Chu Tianqiu instructed the team to split up, with the immediate priority being to help Yan Zhichun awaken her “Echo.”
He deduced that Kim Won-soon would soon lose his “character.” If Yan Zhichun could activate her ability by then, there might still be time to turn things around.
“One more thing…” He called out to Wen Qiaoyun before she left. “If the situation allows, check on Zhang Shan.”
“Check on him… now?”
“If he’s still conscious, tell him how to awaken his ‘Echo,'” Chu Tianqiu added. “His ‘Echo’ has a self-healing effect. He might still be able to get back on his feet.”
Wen Qiaoyun hesitated before asking, “What if he can’t hear those words anymore?”
“Then I can only say it’s a shame,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “He’s already done his best.”
Wen Qiaoyun nodded silently and turned to leave the “Preparation Zone.”
Watching her walk away, Chu Tianqiu felt a brief sense of déjà vu. Not long ago, Yun Yao had worn a similar expression before parting ways with him.
If he had to name the fleeting emotion in his heart, it wasn’t sorrow or reluctance.
It was an inexplicable, all-consuming loneliness.
Both Yun Yao and Wen Qiaoyun had once been his most trusted allies. They had survived countless life-and-death battles together and achieved great feats.
But now, Chu Tianqiu had awakened—only to find himself surrounded by “normal” people, making him feel all the more out of place.
How difficult was it to truly free the “Land of Finality”?
He was walking a path no one understood. Whether Zhang Shan died in the “Riverway” or he himself did, Chu Tianqiu could only mockingly mutter, “I did my best.”
He mocked decades of effort, mocked all his struggles ending in vain.
To him, winning or losing this game didn’t matter. It wasn’t a battle—it was a performance.
He needed to showcase his strength to Qinglong and Qi Xia alike.
If he let emotions cloud his judgment now, there’d be no seat left for him in this game.
Qinglong had once stood on the rooftop of “Paradise Entrance” and told both Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu that only one of them could reach the top.
Had Qinglong even considered them equals when he said that?
But at least Wen Qiaoyun wasn’t Yun Yao.
Chu Tianqiu knew Wen Qiaoyun well—she was a warrior forged in emotional turmoil. Unlike Yun Yao, she could assess a dire situation with clarity and make the most rational choice, even in agony.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Chu Tianqiu turned to Xu Liunian and instructed that, since she couldn’t revert to her original form, she should continue disrupting the game as “Chen Jun’nan.”
Past failures could be analyzed to minimize future mistakes. Even if they failed multiple times, just one success—whether infiltrating the enemy’s “Preparation Zone” or tricking them into surrendering a “character”—would make it worthwhile.
As for Dr. Zhao, Chu Tianqiu simply told him to “improvise” without further explanation.
Dr. Zhao couldn’t help but wonder. As one of the strongest “Echo” users in the game, he could destroy enemy “characters” if he got close enough. Yet Chu Tianqiu seemed reluctant to utilize him fully.
But with no further discussion, Dr. Zhao merely nodded and left the room alongside Wen Qiaoyun.
Meanwhile, Chu Tianqiu studied the screen, analyzing potential “character” combinations.
Soon, he realized that to win, they absolutely needed two specific characters:
Chu Tianqiu had several people split up to act separately. The current top priority was to help Yan Zhichun achieve “Echo.”
He deduced that Kim Won-hoon would soon lose his “character.” If Yan Zhichun could activate her ability by then, everything would still be manageable.
“Also…” he called out to Wen Qiaoyun just before she left, “if the situation allows, go check on Zhang Shan’s condition.”
“Check on him now…?”
“If Zhang Shan is still conscious, tell him how to achieve ‘Echo,'” Chu Tianqiu added. “His ‘Echo’ has a certain self-healing ability. He might even be able to get back on his feet.”
Wen Qiaoyun paused for a moment upon hearing this and asked, “What if he can’t hear those words anymore?”
“Then all I can say is it’s a true pity,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “He has already done his best.”
Wen Qiaoyun nodded silently upon hearing this, then turned and left the “Preparation Area” without another word.
Watching her retreating figure, Chu Tianqiu felt slightly dazed. It seemed not long ago that Yun Yao had worn a similar expression before parting ways with him.
If there was a flicker of emotion in Chu Tianqiu’s heart at this moment… he knew it was neither sadness nor reluctance.
Instead, it was a sudden, overwhelming sense of loneliness that pierced through his entire being.
Both Yun Yao and Wen Qiaoyun had once been his most trusted companions. They had faced countless life-and-death situations together and had once created glorious moments side by side.
But now, Chu Tianqiu had awakened. He had awakened among a group of ordinary people, making himself seem utterly out of place.
How incredibly difficult was it to truly liberate the entire “Land of Finality”?
He was walking a path that no one understood. Even if Zhang Shan had died in the “Riverway,” or if he himself were to die there, all Chu Tianqiu could do was mockingly say, “I did my best.”
He mocked himself for exerting decades of effort, only to see all his hard work come to nothing.
To Chu Tianqiu, winning or losing this game didn’t matter at all. Rather than a battle of wits, it was more like a performance.
He needed to showcase his abilities to Qinglong as much as possible, and to Qi Xia as well.
If he were to act impulsively now and make a careless mistake, there would be no seat for him on this vehicle.
Qinglong had once stood on the rooftop of “Paradise Port” and told both Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu that only one of them could reach the pinnacle.
When Qinglong said those words… did he ever place Chu Tianqiu and Qi Xia on equal footing for comparison?
But fortunately, Wen Qiaoyun was not Yun Yao.
Chu Tianqiu understood Wen Qiaoyun. She was a powerhouse who had grown up in an environment driven by emotion. Unlike Yun Yao… she could assess the situation clearly even in extreme distress and make the most rational decisions.
