Chapter 110: The King?

“Repaying a favor…?” Old Lü clearly didn’t understand.

Qi Xia shook his head helplessly.

This middle-aged man before him was timid, greedy, a liar, impulsive, and hot-headed—almost every flaw imaginable was gathered in him. Yet, Qi Xia found it impossible to dislike him.

Qi Xia decided to drop the subject and walked straight toward Zhang Shan instead.

It was strange—these people hadn’t laid a hand on him yet.

“Why did you tie up my teammate?” Qi Xia asked.

Zhang Shan rubbed his sore back and said, “Didn’t I just say it? It’s Chu Tianqiu’s order. You hit pretty hard just now, but for some reason, he didn’t tell me to tie you up too…”

“If Chu Tianqiu can’t give me a good reason, I’ll hit even harder next time.” Qi Xia’s tone was deadly serious, with no hint of bluffing.

“Dang it! Can’t you just talk normally? Whatever. Chu Tianqiu wants to see you anyway.” Zhang Shan waved at someone in the distance, and soon, the bespectacled young man jogged over. Qi Xia recognized him immediately.

“Zhang Shan, you okay?” the bespectacled man asked.

“I’m fine. Take this guy to Chu Tianqiu.” Zhang Shan waved him off, then stretched his back before helping up the young man Qi Xia had knocked down earlier. With that, he led Qiao Jiajin away.

The bespectacled man sized Qi Xia up and said, “Mr. Qi, right? Follow me.”

Qi Xia nodded cautiously and followed.

They walked down the hallway until they reached a classroom at the southernmost end.

The bespectacled man knocked lightly on the door. “Mr. Chu, Miss Yun, I’ve brought him.”

“Let him in,” a man’s voice came from inside.

Without waiting for further instruction, Qi Xia pushed the door open and entered.

Yun Yao was sitting at a desk, painting her nails, while a refined-looking stranger was writing something on the blackboard.

Both turned to look at Qi Xia as he stepped in.

“Wow! The down-and-out hottie!” Yun Yao pointed at him excitedly. “Have you decided to be my ‘rumored boyfriend’ yet?”

Qi Xia ignored her, his gaze fixed on the unfamiliar man instead.

“Qi Xia?” The man smiled, placing the chalk back in the tray and dusting off his hands. “I’ve heard much about you. I’m Chu Tianqiu.”

Qi Xia nodded and stepped forward. Behind him, the bespectacled man tactfully closed the door.

Yun Yao stood up and approached, her fragrance sweet and refreshing. “Qi Xia, I’m so glad you’re here!”

Chu Tianqiu also walked toward him, his expression calm and composed. “Apologies for meeting under these circumstances. I hope you understand.”

“Chu Tianqiu, tell me why you did this,” Qi Xia cut straight to the point.

“You mean… restraining your teammate?” Chu Tianqiu smiled faintly. “How should I put this? This is our territory. I don’t actually owe you an explanation.”

“Let me get this straight,” Qi Xia frowned slightly. “You lured us here, took control of my teammate, and now you won’t even tell me why?”

“And what if I did?” Chu Tianqiu adjusted his glasses. “Qi Xia, this is your first time at ‘Paradise.’ Maybe you don’t know the rules here.”

“Then what are the rules?” Qi Xia asked.

“I am the rules.” Chu Tianqiu smiled again, an expression that made Qi Xia deeply uneasy. “As long as everyone listens to me, I’ll lead them all out eventually.”

Qi Xia stared coldly at him, calculating something silently. The air grew tense.

“Hey… what’s with this atmosphere?” Yun Yao stepped between them, trying to lighten the mood. “You just met! Why so serious? We’re supposed to be teammates.”

When neither replied, she remembered Chu Tianqiu’s earlier words—”Two kings cannot coexist.” Maybe these two truly weren’t meant to be allies. Yet both were brilliant minds, indispensable to “Paradise.” Losing either would be a massive blow.

“Can you do me a favor?” Yun Yao smiled, taking Qi Xia’s hand and then Chu Tianqiu’s. “Shake hands in front of me, and let’s all be friends from now on.”

“No need,” Qi Xia withdrew his hand.

“Exactly,” Chu Tianqiu also pulled away. “Don’t worry, Yun Yao. Qi Xia is smart. I think he understands the ‘rules’ of this place now.”

“One last question.” Qi Xia’s brow furrowed slightly. “You see yourself as some kind of ‘local tyrant,’ so everyone who joins ‘Paradise’ has to obey you unconditionally, follow your orders, and never question you. Is that it?”

“A bit crude, but essentially correct.” Chu Tianqiu adjusted his glasses again. “Though I’m no ‘tyrant’—just the leader here. You know as well as I do that without leadership, this many people would scatter like sand. No one would ever escape.”

Yun Yao sighed. “Qi Xia, don’t take it the wrong way. Chu Tianqiu may be our leader, but his goal is to get us all out. We’re still ‘teammates,’ after all.”

Qi Xia nodded once more, studying the two before him. Suddenly, he turned to Yun Yao. “Can you step back a bit?”

“Step back?” Yun Yao blinked, then smirked. “What, don’t like my perfume?”

“No, it’s nice,” Qi Xia said. “But I need you to step back.”

After a brief pause, Yun Yao complied, retreating two steps. “Oh, I get it. You want to check me out?”

She twirled playfully.

“No. I just don’t want to hurt you,” Qi Xia replied.

“Hurt me?”

Before Yun Yao or Chu Tianqiu could react, Qi Xia lunged forward. Mimicking Qiao Jiajin’s bear-slaying technique, he twisted his torso, whipping his right arm like a rope. His fist spun 180 degrees midair.

He had aimed for Chu Tianqiu’s chin, but the punch landed square on his mouth—apparently, his combat skills needed work.

**THUD!**

Chu Tianqiu had no time to dodge. The impact sent him crashing to the floor with a pained groan, like a felled tree.

Yun Yao gasped, hands flying to her mouth. She had no idea how things had escalated like this.

Qi Xia shook his aching right hand and approached Chu Tianqiu again.

Blood filled Chu Tianqiu’s mouth as he writhed on the ground in agony.

Qi Xia crouched beside him slowly, locking eyes as he enunciated each word:

“Chu Tianqiu, who the hell do you think you are?”