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

Chapter 595: The Original Sin of the Hidden Mist Village
The doors to the assembly hall stood open. Master Wolf walked slowly in front, his wrinkled face expressionless. Three students followed closely behind, their steps hesitant. Madam Chen Xiang followed gracefully, while Hua Lu held Xiao Mei's hand. Tang Yin walked last, carefully observing everyone's every move. Gray light slanted in through the windows, casting dappled shadows on the wooden floor.

The moment he stepped into the assembly hall, a strange scene unfolded before Tang Yin's eyes. Everyone lowered their heads at the same time, clasping their hands in front of their faces, as if shielding something. This action reminded Tang Yin of the last time—when the broadcast about the worship of the Thousand Myojin was broadcast, Granny Rong had bowed to the mysterious standing rock in this way. She was wearing a strange mask at the time, and that image was still deeply imprinted in his mind. Perhaps this is one of the unique customs of the Hidden Mist Village? Tang Yin pondered to himself, and then he also lowered his head like them. It is always right to do as the Romans do.

Everyone began to sit in a circle, following a certain pattern. The seating arrangement seemed to be arranged in order of age, starting from the inside. Under the dim light, everyone's shadow was stretched out, interweaving on the wall to form an eerie pattern.

"Grandma Rong, I'll just sit next to Xiaome." Hualu asked softly, with a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"Okay." Granny Rong nodded in agreement, her wrinkled face looking particularly serious in the dim light. However, this seating arrangement didn't seem to be absolute.

"Tang Yin and the female reporter..." Zhao Gang was interrupted by Gao Zhijie before he could finish his words.

"Please take a seat at the bottom." Gao Zhijie said in an unquestionable tone.

"I understand," Tang Yin replied calmly, then sat down in the seat closest to the door. Xia Hui sat quietly in the lowest seat beside him, appearing unusually silent.

"Is this okay?" Tang Yin asked Xia Hui beside him in a low voice.

"I'm not from the Hidden Mist Village." Xia Hui responded in a cold tone, with a hint of fatigue and despair in her voice.

"What will happen?" Tang Yin tried to ease the atmosphere.

"I don't know," Xia Hui's voice was barely audible. She kept muttering to herself, "Why is this happening?" and "Can it get any worse?" The vibrant expression from yesterday was gone. She looked like a soulless shell, a cause for concern.

"Is everyone here?" Granny Rong looked around, her old voice echoing in the empty assembly hall.

"Yeah." Gao Zhijie responded briefly.

Granny Rong, the last to enter the assembly hall, slowly closed the door, the heavy wooden door creaking with a muffled sound. With that sound, the entire space suddenly plunged into complete darkness. Xia Hui subconsciously gasped, and Xiao Mei let out a slight cry of surprise. However, the people present in the Hidden Mist Village remained remarkably calm, as if all this was expected. In the thick darkness, Tang Yin sensed an ominous aura slowly spreading.

With a soft click, the overhead lightbulb suddenly lit up, dispelling some of the darkness. But the light was incredibly faint, as if it could be swallowed up by the surrounding shadows at any moment. In this dim light, the faces of the people were looming, appearing particularly eerie. Tang Yin looked around; the entire space felt unreal, like a different dimension isolated from reality. The dim light cast distorted shadows on the walls, and an indescribable sense of oppression permeated the air.

"——Is everyone seated? Then, let's begin the Huangquan Ji Banquet." Granny Rong's voice echoed in the silent space.

Hualu seemed to have known what was coming next. She stood up and walked deeper into the assembly hall. Her figure was exceptionally slender in the dim light, and each step was taken with great care. After some searching, she returned with an unlabeled wine bottle. A thin layer of dust coated the bottle, giving it an antique sheen in the dim light.

"This is the sacred wine dedicated to Qianming God. Everyone, starting with the guests, take a sip." Hualu's voice was soft and solemn. She walked to the lower seat and sat down next to Xia Hui. From her bosom, she pulled out an exquisitely crafted, antique wine glass, the lines on the glass revealing the traces of time.

"Do you have to drink it no matter what?" Xia Hui asked hesitantly, frowning slightly.

