You said you would make games by yourself, but how did you become the richest man by doing nothing?

#525 - Eligibility for the Banquet

The atmosphere in the cafeteria was like a pot of water about to boil, with undercurrents swirling. Just then, Wang Lina suddenly made an unexpected move. Her bright eyes sparkled with an unusual light, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, as if she had everything under control.

"Miss Hualu, please wait a moment," she said. Her voice was clear and pleasant, but with a hint of firmness that could not be ignored.

The white-haired girl, Hualu, stopped and turned to face Wang Lina, a trace of doubt flashing in her deep, pool-like eyes. Wang Lina calmly pointed to Tang Yin, her voice with a hint of deliberate levity:

"He is Tang Yin, a traveler who was involved in the accident on the Godhead River."

Tang Yin was caught off guard by this sudden introduction. He scratched his head subconsciously and said awkwardly, "...Ah, hello."

His brain was racing, trying to understand Wang Lina's sudden introduction. Did she have the mind to engage in social pleasantries in this tense atmosphere?

Wang Lina seemed to see through Tang Yin's confusion. She turned her gaze to Hualu, a meaningful smile on her lips. "This is Miss Hualu, a rare name, isn't it? Don't let her appearance fool you; she is the current head of the Hua family, one of the major families of Baifeng Village."

Hualu nodded slightly, a hint of imperceptible vigilance flashing in her deep eyes. "Please take care of me," she said. Her voice was like a clear mountain spring, cold and with a hint of majesty.

Tang Yin was secretly surprised, never expecting that this seemingly young white-haired girl was actually the head of a prestigious family. His thoughts drifted to Qian Jin, remembering that he also seemed to come from a prominent background. How many unknown secrets were hidden in this village shrouded in mist?

Wang Lina's voice sounded again, this time she pointed to the purple-haired loli: "She is Xiaomei, we don't know her real name, we can only call her that."

Tang Yin followed Wang Lina's direction and looked at Xiaomei. The purple-haired loli was looking at him curiously with her big eyes. He tried to give her a friendly smile: "Hello, Xiaomei?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiaomei's shoulders suddenly trembled, as if she had been startled by something. This subtle reaction attracted the attention of those around her.

Chen Xiang's face flashed with panic: "Oh no..."

Zhao Gang frowned: "Uh..."

Chen Xiang immediately moved through the crowd, hiding behind Hualu like a frightened deer, her eyes full of worry and unease.

Zhao Gang's gaze sharpened. He stared at Wang Lina, his tone with a hint of warning: "What do you want to do, Wang Lina?"

Wang Lina was not intimidated by Zhao Gang's questioning. On the contrary, her expression became more confident: "I suggest excluding Tang Yin from the [Banquet]."

This sentence was like a bombshell, exploding in the cafeteria. Everyone trembled involuntarily, and a strange sense of tension filled the air.

Gao Zhijie frowned, his voice with a hint of displeasure: "Lina, don't act on your own authority."

Zhao Gang immediately echoed: "Whether Tang Yin is a suspect or not must be decided by the [Banquet], right?"

Their expressions and expectations were very serious, as if this so-called [Banquet] was a matter of life and death.

Wang Lina calmly raised the corners of her mouth slightly: "Don't misunderstand, I mean he is not qualified to participate in the banquet, Brother Gang."

As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Yi couldn't help but interject. This boy, who looked like he was still in high school, had his face full of confusion and incomprehension: "What do you mean, Sister Lina? He is the most suspicious person, right!"

Wang Lina did not directly answer Qin Yi's question, but instead asked: "Xiaoyi, have you completed the [Pre-Banquet Preparations]?"

Qin Yi was caught off guard by this sudden question. He stammered: "Huh? ...C-Completed."

Wang Lina's gaze swept over everyone present, her voice with a hint of provocation: "Has anyone not completed them?"

The entire cafeteria fell into a strange silence. Tang Yin felt as if he was in a battlefield without gunpowder, and everyone's expression became complicated. Some were lost in thought, some were exchanging meaningful glances, and others were fidgeting uneasily.

Tang Yin's brain was racing, trying to understand the information hidden in this conversation. What secrets were hidden behind these words, [Banquet] and [Pre-Banquet Preparations]? Why did Wang Lina bring up these questions at this time?

He noticed that when Wang Lina said these words, everyone present had subtle reactions. Some had fear in their eyes, some clenched their fists, and others subconsciously took a step back. These reactions told Tang Yin that this so-called [Banquet] was by no means a simple gathering.

...

