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

Chapter 583: Finding a Room
Qian Jin scratched his hair irritably, the hem of his suit rustling in the night breeze. "That's enough! If only I had come up earlier, everything would have been fine...it's because the client's requirements were so strict..." His voice was filled with regret and impatience.

Tang Yin listened quietly, secretly shaking his head. He was truly foolish to bring up the idea of ​​the Divine River pathogen. Under the moonlight, a self-deprecating smile played at the corner of his mouth.

As the night deepened, the distant mountains were completely engulfed in fog. From a physical perspective, that level of fog was indeed dangerous, with visibility practically zero. It was a perfectly adequate excuse for staying indoors. Tang Yin looked at Qian Jin's slightly flustered figure, lost in thought.

Qian Jin seemed to believe this superficial reason, and his confident look clearly showed that he was not going to die. But Tang Yin wondered if he really knew the dangers lurking in the thick fog, he would never come to the Hidden Mist Village at this time.

A cool breeze blew, carrying with it the uniquely damp scent of the mountains. It seemed that even among the elders, not everyone knew all the secrets. Tang Yin's gaze drifted toward the distant, half-disappearing old house where Hua Lu lived. However, Hua Lu must know something. Those clear yet unfathomable eyes held so many secrets. If possible, he should find a chance to ask her again.

Suddenly, Tang Yin's thoughts froze, as if struck by something. ...Hmm? I seemed to have heard something strange just now. He recalled Qian Jin's words. What did he mean by "so many people died just because of the fog..."?
At this moment, Zhao Gang's words suddenly echoed in his mind: "Have you seen the construction site above where the landslide occurred? Eight years ago, when Qian Jin was working on the construction at home, an accident happened there."

"They thought it was so scary that they didn't even bother to clean up. In the end, I was the one who dug out the workers' bodies and buried them." Zhao Gang's expression was extremely solemn at the time.

...Zhao Gang said he buried the workers' bodies. Tang Yin frowned, connecting the dots in his mind. However, the landslide occurred during fog, meaning it occurred during the Huangquan Ji Banquet. So, did he attend the banquet before?

Recalling the situation last time, in fact, most of the people in the Hidden Mist Village showed a kind of fear and panic in the face of the thick fog. Their eyes were full of fear of the unknown, like trapped animals in a maze.

Gao Zhijie, however, appeared remarkably calm, while the perpetually drunken Wolf Master kept on babbling, "Wolf!" Tang Yin couldn't help but think that it was highly likely they had attended a banquet before. After all, that kind of calm and composed attitude was definitely not something an ordinary person could possess.

...The situation of the others is unclear. Besides, even if we knew, what would it matter? Tang Yin smiled bitterly and shook his head, the night wind ruffling his hair.

But one thing is certain: the survivors of the feast will all admit, or at least tacitly acknowledge, the murder. This horrific truth weighed on Tang Yin's heart like a huge rock, suffocating him. The thick fog in the distance seemed to mock him silently, burying all secrets in this eerie white hell.

As night fell, Tang Yin's thoughts drifted to Wang Lina. Her pale face appeared before him, a subtle panic in her eyes. And then there were those three students, their fates seemingly shrouded in this foggy mystery.

Qian Jin stood in the courtyard's light, his suit pressed tightly, yet his expression of weariness could not be concealed. "...But those people from my family," he muttered, his voice thick with complex emotions.

"By the way, Qian Jin." Tang Yin suddenly spoke, his voice clearly breaking through the silence of the night sky.

Qian Jin leaned slightly to the side, "Hmm?"

"Is that construction site Qian Jin's family's land?" Tang Yin looked directly into the other person's eyes, trying to capture any subtle changes in his expression.

"Yes, what's wrong?" Qian Jin's tone was flat, as if he was talking about something very ordinary.

"Can I borrow that mobile home for a while?" Tang Yin asked carefully, his eyes casually sweeping across the hillside in the distance shrouded in thick fog.

Qian Jin narrowed his eyes, "...Use? What do you want to do?" There was a hint of vigilance in his voice.

"For outsiders in trouble, it's much better to spend the night there than in the car, right?" Tang Yin explained cleverly, with just the right amount of request in his voice.

"...Hmm." Qian Jin nodded thoughtfully.

