Over the weekend, after confirming that Qian Wuyi’s side was temporarily safe, they began to gradually assess the current status of the other squads in the “Ultimate Path.”
According to Yan Zhichun, Jiang Ruoxue, and Old Sun, their respective locations had all encountered issues to varying degrees, but for now, the problems seemed largely resolved. How well they were actually resolved would depend on further developments.
Within a few hours, almost all members of the “Ultimate Path” had reached their destinations.
Old Deng led his group to a venue belonging to an “Earth Ox,” following the map. It was an open-air stadium that resembled a tug-of-war game.
An exceptionally muscular female Earth Ox sat in the center of the square, waiting for them. When the two sides met, not a word was exchanged—only a silent nod between them.
Aunt Tong led her squad to the territory of a towering “Earth Rabbit.” The game there was called “Penglai.” Similarly, the two sides reached an immediate understanding without much discussion.
Xiaoxiao and Lin Qin arrived at a glass shop, encountering a seemingly lazy “Earth Dog.”
Lin Qin had some prior acquaintance with the Earth Dog, as the last “Year of Calamity” had left the four girls in their group severely wounded. After briefly explaining their purpose, the Earth Dog immediately let them inside for shelter. During the exchange, the Earth Dog asked about Su Shan’s recent condition, to which Lin Qin could only truthfully reply, “I don’t know.”
Lastly, there was the leader of the eighth squad—an unknown elderly man.
It took the weekend nearly half a day to confirm the man’s information before finally establishing contact.
According to the old man, he was currently leading his team to a game venue belonging to an “Earth Rooster.” The Zodiac member appeared colorful and flamboyant but was prone to sudden outbursts of anger, making them quite intimidating.
Zhou Mo briefly reassured the old man, but doubts lingered in his mind—
Who exactly was this old man?
Back when the eight squad leaders were being confirmed, the old man had raised his hand on the spot, declaring himself the leader of one of the squads.
Though Zhou Mo had his suspicions, seeing that neither Jiang Ruoxue nor Yan Zhichun objected, he didn’t press the issue in the midst of the chaos. Now, no matter how hard he tried to recall, he couldn’t remember when this old man had even joined the “Ultimate Path.”
But then again, the “Ultimate Path” was an inherently bizarre organization, where members not knowing each other well was the norm. Fortunately, the plan was now on track.
“No… there’s still one person I need to confirm…”
Zhou Mo closed his eyes, focusing what little remained of his “conviction,” and pinpointed that individual among the crowd.
“Tsk, the big boss of ‘Paradise Port,’ how are you holding up?” Zhou Mo asked.
“Oh?” Chu Tianqiu’s voice responded. “Rare. You can still contact me?”
“I brushed against you in the chaos earlier,” Zhou Mo replied. “Tsk, you sound fine. Well, good luck surviving, then.”
“Hah…” Chu Tianqiu chuckled lightly. “Tell Yan Zhichun she owes me a massive favor. She’d better think about how to repay it.”
Zhou Mo naturally understood what Chu Tianqiu was referring to. After a pause, he uttered two words he had almost never said before—
“Thanks.”
“Now I’m scared,” Chu Tianqiu said. “It’d feel more normal if you just said nothing.”
“Tsk, then go die.”
…
Chu Tianqiu ended the conversation with Zhou Mo and looked up at the large group of “Participants” surrounding him.
By now, the entire “Paradise Port” team had been encircled in the center, all bearing injuries.
Chu Tianqiu knew this was inevitable. After all, “Paradise Port’s” mission was to cover the retreat of the entire “Ultimate Path.”
This meant that while the “Ultimate Path” fled, they didn’t bother fighting back against the “Participants,” focusing solely on blending into the crowd. In contrast, “Paradise Port” had continuously engaged the incoming reinforcements. Before long, the “Participants” abandoned their pursuit of the “Ultimate Path” and redirected their encirclement toward “Paradise Port.”
Though over a hundred people had surrounded the twenty-some members of “Paradise Port,” not one of them dared to make the first move.
The “Paradise Port” team simply looked too formidable—every member was a “Resonator,” and several were highly skilled in combat.
Zhang Shan took a deep breath and spoke up. “Chu Tianqiu, don’t you have something else to do?”
Chu Tianqiu glanced at the sky. “Right. That arrogant Qi Xia wants me to board the ‘train’ for some business. It’s about time.”
The bespectacled man adjusted his glasses and surveyed the crowd. “Mr. Chu, why don’t you go ahead? Being stuck here doesn’t seem like a decision you’d usually make.”
After a few seconds of thought, Chu Tianqiu replied, “I should prioritize the bigger picture, but for some reason, a voice in my head keeps telling me to make sure you’re all safe before leaving.”
“Color me flattered,” the bespectacled man mused. After a brief pause, he glanced back at the others and asked, “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Old Lü in a while… Is he already dead?”
“No idea,” Chu Tianqiu said. “We can’t afford to worry about the dead right now. Let’s focus on breaking out.”
Zhang Shan cracked his knuckles. “How about I hold them off while you all escape?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Fighting one against a hundred is impossible in reality. Without your ‘Heavenly Strength,’ no matter how strong you are, you’d be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.”
“One against a hundred might be a stretch…” Zhang Shan scratched his head. “But I vaguely remember some boastful guy telling me he could fight while retreating, barehandedly taking down thirty-seven people.”
“Oh?” Chu Tianqiu smirked. “Was he just bragging?”
“Who the hell knows?” Zhang Shan said. “I can’t even remember who said it.”
“Don’t push yourself,” Chu Tianqiu warned. “You just fought Bai Hu. Surviving at all is a miracle. Let’s find a way to break out together.”
Li Xiangling examined the wooden staff in her hands, then planted it on the ground. With a quick snap of her foot, she broke off the tip, revealing a sharp, splintered edge—effectively turning it into a spear.
“All weapons are meant to kill,” she muttered. “I promised Grandpa I wouldn’t actively harm anyone… unless my life was at stake.”
She spun the staff a few times before pointing it at the encircling crowd—
“Six Harmonies Spear repels enemies; Six Harmonies Short Spear claims lives.”
Before the surrounding enemies could react, Li Xiangling lunged forward, twirling the staff at her waist before thrusting its sharpened end forward, drawing blood from several opponents.
As the saying goes, “Strike first to gain the upper hand.” Li Xiangling had no choice but to break through the encirclement before more could react.
The brawl erupted instantly. Zhang Shan stepped in, grabbing two people who tried to counterattack Li Xiangling.
The encircling forces surged forward, engaging in a chaotic melee with the “Paradise Port” members. Chu Tianqiu wanted to help but was constantly shielded by those around him. Instead, he placed Wen Qiaoyun behind him, doing his best to avoid injury in the fray.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage