Chapter 159: The Second Game

“Possibly.” Lin Qin nodded. “In your first cycle, you shone so brightly that you not only caught the attention of ‘Paradise Port’ but also drew the notice of ‘Extreme Path.'”

“So that’s how it is…?” Qi Xia narrowed his eyes in thought. “That means I’ve been here for a month already…”

Then, has Yu Nian’an… been missing for a month?

“There’s still time…” Qi Xia murmured to himself. “A month isn’t that long. I’ll find you and bring you back…”

“Qi Xia, there’s another important reason why I want to be your teammate,” Lin Qin said.

“What is it?”

“You’re too clever, which ironically makes you seem unwise. I want to keep an eye on you because escaping this place requires extreme caution.”

Qi Xia paused, unsure of what Lin Qin meant.

“You never rein in your brilliance or conceal your intelligence—behavior like that is practically suicidal.” Lin Qin drained her drink and added, “If I were you, I’d pretend to be a fool and only reveal my true intellect at the critical moment.”

“Unnecessary,” Qi Xia replied. “If I encounter danger, it only means the ‘intelligence’ I’ve displayed is far from enough. As long as I can outmaneuver my opponents, there’s no need to hide.”

“You’re a strange one.” Lin Qin chuckled. “Do you never take ‘Paradise Port,’ ‘Extreme Path,’ or the ‘Zodiacs’ seriously?”

“It’s not that I don’t take them seriously—I just want to escape. Whoever shares that goal is my ally.”

“Well then…” Lin Qin set down her bottle and wiped her lips with a finger. “I’ve already told you about my ‘Echoer’ army plan. Now I want to hear your thoughts. Do you have a plan?”

“A plan…” Qi Xia glanced distantly at Chu Tianqiu.

If he were to formulate a strategy, Chu Tianqiu’s stance would be crucial.

What is this man scheming?

What’s written in his notes?

With that in mind, Qi Xia slowly stood. “Lin Qin, our conversation ends here tonight. There’s another game waiting for me. I’ll let you know when I have a plan.”

He grabbed a handful of peanuts from the table and walked unhurriedly toward Chu Tianqiu.

At that moment, Chu Tianqiu sat alone in a corner, smiling faintly as he watched Yun Yao from afar.

“Qi Xia…?” Chu Tianqiu noticed his approach and raised an eyebrow. “What’s the matter?”

“I have some questions for you.” Qi Xia scattered the peanuts on the table and began peeling one.

“Of course.” Chu Tianqiu smiled. “What would you like to ask?”

“A participant takes his ‘Dao’ to join a game. But along the way, a group of strange lunatics keeps robbing passersby—they take half their ‘Dao’ and then return one. The participant walks this path for days, encountering these lunatics multiple times, yet his ‘Dao’ never diminishes. How is this possible?”

Chu Tianqiu froze for a moment, frowning.

Qi Xia ate his peanuts in silence.

“He bribed the lunatics,” Chu Tianqiu offered.

Qi Xia remained expressionless, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Chu Tianqiu realized his answer might be off. After another moment of thought, he said, “The participant killed them all.”

Qi Xia nodded and asked another question: “Two people commit murder. One gets blood splattered all over his face, while the other remains clean. Yet after the deed, why is it the clean one who rushes to wash his face?”

“Because he’s allergic to blood,” Chu Tianqiu answered.

“Oh? Is that so?” Qi Xia’s expression darkened. “The participant is a murderer, and the murderer is allergic to blood… That’s the answer?”

“Haha!” Chu Tianqiu laughed. “Qi Xia, are you testing me? These questions can’t stump me. Want a drink? I’ll grab you one.”

As he started to rise, Qi Xia suddenly seized his arm.

“Sit down,” Qi Xia said coldly.

“What…?”

“I need to speak to the real Chu Tianqiu. You’re not qualified to decide what comes next.”

“‘The real Chu Tianqiu’?” Chu Tianqiu looked bewildered. “Qi Xia, what are you talking about? Are you saying I’m some fake Chu Tianqiu?”

“Aren’t you?” Qi Xia’s gaze sharpened. “The two questions I asked were obviously logic puzzles, yet your answers relied on pure guesswork, devoid of any logical reasoning. Many have told me Chu Tianqiu is exceptionally intelligent—is this your so-called ‘intelligence’?”

Chu Tianqiu sighed quietly. “Qi Xia, I admit I’m not as smart as you. But I really am Chu Tianqiu.”

Hearing this, Qi Xia sensed something was wrong.

This man was too strange.

And he wasn’t lying.

Even the most skilled deceivers leave traces, yet Chu Tianqiu showed none.

If he truly was Chu Tianqiu—yet not intelligent—while the real Chu Tianqiu was brilliant… Could there be another explanation?

“You say you’re Chu Tianqiu…” Qi Xia murmured. “Does that mean there are two of you in this world?”

“What…?”

“One of you stands in the open as a decoy, while the other schemes in the shadows…” Qi Xia pieced together the clues, inching closer to the truth. “Because of some ‘Echo’… there are now two versions of you?”

A slight twitch in Chu Tianqiu’s eye betrayed him—a fatal tell.

“I see… If Chu Tianqiu’s ‘Echo’ was to create another version of himself… that wouldn’t quite make sense.” Qi Xia continued. “He’d logically create a ‘perfect’ version, not a foolish one. Otherwise, the deception would be too obvious.”

Chu Tianqiu’s expression shifted subtly.

“Let me guess…” Qi Xia tapped the table slowly. “So the one who activated the ‘Echo’ wasn’t Chu Tianqiu, but someone else. Right?”

Silence.

“Suppose this person’s ‘Echo’ is to become someone else… That would impose strict conditions. He’d have to fully believe he is Chu Tianqiu for the ‘Echo’ to hold…” Qi Xia locked eyes with him. “That explains everything. No matter how we interrogate you… you are Chu Tianqiu, flawless in your conviction. But you can’t match his intelligence.”

“Qi Xia, you…” Chu Tianqiu began to panic.

“Yet in ‘Paradise Port’… who could wholly convince themselves they’re Chu Tianqiu?” Qi Xia smirked. “Someone who knows him intimately, possesses an ‘Echo,’ and truly believes he can play the role…”

“Stop—” Chu Tianqiu raised a hand to cut him off.

“So when exactly did you return to ‘Paradise Port’?” Qi Xia leaned in, his voice low. “Former actress, Xu Liunian?”