With that, Chu Tianqiu snapped back to reality and instructed Xu Liunian that since she couldn’t revert to her original form, the best course of action was to continue causing chaos under the identity of “Chen Junnan.”
Since they had failed before, they could strive to identify the reasons for their failures. From now on, they needed to reduce the failure rate. No matter how many times they might fail, as long as they succeeded just once—whether by reaching the opponent’s “Preparation Area” or tricking them out of a “character”—it would be worth it.
As for Dr. Zhao, Chu Tianqiu simply told him to “improvise as the situation demands” without elaborating further.
Dr. Zhao couldn’t help but feel puzzled. As one of the most powerful “Echo” users in this game, he could potentially destroy the opponent’s “characters” if he got close enough. Yet, Chu Tianqiu seemed reluctant to utilize him fully.
But since Chu Tianqiu said nothing more about it, Dr. Zhao offered no explanation either. He simply nodded and left the room alongside Wen Qiaoyun.
Chu Tianqiu, meanwhile, continued studying the screen, analyzing which “characters” could be formed next.
Before long, he realized that for their side to win this match… two specific “characters” were absolutely essential:
“Soldier” and “Minister.”
Given that Chen Junnan possessed “Package” and “Towel,” who then held “Soldier” and “Minister”?
Just as Chu Tianqiu was pondering this, Kim Won-hoon walked in from outside.
“Bro…”
Seeing the “Package” in Kim Won-hoon’s hand, Chu Tianqiu couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
“What’s this?”
“Brother Chu, I won,” Kim Won-hoon said. “Though it was a bit lucky… I managed to get a ‘character’ from Chen Junnan.”
Seeing the smile on Kim Won-hoon’s face, Chu Tianqiu fell silent for several seconds.
Lucky?
Kim Won-hoon had defeated Chen Junnan in a game of “Cunning” or “Question and Answer.”
Given his current level of Chinese… just how lucky did he have to be to pull that off?
“What about your own ‘character’?” Chu Tianqiu asked again.
Kim Won-hoon paused, then pulled a chain from his pocket. Hanging from it were three parts forming the character “Pawn.”
“It’s right here, bro.”
Only upon seeing the “Pawn” did Chu Tianqiu relax slightly. “Well done, Kim Won-hoon.”
“Don’t mention it, bro. It really was just luck.”
Chu Tianqiu nodded and added, “Kim Won-hoon, you weren’t here earlier, but I heard a bell toll.”
“A bell toll…?” Kim Won-hoon was taken aback.
“Yes,” Chu Tianqiu nodded. “Given that only you and Chen Junnan were in a game at the time, I suspect you’ve achieved ‘Echo.'”
Kim Won-hoon felt something was off about this reasoning. If a bell had tolled, why hadn’t he heard it?
Weren’t the game rooms directly connected to the outside?
“Bro… earlier, Chen Junnan and I were together in the game…” Kim Won-hoon ventured cautiously. “Even if there really was a bell toll… why couldn’t it have been for him?”
“Because he lost,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “Based on what you know of Chen Junnan, if he had his skills plus ‘Echo,’ how could you possibly win?”
“I guess that makes sense…”
Kim Won-hoon nodded, though he didn’t actually remember what Chen Junnan’s “Echo” was. He just felt that since this person had recently become active in the “Land of Finality” and was already making a splash, his earlier disappearance was likely due to not having a stable “Echo.”
“Give it a try now,” Chu Tianqiu said, patting Kim Won-hoon on the shoulder. “I’ve heard your ‘Echo’ many times. That bell toll sounded very much like yours.”
“You can tell just by the sound…?”
Kim Won-hoon muttered to himself, then slowly narrowed his eyes and looked behind Chu Tianqiu. In the next instant, as if moving with his thoughts, he vanished from Chu Tianqiu’s sight and reappeared in front of the display screen.
“Eh?” Kim Won-hoon said with delight. “Bro… it seems like it really works…”
Chu Tianqiu nodded upon seeing this. It appeared Xu Liunian had indeed found a way to achieve “Echo” in this place. For those who had already mastered “Echo,” adding a layer of psychological conditioning wasn’t too difficult.
“Good, Kim Won-hoon,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Keep the ‘Pawn’ with you. From now on, you must protect this ‘character’ with your life.”
“With my life…” Kim Won-hoon paused upon hearing this, then suddenly remembered something. “Bro… earlier, when I was in the game arena, that ‘Zodiac’ asked me to pass a message to you…”
Chu Tianqiu had several people split up to act. The current top priority was to let Yan Zhichun gain her “Echo.”
He deduced that Kim Won-hoon would soon lose his “character.” If Yan Zhichun could activate her ability by then, everything would still be manageable.
“And one more thing…” He called out to Wen Qiaoyun just before she left. “If the situation allows, go check on Zhang Shan’s condition.”
“Check on him now…?”
“If Zhang Shan is still conscious, tell him how to achieve ‘Echo,'” Chu Tianqiu added. “His ‘Echo’ has a certain self-healing ability. He might even be able to get back on his feet.”
Wen Qiaoyun paused for a moment upon hearing this and asked, “What if he can’t hear those words anymore?”
“Then all I can say is it’s a shame,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “He’s already done his best.”
Wen Qiaoyun nodded silently upon hearing this, then turned and left the “Preparation Area” without another word.
Watching her retreating figure, Chu Tianqiu felt slightly dazed. It seemed not long ago that Yun Yao had worn a similar expression before parting ways with him.
If he had to name the emotion flickering in his heart at that moment… he knew it wasn’t sadness or reluctance.
It was a sudden, overwhelming sense of loneliness that pierced through his entire being.
Both Yun Yao and Wen Qiaoyun had once been his most trusted companions. They had faced countless life-and-death situations together and achieved remarkable glories.
But now, Chu Tianqiu had awakened. He had awakened among a group of normal people, making himself seem utterly abnormal.
