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

Chapter 558: Poison in the food?

Tang Yin frowned, his mind quickly sorting through the information. The story Xiao Mei described seemed completely different from the long-standing legend of Baifeng Manor. Perhaps it was just a story she had seen in a picture book, or perhaps it was just her wild imagination. But regardless, these scattered pieces of information had nothing in common with the legend of Baifeng Manor.

However, as soon as this thought came to his mind, he immediately became alert. Was this judgment too arbitrary?
"Who told you this story?" Tang Yin tried to start with this question and get deeper into the details.

Xiao Mee raised her head and looked straight at him with her clear eyes: "It really happened." Her tone was firm, without a trace of hesitation.

"So, where did it happen?"

"A very far place." Xiaome's answer was still brief.

"Is it a very far place?" Tang Yin asked.

"It came from far, far away." The little girl's voice was light, as if she was telling a distant dream.

Tang Yin sighed in frustration. Clearly, he couldn't extract any valuable information from this four-year-old girl. However, a bold thought suddenly crossed his mind—if this story truly took place in some distant mythical world, could it reveal the truth behind the unknown legend of Baifeng Manor?
He shook his head violently, laughing at his own wild imagination. A mythical world? Such an idea was too naive and ridiculous.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Yin forced himself to calm down. The most important thing right now was to record this information, especially the description of the location, as it might come in handy later.

"Really? It's not easy, right?" he said gently, trying to calm Xiaome.

"I'm hungry..." Xiao Me suddenly rubbed her belly, with a hint of coquettishness in her voice.

"Yeah, me too. Shall we go back?"

"Ah."

Tang Yin turned and saw Wang Lina's figure looming in the thick fog, waving at them. Her outline was particularly blurred in the mist.

At this moment, Qian Jin's voice came from the cafeteria door: "...It's time to eat."

He leaned against the doorframe, his face pale and his eyes vacant. This once high-spirited young man now looked unusually haggard. The events of the past few days had clearly dealt a heavy blow to this proud man.

Tang Yin looked at him, a wave of sympathy welling up in his heart. He could understand Qian Jin's current feelings very well - his only friend, Hua Lu, had now become such a terrifying person. Even more terrible, although Qian Jin appeared to be desperately trying to save face, everyone could see that he was actually very dependent on his peer, Zhao Gang.

Qian Jin had indeed offered many valuable suggestions. Unfortunately, his blunt delivery often backfired. In a life-or-death situation like this, communication was paramount. Even the most sensible suggestions were in vain if they lacked the support and approval of the other players.

"Thank you very much." Tang Yin nodded slightly and thanked Qian Jin. Although Qian Jin had his shortcomings, at least his human identity was unquestionable. In such a dangerous environment, it was best to maintain a good relationship with him.

Under a gloomy sky, several figures slowly moved toward the cafeteria. The thick fog was like a giant net, enveloping all secrets.

Inside the dimly lit cafeteria, a faint smell of cooking fumes lingered in the air. The thick fog outside the window seemed to grow even thicker, as if it was about to swallow the entire building.

"Let's go." Tang Yin said softly, his eyes always scanning the surroundings vigilantly.

"Yeah!" Xiao Mee responded happily, skipping with light steps, in sharp contrast to the gloomy atmosphere.

Wang Lina came over quickly, her expression having returned to calm. She asked gently, "Are you hungry, Xiaome?"

Tang Yin felt a slight sense of relief as he watched Wang Lina calm down. He had just shared his analysis and speculation with her, hoping this information would help the banquet proceed in a favorable direction. The most important thing now was to replenish his energy and prepare for what might happen next.

Just then, Mrs. Chen Xiang came out of the kitchen. She was wearing a slightly faded navy blue cheongsam and holding a large, steaming pot. An apologetic look appeared on her face. "Sorry, these are just some simple meals."

The pot was filled with a thick, murky broth. Floating in the dark brown liquid were various chopped vegetables, scattered grains of rice, and some oddly brown slices of meat. The rich aroma seemed to be tinged with a faint fishy smell.

Wang Lina approached the pot, her eyes lighting up. "Is there any pickled animal meat? Is it cooked?"

"Well, it's inedible raw." Mrs. Chen Xiang replied as she began to serve soup to everyone.

