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

Chapter 529: The Legend of the Hidden Mist Village
Wang Lina tilted her head slightly, her long hair fluttering gently in the breeze. A complex light flashed in her eyes as she asked softly, "Isn't this stupid to you?"

Tang Yin was caught off guard by her sudden question. He subconsciously scratched the back of his head, trying to hide his inner uneasiness. "Can you be more specific?" he asked cautiously, fearing that his words might offend this mysterious girl.

Wang Lina sighed softly, her gaze drifting toward the distant mountains. "...Ah, you haven't given up yet? Let's not talk about that for now. Let's talk about the danger we face now." Her tone was a hint of helplessness, yet it also revealed an unquestionable determination.

Tang Yin keenly sensed that Wang Lina seemed to be hiding something. His mind raced, trying to analyze the reason behind this concealment. Was it because the matter was too complex to explain, or was it because it contained some deadly danger?
"...About the banquet? We do need to discuss it." Tang Yin shifted his attention to Wang Lina's topic, but he was still wary of her concealment in his heart.

He looked around. This cemetery had a wide view and was far away from the village. It was indeed a good place to talk quietly. There was no need to worry about being overheard or being monitored.

Tang Yin took a deep breath and began to sort out Wang Lina's previous explanation. His gaze fell on a mottled tombstone in the distance, as if it contained all the secrets of this mysterious village.

"First, Baifeng Manor has a unique legend." Tang Yin spoke slowly, his voice low and magnetic. "Although there are similar legends in other places, let's assume for the moment that the legend of Baifeng Manor is unique."

Wang Lina nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"The object of worship of the people of Baifeng Village is called the Thousand Bright God, and the name of this mountain is Qianming Mountain." A glint of thought flashed in Tang Yin's eyes. "This must be a mountain worship that personifies the mountain god."

"Long ago, the Thousand Bright Gods sent five wild beasts to serve as guardian beasts for humanity," Tang Yin continued, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Of course, the Thousand Bright Gods also symbolize the cruel side of nature. Anyone who violates the rules of the mountain will be mercilessly punished."

Wang Lina's expression grew serious, and she added, "The executor of the punishment is the Wolf, one of the guardian beasts and the guardian deity of hunting."

Tang Yin nodded and continued to organize his thoughts. "However, the other guardian beasts are companions of humans. The [Snake] is a guardian beast that predicts the weather and harvest, and guides humans in farming and politics. The [Ape] is a guardian beast that avoids the sight of wolves, gives fire to humans, and teaches various important knowledge."

"And the Crow," Wang Lina continued, "It's the guardian beast that destroyed the corpses of the Yellow Springs, Qian Ming Shen's enemies."

"Finally, there's the Spider," Tang Yin added, "a guardian beast that protects humans' sleep and dreams from the attacks of the Yellow Springs."

At this point, Tang Yin frowned, lost in thought. "But what exactly does 'Yellow Springs Man' mean?" he muttered to himself. "My guess is that it's related to pollution, death, and the Land of the Underworld. To them, the Yellow Springs Man is a deceased person who has returned from the Land of the Underworld for some reason, an ominous existence..."

Night fell quietly, and the mist surrounding the cemetery grew thicker. Standing on this mysterious ground, Tang Yin and Wang Lina felt as if they were in a world other than reality. In the distance, the faint howl of a wolf evoked a reminder of the mysterious executor of punishment.

……

Wang Lina took a deep breath and began to tell the story: "The opposition between Qianming God and the animals and the human camp against the Huangquan people camp is the background of this legend." Her voice was low and magnetic, as if she was telling an ancient myth.

Tang Yin listened attentively, his gaze sometimes fixed on Wang Lina's delicate profile, and sometimes sweeping across the dimly lit village. Moonlight filtered through the mist, casting a silvery halo over the entire village, creating an eerie and mysterious atmosphere.

"Furthermore," Wang Lina continued, "the rulers of Baifeng Manor used this structure as a foundation to create the doctrine of faith in Qianming Shen, making the five guardian beasts, led by the wolf, and Qianming Shen the objects of the villagers' worship."

Tang Yin nodded thoughtfully, a hint of doubt in his eyes. "But," he asked softly, "is there anything different about the legend of the Hidden Mist Village?"