How incredibly difficult was it to completely liberate the entire “Land of Finality”?
He was walking a path no one understood. Even if Zhang Shan had died in the “River Course,” or if he himself were to die there, all Chu Tianqiu could do was mockingly say, “I did my best.”
He mocked himself for striving for decades, only to see all his efforts come to nothing.
In this game, winning or losing didn’t matter to Chu Tianqiu. Rather than a battle, it was more like a performance.
He needed to showcase his abilities to Qinglong and to Qi Xia as much as possible.
If he were to act recklessly now and make a careless mistake, there would be no seat for him on this vehicle.
Qinglong had once stood on the rooftop of “Paradise Port” and told both Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu that only one of them could reach the pinnacle.
When Qinglong said those words… did he even consider Chu Tianqiu and Qi Xia as equals?
But fortunately, Wen Qiaoyun was not Yun Yao.
Chu Tianqiu understood Wen Qiaoyun. She was a powerhouse who had grown up in an environment driven by emotion. Unlike Yun Yao… she could assess the situation clearly even in extreme distress and make the most rational choices.
With that, Chu Tianqiu snapped back to reality and instructed Xu Liunian that since she couldn’t revert to her original form, the best plan was to continue causing chaos under the identity of “Chen Junnan.”
Since they had failed before, they could strive to find the reasons for their failures. From now on, they needed to reduce the failure rate. No matter how many times they failed, as long as they could reach the opponent’s “Preparation Area” or trick them out of a “character” even once, it would be worth it.
As for Dr. Zhao, Chu Tianqiu simply told him to “improvise based on the situation” without elaborating further.
Dr. Zhao couldn’t help but feel puzzled. As one of the most powerful “Echo” users in this game, as long as he got close enough to the enemy, he could find a way to destroy their “characters.” Yet, Chu Tianqiu seemed reluctant to utilize him fully.
But since Chu Tianqiu said nothing more, Dr. Zhao offered no explanation either. He simply nodded and left the room with Wen Qiaoyun.
Chu Tianqiu, meanwhile, continued studying the screen, analyzing which “characters” they could form next.
Before long, he realized that for their side to win this match, two specific “characters” were absolutely essential:
“Soldier” and “Minister.”
Given that Chen Junnan had “Bundle” and “Towel,” who then had “Soldier” and “Minister”?
Just as Chu Tianqiu was pondering this, Kim Won-hoon walked in from outside.
“Bro…”
Chu Tianqiu noticed the “Bundle” in Kim Won-hoon’s hand and felt a flicker of doubt.
“What’s this?”
“Brother Chu, I won,” Kim Won-hoon said. “Though it was a bit lucky… I managed to get a ‘character’ from Chen Junnan.”
Seeing the smile on Kim Won-hoon’s face, Chu Tianqiu fell silent for several seconds.
Lucky?
Kim Won-hoon had defeated Chen Junnan in a game of “Cunning” or “Question and Answer.”
Given his current level of Chinese… just how lucky did he have to be to pull that off?
“What about your own ‘character’?” Chu Tianqiu asked again.
Kim Won-hoon paused, then pulled a chain from his pocket. It held a three-part “Pawn.”
“Right here, Bro.”
Only upon seeing the “Pawn” did Chu Tianqiu relax slightly. “Well done, Kim Won-hoon.”
“Don’t mention it, Bro. It really was just luck.”
Chu Tianqiu nodded and added, “Kim Won-hoon, you weren’t here earlier, but I heard a bell chime.”
“A bell chime…?” Kim Won-hoon was taken aback.
“Yes,” Chu Tianqiu nodded. “Given that only you and Chen Junnan were in a game at the time, I suspect you’ve gained your ‘Echo.'”
Kim Won-hoon felt there was something off about that reasoning. If a bell had chimed, why hadn’t he heard it?
Weren’t the game rooms directly connected to the outside?
“Bro… earlier, Chen Junnan and I were together in the game…” Kim Won-hoon ventured cautiously. “Even if there really was a bell chime… why couldn’t it have been for him?”
“Because he lost,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “Based on what you know of Chen Junnan, if he had his skills plus an ‘Echo,’ how could you possibly win?”
“I guess that makes sense…”
Kim Won-hoon nodded, though he didn’t actually remember what Chen Junnan’s “Echo” was. He just felt that since this guy had recently started making waves in the “Land of Finality,” his earlier absence was likely due to not having a stable “Echo.”
“So, try it now,” Chu Tianqiu said, patting Kim Won-hoon’s shoulder. “I’ve heard your ‘Echo’ many times. That bell chime sounded a lot like yours.”
“You can tell just from the sound…?”
Kim Won-hoon murmured to himself, then slowly narrowed his eyes and looked past Chu Tianqiu. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from Chu Tianqiu’s sight and reappeared in front of the display screen.
“Whoa?” Kim Won-hoon said with delight. “Bro… it seems like it really works…”
Chu Tianqiu nodded upon seeing this. It appeared Xu Liunian had truly found a way to achieve “Echo” in this place. For those who had already mastered their “Echo,” adding a layer of psychological work wasn’t too difficult.
“Good, Kim Won-hoon,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Keep holding onto the ‘Pawn.’ From now on, you must protect this ‘character’ with your life.”
“With my life…” Kim Won-hoon paused upon hearing this, then suddenly remembered something. “Bro… earlier, when I was in the game arena, that ‘Zodiac’ told me to pass a message to you…”
As he pondered, Kim Won-soon entered the room.
“Bro…”
Chu Tianqiu had several people split up to act separately. The current top priority was for Yan Zhichun to gain her “Echo.”
He deduced that Kim Won-hoon would soon lose his own “character.” If Yan Zhichun could activate her ability by then, everything would still be manageable.
“Also…” he called out to Wen Qiaoyun just before she left, “if the situation allows, go check on Zhang Shan’s condition.”
