yready #611 - Xia Hui dances as a prophet
#611 - Xia Hui dances as a prophet
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, but we uphold peace because once it’s broken, everyone will be in danger.” Zhao Gang paused, his voice low but firm, “As long as we can protect peace, most people will be safe.”
His words echoed in the hall, like a thin veil over the tense situation shrouded in mist. Zhao Gang straightened up, his gaze sweeping across everyone's face: “No one was hanged at yesterday's banquet, right? The wolf was among us then, wasn't it?”
Qian Jin sneered, arms crossed, leaning against the wall, like a wild beast ready to strike back at any moment: “That’s just your blindly optimistic guess; maybe it just failed because you couldn’t gather enough votes!”
“Maybe they split the vote to protect Uncle?” Tong Xiaoliang's clear voice came from the back of the crowd, his tone inappropriately light.
This sudden statement silenced the hall instantly, and everyone’s eyes turned to him in unison. Tong Xiaoliang stood in the corner, a faint smile on his face, like he had deliberately dropped a bomb.
Qin Ming frowned and spoke first: “...Xiaoliang, what do you mean?”
Tong Xiaoliang shrugged, his tone casual: “Well, after me, Qin Ming, and Aunt Chen Xiang voted for Uncle, no one else voted for him, right? It was clear that only one more vote was needed, but no one voted, like the wolf was protecting its companion.”
“You mean, there was a wolf among those who voted after…?” Chen Xiang's eyes widened slightly, a hint of hesitation in her voice.
Gao Mei suddenly stood up, her tone sharply rising: “Wait, Xiaoliang! Are you saying I’m the wolf!?”
“Ah, no, no, I just wanted to go against Uncle; sorry.” Tong Xiaoliang waved his hands repeatedly, a look of innocence on his face.
The hall fell silent, everyone digesting his words. Tang Yin leaned against the corner, silently observing Tong Xiaoliang's expression. Did Xiaoliang keenly notice this, or is this the kind of thing that anyone could notice?
Qian Jin snorted, breaking the brief silence: “...I hope everyone isn’t influenced by Xiaoliang’s nonsense.” His gaze swept across the hall, with a hint of disapproval, but his tone shifted, “Of course, we can’t completely deny this possibility either. In short, I advise you not to be too optimistic.”
“No one died, yet you’re still thinking about killing someone?” Zhao Gang retorted coldly, his voice filled with anger.
“Who said no one died!!” A sharp voice suddenly rang out, Xia Hui abruptly stood up, her face full of anger and her eyes fixed on Zhao Gang as her emotions spiraled out of control.
Everyone was startled by her sudden outburst, and they all looked at her.
“What do you mean? In your eyes, is Zhou Zhengxiong not a person!?” Xia Hui questioned loudly, her voice suppressing intense indignation.
Zhao Gang frowned, waving his hand impatiently, as if annoyed by her unreasonable accusations: “How annoying! It’s indeed tragic that this happened to him, but we didn’t kill him!”
“How can you be so sure!” Xia Hui pressed, her eyes almost spitting fire.
Zhao Gang raised his head, finally unable to suppress his anger, his tone with a bit of coldness: “I said, being killed by a wolf and dying from contamination are different!”
“...Gang-ge, can I interrupt for a moment?” Wang Lina's voice came, she stood at the edge of the crowd, her hand slightly raised, her eyes with some hesitation.
Zhao Gang turned to look at her, his brow slightly furrowed: “What is it, Wang Lina?”
Wang Lina took a deep breath and slowly opened her mouth: “I don’t want to kill anyone, but I’m still a little worried.” She paused, her eyes sweeping over the complex gazes around her, and continued, “According to the rules of the Thousand Bright God, hanging someone at the banquet is the only way for us to fight the wolf.”
Her tone was unhurried, but every word was like a heavy stone, smashing into the hearts of everyone. She looked at Zhao Gang, her gaze meeting his: “If we give up this method… we’re likely to be completely wiped out.”
Zhao Gang’s brow furrowed even more, and just as he was about to retort, Wang Lina preemptively interrupted: “So, perhaps the person advising us to give up this method is the wolf, maybe someone is already thinking that way.”
“...Old Man Gao.” Wang Lina suddenly turned to Old Man Gao sitting in the corner, her voice low but clear.
Old Man Gao raised his head, his gaze like a knife, piercing straight at Zhao Gang: “Someone must be hanged today; whoever objects is an accomplice of the wolf.”
