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

Chapter 528 The Girl Who Saw God

A hint of impatience surfaced on Zhao Gang's sharp face, and his voice was tinged with sarcasm: "You ask why? Because there is no other decisive intelligence..."

Qin Ming frowned, his deep eyes gleaming with thought. He pursed his lips and spoke slowly, "According to Granny Rong, snakes' abilities are very important. They're a very troublesome opponent for wolves."

He paused, looking directly at Zhao Gang, his voice filled with obvious worry: "So... you revealed your identity so easily, Brother Gang, you are in danger now..."

Zhao Gang laughed without a care in the world, his masculine face full of confidence: "Ha, I'm not afraid of that kind of thing."

Qian Jin's expression turned serious, his sharp eyes fixed on Zhao Gang. "Not afraid? What are you talking about? He's a monster who did such a cruel thing."

Tong Xiaoliang suddenly interrupted, his childish face full of suspicion: "What... Do you really believe in monsters?"

Qian Jin was choked by this question, but then he regained his composure: "That's rhetoric. Anyway, we have lost a weapon now."

Zhao Gang's face darkened instantly. He stood up abruptly and glared at Qian Jin: "Don't act on your own! What do you know? Hey!"

Qian Jin also stood up, his voice tinged with disdain: "Of course I know! Everyone, listen to me, the Wolf can hear everything we say here, right?"

His eyes swept over everyone present, and a hint of warning lingered in his voice: "We should know how to conceal information that shouldn't be revealed. Shouldn't we discuss this under this premise? Hmm?"

Qin Ming's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said softly, "...You're right. So, I have a good idea."

Qian Jin refused to give in. He interrupted sharply: "I'm the one speaking now!"

At this moment, Gao Zhijie, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. His hoarse voice carried a hint of impatience: "Shut up Qian Jin, you idiot. Qin Ming, go on."

Qian Jin was caught off guard by this sudden scolding and could only utter an "Uh..."

Qin Ming took a deep breath, looked around, and said slowly: "Brother Gang has already revealed his identity. In order to maximize the ability of the snake, I think [Spider] must protect him."

He paused, then continued, "Spider, there's no need to reveal your identity. Just write your name down at night, right? That way you can protect Brother Gang."

Qin Ming's eyes fell on Zhao Gang, with a hint of concern: "As long as we do this, Brother Gang will be safe... How is it?"

Gao Zhijie nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his cloudy eyes: "It's indeed a good idea."

Zhao Gang looked at Qin Ming and Gao Zhijie with a look of gratitude on his face: "Qin Ming, Uncle Gao..."

Gao Zhijie patted Zhao Gang's shoulder, with a hint of encouragement in his voice: "Gangzi, you are safe today. Pray to the snake god and check the identity of a person."

A hint of doubt flashed across Wang Lina's bright eyes. She asked softly, "...Brother Gang's test results should be fine, right?"

Qin Ming nodded and gave her a comforting look: "Yeah."

Wang Lina still seemed uneasy. She looked directly at Zhao Gang, her voice pleading, "Brother Gang, can you swear? No matter who you examine, no matter what the result, you can't lie."

A complex expression flashed across Zhao Gang's face, but he quickly regained his composure. He took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly, "Of course."

The atmosphere in the assembly hall suddenly grew heavy. Everyone was contemplating what might happen next. Outside the window, the night deepened, and the distant howling of wolves seemed even clearer. Mist filled the air outside the window, seemingly swallowing up the entire Hidden Mist Village.

Qin Ming stood up and looked around at everyone: "This is our decision for tonight. Brother Gang, you must be careful. Everyone else must also remain vigilant."

Gao Zhijie nodded. "Yes, we have some countermeasures now, but they are far from enough. We don't understand the power of the Wolf God yet, so we must remain vigilant at all times."

Wang Lina's bright eyes scanned everyone present. Her slender fingers tapped lightly on the table. Her voice was soft but firm: "Is that all for today? We don't have any evidence right now. We can't just kill people casually."

Qin Yi frowned, his young face full of hesitation and uneasiness. He asked in a low voice: "...Is it really okay?"

Qin Ming noticed his brother's abnormality. He turned his head and asked gently, "Is there anything wrong, Xiaoyi?"

Qin Yi bit his lip, a trace of unwillingness flashed in his eyes: "Nothing... I just don't like to sit and wait for death."

Qin Ming patted his brother's shoulder gently and turned his gaze to Zhao Gang: "I understand how you feel, but... by the way, Brother Gang, whose identity do you want to verify? Can you tell us?"

A trace of vigilance flashed across Zhao Gang's angular face: "Why?"

