Hearing this question, Qinglong slowly turned his head to look at me.
The excitement and madness that had once filled his eyes had completely vanished, replaced by a chilling, murderous coldness.
“Xu Liunian… You seem much smarter than before?”
“Perhaps because I don’t need to ‘lose my memory’ anymore,” I steadied myself and replied. “Qinglong, the ‘Land of the End’ doesn’t just have your ears listening, does it?”
Qinglong faced me, hands clasped behind his back.
Not long after, he pulled out a “Dao” and casually tossed it onto the ground.
Neither of us spoke, merely staring at each other in silence.
Within minutes, faint rustling sounds came from nearby as a “vermin” crawled up the wall and pounced on the “Dao” at Qinglong’s feet like a starving tiger.
Once it grasped the “Dao” in its hands, the “vermin” turned and scurried away.
“Xu Liunian, you know this too—’Tianlong’ views everyone as ‘vermin,'” he said.
I didn’t understand Qinglong’s intentions and could only nod. “To him, even I am vermin.”
“Good. Since you grasp this, let me ask you… What are you to me?”
As his words fell, Qinglong reached into his robes again and pulled out a handful of “Dao,” then flung them across the rooftop of the school.
A cold shiver ran down my spine. Though those humanoid bugs rarely bit, they couldn’t resist the lure of “Dao.”
Soon, rustling noises came from all directions as they emerged with eerie movements, each snatching a “Dao” before vanishing back into the night.
I thought I understood Qinglong’s message.
Human lives weren’t “vermin” to him, but they certainly weren’t important either.
“Xu Liunian, human lives are chess pieces to me,” Qinglong said before I could guess his answer. “That’s the biggest difference between me and ‘Tianlong.’ He believes he needs no help from ‘people,’ but I’m different.”
He glanced at the distant vermin scurrying away in the shadows, then lowered his voice. “I want human lives to serve me. I want them to do exactly as I command. Even if they’ve become ‘vermin,’ they must appear where I want them and act as I desire.”
I took a deep breath and said, “So you’ve never sincerely intended to cooperate with anyone? How is that any different from ‘Tianlong’?”
“Xu Liunian, if you wish to cooperate with me, know your place. I have my own plans and strategies. No chess player enjoys pieces with free will—it disrupts my plans and will only get you killed.”
Though his tone was calm, I could tell it was a threat.
If I dared speculate about his plans again, he could eliminate me as a piece at any moment.
He wouldn’t even need to lift a finger. With just a word, I’d perish in the annihilation of the Tenth Day.
“I understand…” I nodded blankly, though I had no idea what use I still had.
After a few seconds of silence, Qinglong spoke again.
“It seems ‘Yucheng’ isn’t fated to die yet,” he said with a faint smile. “This cycle was supposed to wipe them out completely, but Qi Xia’s appearance saved them. I have a feeling this coincidence will shape the future in a crucial way.”
“So what should we do now…?” I asked, then corrected myself. “I mean, what should I do?”
“We’ll make good use of Qi Xia,” Qinglong said. “I want to see the limits of his ability… Merely making someone immortal isn’t impressive to me.”
“But isn’t ‘Endless Life’ exactly that?”
“What we’ve seen is only ‘endless,’ not ‘life.'” Qinglong’s expression twisted back into madness, his eyes terrifying me once more. “I want Qi Xia to create someone who never existed. To inject fresh blood into this cursed place.”
“Create… a person?” His words stunned me.
“Yes. If his subconscious believes a person is alive, then they live…” Qinglong clasped his hands behind his back. “So if his subconscious believes someone exists… will they?”
“Who do you want to create?” I asked.
“Anyone. As long as they’re a ‘chess piece,'” he replied. “Even Wen Qiaoyun would do.”
I found his idea strange. “Wen Qiaoyun is still alive as a ‘lunatic’ in the ‘Land of the End,’ isn’t she? You could restore her with a flick of your finger. Why create another?”
“You’re mistaken,” Qinglong shook his head. “Wen Qiaoyun remains a ‘lunatic’ precisely because she wasn’t strong enough. I need a stronger version of her, and no one can achieve that except Qi Xia.”
I had to admit his reasoning made sense, but the task seemed nearly impossible.
This cycle required Qi Xia to not only regain his “Echo” but also believe that an incredibly powerful Wen Qiaoyun existed in the “Land of the End.” Then, he’d have to successfully activate his “Echo” to create her…
Every step from here on would be hellishly difficult.
“Qinglong… are you toying with me…?” My lips trembled as I voiced my thoughts. “The tasks you give me keep getting harder… Sooner or later, you’ll abandon me.”
“No, Xu Liunian. You won’t receive another task.” Qinglong turned to me with a grin. “This time, you’ll interact frequently with Qi Xia. And to him, you’ll just be another ordinary ‘participant’ in the ‘Land of the End.'”
“What…?”
“As soon as that thought crosses his mind, you’ll forever become a ‘participant.'” Qinglong burst into laughter. “How amusing… I won’t even need to give you my ‘promise’ anymore. With just a thought from Qi Xia, you’ll change completely. One day, this place will become orderly because of his subconscious. Whoever he believes is a ‘ruler’ will be one, and whoever he deems a ‘participant’ will be just that.”
“You bastard…!” I couldn’t hold back my curse. “Will that ‘me’ still be ‘me’?! The real me will disappear forever!!”
Qinglong raised a hand and gently placed it on my head, his expression sickeningly tender as he whispered, “Xu Liunian, what delusions are you harboring? The real you vanished long ago.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage