[Vote] A Will Written in Ashes-Detective Game

📕Story Background

The Blackwood Manor, an isolated estate hidden deep in the English countryside, had been passed down through the wealthy Blackwood family for generations.

This winter, the family gathered for the reading of Arthur Blackwood's will. The elderly owner of the manor had announced that he would reveal the future inheritance arrangements during the evening dinner.

At 10:15 PM, shortly after the announcement was supposed to begin, Arthur was found dead inside his private study. The door was locked from the inside, and the only window was still sealed shut.

The family doctor initially believed Arthur had suffered a sudden stroke. However, Detective Sophia Reed, who arrived at the manor, noticed something unusual: Arthur's handwritten will was still on the desk, but one page had disappeared.

Even more suspicious, the fireplace in the study was still warm, despite no one admitting they had lit a fire that evening. A strange burnt smell mixed with old paper lingered in the room.

Three people close to the victim became suspects:

Victor Blackwood, Arthur's eldest son, claimed he had been in the dining room preparing dinner. He was expected to inherit the manor but recently learned Arthur planned to change the will.

Emily Blackwood, Arthur's granddaughter, said she was reading in the library throughout the evening. She had recently discovered that Arthur planned to donate part of the family fortune to charity instead of leaving it to her.

Richard Cole, Arthur's personal lawyer, claimed he was reviewing legal documents in the guest room. He had prepared the original will and knew all details about Arthur's inheritance plans.

As Detective Reed entered the study, she noticed small ashes scattered near the fireplace and a half-burned piece of paper hidden beneath the desk.

The burned fragment contained only a few visible words:

"The true heir... not the name written..."

The detective looked at the locked room.Someone had not entered the study.Someone had already been inside before the door was locked.And Detective Reed knew Arthur Blackwood's final secret would reveal the killer.

Suspects

Victor Blackwood:

"I was in the dining room preparing dinner. Yes, I was angry when my father planned to change the inheritance, but he was still my father. I never entered his study that night."

Emily Blackwood

"I was reading alone in the library. I loved my grandfather, even if I disagreed with some of his decisions. I don't know anything about the missing will page."

Richard Cole

"I was reviewing legal documents in the guest room. Arthur trusted me for many years. I had no reason to destroy the will or harm him."

🔍Known Clues

1. The study door was locked from the inside, and the window was sealed shut.

2. One page was missing from Arthur's handwritten will.

3. The fireplace was warm, and burned paper ashes were found nearby.

4. The missing will page contained information about the true inheritance arrangement.

5. Richard's legal folder contained traces of the same burnt paper fragments found in the fireplace.

🕵️‍Questions and Discussions for YOU

1.Who is the killer? Deduce based on the available clues.

2.How was the murder carried out? Reconstruct the complete killing process.

🎉Participation Rewards

The FIRST user to successfully deduce the identity of the "culprit" and their motive in the comment, will receive a reward of 2,000 GT points! Other participants will earn 200-500 GT points based on the completeness of their submissions. 💰(Except for extended special edition)

📅Submission Deadline

August 21, 2026

Reminder: This is the submission deadline if you want to claim the reward with your vote, but after this date the vote will still remain open for a period of time, so please feel free to participate at any time if you want to test your skills, detectives!

----- Previous answer(The Last Harvest)-----

Culprit: Samuel Brooks

Motive: Samuel Brooks murdered Thomas Whitaker to steal the Golden Seed Collection and claim ownership of their new crop research before Thomas could expose his betrayal.

Deduction Logic – The Poisoned Harvest:

The soil on Thomas's clothes came from the experimental field, proving he was taken there before his death.The irrigation system was activated to erase footprints and destroy evidence.Samuel's equipment carried the same soil, connecting him directly to the crime scene.

Crime Reconstruction:

Samuel lured Thomas to the experimental field at night under the excuse of checking crops. After a confrontation over the research ownership, he killed Thomas and returned to the farmhouse.

He activated the irrigation system to hide evidence and stole the Golden Seed Collection, attempting to frame the incident as a mysterious theft.

Conclusion:

The matching soil, manipulated irrigation system, and stolen seed collection prove the crime was carefully planned.

We will be rewarding 200 GT points to all players who voted correctly, and additional points to some outstanding responses.

Congratulations and enjoy your juicy GT points reward!!!