Chapter 1180: Ding Ling Ling

"Saving me... is that really the best choice right now...?"

Wen Qiaoyun struggled to steady her last breaths, her lips trembling as she spoke: "In terms of strength... in terms of 'Hui Xiang'... in terms of the role at the critical moment... is that the choice you would make?"

Hearing Wen Qiaoyun's question, Chu Tianqiu's already chaotic mind became even more jumbled.

What was the reason for reviving Wen Qiaoyun...?

The last "Sheng Sheng Bu Xi" in his hand might play a crucial role at a key moment, and reviving her here would only serve to ease his own sorrow.

Moreover, Wen Qiaoyun would lose even the memories of their recent reunion today.

A strong sense of contradiction began to churn in Chu Tianqiu's mind, causing his thoughts to stall repeatedly in just a few seconds.

"It's okay..." Wen Qiaoyun reached out and touched Chu Tianqiu's face. "Tianqiu, it's okay. I'm not afraid to part from you..."

Chu Tianqiu naturally understood where Wen Qiaoyun's feelings came from, as this wasn't their first separation.

Those past partings hadn't completely vanished; they just floated in the air, turning into an intangible and invisible energy.

It influenced the joys and sorrows of everyone in "Zhongyan Zhidi."

When Wen Qiaoyun finally stopped moving, Chu Tianqiu still clutched the last "Sheng Sheng Bu Xi," unable to react.

Even if he were to activate this ability, he could only wait for her to die completely and then summon an entirely unrelated person with no memories, someone completely new.

Her pain couldn't be resolved, and her fear of death couldn't be dispelled.

Why had he never realized this problem before...?

"Sheng Sheng Bu Xi" was never redemption; it was a curse.

Its existence couldn't free people from suffering; it only forced them to face it.

Things that couldn't be done would remain impossible lifetime after lifetime, and inescapable prisons would trap people generation after generation.

"Chu Ge..." Jin Yuanxun walked up to Chu Tianqiu, his expression hesitant as if he wanted to say something but held back.

"I don't know what to do anymore..." Chu Tianqiu said hoarsely. "I feel so helpless right now..."

At that moment, a sarcastic voice rang out behind Chu Tianqiu's ear, whispering, "If you keep being this helpless, you won't have many people left."

Chu Tianqiu slowly turned his head, and the rat was still grinning at him.

"There's less than ten minutes left. Who do you plan to take on the ride?" the rat said. "Tickets are limited—first come, first served for the leaders."

"Who... should I take... on the ride?"

Only then did Chu Tianqiu turn back in confusion and notice that the people from "Tian Tang Kou" were collapsing one after another, with only four still standing.

Zhang Shan, covered in blood; Li Xiangling, with a knife lodged in her shoulder; Xiao Yanjing, whose arm was twisted out of shape; and Jin Yuanxun, whose face was pale and on the verge of losing his sanity.

Everyone else had already fallen into pools of blood, unable to rise again.

Although Chu Tianqiu had repeatedly unleashed "Hui Xiang," wiping out most of the surrounding encirclement of over a hundred people, the enemy's reinforcements kept arriving endlessly. Their numbers weren't decreasing; they were increasing, and the encirclement was growing larger.

"Defeat comes like a landslide, right?" the rat asked.

"I've been defeated, but I haven't," Chu Tianqiu replied.

"So what are you waiting for?"

"I'm waiting for 'Tian Yi,'" Chu Tianqiu said seriously. "'My intent' has been given; only 'heaven's intent' remains. Until the last moment, who can know the outcome?"

"Maybe this chaos is about to end." The rat muttered to itself quietly. "If the little 'Liangren Wang' dies here, he's destined to take the blame for everyone's sins. Even 'Qinglong' will attribute this riot to you, which is the fastest way to stabilize the situation."

"So you know me..."

"Not exactly well acquainted—just heard of you." The rat said, "How interesting. Look closely at those who want your life—are many of them the ones who ate the canned food you risked your life for?"

"Human nature is like that," Chu Tianqiu said. "To me, it's the most normal thing. They just want to survive, so they'll accept my canned food and protection, and they'll kill me for the sake of survival."

"Gambling on 'Tian Yi,' gambling on the lives of important people... for these people..." The rat shook its head. "Isn't it tragic?"

"The tragedy is with the masses, not me," Chu Tianqiu said. "I have a clear conscience."

In just a dozen seconds, the numerous "Can Yu Zhe" began closing in with their weapons, and the rat wisely retreated.

"Ding Ling Ling—"

A faint bell sound slowly emerged, piercing through the crowd's noise and reaching everyone's ears.

Chu Tianqiu slowly lifted his head and looked toward the source of the bell.

"Ding Ling Ling—"

It sounded like someone was gently shaking a hand bell, with the noise growing from far away and approaching, as if someone was emerging from the other end of the street.

"Chu Ge..." Jin Yuanxun whispered, "What is that?"

Chu Tianqiu narrowed his eyes and glanced into the distance, spotting a dense crowd. A massive group was moving toward them.

But soon, Chu Tianqiu realized something was off, because the group's size was extraordinarily large.

Three hundred... no, at least five hundred people.

In today's "Zhongyan Zhidi," which organization could muster a force of this scale?

"Ding Ling Ling—"

"Damn!"

Zhang Shan exclaimed, pointing in the opposite direction. The others followed his gaze and saw bells ringing there too, with several hundred shadowy figures appearing.

From both directions, at least a thousand people were advancing slowly, their steps perfectly synchronized, like an eerie army.

The heavy footsteps made Chu Tianqiu and his group feel a chill down their spines. No matter which side was coming, their sheer numbers could end the chaos outright.

But such a massive force... how could it possibly be the rebels?

"Huh." The rat slowly furrowed its brow, beads of sweat forming among its fur. "So there's this move... You've really pulled out all the stops, Yang Ge."

The people advancing from both directions were all gaunt and emaciated, their faces expressionless as they mechanically shuffled forward.

An old man and a young woman led the groups from each direction, shaking their bells. With every ring, the "army" took another step, the quiet and unsettling pressure making everyone shudder.

"What a grand 'Tian Yi,'" the rat said with a laugh.