Chapter 520: Ironclad Evidence?

“I…” Qi Xia blinked, feeling a slight swelling in his brain. “I… I relied on my experience navigating society…”

“Including that ‘Lai-whatever’ theory?” Qiao Jiajin chimed in from the side. “Scammer, did your society back then teach you that too?”

“The Leidenfrost effect…” The words slipped out of Qi Xia’s mouth, but even he found it strange.

Where did this knowledge even come from…?

Whenever he needed to use this kind of knowledge, it would flow out effortlessly, as naturally as using his right hand.

“I… just read a lot of books,” Qi Xia said somewhat uncertainly. “Just read a bit more than others…”

As soon as he finished speaking, Qi Xia realized how flimsy that excuse was. His home was completely empty—not a single book, not even a scrap of paper.

Why had he never considered these questions before?

Where had he read these books?

What books had he read?

Qi Xia vaguely remembered flipping through pages in the corner of a dimly lit room—”Game Theory,” “Murphy’s Law,” “The Art of War,” “Thirty-Six Stratagems”…

He recalled meticulously recording every word from those pages, yet he couldn’t remember where he had read them.

But that knowledge had undeniably become part of him, merging into his very being.

“Old Qi… if it were you…” Chen Junnan furrowed his brow and asked, “Would you rather believe you’re a con artist… or a psychology master’s graduate?”

A psychology master’s graduate… what a fitting degree for someone who manipulates minds.

Qi Xia’s expression darkened. After a long silence, he muttered a few words:

“I don’t believe either.”

“You…”

Chen Junnan could never quite grasp Qi Xia’s thoughts. At this moment, he didn’t believe in either version of himself?

Why had spending those seven years as a “Zodiac” caused him to forget even his own life?

Was this some kind of side effect of becoming a “Zodiac”?

“Scammer, is he actually a really educated guy?” Qiao Jiajin whispered to Chen Junnan.

“Old Qiao… isn’t he?” Chen Junnan was baffled by the question. “Do you really believe what he said—that he was a con artist lurking in the shadows of the city? That a guy like him would risk everything for two million… even become a criminal? Do you think someone with his mind would be that poor?”

Qi Xia overheard their hushed conversation, and his gaze grew complicated.

Yes… the truth was actually very simple.

If he could just admit that Yu Nian’an didn’t exist, everything would make perfect sense.

He was twenty-six—just the right age to have graduated with a master’s and stepped into society.

Why did everything fit so neatly?

Had he really met Yu Nian’an after high school, leading to a bleak and absurd life… or had he continued his studies, as Chen Junnan suggested, graduating just before arriving here?

Qi Xia frowned, suddenly feeling like he had figured something out.

“Yu Nian’an can’t not exist…” he murmured under his breath.

“What…?” Chen Junnan, seeing Qi Xia still refusing to believe him, wore a troubled expression. “Old Qi, I don’t want to be the one to break it to you, but you never mentioned Yu—”

“Yu Nian’an can’t not exist!” Qi Xia raised his voice stubbornly, cutting Chen Junnan off.

“You…”

“Isn’t it said…?” Qi Xia grabbed Chen Junnan’s forearm, his fingertips slightly cold to the touch.

“Chen Junnan, didn’t you all say that everyone who comes to the ‘Land of Finality’ is a sinner?!” Qi Xia’s eyes were wide, his face blank. “I’ve finally found irrefutable proof that Yu Nian’an exists!!”

“What do you mean…?”

“Only if Yu Nian’an exists would I commit a crime!” Qi Xia broke into an eerie smile. “If she didn’t exist, I wouldn’t have a reason to scam that two million… I’d be an ‘innocent’! I wouldn’t have any reason to be here… Perfect… I’ve finally found the logical loophole… Even ‘Tianlong’ couldn’t deceive me…”

Qi Xia’s unstable emotions made even the ever-smirking Chen Junnan frown deeply.

He felt like Qi Xia was sick—seriously sick.

“Old Qi…” Chen Junnan placed both hands on Qi Xia’s shoulders, looking at him with concern. “I might have to break it to you again… We discussed this a long time ago. Back then, we already realized that there are indeed rare ‘innocent people’ in the ‘Land of Finality.’ As far as I know, you and Chu Tianqiu are both ‘innocent.’ Before coming here, neither of you had committed any crimes—not even major mistakes.”

“What…?” Qi Xia’s newly constructed belief nearly shattered again. “Both of us are ‘innocent’…?”

“Yes…” Chen Junnan nodded. “Maybe this is news to you, but for us… it stopped being surprising a long time ago.”

Qi Xia recalled that Song Qi had once told him the same thing—this place wasn’t just filled with sinners; some people couldn’t even remember what they had done wrong.

If that was the case… then didn’t that mean this godforsaken place wasn’t built for “atonement” at all?!

What was the purpose of its existence?!

Why had he been brought here?!

Qi Xia’s mind raced, and everything suddenly felt surreal.

“You’re saying that lunatic Chu Tianqiu never did anything wrong…?” Qi Xia said disbelievingly. “That’s absurd…”

To Qi Xia, Chen Junnan might as well have told him a fairy tale. How could Chu Tianqiu possibly be “innocent”?!

“It’s not that ‘Yu Nian’an’s absence makes sense’…” Qi Xia bit his lip, trembling all over. “It’s that her existence makes sense! Only if she exists… am I a sinner… only then should I be here… only then do I have a reason to escape… only then do I have motivation… Yes, this is too logical… Yu Nian’an must exist…”

Qi Xia was like a man hypnotizing himself, repeating those words over and over until the two men beside him couldn’t bear to watch.

Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin exchanged glances, neither knowing what to do.

Qiao Jiajin, however, shook his head as if this were nothing new. He knew Qi Xia’s emotions had always been unstable, especially when the name “Yu Nian’an” came up—this state had happened many times before.

Chen Junnan, on the other hand, was genuinely unsettled. Seven years ago, Qi Xia had never been this close to breaking down. If this damned place could drive even Qi Xia to the brink, whose mental fortitude could possibly withstand it?

“Perfect…” Qi Xia muttered, his eyes glazed. “Yu Nian’an exists… Let’s hurry and set off… I need to find her as soon as possible…”