Qin Ming took a deep breath and explained slowly: "If the test results make you very embarrassed, you might lie, just in case."

Zhao Gang's expression instantly turned awkward, and he frantically defended himself, "Uh... I wouldn't lie."

Qian Jin snorted coldly, a hint of mockery flashing in his sharp eyes: "Humph, very reasonable. For Gangzi who values ​​hometown feelings, this is a necessary condition."

Wang Lina sighed softly, a hint of helplessness appearing on her delicate face: "It's not just Brother Gang, everyone wants to protect their loved ones, but now is not the time to be indecisive."

She paused and continued, "Actually, it's not without benefits for Brother Gang to reveal his identity. At least we can discuss now who should be prioritized for identity verification tonight, right?"

Zhao Gang's eyes swept across everyone's faces, finally landing on Qin Ming: "...Well, it is indeed necessary to discuss this matter. Qin Ming, what do you think?"

Qin Ming pondered for a moment and slowly said, "I don't know either... How about checking who is most likely to become a scapegoat when there is insufficient evidence..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qian Jin suddenly stood up, a look of determination appearing on his thin face: "Then check my identity. To be honest, if you don't do this, I, an outsider, will have no say."

Wang Lina couldn't help but chuckle, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice: "You also know that you have no say..."

Zhao Gang looked around at everyone, his voice questioning, "Then let's check Qian Jin's identity, is that okay?"

Tong Xiaoliang and Chen Xiang looked at each other in silence. A complex expression flashed across Gao Zhijie's cloudy eyes. He slowly said, "...I have no objection. Let's not execute him today."

Granny Rong's wrinkled face was filled with worry. She asked softly, "...Is everything really okay?"

Zhao Gang stood up, his voice filled with determination: "Well, no problem, then let's disband!"

As the meeting ended, everyone began to leave the assembly hall. Qin Yi followed closely behind his brother, his eyes full of anxiety. Wang Lina and Chen Xiang talked in low voices, looking back at Qian Jin from time to time. Tong Xiaoliang walked alone at the end in silence, with an unreadable expression on his face. It was late at night, and fog filled every corner of the Hidden Mist Village. The howling of wolves in the distance was chilling. Qin Ming stood at the door of the assembly hall and took a deep breath of the cold night air. His eyes swept across the scattered lights in the village, and his heart was filled with complicated emotions.

……

The game screen suddenly switched, and Tang Yin's consciousness seemed to surface from the deep sea. In a trance, he heard someone calling his name. His vision gradually focused, and the blurry image gradually became clear.

"He really fell asleep...ah, he woke up!" Wang Lina's voice came, and a hint of surprise flashed in her bright eyes.

Zhao Gang's sharp-edged face appeared in Tang Yin's sight. His voice was low and calm: "Today's banquet is over. Sorry for the long wait."

Tang Yin felt a surge of relief, but then reality yanked him back in. "Great... it hurts," he muttered, the pain in his body reminding him that this wasn't a dream.

The cold iron cage still held him captive, and a wave of bitterness welled up in Tang Yin's heart. If only this were just a nightmare, but reality was always cruel. He took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind: "...Um, is the banquet some kind of ritual? Like an exorcism?"

Zhao Gang shook his head and said calmly: "No, it's just a rally."

A gleam of light flashed in Tang Yin's eyes, and he continued to ask: "I understand, a meeting to investigate the murderer, right?"

Wang Lina chuckled, a hint of amusement appearing on her delicate face: "Tang Yin, this complaint is very direct."

Tang Yin did not flinch, but responded calmly: "Well, although I am just a simple victim, in order to protect myself, I need the corresponding knowledge."

Wang Lina blinked and turned to Zhao Gang: "Ha...Brother Gang, can you tell him?"

Zhao Gang was silent for a moment, and finally sighed: "...Well, okay, I'll leave it to you. I still have to go and clean up..." After that, he turned and left, leaving Tang Yin and Wang Lina behind.

Tang Yin's eyes followed Zhao Gang's back, wondering if this meant he agreed. He couldn't help but ask, "... Clean up? Could it be cleaning up the bodies?"

Wang Lina nodded, her tone as calm as if she was discussing the weather: "Well, the Huangquan people must be sent back to the Shenge River. Granny Rong takes this matter very seriously."

Tang Yin was shocked. This completely overturned the principles of scene protection he knew. But then he thought, the people here never expected police intervention, so this wasn't incomprehensible. He took a deep breath and said, "Well, I have a lot of questions for you."

A complicated look flashed in Wang Lina's eyes: "Let's go to another place where no one can disturb us."

