Chapter 402: People

“You…” Su Shan lowered her head to look at Qin Dingdong’s fist.

After staring for a long time, Su Shan finally blinked and said, “Two.”

Qin Dingdong rolled her eyes at Zhang Chenze and Lin Qin, saying, “Xiao Shan can’t see anymore.”

“This…”

Su Shan frowned upon hearing this, feeling that Qin Dingdong understood her better than she understood herself.

Although the two had anticipated this, the situation still felt somewhat eerie.

Zhang Chenze clearly remembered that Su Shan had looked at her immediately after waking up, and just now, when Qin Dingdong extended her fist, Su Shan had also been staring at it.

“I… I can still see a little…” Su Shan forced a bitter smile. “I just didn’t want you to worry…”

“Stop lying,” Qin Dingdong said. “Right now, you can only see glowing outlines but have completely lost normal vision, right?”

“How do you even know that?”

“Xiao Shan, I told you, I teamed up with you before,” Qin Dingdong coughed a few times and said. “That damned dog wasn’t just trying to sow discord last night—I really did get you killed once.”

“Is that so…” Su Shan didn’t seem particularly surprised. “In a place like this… it’s inevitable to end up harming those around you…”

“Glad you understand.” Qin Dingdong nodded. “I don’t dislike you—in fact, I even thought about being friends with you. But our professions just don’t align.”

“Mmm…” Su Shan nodded. “Come to think of it, I owe you all an apology. In this game… I initially planned to kill you.”

“Isn’t that normal?” Qin Dingdong said. “No one told you that ‘canine’ games require cooperation—you had to figure it out yourself. The fact that you broke my hailstorm at the last moment was already a stroke of genius.”

Su Shan stood up with a bitter smile, then swayed slightly.

“Su Shan…” Zhang Chenze grabbed her wrist. “Are you really okay? You’re still running a high fever…”

“Fever?” Su Shan paused, then slowly revealed an eerie smile. “No, I don’t feel feverish. I’m fine now.”

Zhang Chenze could clearly feel that her wrist was burning hot, but her consciousness seemed perfectly lucid.

“We’re all injured…” Su Shan widened her eyes to scan the three people in the room. Her pupils, like shattered gemstones, had completely lost their light. “Let’s go back and see that doctor.”

The group exchanged glances before nodding. Both Lin Qin and Qin Dingdong knew their bodies couldn’t be healed anytime soon, and Su Shan’s eyes—clouded beyond recognition—couldn’t possibly recover with the current medical means.

Supporting each other, they opened the door and stepped outside, only to run straight into the slowly approaching Earth Dog.

“Oh?” Earth Dog yawned. “Morning. Did you clock in yet?”

“Damn mutt…” Qin Dingdong cursed. “What clocking in? You think we’re working here or something?”

“Oh, my mistake,” Earth Dog lazily rubbed his eyes. “You don’t work here—I do.”

“Then go work yourself to death,” Qin Dingdong spat at his feet for good measure. “Drop dead.”

Earth Dog ignored her and turned to Su Shan. “Su Shan, how are you holding up?”

“I…” Su Shan looked in his direction. In her pitch-black vision, she could make out the outline of a slender man. She smiled faintly. “I’m alright.”

“It’s an old issue for you. Try to take it easy from now on. Hope to see you again.” Earth Dog waved and walked past the group of women.

Just as he was about to enter the glass shop, he seemed to remember something and slowly turned around.

“Oh, right…” Earth Dog glanced at the four of them. “Any veterans among you? How long have you been storing memories?”

“Sis here’s got 300,000 years’ worth,” Qin Dingdong shouted. “What’s it to you?”

Earth Dog rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.

Qin Dingdong immediately mirrored the gesture, not backing down.

“Can’t be bothered with you,” Earth Dog said. “I’m looking for someone. Not sure if any of you know him.”

Lin Qin tentatively asked, “Who are you looking for?”

“Someone named Qi Xia,” Earth Dog replied. “I’d like to meet him, if possible.”

The women were all shrewd—none showed any reaction upon hearing Qi Xia’s name.

“I can help you look,” Lin Qin said. “But this counts as a ‘trade,’ right? What are you offering in exchange for his information?”

“Hmm…” Earth Dog stroked his chin. “How about ‘Dao’?”

“No,” Lin Qin shook her head. “Got anything else?”

“Not even ‘Dao’… I swear, veterans are impossible…” Earth Dog pondered for a few seconds before looking up. “How about ‘food’? I can get you some cakes, drinks, and fresh fruit.”

Lin Qin swallowed slightly and glanced at the others.

“Cakes… and fruit?” Qin Dingdong’s interest was piqued.

Earth Dog’s offer included things Lin Qin and Qin Dingdong hadn’t tasted in years—their memories only recalled the flavor of rotten food.

Yet, their bodies reset every ten days, so even eating dirt wouldn’t cause malnutrition.

The situation felt strange. Unsure of Earth Dog’s motives, the two seemed ready to trade Qi Xia’s life for cakes—a guilt-ridden proposition.

Su Shan studied Earth Dog’s outline for a moment before interjecting with a smile, “Why would a ‘Zodiac’ want to meet a participant alone? Is he important to you?”

“He…” Earth Dog hesitated. “He might be an ‘old acquaintance,’ so I’d like to see him.”

After a brief pause, he added, “I won’t harm him. ‘Zodiacs’ have rules—we can’t kill outside of games. If any of you know him… could you pass along the message?”

The women neither agreed nor refused, knowing they’d have to consult Qi Xia first.

“I’ll keep an eye out,” Lin Qin said. “We’re leaving. See you around.”

Earth Dog nodded and entered the glass shop, while the four women walked away.

Along the way, Zhang Chenze supported Lin Qin, while Qin Dingdong guided Su Shan by the hand.

Though Su Shan could see the outlines of living beings, she couldn’t discern the path—even small stones on the ground tripped her.

After about half an hour, Lin Qin’s right leg gave out, and she suggested they rest.

Su Shan nodded, but just as she was about to speak, she suddenly noticed two exceptionally vivid glowing humanoid outlines in the distance.

“Someone’s over there,” Su Shan pointed toward the light. “Do we know them? Or is it a ‘Zodiac’?”

Following her finger, the group saw a massive clock with a display screen at the center of a small square.

On the screen, four lines of text glowed:

“Scapegoat,”

“Disaster Beckoning,”

“Spiritual Sight,”

“Soul Migration.”