Chapter 1083: New Order

Qi Xia had originally intended to gather everyone, collect all their "zi," and have them wait in the "Bei Zhan Qu." However, he found the situation to be far more complex than anticipated.

Excluding Chen Jun Nan, Qiao Jia Jin, and Han Yi Mo, who were already in the "Bei Zhan Qu," the others were taking an unusually long time to return, as if they were trapped inside their respective game rooms.

There were five paths leading to the "He Dao," and now three of them were sealed off.

Qi Xia realized this might be a tactic employed by Chu Tian Qiu, but most of the opposing team had already returned to the "Bei Zhan Qu" under Chu Tian Qiu's orders. Who could be capable of single-handedly trapping so many people?

He quickly deduced that only someone with Jin Yuanxun's audacity and skill could pull off such a feat. This thought caused Qi Xia's heart to tighten.

While Zheng Yingxiong and Zhang Lvshi weren't a major concern, if Jin Yuanxun had trapped Tian Tian in the game area... things would become problematic.

Thus, Qi Xia had no choice but to wait patiently with the few people present in the "Bei Zhan Qu." It took nearly ten minutes before everyone finished their games, which were now without any stakes. During this time, neither Qi Xia nor Chu Tian Qiu made a move, each seemingly plotting their next course of action.

Once Zhang Lvshi and Zheng Yingxiong returned, Qi Xia informed the group that he would take all the chips and confront Chu Tian Qiu in a final showdown.

Tian Tian arrived last and handed her "shi" to Qi Xia.

Seeing Tian Tian return, Qi Xia's relief was evident.

"You're back?"

"Mm."

Tian Tian nodded. "I guess you could say I got lucky."

"So... it's done?"

"It should be... all good."

Tian Tian nodded again. "But I really can't be sure... After all, it was 'modification' rather than 'creation,' so I'm still a bit worried."

"Which room?"

"The 'Mao.'"

"What about Jin Yuanxun?"

Qi Xia inquired again.

Tian Tian remained silent, simply looking at Qi Xia. From her gaze, he gleaned all the information he needed.

"What about the 'zi' on him...?"

"It's still on him."

Tian Tian replied.

"Well, that at least means it was a partial success."

Qi Xia said. "Even if it failed, it's not your fault. We just ran out of time."

Tian Tian nodded slightly, feeling a touch of shame. She knew that in this game, Qi Xia had assigned her only one task, and not completing it left her feeling uneasy.

But was there truly someone like that in the world?

He wouldn't blame you for your mistakes, and even for the tasks he assigned, he only asked for your best effort.

In her limited twenty-one years of life, she had been criticized for things she hadn't even done.

Compared to that... what was "Zhong Yan Zhi Di" if not paradise?

Qi Xia collected all the "zi" and proceeded toward the "He Dao."

At that moment, Qing Long sensed that the situation was far more interesting than he had initially imagined. He slowly rose from his seat in the "Kan Tai."

"How intriguing..."

Qing Long turned to Di Long and said, "Do you know what I find most captivating about 'fan ren'?"

"What?"

Di Long asked indifferently.

"It's that despite me setting all the 'rules,' some individuals insist on operating outside them."

Qing Long's expression grew increasingly excited. "I've drawn a maze for them with camphor balls, but a few ants simply have to taste the camphor balls... Isn't that fascinating?"

"I understand... You wanted them to collect the twenty-eight 'zi' to win, but neither side stuck to that plan once they were halfway through."

Di Long said. "You could say that if this game were played by ordinary people, you'd see a steady, straightforward match, but Qi Xia and Chu Tian Qiu are clearly not that type."

"Exactly..."

Qing Long laughed. "From the very beginning of this game, both sides' tactics have exceeded my expectations... Including the final strategies they're each employing now—it's truly brilliant."

"So, what do you plan to do?"

Di Long asked.

"What do I plan...?"

Qing Long turned back to Di Long with a knowing smile. "Since the game is so thrilling, how about I recruit all fourteen of them as new 'shen'?"

"What...?"

Di Long was stunned.

"Give the existing 'Tao Yuan' a complete overhaul."

Qing Long laughed. "Let the 'Sheng Xiao' and 'Can Yu Zhe' do as they please—I'll reset the three-tier 'Qi Zi' system of 'Tian Di Ren.'"

Di Long's eyes began to flicker. "Qing Long, what nonsense are you talking about..."

"'Tian Jie Qi Zi'—doesn't that sound appealing?"

Qing Long gazed down at the people below, his eyes gleaming. "Let those 'Tian Niu' and 'Tian Shu' die off, and keep only 'Tian Bing' and 'Tian Jiang'..."

"Enough..."

"I could have Tian Long create some massive hollow wooden chess pieces to fit over everyone's heads as identifiers..."

Qing Long ignored Di Long and muttered to himself. "Would that be too many people...? Maybe have 'Tian Jiang' and 'Tian Shuai' manage them... But then we'd end up with 'Tian Ma,' and that might make me seem unoriginal."

"Stop it..."

"Or maybe skip 'Tian Di Ren' altogether and go with 'Yin Yang' instead."

Qing Long nodded, speaking as if no one else was present. "'Yin Bing' and 'Yin Shuai,' plus 'Yang Ma' and 'Yang Zu'—doesn't that sound fresh?"

He looked at Di Long expectantly, as if awaiting praise.

Di Long maintained a straight face and replied after a pause: "Qing Long, were the current 'Tian Ji Sheng Xiao' selected by you and Tian Long in the same manner...?"

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"To fill out the 'Sheng Xiao,' you and Tian Long arbitrarily picked eleven people from a game you thought was exciting, granting them titles and powers..."

Di Long struggled to control his emotions as he spoke. "It's so arbitrary and absurd... Promoting eleven people with vastly different abilities, levels, and personalities to 'Tian Ji Sheng Xiao,' which has led to utter chaos in this land."

"No, that's not right."

Qing Long shook his head. "How could it be 'arbitrarily picking eleven people from a game'? If I found it exciting, I took everyone from that game—old folks and kids included. That doesn't get in the way at all."

"You..."

"And you're getting the sequence wrong."

Qing Long said. "How could I have chosen eleven people just to make them 'Sheng Xiao'? Di Long, the reason they're 'Sheng Xiao' is that there were only eleven people in that game, plus 'Tian Long' making twelve. After thinking it over, 'Sheng Xiao' was the title that fit best with 'Tian Long's name. Doesn't that feel perfect?"

Perfect? Di Long felt an overwhelming surge of anger, though he couldn't quite articulate why.

Perhaps it was because he thought of the thousands upon thousands of people in this place toiling under these ridiculous and absurd rules, and he felt it was all so unjust for them.

What was "Tian Di Ren," what was "Sheng Xiao"—those rules that seemed so strict and imposing were, in truth, utterly laughable.

Why did the "Tian Ji Sheng Xiao" feel so disjointed...?

Because they weren't "shen" at all; they were just eleven "Can Yu Zhe" from some game who had amused Qing Long and Tian Long.