Chapter 209: Playing Chess

Zhang Shan was stunned for a long time before finally asking, “Impersonate? What do you mean?”

Yun Yao didn’t answer. She just slowly walked out of the room, and the others followed.

“Hey, Yun Yao, say something,” Zhang Shan called out.

Yun Yao took three steps, then stopped and turned back to ask, “Zhang Shan, why did you join ‘Paradise Port’ this time?”

“I…” Zhang Shan thought for a moment and said, “Because Chu Tianqiu knows everything about me—things only I should know. So I believe he knew the ‘me’ from before.”

Yun Yao’s expression darkened further upon hearing this.

What did this mean?

It meant the imposter Chu Tianqiu likely knew the real Chu Tianqiu.

In Yun Yao’s memory, only one person could do that.

But why?

“Qi Xia, did you already know?” Yun Yao asked.

“I don’t know,” Qi Xia shook his head.

“I haven’t even said what it is… and you’re already saying you don’t know?”

“You didn’t say, but I can guess,” Qi Xia replied expressionlessly. “So, I don’t know.”

“Hmph… you liar.” Yun Yao muttered the insult half-heartedly. “You people are terrifying. Things have already gotten this absurd, yet you all act like nothing’s wrong.”

“Absurd?” Qi Xia slowly raised his head to look at the sky. “Yun Yao, do you think this sun is absurd?”

Everyone looked up at the eerie, ochre-colored sun.

“What about this sky? These buildings? These residents? Are they absurd?” Qi Xia let out a bitter laugh. “When even the most impossible absurdities become reality, how can anyone trapped here stay normal?”

Yun Yao gazed at the sky in silence for a long time before asking, “Qi Xia, do you have a way to escape?”

“I don’t have a ‘way’ to escape—only the ‘resolve’ to escape,” Qi Xia answered.

“What’s your method?” Yun Yao pressed.

“Collecting ‘Dao’,” Qi Xia said. “After everything that’s happened, I’ve realized that only ‘collecting Dao’ is the truth.”

“‘Extreme Dao’?” The four of them simultaneously gave Qi Xia strange looks.

“Don’t misunderstand,” Qi Xia shook his head. “I mean gathering three thousand six hundred ‘Dao.’ I’m not one of those lunatics.”

Yun Yao fell silent for a moment, then nodded. “I see.”

…

By the time the five of them returned to Paradise Port, dusk had already begun to fall. Chu Tianqiu was still standing in the schoolyard, looking out.

Seeing Yun Yao return, he immediately smiled. “You’re back?”

Yun Yao forced a smile. “Yes, I’m fine.”

Without another word to Chu Tianqiu, she walked straight toward the school building.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Tianqiu asked the others. “Is Yun Yao hurt?”

“N-no…” Zhang Shan’s expression was uneasy. He scrutinized Chu Tianqiu carefully but couldn’t find any flaws.

“Then go rest,” Chu Tianqiu said.

The others nodded and left—except for Qi Xia, who remained.

“Qi Xia, did something happen?” Chu Tianqiu asked.

“Of course,” Qi Xia nodded. “They all know you left Yun Yao to die.”

“What?” Chu Tianqiu frowned. “Left her to die…? Only you and I knew about that.”

“Right. I told her,” Qi Xia nodded again. “You didn’t ask me to keep it secret.”

“Wh-what?” Chu Tianqiu’s expression instantly turned uneasy. “Qi Xia, what’s your goal?”

“My goal is simple.” Qi Xia scratched his head. “I want them to turn against you.”

“You…” This Chu Tianqiu had never expected Qi Xia to openly admit his plan. “You want them to turn against me?!”

“Keep your voice down,” Qi Xia waved a hand. “Wouldn’t want others to hear.”

Chu Tianqiu lowered his voice, his face twisted in anger. “Why would you do this?!”

Qi Xia thought for a moment. “I don’t have any fixed ideas. I just want to see what you’re capable of.”

“But didn’t you agree to cooperate with Chu Tianqiu?” Chu Tianqiu asked. “Is this how you cooperate?”

“Xu Liunian, the person I’m cooperating with is ‘Chu Tianqiu.’ But you are you,” Qi Xia said. “We are three separate individuals.”

“But if you really turn them against me, wouldn’t Paradise Port be crippled?” Chu Tianqiu demanded. “How does that benefit you? If you want to collect ‘Dao,’ you’ll need the strength of Paradise Port…”

“No, no, no…” Qi Xia quickly waved his hands. “Xu Liunian, listen to me.”

Chu Tianqiu paused, then said, “Fine. Speak.”

“Like I said, you, me, and Chu Tianqiu are three separate people,” Qi Xia stroked his chin. “I can cooperate with ‘Chu Tianqiu,’ but I can also cooperate with ‘Xu Liunian.’”

“What?”

“Xu Liunian, don’t you feel wronged?” Qi Xia asked. “Chu Tianqiu stays behind the scenes while you take the stage. No matter what you do, he’s the one who benefits, while you’re the one who takes the blame. If the people of Paradise Port resent anyone, it’ll be you. If the ‘Extreme Dao’ want to kill anyone, it’ll be you. In the end, he might not succeed—but you will definitely be sacrificed.”

“You…” Chu Tianqiu slowly furrowed his brows. Though Qi Xia’s words sounded like blatant manipulation, there was some truth to them.

“Those choices that got teammates killed… they were Chu Tianqiu’s ideas, but everyone blames you. Tell me, if it were you, what would you choose?” Qi Xia pressed. “Right now, you’re the true leader of Paradise Port. Do you want your teammates to die?”

“Qi Xia,” Chu Tianqiu said, “you’re someone very hard to trust. I’m nowhere near as smart as you, so I can’t afford to believe you. I’m afraid you’ll drag me into hell.”

Qi Xia nodded. “Not trusting me is the right call. After all, I’m a liar—you should only believe half of what I say.”

“Then how am I supposed to cooperate with you?” Chu Tianqiu asked.

“Our goals align,” Qi Xia said. “My objective is to ‘collect Dao,’ so I don’t want to lose teammates. The more ‘Echoers’ survive, the closer I get to escaping.”

“‘Collect Dao’…” Chu Tianqiu lowered his head. “Do you know how difficult a path that is? Paradise Port hasn’t even gathered three thousand six hundred ‘Dao’ so far…”

“That’s because Chu Tianqiu’s real goal was never ‘collecting Dao.’ His focus isn’t on that,” Qi Xia said meaningfully. “He wants to become a god.”

The Chu Tianqiu before him silently bowed his head—it seemed he’d already known this.

“Based on what you know of him, if he became a ‘god,’ would he let anyone here leave?” Qi Xia said. “If he disregards lives before becoming a god, why would he value yours afterward?”

“I… but I…” Chu Tianqiu wanted to argue, but his thoughts were already in chaos.

“Xu Liunian, if you can overcome the obstacles I’ve set for you, I’ll respect you and cooperate to escape this place,” Qi Xia said. “Even if lives are just chess pieces, you can’t play this game recklessly.”

“You—”

“This game… can only be played by me, Qi Xia.”