"...Wang Lina." Tang Yin lowered his voice and called out with a serious expression.

"What should we do?" His voice was barely audible.

"Well... Tang Yin, do you want to eat?" Wang Lina turned her head with a questioning look in her eyes.

Tang Yin's heart tightened. Wasn't it agreed not to eat the food here? This sudden change caught him off guard. He was silent for a moment, his eyes lingering between the thick soup and Wang Lina.

"...Let me hold on until the last moment this time." He finally spoke, with a hint of determination in his voice.

"...OK, thank you." Wang Lina said softly, with a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

Tang Yin suddenly realized the incongruity of his words—why did he say "this time"? Could there be a next time? He shook his head secretly. Even if there really was a next time, he would never make such a dangerous choice. Avoiding death was always the top priority; it was the survival rule he had always adhered to.

"I won't go outside. I'll wait for you here." Tang Yin leaned against the wall, his eyes never leaving Wang Lina.

"Ok."

Mrs. Chen Xiang approached with a bowl of soup and asked with concern, "Would you like to eat some?"

"Well, actually I have food allergies." Tang Yin gave an apologetic smile, trying to hide his inner uneasiness.

Granny Rong, standing by, frowned, her tone slightly accusing: "...Young people shouldn't be picky eaters. It's not good for your health."

Hearing this, Tang Yin chuckled bitterly. While food allergies were a makeshift excuse, if he truly had allergies, wouldn't forcing him to eat be murder? This reminded him of some recent news he'd seen about allergy vaccine treatments. He'd have to investigate this once this incident was over.

He looked out the window at the thickening fog, then glanced at the empty corridor. Going back to the dormitory alone was clearly too dangerous. Although hunger was beginning to torment his stomach, what was this discomfort compared to the unknown danger? It was safer to wait here.

Under the dim light in the room, everyone's shadows were stretched out, casting strange shapes on the wall. Tang Yin leaned against the wall, watching all this silently, his mind churning with thoughts.

The lights in the cafeteria flickered, and Tang Yin suddenly realized that two people were missing. He frowned slightly, "...Where are Qin Ming and Xiaomei?"

Wang Lina was concentrating on the stew in front of her. She looked up when she heard the words and said, "Still upstairs..."

Mrs. Chen Xiang placed the last bowl of soup on the table and said gently, "Okay, eat it while it's hot."

Xiao Mei held up the empty bowl and shouted excitedly, "Add a little more!"

Watching this scene, Tang Yin stood up: "I'll go and ask them to come downstairs."

The wooden stairs creaked slightly under his feet, and a faint musty smell filled the air. When he reached the corner landing, he suddenly stopped. From deep inside the second floor came a rustling sound, as if someone was rummaging through something, mixed with a few muffled laughs. Tang Yin was stunned for a moment, and a thought quickly flashed through his mind - in just a few minutes, had their relationship become so close?
If that was the case, then his intrusion was clearly unromantic. However, dinner was indeed important, and under these circumstances, it wasn't appropriate for the two of them to be alone for too long. Thinking of this, Tang Yin coughed deliberately as he walked, his footsteps becoming especially heavy.

"It's time to eat—Oh, Qin Ming." He pretended to have just happened to see them.

Qin Ming turned around abruptly, his face still a little flustered: "Ah, hello!"

Gao Mei, who was standing aside, lowered her head, her cheeks flushed, and said nothing.

Tang Yin looked around. The room was in a mess, with all sorts of debris scattered on the floor. He asked tentatively, "Are you looking for something? Did you find it?"

"Well, Mom said the new apron was in the attic, but we couldn't find it, so we came here to check." Qin Ming spoke a little faster than usual.

"Really..." Tang Yin narrowed his eyes slightly.

Gao Mei suddenly raised her head, her voice trembling: "Did you see it?"

"Hey?"

Qin Ming quickly interrupted: "...Um, can this matter be kept secret from everyone?"

Tang Yin raised his hands, looking innocent: "Well, to be honest, I really didn't see anything."

"Ah, ah, um." Gao Mei responded stutteringly.

"Are you guys relaxing and staying healthy?" Tang Yin suddenly showed a mischievous smile.

"What do you mean!?" Gao Mei's face turned red instantly.