“Check on him now…?”
“If Zhang Shan is still conscious, tell him how to achieve ‘Echo,’” Chu Tianqiu added. “His ‘Echo’ has a certain self-healing ability. He might even be able to get back on his feet.”
Wen Qiaoyun paused for a moment after hearing this and asked, “What if he can’t hear those words anymore?”
“Then all I can say is it’s a shame,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “He’s already done his best.”
Wen Qiaoyun nodded silently upon hearing this, then turned and left the “Preparation Area” without another word.
Watching her retreating figure, Chu Tianqiu felt slightly dazed. It seemed not long ago that Yun Yao had worn a similar expression before parting ways with him.
If he had to name the emotion flickering in his heart at that moment… he knew it was neither sadness nor reluctance.
Instead, it was a sudden, overwhelming sense of loneliness that pierced through his entire being.
Both Yun Yao and Wen Qiaoyun had once been his most trusted companions. They had faced countless life-and-death situations together and achieved remarkable glories.
But now, Chu Tianqiu had awakened. He had awakened among a group of normal people, making himself seem utterly abnormal.
How incredibly difficult was it to completely liberate the entire “Land of Finality”?
He was walking a path no one understood. Even if Zhang Shan had died in the “Riverway,” or if he himself were to die there, all Chu Tianqiu could do was mockingly say, “I did my best.”
He mocked himself for exerting decades of effort, for all his hard work ultimately coming to nothing.
In this game, winning or losing meant little to Chu Tianqiu. It was less a battle and more a performance.
He needed to showcase his strength as much as possible to Qinglong and to Qi Xia.
If he were to act impulsively now and make a careless mistake, there would be no seat for him on this vehicle.
Once, Qinglong had stood on the rooftop of “Paradise Port” and told both Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu that only one of them could reach the pinnacle.
When Qinglong said those words… did he truly place Chu Tianqiu and Qi Xia on equal footing for comparison?
But fortunately, Wen Qiaoyun was not Yun Yao.
Chu Tianqiu understood Wen Qiaoyun. She was a powerhouse who had grown up in an environment of emotional intensity. Unlike Yun Yao… she could discern the situation clearly even in extreme pain and make the most correct choice.
With that, Chu Tianqiu snapped back to reality and instructed Xu Liunian that since she couldn’t revert to her original form, the best plan was to continue causing chaos under the identity of “Chen Junnan.”
Since they had failed before, they could strive to find the reasons for their failures. From now on, they needed to reduce their failure rate. No matter how many times they might fail, as long as they succeeded just once in reaching the opponent’s “Preparation Area” or tricking them out of a “character,” it would be worth it.
As for Dr. Zhao, Chu Tianqiu simply told him to “improvise based on the situation” without elaborating further.
Dr. Zhao couldn’t help but feel puzzled. In this game, as one of the most powerful “Echo” users, as long as he got close enough to the enemy, he could find a way to destroy their “characters.” Yet, Chu Tianqiu seemed reluctant to utilize him fully.
But at this point, Chu Tianqiu said nothing more, and Dr. Zhao offered no explanation either. He simply nodded and left the room with Wen Qiaoyun.
Meanwhile, Chu Tianqiu continued studying the screen, analyzing which “characters” could be formed next.
Before long, he realized that for their side to win this match… two specific “characters” were absolutely essential:
“Soldier” and “Minister.”
Given that Chen Junnan had “Package” and “Towel,” who then possessed “Soldier” and “Minister”?
Just as Chu Tianqiu was pondering this, Kim Won-hoon walked in from outside.
“Bro…”
Seeing the “Package” in Kim Won-hoon’s hand, Chu Tianqiu couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
“What is this?”
“Brother Chu, I won,” Kim Won-hoon said. “Although it was a bit lucky… I managed to get a ‘character’ from Chen Junnan.”
Seeing the smile on Kim Won-hoon’s face, Chu Tianqiu fell silent for several seconds.
Lucky?
Kim Won-hoon had defeated Chen Junnan in a game of “Cunning” or “Question and Answer.”
Given his current level of Chinese… just how lucky did he have to be to pull that off?
“What about your own ‘character’?” Chu Tianqiu asked again.
Kim Won-hoon paused, then pulled out a chain from his pocket with three parts attached—a “Pawn.”
“It’s here, bro.”
Only upon seeing the “Pawn” did Chu Tianqiu relax slightly. “Well done, Kim Won-hoon.”
“No need to be polite, bro. It really was just luck.”
Chu Tianqiu nodded and said, “Kim Won-hoon, you weren’t here earlier, but I heard a bell toll.”
“A bell toll…?” Kim Won-hoon was taken aback.
“Yes.” Chu Tianqiu nodded. “Given that only you and Chen Junnan were in a game at the time, I suspect you’ve gained an ‘Echo.’”
Kim Won-hoon felt something was off about this reasoning. If a bell had tolled, why hadn’t he heard it?
Weren’t the game rooms directly connected to the outside?
“Bro… earlier, Chen Junnan and I were together in the game…” Kim Won-hoon tentatively asked, “Even if there really was a bell toll… why couldn’t it have been for him?”
“Because he lost,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “Based on what you know of Chen Junnan, if he had his skills plus an ‘Echo,’ how could you possibly win?”
“I guess that makes sense…”
Kim Won-hoon nodded, though he didn’t actually remember what Chen Junnan’s “Echo” was. He just felt that since this person had recently started becoming prominent in the “Land of Finality,” his earlier absence was likely due to not having a stable “Echo.”
“So, try it now,” Chu Tianqiu said, patting Kim Won-hoon’s shoulder. “I’ve heard your ‘Echo’ many times. That bell toll sounded a lot like yours.”
“You can tell just from the sound…?”
