But no matter how much Qi Xia studied it, he couldn’t open this crooked “士” (scholar) character, nor could he figure out its internal structure. Perhaps even Tian Tian herself knew nothing about it.
Thinking of this, Qi Xia didn’t waste any more time. Putting down the “character,” he headed straight for the opponent’s “preparation area.”
Under the astonished gazes of Chu Tianqiu’s teammates, Qi Xia informed them of the game’s outcome.
Wen Qiaoyun, as if she had anticipated something, slowly raised her head and looked toward Earth Dragon.
A faint smile curled on Qi Xia’s lips. It wasn’t over—it was just beginning.
At that moment, Earth Dragon slowly stood up, as if she already knew her fate. She had waited far too long for this moment.
“Qinglong,” she said, “do you remember our bet?”
“Hmm?”
“The bet about how I would die,” Earth Dragon said with a laugh. “If you guess wrong, you have to grant me one request.”
“Even at this point, you’re still hung up on that pathetic bet?”
“You’re not thinking of backing out, are you?” Earth Dragon replied. “Qinglong, who calls himself a ‘god,’ seems prepared to renege on quite a few things today.”
“Cut the nonsense,” Qinglong said. “What kind of request could possibly overwhelm me?”
“Then it’s settled,” Earth Dragon replied.
Wen Qiaoyun stared at Earth Dragon for a long time before speaking in a clear voice, “Earth Dragon, I challenge you to a life-or-death bet.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it echoed clearly across the game arena, reaching Earth Dragon’s ears high above.
Earth Dragon smiled faintly, leaped down from the stands, and landed in the “preparation area” where Wen Qiaoyun stood.
In the next instant, a sinister wind swept through the arena, tousling a few strands of hair on Qinglong’s forehead.
Before Qinglong could even turn around, he found himself surrounded by long, black hair.
Xuanwu had descended. She stood silently behind Qinglong, statue-like.
Everyone in the arena sensed this unusual aura and looked up toward the heights.
Xuanwu’s hair cascaded down from the stands, making the entire platform resemble a suspended human head.
The dark space grew bitterly cold. She stood quietly behind Qinglong, who didn’t turn around but continued resting his chin on his hand, gazing downward.
He carefully recalled his earlier bet with Earth Dragon.
Regarding how Earth Dragon would die, she had given two options: first, angering him and being killed by him; second, losing the game and being killed by Xuanwu.
Qinglong’s answer was, “You will be bet to death by a participant.” In other words, he predicted Earth Dragon would be killed by Xuanwu. Although it seemed unlikely anything unexpected would happen, the possibility of losing at any moment irritated him.
He needed to do something to ensure Earth Dragon would definitely lose the bet and die at Xuanwu’s hands.
Xuanwu, meanwhile, remained motionless, standing still with an icy aura, as if waiting for Qinglong’s command.
After a few seconds of silence, Qinglong spoke softly, “Once the game begins, find a way to rule Earth Dragon as having violated the rules.”
“Kill Earth Dragon…?”
Xuanwu’s gaze shot out from behind her disheveled hair, as if trying to identify which one below was Earth Dragon. A few seconds later, the little girl covered in scales came into view.
“Good…” Xuanwu grinned. “Killing Earth Dragon sounds good.”
“Of course it is,” Qinglong replied with a smile. “She’s just too foolish. I would never kill her myself. So the only way for her to die is to lose the game and be killed by you.”
“Good…” Xuanwu nodded, her sinister eyes fixed on Earth Dragon below. “From now on… even her walking will be considered a ‘violation’…”
In the game arena, everyone held their breath as Earth Dragon landed. They knew an even more brutal game was about to begin.
Rumors said that in “life-or-death bets,” many “Zodiacs” would alter the game rules. Now that Xuanwu had also appeared, what kind of rules would be enforced?
Among the crowd, only Qi Xia remained calm, watching Earth Dragon. Their eyes met briefly, but neither spoke.
Wen Qiaoyun took a slow step forward. She knew she was the one who had proposed the life-or-death bet this time. According to the principle of “an eye for an eye,” once such a bet was proposed, only one of them would survive.
But if she hadn’t proposed it, she, Chu Tianqiu, and everyone else in their team would have died. This was nothing more than a last-ditch, desperate choice.
“I’m ready,” Wen Qiaoyun said. “What rules will we use now?”
A few seconds later, Earth Dragon flashed an exceptionally sweet smile and said to everyone,
“I surrender.”
These three short, resounding words left everyone present in stunned silence.
