Chu Tianqiu had selected the combatants, and just as Qiao Jiajin, Lin Qin, and Han Yimo pushed the door open to enter, they were startled to find over a dozen people sitting inside the room.
“What’s going on?” Qiao Jiajin scanned the room, his gaze landing on Qi Xia before he hurried over. “Liar, did you hear that just now? Three consecutive bell tolls!”
“Yeah, I heard it,” Qi Xia nodded. “That’s why we’re all gathered here.”
“You’re Qiao Jiajin, right?” Zhang Shan walked over slowly with Li Xiangling in tow. “The three of us will team up tomorrow for a ‘combat-type’ game.”
“Huh?” Qiao Jiajin looked confused. “Why won’t you let me bring my ‘brain’ along? That’s dangerous…”
“Brain?” Zhang Shan blinked. “Who’s your ‘brain’?”
Qiao Jiajin jerked his thumb toward Qi Xia beside him. “I’ve partnered up with Liar here—he’s my ‘brain.’”
“Interesting.” Zhang Shan chuckled and nodded. “If he’s the ‘brain,’ then what are you?”
Qiao Jiajin thought for a moment before answering, “If I had to say… I’m his ‘fist.’”
“Then it’s settled.” Zhang Shan nodded. “Right now, your ‘brain’ is in danger. Whether it gets resolved or not… depends on how hard you swing that ‘fist’ of yours.”
“Huh?” Qiao Jiajin turned to Qi Xia. “Liar, did someone beat you up?”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Qi Xia said. “Tomorrow’s combat game involves me, but I can’t participate. I need you to fight for me.”
“Fight for you? No problem.” Qiao Jiajin stretched lazily. “By ‘combat,’ you mean the opponents are people, right?”
“Exactly.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”
Seeing this, Chu Tianqiu nodded as well. “Now that the selection’s done and Qiao Jiajin’s back, then—”
“Wait…” Yun Yao slowly raised her hand.
“What?” Chu Tianqiu asked.
“Forgive me for asking, but which of these three has ‘resonated’?”
The three exchanged glances, their expressions uneasy.
“Chu Tianqiu…” Yun Yao frowned, sensing something amiss. “None of them have ‘resonated’ yet.”
She then eyed Chu Tianqiu suspiciously.
“What kind of arrangement is this?” she pressed. “I told you—the opponents are the ‘Extremists,’ three genuine ‘resonators.’”
“It’s…” Chu Tianqiu hesitated briefly before replying, “No problem. I believe in them.”
“B-believe?!” Yun Yao thought she’d misheard. “Tianqiu… what are you saying? You’re sending these three just because you ‘believe’ in them? There’s no other strategy?”
Zhang Shan, sensing the tension, patted Yun Yao’s shoulder. “Relax, I’m sure Chu Tianqiu has his reasons. Besides, combat games aren’t exactly a challenge for me.”
With someone backing him up, Chu Tianqiu relaxed slightly. “In that case, meeting adjourned. You three should get to know each other—you’ll be teammates tomorrow.”
“You three, stay.” Qi Xia whispered to Yun Yao, Zhang Shan, and Li Xiangling. “There’s something I need to discuss.”
The three nodded silently.
As the others filed out of the room, Yun Yao couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Zhang Shan, don’t you think Chu Tianqiu is acting strange?!” she fumed. “Yesterday, his plan got Jin Yuanxun and Little Glasses killed. Today, he’s sending you three against ‘resonators’… No, it’s not just this time—he was odd even before…”
Zhang Shan gave a wry smile. “Yun Yao, don’t you remember? Last time, I hadn’t ‘resonated’ either. My memories don’t include what Chu Tianqiu was originally like.”
“I…” Yun Yao looked around, realizing that among those present, she might be the only one who truly knew the old Chu Tianqiu. Frustration welled up inside her.
In her recollection, Chu Tianqiu’s strategies had always been ‘steady’—never reckless like this.
The reason so many in this cycle of ‘Paradise’ had lost their memories was precisely because, in the final days of the last cycle, Chu Tianqiu had sent them into games with what seemed like suicidal tactics.
From Yun Yao’s memory, following Chu Tianqiu’s arrangements in previous cycles, nearly 80-90% of ‘Paradise’ members would achieve ‘resonance,’ as he knew the exact trigger for each person’s awakening.
But what had happened in the last cycle?
Why had Chu Tianqiu suddenly changed tactics?
Was there some unknown variable at play?
“Wait…”
Yun Yao slowly turned her gaze toward Qi Xia.
Come to think of it… the biggest anomaly in the last cycle had been Qi Xia.
Qi Xia had come to see Chu Tianqiu, but Chu Tianqiu refused to meet him. The very next day, Chu Tianqiu seemed like a completely different person.
“Just what is going on…?”
A chilling realization dawned on Yun Yao, but the answer remained frustratingly out of reach.
Meanwhile, the others ignored her, chatting idly among themselves.
Zhang Shan crossed his arms. “Let’s introduce ourselves. What are you two good at?”
He sized up Qiao Jiajin. “Kid, you’ve trained before, haven’t you?”
Qiao Jiajin nodded. “Big guy, not only have I trained, but I’m pretty damn good at it.”
“Oh?” Zhang Shan’s interest piqued. “I’ve done some sanda. What’s your style?”
Qiao Jiajin began counting on his fingers. “Boxing, sanda, wrestling, judo, Wing Chun, Muay Thai, grappling, Tai Chi, Jeet Kune Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu…”
“Hold on, hold on…” Zhang Shan waved a hand to stop him. “Who asked for a list? I’m asking which one you practice!”
“All of them,” Qiao Jiajin said confidently.
“All…?” Zhang Shan was stunned. “Damn, kid, even if you’re bragging, there’s gotta be a limit. You’re not that old—how could you have trained in so many?”
Qi Xia scratched his head, exchanging a glance with Lin Qin.
Only the two of them knew just how absurd this claim was—because Qiao Jiajin was telling the truth.
His expression made it clear: he wasn’t hiding anything.
“I’ve been training for over a decade,” Qiao Jiajin said. “But I’ve only scratched the surface of each.”
“You…” Zhang Shan was at a loss for words. No wonder he’d nearly gotten overpowered when trying to restrain this guy earlier. “Then how much do you train every day?”
“Since I was eleven—nonstop. As long as I had one working hand, I was practicing.”
Zhang Shan swallowed hard. “And… have you actually fought?”
“Every single day before coming here. Never missed one.”
Qiao Jiajin’s face remained utterly calm.
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