Kim Won-hoon muttered to himself, then slowly narrowed his eyes and looked behind Chu Tianqiu. In the next instant, as if moving with his thoughts, he vanished from Chu Tianqiu’s sight and reappeared in front of the display screen.
“Huh?” Kim Won-hoon said with delight, “Bro… it seems like it really works…”
Chu Tianqiu nodded upon seeing this. It appeared Xu Liunian had truly found a way to achieve “Echo” in this place. For those who had already mastered “Echo,” adding a layer of psychological work wasn’t particularly difficult.
“Good, Kim Won-hoon,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Keep the ‘Pawn’ with you. From now on, you must protect this ‘character’ with your life.”
“With my life…” Kim Won-hoon paused upon hearing this, then suddenly remembered something. “Bro… earlier, when I was in the game arena, that ‘Zodiac’ told me to pass a message to you…”
“What’s this?”
“Bro, I won,” Kim Won-soon said with a grin. “It was kinda lucky… but I took this ‘character’ from Chen Jun’nan.”
Chu Tianqiu stared at him in silence for several seconds.
Lucky?
Kim Won-soon had beaten Chen Jun’nan in a game of “Deception” or “Q&A.”
With his current grasp of Chinese… just how “lucky” did he have to be?
“Where’s your own ‘character’?” Chu Tianqiu asked.
Chu Tianqiu had several people split up to act. The current top priority was to help Yan Zhichun achieve “Echo.”
He deduced that Kim Won-hoon would soon lose his “character.” If Yan Zhichun could activate her ability by then, everything would still be manageable.
“Also…” he called out to Wen Qiaoyun just before she left, “if the situation allows, go check on Zhang Shan’s condition.”
“Check on him now…?”
“If Zhang Shan is still conscious, tell him how to achieve ‘Echo,'” Chu Tianqiu added. “His ‘Echo’ has a certain self-healing ability. He might even be able to get back on his feet.”
Wen Qiaoyun paused for a moment upon hearing this and asked, “What if he can’t hear these words anymore?”
“Then all I can say is it’s a shame,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “He’s already done his best.”
Wen Qiaoyun nodded silently and turned to leave the “Preparation Area” without another word.
Watching her retreating figure, Chu Tianqiu felt slightly dazed. It seemed not long ago that Yun Yao had worn a similar expression before parting ways with him.
If he had to name the emotion flickering in his heart at that moment… he knew it wasn’t sadness or reluctance.
It was a sudden, overwhelming sense of loneliness that pierced through his entire being.
Both Yun Yao and Wen Qiaoyun had once been his most trusted companions. They had faced countless life-and-death situations together and created moments of glory.
But now, Chu Tianqiu had awakened. He had awakened among a group of normal people, making himself seem utterly abnormal.
How incredibly difficult was it to completely liberate the entire “Land of Finality”?
He was walking a path no one understood. Even if Zhang Shan had died in the “River Channel,” or if he himself were to die there, all Chu Tianqiu could do was mockingly say, “I did my best.”
He mocked himself for exerting effort for decades, only to see all his hard work come to nothing.
To Chu Tianqiu, winning or losing this game didn’t matter. It was less of a gamble and more of a performance.
He needed to showcase his abilities to Qinglong and to Qi Xia to the greatest extent possible.
If he were to act recklessly now and make a careless mistake, there would be no seat for him on this vehicle.
Once, Qinglong had stood on the rooftop of “Paradise Port” and told both Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu that only one of them could reach the pinnacle.
When Qinglong said those words… did he ever place Chu Tianqiu and Qi Xia on equal footing for comparison?
But fortunately, Wen Qiaoyun was not Yun Yao.
Chu Tianqiu understood Wen Qiaoyun. She was a powerhouse who had grown up in an environment of emotional intensity. Unlike Yun Yao… she could discern the situation clearly even in extreme pain and make the most rational choices.
With that, Chu Tianqiu snapped back to reality and instructed Xu Liunian that since she couldn’t revert to her original form, the best course of action was to continue causing chaos under the identity of “Chen Junnan.”
Since they had failed before, they could strive to identify the reasons for their failures. From now on, they needed to reduce the failure rate. No matter how many times they might fail, as long as they could reach the opponent’s “Preparation Area” or trick them out of even one “character,” it would be worth it.
As for Dr. Zhao, Chu Tianqiu simply told him to “adapt to the situation” without elaborating further.
Dr. Zhao couldn’t help but feel puzzled. As one of the most powerful “Echo” users in this game, as long as he got close enough to the enemy, he could find a way to destroy their “characters.” Yet, Chu Tianqiu seemed reluctant to utilize him fully.
But at this point, Chu Tianqiu said nothing more, and Dr. Zhao offered no explanation. He simply nodded and left the room with Wen Qiaoyun.
Chu Tianqiu, meanwhile, continued studying the screen, analyzing which “characters” could be formed next.
Before long, he realized that for their side to win this match, two specific “characters” were essential: “soldier” (兵) and “minister” (相).
Given that Chen Junnan possessed “wrap” (包) and “towel” (巾), who held “soldier” (兵) and “minister” (相)?
Just as Chu Tianqiu was pondering this, Kim Won-hoon walked in from outside.
“Bro…”
Seeing the “wrap” (包) character in Kim Won-hoon’s hand, Chu Tianqiu couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
“What’s this?”
“Bro, I won,” Kim Won-hoon said. “It was a bit lucky… but I got the ‘character’ from Chen Junnan.”
Seeing the smile on Kim Won-hoon’s face, Chu Tianqiu fell silent for several seconds.
Lucky?
Kim Won-hoon had defeated Chen Junnan in a game of “Cunning” or “Questions and Answers.”
Given his current level of Chinese… just how lucky did he have to be to pull that off?
“What about your own ‘character’?” Chu Tianqiu asked again.
Kim Won-hoon paused, then pulled a chain from his pocket. Hanging from it were three parts forming the “pawn” (卒) character.
