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

Chapter 572: Multiple Failures
Morning light streamed into the police station office through the window lattice. Tang Yin was staring intently at the wanted posters on the wall. The ferocious faces seemed to penetrate the paper, giving him a chilling feeling. Just then, the door suddenly creaked, startling him.

A policeman in a dark blue uniform walked in under the morning light. His slightly overweight figure blocked most of the door frame. His bloodshot eyes sized Tang Yin up and down, surprise written all over his face.

"You didn't run away? You're quite brave." There was a hint of amusement in the policeman's voice.

Tang Yin raised his head, a smile on his lips: "Do you want me to run away?"

"Ah!?" The police officer widened his eyes, obviously not expecting such an answer.

Looking at the other person's surprised expression, Tang Yin sighed inwardly. This law enforcer clearly didn't appreciate his sense of humor.

"Well, I shouldn't have violated any laws, right?" Tang Yin asked cautiously, with a tentative tone in his voice.

"Name!" The police officer did not answer his question, but shouted sternly.

"Well, I'm Tang Yin, Tang from the Tang Dynasty, and Yin from the Hidden Mist Village." Tang Yin answered honestly while secretly observing the other party's reaction.

The police officer frowned and muttered, "What a strange name, just like that strange village halfway up the mountain, so weird." His eyes fell on Tang Yin, "Are you from the city?"

"Yeah, that's right." Tang Yin nodded, secretly complaining about this stereotype. But the other party guessed right.

"Age!" the police officer continued to ask, his tone still firm.

"Twenty-four years old."

"Ah? Occupation."

"student."

The police officer's expression suddenly became a little strange: "A college student? You should be very smart, right? How come you don't even have common sense!"

Tang Yin internally complained, "It's just a late-night drive, why make such a fuss?" He wanted to retort, but reason told him it was best to remain silent.

Suddenly, the police officer's tone calmed down: "What are you doing here?"

This question came suddenly, yet it was expected. Tang Yin knew that the next answer would directly affect his situation. At this moment, an inspiration suddenly flashed in his mind.

"Well, actually..." He hesitated deliberately, pretending to be unable to speak.

"Leniency will be given to those who confess." The police officer's voice was emotionless.

Tang Yin took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind: "I heard that the girl I like lives nearby, and I came here to find her."

"..." The police officer was silent, but Tang Yin keenly noticed a strange light flashing in his eyes.

The opportunity had arrived! Although the police officer tried hard to maintain a blank expression, the flames of gossip had already ignited in his slightly cloudy eyes. Tang Yin was secretly proud of himself. As expected, romantic gossip was the most powerful lubricant in human society, able to easily resolve any awkward situation.

After all, when someone falls in love, even the most outrageous things they do seem justifiable in the eyes of others. In the morning light, Tang Yin watched the police officer's expression gradually relax, and a subtle smile curved up the corners of his mouth.

As the morning light grew, the air in the police station office was so thick that one could almost hear the rustling of dust. The officer rubbed his temple, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. "Is that so? Well... That being said, I haven't heard of anyone here having been to Tokyo."

Tang Yin quickly waved his hands and explained: "No, we met somewhere else." His voice was soft and sincere, as if he was talking about a precious memory.

"Oh?" The policeman raised his eyebrows, obviously interested.

"Well, because of the sequelae of the flu, I rested in a holiday villa for a while--" Tang Yin's voice was tinged with sadness, and his eyes looked out the window, as if he was recalling that unforgettable past.

For the next ten minutes, Tang Yin's tearful voice echoed through the office. He described their rainy encounter, the tender moments they spent strolling through the gardens of the villa, and every heart-warming moment. Every detail in the story was meticulously crafted, painting a picture of a young romance that would move the heavens and earth, and move the gods.

The policeman, who had been sitting demurely behind his desk, had unconsciously relaxed his expression. When Tang Yin recounted the first time the girl invited him to her home, the battle-hardened officer's eyes sparkled like a young man's.

"It was drizzling that day, and she was standing at the door waiting for me with a pink umbrella..." Tang Yin's voice was tinged with sadness, "We soon fell in love. But..." He paused, as if suppressing the pain in his heart.

"But she couldn't let go of her longing for her hometown, and ultimately decided to put the relationship on hold. It was raining the day she said goodbye to me in tears..."

