Chapter 208: Impersonation

The Vermilion Bird disappeared.

Through this encounter, Qi Xia had pieced together a rough understanding of the entire Endgame. But now wasn’t the time to sort it out—the priority was rescuing Yun Yao.

Zhang Shan was still forcefully ramming the door. The iron door was far sturdier than expected, and with the water inside the room already flooding against it, the resistance was unimaginably strong.

Peering through the glass window on the door, the group saw the water had risen past Yun Yao’s forehead. She was tilting her head back desperately, struggling to breathe.

Zhang Shan acted decisively, smashing his fist against the glass. But all the windows in this damned place seemed custom-made—unbelievably tough.

“Zhang Shan,” Qi Xia called out. “Don’t push inward—pull outward.”

“Pull outward?” Zhang Shan blinked. “But this door opens inward…”

“You can’t overpower the force of that water, so work with it,” Qi Xia said. “Pull outward. Tear it open.”

Zhang Shan immediately understood. Nodding, he gripped the door handle with both hands, planted one foot against the left wall, and leaned his entire body backward. Soon, his other foot left the ground.

It was as if he was standing on the wall, legs and arms straining as he yanked the iron door outward.

The veins in his arms bulged, his face flushing red with exertion.

“I’ll… damn it…”

Qi Xia and Old Lü quickly moved to help, grabbing Zhang Shan’s arms and pulling with him.

**SCREECH—**

With a deafening sound, the iron door actually began to warp.

“You two, get back!” Zhang Shan shouted. “This is too dangerous!”

Old Lü immediately nodded and tugged at Qi Xia. “Kid Qi, fall back!”

Qi Xia darted aside, suddenly realizing someone was missing. He glanced back—Dr. Zhao had already retreated ten meters away.

**BANG—**

“Yun Yao! Grab the handcuffs!!” Qi Xia bellowed into the room.

Zhang Shan’s raw strength tore a massive gap in the door. In the next second, a torrent of water burst through, widening the opening into a massive breach.

The iron door could no longer hold. It flew outward—along with Zhang Shan.

Inside the room, Yun Yao was grateful someone had shouted to grab the handcuffs. Without that warning, the sheer force of the water would have likely dislocated her wrists.

She clung to the handcuffs, letting the flood surge past her. Within moments, the pressure eased.

At least now she could breathe normally.

Once the water subsided, the group helped Zhang Shan up and entered the room.

Yun Yao looked weak.

The prolonged mental strain had left her physically and emotionally drained.

“Wow…” She forced a bitter smile. “What’s with the grand entrance…?”

“Girl! You almost died!” Old Lü yelled. “That damn rabbit cheated—almost killed you!”

“No way… I’m too lucky for that…” Yun Yao coughed. “I already saved you. How could I die here?”

Qi Xia knew she was putting on a brave face.

Old Lü had said Yun Yao “dropped the sticks multiple times, yet they kept bouncing back into her hands.”

It sounded like pure gambling—luckily, she’d won.

But she had no **Echo**. Where did this luck come from?

Zhang Shan inspected Yun Yao’s handcuffs—standard police-issue, impossible to open without a key. So how could they free her?

But Zhang Shan was Zhang Shan. He quickly hatched a plan.

If the cuffs couldn’t be opened, why not just break the iron pipe they were chained to?

He wrapped his powerful arms around the pipe, gritted his teeth, and strained with every muscle. In seconds, the pipe began to bend.

Under the astonished gazes of the others, Zhang Shan wrenched the pipe back and forth, the screech of metal filling the air.

In no time, cracks formed—then, with a final snap, the pipe broke clean off.

Yun Yao’s handcuffs slid free from the broken end. She glanced at the cuffs still around her wrist, then casually wore them like a bracelet.

“Pretty, huh?” She wiggled her arm.

“Can you walk?” Zhang Shan helped her up.

“Yeah…” Yun Yao nodded. “I need to change clothes fast… or I’ll catch a cold.”

Old Lü draped his coat over her shoulders.

“Thanks.” She smiled faintly. “Where’s the Human-Rabbit?”

“Forget that rabbit,” Old Lü grumbled. “It was just some brat impersonating it. Clever, huh? Trying to scam us for **Dao**. Smart move at the last second…”

“Impersonating…?” Yun Yao actually sighed in relief. “That’s good… Was it Xiao Ran?”

Qi Xia suddenly pitied her.

She thought the **Zodiacs** were impersonators—meaning the **Paradise Port**’s plan to eliminate them all could still work.

But how would she react when she found the **Zodiac Ascension Contract** in her pocket?

The **Zodiacs** here were endless.

Even someone like Xiao Ran, an ordinary person, could become the real **Human-Rabbit** just by willingly wearing the mask and following the rules.

In other words, if **Paradise Port** kept leading participants to gamble their lives against the **Zodiacs**…

The number of participants in the **Endgame** would dwindle, while the natives and the disappeared would grow.

Eventually, only **Zodiacs** and natives would remain.

When that day came, no one could collect 3,600 **Dao**, and no one would escape. That would be the true **End**.

Yun Yao dug water out of her ears and asked, “Where’s Chu Tianqiu? Why didn’t that schemer come save me?”

“Ugh, don’t even mention him! That Chu kid told me he’d ‘do his best,’ but didn’t even show up!” Old Lü ranted. “What kind of person does that? And here I thought *I* was selfish…”

“Old Lü, don’t stir trouble,” Qi Xia said flatly. “I’m sure Chu Tianqiu had his reasons.”

Zhang Shan frowned. That line sounded deliberately aimed at Yun Yao.

Who was really stirring trouble here?

“Yun Yao, don’t overthink it.” Zhang Shan knew he wasn’t eloquent, but silence now would be worse. “As our guide, Chu Tianqiu can’t just show up recklessly…”

“Zhang Shan.” Yun Yao cut in. “I suspect the current Chu Tianqiu is an imposter.”

“Huh?” Zhang Shan, Old Lü, and even Dr. Zhao froze in unison.