“I still have to calm you down…?”
Qi Xia felt like a babysitter.
Not only did he have to lead these four problematic teammates into danger, but he also had to consider each of their thoughts. If it weren’t for needing to borrow “Cat’s” power, he would never have bothered with such thankless work.
“If I’m not calm, I’ll die,” Qiu Shiliu repeated. “If your and Fifth Brother’s goal is to ‘train troops,’ I’ll do my best to control my Echo. Even though you’re unqualified to be our leader, I still have to respect Fifth Brother’s face.”
“That’s the principle,” Qi Xia nodded. “But I won’t guarantee 100% success. My only goal is to help you achieve ‘Echo.’ Even if you burn to death the moment you get it, my mission is complete.”
“Hah.” Qiu Shiliu sneered, though veins bulged on her forehead. “I knew you weren’t that kind. Which of Fifth Brother’s eyes went blind to make you our leader?”
Qi Xia’s expression darkened. He took two slow steps forward until he stood before Qiu Shiliu, staring coldly into her eyes as he murmured, “If you have a problem, you can leave now.”
“You…” Qiu Shiliu gritted her teeth, meeting his gaze, only to find something unsettling in his eyes. “Why should I leave?”
“If you stay, show some respect,” Qi Xia said. “Piss me off, and I have countless ways to make you die unprepared in the game.”
Qiu Shiliu had witnessed countless dangerous scenes in the “Endgame,” but none chilled her like this man’s eyes.
“Just what are you…?” she muttered, her tone softening despite her frown.
“I’m a liar who’s killed countless people,” Qi Xia replied. “No one who plays mind games with me comes out unscathed.”
“A liar…?” Qiu Shiliu frowned. “Then how do I know if anything you say is true?”
“Everything I say could be a lie,” Qi Xia said. “But right now, I have no reason to want you dead. So in the game, follow my orders. I’m only helping you to settle a debt with Qian Wu. Don’t overestimate your importance to me.”
“You—”
“Hey-hey-hey!” Wang Ba strode over and slapped Qiu Shiliu’s rear with a loud smack. “Sixteen! We’re comrades this time! Let’s work together, yeah?”
Qiu Shiliu jolted in shock before reflexively kicking him to the ground.
“You…” she seethed. “Have you lost your damn mind?!”
“Oof… Sorry, sorry!” Wang Ba rolled on the floor before standing up with a sheepish grin. “I keep forgetting! You’re so manly, Sixteen, I always think you’re a dude! My bad, my bad! Heh!”
Qiu Shiliu’s face twisted through shades of anger, but she couldn’t find the words to scold him properly.
Zhou Liu hefted her iron rod and rested it on Wang Ba’s shoulder, her voice icy. “Tch. Try that again, and I’ll make sure you go back toothless today.”
“Heh! Got it, got it!”
Ignoring the others, Qi Xia studied Qiu Shiliu. So she was a woman?
Her short hair was neat and practical, her features sharp, her skin dark and slightly rough—she did look more like a man.
“It’s fine… Sister Liu,” Qiu Shiliu said. “Next time, I’ll break his fingers myself.”
“Oho~ Wanna hold my hand?” Wang Ba extended a chubby palm. “For you, Sixteen, I’ll let you break ‘em right now!”
“You goddamn—!”
Qi Xia massaged his temples, watching the short, pudgy man with a headache.
Wang Ba’s Echo trigger was “humiliation,” but how could someone so shameless ever feel humiliated?
Qian Wu had probably given him the codename “Eight” to nudge him toward awakening his Echo, but the man was an anomaly—utterly unfazed by anything.
“Enough bickering,” Qi Xia said coldly. “Time’s tight. We need to hit as many games as possible today.”
The group gradually quieted, turning their attention to him.
Luo Shiyi, silent until now, stepped forward. “So… which game are we actually doing?”
Qi Xia glanced down the street and pointed into the distance. “We walk straight ahead. The first ‘Earth-level’ Zodiac we meet is our target. Sound good?”
The others studied the road. They spent most of their time near the prison, so they knew the area well. Ahead lay a “Rat.”
“Tch. A ‘hide-and-seek’ type… Fine.” Zhou Liu nodded. “Qi Xia, Fifth Brother says you’re sharp. Let’s see it for ourselves.”
“So you all know that game?” Qi Xia asked.
“We’ve seen the Rat but never played his game,” Luo Shiyi said. “Can you really keep us all alive in there?”
“No,” Qi Xia answered bluntly. “You expect me to carry the entire team?”
“Aren’t you the leader?” Luo Shiyi taunted.
“Oh?” Qi Xia turned to him. “I may lead, but there are five of us. You couldn’t even win a ‘Tiger’ game by trading lives. With teammates like you, how am I supposed to win?”
“You—”
Luo Shiyi hadn’t interacted much with Qi Xia before—his focus had been on the tattooed man who could undo his “Forgetfulness.” But now, it was clear this Qi Xia was just as troublesome.
He was unyielding, impossible to sway.
“Qi Xia, right?” Luo Shiyi said. “The reason we’re so against you is simple. I heard you’ve only retained memories from two cycles. Do you know how long we’ve remembered?”
“I know,” Qi Xia said.
“Us teaming up with you is purely out of respect for Fifth Brother,” Luo Shiyi continued. “He’s fought alongside us for years. You, with your measly twenty days of memory, can’t compare. No matter how strong you are, don’t expect me to change my mind about you in a single day.”
“I don’t,” Qi Xia replied. “I’m just repaying a debt to Qian Wu by helping you awaken your Echos.”
“Good.” Luo Shiyi nodded. “Your team’s strong, but to us, you’re still outsiders.”
“Same,” Qi Xia agreed. “You’re outsiders to me too.”
The group fell into a tense silence before wordlessly trudging deeper into the street.
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