Qi Xia and Dr. Zhao stepped out of Earth Rooster’s mahjong parlor with thirty “Tao” in hand. Within three steps, Qi Xia’s expression darkened.
“Dr. Zhao, what kind of freak are you?” he asked, turning back.
“Huh?” Dr. Zhao was taken aback. “Me? A freak?”
“Your ‘Echo’ only activates when you’re with women.” Qi Xia wore a look of disdain. “Are you some kind of demonic cultivator from martial arts novels who drains women’s vitality?”
“What the hell are you talking about…? But ‘Echo’…?” Dr. Zhao blinked. “You mean… this ability of mine is called an ‘Echo’?”
“What?” Qi Xia froze slightly. “At this stage, is there still a need to hide it?”
“I—I’m not hiding anything…” Dr. Zhao said awkwardly. “I really don’t know what this is, but I seem to be able to destroy things around me at will…”
“Destroy?”
Qi Xia’s expression turned doubtful. That was an unexpected answer.
In other words, the “Human Rabbit” escape game didn’t have a “fish tank collapse” solution—it was just Dr. Zhao’s “Echo” activating.
But why didn’t Dr. Zhao know he had an “Echo”?
“Whenever I touch a girl, I briefly gain some strange abilities…” Dr. Zhao said sheepishly. “Last time, when I was about to… uh, ‘deepen relations’ with Xiao Ran… you interrupted me.”
Qi Xia covered his forehead, looking pained. The whole thing felt absurd.
That day, Dr. Zhao was on the verge of awakening a true “Echo”—but Qi Xia had stopped him?
“No wonder…” Qi Xia nodded. “That day, when Lin Qin and I went looking for you, you hid in the shadows and swung a wooden plank at me—you really wanted to kill me, didn’t you?”
“I…” Dr. Zhao lowered his head in silence.
“Because I stopped you from becoming a superhuman.” Qi Xia sighed, then his eyes turned cold. “Dr. Zhao… have you always retained your memories?”
“I…” Dr. Zhao glanced warily at Qi Xia. “Qi Xia, I don’t know what ‘always retaining memories’ means, but I remember everything that happened last time.”
“What?”
“But someone explicitly told me, ‘Don’t tell anyone you remember’… so I…”
Qi Xia paused. So, Dr. Zhao wasn’t the one in the room who had always retained his memories?
He had only remembered one cycle.
“I must have guessed wrong…”
**Dong!**
**Dong!**
**Dong!**
Before Qi Xia could process his thoughts, the sudden tolling of bells sent a jolt through his heart.
The two looked up in confusion. No one had ever heard the bells ring so rapidly—it was as if multiple people had “Echoed” at once.
Three figures emerged from the shadows, standing behind Qi Xia.
“Qi Xia, listen. The bells are ringing,” a familiar voice said slowly.
Qi Xia stiffened, then turned rigidly.
That bone-chilling face appeared before him.
It was Xiao Xiao.
The same Xiao Xiao who had mercilessly killed Qiao Jiajin and Tian Tian.
This face was Qi Xia’s first impression of the “Land of Finality.”
Madness.
Qi Xia glanced at the man and woman standing beside Xiao Xiao.
One was Jiang Ruoxue, whom he had met once before. The other was a stranger.
“Huh? That’s odd…” Xiao Xiao stared at Qi Xia’s eyes. “You look like you remember me… Did you really ‘Echo’?”
Qi Xia remained silent, only staring back with hostility.
“Well, that makes communication easier. Qi Xia, did you understand what I told you last time?” Xiao Xiao fiddled with her oversized T-shirt as she stepped forward.
“Qi Xia… who are they?” Dr. Zhao took a step back, sensing danger.
Ignoring him, Qi Xia swallowed hard and asked, “What do you want?”
“We were originally planning to infiltrate Earth Rooster’s game to kill people, but we ran into you instead.” Xiao Xiao sighed theatrically. “I don’t want to do anything—it’s just a ‘coincidence.'”
Jiang Ruoxue smiled sweetly and waved at Qi Xia. “Hi! Long time no see.”
“If it’s a ‘coincidence,’ why did the three of you ‘Echo’?” Qi Xia pressed.
“To recruit you, of course.” Xiao Xiao smirked. “Last time, I told you that people here are worthless—I assume you understand now? In this place, only ‘Echoers’ deserve to survive. The rest will meet the same fate no matter how many times they die.”
Qi Xia slowly stepped forward until he stood face-to-face with Xiao Xiao.
Her smile didn’t waver. “We ‘Echoed’ here to show you how much stronger we are than most. Even now, you still don’t want to join us?”
“Xiao Xiao, listen carefully,” Qi Xia said coldly. “The thing I hate most in this world is the unexpected. You dared to kill my teammates in front of me—so be prepared to be my enemy forever.”
“Oh…?” Xiao Xiao paused, her smile fading. “Do you think I’m being polite because I’m afraid of you? Don’t push your luck.”
“My attitude toward you hasn’t changed.” Qi Xia’s voice was firm. “If you have a problem, come at me. No matter how many times you kill me, I won’t compromise.”
“You think I won’t?”
Tension crackled in the air as the two stood off. Dr. Zhao, meanwhile, was busy calculating escape routes.
“What the hell?” The unfamiliar young man behind Xiao Xiao suddenly spoke up, breaking the tension. “Xiao Jiang, what’s all this about?”
“Ah, don’t rush,” Jiang Ruoxue tugged at his sleeve and whispered. “Xiao Xiao probably has a plan.”
“Plan my ass!” The man scowled. “Stop bullying people.”
“Old Sun, when have I ever bullied anyone?” Xiao Xiao frowned, turning to him. “If you don’t know the situation, stay out of it.”
“Do I *need* to know the situation?” The man called Old Sun stepped forward, positioning himself between Xiao Xiao and Qi Xia. He looked annoyed. “You killed his teammates—what’s there to discuss? Don’t you know how to hold back?”
“Old Sun, you—”
“And here I thought I was activating my ‘Echo’ for a good cause. What, just to stand around like a bodyguard?” Old Sun spat, feeling cheated. “Are we joking here?”
The atmosphere turned awkward.
Xiao Xiao and Jiang Ruoxue exchanged helpless glances. “Old Sun, we’re trying to recruit Qi Xia.”
“Then talk to him properly!” Old Sun glared at Xiao Xiao in frustration. “Why kill people?”
“I *did* talk to him properly.” Xiao Xiao shrugged. “I told him, ‘These people are worthless,’ but he didn’t believe me.”
“That sounds like bullshit to me.” Old Sun turned to Qi Xia. “Hey, man, don’t listen to her nonsense. About your teammates… I’ll apologize on her behalf. I’ll stand up for you.”
Qi Xia and Dr. Zhao exchanged bewildered looks.
What the hell was going on?
Was this some kind of act?
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