The office was completely silent, save for the soft sobbing of the policeman. He had already completely put himself in the role of the girl who had to leave in the story, and tears were glistening in his eyes.

"So you gave up everything in the city to come here to find her?" The police officer stood up excitedly and reached out to pat Tang Yin's shoulder to comfort him. His expression was filled with emotion and pity.

Tang Yin was secretly pleased with himself; it seemed his romantic story had completely won the policeman's heart. However, just as he was about to press on, the officer suddenly asked, "But is there such a young girl here...? Who is your fiancée?"

Hearing this question, Tang Yin chuckled inwardly. It was like that in small places like this, everyone knew everyone, and making up a random name would definitely give him away. However, he was prepared, and a shy smile appeared on his face: "Wang Lina."

The air suddenly froze. The police officer's expression instantly turned ashen, and he shouted sternly, "Go back."

"Huh?" Tang Yin was stunned. He didn't expect the other party's attitude to change so drastically.

"Go back. Go back now, immediately!" The police officer slowly stood up from his chair, his entire body emitting a suffocating sense of oppression. He approached Tang Yin step by step, his uniform casting a long shadow in the morning light, like an invisible wall.

Tang Yin looked at the other person's suddenly fierce eyes and felt as if he had stepped on some terrible landmine. The originally warm and affectionate atmosphere disappeared in an instant, replaced by a creepy tension.

The mountain mist gradually dissipated. A police officer, riding a slightly worn scooter, carried Tang Yin along a winding country road. Morning dew dampened the roadside weeds, and the air was filled with the fragrance of earth. Finally, at a fork in the road, the police officer stopped and watched Tang Yin embark on his journey away from Baifeng Village.

As Tang Yin watched the police disappear into the morning mist, his mind raced. He knew full well that Wang Lina had little connection to Baifeng Village; she often traveled outside the village, and the villagers knew little about her whereabouts. It was based on this assumption that he boldly wove a fictional love story with her as the protagonist.

However, the police officer's reaction to Wang Lina's name made Tang Yin feel uneasy. The sudden harshness, the almost instinctive rejection, was as if the name itself was an untouchable taboo.

"Could it be because of that incident?" Tang Yin recalled a rumor he'd heard before—that Wang Lina had nearly beaten a child to death with a baseball bat in Baifeng Village. Even so, the police's reaction was overly drastic. Even if her reputation was awful, it wouldn't cause a police officer, accustomed to such a storm, to lose his composure like that.

Sunlight penetrated the clouds, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Tang Yin paused, frowning in thought, "Is it because she's from the Hidden Mist Village?" This speculation seemed to explain some things. As a subsidiary village of Baifeng Manor, the existence of the Hidden Mist Village seemed to have been deliberately concealed. The people of Baifeng Manor might not want outsiders to know about this place, so they were eager to drive away any outsiders who inquired about it.

But this explanation only made things more suspicious. Why was such a simple village so secretive? There must be some unknown secret hidden within.

Just as Tang Yin was lost in thought, a thick fog suddenly rose around him. The white mist seemed to have life, quickly engulfing everything around it. The fog appearing at this time was clearly unusual. Could it be man-made? But there was no point in pursuing this now...

【GAME OVER】

[You have obtained one of the key clues: Taboo Name, please reload the file]

The scene distorted, as if time and space were forced to rewind. When G-chan resumed controlling Tang Yin, he found himself back in the police station office, sitting across from the police officer.

Sunlight slanted in through the gaps in the blinds, casting streaks of light on the desk. The police officer rubbed his swollen temples and looked at Tang Yin with a scrutinizing gaze: "What are you doing here?" After the previous lesson, Tang Yin decided to change his strategy. He took a deep breath and chose to tell the truth: "I was on a long road trip and accidentally got lost."

"Really?" The police officer narrowed his eyes, his tone clearly threatening. The atmosphere in the office suddenly became tense.

Tang Yin maintained a calm tone and continued to explain, "Really, I've been lost in the mountains for a few hours. I finally found a convenience store to ask for directions, and then I ended up here." He paused, then added, "The convenience store suggested I go to a village that wasn't marked on the map. However, I was worried about getting lost again, so I asked for directions here."

"It's a little strange, hmm..." The police officer stroked his chin thoughtfully, a subtle look in his eyes. An inexplicable, eerie atmosphere hung in the air.