“Right here, bro.”
Only upon seeing the “pawn” (卒) did Chu Tianqiu relax slightly. “Well done, Kim Won-hoon.”
“Don’t mention it, bro. It really was just luck.”
Chu Tianqiu nodded and added, “Kim Won-hoon, you weren’t here earlier, but I heard a bell chime.”
“A bell chime…?” Kim Won-hoon was taken aback.
“Yes,” Chu Tianqiu nodded. “Given that only you and Chen Junnan were in the game at the time, I suspect you’ve achieved ‘Echo.'”
Kim Won-hoon felt something was off about this reasoning. If a bell had chimed earlier, why hadn’t he heard it?
Weren’t the game rooms directly connected to the outside?
“Bro… earlier, Chen Junnan and I were together in the game…” Kim Won-hoon ventured cautiously. “Even if there really was a bell chime… why couldn’t it have been his?”
“Because he lost,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “Based on what you know of Chen Junnan, if he had his skills plus ‘Echo,’ how could you possibly win?”
“I guess that makes sense…”
Kim Won-hoon nodded, though he didn’t actually remember what Chen Junnan’s “Echo” was. He just felt that since this person had recently become active in the “Land of Finality” and was already making a splash, his earlier disappearance was likely due to not having a stable “Echo.”
“Try it now,” Chu Tianqiu said, patting Kim Won-hoon’s shoulder. “I’ve heard your ‘Echo’ many times. That bell chime sounded a lot like yours.”
“You can tell just by the sound…?”
Kim Won-hoon muttered to himself, then slowly narrowed his eyes and looked behind Chu Tianqiu. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from Chu Tianqiu’s sight and reappeared in front of the display screen.
“Eh?” Kim Won-hoon said with delight. “Bro… it seems like it really works…”
Chu Tianqiu nodded upon seeing this. It appeared Xu Liunian had truly found a way to achieve “Echo” in this place. For those who had already mastered “Echo,” adding a layer of psychological work wasn’t particularly difficult.
“Good, Kim Won-hoon,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Keep the ‘pawn’ (卒) with you. From now on, you must protect this ‘character’ with your life.”
“With my life…” Kim Won-hoon paused upon hearing this, then suddenly remembered something. “Bro… earlier, when I was in the game arena, that ‘Zodiac’ told me to pass a message to you…”
“Right here, bro.”
Chu Tianqiu had several people split up to act. The current top priority was to help Yan Zhichun achieve “Echo.”
He deduced that Kim Won-hoon would soon lose his “character.” If Yan Zhichun could activate her ability by then, everything would still be manageable.
“Also…” he called out to Wen Qiaoyun just before she left, “if the situation allows, go check on Zhang Shan’s condition.”
“Check on him now…?”
“If Zhang Shan is still conscious, tell him how to achieve ‘Echo,'” Chu Tianqiu added. “His ‘Echo’ has a certain self-healing ability. He might even be able to get back on his feet.”
Wen Qiaoyun paused for a moment upon hearing this and asked, “What if he can’t hear these words?”
“Then all I can say is it’s a shame,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “He’s already done his best.”
Wen Qiaoyun nodded silently and turned to leave the “Preparation Area” without another word.
Watching her retreating figure, Chu Tianqiu felt slightly dazed. It seemed not long ago that Yun Yao had worn a similar expression before parting ways with him.
If he had to name the emotion flickering in his heart at that moment… he knew it wasn’t sadness or reluctance.
It was a sudden, overwhelming loneliness that pierced through his entire being.
Both Yun Yao and Wen Qiaoyun had once been his most trusted companions. They had faced life and death together and created moments of glory.
But now Chu Tianqiu had awakened, surrounded by ordinary people, making him feel utterly out of place.
How difficult was it to truly liberate the entire “Land of Finality”?
He was walking a path no one understood. Even if Zhang Shan died in the “Riverway,” or if he himself died there, all Chu Tianqiu could do was mockingly say, “I did my best.”
He mocked himself for striving for decades, only to see all his efforts come to nothing.
To Chu Tianqiu, winning or losing this game didn’t matter. It was less of a gamble and more of a performance.
He needed to showcase his abilities to Qinglong and to Qi Xia.
If he acted impulsively and made a careless mistake now, there would be no seat for him on this ride.
Once, standing on the rooftop of “Paradise Port,” Qinglong had told Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu that only one of them could reach the top.
Did Qinglong truly regard him and Qi Xia as equals when he said those words?
But fortunately, Wen Qiaoyun was not Yun Yao.
Chu Tianqiu understood Wen Qiaoyun. She was a powerhouse forged in an environment of emotion. Unlike Yun Yao, she could assess a situation clearly even in extreme pain and make the most rational choice.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Chu Tianqiu instructed Xu Liunian that since she couldn’t revert to her original form, the best strategy was to continue causing chaos under the identity of “Chen Junnan.”
Since they had failed before, they could analyze the reasons for their failure. From now on, they needed to reduce the failure rate. No matter how many times they failed, as long as they could reach the opponent’s “Preparation Area” or trick them out of a “character” even once, it would be worth it.
As for Dr. Zhao, Chu Tianqiu simply told him to “improvise based on the situation” without elaborating further.
Dr. Zhao couldn’t help but feel puzzled. As one of the most powerful “Echo” users in the game, he could destroy the opponent’s “characters” if he got close enough. Yet, Chu Tianqiu seemed reluctant to utilize him fully.
But since Chu Tianqiu said nothing more, Dr. Zhao offered no explanation either. He simply nodded and left the room with Wen Qiaoyun.
Meanwhile, Chu Tianqiu continued studying the screen, analyzing which “characters” could be formed next.
Before long, he realized that to win this match, their side absolutely needed two specific “characters”: “Soldier” (兵) and “Minister” (相).
