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

Chapter 604 Who will the wolf kill tonight?
Tang Yin wiped the utensils in his hands while listening carefully to Wang Lina's conversation. It turned out she was majoring in linguistic anthropology. When others curiously inquired about her major, she simply said she was reading books and writing reports, not engaging in any rigorous academic research. This made sense, though. After all, as Zhao had just hinted, it seemed like an unwritten rule in the village not to discuss banquet matters outside of the banquet itself.

The atmosphere in the cafeteria was indeed much more harmonious than it had been that morning. Sunlight streamed in through the foggy windows, adding a touch of warmth to the crowded space. Tong Xiaoliang occasionally turned his head to chat with Wolf Master, who sat in a daze in the corner, a faint smile always on his young face. Qian Jin would occasionally glance at Hua Lu out of the corner of his eye, his concern hard to ignore.

Tang Yin noticed Xia Hui sitting alone, her slender fingers unconsciously rubbing the rim of her cup, a hint of unease in her eyes. He'd have to find a chance to chat with her once he finished his work. Although everyone seemed separated by an invisible wall, and the space felt a bit cramped, it was indeed a rare moment of peace.

However, the more this appearance persisted, the more uneasy Tang Yin felt. The current situation wasn't optimistic at all. No matter how relaxed everyone seemed at the moment, someone was bound to be targeted tonight. While it was better than everyone being gloomy, it was truly worrying that, in this relaxed atmosphere, no one had bothered to analyze or summarize today's banquet.

Tang Yin's gaze slowly swept across the cafeteria, his mind racing. Judging from today's banquet, many people could become targets of wolves, especially those who posed a threat to them. The two people leading the banquet today—Old Man Gao and Qin Ming—had both demonstrated extraordinary abilities, possessing not only the qualities of apes but also exceptional leadership skills.

They all emphasized the importance of execution and suggested that personal preferences should be disregarded and the executioner chosen calmly. These arguments were not objectionable in themselves, but the problem lay in Mr. Gao's overly forceful attitude, like a blunt knife, slicing at people's fragile nerves. And as Mr. Gao harshly pointed out, Qin Ming's explanation was insufficient, and his unselfconscious naiveté was also unacceptable.

To make matters more difficult, the two men didn't get along. While Old Man Gao's wrinkled face always inspired awe, the young people, led by Qin Yi and Tong Xiaoliang, often ignored him. At this moment, the cafeteria was peaceful, but Tang Yin could sense an undercurrent. Sunlight filtering through the windowpanes slowly moved across the floor, silently recording the passage of time. Every second pushed them closer to tonight's inevitable fate.

The clock hanging on the wall ticked, like some kind of relentless countdown. Tang Yin sighed deeply, wiped the last of the dishes clean, and returned them to their place. Regardless, the most important task now was to maintain a clear mind, capturing every detail that could potentially determine life or death beneath this seemingly peaceful surface.

Tang Yin's wiping of the dishes slowed slightly, but his thoughts raced. The human camp's primary goal should have been to eradicate the wolf plague, but at this critical moment, the struggle for leadership between Elder Gao and Qin Ming complicated the situation even further. If their philosophies clashed, the situation would devolve into a generational struggle between the young and the old, consuming all time and energy in this pointless internal conflict.

His gaze swept across every corner of the cafeteria, watching the oil lamps cast dancing shadows on the walls. If this situation truly devolved into that, the human camp would likely be doomed to failure. He could only hope that Qin Ming, who had finally fallen silent today, would rally tomorrow and reach some delicate balance of power with Elder Gao, leading to cooperation. Of course, if they could also save their own lives in the process, that would be even better.

The cutlery in his hands shimmered faintly in the light, and Tang Yin couldn't help but wonder what the wolf would think of these two. Would he choose to exclude them and watch them continue their internal strife, or would he eliminate them directly? Both options were possible. If the wolf targeted others, it would have a chance to eliminate the protector besides the ape. Once this important weight was placed on the scale, which side would the wolf choose?

