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

Chapter 605 Myth
Tang Yin felt his face getting hot, and he could only force himself to laugh calmly: "Is that so? It seems there are really no secrets here, hahaha." The laughter sounded particularly awkward in the empty corridor on the second floor.

"Calm down." Qin Ming's expression remained serious. Sunlight slanted in through the window at the end of the corridor, casting long, narrow streaks of light and shadow on the floor. Tang Yin recalled the previous conversation and suddenly felt uneasy. Did he say something he shouldn't have?

Qin Ming leaned gently against the wall, his eyes piercing: "Let's not talk about this for now. Tang Yin, can you tell me the basis for your certainty?"

"Uh~it's just intuition." Tang Yin lowered his eyes, avoiding the other person's gaze.

"...Intuition?" Qin Ming's voice was filled with obvious doubt.

"Yeah." Tang Yin nodded. He had actually been planning to tell Qin Ming, but then he changed his mind and decided that now was the wrong time to tell the truth. The faint sound of voices coming from downstairs made the silence seem even more oppressive.

"No one here will hear it." Qin Ming's tone was suggestive.

Tang Yin shook his head slightly, a wry smile on his lips: "It's really just a hunch. Besides, if I were to point out a mistake of yours, you can hear me from here, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. Maybe this is the right thing to do." Qin Ming nodded thoughtfully. Tang Yin secretly regretted that he had made a mistake and shouldn't have mentioned Xiao Mei's matter. He hoped that he would not continue to pursue the matter.

Unfortunately, things went against his wishes. Qin Ming suddenly said, "If Xiaome died tonight, could I doubt you?"

The air seemed to freeze. Tang Yin could sense that the other party was testing him, a subtle feeling. He took a deep breath: "...I don't know why you think this way? If I were a wolf, wouldn't it be suicide to provide you with this information?"

"...Okay, I get it." Qin Ming's eyes were still sharp. "Then if anyone else dies, I'll suspect you."

"It's too strict. Can you trust me now?" Tang Yin said with a wry smile. The sunlight outside the window gradually dimmed.

Qin Ming's expression relaxed slightly. "Then I'll trust you to a minimum extent for now. However, I can't completely trust anyone until the end of the banquet."

"...Even if it's your friends or family?" Tang Yin asked tentatively, then added: "I really want to say I believe it."

"But when I think about what happened to the Gao family, I know I can't be so naive." Qin Ming's voice was low, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

...So he had his doubts too? Tang Yin looked at Qin Ming's slightly tired profile, not knowing what to say for a moment. The light coming through the window at the end of the corridor grew dimmer, as if foreshadowing something. The sounds of laughter and chattering downstairs continued to come intermittently, forming a sharp contrast with the solemn atmosphere on the second floor. This secret conversation seemed to have revealed more mysteries, but it also brought about new questions. In this crisis-ridden environment, trust, like the fading sunlight outside the window, has become increasingly precious and fragile.

Qin Ming's figure looked particularly thin in the shadow of the corridor. He looked into the distance through the window: "Besides, someone is indeed dead. Let's not talk about whether the incident was man-made or not." His voice was low and hoarse, as if he was telling a past event that he didn't want to mention.

The wooden floor made a slight sound when he turned around, and he continued, "If someone dies tonight and the murderer doesn't surrender..." Before he finished speaking, a cold wind blew in from the window, making people shiver.

"That means the murderer has accepted the role of the wolf, started killing people and deceiving everyone." Qin Ming's eyes sharpened, as if he were looking at an invisible enemy. The sunlight reflected a cold light on his glasses.

He raised his hand to push up his glasses and continued, "Although it's different from the general legal concept, in this dire situation, doing this actually carries the risk of being punished."

Tang Yin leaned against the wall in the corridor, feeling the rough texture of the wall: "...So that's how it is, you have justified the murder."

"Justification... sort of. You're right, I'm right. If I hadn't convinced myself otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to bear it." Qin Ming's voice was bitter. The noise coming from downstairs seemed to contrast sharply with the heavy atmosphere here.

Tang Yin looked at Qin Ming's slightly tired profile and silently weighed the pros and cons in his mind: Which behavior is more human? Should he live even if it means changing his correctness, or stick to his correctness even if it means dying? The question lingered in his mind.