Given that Chen Junnan had “Package” (包) and “Towel” (巾), who held “Soldier” and “Minister”?
Just as Chu Tianqiu was pondering this, Kim Won-hoon walked in from outside.
“Bro…”
Chu Tianqiu noticed the “Package” character in Kim Won-hoon’s hand and felt a flicker of doubt.
“What’s this?”
“Brother Chu, I won,” Kim Won-hoon said. “It was a bit lucky… but I got the ‘character’ from Chen Junnan.”
Seeing the smile on Kim Won-hoon’s face, Chu Tianqiu fell silent for several seconds.
Lucky?
Kim Won-hoon had beaten Chen Junnan in a game of “Cunning” or “Question and Answer.”
Given his current level of Chinese… just how lucky did he have to be to pull that off?
“What about your own ‘character’?” Chu Tianqiu asked again.
Kim Won-hoon paused, then pulled a chain from his pocket. Hanging from it were three parts forming the character “Pawn” (卒).
“Right here, bro.”
Only upon seeing the “Pawn” did Chu Tianqiu relax slightly. “Well done, Kim Won-hoon.”
“Don’t mention it, bro. It really was just luck.”
Chu Tianqiu nodded and said, “Kim Won-hoon, you weren’t here earlier, but I heard a bell.”
“A bell…?” Kim Won-hoon looked puzzled.
“Yes,” Chu Tianqiu nodded. “Since only you and Chen Junnan were in a game at the time, I suspect you’ve achieved ‘Echo.'”
Kim Won-hoon felt something was off about this reasoning. If a bell had really rung, why hadn’t he heard it?
Weren’t the game rooms directly connected to the outside?
“Bro… earlier, Chen Junnan and I were together in the game…” Kim Won-hoon ventured cautiously. “Even if there really was a bell… why couldn’t it have been for him?”
“Because he lost,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “Based on what you know of Chen Junnan, if he had ‘Echo’ on top of his skills, how could you have won?”
“I guess that makes sense…”
Kim Won-hoon nodded, though he didn’t remember what Chen Junnan’s “Echo” was. He just felt that since this guy had recently become active in the “Land of Finality” and already stood out so brilliantly, his earlier absence was likely due to not having a stable “Echo.”
“Give it a try now,” Chu Tianqiu said, patting Kim Won-hoon’s shoulder. “I’ve heard your ‘Echo’ many times. That bell sounded just like yours.”
“You can tell just by the sound…?”
Kim Won-hoon murmured to himself, then slowly narrowed his eyes and looked past Chu Tianqiu. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from Chu Tianqiu’s sight and reappeared in front of the display screen.
“Huh?” Kim Won-hoon said with delight. “Bro… it seems like it really works…”
Chu Tianqiu nodded upon seeing this. It seemed Xu Liunian had truly found a way to achieve “Echo” in this place. For those who had already mastered “Echo,” adding a layer of psychological work wasn’t too difficult.
“Good, Kim Won-hoon,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Keep holding on to the ‘Pawn.’ From now on, you must protect this ‘character’ with your life.”
“With my life…” Kim Won-hoon paused upon hearing this, then suddenly remembered something. “Bro… earlier, when I was in the game arena, the ‘Zodiac’ told me to pass a message to you…”
“No worries, bro. It really was luck.”
Chu Tianqiu nodded. “Kim, you weren’t here earlier, but I heard a bell.”
“A bell…?” Kim Won-soon frowned.
“Yeah.” Chu Tianqiu nodded. “Since only you and Chen Jun’nan were in a game at the time, I suspect you awakened your ‘Echo.'”
Kim Won-soon felt something was off. If a bell had rung, why hadn’t he heard it?
Weren’t the game rooms directly connected to the outside?
“Bro… Chen Jun’nan and I were in the game together,” he ventured. “If there really was a bell… why wouldn’t it be his?”
“Because he lost,” Chu Tianqiu countered. “Knowing Chen Jun’nan, if he had his skills plus ‘Echo,’ how could you possibly win?”
“Guess that makes sense…”
Kim Won-soon nodded, though he didn’t remember Chen Jun’nan’s “Echo.” The man had only recently resurfaced in the “Land of Finality” and already shone brightly—probably because he hadn’t stabilized his “Echo” before.
“Test it now,” Chu Tianqiu said, patting his shoulder. “I’ve heard your ‘Echo’ many times. That bell sounded just like yours.”
“You can tell from that…?”
Muttering to himself, Kim Won-soon narrowed his eyes at the space behind Chu Tianqiu. In a blink, he vanished from sight and reappeared in front of the screen.
“Whoa!” He grinned. “Bro… I think it really works…”
Chu Tianqiu nodded. Xu Liunian had indeed found a way to trigger “Echo” here. For those who had already mastered it, reinforcing the psychological trigger wasn’t hard.
Chu Tianqiu had several people split up to act. The current top priority was for Yan Zhichun to gain her “Echo.”
He deduced that Kim Won-soon would soon lose his own “character.” If Yan Zhichun could activate her ability by then, everything would still be manageable.
“Also…” he called out to Wen Qiaoyun as she was leaving, “if the situation allows, go check on Zhang Shan’s condition.”
“Check on him now…?”
“If Zhang Shan is still conscious, tell him how to achieve ‘Echo,'” Chu Tianqiu added. “His ‘Echo’ has a certain self-healing ability. He might even be able to get back on his feet.”
Wen Qiaoyun paused upon hearing this and asked, “What if he can’t hear these words anymore?”
“Then all I can say is it’s a shame,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “He’s already done his best.”
Wen Qiaoyun nodded silently and turned to leave the “Preparation Area” without another word.
Watching her retreating figure, Chu Tianqiu felt slightly dazed. It seemed not long ago that Yun Yao had worn a similar expression before parting ways with him.
If he had to name the emotion flickering in his heart at that moment… he knew it was neither sadness nor reluctance.