Amidst the gurgling sound of water, his thoughts turned to other noteworthy figures. Zhao Gang, a burly figure, was leaning against the wall, caught between the generational gap between youth and elders. While it was unknown how he would act next, his opinion could undoubtedly influence a significant number of floating votes. As for Qian Jin, while his influence on the vote was limited, he might well be able to win over key figures like Granny Rong to protect Hua Lu.

Speaking of Hualu, she was sitting quietly in a corner, her slender fingers gently caressing the teacup. Meanwhile, Xiaome was fiddling with the cutlery in the other corner, her head lowered. Both of them exuded a fragile aura that required protection. This was Tang Yin's intuitive judgment, but of course, if this judgment was wrong, the consequences would be disastrous.

Pausing to wipe the dishes, Tang Yin's gaze strayed over to Tong Xiaoliang, who was chatting and joking with Master Wolf. An unfathomable smile graced that young face, a true troublemaker. His voting principle was shockingly simple—whatever was fun, whatever. While his impulsive decision had been a big help this time, the chances of him getting back at him were clearly greater next time. The uncertainty hidden beneath that smile was like a ticking time bomb.

Finally, every last cutlery item was polished to a gleaming shine. Tang Yin breathed a sigh of relief, watching the sun gradually set outside the window. The sounds of chatter and laughter in the cafeteria continued to rise and fall, as if masking some impending storm. Beneath this seemingly peaceful afternoon, a turbulent undercurrent surged. Everyone was playing this survival game in their own way, and the truth and lies, like the thick fog outside the window, made it difficult to see the road ahead.

Chen Xiang came over with a cup of steaming tea and a gentle smile on her face: "Thank you for your hard work, have a cup of tea." The aroma of tea slowly drifted in the air, bringing with it a reassuring warmth.

"Thank you very much." Tang Yin took the teacup and walked across the counter to the tables filled with diners. The wooden floor creaked slightly under his feet, and the dim light stretched his shadow.

Qin Ming raised his head, a smile on his slightly tired face: "Hello, thank you for your hard work."

Wang Lina, who was sitting next to him, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and looked at Tang Yin curiously: "It seems you have gotten used to the work here?"

"I used to do this at home." Tang Yin shrugged, his tone flat.

Zhao Gang's burly figure leaned forward slightly, his eyes sweeping over the young people present: "That's remarkable. You can't accept favors from others. You must study hard."

Gao Mei quickly lowered her head and replied, "I understand, Brother Gang." A blush appeared on her round face.

Tong Xiaoliang curled his lips and looked mischievous: "I don't know, I'll go and smash all the bowls that the man who was holding his pee has fixed." He was wearing a puffy skirt today, and the light-colored fabric had a soft luster under the light.

"Let's not worry about the bowl for now. Stop calling me that." Tang Yin rubbed his temples. This nickname was really a headache.

"Then what do you want me to call you?" Tong Xiaoliang tilted his head and looked at him expectantly.

"Like, Uncle Tang?"

"Well, that's good. Then you can call me Xiaoliang." Tong Xiaoliang blinked, and the hem of his skirt swayed gently with his movements.

"Hey, Xiaoliang." Tang Yin greeted him cooperatively.

Zhao Gang suddenly interrupted, "...By the way, Tang Yin, aren't you going to complain about his women's clothing?"

Oh no! Tang Yin's heart tightened, but he remained calm on the surface: "It suits him very well. This style is also very popular recently."

"Isn't it cute?" Tong Xiaoliang turned around proudly, her skirt fluttering.

Zhao Gang frowned. "No way? Are there a lot of people like this in big cities?"

"A little bit." Tang Yin carefully considered his words.

"I don't understand either..." Zhao Gang shook his head and added, "Ah, but Xiaoliang is a very special person, so I won't think too much about it."

Tong Xiaoliang stood up suddenly, his skirt rippled as he moved: "Because I'm a genius!"

"It's a natural disaster." Qin Ming said suddenly, then turned to Tang Yin: "Okay, Tang Yin, is it convenient now?"

His words were like a stone dropped into a calm lake, and the atmosphere in the cafeteria froze instantly. The thick fog outside the window seemed to grow even thicker, suffocating. "...I just said it..." Zhao Gang's voice carried a hint of warning.