Tang Yin laughed dryly: "Ahaha, just kidding, how could I do something like that at a time like this?"

"You, you're right." Qin Ming's words began to stutter.

"Of course!" Gao Mei glared at Tang Yin angrily.

Looking at the two people's obviously unnatural reactions, Tang Yin secretly shook his head in his heart - is this really okay?
"Okay, let's go eat, shall we?" He turned and prepared to lead the way.

At this moment, a sharp collision sound came from downstairs, and the sound of "clang" echoed throughout the building.

"What's wrong!?" Gao Mei screamed.

Tang Yin and Qin Ming exchanged glances almost simultaneously, and both rushed towards the stairs. The scene downstairs left everyone stunned.

Qian Jin stood in the center of the cafeteria, his shoulders trembling, his face pale as paper. At his feet, a large porcelain bowl had shattered, its thick stew slopping onto the floor, steam still rising. Qian Jin's face, distorted and distorted, was reflected in the shattered shards, as if he had seen something unbelievable.

The air seemed to freeze at this moment, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the broken tableware and spilled chowder. No one dared to be the first to break the eerie silence.

Tang Yin's eyes flickered between Chen Xiang and the broken bowl. Was it really just because it didn't suit his taste? His intuition told him that things were far more complicated than that. The expression on Qian Jin's face said it all—it was fear from the bottom of his heart.

"...Why, why are you so excited all of a sudden?" Wang Lina's voice trembled. Although she didn't know exactly what was going on, the tense atmosphere in the air made her feel uneasy.

Qian Jin's lips turned slightly pale, and the sound was almost squeezed out from between his teeth: "——Head."

Granny Rong frowned and asked in confusion, "What do you mean..."

"Aconitum! This is Aconitum! There is Aconitum in the stew!" Qian Jin suddenly let out a roar, and the sound echoed in the empty cafeteria.

In an instant, everyone's expressions changed.

"——Xiao Mei! Have you eaten?!" Wang Lina suddenly turned to the girl beside her, her voice full of anxiety.

Xiao Mei was startled by this sudden question and answered timidly: "Mei... not yet..."

"Is there anyone else who hasn't eaten?!" Wang Lina looked around, her voice filled with unconcealable panic.

Tang Yin forced himself to calm down: "Wait, wait! What's going on... are you sure?"

Qian Jin squatted down and pointed at the scattered leaves on the ground with trembling fingers: "Look at these half-cooked leaves! They are shiny, the back is not white, and the top is very pointed! The taste is also very different! It is definitely not mugwort or two-wheeled grass!"

Granny Rong took a closer look and her face turned pale instantly: "Really, really, this is Aconitum..."

Qin Ming turned to his mother, his voice filled with disbelief: "...Did you put in some wild vegetables, Mom?"

"Yeah." Chen Xiang's answer was brief and plain, as if she was talking about today's weather.

"It's too, too dangerous! If we see it wrong, everyone will be poisoned--" Qin Ming was interrupted by Qian Jin before he could finish his words.

"--this--this woman wants to kill us--" Qian Jin's voice was filled with fear and anger.

Gao Mei tried to ease the tense atmosphere: "Wait, wait! It's just a misunderstanding, right? Don't say such harsh words..." But her voice became smaller and smaller, and finally disappeared completely in the suffocating silence.

Chen Xiang remained standing, her gaze fixed on Qian Jin like a knife. A faint smile played on her lips, but her eyes were as cold as ice. This contrast sent chills down the spines of everyone present.

"Ah."

This simple syllable hit everyone's heart like a hammer. It was not just a response to a specific question, but more like a confirmation of something.

Qian Jin subconsciously took a step back, the anger on his face completely replaced by fear. Sweat slid down his forehead, and his legs trembled slightly.

“——Hehe, hehe…” Chen Xiang suddenly chuckled.

"Mom...?" Qin Ming's voice was full of anxiety.

"Hehehe, hehehehahahahahahahahaha!"

Chen Xiang's laughter gradually grew from a chuckle to a roar of laughter, the piercing sound echoing throughout the cafeteria. That laughter contained an indescribable madness and distortion that sent shudders down one's spine. Her once gentle face was completely distorted, and her eyes gleamed with a chilling light.

(End of this chapter)