Chapter 35: What Is a Leaflet?

“Huh?” The three of them stared at Qi Xia in shock. Though the plan wasn’t complicated, every part of it sounded dangerous.

“You’re going to keep gambling your life against them?!” Lin Qin asked. “That sounds way too…”

“It’s the only way to break through right now,” Qi Xia said. “If you all agree… we can start moving right away.”

Qiao Jiajin thought for a moment before speaking. “Scammer, are you really not afraid of dying?”

“I am,” Qi Xia replied. “But I have to get out of here.”

Tian Tian sighed, then suddenly looked serious. “Qi Xia… you should know I didn’t join this team because I trust you or want to rely on you. I came ‘here’ because ‘there’ couldn’t tolerate me anymore.”

“I know,” Qi Xia nodded.

“So it’s hard for me to believe you’d actually split the ‘Dao’ with me in the end. I don’t think I can defeat you at the last moment and be the sole survivor.”

“And?”

“So my cooperation with you is temporary. If I feel the situation isn’t in my favor, I’ll betray you at any time.” Tian Tian gave a bitter smile. “For me, surviving or dying here makes no difference. But if there’s a chance, I’ll fight for it. In short, I’m only with the three of you to get my share.”

Qi Xia showed no unusual reaction. Instead, he nodded with some relief. “That’s good.”

“Good?” Tian Tian blinked. “Did I not make myself clear? I’m only here for the ‘Dao.’ You don’t have to trust me too much either.”

“The most stable relationships in this world are transactional ones,” Qi Xia said. “I have no objections.”

Qiao Jiajin and Lin Qin exchanged glances. Tian Tian had laid her cards on the table so bluntly… could they really trust her?

“Since we’ve all agreed, let’s get moving.”

Tian Tian seemed surprised by how readily Qi Xia accepted her terms, leaving her uneasy. But on second thought, what else did she have to lose?

With mixed emotions, the four of them pressed deeper into the city.

The silent streets radiated danger at every turn. Qi Xia noticed they were gradually heading toward more bustling areas.

Faint figures of “residents” could be seen wandering the desolate streets like zombies.

“There seem to be more people here…” Qi Xia muttered.

Not only were there various “residents,” but animal-masked figures occasionally stood in front of buildings. The deeper they went, the more people they encountered.

Just as Qi Xia spoke, one of the “residents,” clutching a stack of papers, walked straight toward them.

The figure was as gaunt as the female shop assistant, resembling a skeleton.

Qiao Jiajin frowned and took a step forward.

Expecting danger, they were surprised when the person handed Qiao Jiajin a sheet and said, “Interested in swimming and fitness?”

Before Qiao Jiajin could take it, the person let go like a zombie, letting the flyer fall to the ground.

Then, as if nothing had happened, they slowly walked away.

“‘Brave Sword God’?” Qiao Jiajin blinked. “What the hell is ‘Brave Sword God’…?”

He picked up the paper and saw that most of the text had faded, making it look ancient.

“They actually have flyers here?” Tian Tian found it unbelievable.

“If there’s a convenience store with a clerk, why not flyer distributors on the streets?” Qi Xia said.

“What’s a ‘flyer’?” Lin Qin asked.

That simple question made the other three pause.

“What did you say?” Qi Xia thought he’d misheard.

“I asked, what’s a ‘flyer’?” Lin Qin repeated clearly.

What’s a flyer?

The three of them gave her strange looks.

Was that a question a normal person would ask?

“You don’t know what a ‘flyer’ is?” Qi Xia pressed.

“No,” Lin Qin shook her head naturally. “Do you all know?”

None of them answered, but their suspicions deepened.

Lin Qin had been acting strangely from the start—covering her mouth and nose, insisting on following Qi Xia, and now not knowing basic common knowledge…

Was she… not human?

Or worse… was she one of the “organizers”?

This terrifying thought began circling Qi Xia’s mind.

If she wasn’t human, what was her goal?

“Lin Qin,” Qi Xia finally spoke, knowing he couldn’t rest without clarifying her identity, “‘Flyers’ are common knowledge. How could you not know?”

“Common knowledge?” Lin Qin looked genuinely puzzled. “Just because the three of you know, that makes it ‘common knowledge’?”

Qiao Jiajin cut in, “It’s not about whether we know or not. Flyers aren’t rare. Everyone should know what they are. Why don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Tian Tian nodded. “Have you really never seen one before?”

“You people are so weird,” Lin Qin grew impatient. “I don’t know what a ‘flyer’ is—so what? Are you going to doubt me over a piece of paper?”

Qi Xia studied her. Her behavior was indeed hard to understand.

If she were one of the “organizers,” having such an obvious slip-up, she should at least lie to cover it up. But she didn’t seem to be hiding anything—just genuinely annoyed.

She didn’t think not knowing about flyers was strange.

Was she innocent?

But how likely was it for a normal person not to know?

Qi Xia considered… if he stretched it, there was a minuscule chance. Maybe Lin Qin was a capitalist’s daughter, raised in elite circles with chauffeurs. Or perhaps she’d studied abroad and only recently returned.

But either way, the odds were slim. And besides… she was just a psychologist.

“A ‘flyer’ is an advertisement printed on paper,” Qiao Jiajin explained. “You’ve really never seen one?”

“No,” Lin Qin answered seriously.

Qi Xia didn’t know how to press further and frowned in thought.

“Hey! Buddy!”

A shout from across the street startled them.

A shabbily dressed man with glasses was waving. “Over here! Buddy!”

This was the first time they’d seen another normal person here, making them tense.

Friend or foe?

“Are you calling me?” Qi Xia tried to engage.

“Yeah! You’re ‘Liang Ren’ too, right?” The bespectacled man grinned.

“‘Liang Ren’?”

“Normal people,” the man clarified. “Don’t you call it that?”

Qi Xia paused. “Do we look like lunatics?”

“Haha! I knew it!” The man laughed. “We found a decent game. Want to team up and earn some ‘Dao’?”

He kept his distance, seemingly wary as well.

Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin exchanged glances, unsure whether to trust him. But then again, the rules here prevented theft—if he had ill intentions, he could only “deceive.”

And when it came to deception, Qi Xia feared no one.