Chapter 178: The Devil of Greed: Tahm Kench

[Tam's origin is very ancient, at least several thousand years old.]
[He feeds on people's greed to continue his life.]
[Even for those who are not particularly greedy, Tam will arouse their desire, then chew it slowly, and finally swallow it alive.]
[Many years ago, there was a young man known for his honesty.]
[Although he lived in poverty, he yearned for a better life, but he was still honest and never took shortcuts.]
[However, one day, Tam came to him and promised him that if he told a little lie once, he would give him an unforgettable experience.]
[The young man thought about it and decided to take a gamble.]
[So the next day, he competed with his friend in stone throwing, and boasted after winning by cheating.]
[——He said he was a genius picked out of a million.]
[The next day, Tam took him to a camp, where the people treated him like a brother, fried fish, roasted chicken, and treated him to delicious food and drinks.]
[After daybreak, he was well fed and satisfied.]
[At this point, Tam appears again, promising him a happier experience if he tells a lie again.]
[The young man did as he was told, and sure enough, that day he spent a more luxurious night.]
[Then, day after day, night after night.]
[The young man who was once so sincere now has nothing but lies in his mouth and no longer tells the truth. He eventually disappears in the crowd and no one knows where he went.]
Seeing this, the audience felt their hearts tighten.

They all knew that the young man in the story had already become Tam's food.

"A monster that's thousands of years old!"

"Yes, it feeds on greed. It must be a super demon like Fiddlesticks and Nocturne."

On the stage, Su Xinghe continued his story.

[The bitter waters of the mainland brought the story of the River King to Blue Flame Island. As the rumors spread, people gave him a name:]
[—Tahm Kench.]
[In Bilgewater, some people become rich, while others become poor. As the tides rise and fall, so do fortunes.]
[Many stories in the tavern mention Old Tam, saying that he is a devil who lives in the water, loves gambling the most, and is never satisfied.]
[Thus, this talkative fellow became a symbol of many gambling dens and crime dens in the city.]
[His original activities were mainly near the river, but with the opening of the Sun Gate, the trade center between Piltover and other regions, Tam's traces also appeared in Zaun.]
[Zuan people describe him as: too fat, wearing a smug top hat, with a big mouth that is wider than the entire city when he smiles.]
[On this day, Tam fell in love with a frustrated female inventor. He promised that if she gave him a lock of hair, Tam would make the inventor's work appreciated and get rich rewards.]
[After the deal was done, the female inventor did get her wish, but what she didn't know was that Tam was savoring her hair while fulfilling her wish.]
[A few days later, Tam found her again and aroused her desire again.]
[This time, Tam's condition was all the other person's hair. The female inventor agreed, and Tam swallowed all her hair in one gulp.]
[However, the female inventor’s talent was ultimately limited. Even though Tam helped her twice, she still couldn’t create a more desirable work.]
[So, Tam came again.]
[This time he wants a fingertip.]
[The female inventor agreed again.]
[A week later, Tam came back and asked for her ear.]
[A year passed like this, and the disabled female inventor had nothing left to exchange, so she begged Tam to stop it.]
[But she couldn't control her desire.]
[Tam laughs.]
[He laughs and opens his mouth wide, saying he will help her solve her problem once and for all, then promptly swallows her whole.]
The story ends abruptly.

The audience swallowed their saliva and fell into silence.

Terrible?

It doesn't seem that creepy.

But as everyone looked back and savored it, the atmosphere slowly became wrong.

Temptation? Greed?
Yes, that's right!

Tam lures a person step by step, leading him down a path of no return.

This invisible method of killing people may not sound very scary on the surface, but it is extremely terrifying when you think about it carefully.

Just as everyone put themselves in the shoes of the young man and the inventor and imagined themselves, their expressions gradually became panic-stricken and cold sweat kept dripping from their foreheads.

As the story came to an end, Su Xinghe's voice became softer.

[The King of the River.]
[Big sway, big yawn.]
[Two coats.]
[Tahm Kench has many names, but anyone who has called them knows one thing: no matter how tempting his words are, you will be lost in his mouth.]
【All living things are born hungry, and the river will forget the names of those it has drowned. 】

【This is my most important will. 】

【It is hunger, it drives us all. 】【Call me king, call me devil. 】

……

After writing the last few lines, Su Xinghe officially finished writing the story for the finals.

Then he took a deep breath and slowly walked down the podium.

The story has been told, but the audience and judges are still immersed in the aftermath of the story, as if they had just experienced a spiritual baptism.

In the audience, many people stared at Su Xinghe with burning eyes, but there was a hint of regret in their eyes because there was no more story to listen to.

Sa Xiaoning stood on the side of the stage with a smile on his face, but a gleam of admiration in his eyes.

He looked down at the audience, who were gradually coming to their senses.

Although their expressions were a bit frightened and thoughtful, their applause was as warm as thunder. Obviously, Su Xinghe's story had deeply moved them.

In the judges' seats, the four judges also fell into thinking about the connotation of the story.

Liu Ciping pondered: "Tahm Kench, this is not only a profound revelation of greed, but also a precise grasp of the limits of human nature. Although the character of Tam is fictional, its symbolic meaning is so real and urgent."

Jiang Tao nodded gently in agreement: "Not only Tam, the tension and depth of these three horror stories exceeded my expectations."

"Although they are all based on horror, they actually explore the desires and hypocrisy in people's hearts. Su Xinghe, it really opened my eyes."

Chen Kaige looked at Su Xinghe with a smile on his face, his eyes full of praise: "The story is not only gripping in terms of plot, but also resonates with people emotionally."

“Every detail is filled with an understanding of human nature and a commitment to the story. This depth and insight makes him worthy of being the unique god in the entire game.”

Jin Hongze slowly stood up, walked onto the stage, patted Su Xinghe's shoulder heavily, and said with relief:
“You have surpassed many people’s imaginations. Your performance in this competition gives me hope for the future. No matter where you go in the future, I believe you will create more amazing works.”

(End of this chapter)