But every choice the Earth Horse made seemed to be a carefully considered decision.
He didn’t leave Xu Liunian any “car door.”
So when the two cars collided, the Earth Horse shattered his own window and reached out to grab Xu Liunian.
Seeing the danger, Xu Liunian quickly dodged to the side.
She knew the other had gone mad—he was going to kill her here.
Unable to grab Xu Liunian, the Earth Horse changed tactics. Instead of targeting her, he seized the door frame of her car.
At this moment, the Earth Horse abandoned driving and moved to the passenger seat of his own car, gripping Xu Liunian’s vehicle with all his might.
His formidable strength surged, and he literally “hooked” his car onto hers.
When she turned, he turned; when she accelerated, he accelerated.
This was what it meant to gamble with an “Earth”-level.
They needed not just exceptional intelligence but also to face the overwhelming power and deranged mindset of the “Zodiacs.”
Xu Liunian was just an ordinary person.
She tried everything but couldn’t pry the Earth Horse’s hands off her car. All she could do was continue driving forward in terror.
At this point, Xu Liunian knew she absolutely couldn’t hit the brakes.
If the car stopped, the Earth Horse would leap onto her vehicle and tear her apart.
The “rules” never mentioned anything about “killing.”
With that in mind, she had no choice but to accelerate further. Since she couldn’t overpower him head-on, she had to rely on the original rules and win through “speed.”
Fortunately, Xu Liunian was a skilled driver. As she sped forward, she repeatedly rammed her car into his.
Since the Earth Horse’s arm was caught between the two vehicles, it was soon crushed into a bloody mess.
She thought this would force him to let go, but she underestimated his resolve.
The Earth Horse had never intended to keep that hand from the start.
His arm was mangled, revealing yellowish-white bone, yet a grotesque smile spread across his face.
He clung desperately to Xu Liunian’s car, leaning his entire body out of his own vehicle.
Xu Liunian trembled in fear at the sight of this monster but was utterly powerless against him.
“You dare gamble with us? Do you know how desperately we want to survive here?” Those were the last words Xiao Nian ever heard.
On that speeding car, the Earth Horse killed Xu Liunian.
This absurd race ended in less than thirty seconds.
They hadn’t even reached the first turn before one of the drivers was dead, forcing the game to conclude.
As Chu Tianqiu recounted this, Yun Yao’s expression darkened with sorrow.
She slowly stood up and gazed out the window. “Qi Xia, do you know what our first reaction was when we saw Xiao Nian die?”
“What was it?” Qi Xia asked.
“It was, ‘Next time, we need a different strategy.'” Yun Yao let out a bitter laugh. “This place is truly horrifying. After cycle after cycle, we’ve completely lost our reverence for ‘death.'”
Chu Tianqiu added softly, “And our teammate Xiao Nian… never appeared again after that day.”
After hearing this story, Qi Xia’s mind was in turmoil.
“So this is what you meant by ‘don’t gamble with Earth-levels yet,'” Qi Xia said. “You haven’t managed to kill a single Earth-level so far?”
“Exactly,” the two nodded.
“Then what about ‘Heaven’-levels?” Qi Xia pressed. “Your strategy sounds extremely flawed. Above ‘Earth’ are ‘Heaven’-levels. If you can’t even kill ‘Earth’-levels, why make this plan?”
“Well…” Chu Tianqiu paused in thought. “Qi Xia, we’ve been in the ‘Land of the End’ for over two years now. In that time, we’ve scoured every corner of the city, but we’ve never once seen a ‘Heaven’-level Zodiac.”
Qi Xia frowned slightly. “Are you saying… they don’t exist here?”
“I can’t say for sure,” Chu Tianqiu replied. “But that’s the information we have so far.”
Qi Xia nodded silently. He had a general understanding now.
No wonder, during the last game with the Earth Ox, when he saw Zhang Shan, he didn’t choose to gamble with him.
The “Paradise Gate” organization was currently too cautious, only daring to challenge “Human”-level Zodiacs.
They believed that if they failed in a life-or-death gamble with an “Earth”-level, they would be permanently erased from the “Land of the End.”
But Qi Xia knew the reality was different.
“Since you two were willing to share ‘classified information’ with me, I’ll share something with you in return,” Qi Xia said, his expression growing serious. “This might completely overturn your entire plan.”
“What is it?” The two looked at him in confusion.
“I’ve seen Xu Liunian,” Qi Xia said. “She wasn’t ‘eliminated’ at all—she was on the verge of becoming a ‘Native.'”
Chu Tianqiu was completely taken aback by this revelation.
“Becoming a ‘Native’?” He stared blankly. “You mean… a ‘Madperson’?”
“Oh? Is that what you call them here—’Sane’ and ‘Mad’?” Qi Xia nodded. “By your terms, yes, she’s a ‘Madperson.’ But she’s somewhere between ‘Sane’ and ‘Mad,’ and it seems there’s still hope for her.”
Yun Yao stepped forward urgently. “Where is Xiao Nian?! I need to find her!”
Chu Tianqiu also nodded. “Qi Xia, Yun Yao and Xiao Nian were very close. If she’s really still in the ‘Land of the End’… please tell us. ‘Paradise Gate’ will repay you.”
Qi Xia nodded in return. “Do you have paper and a pen? I’ll draw it for you.”
Yun Yao quickly pulled out a small, fragrant notebook from her bag.
“That place is very far from here,” Qi Xia said as he sketched. “There’s a main road outside that runs almost the entire length of the city. Follow it north for about 25 to 30 kilometers. Near a dilapidated black building, there’s an old taxi. Xu Liunian was there. But that was last cycle—I’m not sure if she’s still there now.”
The two took the map Qi Xia had drawn with disbelief, their expressions shifting between hope and doubt.
The location was so far away that it was nearly impossible for an ordinary person to reach.
“Tianqiu, what do you think?” Yun Yao asked.
“Whether she’s there or not, even if there’s the slightest hope, we have to send someone to find her,” Chu Tianqiu said firmly. “Yun Yao, the car in the backyard is almost repaired. Take Xiao Glasses and Jin Yuanxun with you. Even if Xiao Nian is a ‘Madperson,’ do whatever it takes to bring her back.”
“Got it!” Yun Yao, her usual demeanor gone, grabbed her bag and rushed out the door.
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