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

Chapter 601

"Uncle, are you Mr. Gao's lackey?" Tong Xiaoliang asked with a mocking smile, his narrow eyes flickering dangerously. The flame of the oil lamp cast an eerie shadow on his face, making the smile seem particularly sinister.

"I just did what I thought was right! Okay, let's start!" Qian Jin slammed the table and stood up. His dark face looked even gloomier because of anger.

"You are the one who chose to be executed, why are you so active?" Wang Lina frowned, her bright eyes filled with confusion and disgust.

"The Wolf God must be hanged." Granny Rong's voice was hoarse and firm, and her wrinkled face wore a fanatical look. The cold wind outside the window whimpered, as if lamenting its impending fate.

"This is so bizarre! This kind of thing is practically a crime!" Xia Hui's voice trembled, her delicate face filled with fear and anxiety. Tang Yin looked at Xia Hui, a wave of affection welling up in his heart. In this crazy world, she still maintained a normal human rationality. However, this kind of thinking probably made it difficult for her to survive here.

"Old man, who do you choose?" Gao Zhijie turned to Mr. Wolf, his voice echoing in the dim assembly hall.

".Ah.Ah." Mr. Wolf's cloudy eyes turned slowly. Although he didn't seem to understand the current situation, he still stretched out a skinny finger tremblingly and pointed it directly at Tang Yin.

"What?" Tang Yin's heart was shocked. He could feel everyone's eyes were on him.

"Are you a wolf? Hehehehehe." Grandpa Wolf let out a creepy laugh, and a strange smile appeared on his wrinkled face.

"Hua Lu, one vote for Tang Yin." Qian Jin's voice was calm and mechanical.

"Hmm." Hualu lowered her head, her slender fingers scribbling the first note on the paper. The light from the oil lamp danced on her pale face, illuminating a subtle sadness.

"It's really weird! Why can everyone have the same decision-making power so easily!" Xia Hui couldn't help but speak again, her voice filled with anger and unwillingness.

"If you don't understand, shut up!" Gao Zhijie shouted, a hint of anger flashing in his turbid eyes.

"What? Then explain it to me!" Xia Hui retorted stubbornly, her hands clenched into fists.

"Xia Hui, each of us needs one vote," Qin Ming suddenly said, his voice low and steady. "If the right to vote is taken away, there's a chance the wolves will exploit you. If someone's voting rights can be taken away based on some reason alone, how much room does that leave for the wolves to manipulate behind the scenes? Furthermore, it could very well put you at a disadvantage in the end."

"After all, many people here don't want to give outsiders the right to vote," Wang Lina muttered softly, her words causing some of the people present to express obvious displeasure. The atmosphere in the assembly hall suddenly grew even more tense, and even the air seemed to freeze.

"Though we apologize, we have no choice but to risk our lives to protect the Hidden Mist Village from this incident." Qin Ming's voice carried a hint of apology, but also a greater sense of determination. The thick fog outside the window seemed to grow even thicker, completely isolating the entire assembly hall from the outside world, as if it had become a separate courtroom. Everyone's fate hung in the balance of power in this brutal vote, and the Grim Reaper's scythe waited in the shadows.

"Of course you want to live, but this is also the wolf's idea." Qin Ming's voice was calm and composed, his deep eyes looking directly at Xia Hui, "As a human being, you must never resist being hanged... unless you are a protector." The light of the oil lamp cast a shadow on his angular face, making his words seem particularly cold.

"...I will confirm it immediately after the banquet today." Xia Hui said, biting her lip, her pretty face full of anxiety and determination.

"Okay, next." Qian Jin waved his hand impatiently, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"I voted for Hua Lu." Gao Zhijie's voice was emotionless, as if he was simply stating a perfectly normal fact. Tang Yin narrowed his eyes. Was this how this old man voted?

"Can I ask the reason?" Hua Lu asked softly, a hint of confusion flashing in her gentle eyes.

"No reason." Gao Zhijie's answer was brief and direct, plunging the entire assembly hall into a strange silence.

"Uh..." Qian Jin opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something but didn't know where to start.

"...Actually, there's nothing strange about it. To Grandpa Gao Zhijie, everyone is a suspect now. He just needs someone to sacrifice." Qin Ming's voice broke the silence, his eyes sweeping across everyone's faces. "If we rule out Tang Yin and Xia Hui, then for the people of Wuyin Village, the easiest person to hang here is either Hua Lu or you. The money's in."

