You said you were going to make games, how did you become the richest man without doing anything?

Chapter 524 The Most Suspicious Person
Tang Yin squatted in a pool of blood, his hands trembling slightly. He tried to recall what he had learned in anatomy class, but the scene before him was far beyond his comprehension. After all, he was not a professional doctor, and unless he touched it himself, he would find almost no clues. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"I don't know what happened either. This level of injury is uncommon," Tang Yin whispered, his voice trembling. His eyes swept around, the twisted and deformed limbs and scattered internal organs telling a horrifying story.

It was hard to imagine that this was a wound caused by humans. Tang Yin's mind couldn't help but reflect on the strange figure he saw last night. He shook his head, trying to shake off this terrifying thought.

"Anyway, call the police and leave this to the professionals." Tang Yin stood up and turned to the three people behind him. However, as soon as he finished speaking, Wang Lina, Qin Ming, and Tong Xiaoliang fell silent. The air seemed to freeze, and only the sound of the wind in the distance broke the eerie silence.

Tang Yin was puzzled. Wasn't it common sense to call the police when something like this happened? Why was everyone silent? He looked at the three people in confusion, hoping to read some information from their expressions.

Wang Lina lowered her head, her long hair obscuring her expression. She said softly, "...Tang Yin, the police won't come."

Tang Yin was stunned, staring at Wang Lina in disbelief. "That's impossible. A murder has already happened." His voice was filled with doubt and uneasiness.

Wang Lina raised her head, her eyes firm and sad. "I won't come," she repeated, her tone filled with unquestionable certainty.

Tang Yin felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. He looked around, trying to find another solution. "Let's go seek refuge," he suggested, a hint of hope in his voice.

However, Wang Lina shattered his fantasy again. "This can't be done either." Her voice was calm, but contained deep helplessness.

Tang Yin retorted unwillingly: "Why, there is my motorcycle, and the reporter's van..." Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Qin Ming.

Qin Ming interrupted and said, "...Including Tang Yin, all the survivors have been confirmed. You should go to the cafeteria first." There was a strange determination in his tone, as if he was announcing an unchangeable fact.

Tong Xiaoliang took over the conversation: "Leave Gao Mei to us." His eyes flickered, as if he was hiding something.

Wang Lina nodded and said softly, "Please, Tang Yin, let's go." There was a hint of fatigue in her tone, as if she had experienced countless such conversations.

Tang Yin felt a wave of doubt rising in his heart. He couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going to explain?" There was a hint of dissatisfaction and confusion in his voice.

Wang Lina took a deep breath, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "Sorry, I'm not in the mood right now. Take it for yourself and interpret it however you want." Her tone turned cold. This was the first time Tang Yin heard her speak in such a harsh tone.

Tang Yin was stunned. He felt powerless and anxious. However, looking at Wang Lina's exhausted expression, he realized that she had more information than he did and must be more anxious and distressed than him.

"...Sorry." Tang Yin said in a low voice, his voice full of apology and a little frustration.

Wang Lina did not respond, but turned and left silently. Her back looked a little lonely, as if she was carrying an unspeakable burden.

With no other choice, Tang Yin could only follow her.

……

Tang Yin and Wang Lina walked side by side in the foggy square, their heavy footsteps remarkably clear in the silence. Suddenly, Tang Yin stopped abruptly, his pupils constricting. The sight before him instantly made him understand Wang Lina's previously puzzling words.

The motorcycle and the van, the two vehicles that should have carried the hope of escape, now lay shattered in the center of the square, as if ravaged by a storm. Tang Yin's gaze first fell on the van. Its body was covered in spiderweb-like cracks, and shards of glass were scattered on the ground, gleaming coldly in the gloomy sky. All four tires were intact, as if they had been cut by sharp blades, lying flat on the ground.

Tang Yin's heart suddenly sank, and his gaze involuntarily turned to his beloved motorcycle. The once sleek and beautiful motorcycle now lay on its side, like a wounded beast. The front brake system was twisted and deformed, as if it had suffered a huge impact. Near the motorcycle, a sharp-edged rock silently told of its crime.

"How could this happen?" Tang Yin muttered to himself, his voice full of disbelief and regret.

However, an even more horrifying sight awaited him. As his eyes swept across the van's cabin, a chill ran down his spine and into the back of his head. Inside, a horrific pile of bodies—or rather, several—were piled high, their flesh and blood smeared, almost unrecognizable. Tang Yin suppressed the urge to vomit and spoke with difficulty, "Even the photographer, Mr. Zhou..."

Wang Lina nodded silently, a trace of sadness flashing in her eyes.

Tang Yin took a deep breath, trying to calm the shock in his heart. Two lives lost, plus the completely destroyed vehicle, the situation was worse than he had imagined.

