Chapter 1019: Let’s Make a Deal

“Exactly,” Chen Junnan said. “Old Qi said, when we see someone, we grab it directly.”

Chen Junnan’s words plunged the room into an icy silence.

The three of them eyed each other warily. Yan Zhichun turned her body to face them squarely, ready to defend against any sudden moves.

Meanwhile, Chen Junnan scrutinized Yan Zhichun’s outfit. She clearly had no pockets—where could the “character” be hidden?

“So?” Yan Zhichun leaned against the door. “Are you planning to use force to take the ‘character’ from me now?”

“Of course,” Chen Junnan replied. “I love a good fight, especially with a girl.”

Yan Zhichun paused, then frowned as if she’d heard a bad joke. “How odd… Chen Junnan, that seems to contradict what you said before.”

“Wh-what I said before?”

“What’s wrong with your head?” Yan Zhichun asked. “You remember my abilities from the ‘Earth Snake’ game but not what you said during it?”

Chen Junnan hesitated, feeling as though his brain had triggered some strange anchor point—fragmented memories flickered through his mind.

“Back then, I failed to assassinate a man named Zhong Zhen,” Yan Zhichun said. “Even though I was in the wrong, you stepped in without hesitation to drive him away. You said, ‘I can’t stand seeing a man beat a girl to death right in front of me.'”

“Huh…?”

Chen Junnan’s mind grew even more chaotic. Some memories felt both familiar and distant, like fragments of a dream.

“I was the one who tried to kill him. If I failed, I deserved to die,” Yan Zhichun said. “Yet you helped me in that illogical situation. Now you say you love fighting girls—which of your statements is true?”

“Uh…” Chen Junnan fell silent for a moment before answering, “Is it possible they’re both true?”

Yan Zhichun shook her head in exasperation. “Do you even believe that yourself?”

“Then don’t make this hard for me!” Chen Junnan said. “Sister Chun, how about we make a deal?”

“A deal…?”

“Right,” Chen Junnan said. “I can tell you and Old Qi have history. Just because you joined the other side doesn’t mean you have to fight for Xiao Chu. Let’s settle this peacefully.”

Yan Zhichun thought for a moment. “What kind of deal?”

“Hand over your ‘character’ to us first. We’ll use it, and then I’ll give you mine. We can trade right here.”

After speaking, Chen Junnan glanced around the room, walked to a wall, and balled up the chain in his hand. He forcefully carved three words into the wall:

“Trading Post.”

“You think you’re funny…?” Yan Zhichun asked.

“Yeah,” Chen Junnan nodded. “You think so too…?”

Tian Tian couldn’t help but snort with laughter. This had happened several times already—whenever she was with Chen Junnan, the tension just evaporated.

Yan Zhichun was at a loss for words. She’d always struggled with overly extroverted people, and Chen Junnan was by far the most outgoing person she’d ever met.

In her memory, he never stopped talking.

But with “Echo” restricted in this place, how could she avoid being at a disadvantage against two people?

For the first time in a while, Yan Zhichun felt nervous. Ever since mastering “Echo,” she’d trained daily to strengthen it—she never imagined a day when it would be completely useless.

Normally, she could rely on her less-than-confident intellect to navigate such situations. This game had also set up many “doors” for those less physically inclined to engage in mental battles.

Unfortunately, this time, the person she had to outmaneuver was Qi Xia.

Though Qi Xia had never been on the front lines, he understood the situation here perfectly. He’d instructed his team to pair up in twos so they wouldn’t trigger any “games” when encountering others, giving them ample time to seize what they needed.

But now, things were getting strange…

Did Qi Xia not know Chen Junnan’s personality?

How could he send Chen Junnan to snatch “characters” from others? What if they ran into a girl?

“Sister Chun, give me a straight answer,” Chen Junnan said, tilting his chin up and interrupting Yan Zhichun’s thoughts. “We’re all about ‘what’s borrowed is returned, and next time it won’t be hard.’ Just nod, and I’ll take your ‘character’ for now.”

Yan Zhichun remained silent for a while before saying, “Chen Junnan, you’re really hard to trust.”

“Why?!” Chen Junnan looked genuinely wronged. “I’ve never lied in my life—except for that.”

“…?”

Yan Zhichun and Tian Tian exchanged bewildered glances.

“Don’t worry,” Chen Junnan said. “I might joke around with small things, but when it comes to big matters—under normal circumstances, with the right conditions, sound logic, and mutual agreement—I won’t lie.”

Yan Zhichun felt like she was facing the most challenging situation of her life. Though she’d known Jiang Ruoxue for years and could handle basic social interactions, someone like Chen Junnan was beyond her.

She took a step back, sensing the timing wasn’t right. Without her usual tools, she’d have to retreat to her own zone and regroup.

“Hey!” Chen Junnan followed her step. “Don’t leave, Sister Chun! I swear I won’t fight you—you’ve got to believe me on this one!”

After a few seconds of thought, Yan Zhichun said, “Fine. Chen Junnan, if it’s really ‘what’s borrowed is returned, and next time it won’t be hard,’ then give me your ‘character’ first. I’ll go back and use it.”

“My ‘character’…” Chen Junnan pondered for a moment before grinning. “Sister Chun, why are you so distrustful?”

“Not willing?” Yan Zhichun said. “Then forget it. If you two won’t fight me, I can’t take your ‘characters.’ With three people here, we can’t trigger a ‘game’ either. We’ll try again another time.”

“Wait!”

Chen Junnan clearly didn’t want to let this opportunity slip. He reached into his pocket, clenched his fist, and slowly pulled out his “character.”

This time, his right fist was in the same pose as when he’d gambled with Wen Qiaoyun—only the chain was visible, while his hand bulged suspiciously. Yan Zhichun frowned.

“You’re not planning to pull the same trick on me, are you?” Yan Zhichun asked.