If everyone’s “Echo” is related to their life experiences, then why is my own “Echo” “Endless Life”?
Just like Earth Tiger’s question—what exactly are my life experiences?
Why do I have such a deep obsession with “Endless Life”?
“Whether I’m a student or a con artist… this still doesn’t make sense.” Qi Xia narrowed his eyes, recalling the matter, feeling as though he was still missing some crucial clue.
Not only could “Endless Life” not be explained, but even the “Spiritual Hearing” that preceded it couldn’t be explained either.
These two “Echoes” had absolutely no connection to his life experiences. After all, he knew he wasn’t deaf, nor did he usually envy Nuwa for her ability to “create humans.”
Even if every single person in the “Land of the End” had an “Echo” tied to their life experiences, his own two “Echoes” defied that logic.
So it wasn’t that others were strange—he was the strange one. He was the “exception.”
Moreover, everything he was experiencing now was likely designed by his past self. But how different was that version of himself from the present one?
Could he have even predicted the exact phrase “Endless Life”?
“Are you alright…?” Earth Tiger, noticing Qi Xia lost in thought, gently interrupted him. “Why are you spacing out?”
“I’m fine, just thinking about something.” Qi Xia sighed. “Earth Tiger, so is it really true that everyone’s ‘Echo’ is tied to their life experiences?”
“At least that’s the case for everyone I know,” Earth Tiger replied. “That’s why I don’t really understand what ‘Endless Life’ means…”
“But aside from ‘Endless Life,’ there’s another thing that can’t be explained,” Qi Xia said, frowning.
“What…?”
“I’ve heard of someone whose ‘Echo Trigger’ was ‘Witness the End.'” Qi Xia slowly narrowed his eyes. “What kind of life must he have lived in reality for his obsession to be ‘Witness the End’? Was he praying for the destruction of the world every single day?”
“I don’t know.” Earth Tiger frowned. “I’ve always been an ‘Unfortunate One,’ so I rarely interact with other ‘Echoers.'”
Qi Xia nodded solemnly.
At that moment, Xu Liunian spoke up. “Are you talking about Chu Tianqiu…?”
Qi Xia looked at her. “Yes.”
“I suspect…” Xu Liunian pondered for a moment before saying darkly, “Chu Tianqiu might be lying.”
“Oh? Any basis for that?”
Qi Xia didn’t hold much hope for Xu Liunian’s suspicions. What she doubted was likely something Chu Tianqiu had deliberately led her to doubt.
“No basis.” Xu Liunian shook her head. “Qi Xia, I just feel like Chu Tianqiu isn’t afraid of death. He’s never feared it. In all the time I’ve interacted with him, I was the one constantly on edge. Looking back now, could it be that he had already mastered his ‘Echo’ long ago? So he believes dying doesn’t matter at all.”
Qi Xia carefully considered her words, recalling the first time he had met the real Chu Tianqiu—at Earth Tiger’s game site.
Back then, he had been sitting on the first floor, waiting for the game to end, when Chu Tianqiu swaggered in and sat across from him.
The people of “Paradise’s Edge” kept saying they would protect Chu Tianqiu until the last day, but he himself didn’t seem to care.
But dismissing Chu Tianqiu’s “Echo Trigger” based solely on this wouldn’t make sense.
“I’m not afraid of death either,” Qi Xia said. “I’ve bet my life multiple times without any ‘Echo’ to back me up. That doesn’t prove anything—just that he’s more confident than most.”
“You mean…”
“He knows he won’t die,” Qi Xia replied. “Or rather, he knows he can handle whatever trouble comes his way.”
Xu Liunian nodded and fell silent. Qi Xia then turned back to Earth Tiger.
“Alright, Earth Tiger, tell me—what exactly happened last night?”
Hearing the question, Earth Tiger scratched his head awkwardly before sighing. “I screwed up. I messed up what you asked me to do…”
“Screwed up?” Qi Xia smirked. “I’m still standing here perfectly fine. You didn’t get me killed.”
“B-But!” Earth Tiger’s eyes flashed with frustration. “Even if I didn’t get you killed, I feel like I came dangerously close!”
“Don’t panic. I told you, I’m here.” Qi Xia said. “Tell me exactly what happened, step by step. I’ll handle it.”
“Really…?” Earth Tiger raised an eyebrow.
“Mm.”
After a moment of thought, Earth Tiger began recounting the events of the previous night in detail.
That night, after returning to the “Train,” he had intercepted Black Sheep and Slacker Dog midway. Before they could react, he had dragged them into his room.
As he listened, Qi Xia mentally cataloged every person involved—each of them was a “Needle.”
These “Needles” would dismantle the “Zodiacs” from within.
Once he confirmed no one else was around, Earth Tiger shut the door to his room. But the two in front of him still wore expressions of reluctance.
“Compensation Tiger, give it a rest, will you?” Earth Sheep said. “It’s been a whole day… still not giving up?”
“I can’t give up!” Earth Tiger declared. “I’ve been thinking about this all day, and now my thoughts are clearer than ever!”
“And what epiphany did you have?”
“Look…” Earth Tiger gestured excitedly. “Isn’t it possible that Sheep Bro, using his big brain outside, could figure out that I know his plan?”
Slacker Dog couldn’t hold back anymore. “Isn’t that a little too far-fetched? You think you two have some kind of telepathy?”
“No!” Earth Tiger insisted. “If even a dumbass like me can figure it out, how could Sheep Bro not?”
“That’s not the issue!” Earth Sheep also found the logic absurd. “You’re jumping through too many hoops. First, we can’t even confirm he’s Sheep Bro. Second, he has no memory. Third, he has no way of knowing what you’re thinking. How did you solve all these problems and just assume he’s thinking the same thing?”
“It’s simple!” Earth Tiger declared triumphantly. “The reason you have so many doubts is because you forgot the most fundamental fact—as long as this fact holds, all problems can be solved, and all my deductions become true!”
“What fact?”
“That guy is Sheep Bro!” Earth Tiger grinned proudly.
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