Chapter 613: The Same Destination

The Monkey Man was somewhat confused about the motives of the three people before him.

They clearly had a strategy to win his game, yet they chose to give up now. Could it be that they weren’t here to earn “Dao” either?

“Monkey Man…” Xiao Cheng turned back to look at him before leaving. “Could you tell me where the nearest ‘Earth Monkey’ is?”

“‘Earth Monkey’…” The Monkey Man’s eyes narrowed slightly beneath his mask, his tone indifferent. “Aren’t you overestimating yourself? Just because you figured out my game, do you think you can defeat the ‘Earth Monkey’?”

“I know the difficulty of ‘Human-level’ and ‘Earth-level’ aren’t on the same level, but I’m willing to try,” Xiao Cheng replied.

“Then you—”

Before the Monkey Man could finish, a faint chime sounded in the distance.

Tian Tian and Xiao Cheng both froze momentarily before realizing something and looking down at Zheng Yingxiong.

Zheng Yingxiong sighed softly and shook his head. “It’s not Brother’s ‘Echo’… it’s Sister’s ‘Echo’ that disappeared.”

A flicker of disappointment crossed their faces, but the Monkey Man’s expression turned strange.

Xiao Cheng snapped out of it and turned back to the Monkey Man. “So… can you tell us where the ‘Earth Monkey’ is?”

The Monkey Man didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked down at Zheng Yingxiong and asked, “What exactly is this kid…?”

Xiao Cheng glanced back at Tian Tian, but she also shook her head.

“I don’t know,” Tian Tian said. “I met him by chance on the road.”

The Monkey Man thought for a long time before speaking. “If I tell you the ‘Earth Monkey’s’ location, will this kid go with you?”

The question stumped Tian Tian and Xiao Cheng—they hadn’t discussed it beforehand.

“Little brother,” Tian Tian crouched down and asked softly, “The next game we’re going to is very dangerous. Do you still want to come with us?”

“Mhm.” Zheng Yingxiong nodded. “Sister, I want to grow stronger.”

“Grow stronger?”

“I want to become truly powerful and become a real ‘hero.'” Zheng Yingxiong adjusted the newspaper crown on his head. “So no matter how dangerous it is, I’ll go. This is my chance to train myself.”

Tian Tian had planned to persuade him otherwise, but after recalling Zheng Yingxiong’s earlier actions, she suddenly realized that everything he said was sincere.

Though his behavior was a bit odd, he definitely wasn’t an ordinary child.

“In that case…” Tian Tian looked back at Xiao Cheng, then at the Monkey Man.

“As long as you promise he’s coming, I’ll tell you where the ‘Earth Monkey’ is,” the Monkey Man said with a faint smile. “But there’s one condition—no matter when you participate in the ‘Earth Monkey’s’ game, you must come back to see me.”

“What…?”

The Monkey Man took a step forward, leaning close to Xiao Cheng’s ear. At that moment, Xiao Cheng caught the faint scent of decay from his mask.

“This kid is useful,” the Monkey Man whispered, his voice barely audible. “I want him to tell me… whether the ‘Earth Monkey’ has an ‘Echo’ or not.”

Xiao Cheng’s eyes widened slowly.

Earth Monkey… “Echo”?

“The ‘Earth Monkey’s’ location is on this paper. Take your time leaving—I won’t see you out.”

The Monkey Man handed Xiao Cheng a slip of paper, then patted his shoulder, his face brimming with ambition.

The three exchanged glances before leaving, still puzzled.

“By the way…”

The Monkey Man called out just as they were about to descend the stairs.

“What…?” Xiao Cheng asked.

“The ‘Earth Monkey’s’ game site is… unforgettable. I suggest going early tomorrow morning, or you won’t gain the upper hand.” The Monkey Man waved dismissively. “I look forward to your triumphant return.”

“‘Unforgettable’…?” Xiao Cheng and Tian Tian both found it strange to use that phrase to describe a deadly Earth-level game.

Seeing that the Monkey Man had nothing more to say, the three descended the stairs and left his game site.

After checking the sky and deliberating, they decided to return to their base to rest. It was nearly evening, and they had already expended too much energy during the “Pegasus Hour.” The wisest choice now was to recuperate and set out the next day to find the Earth Monkey.

……

Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin wandered around with their map for a long time, certain they had reached the ‘Earth Monkey’s’ game site—yet the street was completely devoid of any “Zodiac.”

“Damn it…” Qiao Jiajin scratched his head, looking around. “This place is way too quiet. Are you sure there’s an ‘Earth-level’ here?”

“I’m starting to wonder too,” Chen Junnan muttered, frowning. “But that big rat had no reason to lie to us.”

The two fell silent, standing dumbfounded in place. Already unsure of their direction, they now had no idea what to do.

“Hey…” Qiao Jiajin suddenly had an idea. “Junnan, you think… maybe the ‘Earth Monkey’s’ place is closed for the day?”

“Closed? Hiss…” Chen Junnan scratched his head. “That can’t be, right? We’d look like total idiots. And there’s no one to ask around here.”

“Should we come back early tomorrow?” Qiao Jiajin suggested.

“Man,” Chen Junnan sighed, feeling the absurdity of the situation. “Lao Qiao, doesn’t it feel like we’re bargain hunters who rushed to the store, only to find the damn place already closed?”

“Even if it were open… do you think we could handle it?” Qiao Jiajin smiled sheepishly. “Aren’t ‘monkeys’ supposed to be really smart?”

“Now that’s something I can’t even pretend to agree with.” Chen Junnan wagged a finger. “If we’re talking ‘smart,’ in this place, I only acknowledge Lao Qi as number one. After him, it’s yours truly. Any monkey can step aside.”

Qiao Jiajin blinked, not quite following.

“But don’t lose heart, Lao Qiao. When it comes to fighting, you’re definitely the top dog here.” Chen Junnan patted his shoulder. “And right after you—it’s me…”

Before he could finish, Chen Junnan hesitated, lowering his voice. “Damn it, there’s also that bastard Zhang Shan…”

“Junnan… aren’t we still looking for the ‘Earth Monkey’?”

“Oh, right, don’t change the subject.” Chen Junnan waved a hand. “How’d we even start talking about Lao Qi and Zhang Shan?”

“I—” Qiao Jiajin licked his lips, feeling wronged.

As the two were talking, a sudden commotion erupted not far away.