“Witnessing the End…”
So it seems that Chu Tianqiu’s “Echo” trigger is both demanding and stable.
First, he must be extremely patient, avoiding participation in any games for ten days until the “Day of the End” arrives. During this time, no matter how many companions die, he must remain indifferent.
At the same time, he must evade the pursuit of the “Extreme Path,” doing everything possible to survive.
Finally, he witnesses the destruction of everything and disappears along with the end.
“You really scared me to death yesterday,” Yun Yao said. “If you had swung that brick down, you would have almost ruined the hopes of all the good people in the ‘Land of the End’ escaping.”
“Is that so…” Qi Xia still felt puzzled.
If Chu Tianqiu was truly as Yun Yao described, then he was undoubtedly a formidable figure. Having been here for two years—730 days—he had experienced at least 73 cycles.
He survived every single time, retaining his memories.
With such cunning and skill, why would he expose a glaring flaw yesterday?
If Qi Xia were part of the Extreme Path, Chu Tianqiu would already be dead.
“I still underestimated you…” Qi Xia muttered to himself.
After resting briefly by the roadside, the group headed toward the next game site.
“Sorry… can I go to the bathroom?” Qiao Jiajin asked. “I’ve been holding it for a while…”
“Uh…” Qi Xia glanced at him awkwardly. “Then go somewhere else. There are girls here.”
“Of course, of course.”
Qiao Jiajin nodded and quickly ducked into a nearby alley, leaving the other three to wait.
Truth be told, human thoughts are truly mysterious.
Just as Qi Xia was calculating how to perfectly replicate the previous cycle’s experiences to regain his “Echo,” he spotted three men.
Green hair, blonde hair, and a bald head.
Of course, Jiang Ruoxue wasn’t with them—who knew where she was or what role she was playing?
When those three men approached, Qi Xia’s expression darkened.
The moment he saw the bald man’s face, Qi Xia was instantly transported back to the moment when Old Lü was killed and he himself was gravely wounded. His shoulders, chest, and head ached faintly.
This man had not only ruthlessly killed Old Lü but also severely injured him.
Noticing Qi Xia’s unease, Yun Yao asked, “What’s wrong? Do you know them?”
“I—”
Meanwhile, the bald man nudged the green-haired one with his elbow. “A-Mu, we’ve got company.”
A-Mu smirked and walked straight up to the trio. “Friends! Friends!”
“Friends?” Yun Yao smiled. “Who are you?”
“Just a poor traveler,” A-Mu sighed dramatically. “Sorry to bother you, but do you have any ‘tokens’? We just lost all of ours…”
While they spoke, Qi Xia discreetly scanned the surroundings.
Unfortunately, the area was too open.
No weapons at hand, no usable props nearby—how were they supposed to take down these three men?
This was truly a case of “the dragon fights in the wild, its path exhausted.”
“Don’t be nervous, we’re not bad people,” A-Mu said. “You two ladies are quite beautiful. Why don’t we sit and chat? Our base is nearby.”
He stepped forward and grabbed Yun Yao’s delicate hand. “Sweetheart, I, A-Mu, am famously loyal. If you don’t mind, we could get to know each other.”
Meanwhile, the bald man reached out and touched Tian Tian’s arm.
Tian Tian, accustomed to such situations, didn’t even flinch.
“Sure, I can lend you a few ‘tokens,'” Yun Yao said, pulling her hand back. She nodded and turned to rummage through her bag. “Surviving in a place like this is hard enough—we should help each other.”
Tian Tian looked puzzled, staring at Yun Yao in confusion.
Just as Qi Xia was thinking, he suddenly saw Yun Yao pull out a can of pepper spray from her bag and blast it directly into A-Mu’s face.
“AAARGH!”
A-Mu never expected this sweet-looking girl to strike so suddenly. He inhaled the pungent mist, feeling as if his nostrils were on fire. Tears and sneezes erupted uncontrollably.
“You think I’m some naive kid?!” Yun Yao swung her bag at his head, then kicked him for good measure. “Why should I pay for your losses? And you have the nerve to hit on me—do you even know who I am?!”
Tian Tian watched in stunned silence, unsure how to react.
Acting swiftly, Qi Xia delivered a brutal kick to A-Mu, knocking him down. He then grabbed Yun Yao and Tian Tian. “No time to fight—run!”
He knew these men carried knives. If things escalated, injuries were inevitable.
“Where do you think you’re going?!” The blonde man snapped into action, pulling out a switchblade.
The bald man lunged forward, blocking their escape route.
Qi Xia shielded Yun Yao and Tian Tian behind him, eyes darting between the two attackers.
Tian Tian, though nervous, picked up a small rock from the ground and clenched it tightly.
The biggest problem was that they couldn’t afford any injuries. Without proper treatment, even minor wounds could spell doom in the days ahead.
“Got any sharp objects in your bag?” Qi Xia whispered to Yun Yao.
“Just an ear pick and nail clippers…” Yun Yao replied. “Will those work?”
“The ear pick will do,” Qi Xia said. “Enough to gouge out an eye.”
Nodding, Yun Yao frantically handed him a small metal rod.
She seemed flustered—she hadn’t expected to provoke such ruthless men when she struck earlier.
Once he held the ear pick, Qi Xia realized he might have been overly optimistic.
Gouging an eye wasn’t hard, but the ear pick’s reach was dangerously short. By the time he could stab it into an eye, the enemy’s knife would already be in his body.
“Fist… are you fucking lost?!” Qi Xia growled through gritted teeth.
“Cripple them first, then take their ‘tokens’!” A-Mu howled, clutching his burning eyes. “Cut their tendons and let them bleed out!”
With that, he forced his swollen eyes open and shakily pulled out his own switchblade.
But just as he stepped forward, a tattooed arm gently gripped his wrist.
“Hey, handsome, hold on a sec,” the tattooed man said with a smile. “Let’s talk first.”
A-Mu jumped in surprise. “Who the hell are you?!”
“Relax, take it easy. I’m just a ‘little fist.'” The man grinned, then waved at the other two. “Put the knives down, yeah? Let’s chat.”
A-Mu felt a chill down his spine. Beneath that smile, he sensed something terrifying.
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