Chapter 55: Chirping of Insects

Apple was startled by Qixia’s actions and quickly stepped forward to pull him back. “Qixia… calm down…”

She couldn’t understand why the usually composed Qixia had suddenly become so agitated.

Qixia still didn’t let go. He gripped Dr. Zhao’s collar tightly, gritting his teeth as he said, “How am I supposed to calm down? Do you have any idea how many people I’ve seen die in front of me today?!”

Apple lowered her head silently.

It was true. From the very beginning with the “Rat Man” to the end with Qiao Jiajin and Sweetie, they had endured too many near-death moments.

“No wonder…” Qixia continued coldly. “No wonder your first reaction when someone entered was to swing a plank at them… You already knew Officer Li and Lawyer Zhang wouldn’t be coming back, didn’t you?”

A flicker of panic crossed Dr. Zhao’s face. “No… Qixia, listen to me! I had no choice! They really wanted to go to their deaths…”

“To their deaths?” Qixia sneered. “You’ve never stepped outside this door, so you know nothing about this place. Officer Li must have talked to the Ox-head across the street. He realized the games here don’t kill—they might even grant ‘Tao.’ That’s why he left with Lawyer Zhang.”

“Huh?” Dr. Zhao’s expression twisted in confusion, clearly hearing this for the first time. “No deaths? H-how is that possible?”

Xiao Ran scrambled up from the ground, wiping the grime from her face before turning back with fury. “Zhao Haibo! What are you standing around for?! They’re walking all over us!”

“But… but I…” Dr. Zhao’s face darkened.

“Useless!” Xiao Ran shrieked. “How can you be so useless?!”

Qixia glanced between Xiao Ran and Dr. Zhao, suddenly feeling disheartened.

He had no time to waste on them.

With that thought, he silently released his grip.

Now, Qixia was utterly lost.

Where would Officer Li and Lawyer Zhang have gone?

Had they encountered a “Zodiac” starting with “Earth”?

Had they participated in a life-or-death game?

Were they even still alive?

*Skitter, skitter.*

The insects outside grew louder, as if a cricket were perched right by the door, making it impossible to think clearly.

“Qixia, what should we do?” Apple asked, her voice tinged with sorrow.

Qixia looked up at Dr. Zhao. “Did they say where they were going?”

A faint hope lingered in his heart.

Officer Li was cautious—if he truly intended to leave, he would have left some clue behind.

“No…” Dr. Zhao shook his head. “But I saw them turn right down the street after finishing the Ox-head’s game…”

“Right?” Qixia glanced at the pitch-black night outside, calculating silently.

Officer Li wouldn’t have gone far—he probably just wanted to get away from these two.

After all, he had once told Qixia he hoped they’d meet again to exchange information.

If that was the case, he’d likely still be nearby—either in the restaurant across the street or the closest “game room.”

With a general direction in mind, Qixia felt steadier.

Though the night was dark, he couldn’t stand staying with these two any longer.

He picked up a wooden stick from the room, walked to Han Yimo’s corpse, and murmured, “Brother, even in death, you’re not at peace. Sorry for this.”

“What are you doing now?” Xiao Ran snapped.

Ignoring her, Qixia tore a scrap of fabric from Han Yimo’s clothes, wrapped it around the stick, then smeared some dried filth on the other end.

Once done, he held the fabric-wrapped end to the fire inside, creating a makeshift torch.

“Apple, I’m going to look for them,” Qixia said. “I don’t know if it’s dangerous outside, but I can’t stay here. Do you want to wait until dawn? If so, I’ll come back for you then, whether I find them or not.”

Apple glanced at Xiao Ran and Dr. Zhao, then shook her head. “No, I’ll go with you.”

She picked up the pot of bear meat and stood beside Qixia.

“What’s that…?” Dr. Zhao finally noticed the battered aluminum pot, his eyes gleaming.

“It’s…” Apple hesitated, then shook her head. “Nothing.”

“Food?!” Dr. Zhao took a step forward. “You found food?”

Xiao Ran’s expression shifted too. “There’s something to eat?”

Their eyes no longer looked human—they were more like starving beasts.

Qixia pulled Apple behind him, blocking their path. “Sorry, this isn’t for you.”

“Q-Qixia…” Dr. Zhao stammered. “No… Brother Xia… We got carried away earlier. Don’t take it to heart.”

“Yeah…” Xiao Ran forced a smile. “People argue all the time… Besides, you’re a man—are you really going to hold a grudge against a woman like me? It was just a joke…”

“Exactly…” Dr. Zhao chimed in, the two of them playing off each other. “There’s plenty in that pot. We’ll just take a little—we won’t eat it all…”

Qixia’s expression darkened again. “This food was earned by Qiao Jiajin with his life. If you want it, ask him. If he agrees, I won’t stop you.”

Xiao Ran’s face twisted at that. After a pause, she lunged for the pot.

Qixia had expected this. He sighed, blocking her effortlessly.

“What, giving up on ‘lying’ and resorting to ‘stealing’ now?” he mocked. “There’s no such thing as a ‘lawless land.’ Think carefully—your group *used* to have a cop in it.”

“You—!”

Qixia shoved Xiao Ran aside, torch in hand, and stepped outside. Apple followed closely.

Only then did Xiao Ran and Dr. Zhao realize what it meant to have “the cooked duck fly away.”

That faintly fragrant pot was right there—yet they couldn’t even touch it.

“Don’t you dare leave!” Xiao Ran shrieked, charging after them.

Outside, the world was pitch-black save for the dim torchlight and the chirping of insects.

But to her surprise, Qixia and Apple stood frozen just three steps away, their backs turned.

“Huh?”

A moment later, they slowly took a step back.

“What’s wrong with you?” Xiao Ran demanded.

Apple turned her head stiffly, like a robot, her eyes wide with terror. She pressed a finger to her lips in a silencing gesture.

“Are you insane?” Xiao Ran snapped. “Fine, leave—but leave the pot!”

As she spoke, something felt off.

The dim torchlight flickered over something moving in the darkness.

Then, Xiao Ran saw it.

Her eyes bulged, her face contorted in pure horror.

Standing before Qixia was a grotesquely emaciated, pale-skinned, naked man.

He crawled on all fours, his legs bent unnaturally behind him.

His sunken face bore hollowed-out eye sockets, and his puckered mouth made a sound:

*Skitter, skitter—*

*Skitter, skitter—*