Wang Lina's expression suddenly grew complex. She bit her lower lip, as if weighing her words. "This legend took a crucial turn in the Hidden Mist Village," she said slowly, a barely perceptible tremor in her voice. "One day, humans, along with snakes, monkeys, crows, and spiders, murdered wolves."

Tang Yin took a deep breath. He didn't expect that this seemingly peaceful legend actually hid such a cruel side.

"After the wolf threat disappeared, the human village developed further," Wang Lina continued, explaining, "and the four elder families who inherited the bloodline of the guardian beasts were born at that time."

Tang Yin's eyes swept across several conspicuous mansions in the village, and he secretly guessed that those were the so-called "Four Elderly Families".

"However, the story isn't over yet," Wang Lina's voice suddenly deepened, carrying a hint of warning. "The wolf, murdered by humans and their companions, joined the Yellow Springs faction. Seeking revenge against humans, it became a symbol of disaster."

Tang Yin felt a chill coming over him and shuddered. He looked around, as if searching for the vengeful wolf that might be hiding in the shadows.

"The Shenge River is the domain of the Yellow Springs people. It's also the exit for the wolves and the Dusk Mist to return to the human world," Wang Lina said, pointing to the winding river at the edge of the village. "After returning to the human world, the wolves will kill the villagers and then appear in the form of the victims. At night, the wolves will return to their true nature and perform cruel blood sacrifices on the villagers."

Tang Yin's heartbeat quickened as he suddenly realized he might be in a dangerous situation. "So," he asked cautiously, "how did the people of Kirigakure deal with this threat?"

A trace of sadness flashed in Wang Lina's eyes. "The people of Kirigakure, who live near the Divine River, must stop the wolf invasion through a ritual created by the Thousand Bright Gods called the [Yellow Springs Feast], which mimics the ritual of the wolf-killing feast of the time."

"During the Banquet, one person is allowed to be executed per day," Wang Lina said in a low, heavy voice. "From ancient times to the present, kinslaying has always been a taboo among taboos. To prevent the tragedy of kinslaying, the four guardian beasts—the snake, the monkey, the crow, and the spider—will provide protection to help humans uncover the wolf's identity."

Tang Yin felt a chill. He could hardly imagine that such a ritual was still going on in modern society.

"Like a killing feast on the night of betrayal," Wang Lina's voice grew hazy, as if recounting a distant dream. "Humans drank and talked, then chose one person to be hanged."

After saying this, Wang Lina breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. "That's about it," she said softly, her gaze drifting off into the distance.

Tang Yin was silent for a moment, digesting this information. "...Is that so?" he muttered to himself, his brow furrowed.

He roughly understood. In other words, humans had betrayed the Wolf God, and this feud had never been resolved. Behind this seemingly peaceful village, such a cruel and complicated history was hidden.

Tang Yin frowned, his eyes gleaming with thought. Countless questions swirled in his mind, a tangled mess that needed to be sorted out. He took a deep breath and decided to confide in Wang Lina.

"Wang Lina," Tang Yin lowered his voice, his expression serious, "I'm telling you this to no one but myself. I think I've seen the Wolf God." Upon hearing this, Wang Lina's pretty face flashed with surprise, fear, and disbelief. Her eyes widened, and her voice rose a few degrees in surprise. "...No way, where is it?"

Tang Yin scratched his head awkwardly, his eyes wandering, "Well, I saw it through the crack of the toilet door." He did not mention the dream that was so real that it made him shudder, and decided to keep it secret for the time being.

"...a human body and a wolf's head, that feeling." Tang Yin added, shuddering at the memory of the horrifying scene.

Wang Lina's expression became even more shocked, and her voice almost became a whisper: "...No way..."

Tang Yin saw Wang Lina's reaction and felt even more uneasy. He asked anxiously, "Ah~ I mean, am I seeing this correctly?"

Wang Lina took a deep breath, as if trying to calm herself. "...Uh-huh. During the worship of Qianming God, the Wolf God is depicted with a wolf's face and a human body. The statue at Baifeng Manor is also like this." Her voice still trembled slightly.