"Is your ambition to become a legal scholar or something like that?" Tang Yin tried to ease the atmosphere.

A bitter smile appeared on Qin Ming's lips: "...Yes, I want to study law, but it's impossible now." The sunlight was gradually obscured by dark clouds, and the entire corridor fell into darkness.

"Don't be so pessimistic." Tang Yin's voice echoed in the empty corridor.

"If I survive, it means that all the wolves will be hanged." Qin Ming's words were filled with a heaviness that was difficult to conceal.

Tang Yin thought to himself, Qin Ming is indeed very clever. The logic in his words is so tight that it's hard to refute. However, he values ​​correctness over everything else, which might not be a good thing in his current situation. Tang Yin was a little worried. While his theoretical armament seemed perfect, it wasn't without flaws. This over-pursuit of correctness might actually lead him to a trap.

"Okay, I understand. Let's leave it at that." Tang Yin said softly, his eyes falling on the dusty window at the end of the corridor.

Qin Ming sighed deeply: "...Even we are almost breathless with the current situation. You just moved here, so it must be even more uncomfortable for you." There was a hint of concern in his voice, but it was mixed with unspeakable complex emotions.

The sky outside the window grew darker, as if foreshadowing an impending storm. The air in the corridor grew increasingly heavy, even the laughter and chatter from downstairs seemed particularly harsh. This conversation revealed too many unfavorable truths, yet it also built an invisible barrier between the two. Tang Yin watched Qin Ming's back and realized that in this crisis-ridden environment, everyone was struggling to survive in their own way.

The light in the corridor had grown dimmer. Tang Yin looked out the window at the deepening dusk and said softly, "How should I put it... I've lost everything, so I'm actually quite calm right now. Actually, I'm more worried about Xia Hui."

Qin Ming's glasses reflected a faint light in the dim light: "...I want to avoid meaningless sacrifices as much as possible, and I hope she can understand." There was a hint of fatigue in his voice.

"I'll keep this in mind. Also, you should be careful not to have a head-on conflict with Mr. Gao." Tang Yin reminded, his eyes inadvertently sweeping across Qin Ming's tense shoulders.

"Yes, you're right." Qin Ming nodded slightly. The conversation went smoothly, and Tang Yin gained some of Qin Ming's trust. However, on the way back to the cafeteria, Tang Yin secretly made up his mind that he would never avoid other people's spies again. Such behavior would easily arouse suspicion.

In the cafeteria, the orange light stretched everyone's shadows. Tang Yin chatted with everyone, his eyes always searching for the right opportunity. Finally, he saw a figure huddled in a corner.

"...Alas?" Xia Hui raised her haggard face, the pen in her hand pausing mid-air. A thick notebook lay spread out before her, its dense handwriting filling nearly every page.

Tang Yin walked closer: "Are you sorting out what happened here?"

Xia Hui trembled slightly like a frightened rabbit and hurriedly stuffed the notebook into the bag beside her: "...Yes, after all, we have to call the police as soon as we leave here, so we have to organize the evidence..."

Tang Yin nodded secretly in his heart. This was indeed a correct idea. Last time, he had never thought of going to this extent. He pulled over a chair and sat down gently. "...If you have time, can I ask you a question?"

"What's the problem?" Xia Hui pushed her glasses, and there was a hint of vigilance in her eyes behind the lenses.

"As a former paranormal columnist, what do you think about the legends here?" Tang Yin asked in a low voice.

Xia Hui smiled wryly and waved her hand. "...It's just a title. I'm really no different from an outsider." Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the zipper of her bag. "But this doesn't really seem like a Japanese legend."

"Yeah." Tang Yin responded softly.

Xia Hui suddenly became a little uneasy: "...Um, do you want to continue? This isn't a topic that will make everyone happy, right?"

At that moment, Tang Yin noticed a sudden silence around him. Turning around, he saw that everyone else in the cafeteria was vaguely glancing toward this corner. Some were pretending to look out the window, while others were looking down at their cutlery. But the subdued atmosphere clearly indicated that their conversation had garnered considerable attention.

