It took Qiao Jiajin nearly three minutes to slowly descend to the bottom.
The light here was dim, and his eyes couldn’t adjust quickly.
He scrutinized the area for a long time before spotting the large boulder that had fallen earlier. Then, with a flip, he released the rope and landed on the rock.
“Strange…” He crouched low, scanning the surroundings—there wasn’t a single person in sight.
At that moment, only a faint beam of light from directly above illuminated the boulder. Beyond that small patch, the rest of the space was submerged in darkness, as if deep underwater.
“Hey, Kung Fu Girl!” Qiao Jiajin shouted. “Are you here?”
His voice echoed, and from two directions came the faint rustling of footsteps shifting.
“So that’s how it is…” Qiao Jiajin leaped off the boulder and plunged into the darkness. “Because it’s so dark, neither of you dares to make a move, right?”
No one responded. A sense of foreboding crept into Qiao Jiajin’s heart.
He knew Li Xiangling must be badly injured—otherwise, she wouldn’t stay silent upon seeing a teammate. Right now, he had to ensure her safety as much as possible.
“Leather Jacket, can you hear me?” Qiao Jiajin continued yelling. “I’m in the light, you’re in the dark. What are you afraid of? Come at me if you dare.”
A faint shuffling sound reached his ears—he caught it instantly.
He stopped speaking and instead moved silently toward the source of the footsteps.
“Hey! If you won’t come at me, I’ll come for you.”
Slowly, Qiao Jiajin felt he was within arm’s reach of the other person.
But he couldn’t tell if it was Li Xiangling or Luo Shiyi in the darkness.
So he raised his hands slowly—this way, no matter who it was, he could restrain them immediately.
In the darkness, Qiao Jiajin’s right hand brushed against something. His expression darkened as he grabbed at it—only to feel a slender arm.
“Ah!”
A woman’s voice gasped in surprise.
Qiao Jiajin quickly steadied her, pulling her close.
“Kung Fu Girl?” he whispered. “Don’t be afraid.”
“Brother Qiao…” Li Xiangling exhaled shakily. “You scared me half to death…”
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I’ve got a few bleeding wounds… I’m out of strength now,” Li Xiangling said weakly. “That man was ruthless…”
“Leave it to me. Tend to your wounds first.”
Qiao Jiajin patted her shoulder—but something felt off. Li Xiangling seemed taller.
He reached out again, only to find his hand covered in blood.
“You…” His expression darkened. “How badly are you hurt?”
“Just… surface wounds,” she murmured. “Don’t worry about me… be careful with that man…”
“Alright…” Qiao Jiajin nodded. “What exactly happened earlier?”
Li Xiangling took a shaky breath. “There was a table in the center… with a candle and a key. We fought over it… but then the boulder fell. It crushed the key and candle, plunging everything into darkness…”
Qiao Jiajin sensed her weakening.
“Don’t talk anymore,” he said. “I understand the situation. Leave the rest to me—we’ll talk later.”
His face icy, he turned and strode toward the other side, no longer hiding his footsteps.
That was where the faint sounds had come from—undoubtedly, that bastard’s hiding spot.
“Hey,” Qiao Jiajin called. “Not so tough now, huh? Hiding after beating up a girl?”
From the dark corner, a low voice replied: “Punk, I surrender. I won’t fight you.”
“No.” Qiao Jiajin shook his head. “If you’d hurt me, I’d accept surrender. But you hurt my teammate. This is revenge—and revenge doesn’t accept surrender.”
“Don’t push me…!!” Luo Shiyi’s voice trembled from the shadows. “If you do, I’ll hunt you both down, again and again…”
“Why would I push you?” Qiao Jiajin took a step forward. “I know you’re injured. So I’ll go easy—I’ll give up my legs.”
Luo Shiyi paused. “What?”
“Was I unclear?” Qiao Jiajin replied. “I won’t use my legs. From now on, I won’t move or kick.”
“Are you mocking me…?”
“Yeah, I kinda am.” Qiao Jiajin nodded. “I don’t like bullies.”
“You’ll regret this…”
Despite his threat, Luo Shiyi stayed hidden.
“I’ll give up my right hand too.” Qiao Jiajin tucked it behind his back. “Now will you come out and fight?”
“You—”
Luo Shiyi hesitated, lost in thought.
“Fine, I won’t use either hand!” Qiao Jiajin snarled, clasping both behind his back. “You coward! I’m giving up all four limbs—do you have the guts to fight now?!”
“Are you fucking insulting me?!”
Luo Shiyi finally stepped out.
As he drew closer, Qiao Jiajin saw his injuries under the dim light—horrifying.
Li Xiangling had indeed fought him hard.
His forehead exposed bone, his face drenched in blood. His hands trembled, clearly injured. Limping forward, he clutched a rock he’d picked up.
“Don’t think… just because I’m hurt… you can win,” Luo Shiyi grinned savagely. “If I go all out, even a ‘Resonator’ like you won’t walk away unscathed.”
“I’m not underestimating you.” Qiao Jiajin nodded. “And I keep my word—no limbs. If I move a hand or foot, you win.”
“You said it!” Luo Shiyi lunged, rock raised.
“But to be fair,” Qiao Jiajin added coldly, “no cheating either.”
The moment he spoke, a faint glow spread across Luo Shiyi’s body—like dandelion seeds scattering, illuminating the cavern.
“AHHHHHHHHH—!!!”
Luo Shiyi’s scream was deafening before his voice gave out.
He collapsed, writhing—clutching his head, his hands, his stomach.
Every injury he’d suffered since the game began flared up at once.
The internal damage from Li Xiangling’s strikes took effect—Luo Shiyi coughed violently, blood gushing from his mouth before he crumpled to the ground.
“Damn you…” He lifted his head weakly. “What… the hell is this power…?”
“No idea.” Qiao Jiajin shook his head. “I wasn’t thinking of anything—just a fair fight.”
“You’re… terrifying…” Luo Shiyi coughed blood—then fell still.
The man had died from sheer agony.
“Rot in hell,” Qiao Jiajin muttered. “Try killing me next time we meet. I’ll be waiting.”
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