Chapter 1010: Next Stop

"Yes, *ge*," Jin Yuanxun said, "he seems to be deliberately stirring up trouble. Do you have any ideas?"

"This matter is worth pondering," Chu Tianqiu said, touching his forehead with one finger. "Is Chen Junan really trying to use such a crude tactic in front of several smart people?"

"'Crude'...?" Jin Yuanxun felt a bit uneasy inside.

Because in his view, this approach was quite clever, but in Chu Tianqiu's eyes, it had become a crude tactic.

"*Ge*... maybe Chen Junan is just that kind of person? His thinking is straightforward, without any real purpose."

"No..." Chu Tianqiu frowned and said, "Chen Junan is definitely not as carefree as he appears on the surface. He was able to stand in front of a group with many *zi*, clearly well-prepared, and based on what you said, he's been targeting Zhao Haibo from the start, which means he had it all planned out."

"I don't understand... *ge*..." Jin Yuanxun said, "What exactly is he trying to do?"

Chu Tianqiu thought for a long time without speaking. He understood Chen Junan, but he couldn't figure out the other's intentions.

Could it be...

"Diverting disaster eastward, secretly crossing at Chencang." Chu Tianqiu suddenly furrowed his brow. "This means our team has a *zhen*, but it's not Zhao Haibo."

"'*Zhen*'...?" Jin Yuanxun was stunned for a moment.

"Yes... that makes sense." Chu Tianqiu slowly smiled. "Using a clumsy tactic to cover up the most easily overlooked truth... that's exactly something Chen Junan would do. The more we scorn and doubt his tactics, the more successful they become... because he's using Zhao Haibo as the 'fake *zhen*' to tell the 'true story'."

"*Ge*! Does '*zhen*' mean '*jianxi*'?" Jin Yuanxun asked again. "Have you figured out who it is...?"

"I can't say for sure." Chu Tianqiu frowned and said, "In a conflict between two sides, how could there not be *jianxi*..."

Chu Tianqiu felt that everyone in the team except Jin Yuanxun could potentially betray them, including Wen Qiaoyun.

This time, Wen Qiaoyun was created by Qi Xia's own thoughts, and he wasn't entirely sure if she would have the same ideas as before, or if she was fully on his side.

Then there was Yan Zhichun, who seemed to have a deep connection with Qi Xia as a *jidao*, along with Xu Liunian, personally selected by Qi Xia, and Zhang Shan, who had always been suspicious of him...

Anyone could be the *zhen* planted by the other side.

"It's hard to say right now, but we'll know soon enough," Chu Tianqiu said. "The priority is to get information from the *qianxian*. Jin Yuanxun, you need to position yourself next to them to gather intel, but make sure not to get drawn into the game."

"But won't you be in danger...?" Jin Yuanxun asked. "*Ge*, do you need me to stay here and protect you?"

"Don't worry," Chu Tianqiu said. "If I'm not mistaken, the other side also has our *zhen*, so both *zhushuai* are equally at risk. It's just that their team is too stable, making this *zhen* stand out and likely to be exposed early."

"Alright... in that case..." Jin Yuanxun said, "I'll go take a look at the *qianxian*, and I'll make sure the *zi* is safe."

"Good," Chu Tianqiu said. "Also... you need to study how to achieve *huixiang* in this place."

"I understand."

***

Qinglong sat cross-legged on a pure black floor tile, his face heavy as he rested his chin in his hand.

Dilong stood one step behind Qinglong, not daring to say a word.

"Were you always such a silent person?" Qinglong asked.

"Hmm...?"

Dilong's voice was soft, as she felt Qinglong was talking to himself.

"After this game, where do you want to go?" Qinglong stared downward and asked quietly.

Dilong wasn't sure if Qinglong was speaking to her, so she replied softly, "Are you talking to me...?"

"Who else?"

"Ah... I..." Dilong quickly answered, "After this game, I might go inspect the rooms to check if any other *diji* have hidden forbidden items in them... Also, I received a few contract applications, so I might need to find Tianlong..."

Dilong felt like she might have said something wrong, and her voice grew quieter.

Qinglong just stared downward in silence.

"Qinglong... why did you suddenly ask that?" Dilong asked.

"I've known for a long time that you're one of Qi Xia's people," Qinglong said. "Tianlong is the same."

Dilong's expression changed, and she unconsciously stepped back half a pace.

"But I'm really curious," Qinglong continued. "After you all do this... where exactly are you going?"

"I..." Dilong felt her heartbeat quicken, and her mind went blank.

She didn't understand what Qinglong meant by his question, and she had never seen him like this before.

He looked both dangerous and lonely.

"Assuming the best-case scenario..." Qinglong said expressionlessly, "If all the *tianji* are killed, the *shenshou* is killed, even if all the *shengxiao* are killed... what then?"

Dilong was silent for a long time before slowly saying, "I... don't know."

"Oh, and do you know?" Qinglong added. "The *huoche* doesn't lead anywhere."

"What...?"

"The *huoche* only has three stops," Qinglong said. "Besides *Taoyuan*, there are two pitch-black, empty voids—nothing there at all."

Dilong furrowed her brow upon hearing this, unable to tell if it was true or false.

"But strangely..." Qinglong went on, "It seems Qi Xia has done something to open a new *zhantai*."

"Are you talking about... that door glowing with red light...?"

"Yes," Qinglong nodded. "This morning, when your game started, luckily all the *shengxiao* had already left the *huoche* for work... Otherwise, if anyone had opened the door, they would have gone straight to that strange *zhantai*."

Qinglong sat on the ground and slowly turned his head, almost looking up at Dilong as he said softly, "Did you hear it...? The sound coming from that 'door'."

"I... heard it," Dilong answered honestly.

"What terrifying howls and wails... What deeply red, seeping light..." Qinglong said. "If I'm not wrong, if Qi Xia really controls the *huoche*'s movement, he'll take everyone to that blood-red world."

Dilong was slightly startled and felt a chill on her back.

Because she clearly remembered Qi Xia saying that the door led to the "new world."

"So I'm really not sure anymore," Qinglong said. "What exactly does Qi Xia want to do... and where does he want to take all of you?"