Wen Qiaoyun and Yan Zhichun seemed to have countless things they wanted to say, but at that moment, they were struck speechless, their faces filled with shock.
The leader of the Earth-level “Zodiacs”… had just surrendered?
The life-or-death bet hadn’t even begun, and no new rules had been announced… yet she had already lost?
Up in the stands, Qinglong shot to his feet, his expression furious.
“Wait…” Wen Qiaoyun stammered, “What did you just…”
Earth Dragon smiled at everyone once more, then turned to Qi Xia. “Goodbye.”
Qi Xia’s eyes dimmed slightly before he nodded. “Goodbye.”
In the next moment, Earth Dragon raised her right hand and, to everyone’s bewilderment, swiftly plunged it into her own chest.
She coughed up a mouthful of blood and slumped weakly to the ground.
Although Qinglong immediately began “warping” down to the game arena, he was still half a second too late.
By the time he landed, Earth Dragon had only one last breath left. Yet she still wore a faint smile, her eyes fixed on Qinglong.
“You lose, Qinglong,” Earth Dragon said, coughing up another mouthful of blood. “In this game, I wasn’t killed by you or by Xuanwu. Instead, I took my own life.”
To Qinglong, Earth Dragon’s choice was utterly incomprehensible. The one thing in this world he could never understand was “suicide.”
So he remained silent, staring at the blood-spattered Earth Dragon with an extremely peculiar expression.
“What…” Earth Dragon chuckled weakly, “Planning to go back on your word? Our bet… you won’t honor it?”
Qinglong frowned. “What is your request?”
“I want you to release everyone in Chu Tianqiu’s team,” Earth Dragon said. “In this game, I’m trading my life for theirs.”
Qinglong narrowed his eyes, looking at the dying Earth Dragon.
Now there was one more thing he couldn’t understand: besides “suicide,” there was also “suicide for others.”
“You won’t agree…?” Earth Dragon smiled. “So many eyes are watching you here… The man who calls himself a ‘god’ actually intends to renege in public…”
Qinglong glanced around at the people present. Countless pairs of eyes were fixed on him in confusion, waiting for him to give a definitive answer.
This feeling made him extremely uncomfortable.
What if he refused?
What if he let Earth Dragon slowly die and then killed everyone else here?
But he did have ulterior motives. Earth Dragon’s request perfectly solved a problem that had been weighing on Qinglong’s mind.
In this game, he also wanted to let Chu Tianqiu—who resembled him more—go free but had never found a good excuse. This way… couldn’t everything be resolved naturally?
With that thought, Qi Xia wasted no more time. After setting the “character” down, he walked straight toward the opposing team’s “preparation zone.”
Under the astonished gazes of Chu Tianqiu’s teammates, Qi Xia announced the outcome of the game.
Wen Qiaoyun, as if she had anticipated something, slowly raised her head and looked toward Di Long.
The corner of Qi Xia’s mouth curled up. This wasn’t the end—it was the beginning.
At that moment, Di Long also stood up slowly, as though she already knew her fate. She had waited far too long for this moment.
“Qing Long,” she said. “Do you remember our bet?”
“Hmm?”
“The bet about how I would die,” Di Long chuckled. “If you guessed wrong, you’d have to grant me one request.”
“Even now, you’re still clinging to that pitiful little wager?”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to back out?” Di Long smirked. “Qing Long, who fancies himself a ‘god,’ seems quite eager to break promises today.”
“Enough nonsense,” Qing Long scoffed. “A mere request—do you really think it could bring me down?”
“Then it’s settled,” Di Long replied.
Wen Qiaoyun stared at Di Long for a long moment before speaking, her voice clear and unwavering. “Di Long, I challenge you to a life-or-death game.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, yet it echoed distinctly across the game field, reaching Di Long’s ears from her high vantage point.
Di Long smiled faintly, then leapt from the spectator stand, landing gracefully in Wen Qiaoyun’s “preparation zone.”
The next instant, a sinister wind swept through the arena, tousling a few strands of Qing Long’s hair.
Before he could even turn around, Qing Long realized that his surroundings were already draped in long, inky-black hair.
Xuan Wu had descended. She stood silently behind Qing Long, motionless as a statue.
Every person in the arena sensed the eerie shift in the atmosphere and looked up toward the high platform.
Xuan Wu’s hair cascaded down from the stands, making the entire structure resemble a suspended human head.
The dark space grew unbearably cold as she remained still behind Qing Long, who didn’t turn to face her, merely resting his chin on his hand as he watched the scene below.
He carefully recalled his earlier bet with Di Long.