Finally, Tang Yin plucked up his courage and broke the suffocating silence. His voice trembled slightly, with a hint of uncertainty: "...Um, what does [Pre-Banquet Preparation] mean?"

Wang Lina's gaze pierced Tang Yin like a sword, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, revealing a meaningful smile. "The reporter who didn't complete the [Pre-Banquet Preparation] has already been contaminated, but Tang Yin has not been contaminated. I think [Qianming God] ignored him."

This sentence exploded in everyone's hearts like a bombshell. Tang Yin felt dizzy, and a question echoed in his mind: What does this mean?

Wang Lina seemed to see through everyone's doubts, her voice clear and firm: "Although he was found in the Godhead River, he is just an ordinary traveler. In other words, he will hinder the [Banquet]." She paused, her eyes becoming sharper, "No, it should be said that if he participates in the [Banquet], it will anger Qianming God, and may even implicate us."

Zhao Gang's brow furrowed, he turned to a kind old woman, his voice with a hint of entreaty: "Granny Rong, what do you think?"

Granny Rong's weathered eyes stared straight at Tang Yin, her voice hoarse but full of authority: "...You really didn't complete the [Pre-Banquet Preparation]?..."

Tang Yin felt confused and uneasy, he shook his head subconsciously: "...What exactly is [Pre-Banquet Preparation]?"

Granny Rong's gaze deepened, and she slowly uttered three mysterious words: "[Xie], [Object Taboo], [Dream Pillow]..."

Wang Lina immediately took over, explaining: "Wash your body, close yourself in a room, and sleep until dawn. These three things."

Tang Yin recalled his experience last night, and couldn't help but smile wryly: "Then I didn't complete it. Although I locked myself in the latrine, I didn't take a bath or sleep."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire cafeteria was in an uproar. People talked and whispered, and a strange sense of tension filled the air.

A trace of confusion flashed across Granny Rong's face, her voice with a hint of helplessness: "...I don't know... I'm also encountering this kind of thing for the first time." Her tone was not like she was shirking responsibility, but rather revealing a genuine confusion.

Wang Lina turned her gaze to the white-haired girl, her voice with a hint of respect: "Miss Hualu, what do you think?"

Hualu was silent for a moment, a trace of thoughtful light flashing in her deep, pool-like eyes. Perhaps because of the power dynamics, Wang Lina seemed to have handed over the right to speak to her.

Finally, Hualu spoke, her voice like a clear mountain spring, cold and with a hint of majesty: "...I also agree. Since Qianming God didn't sanction him, then it proves that he is not within the jurisdiction of the [Mountain], right..."

This sentence once again ignited the atmosphere of the cafeteria. The sounds of discussion rose and fell, some were surprised, some were confused, and some showed expressions of fear.

Wang Lina's face showed a victorious smile: "That's right."

However, Zhao Gang's expression became more serious. He stared at Wang Lina, his voice with a hint of warning: "Lina, do you know that if you exclude him from the banquet..."

Wang Lina took over without hesitation, a trace of determination flashing in her eyes: "Yes, it will waste today's [Banquet] opportunity."

Zhao Gang's gaze swept across the faces of the crowd, and finally settled on the burly old man. His voice was uncertain, but full of respect for authority: "...Uncle Gao, what should we do?"

Gao Zhijie was silent, his weathered eyes flashing with a deep light. The surrounding crowd unconsciously made way, as if waiting for an important decision. This matter obviously violated some unwritten rules here, and Zhao Gang naturally handed over the decision-making power to this respected elder.

After a moment of silence, Gao Zhijie spoke, his voice low and firm: "Exclude him from the banquet."

Zhao Gang's brow furrowed slightly, he seemed to want to say something, but in the end he just called out softly: "Uncle Gao..."

Gao Zhijie raised his hand, signaling him to be calm: "However..."

The old man's gaze was like a sharp blade, piercing straight into Tang Yin. He slowly pushed through the crowd and walked towards Tang Yin. Every step was full of power, as if stepping on the heartbeats of the crowd.

Tang Yin couldn't help but hold his breath. He had never seen such a contradictory existence. Although Gao Zhijie was over sixty years old, his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle, and the bulging muscles contained astonishing power, without the slightest sign of aging. His whole person exuded a strong aggressiveness and anger, like a tiger ready to pounce.

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Gao Zhijie came to Tang Yin and looked down at him condescendingly. His voice was low and cold, saying word by word: "Even if you are not within the jurisdiction of the mountain, you cannot violate our rules here. Otherwise, I will kill you."