"Look over there," Wang Lina's voice interrupted Tang Yin's thoughts. She extended a slender finger and pointed at a wooden utility pole not far away. Tang Yin followed her direction and saw that one of the wires had been cut cleanly and dangled limply in the air.

Wang Lina explained in a low voice: "The other wires are fine, but the cafeteria's phone line has been cut, and now there is no way to contact the outside world."

Tang Yin subconsciously pulled out his phone. The words "No Signal" on the screen cruelly confirmed Wang Lina's words. He gave a wry smile and stuffed the phone back into his pocket.

"Look at this," Wang Lina said again, taking a few steps forward. Tang Yin followed her lead, his gaze fixed on a towering rock. The rock was about the height of a roof, and a strange pattern was painted on its surface.

The red and black graffiti stood out against the grayish-white rock. Tang Yin stared at the twisting lines, trying to decipher their meaning. The recurring patterns of diamonds and swirls resembled some mysterious symbol. Although he couldn't grasp the specific meaning, Tang Yin instinctively sensed that this wasn't just random graffiti, but rather a deliberate message.

"Just like the graffiti painted on street corners by people from the underworld," Tang Yin thought, "this is a code for some kind of message."

Even more disturbing was the fact that the patterns appeared to be drawn in blood. The dark red liquid solidified on the rock surface, emitting a sickening stench. However, even more eerie than the bloody material was the distorted patterns.

Wang Lina's voice suddenly became low and serious: "There are two wolves - we must fight."

Tang Yin turned sharply to look at Wang Lina, her face filled with solemnity and determination. At this moment, Tang Yin could finally confirm one thing: the Hidden Mist Village had been invaded by some malicious intelligent creature. Furthermore, all means of seeking help and leaving had been systematically destroyed.

Tang Yin's mind raced, trying to comprehend the situation. While the situation seemed hopeless, he wasn't prepared to sit back and wait for death. After all, this wasn't an isolated island in the ocean. Besides climbing down the cliff and returning the same way, he could also walk directly to Baifeng Manor.

Thinking of this, a glimmer of hope flashed in Tang Yin's eyes. He decided to find an opportunity to ask Wang Lina and see if she knew more information. But now, the most important thing was to stay calm, observe the surrounding environment, and look for possible survival opportunities.

"Wang Lina," Tang Yin called softly, "What should we do next?"

Wang Lina gave Tang Yin a long look, as if assessing his reliability. Finally, she sighed softly and said, "Let's go back to the cafeteria first. We need to discuss countermeasures with the others."

The sky over the Hidden Mist Village seemed shrouded in a thick, gray veil, and even the air was filled with an oppressive atmosphere. Tang Yin and Wang Lina walked along the winding path toward the cafeteria, silence lingering everywhere. Suddenly, Wang Lina stopped and turned to face Tang Yin, her eyes flickering with complex emotions.

"Sorry." Wang Lina said softly, with a hint of apology in her voice.

Tang Yin was slightly stunned, "Huh?"

Wang Lina took a deep breath and continued, "I just lost my temper. I'm sorry, Tang Yin. You must be very upset."

Tang Yin's eyes softened, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "It's nothing, don't mind it. I'm from another place anyway."

Wang Lina's brows furrowed slightly. "...I didn't mean that." Sensing Wang Lina's misunderstanding, Tang Yin quickly explained, "Well, don't get me wrong. I meant that as an outsider, I don't understand the rules here. It's best to wait and see." His tone grew serious. "No matter how tired you are, you must persevere and don't do unnecessary things."

Tang Yin's gaze swept across the gloomy village in the distance, and he added softly, "Besides, the elders here are already full of murderous intent."

Wang Lina looked at Tang Yin in surprise, as if she was meeting him for the first time. "...Tang Yin, are you really just a graduate student?"

Tang Yin was a little confused, "Um, is there any problem?"

Wang Lina's eyes flashed with a hint of confusion and admiration. "Why are you so calm? It's like you're used to this kind of thing."

Tang Yin gave a slightly awkward smile, "Maybe it's because my reflexes are quite slow."

The two continued walking towards the cafeteria, with a vague sense of tension hanging in the air.

Pushing open the cafeteria door, a stuffy, tense atmosphere hit me. The small space was packed with villagers, whispers of discussion rising and falling. Tang Yin's appearance instantly attracted everyone's attention, as if he were a wolf suddenly straying into a flock of sheep.

Gao Zhijie, a burly middle-aged man, looked at Tang Yin coldly, "Are you still alive?" There was a hint of sarcasm and suspicion in his tone.

Tang Yin pretended to be nonchalant and replied with a smile, "Good morning, what happened?"

Chen Xiang, a kind-faced middle-aged woman standing by, said awkwardly, "...I'm sorry, there aren't enough teacups." There was apology and a hint of uneasiness in her eyes.