His tone was steady and cold, without a trace of emotion, as if announcing an ironclad rule. Wang Lina lowered her head and sighed: “I don’t want to kill anyone either.”
“Too naive.” Old Man Gao shook his head, his gaze sharp enough to see through people, “However, Zhao Gang is even more naive.”
“...See, it’s just like I said.” Wang Lina said softly, her tone with a hint of helplessness.
Zhao Gang’s face was even more unsightly, he gritted his teeth and finally couldn’t help but explode: “Then tell me, what can we do now! Is something that couldn’t be decided yesterday going to be decided today!?”
“Today’s situation is different from yesterday, Gang-ge.” Qin Yi interjected, his tone sounding nonchalant, but his eyes were locked on Zhao Gang, “That woman from outside and that madman should both have something to say.”
Qin Ming also nodded, adding: “...That’s right, let’s hear what they have to say first. If everyone still doesn’t want to kill anyone by then, then there’s nothing we can do, right, Old Man Gao?”
“That won’t happen.” Old Man Gao’s voice was as cold as ice, a final verdict.
Zhao Gang was silent for a moment, and finally waved his hand, his tone with a hint of helpless compromise: “Alright! Then you guys speak first; at least it’s better than being stuck here!”
In the crowd, Xia Hui stood out. Her face was pale, but her eyes were unusually firm, as if she had finally made some kind of decision.
“...Then I’ll speak first.” Her voice was not loud, but clear enough for everyone’s attention to focus on her.
She took a deep breath and slowly opened her mouth: “I am a Serpent's Blessed.”
——Huh?
Almost everyone gasped, and a low murmur instantly echoed within the assembly hall. Tang Yin’s brow twitched, his gaze locked onto Xia Hui, while Qin Ming even showed a shocked expression.
“Really!? Did you check yesterday and see that mark?” Qin Ming asked eagerly, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
Xia Hui nodded, raising her hand and pointing to her back, her voice still calm: “Yes, that’s right! And then I used the Serpent's Blessing to verify someone’s identity!”
Her words were like a bomb, detonating everyone’s nerves. The hall once again fell into silence, everyone holding their breath, waiting for what she would say next.
“How is that possible?” Qian Jin’s voice broke the brief silence, his brow furrowed, his tone with a hint of subtle unease, “But… even so, revealing your identity now is too dangerous, right? After all, the Serpent's Blessing is extremely important…”
Xia Hui didn’t retreat in the slightest, she stood in the center of the assembly hall, her gaze resolute, her tone with an undeniable determination: “Because the results of this verification must be made public, I have to announce it even if it means taking a risk!”
Her voice echoed in the narrow space, and everyone’s attention was drawn to her.
“Granny Rong is a wolf…!”
——The situation in the hall instantly and completely reversed!
Hearing these words, the crowd instantly erupted. Granny Rong abruptly stood up, the wrinkles on her face twitching with anger, her eyes full of shock and fury: “She, she’s the wolf!!”
“I said, the wolf is you!!” Xia Hui didn’t back down, her voice with an aggressive sharpness.
The two’s argument was like a fire, instantly igniting the entire assembly hall. Granny Rong’s hand trembled as she pointed at Xia Hui, so angry that she couldn’t even speak coherently, while Xia Hui pressed forward step by step, her gaze like a knife, not concealing her hostility. The distance between the two grew closer and closer, the atmosphere so tense that you could almost hear the air tearing.
“Stop it! Granny, calm down! No one is suspecting you!” Zhao Gang shouted loudly, he quickly walked between the two, reaching out and helping Granny Rong take a step back.
“Xia Hui! Stop it!” Wang Lina also stood out, her voice urgent, “You’ll only make things worse!”
Despite the two trying to control the situation, the emotions of the two parties involved grew even more intense, and they almost started fighting. Everyone rushed forward, finally managing to pull them apart.
Tang Yin stood in the corner, his eyes calm, but his heart was like a surging tide. The situation was so bad that his mood was getting worse.
“Are there any other Serpent's Blessed who want to reveal their identity?” Qin Ming suddenly opened his mouth, his tone with a hint of low pressure. His gaze met Xia Hui’s, as if testing, and as if reminding.
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Xia Hui abruptly turned her head, glaring at him: “What do you mean by that!!”
“Don’t shout!” Qin Ming frowned, his tone with a bit of impatience, “If you are the real Serpent, calm down.”
He looked around and added: “We believe Xia Hui on the premise that no one else reveals the identity of the Serpent's Blessed. Are there any other Serpents present!”