"Well, to stay away from pollution." Hualu's answer was brief and affirmative.

Xia Hui was silent for a moment, then took the wine glass without saying anything. Hua Lu poured the wine carefully. The amber liquid shimmered in the dim light and quickly filled the entire glass. The aroma of the wine slowly diffused through the air, carrying a hint of intoxicating fragrance.

"Does everyone want to drink?" Xia Hui confirmed again, with a hint of caution in her voice.

"You can drink as much as you want, there's still plenty of wine." Hualu answered gently, shaking the bottle in her hand lightly, making the sound of liquid hitting the bottle wall.

Xia Hui stared intently at the wine glass. She carefully brought it to her nose and sniffed it gently. Then, she slowly raised the glass to her lips and downed the entire contents in one gulp. Her movements were fluid, clearly a veteran.

"It tastes quite good, with the aroma of aged wine," Xia Hui said, putting down her glass. Tang Yin couldn't help but admire her professionalism, even in such a strange atmosphere. He took the glass from Xia Hui and felt the lingering warmth.

"Mr. Tang Yin, can you drink?" Hua Lu asked softly, with a hint of concern in her eyes.

"Fill it up, fill it up," Tang Yin said playfully, motioning for Hua Lu to pour him some wine. The sound of the wine pouring into the glass was particularly clear in the silent room. He drank it all in one gulp and was immediately amazed by the quality of the wine. This wine was truly extraordinary, mellow and rich yet refreshing, forming a sharp contrast with the simple life in the Hidden Mist Village.

In this solemn atmosphere, Tang Yin felt embarrassed to ask for a refill, so he handed the glass to Xiao Mei. Hua Lu gently told her to just clink it lightly. The other underage students followed suit, symbolically clinking their glasses, completing this mysterious ritual. Under the dim light, the sound of the glasses passing between them was as soft as a whisper, as if telling some unknown secret.

"It's the adults' turn now. I won't hold back." Wang Lina took the wine glass, a look of determination in her eyes. She tilted her head back and emptied the glass in one gulp, her Adam's apple bobbing as she swallowed. Under the dim light, the wine left a glistening trail on her lips. Hua Lu, sitting beside her, took a sip, her movements graceful and dignified. Madam Chen Xiang also took a brief sip, maintaining the reserved demeanor of a noblewoman. The aroma of wine slowly permeated the air, blending with the heavy atmosphere in the assembly hall. When it was Qian Jin's turn, he glanced hesitantly at the remaining wine in his glass before gulping it down. Zhao Gang, on the other hand, seemed particularly excited. He lamented the rare opportunity to drink during the day as he downed two glasses in quick succession, his cheeks quickly flushing. Then came the elderly men, each taking a leisurely sip, as if completing some sacred ritual. After everyone had a drink, Hualu stood up and carefully returned to her seat carrying the bottle and glass.

"Everyone has drunk, right?" Gao Zhijie looked around and his gaze finally fell on Grandma Rong. "Grandma Rong, you go ahead and speak." His voice was particularly clear in the silent space.

"There are still people who don't know the legend here. It's best to explain it in full." Hualu suggested softly, with a hint of worry in her eyes.

"That's right." Granny Rong nodded slowly, her old face looking particularly solemn under the dim light. "Then let me tell you." Her voice was hoarse but powerful, as if she was telling an ancient legend.

"Qianming Shen is the mountain deity here. Long, long ago, when this village was first established, Qianming Shen's first guardian beast was the Wolf God." Granny Rong's gaze grew deep, as if she had traveled back to a distant past. "The Wolf God, along with the other guardian beasts—the Snake God, the Ape God, the Crow God, and the Spider God—protected humanity from the underworld."

"What are the Yellow Springs people?" Xiao Mee asked innocently, with a hint of curiosity and fear in her voice.

"A person who came back from the dead." Hua Lu explained softly, her tone gentle but with a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.

".So scary." Xiao Mee subconsciously leaned closer to Hua Lu, fear in her eyes.

"Don't worry, I will protect you." Hualu patted Xiaome's shoulder gently to comfort her.