"...You guys..." Qian Jin's face turned gloomy, and his rough hands clenched into fists.

"...I understand. I accept this vote." Hualu lowered her head, her voice almost inaudible. The wind howled outside the window, as if lamenting this cruel fate.

"Oh my...it's your turn, Grandma Rong." Zhao Gang said casually, but his tense facial muscles revealed his inner anxiety.

"...I still don't quite understand, but since Xiao Gao said he won't vote for those two young men, I'll do as he says." Granny Rong's wrinkled face showed a confused expression. "Gao Zhijie and Qin Ming are not Wolf Gods, right?"

"I think it's believable." Qian Jin nodded, with a hint of certainty in his voice.

"...Then I'll vote for Xiaoyi." As soon as Grandma Rong finished speaking, the atmosphere in the entire assembly hall suddenly became tense.

"Huh? Why, old witch!" Qin Yi stood up suddenly, his young face twisted with anger. The flame of the oil lamp shook violently under his sudden movement, casting a swaying shadow on the wall.

"You are too rude and don't listen to your mother. It must be because of you that the pollution has occurred!" There was a hint of blame in Grandma Rong's voice, but there was inexplicably a strange aura.

"...Is that the reason? I get it, you are a wolf. You just want to kill everyone you dislike, you stinky wolf..." Qin Yi said gritting his teeth, his hands shaking with anger.

"Okay, it's my turn," Zhao Gang interrupted the argument, his massive frame casting a massive shadow in the dim light. "I'm voting for Xiaome," his voice steady and resolute, as if he'd carefully considered the decision. The atmosphere in the assembly hall grew increasingly solemn, and everyone could sense the approaching footsteps of death. The thick darkness enveloped the ancient building, as if to bury all its secrets forever.

"Zhao Gang!" Hua Lu abruptly stood up, her pale face drained of color by shock. Her slender figure seemed especially frail in the dim light, as if she could collapse at any moment under the weight of the overwhelming atmosphere.

"She came to the Hidden Mist Village at this time, and we don't even know her origins. It's too suspicious." Zhao Gang's weather-beaten face was full of vigilance, and veins bulged on his thick arms, obviously he was suppressing his inner anger.

Gao Zhijie sat at the head of the table, his wrinkled face looking even older in the light of the oil lamp. "But she's still a child," he said, his voice tinged with hesitation and reluctance. "I know, but so what! What if she's really a wolf?" Zhao Gang suddenly slammed the table and leaped to his feet, like a wild animal about to go on a rampage. His roar echoed throughout the assembly hall, shaking the oil lamps violently.

Tang Yin stood in the corner, observing all this silently. It had to be said that Zhao Gang's doubts did make sense, but was such a reason really enough to make a young girl pay with her life?
Zhao Gang seemed to realize his own gaffe. He took a deep breath and continued, "Let me be clear, I don't believe in monsters. However, if you break the rules, you might actually die." He glanced at everyone present. "Don't worry, you don't have to participate in the execution. I'll take care of it."

"Okay, it's Sister Chen Xiang's turn." Zhao Gang changed the subject, but the tension in the air did not diminish at all.

Chen Xiang sat by the window, moonlight streaming through the window onto her slightly haggard face. "Qin Ming, can't you give up?" Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's, yet it was remarkably clear in the quiet night.

"Mom, it's better not to do this. For the human camp, this is the only way to fight the wolves." Qin Ming's voice was gentle but firm. "Anyone who deliberately abstains might be considered to be secretly supporting the wolves."

"Then who are you going to vote for?" Chen Xiang twisted her fingers together unconsciously, obviously feeling deeply uneasy about the choice she was about to make.

"Can you please tell me in advance?" Qin Ming looked at Gao Zhijie, who simply waved his hand casually: "Whatever you want."

"I'm going to vote for Qian Jin." As soon as these words were uttered, the entire assembly hall fell into deathly silence.

"—Wha-what!?" Qian Jin stood up suddenly, bringing the chair to the ground with a sharp thud. His dark face was twisted in rage, and his hands were clenched into fists.