Tang Yin stared at his back, thinking that he would definitely find an excuse to refuse, such as "I'm an elder, why should I worry about the affairs of the Hidden Mist Village?" But the current development was really unexpected.

Not long after, Qian Jin came back, holding an old-fashioned bronze key in his hand, which gleamed faintly in the moonlight.

"...It should be this key. After the accident, the previous owner put it here. I saw it in the key box." Qian Jin's tone was filled with a hint of reminiscence.

"Thank you so much!" Tang Yin said sincerely and took a step forward.

"Wait, did I say I'd lend it to you?" Qian Jin suddenly retracted his hand. "Besides, as an elder, why should I worry about the affairs of the Hidden Mist Village?"

Waiting for him here?! Tang Yin smiled bitterly in his heart.

"...You're right, I'm very sorry..." Tang Yin lowered his head slightly and looked apologetic.

"Huh, just kidding. I didn't say I wouldn't lend it to you." Qian Jin raised the corner of his mouth slightly, revealing a smile.

Humph, so arrogant? Tang Yin secretly complained in his heart.

"You're different from people like Zhao Gang and Wang Lina. You know how to respect your elders," Qian Jin said seriously. "Since that's the case, even if you're from Wuyin Village, I won't sit idly by. After all, the elders have an obligation to maintain the peace of the people of Baifeng Village."

"...I'm so grateful." Tang Yin thanked him again sincerely. "I see," he thought to himself. Regardless of whether he had the ability or not, this Qian Jin was truly the type to uphold his noble duties.

Taking the key, Tang Yin cast his gaze toward the distant hillside shrouded in mist. "Let's see if this prefab house is still usable," he thought silently, the key in his hand gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

Pushing open the door of the prefabricated house, a damp, moldy smell hit him. Tang Yin stood at the doorway, his eyes sweeping across the empty room. Aside from a rusty sink in the corner, all the facilities and supplies had been removed, leaving only the mottled walls to tell the traces of the past.

Moonlight streamed in obliquely through the broken window, casting mottled shadows on the floor. Debris littered the cold floor, making a crackling sound when stepped on. Tang Yin squatted down and wiped the ground with his hand, the dust spreading around his fingertips.

"It's not too bad," he thought to himself. With a simple cleanup and some blankets or cardboard, it could still be habitable. His eyes fell on the old sink. He walked over and turned the rusty faucet. Sure enough, there was no water. However, getting some water in a bucket to wash himself with should be enough.

Finding this empty room was a blessing in disguise. As for the dormitory, given the current situation, he had no right to demand it. Tang Yin leaned against the wall, his thoughts gradually becoming clearer. In any case, starting his investigation from the dormitory would be much more effective than asking around aimlessly.

A cool breeze drifted in through the broken window, and Tang Yin couldn't help but shudder. If this couldn't save them, then everything he had done would be in vain. "Forget it," he shook his head and glanced at his watch. "It's only noon now, so we should still make it."

Just then, my stomach gave an inopportune protest. Indeed, I hadn't eaten since morning. Just as I was thinking about finding something to eat, an indescribable, fishy smell suddenly penetrated my nose. It wasn't the usual smell of garbage, nor did it smell like sewers. It was more like... the smell of rotting animals.

Tang Yin's heart tightened, and the memory of last time instantly flooded back. Could there be a body? Without thinking about whether it was still safe, he suddenly rushed towards the direction of the smell.

——Boom!

The violent collision made him stumble back, as if he had hit an invisible wall. His vision blurred, and a low voice came to his ears: "What?"

"...Ah..." Tang Yin rubbed his aching forehead, stunned in place. When his vision returned to focus, he realized that he had bumped into Gao Zhijie, a hunter from the Hidden Mist Village.

"Are you that guy?" Gao Zhijie's voice came through the mask, sounding a little muffled.

This was the first time Tang Yin had seen Gao Zhijie up close and personal. She wore a hunting rifle slung across her back, but even more striking was the peculiarly shaped mask she wore. He remembered the first time he'd met Granny Rong, she'd been wearing a similar mask. He'd been too busy to get a closer look at the time, but now that he thought about it, this attire was truly unusual.

"...Sorry, I smelled a strange smell, so I wanted to come and see if anything was wrong." Tang Yin explained, secretly observing the other party's reaction.