Tang Yin politely responded, "It's nothing, don't mind it."

At this moment, a young man with a crew cut and wearing a black T-shirt suddenly stood up, pointed at Tang Yin and asked loudly: "Did you do it, huh?" The eyes of this young man named Qin Yi were full of hostility and suspicion.

Tang Yin remained calm and replied softly, "No, of course not... Why do you doubt me?"

Qin Yi obviously didn't believe Tang Yin's words, and his tone became even more agitated: "I'm so annoyed, then what are you doing here!"

Zhao Gang, who was standing by, shouted, "Xiaoyi, stop being unreasonable!"

Qin Yi refused to give in and turned to Zhao Gang and retorted, "Huh? Brother Gang, didn't you say he was suspicious?"

Tang Yin thought to himself that this was not the case. It seemed his situation was even worse than he had imagined. He quietly observed the expressions of those around him, trying to find any sign of friendliness.

Zhao Gang's eyes became sharper, and his tone was threatening: "It's not your turn to speak yet, little brat. Don't cause trouble for everyone, right, Sister Chen Xiang?"

Chen Xiang clearly didn't want to get involved in this argument. She said nervously, "Well...anyway, everyone, calm down and be gentle..."

Zhao Gang disagreed, "Don't worry, I know my limits!" His gaze fell on Tang Yin again, as if he wanted to see through him.

Tang Yin's eyes swept over everyone in the cafeteria, trying to read more from their expressions. The vigilance in Gao Zhijie's eyes, the worry on Chen Xiang's face, Qin Yi's anger, Zhao Gang's calmness...

In this foggy village, everyone can be a friend or an enemy.

The air in the cafeteria seemed to freeze, and the tense atmosphere was like an invisible net, enveloping everyone. At this moment, Gao Zhijie's voice broke the silence, his deep voice carrying a hint of impatience:

"Stop arguing. By the way, where is the key to the village assembly hall?"

Granny Rong, a kindly-looking old woman with silver hair, spoke slowly, her voice hesitant: "...I gave it to Master Honglu two or three days ago. In order to rest the altar..."

Hearing this, Gao Zhijie turned his gaze to a white-haired girl standing in the corner, and said with a hint of command in his tone: "Little girl, the key."

The white-haired girl slowly raised her head, revealing a pair of eyes as deep as a pool. Her voice was as clear and cool as a mountain stream: "I'll get it."

Tang Yin suddenly realized that the white-haired girl wasn't an illusion. He recalled how Granny Rong had just addressed her as "Lady Honglu," and a trace of doubt crept into his heart. What kind of identity could possibly earn such a respectful title to a seemingly young girl?

As Honglu passed by, Tang Yin's eyes met hers. In that moment, time seemed to stand still. Tang Yin saw in those eyes a maturity and wisdom beyond her years. This mysterious girl seemed to be hiding a secret.

Suddenly, a childish voice broke the brief silence: "Mee, mee, wait!"

Tang Yin looked in the direction of the sound and saw a little girl with purple hair eagerly trying to catch up with Hong Lu. Her big eyes were filled with attachment and reluctance.

Chen Xiang hurried forward and softly comforted her, "Xiao Mei, stay here for a while." Her voice was gentle, but with unquestionable firmness.

At this moment, Tang Yin's eyes swept across the cafeteria and suddenly noticed two figures that looked out of place.

Deep in the cafeteria, a middle-aged man in a suit and tie was fidgeting. Tang Yin recognized him as Qian Jin from the Qian Group. His usually confident face was now filled with anxiety and restlessness, as if he were experiencing some kind of inner torment.

In a distant corner, Tang Yin saw another familiar figure—Grandpa Wolf. This village elder sat there blankly, his eyes hollow and his expression dull, as if completely disconnected from the world.

Strangely, in the entire noisy cafeteria, only Qian Jin and Master Lang were sitting.

Just as Tang Yin was lost in thought, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from outside the door:

"Mom, everyone, we're back."

Tang Yin recognized Qin Ming's voice. Then, Tong Xiaoliang pushed open the door and walked in, followed by a tearful girl—Gao Mei. Her eyes were red and swollen, clearly from a bout of crying.

Tang Yin glanced at the crowd and suddenly realized an unsettling fact: the two reporters were dead, and in this isolated village, besides himself, the only outsider left was the girl of unknown origin.

Although he didn't know exactly what had happened, Tang Yin could sense the villagers' suspicion and hostility towards him. Their eyes were filled with vigilance and distrust, as if to say: You are the culprit who destroyed our peaceful lives.

Tang Yin took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm. He knew that in this mysterious village shrouded in mist, every step could lead to unknown danger. And as an outsider, he seemed to have become the object of everyone's suspicion.

(End of this chapter)