“Are you fucking messing with us?!” Qiao Jiajin grabbed the Dragon by the collar with immense force.
“How could I?” The Dragon shook his head. “I already said this game is ‘Seesaw.’ Why did you turn on each other? Hahahaha!”
Qiao Jiajin instantly tackled him to the ground and punched him hard in the face.
“What kind of bullshit are you spouting?” Qiao Jiajin gritted his teeth. “If it’s ‘Seesaw,’ how could we possibly stay balanced the whole time? Even if one person moves a step, the equilibrium would collapse! This was a game where someone had to die! You clearly killed someone, yet here you are making cold, heartless remarks?”
The Dragon, despite taking the punch, only laughed louder.
“But it was him who killed!” The Dragon roared with laughter. “I’m not the killer! It was him!”
Still laughing maniacally, the Dragon pointed at Qi Xia: “He’s a damn liar! He tricked all of you! Who was the first to suggest ‘getting lighter’?! Hahahaha!”
“You’re still trying to sow discord now…” Qiao Jiajin growled, shifting his grip to the Dragon’s throat. “Are you really trying to push me to kill…?”
The Dragon’s strength was no different from an ordinary person’s. He struggled briefly but couldn’t break free. Then, with a grin, he gasped out, “Hah… Kill the referee… Kill the referee…”
Hearing this, Yun Yao quickly stepped forward and pulled Qiao Jiajin away. “Jiajin… Stop! You’ll draw the attention of the higher-ups!”
Qiao Jiajin paused slightly. “Higher-ups?”
“She’s right,” Qi Xia said expressionlessly. “Jiajin, let go.”
“Liar, you…” Qiao Jiajin stared at Qi Xia in confusion, unsure of his intentions.
“What… Not killing me anymore?” The Dragon lay on the ground, still grinning. “Just a little more strength… and I’ll die…”
Qi Xia glanced at him calmly, then turned away with a faint sigh. “Let’s go.”
“Liar… What’s going on?” Qiao Jiajin asked.
“Nothing. The game’s over. Time to leave.”
Qiao Jiajin looked deeply pained. He clenched his teeth and walked back into the room, lifting Tiantian’s lifeless body from the ground. Her face was ghostly pale, and her body felt unnaturally light.
“Don’t be afraid, beautiful. I’ll take you away.”
The three of them ignored the Dragon sprawled on the floor and turned to leave the corridor—when suddenly, a weak cough echoed from behind another iron door.
“Someone’s still alive?” Yun Yao froze, staring at the door.
Qi Xia frowned. Their opponents’ room had been engulfed in flames for twenty or thirty seconds—survival was possible, but what now?
“I’ll check.” Yun Yao strode forward decisively. “We’re the ones who caused this. If we leave them here, they’ll die.”
She knocked on the scorching-hot door. “Anyone there?”
No response came from inside.
Then, crisp footsteps sounded from the far end of the corridor. When everyone turned, their blood ran cold.
Another Dragon.
This one walked with a swaying grace—clearly a woman.
The female Dragon helped the male Dragon to his feet, then turned to the group with a smile. “Need help opening the door? I can assist.”
Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin stared at her, neither speaking.
This was the first time two Zodiacs had appeared together—let alone two Dragons. The implications were terrifying.
“Open it,” Yun Yao said, snapping out of her daze. “I’m taking them back.”
“Tsk tsk…” The female Dragon chuckled. “As you wish.”
With a wave of her hand, the second iron door swung open.
A wave of scorching heat and the stench of charred flesh poured out.
“Cough… cough…”
The coughing from inside made Qi Xia’s heart skip a beat.
That voice… Had he heard it before?
“No… It can’t be…” Qi Xia’s eyes widened as he stumbled toward the doorway.
Yun Yao and Qiao Jiajin, sensing something wrong, hurried closer.
Inside, Officer Li’s body was half-burned beyond recognition. His left hand had been severed, and his right trembled as he fumbled in his pocket for something.
No wonder the room had begun rising after their first fall into the flames.
Officer Li had cut off his own hand—he was bleeding too.
But his blood loss was far slower than Tiantian’s.
“Why…?”
Qi Xia’s pupils shook. Beside Officer Li lay three corpses, long since burned to death.
Their clothes had fused with their skin, hastening their demise.
Officer Li had survived this long likely because he’d removed his jacket.
Qi Xia had accounted for everything—except Officer Li being in the opposite room.
“Qi… Xia…?” Officer Li’s voice was hoarse beyond recognition. “Good… You’re here…”
A deep bell tolled—time was up.
Qi Xia knelt beside him, his head pounding as he spotted three “tokens” beside Officer Li.
Officer Li kept digging in his pocket.
Why?
Why was he in the opposite room?
Who had teamed up with him?
Were Lin Qin, Lawyer Zhang, or Han Yimo here?
“Three tokens… See? I’ve got three…” Officer Li forced a weak smile. “There’s hope… Just wait…”
“I’m not in a hurry… Officer Li… I’m not…” Qi Xia bit his lip, staring at the tokens with despair.
Officer Li had started with three tokens.
Meaning… he hadn’t produced a single one.
“Qi Xia… I’ll get everyone out… No one has to die…” He kept searching his pocket, tears streaming down his face.
The pocket was empty.
He knew that better than anyone.
So why was it empty?
“I believe you, Officer Li,” Qi Xia murmured. “Don’t blame yourself…”
Officer Li searched for a long time, crying all the while.
“I…” Blood mixed with his tears—his eyes were burned too.
Finally, the tall man choked out, “Qi Xia… I’m sorry… I can’t do it…”
Officer Li was fading fast.
His gaze dimmed as he reached into his pocket one last time.
Qi Xia clutched his forehead, unsure how to face what came next.
He could accept sudden deaths—but not watching a good man succumb to despair.
Then Officer Li’s fingers brushed against something. His face twisted in shock before breaking into a trembling smile.
He pulled out his hand—and there it was.
A token.
“See… Qi Xia… See?” His voice was raw. “It’s possible… I did it… No one has to die…”
Before Qi Xia could take it, Officer Li suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. His body convulsed once—then his hand dropped to the floor.
The bell tolled again.
He was gone.
Qi Xia’s expression was unreadable.
He stared at the extra token, unable to process it.
Had Officer Li really conjured a token from nothing?
Instinctively, he checked his own pocket.
And smiled bitterly.
The token Officer Li had given him earlier was missing.
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