Chapter 1236: Lin Qin

Qinglong heard the woman slowly walk out the door and continued to rub his forehead.

Everything felt strangely off, yet he couldn’t pinpoint the source of the problem.

On the surface, everything appeared normal… If there was anything truly unforgettable today, it was likely the game of “Cangjie Chess” against Qi Xia, along with that reckless fool Xuanwu who dared raise a hand against him.

But was Xuanwu really that strong? How could he have drained so much of Qinglong’s conviction?

After “Cangjie Chess,” his mind had grown slightly disordered, to the point where even “Spirit Hearing” had vanished.

At a glance, the “Train” seemed no different from before.

At worst, perhaps Qi Xia had brought various “participants” aboard, and maybe there were even moles among the “Zodiacs” working for him. These people might now be trying to turn the “Train” upside down.

Nearly everyone had gathered here for different reasons—some because they had endured enough oppression and wanted to rebel at the last moment; others because they were dissatisfied with the rule of the “Celestials” and sought to replace them; some aimed to eliminate the Twin Dragons and overthrow the entire “Taoyuan”; and still others clung to hollow dreams or lofty ideals, willing to sacrifice themselves to “save” all the sinners.

Regardless of their motives, they had indeed been gathered here, throwing the entire “Train” into chaos.

But so what?

This was still the “Train.” As long as he could activate his “Divine Arts,” the situation wouldn’t spiral out of control.

Qinglong slowly closed his eyes, searching his mind for the faint trace of “Soul Snatcher” he had left behind. She must have boarded the “Train” too, right?

His muddled mind made even his conviction feel sluggish. It took him several times longer than usual to finally locate that person aboard the “Train.”

But her mind seemed no clearer than his.

Only three thoughts cycled endlessly in her consciousness:

“I should drink some water soon.”

“Should I eat something?”

“I need to use the bathroom.”

These thoughts were unusually sharp, repeating over and over.

Qinglong was about to withdraw his search when, seconds later, he sensed something was off.

While these were the most mundane thoughts an ordinary person might have…

As a “participant” aboard the “Train”… shouldn’t there be *anything* else in her mind?

Her thoughts held no tension, no fear, not even hope.

There was no trace of the “Zodiacs” or her teammates—as if she had cast aside everything happening on the “Train.”

If this could still be called “normal”… then things were taking a truly eerie turn.

Lin Qin—had she realized she was being monitored?

But every form of control he exerted over her operated at the subconscious level, even her memories were carefully crafted by him. How could she have noticed?

To ensure Qi Xia would keep moving forward in this memory-less cycle, Qinglong had painstakingly given Lin Qin the identity of someone from the year 2068, implanting a memory of an old man who resembled Qi Xia.

The only pity was that even Lin Qin had never actually met that old man. If Qi Xia ever asked, she would only truthfully say, “A friend saw him.”

Her subconscious would assure her that no matter how different the old man looked from Qi Xia, he *had* to be Qi Xia, who had escaped this place.

Only by clinging to that belief would Qi Xia overcome all obstacles, board the “Train,” and set his sights on Tianlong.

But why had that old man kept muttering about “Divine Deception”?

Qinglong slowly curled his lips into a smirk. The clues were already buried in Lin Qin’s memories—because the entire recollection was fabricated.

This was nothing more than a joke he, as a “god,” had played on the insect-like “mortals,” a jest about fate.

And why had Lin Qin been placed in the room as a “psychological counselor”?

Because only someone with a life story similar to that arrogant Qi Xia could draw him into conversation more easily.

How else would a psychology graduate open up to an ordinary person?

Qinglong slowly closed his eyes again, using “Soul Snatcher” to compel Lin Qin to stand and observe her surroundings.

He couldn’t see through her eyes, but he could manipulate her subconscious.

*”What do I see before me?”* Qinglong murmured.

*”There’s… a wall…”* Lin Qin’s voice echoed in his mind.

*”Why is no one here?”* Qinglong pressed. *”Where are the people in front of me?”*

*”The people in front of me…”* Lin Qin paused. *”There’s no one in front of me…”*

*”I need to find them,”* Qinglong said. *”I need to know who’s around me. I need to know what they’re planning.”*

Behind Lin Qin, Didog and Xiaoxiao watched as she suddenly stood up, then fell silent.

A moment later, they saw her raise her hands and slowly cover her mouth and nose.

*”There’s no one around me…”* Lin Qin said after a long pause. *”I don’t even know where I am.”*

That brief statement made Qinglong frown.

It seemed this peculiar informant had indeed malfunctioned—either her mind had shattered, or she had been swayed by Qi Xia.

But if she *had* been turned… why wouldn’t he know about it?

Countless questions further tangled Qinglong’s thoughts, but with so many rooms on the “Train,” he couldn’t immediately locate Lin Qin for answers.

Even if one chess piece had gone rogue, how could it possibly affect him?

*”Perhaps I’m not suited to using ‘needles’…”* Qinglong muttered to himself. *”I only need myself.”*

Didog and Xiaoxiao, seeing Lin Qin had quieted down, approached to check on her.

*”You alright?”* Didog asked. *”Were you talking to someone?”*

Lin Qin kept one hand pressed to her chest, the other still covering her mouth and nose, as if uncomfortable.

*”I’m fine… It’s just too foul,”* she said, struggling to steady herself before finally lowering her hand.

*”Foul…?”* Didog lazily yawned. *”How odd. You seem to retain quite a bit of memory—yet you still find this place foul?”*

*”Hah.”* Lin Qin let out a dry laugh. *”Isn’t it funny? Even *you* understand, yet someone else doesn’t.”*

*”Oh?”*

*”I’ve wandered here for seven years… yet I’ve never grown accustomed to the stench. It’s so overpowering, I have to cover my mouth and nose just to walk.”*

She waved a hand in front of her face, as if trying to disperse the foul air.

*”Isn’t that illogical…?”*