cross swaying incessantly.

The nails in his hands and feet remained still, but the flesh below tore from the violent motion, blood gushing.

"Let me out, I'll kill them all!" the Count pleaded.

"With you looking like that now?" Su Yang said calmly.

"I am the Count; if you remove the nails, once I'm out I have a hundred ways to make them repent!"

"But you've already fallen from power; even your lady joins them against you."

"That wretched woman I'll deal with myself!"

"The woman who bound a covenant with you fell in love with Sikeite; everything you own is now taken, you have nothing left—recognize reality."

After speaking, the Count fell silent abruptly.

Su Yang turned his head and saw this 'Prisoner Under the Staircase' actually shedding two hot tears.

"Why are you crying?"

"Diana is like my child, as gentle and kind as my child; she shouldn't be treated like this…"

Oh?

Hearing that, Su Yang sneered coldly.

It seems this ambitious woman has other plans.

The Count surely doesn't know that the person he cherishes is colluding with the enemy who has taken over the magpie's nest, using his name to extort wealth.

And when standing before him, it must be a pitiful sight that even I feel sorry for.

Perhaps it is precisely because they look alike that the Count can endure repeated ravaging and has held on until now.

Now that Su Yang reveals that Diana is dead, it's like the final straw that breaks the camel's back, leaving no hope in his heart.

Only revenge remains!

Su Yang sighed, "Actually I still feel sympathy for you; after all, your daughter was killed, and your wife fell in love with the enemy."

"Your own house is occupied, yet you still use your name to extort wealth."

"As for you yourself… being locked here, tortured day and night."

"After finally waiting for a glimmer of hope, now it's over—dead again."

"You talk about how these days have passed; if I were you, I'd think of revenge, kill every person who must die, eradicate their families, leaving none!"

The Count, hearing this, urged, "Hurry, let me out right now!"

"Don't be impatient; before that I have a few questions to ask you," Su Yang said calmly.

"Speak quickly."

"The Rex you mentioned… who is he?"

At the mention of that name, a face immediately flashed in the Count's mind.

"Sikeite's father."

"What?" Su Yang was startled, "His full name is Rex Richard?"

"The Davidson Family and the Richard family had a feud many years ago, originally just a minor business friction."

"But later it was discovered that the Richard family was secretly involved in trafficking people; my ancestors, to bring them down, collected evidence and presented it to the king."

"When the king learned this, he was thunderously angry, stripped them of their titles, and demoted every member of their family to commoners!" the Count explained.

So the human trafficking was actually a family inheritance.

If what the Count says is true, then the mission Sikeite bears…

Isn't it precisely to reclaim the title?

Yet his means are still a gray business?

Thinking of this, Su Yang asked in doubt, "If I recall correctly, the Sikeite family are Hereditary Marquis, right?"

"A whole clan has been demoted, the fact is set; how can they restore?"

The Count pondered for a while, then after a moment spat out a few words from between his teeth, "As long as you have enough money, the title can be purchased under the name of donation."