This sentence was like a sharp sword, piercing straight into Tang Yin's heart. He felt a chill rising from the soles of his feet, but he stubbornly refused to back down. Tang Yin secretly complained in his heart: It's really barbaric.

Just at this tense moment, a discordant voice suddenly sounded. Qian Jin, the middle-aged man who had been acting somewhat abnormally, suddenly shouted loudly: "...Wait! Since he can be excluded from the [Banquet], then Miss Hualu and I don't have to participate either!"

Zhao Gang was so shocked by this sudden statement that his eyes widened, and he asked incredulously: "Huh? What do you mean?"

Qian Jin's face flushed red, as if he had made up his mind to speak his mind: "We are from Baifeng Village, right!? What does the Godhead River have to do with us!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Granny Rong's kind but stern voice sounded: "...Mr. Qian Jin, you can't say that... Qian, Hua, Zheng, Huang, how can the people of the four elder families have nothing to do with the banquet."

Tong Xiaoliang, the boy who looked even younger than Tang Yin, also joined the discussion: "Uncle Qian, according to you, Qin Ming and I don't have to participate either?"

Qian Jin's emotions seemed even more agitated, his voice with a hint of contempt: "How can those who have been stripped of their inheritance be compared with us! Why do the people of the four major families have to participate in this stupid activity!"

Zhao Gang tried to ease the atmosphere, his tone becoming softer: "...Um, Lao Qian."

However, Qian Jin seemed to have been triggered by some switch, interrupting sharply: "Don't call me so intimately, Gangzi. Let's go, Miss Hualu, we have no obligation to participate in this kind of activity!"

Just then, the silent Hualu spoke. Her voice was as clear as a mountain stream, but with an undeniable power: "No, Qian Jin, as long as you are from Baifeng Village... you can't say that you don't have this obligation. Everyone is equal, in the palm of Qianming God, on the plate called Misty Hidden Village..."

Qian Jin's momentum instantly deflated by half, and he stammered to defend himself: "...B-But..."

Gao Zhijie glanced at Qian Jin coldly, his voice with a hint of threat: "If you have any objections, you can go anywhere, as long as you are not afraid of being contaminated."

This sentence was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the last flame of Qian Jin's resistance. He was silent, the expression on his face complex and difficult to understand, with anger, fear, and a hint of helplessness mixed in.

...

Hualu quickly retrieved the key. With her return, as if an invisible signal, people began to leave the cafeteria one after another.

Gao Zhijie's sharp eyes stared at Tang Yin, his voice low and full of authority: "You go to another place."

Tang Yin felt a chill rising up his spine, but he pretended to be calm and tried to keep his voice steady: "Okay... Where to?"

Gao Zhijie did not answer directly, but turned to Zhao Gang, his eyes with a hint of meaningfulness: "Gangzi, is that cage still usable?"

A trace of hesitation flashed across Zhao Gang's face, but he quickly returned to normal: "Hey... It's okay, but... Ah, I see, I'll take him there."

After leaving the cafeteria, Tang Yin felt the cool breeze on his face. In the distance, the figures of other people gradually disappeared on the road leading to the square assembly hall. Only he and Zhao Gang were the exception, like two exiled outliers. Zhao Gang whispered: "Follow me."

They pushed aside the dense weeds and walked towards the depths of the village. Tang Yin noticed that as they went deeper, the surrounding scenery became more and more desolate. The weeds were taller than his knees, and unknown small animals scurried away from time to time. Moonlight shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground, like countless eyes spying in the dark.

Finally, they came to the end of the grassland. In front of them was a cliff covered with miscellaneous trees, and the surface of the rocks was covered with traces of time. However, the most striking thing was a huge cage placed on the edge of the cliff. It was almost as big as a cabin, and even had a simple eaves, looking both strange and absurd.

Zhao Gang's voice broke the silence, with a hint of apology: "...This is a cage for beasts, sorry, just stay here for now."

Tang Yin smiled wryly, his heart filled with helplessness and confusion: "I don't suppose I have the right to refuse, do I?"

Zhao Gang's expression became even more complicated, as if struggling between sympathy and duty: "I'm sorry, you just need to stay here during the banquet. You won't have to stay inside for long."

Tang Yin took a deep breath, trying to sort out his thoughts: "You can't tell me the details, right?"

Zhao Gang nodded slightly, a trace of helplessness flashing in his eyes: "...Yes, that's right. Actually, you're already very lucky to be excluded from the banquet."

Tang Yin sighed helplessly. He didn't even know what the 'banquet' was all about, so how could he possibly think he was lucky?