Cold rain slammed against his face.
Li Wei snapped his eyes open, greeted by a sea of crimson—blood, everywhere. Beside his hand lay a corpse, dressed in medieval European-style linen robes, a dagger protruding from its chest.
"Holy shit!"
He instinctively scrambled backward, the back of his head colliding with a hard stone wall. As pain shot through his skull, countless fragments of memory flooded his mind like a tidal wave.
Evan Ashwood.
Iron Crown Kingdom, Northern Border Frostwolf Territory, Alberich Family Clerk.
Last night, he had been guarding the count's study when someone knocked him unconscious. When he woke up, there was an additional corpse beside him—the old steward of House Alberich.
"Is this... some kind of hell-mode start?"
Li Wei trembled as he looked down at his hands. These were young hands, but definitely not the ones he used to type on keyboards and write papers every day.
He had transmigrated.
He had really transmigrated!
As a history graduate student, he had been studying a medieval longsword in a museum one second, and the next, he was literally living it.
[Ding!]
An icy electronic voice exploded in his mind.
[Detecting abnormal host vital signs...][Scanning temporal coordinates...][Scan complete. Current time: Aelrion Calendar Year 1024, Night of the Frost Moon][Historical Figure Influence System V1.0, activating...]
Li Wei's eyes widened.
A semi-transparent blue screen appeared before his eyes, like a holographic interface from a sci-fi movie. Various data streams flickered across it before settling into several lines of clear text:
[Host: Evan Ashwood (Li Wei)][Identity: Clerk of House Alberich][Influence Points: 0][Cognition Points: 100]
[Main quest triggered: Defense of Alberich Succession Rights][Quest Description: Count Alberich has died unexpectedly, and his daughter Aria Alberich is about to inherit the title. But someone doesn't want her to succeed. As the framed suspect, you must find the true culprit within 3 days, or you will be executed.][Countdown: 71 hours 59 minutes...]
[Identifying historical figures...][Identification successful: Aria Alberich (B-rank Historical Figure)][Current influence: 0% (Stranger)][Personality tags: Dominant, Suspicious, Ambitious][Historical trajectory: Will become the most powerful female warlord in the Northern Border in 3 years, but will be betrayed and killed by a confidant at the peak of her power]
Li Wei sucked in a cold breath.
The Defense of Alberich Succession Rights?
Wasn't this the classic case from "History of the Aelrion Empire" that he had been reading at the museum last night?!
Historically, the succession crisis of House Alberich was the catalyst for the power shift in the entire Northern Border. Although Countess Aria eventually succeeded, she paid a terrible price—her trusted clerk was executed, leaving her without reliable counsel. She was eventually isolated in political struggles.
And now...
He looked down at the corpse on the ground, then at his blood-covered hands.
He was that executed confidant clerk?!
"System, are you kidding me?"
[System notification: Host's current danger level: MAX][Suggestion: Immediately search for evidence to prove innocence]
Li Wei was about to continue complaining when suddenly—
"Click."
The sound of an iron door opening.
A squad of fully armed guards rushed in, led by a burly man with a fierce face. He looked at the corpse on the ground, then at Li Wei with his blood-covered hands, a sinister grin spreading across his face.
"Evan Ashwood, you're suspected of murdering the old steward. Come with us."
Li Wei recognized that face.
Hark, the captain of personal guards for Rodric Alberich.
His memories told him that Rodric was the younger brother of the current Count Alberich—Aria's uncle. According to the original plot, this uncle was the mastermind behind the succession crisis.
"Wait, I've been framed!"
Li Wei struggled to stand up, but Hark didn't give him a chance to explain, kicking him in the stomach.
"Less nonsense! Take him away!"
Two guards roughly grabbed Li Wei and dragged him out. As he passed through the corridor, Li Wei saw a man in luxurious clothing standing in the shadows.
Rodric Alberich.
In his early forties, with a sinister face and a meaningful smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He glanced at Li Wei being dragged away, a flash of triumph in his eyes.
Li Wei's heart sank.
He was done for.
Was this the legendary hell-mode start?
...
The dungeon smelled terrible.
Damp, moldy, with a scent of decay. Li Wei was thrown onto a pile of straw, his wrists hurting from the iron chains.
[System notification: Current situation analysis][You are imprisoned in Alberich Castle dungeon. Estimated formal interrogation in 12 hours][According to historical records, the original Evan Ashwood was unable to prove his innocence during interrogation and was beheaded on the 3rd day]
Li Wei smiled bitterly.
"So I have less than 72 hours to live?"
[Correct.]
"Any suggestions?"
[Suggestion 1: Use 100 Cognition Points to exchange for "Basic Toxicology," analyze the corpse's cause of death, and find the killer's loophole][Suggestion 2: Use 50 Cognition Points to unlock Aria Alberich's personality profile, formulate a persuasion strategy][Suggestion 3: Lie down and wait for death]
"I'll take suggestion one."