Afterwards, Wang Lina brought Tang Yin to the place where they had previously met Hua Lu and Xiao Mei. This was a wasteland near the Shenge River. The fog was thinner than elsewhere, allowing for a wider view. Sunlight pierced the mist, casting a hazy golden veil over the wasteland.

Wang Lina stood on the wasteland, the breeze ruffling her long hair. Her voice was solemn: "In a sense, this is the center of our faith, the [Shouhangsong Cemetery]."

When Tang Yin heard the name, he couldn't help but shudder: "This name seems very dangerous."

His gaze swept across the wasteland, finally landing on a pine tree on the edge of a distant cliff. The tree stood alone on the edge of the cliff, its branches twisted, as if telling some tragic story. Tang Yin wondered, "Is the Shouhang Pine the same pine tree on the cliff edge?"
Tang Yin and Wang Lina stood side by side in the misty wasteland. The surroundings were eerily quiet, as if the entire world had been swallowed by the fog. Tang Yin's eyes swept over the stones scattered among the weeds, and a sense of unease welled up in his heart. He hesitated for a moment, then finally asked:
“Is this a cemetery?”

Wang Lina turned her head, her black hair fluttering gently in the breeze. A complex look flashed in her eyes, and she replied softly, "Well, I don't know what the standing rocks in the village are, but the standing rocks here must be tombstones."

She paused, a sly smile suddenly curling up at the corner of her mouth, "Tang Yin, when you first passed by here, you accidentally kicked the tombstone, didn't you? Oops~ You have to apologize."

When Tang Yin heard this, the color instantly disappeared from his face.

He widened his eyes and looked at Wang Lina in disbelief: "Huh!? Is that so? Why didn't you say so earlier!"

Then, he suddenly turned around to face the wasteland, clasped his hands together, and said sincerely: "Ancestors of the Hidden Mist Village, I am very sorry!"

Wang Lina looked at Tang Yin's panic and couldn't help laughing: "Ahaha, sorry, I was afraid you would be scared."

The laughter gradually died down, and Wang Lina's expression grew serious. She gazed at the village's outline, faintly visible in the distant mist, and said softly, "Although this was an emergency retreat, it was me who brought you to this monstrous, ruined village, anyway."

Tang Yin sensed the guilt in her words, and his heart moved. He turned around, looked directly into Wang Lina's eyes, and asked calmly, "Do you really believe there are monsters here?"

Wang Lina didn't answer immediately. Her gaze passed Tang Yin and reached the distant Shen Ge River. The shimmering light on the river surface gleamed in her eyes, as if it contained endless secrets.

Finally, she slowly said, "Well, I believe it."

Her voice was quiet, but it echoed for a long time in the silent wasteland. The air was mixed with white particles, as if to footnote this heavy answer.

Tang Yin frowned slightly, a little surprised: "I thought you wouldn't believe this kind of thing."

Wang Lina retracted her gaze and looked directly into Tang Yin's eyes. Her voice was filled with a hint of challenge: "Tang Yin, do you think people who believe in such things are foolish?"

Tang Yin felt a little uncomfortable at her sudden sharp gaze, and quickly waved his hand to explain: "Well, that's not the case."

Wang Lina refused to give in, and raised the corner of her mouth slightly: "You are lying, it's written on your face."

Tang Yin was speechless for a moment, thinking to himself, is my expression so obvious?
He didn't completely deny the significance of faith, but faith in something invisible was indeed incompatible with his worldview. Thinking of this, he had to admit that Wang Lina was probably right.

After a moment of silence, Tang Yin decided to continue asking: "Can you tell me the reason?"

Wang Lina's expression became unfathomable, and she replied softly, "Reason? There's no such thing."

Tang Yin frowned, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone: "I don't believe it."

Wang Lina was silent for a moment, seemingly pondering her response. Finally, she raised her head, her gaze piercing, and spoke word by word, "...Let's put it this way, because I have seen the gods."

This sentence exploded in Tang Yin's mind like a thunderbolt. He stared at Wang Lina in disbelief, his eyes wide open.

At this moment, he suddenly realized that this seemingly ordinary mountain girl in front of him might be hiding a deeper secret than he imagined.

A gentle breeze blew, stirring up the fallen leaves. In the distance, the shadow of a pine tree stretched even longer in the setting sun, like a giant hand slowly reaching out toward the mist-shrouded land. Tang Yin stood there, feeling the mysterious aura permeating the air around him, feeling a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

He knew he was standing at the entrance to a huge puzzle. The key to solving it might lie in Wang Lina's deep eyes, hidden in this forgotten village hidden in the mist.

(End of this chapter)