It was a sudden, all-encompassing loneliness.
Both Yun Yao and Wen Qiaoyun had once been his most trusted companions. They had faced life and death together and created moments of glory.
But now, Chu Tianqiu had awakened. He had awakened among a group of normal people, making himself seem exceptionally abnormal.
How difficult was it to completely liberate the entire “Land of Finality”?
He was walking a path no one understood. Even if Zhang Shan died in the “Riverway,” or if he himself died there, all Chu Tianqiu could do was mockingly say, “I did my best.”
He mocked himself for exerting effort for decades, only to see all his hard work come to nothing.
To Chu Tianqiu, winning or losing this game didn’t matter. It was less of a gamble and more of a performance.
He needed to showcase his strength to Qinglong and to Qi Xia as convincingly as possible.
If he were to act recklessly now and make a careless mistake, there would be no seat for him on this ride.
Once, Qinglong had stood on the rooftop of “Paradise Port” and told both Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu that only one of them could reach the pinnacle.
When Qinglong said those words… did he even consider Chu Tianqiu and Qi Xia as equals?
But fortunately, Wen Qiaoyun was not Yun Yao.
Chu Tianqiu understood Wen Qiaoyun. She was a powerhouse forged in an environment of emotion. Unlike Yun Yao… she could assess a situation clearly even in extreme distress and make the most rational choice.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Chu Tianqiu instructed Xu Liunian that since she couldn’t revert to her original form, the best course of action was to continue causing chaos under the identity of “Chen Junnan.”
Since they had failed before, they could strive to identify the reasons for their failures. From now on, they needed to reduce the failure rate. No matter how many times they failed, as long as they succeeded once—whether by reaching the opponent’s “Preparation Area” or tricking them out of a “character”—it would be worth it.
As for Dr. Zhao, Chu Tianqiu simply told him to “improvise as the situation demands” without elaborating further.
Dr. Zhao couldn’t help but feel puzzled. As one of the most powerful “Echo” users in this game, he could disrupt the opponent’s “characters” simply by getting close enough. Yet, Chu Tianqiu never seemed interested in utilizing him fully.
But since Chu Tianqiu said nothing more, Dr. Zhao offered no explanation either. He simply nodded and left the room with Wen Qiaoyun.
Chu Tianqiu, meanwhile, continued studying the screen, analyzing which “characters” could be formed next.
Before long, he realized that for their side to win this match, two specific “characters” were essential: “Soldier” (兵) and “Minister” (相).
Given that Chen Junnan had “Wrap” (包) and “Cloth” (巾), who held “Soldier” and “Minister”?
Just as Chu Tianqiu was pondering this, Kim Won-soon walked in from outside.
“Bro…”
Chu Tianqiu noticed the “Wrap” character in Kim Won-soon’s hand and felt a flicker of doubt.
“What’s this?”
“Brother Chu, I won,” Kim Won-soon said. “It was a bit lucky… but I got the ‘character’ from Chen Junnan.”
Seeing the smile on Kim Won-soon’s face, Chu Tianqiu fell silent for several seconds.
Lucky?
Kim Won-soon had beaten Chen Junnan in a game of “Cunning” or “Question and Answer.”
Given his current level of Chinese… just how lucky did he have to be to pull that off?
“What about your own ‘character’?” Chu Tianqiu asked again.
Kim Won-soon paused, then pulled a chain from his pocket. Hanging from it were three parts forming the character “Pawn” (卒).
“Right here, bro.”
Only upon seeing the “Pawn” did Chu Tianqiu relax slightly. “Well done, Kim Won-soon.”
“Don’t mention it, bro. It really was just luck.”
Chu Tianqiu nodded and added, “Kim Won-soon, you weren’t here earlier, but I heard a bell chime.”
“A bell chime…?” Kim Won-soon looked puzzled.
“Yes,” Chu Tianqiu confirmed. “Given that only you and Chen Junnan were in a game at the time, I suspect you’ve gained your ‘Echo.'”
Kim Won-soon felt something was off about this. If a bell had chimed, why hadn’t he heard it?
Weren’t the game rooms directly connected to the outside?
“Bro… earlier, Chen Junnan and I were together in the game…” Kim Won-soon ventured cautiously. “Even if there really was a bell chime… why couldn’t it have been for him?”
“Because he lost,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “Based on what you know of Chen Junnan, if he had his skills plus an ‘Echo,’ how could you possibly win?”
“I guess that makes sense…”
Kim Won-soon nodded, though he didn’t actually remember what Chen Junnan’s “Echo” was. He just felt that since this guy had recently become active in the “Land of Finality” and was already making a splash, his earlier disappearance was likely due to not having a stable “Echo.”
“So, try it now,” Chu Tianqiu said, patting Kim Won-soon’s shoulder. “I’ve heard your ‘Echo’ many times. That bell chime sounded a lot like yours.”
“You can tell just by the sound…?”
Kim Won-soon murmured to himself, then slowly narrowed his eyes and looked past Chu Tianqiu. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from Chu Tianqiu’s sight and reappeared in front of the display screen.
“Eh?” Kim Won-soon said with delight. “Bro… it seems like it really works…”
Chu Tianqiu nodded upon seeing this. It appeared Xu Liunian had indeed found a way to achieve “Echo” in this place. For those who had already mastered their “Echo,” adding a layer of psychological conditioning wasn’t too difficult.
“Good, Kim Won-soon,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Keep the ‘Pawn’ with you. From now on, you must protect this ‘character’ with your life.”
“With my life…” Kim Won-soon paused upon hearing this, then suddenly remembered something. “Bro… earlier, when I was in the game arena, that ‘Zodiac’ told me to pass a message to you…”
“With my life…” Kim Won-soon paused, then recalled something. “Oh, bro… that ‘Zodiac’ in the game room asked me to pass you a message…”
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