"It's pickled animal meat." Gao Zhijie answered briefly.

"Hey?"

"We're pickling animal meat for the reporters." Gao Zhijie added, his tone as calm as if he was discussing the weather.

Tang Yin then remembered that Xia Hui had indeed come to the Hidden Mist Village for the exotic delicacies. He looked at Gao Zhijie's eyes, which were half visible behind his mask, and felt that they held some unknown secret.

Gao Zhijie turned to leave, but suddenly stopped. A low warning came from his mask: "Be careful, young man."

There was a certain depth in the tone, which made Tang Yin's heart tighten. He pretended to be calm and gave a polite smile: "Okay, then, what is your name?"

"Gao Zhijie." The other party answered briefly, and the voice seemed to come from far away.

Before he finished speaking, Mr. Gao had already walked away with steady steps. In his left hand, he was holding a package tightly wrapped in brown paper. He must have come to pick up his lunch box. Tang Yin watched his back as he walked away, and couldn't help swallowing.

"..."

Even through his heavy hunting suit, Gao Zhijie's intimidating figure could be seen. His muscular chest and broad shoulders didn't resemble the physique of an elderly man at all. This contrast gave Tang Yin a strange feeling.

He quickly shook his head, secretly laughing at himself for being like a young girl who had just fallen in love, and actually having wild thoughts about an old man's figure.

But now at least it was clear that the pungent smell was coming from the special dishes being prepared in the kitchen. Tang Yin took a deep breath, sorted his thoughts, and pushed open the cafeteria door.

Warm light immediately enveloped him, and the cafeteria was filled with the aroma of various seasonings. Mrs. Chen Xiang, who was busy at work, looked up and glanced at him with a hint of dissatisfaction: "Oh... where have you been? Come and help me."

Tang Yin's heart tightened, thinking to himself, "Oh no! I must find a way to redeem myself from Madam Chen Xiang's impression of me." He quickly explained, "Ah... Sorry, I just had to go find some money."

"Is there something? Did Qin Zhi tell you to do that?" Wang Lina suddenly interrupted, with a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

Tang Yin glanced around the cafeteria. Aside from the owner and a customer napping in a corner, the only other people present were reporters Xia Hui and Zhou Zhengxiong, intently filming something. Seeing them so diligently working, Tang Yin couldn't help but sigh in admiration. Perhaps they were so focused because they thought they had a place to stay for the night. But in reality, their accommodation problem was far from being truly resolved.

"Sorry to interrupt you at work," Tang Yin cleared his throat. "Qian Jin was worried that it would be inconvenient for you to stay in the car tonight, so he lent me the key to the mobile home."

"Oh." Xia Hui stopped holding the camera and looked at him in surprise.

Wang Lina even screamed exaggeratedly: "Hey hey hey hey? Did Qian Jin, that Zhi... really say that!?"

Tang Yin silently thanked Wang Lina for the information she accidentally revealed. It seemed that this was how they usually called Qian Jin.

"By the way," he continued, "it seems like there are other empty rooms. Maybe we can find a way to borrow them. After all, it's better to stay overnight in the house."

Xia Hui smiled gently: "Well, I appreciate your kindness, but there's no need to force yourself to ask for a room."

This kind of concern is indeed a normal thought. However, Wang Lina suddenly became excited: "Aunt Chen Xiang, we should lend them the empty room in the dormitory! If they can't even make money, it will be a disgrace to the Hidden Mist Village!"

"Well, well," Mrs. Chen Xiang said with some embarrassment, "I can't say much about this matter. However, although there aren't many strange people in the Hidden Mist Village, letting a young woman spend the night in a car is indeed..."

Just then, a familiar voice came from the door: "Chen Xiang, is the lunch box ready?"

Tang Yin's heart tightened. The key figure had finally appeared. Granny Rong stood at the door, her eyes sweeping across everyone's faces. "...What's wrong?"

"Qian Jin lent me the key to the mobile home, so at least one person can sleep in the house." Tang Yin looked directly into Grandma Rong's eyes, trying to capture the subtle changes in her expression.

"Oh...this..." There was some hesitation in Grandma Rong's tone, as if she was weighing something.

(End of this chapter)