Zhang Chenze nodded slightly upon hearing this and then asked, “But what should I do?”
“The plan is simple…” Xu Liunian said. “The hard part is ensuring Qi Xia has truly awakened his ‘Echo.'”
“So, what is the ‘plan’?”
“The plan is to have people of different identities deliver the same message to Qi Xia—’There is an incredibly powerful figure on this land, and her name is Wen Qiaoyun.'”
“This…” Zhang Chenze swallowed hard. Though not a superstitious person, after witnessing so many “Echoes,” she had grown accustomed to even the most bizarre circumstances.
“You mean…” She sorted through her thoughts and asked, “We’re going to first… create this person in Qi Xia’s subconscious?”
“You catch on fast.” Xu Liunian nodded. “Exactly. Once he awakens his ‘Echo’ again… this land will manifest a Wen Qiaoyun out of thin air, born from Qi Xia’s ‘thoughts.'”
Zhang Chenze felt there was an obvious flaw in this. She blinked and said, “Wait… That doesn’t make sense! Qi Xia has never seen Wen Qiaoyun or knows anything about her abilities… How is he supposed to ‘create’ her?”
“Is that a contradiction?” Xu Liunian asked.
“Of course it is!” Zhang Chenze frowned. “Even if you were given clay to mold into an animal, you’d at least have to know what the animal looks like, right?”
“I thought your comprehension was strong, but it seems you’re still trapped by human limitations.” Xu Liunian leaned against the wall, smiling meaningfully again. “Why would Qi Xia need to have seen Wen Qiaoyun?”
“If he’s never met this person… even if his ‘Echo’ is the ability to create people… wouldn’t it be too difficult? Can he just conjure someone out of nothing? And if the Wen Qiaoyun he creates differs even slightly from the one we know, wouldn’t the whole plan fail?”
“That’s not the real issue.” Xu Liunian shook her head. “Do you really think we’re trying to create the ‘real’ Wen Qiaoyun? Do you think ‘Wen Qiaoyun’ is truly that important to us?”
“Isn’t she…?”
“As long as Qi Xia can create someone stronger than himself—someone he can rely on—then no matter what that person looks like or what her personality is, she *is* Wen Qiaoyun.”
“What…?”
Seeing Zhang Chenze’s expression, Xu Liunian sensed her understanding and took a few steps forward. “I’ve already arranged things with the ‘Zodiacs.’ The name ‘Wen Qiaoyun’ has been planted in Qi Xia’s mind. So, what’s next…?”
Though the girl standing before Zhang Chenze was frail, she couldn’t help but feel terrified.
It was hard to put into words. She trembled uncontrollably, as if dragged into something horrifying.
She had only just awakened her “Echo,” yet already felt so close to madness.
“You… You can collaborate with the ‘Zodiacs’?”
“More or less.” Xu Liunian nodded. “We each have our own goals, so sometimes we cooperate with enemies. But that’s not your concern… All you need to remember is that ‘Wen Qiaoyun is incredibly powerful’—that’s the message you must convey to Qi Xia.”
Zhang Chenze lowered her head, staring at the ground as she took slow, deep breaths.
The plan *sounded* simple—they would manipulate and deceive Qi Xia into subconsciously creating a person who didn’t exist. But was it really feasible?
“Do you remember the new girl who appeared in your room?” Xu Liunian asked. “She was Qi Xia’s wife, conjured out of thin air.”
“A wife… created from nothing?” Zhang Chenze frowned. “You mean Qi Xia never had a wife before?”
“I can’t say for sure.” Xu Liunian shook her head. “The only thing I know is that even if he did, that woman is definitely a ‘replica.’ That’s the terrifying part of Qi Xia’s ability.”
“No wonder…” Zhang Chenze’s expression darkened slightly. “No wonder that old man, ‘White Tiger,’ said Qi Xia is the closest to being a ‘god’… His power surpasses all of ours…”
“No.” Xu Liunian shook her head. “It’s not quite like that. If one’s conviction is strong enough, any of us could manifest endless possibilities through our ‘Echoes.’ But right now, I need you to cooperate with us to make Qi Xia create a ‘Wen Qiaoyun.'”
“But…” Zhang Chenze looked up at Xu Liunian and cut straight to the point. “This doesn’t seem to concern you at all. So why are you proposing this plan?”
“Doesn’t concern me?” Xu Liunian let out a soft laugh. “How could it not? In some ways, my goal aligns closely with yours. I want to liberate this place, to free everyone from the ‘torment of cycles.’ But there’s one difference—I don’t care whether anyone escapes.”
“So you just need more ‘powerful people’?” Zhang Chenze countered. “You don’t care if this person is Chu Tianqiu’s lover or Qi Xia’s support. You just want a strong individual?”
“Exactly, Attorney Zhang.” Xu Liunian nodded. “Now that you understand my motives, will you help me? Think about it—an exceptionally powerful ‘Wen Qiaoyun’ appearing would benefit you, me, Qi Xia, and Chu Tianqiu alike.”
Zhang Chenze furrowed her brow, thinking for a few more seconds, but found no reason to refuse.
If anything was truly amiss, it was only the pang of sympathy for the real Wen Qiaoyun—the emaciated, malnourished saleswoman.
While everyone celebrated the arrival of the new “Wen Qiaoyun,” would the real one simply fade away unnoticed?
Her death wouldn’t even cause a ripple, like some insignificant native on the roadside.
At this thought, Zhang Chenze’s eyes widened slowly.
A horrifying realization struck her.
Had the *real* Wen Qiaoyun even existed in the first place?!
If Qi Xia’s “Echo” had always been the power to “create a person”… then what if, one day, someone had manipulated *him* just as they were now manipulating her—convincing him that there was an extraordinarily intelligent woman named “Wen Qiaoyun,” thereby bringing her into existence?
“This is terrifying…” Zhang Chenze’s lips trembled. “What kind of hell is this place? And what kind of twisted power is this ‘Echo’?”
“Don’t overthink it.” Xu Liunian seemed to read her mind and patted her shoulder again. “Attorney Zhang, I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but we’re getting closer to the real goal.”
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