Granny Rong continued, "The Wolf God is still worshipped in Baifeng Manor together with Qianming God, and he is one level higher than the other guardian beasts." There was a certain awe in her tone, "However, the legend of the Hidden Mist Village is different." At this point, her voice suddenly became low.

"The Wolf God will indeed help humans, but he will also feed on humans and forbid humans from living." Granny Rong's words echoed in the air, making people shudder.

"So humans asked for help from the Snake God, the Ape God, the Crow God, and the Spider God, and deceived the Wolf God." As these words fell, the entire assembly hall fell into silence.

"." Hua Lu lowered her head, her long hair obscuring her expression, but her slightly trembling shoulders betrayed her inner turmoil. Tang Yin suddenly realized that this was the original sin of the Hidden Mist Village that Hua Lu had mentioned before.

Tang Yin's thoughts drifted back to his last reincarnation, when Wang Lina had revealed this legend to him. His gaze swept over everyone present, observing their impassive expressions. He wondered, "Since Qian Jin and Hua Lu knew this so well, surely those respected elders must be even more familiar with it?" Were the ordinary residents of Baifeng Village the only ones still ignorantly worshipping a wolf god who likely harbored a grudge against them? In the dim light of the assembly hall, everyone's expression was shrouded in a hazy shadow, making it difficult to discern their true thoughts.

"Humans held a banquet and offered the Wolf God a large amount of fine wine," Granny Rong continued, her voice low and hoarse, as if she were revealing a secret she wished to conceal. "The other guardian beasts kept urging the Wolf God to drink, and he eventually became inebriated." Her words seemed to carry a hint of guilt, or perhaps reverence for their ancestors.

"After the Wolf God fell asleep, humans seized the opportunity to gather together, carry him to the Godhead Valley, and kill him." At this point, Granny Rong's voice deepened, as if recounting a painful memory. The dim light cast deep shadows on her wrinkled face, adding a touch of mystery.

"Since then, Baifeng Manor has become increasingly prosperous. However, every once in a while, the Wolf God returns from the underworld to devour humans once again." Her tone was filled with resignation. "The Wolf God disguises himself as a human. Therefore, humans must identify the Wolf God and execute him."

"However, only one person can be executed per day. This is the rule set by Qian Mingshen." Granny Rong's eyes swept over everyone present. "We gather here to choose one person to execute. This is the Huangquan Taboo Banquet." The air seemed to freeze at this moment, and even the sound of breathing became exceptionally clear.

"The dusk fog signals the Wolf God's return to the human world, which is why everyone needs to prepare for the feast," Granny Rong continued. "Wash yourself clean, stay indoors, and sleep until dawn. This is also the rule established by the Thousand Bright God." Her voice held unquestionable authority. "Anyone who doesn't do this will be contaminated and punished by the Thousand Bright God. Miss, can you please stop writing?"

Xia Hui was concentrating on writing something down, the tip of her pen making a rustling sound on the paper. Her expression was hidden by her long hair, making it difficult to tell what she was feeling at the moment.

"If there's anything you don't understand, I'll explain it." Granny Rong's tone slowed down. "In short, the day the dusk fog appears marks the arrival of the Thousand Bright God's corruption." She paused. "Also, there are three marks of the Yellow Springs Wolf on the fire scene."

"Sorry to interrupt, what do you mean by 'fire scene'?" Xia Hui suddenly raised her head and asked, her eyes gleaming with the sharpness typical of a professional journalist.

"They are the standing rocks scattered throughout the Hidden Mist Village. Although they look like man-made artifacts, no one knows their exact origins." Qian Jin took over the conversation with a hint of caution in his tone.

"The people of Kirigakure are taught to be respectful of fire scenes," Qin Ming added, his voice a little stiff.

"I heard that before the water field was built, the people of Baifeng Village made fire on the rocks, so this kind of standing rock is called a fire field." Hualu's explanation was gentle, but also implied some indescribable emotion.

Tang Yin listened silently to these explanations, finding them deeply amusing. In this village shrouded in dusky mist, every standing rock seemed to hold countless unknown secrets. In the dim light, the shadows of the people cast eerie shapes on the walls, as if silently revealing the village's unknown past.

(End of this chapter)