"I agree with Elder Gao. There are no suspicious individuals at this point. Furthermore, the elders are definitely hiding something from us. Qian Jin, based on this alone, you deserve to be suspected." Qin Ming's voice remained calm, as if discussing the weather. "Although Hualu is also a suspect, she moved to the Hidden Mist Village three years ago, and you just moved in not long ago, right? You very likely knew about this banquet, and that's reason enough for suspicion. That's it. I'm not targeting you."

Qian Jin stood there, his chest heaving violently. After a long moment, he slowly sat back in his chair, a meaningful smile suddenly curling his lips. "I see. It seems the Hidden Mist Village hates Baifeng Manor to the core. I need to adjust my perspective."

The atmosphere in the assembly hall grew increasingly oppressive, the light from the oil lamps glaring in the darkness. Chen Xiang lowered her head, as if suffocating under some invisible burden. "Then I'll cast my vote, too." Her voice was barely audible, yet it stirred a ripple in the silence.

Qian Jin sneered, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "I knew this would happen. Of course, I know your family well enough." His voice was thick with sarcasm. "But even if you hang me, it would only be a waste of today's opportunity! Think about it carefully."

"Is it my turn? Then I will..." Qian Jin crossed his arms over his chest and suddenly changed the subject, "Vote for the newcomer."

This unexpected choice plunged the entire assembly hall into a dead silence. Tang Yin clenched his fists, cold sweat trickling down his forehead. No way, he thought to himself.

"Uncle, don't you want to be Grandpa Gao's follower anymore?" Tong Xiaoliang blinked his cunning eyes with a meaningful smile on his lips.

"I wasn't one from the beginning!" Qian Jin turned around abruptly. "I just think his words and actions are just a way to survive without having to lie. Although I'm not completely sure, the most suspicious person is definitely him, who is even vague about the reason why he needs to live."

Wang Lina frowned, confusion written all over her pretty face. "Everyone wants to live, right?"

"Mr. Tang Yin has just moved in for one day, and you're already asking so much of him. Don't you think that's too much?" Hua Lu spoke up to defend Tang Yin, a determined light flashing in her clear eyes.

"Whatever you say, I've said what I want to say!" Qian Jin waved his hand, his attitude firm. The flame of the oil lamp shook violently with his movements, casting strange shadows on the wall. Tang Yin remained silent. Unfortunately, Qian Jin's words did make sense.

"I've already said it, it's Xiaoliang's turn." Qin Ming's voice broke the heavy atmosphere.

"I'll vote for my uncle." Tong Xiaoliang's voice was so light as if he was talking about something very ordinary.

"Even you voted for me, Xiaoliang!!" Qian Jin's face suddenly changed and he stared at the young man in disbelief.

"Well, after all, the next tickets will either belong to Sister Hualu or you, uncle." Tong Xiaoliang said, his eyes narrowed into slits, "Sister Hualu is a girl, so I'll have to let you, uncle~"

".Xiaoliang." Hualu called softly, with some complicated emotions in her voice.

Qian Jin took a deep breath and suppressed his anger. "I have no objection to protecting Hua Lu, but that's different from voting for me!"

"Well, now it's the turn of the person who most wants to vote for Uncle Qian~Qin Yi~" Tong Xiaoliang deliberately dragged out his voice, as if he was watching an interesting drama.

"I vote for Hualu." Qin Yi's answer surprised everyone.

"Oh?" The smile on Tong Xiaoliang's face froze.

"Compared to this idiot with a bitter face, I think that woman is more suspicious, so I voted for her." Qin Yi glanced at Qian Jin, a scornful smile on his face, "Actually, I wanted to vote for that old woman the most, but the most important thing now is to actually execute someone."

Granny Rong sat in the corner, not saying a word, but a cold glint flashed in her cloudy eyes.

"Sister Lina, please vote for her too." Qin Yi turned to Wang Lina, his tone filled with anticipation.

".I vote for Qin Yi." Wang Lina said softly.

"Haaaa!? Wait, wait! Why, HAaaa!?" Qin Yi jumped three feet high, his face twisted into a comical expression.

"Xiaoyi, if you're not a wolf, you'd better not be so hostile to your elders." Wang Lina's voice was gentle but firm, like a sister admonishing her naive brother. The wind outside the window continued to wail, mingling with the cries of a few unknown night birds, adding a touch of eeriness to this absurd vote.

(End of this chapter)