Regarding the manner of her death, she had given two options: either she would provoke him and be killed by him, or she would lose the game and be executed by Xuan Wu.
Qing Long’s answer had been: “You’ll be gambled to death by a participant.” In other words, he predicted she would be killed by Xuan Wu. Though he didn’t expect any surprises, the nagging possibility of losing irritated him.
He needed to ensure that Di Long would inevitably lose the bet and die by Xuan Wu’s hand.
Xuan Wu, meanwhile, remained motionless, exuding an aura of icy stillness, as if awaiting Qing Long’s command.
After a few seconds of silence, Qing Long spoke softly. “Once the game starts, find a way to rule Di Long as having violated the rules.”
“Kill Di Long…?”
Xuan Wu’s gaze pierced through her tangled hair as she scanned the field below, searching for the target. Moments later, her eyes locked onto the small, scaly girl.
“Good…” Xuan Wu grinned, her expression sinister. “Killing Di Long sounds wonderful.”
“Of course it does,” Qing Long chuckled. “She’s just too stupid. I certainly won’t kill her. So her only possible cause of death is losing the game and being executed by you.”
“Good…” Xuan Wu nodded, her eerie stare fixed on Di Long below. “From this moment on… even her mere footsteps will be a ‘violation’…”
Back in the game arena, the moment Di Long landed, all the participants held their breaths. They knew an even more brutal game was about to unfold.
Rumors said that in “life-or-death” games, many “Zodiacs” altered the rules. Now that Xuan Wu had appeared, what kind of rules would they face?
Among the crowd, only Qi Xia remained expressionless as he watched Di Long. Their eyes briefly met, but neither spoke.
Wen Qiaoyun took a slow step forward. She knew that as the one who had issued the challenge, the principle of “an eye for an eye” dictated that only one of them would survive.
But if she hadn’t proposed the gamble, she, Chu Tianqiu, and everyone else in their team would have died. This was a desperate last resort.
“I’m ready,” Wen Qiaoyun declared. “What rules will we follow?”
A few seconds later, Di Long flashed an unnervingly sweet smile before announcing to the crowd:
“I surrender.”
Those three simple words struck like a hammer, plunging the entire arena into stunned silence.
Wen Qiaoyun and Yan Zhichun seemed to have countless things to say, but they stood frozen in shock, rendered speechless.
The leader of the Earth-level “Zodiacs”… had just conceded defeat?
The “life-or-death” game hadn’t even begun, and no new rules had been announced… yet she had already lost?
On the high platform, Qing Long shot to his feet, his face twisted with fury.
“Wait—” Wen Qiaoyun stammered. “What did you just—”
Di Long smiled at everyone once more before turning to Qi Xia. “Goodbye.”
Qi Xia’s eyes dimmed slightly as he nodded. “Goodbye.”
In the next instant, Di Long raised her right hand and, to everyone’s bewilderment, plunged it into her own chest.
A gush of blood spilled from her lips as her body crumpled to the ground.
Though Qing Long immediately attempted to “warp” into the arena, he was half a second too late.
By the time he landed, Di Long had only one final breath left—yet she still wore a faint smile as she gazed at Qing Long.
“You lost, Qing Long,” Di Long coughed out another mouthful of blood. “I wasn’t killed by you or Xuan Wu. I chose to die by my own hand.”
To Qing Long, Di Long’s choice was utterly incomprehensible. The one thing in this world he could never understand was “suicide.”
So he remained silent, staring at the bloodied Di Long with an inscrutable expression.
“What’s wrong…?” Di Long chuckled weakly. “Planning to renege…? Our bet… doesn’t count anymore?”
Qing Long frowned. “What is your request?”
“Let everyone on Chu Tianqiu’s team go,” Di Long said. “In this game, my life will be the price for theirs.”
Qing Long narrowed his eyes at the dying Di Long.
Now, there were two things he couldn’t comprehend: “suicide,” and “sacrificing oneself for others.”
“Not going to agree…?” Di Long smiled faintly. “With so many witnesses here… the self-proclaimed ‘god’ dares to openly break his word…”
Qing Long glanced around at the crowd. Countless eyes stared back at him, filled with silent expectation, waiting for his answer.
The scrutiny made him deeply uncomfortable.
What if he refused?
What if he let Di Long bleed out slowly, then slaughtered the rest?
But he had his own motives. Di Long’s request perfectly resolved a dilemma that had been weighing on him.
In this game, he had wanted to spare Chu Tianqiu—someone who resembled him—but lacked a justifiable excuse. Now, everything could proceed as he wished, under the guise of honoring a bet.
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