The atmosphere in the cafeteria was so solemn that it seemed like water could drip out of it, but Wang Lina suddenly smiled, with curiosity flashing in her eyes: "Who knows? I'm very interested." Her voice broke the suffocating silence.

"I'm not interested." Qin Yi curled his lips and turned to look at the darkening night outside the window.

Gao Mei tucked her long hair behind her ears and muttered softly, "...I'm bored anyway."

Tong Xiaoliang's skirt swayed gently as she turned to Hua Lu, who was sitting elegantly beside her. "What about you, Sister Hua Lu? This is also an area of ​​expertise for you, right?"

Hualu lowered her head slightly, her fingers gently stroking the rim of her teacup. "...No, the Zhao family is responsible for the sacrifices, but actually, I'm a little interested." She paused, then added, "Hearing outsiders talk about our faith is a rare experience."

Grandma Rong's hunched figure looked particularly old under the light: "...Since Lady Hualu said so, then I have no objection." A complicated look flashed in her turbid eyes.

Everyone else remained silent, their gazes either overtly or covertly directed at Xia Hui. Xia Hui took a deep breath, adjusted her glasses, and began her analysis: "...In the polytheistic worldview, most gods are mortal. However, cases of ordinary people killing gods are surprisingly rare."

Her voice was calm, but her fingers restlessly traced the edge of her notebook. "Especially, I couldn't even begin to comprehend that in Shinto mythology, only gods or heroes close to gods can kill them. This phenomenon might be related to justifying godslayer. If the godslayer lacks power close to that of a god, then the act of killing gods is unconvincing."

The light from the cafeteria cast a faint glare on her glasses. Xia Hui continued, "...In local legends, whether it's a wolf or a snake, they are the guardian beasts and dependents of the mountain god, equivalent to gods, just like the relationship between the Inari god and the fox. We also have cases of dependent worship, including shrines where snakes, monkeys, crows, and wolves are worshipped as messengers of the gods."

"Is that so?" Tang Yin asked casually, but in fact every nerve in his body was tense.

"Well, when it comes to wolf worship, the most famous place is Chichibu. Have you heard of Mitsumine Shrine? The stone statue at the entrance of the shrine was changed from a Komainu to a wolf." Xia Hui's voice gradually lowered.

Tang Yin sighed inwardly. Who could possibly remember all this specialized knowledge? However, he noticed that as Xia Hui continued to talk, the atmosphere in the cafeteria seemed to grow more solemn. Outside the window, the night had completely enveloped the earth, with only the dim light from the cafeteria still lingeringly illuminating the space.

Xia Hui's voice echoed in the cafeteria, as if she was telling an ancient legend: "In addition, in Kumano beliefs, there is also a belief in the Three-legged Yatagarasu, and Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine enshrines monkeys." Her fingers unconsciously drew circles on the notebook.

Wang Lina held her chin with both hands, her eyes sparkling with curiosity: "Hey...where is the snake?" Her long hair shone softly under the light.

"...Okami Shrine is famous, right? The Daimononushi enshrined there is the snake god." Xia Hui pushed up her glasses, the lenses reflecting the dim light. She paused, her voice gradually lowering. "In short, even if there are legends of ordinary people collaborating with other followers to kill gods... it's extremely rare."

The air seemed to freeze, and Xia Hui's words abruptly stopped. The only sounds in the cafeteria were the chirping of insects outside the window, and the occasional cry of an unknown bird, adding a touch of eeriness.

After a moment, Xia Hui seemed to suddenly remember something, her eyes lighting up. "By the way, in the story about the banquet, did you find the plot of getting the Wolf God drunk and then killing him familiar?"

Tang Yin frowned, tapping his fingers lightly on the table: "...Are you talking about the island legend of Susanoo defeating the giant snake?"

"Ah, I know!" Wang Lina suddenly sat up straight with excitement, "It's the legend that Susanoo disguised himself as a sacrificial woman, got the Yamata no Orochi drunk, and then killed her, right?" There was a hint of excitement in her voice, as if she had completely forgotten her current situation.

Xia Hui nodded slightly, her fingertips gently rubbing the edge of the notebook. "That's right. The legends here are probably rooted in various stories, including the slaying of the giant snake, just like most myths and folk tales."

(End of this chapter)