Tang Yin nodded, a flicker of realization in his eyes. Suddenly, he remembered another detail from that night. "Oh, I heard a woman screaming. I believe the Wolf God I saw was Xia Hui's murderer." His voice was low and serious. "Is this a blood sacrifice? But if the Wolf God's purpose was to kill and disguise her, why didn't he dispose of her body..."

Wang Lina's expression suddenly became a little guilty. "Sorry, I forgot to tell you that Qian Ming Shen's rules are very cruel. If you break the rules, you will be punished."

Tang Yin recalled the previous conversation, "Those three things we talked about before?"

Wang Lina nodded in confirmation. "Yes, that's it. She completed the pre-banquet preparations, which means washing herself clean, staying indoors, and sleeping until dawn. She violated these three rules, which is why she was contaminated and died."

Tang Yin pondered for a moment. He felt that contamination probably didn't mean damaging the body; it must have some other, more important meaning. This thought lingered in his mind, but he didn't say it out loud.

Suddenly, Tang Yin thought of another question, and his eyes became sharp. "Come to think of it, you didn't tell me any rules yesterday and made me hide in the toilet. You didn't want to kill me, did you?"

Wang Lina was startled by the question and quickly waved her hands in denial. "No, no, of course not!" A trace of guilt and embarrassment appeared on her face. "...Well, to be honest, I thought outsiders would definitely not survive."

She paused, as if weighing her words. "But I'll do my best. I'll tell you a way that might help you survive... I hate watching someone die without helping them..."

Tang Yin felt a mixture of emotions when he heard this. He smiled wryly and said, "And then I really did survive."

Wang Lina lowered her head, her long hair covering half of her face, and her voice was filled with apology: "Um... Tang Yin, I'm sorry, I was actually surprised too."

Tang Yin's lips curled up slightly, with a hint of self-deprecation: "It's a pity that I wasn't chopped into minced meat."

Wang Lina suddenly raised her head, a trace of panic and worry flashed in her eyes: "Don't joke, Tang Yin, it's really... great that you can survive." Her voice trembled slightly, as if she was trying her best to hide her inner fluctuations.

Tang Yin stared into Wang Lina's eyes, his emotions mixed. He could sense the sincerity in her words and believed she had done her best. However, an inexplicable sense of crisis still lingered in his heart.

He took a deep breath and decided to continue his search for the truth. "...Well, then, were those screams Xia Hui's dying cries? Or were they from some other victim?"

Wang Lina's expression instantly became confused, "Uh, I don't know..." Her eyes were a little vague, as if she was avoiding something.

Tang Yin narrowed his eyes, his tone becoming sharper: "For example... if the screams back then were made by you, then you are just pretending to be a wolf now."

Wang Lina's face turned pale for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. She softly replied, "Who knows? But I'm definitely not a wolf."

Tang Yin sneered, "Everyone would say that."

Wang Lina was silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "You're right..."

A tense atmosphere hung in the air, and Tang Yin sensed that the situation was more complicated than he had imagined. He decided to change the subject and continue to pursue the questions that lingered in his mind.

"The first question." Tang Yin's tone became serious.

Wang Lina seemed relieved and nodded slightly: "Please."

Tang Yin gazed at the mountains in the distance and spoke slowly, "Is the reason for the two wolf gods based on that pattern?"

Without waiting for Wang Lina to answer, he continued, "That pattern painted on the giant standing rock, the crooked diamonds and whirlpools, there are indeed two of those patterns."

A flicker of surprise flashed across Wang Lina's eyes, as if she hadn't expected Tang Yin to notice this detail. She hesitated for a moment before replying, "...That's the mark of the Wolf God returning from the underworld. Since there are two marks, there must be two Wolf Gods."

Tang Yin keenly caught the uncertainty in Wang Lina's words: "Is this a guess?"

Wang Lina nodded slightly. "Yes, but it should be correct... Every year during the mountain festival, there is a parade of people dressed as guardian beasts. The number of people who play the wolf god is also announced in this way."

Tang Yin knew he had to stay awake and alert. In this world full of puzzles, a single misjudgment could mean the end of his life. And the mysterious Wolf God seemed to be watching them from the darkness, waiting for his next victim.

(End of this chapter)