The hall fell into a brief silence, and everyone’s eyes began to shift between each other. Tang Yin lowered his head, his eyes slightly dimmed. His heartbeat was steady, but he could almost hear a secret alarm bell ringing in his mind.
He is the real Serpent!
Xia Hui is 100% a fake, and her statement is obviously malicious – she is not only trying to control the situation, but also guiding others to focus on Granny Rong. Tang Yin clenched his fists, reason told him that he should reveal his identity now, otherwise it would be equivalent to acquiescing that Xia Hui is the Serpent, allowing her to continue to control the rhythm of the banquet.
But his intuition caught some subtle danger.
He inexplicably had a premonition – he was in an invisible ocean, surrounded by dangerous whirlpools. Revealing his identity might immediately plunge him into it.
Tang Yin raised his head, his gaze once again swept over everyone, and finally chose to remain silent.
“...Then let’s assume that Xia Hui is the real Serpent and continue the discussion.” Qin Ming said, his voice calm, but obviously also testing.
“What do you mean by assume!” Xia Hui’s voice suddenly rose, a trace of panic flashing in her eyes.
“...The reason to suspect you, just like what Sister Lina said just now,” Qin Ming’s tone was still steady, but his gaze was sharp, “Why are you suddenly so agitated?”
Qin Ming frowned, his tone low and with some probing: “Xia Hui, haven’t you always been very calm? What exactly happened?”
Xia Hui pursed her lips, seemingly trying to control her emotions, but her voice still trembled slightly: “...In this situation, how can you expect me to be calm? I woke up this morning and found blood writing on my stomach. No matter how you look at it, it’s a supernatural phenomenon, right!”
Her tone became sharper and sharper, her eyes sweeping over everyone, as if seeking recognition, and as if looking for enemies: “Moreover, I discovered a wolf in human skin among us because of this! How can I possibly be calm…!”
“Y-You’re lying!!” Granny Rong abruptly stood up, the wrinkles on her face twisted together because of anger, her voice sharp enough to almost pierce eardrums, “That’s why I said you young people, city people are all!!”
Her voice echoed in the assembly hall, attracting everyone’s attention to her and Xia Hui. I don't know how others see this conversation, but at this moment, Tang Yin’s eyes narrowed slightly, capturing the changes in the expressions between the two.
Qin Yi stood aside, his hands in his pockets, a sneer on the corner of his mouth: “...You mean, Granny is the wolf?”
Xia Hui raised her head without hesitation, her gaze sharp as a knife: “That’s right! I already said it!”
Qin Yi shrugged, his tone with some mockery: “Granny, you better think carefully before answering, are you really a wolf?”
Granny Rong’s face turned red, her eyes widened like copper bells: “Qin Yi! You idiot!! You’re beyond saving! All young people are people of the Yellow Springs!!”
Qin Yi was stunned for a moment, then waved his hand, lazily saying: “Ah? I got it, that’s it then…”
“Wait, Granny Rong, don’t say that!” Gao Mei quickly stood up, her tone full of anxiety, “And Xiao Yi, why are you adding fuel to the fire!”
Qin Yi snorted, pointing at Granny Rong, raising his tone a little: “This old hag voted for me yesterday, causing me to almost be executed! Isn’t that suspicious!!”
“Qin Yi! Are you done yet!?” Zhao Gang abruptly turned around, his voice like thunder shocking everyone. His gaze was like a knife, staring straight at Qin Yi, then looking at Xia Hui, his tone with obvious suppressed anger, “And you, what do you want to do! Grabbing an old lady and scolding her, what are you trying to accomplish!”
“You still don’t understand!!” Xia Hui almost roared, her emotions completely out of control, her eyes full of anger and unease.
“...Ah, too much...” Hua Lu stood in the corner, muttering in a low voice, her eyes with some fear, subconsciously taking a step back, as if trying to stay away from this out-of-control argument.
“Damn it…” Zhao Gang clenched his fists tightly, took a deep breath, and shouted loudly, “Hey, everyone, calm down! Although it’s a bit crowded here, try to keep your distance from each other, don’t talk, calm down!”
He looked at Old Man Gao, his voice a little lower, but still steady: “No problem, Old Man Gao?”
Old Man Gao stood aside, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone. His eyes were cold and sharp, as if examining everyone’s soul.
"Hmm..." he grunted, slowly nodding.
"If anyone causes trouble again," Old Gao's voice was low and grim, like a cold blade held against everyone's neck, "I will take action."