Qi Xia walked aside, rubbing his temples, feeling that the situation was somewhat complicated.
Originally, he had been driving a shaky car on a muddy road, completely unaware of what lay ahead, only knowing that the path beneath him was one he had paved himself.
But now, “Qinglong” had unreasonably boarded this car, not only giving directions but also attempting to take control of the steering wheel.
Where did he want to drive the car?
On the surface, he did all this just for amusement, but Qi Xia didn’t believe for a second that he had no ulterior motives.
After all, while “Tianlong” had been searching for him, Qinglong had intercepted the message and made the first move to appear before him.
So, to unravel all of this, he needed to first understand Qinglong’s ultimate goal.
What kind of “game” was he setting up?
What was he expecting?
Right now, there were too many unanswered questions, but fortunately, Qinglong had left clues behind. Qi Xia had already been planning to drive forward on this path—now, with Qinglong providing a map, it was even better.
The worst-case scenario was the car crashing and everyone dying; there was no other way out.
“Earth Tiger,” Qi Xia called over his shoulder, “I’d like to rest here tonight.”
“No problem!” Earth Tiger replied. “Wait a sec, I’ll go close the doors right now. You can start resting immediately.”
“No need for that,” Qi Xia shook his head helplessly. “Just focus on your own duties. Pretend I don’t exist.”
“Uh…” Earth Tiger hesitated for a long moment before glancing at Xu Liunian. “What about her…?”
Xu Liunian, too, was unsure of her position now and could only turn to Qi Xia. “Do you still need me?”
Qi Xia looked at her expressionlessly and replied, “Xu Liunian, the only reason I saved you was because you once said, ‘None of my schemes ever factored myself in.’ That’s what made me suddenly interested in you.”
“So, you mean…”
“What I mean is, this doesn’t imply that I value your abilities or intellect,” Qi Xia said, as if looking at a complete stranger. “So now, you can choose for yourself—stay here with me or find your own way out.”
Xu Liunian pondered for a moment before speaking. “Qi Xia, you should know my ultimate goal. Right now, I’m not sure if our objectives conflict.”
“You want to destroy this place; I want to escape it,” Qi Xia said. “Doesn’t sound like a conflict.”
“Though this sounds selfish… I still…” Xu Liunian shook her head with a hint of disappointment. “The goal might not conflict for you, but for me, it does.”
“Oh…?”
“If you escape, how could I possibly destroy this place on my own…?”
“That is indeed selfish,” Qi Xia remarked. “I can understand you, but I can’t support you. Go ahead and leave.”
Xu Liunian nodded slowly, stood up, and looked at Earth Tiger before turning back to Qi Xia. “I’ll find my own way to destroy this place.”
“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
Xu Liunian took a few steps toward the staircase, then turned back one last time. “Thank you for the ‘identity’ you gave me.”
“Don’t think too much of it,” Qi Xia said indifferently. “I just thought keeping your sanity intact wouldn’t be a bad thing for anyone.”
“Is that so…?” Xu Liunian’s expression visibly dimmed.
“And don’t thank me too soon—I can’t verify whether ‘Endless Rebirth’ actually worked.”
Xu Liunian nodded. “At least you tried.”
“Yeah,” Qi Xia nodded as well.
“Then I’ll really be going now.”
“Give him my regards when you see him. I’ll be waiting here,” Qi Xia added.
Xu Liunian let out a bitter laugh before turning and leaving.
Step by step, she ascended the staircase, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Had Qi Xia seen through her after all?
Her method of destroying this place was actually simpler than anyone else’s. She no longer needed to search for any other way to break it.
All she had to do was find Qiao Jiajin.
When Qiao Jiajin, wielding “Break All Laws,” met Qi Xia, who possessed “Endless Rebirth,” wouldn’t that be the perfect moment to bring complete destruction upon this place?
Just one sentence—that was all it would take to unravel the curse of eternal life that Qi Xia had initiated.
As long as Qiao Jiajin was willing to activate that ability…
Xu Liunian’s expression grew increasingly desolate. She had spent decades searching for a way to break this place, only to find the answer was this simple.
The consequences of “Echo” could only be undone by another “Echo.” That was the cruelest irony of all.
And yet… Qi Xia had already figured it out.
The moment she stepped out of that door, she would do everything in her power to find Qiao Jiajin and subtly plant this idea in his mind.
Why hadn’t Qi Xia stopped her?
Did he already have a countermeasure?
Xu Liunian knew she couldn’t decipher Qi Xia’s actions, but she had no better options left.
Now, she could only follow the path she had set for herself and move toward the unknown.
……
Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin lay sprawled on the street like two corpses, neither willing to move.
“Old Qiao… get up, come on, the ground’s filthy…” Chen Junnan muttered weakly.
“Junnan, you go first… I’m busy right now…” Qiao Jiajin replied.
“Busy? Doing what…?”
“Resting…”
The two fell silent, lying there panting as they stared at the sky.
Chen Junnan had no idea how others had survived the “Pegasus Hour,” but for him and Qiao Jiajin, it had been a nonstop marathon of shouting, cursing, and mad dashes. They had exhausted every ounce of strength in their bodies and had been lying on the ground for nearly an hour.
Finally, Chen Junnan felt sensation return to his legs. He turned his head with great effort and noticed a game venue not far away, where a “Zodiac” was standing at the entrance, watching them.
“Oh no…” Chen Junnan frowned, repeatedly nudging Qiao Jiajin. “Old Qiao, quick, quick, quick, get up… We’re being laughed at… Damn, they’ve been watching us for ages…”
“Can’t do it, Junnan…” Qiao Jiajin genuinely seemed exhausted. “This body of mine is just too weak… If you wanna get up, go ahead… I’m busy right now…”
“Tch… Fine, I’ll get up first…” Chen Junnan rolled over, using his hands to push himself up from the grimy ground. “No way I’m letting anyone look down on me…”
Once standing, he stretched his legs and glanced at the distant “Zodiac,” mustering his energy to call out, “Hey, buddy, what a coincidence! You working the streets today?”
The “Zodiac” wiped its nose and flashed a forced smile. “Oh, Boss, you flatter me. I’m not working the streets—I’m just here admiring how you two bosses are playing dead in broad daylight. Please, take your time lying there. I’ll keep watching and learning.”
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