Chapter 762: Which Dragon

The “ant” who had lost all senses naturally couldn’t provide any answer to Qi Xia’s question.

Unable to even respond to whether Qi Xia’s words were true or false, it simply stood still, staring at him as if trying to make him believe.

“I still don’t quite understand,” Qi Xia said. “The phrase ‘escape from the Dragon’s grasp’ sounds like telling someone ‘you must survive.’ It makes sense, but it’s useless.”

Beside him, Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin couldn’t grasp the meaning either.

Chen Junnan boldly stepped forward and patted the “ant’s” shoulder. “Hey, buddy! Let me get you some paper and a pen—why don’t you rewrite it?”

Before Qi Xia could speak, the “ant” was startled, immediately leaping backward off the windowsill.

Apparently, it had thought Qi Xia was alone in the room and was terrified by Chen Junnan’s sudden appearance.

“Hey! Don’t run, man! No need to be polite! Come inside and grab a bite!”

Chen Junnan leaned over the windowsill as if to jump out, but Qiao Jiajin pulled him back.

“Junanzai, Junanzai!” Qiao Jiajin said. “Look outside!”

Chen Junnan followed his gaze and saw a large swarm of “ants” crouched on the distant street.

Motionless, they all faced the trio, seemingly ready to pounce at any moment.

Chen Junnan swallowed hard, suddenly grateful he hadn’t chased after the creature. Though he couldn’t recall these things ever attacking humans, their sheer numbers sent a chill down his spine.

Qi Xia watched the “ant” in silence, sensing it still had something important to convey.

The “ant” lifted its hollow eyes toward Qi Xia, sniffed with its nonexistent nose, then began groping the ground with its hands.

The three cautiously approached the windowsill, watching as the creature picked up a small stone, just the right size to grip in one hand.

Then it raised the stone, as if displaying it to them.

“Old Qi, Old Qiao…” Chen Junnan muttered. “This guy isn’t about to chuck that rock at us, is he?”

Before anyone could answer, the “ant” crushed the stone in its hand like foam, reducing it to powder.

“Huh?” Chen Junnan blinked. “What’s that about?”

“Damn impressive…” Qiao Jiajin murmured.

The “ant” then turned away, glancing back repeatedly as it retreated into the darkness, merging with the swarm.

The other “ants” parted to let it through, then followed as they all vanished into the night.

Only then did Qi Xia realize his judgment might have been flawed.

These “ants” weren’t hunters drawn by his eyes, lurking to strike—they were more like guards.

They were protecting that particular “ant.”

“Even ‘ants’ have their own king…?” Qi Xia muttered.

“Eh?” Qiao Jiajin frowned. “Was that a ‘queen ant’?”

Chen Junnan blinked. “Damn, Old Qiao… ‘Queen ant’ is spot-on…”

Qi Xia shook his head. Unfortunately, all the “ants” looked identical, and now that they’d dispersed, he couldn’t tell which one had just “spoken” to him.

“What the hell was that about…?” Chen Junnan whispered. “A ‘queen ant’ barges in at midnight, writes you a note, then crushes a rock with its bare hands? What kinda magnet are you, Old Qi?”

“I don’t know,” Qi Xia admitted. “It seemed to be trying to tell me something, but the message was too ambiguous.”

Looking back, the “ant” had left three words.

The first, upon seeing Qi Xia, was “Who.”

After Qi Xia identified himself, it wrote “Escape.”

When Qi Xia responded with a question mark, it answered “Dragon.”

In other words, this strange “ant,” drawn by his eyes, had come to confirm his identity. Upon learning he was Qi Xia, it urged him to “escape” because of the “Dragon.”

Was it telling him to flee this place…?

But then again, these “ants” knew this hellhole better than even the Earth-level “Zodiacs.” How could they seriously suggest escape? They knew better than anyone that there was no way out—this whole world was one colossal lie.

So why had it come?

Qi Xia. Escape. Dragon.

Qi Xia rapidly pieced together these clues, then narrowed his eyes.

“Could there be another misunderstanding?” He stroked his chin, unable to think of any other interpretation.

“What’s wrong?” Qiao Jiajin scratched his head. “Liar, if there’s something you don’t get, just say it. We can brainstorm together.”

Chen Junnan threw a playful punch at Qiao Jiajin’s rock-hard chest. “You still half-asleep? You wanna help Old Qi *think*? Even I wouldn’t dare make that claim.”

“Hey, more minds, more ideas,” Qiao Jiajin said. “You said it yourself, Junanzai—three people, three perspectives.”

Qi Xia nodded. “I just find that ‘ant’s’ motive strange. Everyone here wants to ‘escape,’ yet it went to such lengths to come before me and write that single word. It doesn’t add up.”

Qiao Jiajin pondered seriously, then said, “Liar… maybe you’re overthinking it?”

“Hm?”

“My brain ain’t as sharp as yours, so I stick to the obvious,” Qiao Jiajin said. “Maybe those bug-people are like me? Maybe their message isn’t as deep as you think.”

Qi Xia frowned at his words.

Indeed, Qiao Jiajin’s perspective was vastly different from his own.

Viewed another way, the “ant’s” three words took on new meaning.

What if the “Dragon” it mentioned wasn’t the Azure Dragon or the Heavenly Dragon…?

“Chu Tianqiu and I are about to face the ‘Earth Dragon’…” Qi Xia muttered. “Is *that* what it was warning me about…?”

“Earth Dragon?” Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin echoed.

“It was telling me the ‘Earth Dragon’ is dangerous,” Qi Xia said. “If not for something urgent, it wouldn’t have risked coming at night to warn me. After all, they’re ‘ants’—even if harmless, the tragic truth is that everyone here attacks them on sight. Because they’re ‘monsters.'”