Qin Ming waved his hand gently: "Yeah, I know. But I don't have any conspiracy, because I am a monkey." There was a hint of self-mockery in his tone.

Zhao Gang was silent for a moment: "Okay...be careful to stop when you've reached a certain point."

"Well... let's go upstairs." Qin Ming stood up, the wooden chair making a harsh scraping sound on the floor. Tang Yin noticed that the others' gazes were vaguely following them, as if they were watching something dangerous. The air in the cafeteria seemed to freeze, only the wind outside the window continued to howl recklessly.

……

A dim light streamed in from the stairwell on the second floor, and the wooden floorboards creaked softly underfoot. Tang Yin followed Qin Ming, feeling uneasy. "Is this really okay? A confidential conversation or something?"

Qin Ming's back looked particularly tall and straight in the dim light. His voice was firm: "Well, after all, it has been made clear that we want to talk. I also want to find an opportunity to communicate openly with everyone."

Tang Yin wondered to himself, was this meant to appear fair? Would this approach really work? The thick fog outside the window seemed to grow even thicker, shrouding the entire second floor in a hazy haze.

Qin Ming suddenly stopped, turned around, and stared at Tang Yin with a sharp gaze: "First of all, do you believe me?"

"There is no reason to doubt you now." Tang Yin looked straight into his eyes with a calm tone.

"...Tang Yin, are you the protector?" Qin Ming's voice became even lower.

"I can't say that." Tang Yin shook his head slightly.

"why?"

"After I tell you, your attitude will definitely change subtly. It will be troublesome if others notice." Tang Yin's eyes swept over the faint voices coming from downstairs. "I won't tell anyone until I survive tonight."

Qin Ming sighed softly: "...Okay. Then who do you think is a suspect?"

"do not know."

“Who isn’t suspicious?”

Tang Yin thought for a moment, "...Wang Lina, Hua Lu, and Xiao Mei." He added, "Why do you think so? Then tell me a few people you suspect?"

A complicated look flashed across Qin Ming's eyes: "I understand your feelings, but in my opinion, Tang Yin, you yourself are very suspicious."

Tang Yin remained unmoved and continued to explain, "If Wang Lina is a wolf, the risk of stepping forward and willingly dying is simply too high."

"But Wang Lina doesn't even have one vote." Qin Ming retorted.

"No one had proposed a vote at the time. Everyone was just discussing nominating candidates for execution, and Wang Lina was the first to volunteer for sacrifice." Tang Yin's tone grew firmer. "Unlike you or Xiaomei, there's no one here who would risk their own interests to protect her family. From a wolf's perspective, isn't this behavior too reckless?"

"...Let me say something." Qin Ming suddenly spoke.

"what happened?"

"I think so too."

The two of them smiled knowingly at the same time, as if they had found a trustworthy companion in this crisis-ridden environment.

Qin Ming continued, "...However, I'm not quite sure about the other two. Especially Hua Lu. We can't rule out the possibility that she's deliberately imitating Wang Lina to gain trust. Maybe she has other plans in mind."

"Indeed, you are right." Tang Yin nodded in agreement.

"..." Qin Ming hesitated, then seemed to think of something, "Well, actually, if you think about it carefully, it's more likely that she said this just to avoid losing to Sister Lina."

"Huh?" Tang Yin didn't react for a moment.

"... Before the fog appeared, Hualu and Sister Lina were already jealous of you, Tang Yin, right?" Qin Ming's tone was filled with a hint of sarcasm.

Tang Yin froze in place, his heartbeat suddenly accelerating. How did he know? He clearly felt that there was no one around at the time...

As if noticing Tang Yin's confusion, Qin Ming explained, "We didn't have much homework yesterday, so we finished it quickly. Then, when the three of us went to the cafeteria together, we happened to pass by that area."

The thick fog outside the window continued to roll in, shrouding the entire world in a grayish white. Tang Yin gazed out the window and suddenly realized that in this game of life and death, everyone was wearing a mask, and the truth, like the thick fog outside the window, was elusive. Personal feelings and the game of survival were intertwined, making the situation even more complicated and unpredictable.

(End of this chapter)