The police station's fluorescent lights emitted a faint hum, remarkably clear in the still night. Tang Yin sat on a hard wooden chair, his gaze fixed on the burly policeman before him, and softly asked, "Is there really a village over there?"

"I don't know." The police officer subconsciously avoided Tang Yin's gaze and pretended to sort through the documents on his desk. His deliberate avoidance made his clumsy lie even more obvious. Tang Yin laughed to himself. This uncle was truly an honest man, he couldn't even lie.

The police officer cleared his throat and tried to change the subject: "Okay, I get it. You didn't do anything, did you?"

"Yeah." Tang Yin responded briefly.

The police officer frowned, his tone a bit warning: "Is that so? But, it's normal to be suspected if you're still wandering around so late, right?"

Looking at the gradually darkening sky outside the window, Tang Yin said tentatively, "Um, sorry, can I stay here tonight?"

"Okay, I'll tell you the way back." The policeman said firmly, completely ignoring the request for accommodation.

Tang Yin was stunned. He didn't expect the other party to refuse so decisively. "Well, I'm too tired to walk anymore." He pretended to be exhausted.

"The fact that you can say this means that there is nothing wrong with you!" The police officer ruthlessly exposed his disguise.

"Actually, gasoline also..." Tang Yin wanted to struggle.

"I'll give you some of the oil from my scooter." The police officer's attitude became more and more determined.

Tang Yin pretended to hold his stomach: "...Ah, I suddenly feel very uncomfortable."

"Is that so? Then you'd better leave quickly!" The police officer was unmoved and became more eager to drive the man away.

There was a strange atmosphere in the air, and Tang Yin finally couldn't help but ask directly: "What happened here?"

"Nothing." The police officer looked away again, looking even more suspicious.

Tang Yin sighed inwardly. This uncle's behavior was too deliberate, which only reinforced his suspicion that there was something fishy about this place. However, before he could ask further questions, the police officer insisted on escorting him out of the village.

In the end, Tang Yin could only watch as the thick fog enveloped the surroundings again.

【GAME OVER】

[Although you have failed twice in a row, you have unlocked new options. Go and try it. ]

The scene distorted again, and time and space went back. This time, Tang Yin chose a completely different strategy - to give it a try.

"What's it to you!" He suddenly stood up and yelled at the police.

The police officer clearly wasn't expecting this reaction: "Huh!?"

Tang Yin continued to press aggressively: "This is a society ruled by law! We have the freedom to travel! No matter when, no matter where I go, it's my freedom!!"

The police officer's face instantly darkened: "Are you tired of living, kid?"

"If I die, I die. Who's afraid of who?! I can't stand this feeling of living and dying anymore!" Tang Yin roared hysterically.

"Don't be so arrogant, you little bastard!" the police officer slammed the table and stood up.

Tang Yin seemed to have completely lost his mind: "Anyway, this time I'm definitely going to fail!! What should I do next time?! Dance naked?! You god with a bad taste!!"

"Shit!" the police officer cursed angrily.

"Stop talking so much nonsense, can't you just let me stay here? Will I die if you let me take the regular route to the Hidden Mist Village?!" Tang Yin continued to roar.

The police officer's expression suddenly became extremely serious. He pressed the intercom: "Are you crazy? What the hell is wrong with you?! Calling headquarters! Calling headquarters! Understood, execute the shoot-to-kill order!!"

A gunshot suddenly rang out in the silent night sky.

"Ah!!!" Tang Yin's screams echoed in the police station.

【GAME OVER】

[You have obtained three key clues, and new options have been unlocked by making earlier choices.]

……

G-chan was so angry that he smashed the motion sensing cabin: "What the hell is wrong with this game?"

Barrage: "Hahahahahahaha, I'm dying of laughter!"

Then, the game screen cut back to an earlier scene.

……

After driving for another thirty minutes, Tang Yin would almost reach Baifengzhuang.

This is the village of the head family, for whom the people of Kirigakure have complicated feelings.

Tang Yin decided to drink the wine he bought at the convenience store.

He stopped the motorcycle, set up the kickstand on the side of the road, locked it, then took out his driver's license, bank card, business card, ID card and other personal belongings from his wallet and hid them in the toolbox under the seat.

It's all going to end anyway, so let's drink first.

(End of this chapter)