[Exchange successful. "Basic Toxicology" has been injected into memory.]
In an instant, a large amount of knowledge about poisons, wound identification, and time of death judgment flooded into his mind. Li Wei closed his eyes to process this information, and when he opened them again, his gaze was completely different.
He recalled the old steward's corpse.
The dagger in the chest...
The shape of the wound...
The color of the blood...
"Wait!"
Li Wei sat up abruptly.
That wasn't the fatal wound!
The old steward's real cause of death was poisoning; the dagger was just a disguise inserted afterward!
This was a major discovery, but it required an autopsy to prove. And in this era, who would dare to conduct an autopsy against House Alberich's orders?
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the dungeon.
"Click—"
The lock was opened, and a small figure slipped in.
It was a young maid, about sixteen or seventeen, with short brown hair and freckles on her face. She carried a plate of food, and her eyes turned red when she saw Li Wei.
"Master Evan... are you alright?"
Li Wei searched his memories.
Martha.
The only friend of the original host in the castle, a kind little maid.
"Martha," Li Wei lowered his voice, "do you believe I'm innocent?"
"Of course!" Martha nodded desperately, "Master Evan is so kind, how could he kill someone..."
"Then help me with something." Li Wei's eyes burned, "Go to the kitchen and find the old steward's body. Check if his lips are purple and his nails are black. Don't let anyone see you, and come back to tell me immediately."
Martha was stunned for a moment, but still nodded: "Y-yes!"
She put down the food and hurriedly left.
Li Wei leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath.
All he could do now was wait.
...
Time passed minute by minute.
[Countdown: 68 hours 12 minutes...]
Li Wei stared at the system interface, anxious in his heart.
Just then, a sound of footsteps came from outside the dungeon.
More numerous, more orderly, more oppressive than Hark's men.
The iron door was pushed open, and a squad of guards in silver-white armor filed in. They moved in perfect unison, clearly elite among elites.
Then, a woman walked in.
Li Wei's breath caught.
It was a red-haired woman.
Not ordinary red, but crimson like burning flames. Her long hair cascaded over her silver-white armor, creating a sharp contrast. She was tall, at least 5'9", and every step carried an indescribable sense of oppression.
Most striking were her eyes.
Amber eyes, cold as the frost of the Northern Border.
Aria Alberich.
The sole heir of House Alberich, the future Northern Border warlord.
She walked up to Li Wei and looked down at him. Those amber eyes held no emotion, as if looking at a dead man.
"Evan Ashwood." Her voice was low and icy, "You'd better pray you're innocent. Otherwise..."
She paused, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
"I'll personally chop off your head."
Li Wei looked up to meet her gaze.
Although he was in a dangerous situation, he had to admit—
This woman was fucking beautiful.
[System notification: Aria Alberich is evaluating you][Current influence: 0% (Stranger and suspicious)]
Li Wei took a deep breath, calming himself.
"My lady," he spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse, "if I said I was framed, would you be willing to hear a few words?"
Aria narrowed her eyes.
"Speak."
"The old steward's cause of death wasn't the dagger wound, but poisoning." Li Wei spoke word by word, "The killer's purpose was to frame me and disrupt your succession ceremony."
Aria's expression didn't change.
But her fingers tapped lightly on the sword hilt.
That was a gesture of thought.
"Evidence?"
"I need an autopsy." Li Wei looked directly into her eyes, "Check if the old steward's lips are purple and his nails are black. These are obvious signs of poisoning."
Aria was silent for a few seconds.
Then, she turned to the guard behind her:
"Go check."
A guard took the order and left.
Li Wei breathed a sigh of relief.
But he knew, this was just the beginning.
Aria looked at him again, the coldness in her eyes lessened, but suspicion remained.
"Evan, in my memory, you were just an ordinary clerk." She spoke slowly, "When did you learn these things?"
Li Wei's heart tightened.
This question...
"Everyone hides some skills, my lady." He maintained his composure, "At this life-or-death moment, I have no choice but to reveal them."
Aria stared at him for a long time.
Those amber eyes seemed to see through his soul.
Finally, she turned to leave.
"Stay here until the results come out." She didn't look back, "If what you said is true, I'll consider giving you a way out."
"If it's false..."
She paused, her voice coming from the doorway:
"This dungeon will be your grave."
The iron door slammed shut.
Li Wei leaned against the wall, letting out a long breath.
[System notification: Aria Alberich's impression of you has changed][Current influence: 5% (Curious)]
"Only 5%?"
Li Wei smiled bitterly.
It seemed conquering this countess would be a long road.
But at least...
He had survived the first hour.