Chapter 507: Preparing for Battle

“Astrology Girl…?” Qiao Jiajin lowered his head quietly, “Astrology Girl, she…”

His words choked in his throat, and the many members of the “Cat” team beside him also looked sorrowful.

“She did well.” Qian Wu, naturally no fool, immediately raised a hand to cut him off. “Though I wasn’t there, I know Ning Shiba must have done everything she could to help everyone. We’ll look forward to her return.”

The “Cat” team had experienced countless scenes like this before, and none of them lingered in grief.

Qian Wu snapped back to attention and turned to Bai Jiu. “The Bell tolled frequently earlier—how are your ‘Echoes’ coming along?”

After getting a brief update from the group, he learned that Qi Xia’s team had all achieved “Echo” except for their leader.

As for Qiao Jiajin’s team of seven, aside from those who had already “Echoed”—Ning Shiba (“Mad Growth”), Yun Shijiu (“Silence”), and Chou Ershi (“Gale Force”)—only Qiao Jiajin had newly awakened his “Echo.”

The remaining members—Bai Jiu, Luo Shiwu, and Feng Shiqi—had “Echo triggers” like “physical and mental exhaustion,” “hunger,” or “fear of the dark,” which were relatively easier to activate compared to others. All they needed was to lock each of them in a dark room tonight, deprive them of sleep, and by morning, all three would likely have “Echoed.”

“What about your team?” Qi Xia asked Qian Wu. “Has everyone ‘Echoed’?”

“No.” Qian Wu shook his head. “My abilities are limited—none of the interns have ‘Echoed’ yet. But…”

He turned and gave Li Jingguan a meaningful look, who nodded and stepped forward.

“Qi Xia, I’ve ‘Echoed.'”

Li Jingguan’s words stunned both Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin.

“You…?” Qi Xia scrutinized Li Jingguan from head to toe, noticing not a single wound on him. “What the hell…? Wasn’t your ‘Echo trigger’ ‘near-death’?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Qi Xia realized something—perhaps because Li Jingguan was now part of Qian Wu’s team, he could recover from near-death and regain his health?

“We were all wrong…” Li Jingguan smiled bitterly and shook his head. “Even I thought my ‘Echo trigger’ was ‘near-death’… but that’s not actually the case.”

“What?”

Hearing this, Qian Wu turned to Qi Xia and explained, “It’s an easy mistake to make. Only those who’ve spent enough time with Li Si would know… His ‘trigger’ isn’t ‘near-death,’ but it’s closely tied to it.”

Qi Xia frowned, recalling the two times he’d witnessed Li Jingguan’s near-death experiences. He mentally reviewed the circumstances—was there another common factor besides “near-death”?

It couldn’t be “losing his right hand”… could it?

Qi Xia lowered his head, deep in thought. Within seconds, the answer surfaced.

Both times Li Jingguan had been on the brink of death, he’d said the same thing—

“Qi Xia, if I die, it’ll be my atonement.”

The moment he uttered those words, his expression would instantly relax, the shadows lifting from his face—and the Bell would toll.

That was his true “Echo trigger.”

“Li Jingguan needed to let go of his emotional burden…” Qi Xia murmured. “Every time before, you only managed to release that burden when you were close to death… which made us mistake your ‘trigger’ for ‘near-death.'”

“Exactly…” Li Jingguan nodded. “If not for Qian Wu, I might never have realized my real ‘Echo’ awakening could be so simple…”

Qi Xia nodded in agreement, recognizing this as good news. Li Jingguan shared the same “Echo” as “Black Tortoise”—if developed, he could become a formidable asset.

As the group conversed, an unusually small figure emerged from a nearby building. Both Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin turned toward the sound—it was a short-statured Earth Pig.

“Shapeshifter, in such a hurry to reincarnate and die again…? Or did you forget about the ‘Path’?”

A cold, shadowed voice, dripping with impatience, came from the small figure.

Without waiting for a response, Earth Pig casually tossed a cloth bundle into the air.

Qian Wu didn’t even flinch as the bundle flew toward him. In the next instant, Luo Shiyi leaped up and caught it.

“Who the hell do you think you are, talking to our Fifth Brother like that?” Luo Shiyi weighed the bundle in his hand, his expression cocky.

“Oh…?”

Earth Pig took a few steps forward, stopping right in front of Luo Shiyi. Though a full head shorter, his presence was terrifying.

“And who the hell are you…?” Earth Pig sneered. “A toad hopping onto my foot—trying to disgust me?”

“I hopped. What are you gonna do about it?” Luo Shiyi tossed the bundle back to Bai Jiu, his tone unyielding. “Not only am I hopping on your foot, I’m thinking of breaking your leg. You gonna let me?”

“Ha…” Earth Pig was clearly provoked. He shoved Luo Shiyi to the ground with one sharp motion. “What gives you the right to challenge me? Just because I can’t kill you doesn’t mean I can’t beat the crap out of you.”

“Damn it…”

As Luo Shiyi stood up, Saturday stepped between them before he could retort. “Tsk. Little midget, does knocking people down make you feel powerful?”

“Yes.” Earth Pig nodded. “Mortals daring to defy gods—seeing how weak you all are just makes me laugh.”

Nearby, “Gale Force” Chou Ershi also stepped forward, pulling Luo Shiyi up before standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the other two. “Laugh? With a face like a pig’s, you’ve got the nerve to laugh? Who the hell do you think you’re talking to, Sixth Sister and Eleventh Brother?”

The three most audacious members of the group now stood in a tense standoff with Earth Pig, while the others could only shake their heads in exasperation.

“Enough.” Qian Wu’s voice, calm but commanding, cut through the tension. “Everyone, gather around. I’ll give the assignments.”

The three who had been bickering with Earth Pig immediately reined in their expressions. In unison, they spat on the ground near Earth Pig before turning to join Qian Wu. Only Qi Xia remained, still sizing up the diminutive Zodiac from a distance.

“Listen up,” Qian Wu said quietly. “Tomorrow’s ‘Pegasus Hour’ is critical. Barring any surprises, we’ll all break out of ‘prison’ by noon and scatter into unfamiliar territory. Those who’ve already ‘Echoed’—prepare enough food and water for two days, divided into small packs. Distribute them tonight, including to the newcomers and interns. Turtle, you lead the team on this.”

“Got it, Fifth Brother.” The portly man known as Turtle nodded. “Don’t worry about food. Even if we only have one grain of rice, I’ll multiply it a thousand times over.”

“Ten thousand times,” Qian Wu corrected.

“Right!” Turtle agreed before calling out to Luo Shiyi, Qiu Shiliu, Yun Shijiu, Chou Ershi, and the interns. After exchanging nods with Qian Wu, Qi Xia, and Qiao Jiajin, the group departed.

Qian Wu then turned to the remaining members who hadn’t yet “Echoed,” beckoning them forward. “You lot—lock yourselves in solitary when you get back. If you haven’t ‘Echoed’ by dawn, consider yourselves dead in those rooms.”

“Understood!”

With that, nearly all the “Cat” team members had dispersed, leaving only Qian Wu, Saturday, Qi Xia, Qiao Jiajin, and Li Jingguan on the scene.

“Don’t tell me…?” Qi Xia’s expression turned grave as he looked at Qian Wu. “You’re planning to—”

“Exactly.” Qian Wu nodded. “We still have half a day left. Qi Xia—what’s your ‘Echo trigger’?”