Chapter 172: An Encounter?

Qi Xia and Zhao Yisheng walked out of Di Ji's game room with thirty Dao pieces. They hadn't gone more than a few steps when Qi Xia's face darkened.

"Zhao Yisheng, what kind of pervert are you exactly?" he asked, turning back.

"Ah?" Zhao Yisheng was stunned. "Me? A pervert?"

"Your Hui Xiang only activates with women," Qi Xia said, wearing a look of disdain. "Are you some kind of demon from wuxia stories who absorbs yin to supplement yang?"

"What are you even talking about... But Hui Xiang...?" Zhao Yisheng blinked. "Are you saying... this thing I have is called Hui Xiang?"

"What?" Qi Xia was slightly taken aback. "We've come this far—do you really need to keep hiding it?"

"I-I'm not hiding anything..." Zhao Yisheng said, his face awkward. "I really don't know what this is, but it seems like I can destroy things around me based on my own will..."

"Destroy?"

Qi Xia's expression turned hesitant—this was an unexpected answer.

In other words, the Ren Tu escape game didn't have a solution like the fish tank collapsing; it was just Zhao Yisheng's Hui Xiang that had activated.

But why didn't Zhao Yisheng know he had Hui Xiang?

"As long as I touch a girl, I temporarily gain some strange abilities..." Zhao Yisheng said awkwardly. "Last time, when I was trying to have a deeper exchange with Xiao Ran... you interrupted us."

Qi Xia grimaced and covered his forehead; he felt the whole thing was absurd.

So, on that day, Zhao Yisheng was about to fully gain his Hui Xiang, but he had been stopped?

"No wonder..." Qi Xia nodded. "That day, when Lin Geng and I went to find you, you hid in the shadows and swung a board at me—were you really trying to kill me?"

"I..." Zhao Yisheng lowered his head silently.

"Because I stopped you from becoming a superman." Qi Xia sighed, then his gaze turned cold as he asked, "Zhao Yisheng, have you always retained your memories?"

"I..." Zhao Yisheng glanced at Qi Xia warily and said, "Qi Xia, although I don't understand what you mean by 'always retaining memories,' I do remember everything from last time."

"What?"

"But someone specifically told me, 'Don't tell anyone you still remember'... so I..."

Qi Xia paused. So, Zhao Yisheng wasn't the one who had always kept his memories in the room?

He had only retained memories from that one time.

"I guess I was wrong..."

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Before Qi Xia could figure it out, the successive bell tolls made his heart skip a beat.

The two looked up in confusion; no one had ever heard bells ring so rapidly, as if a group of people had all activated Hui Xiang at once.

Three figures slowly emerged from the shadows, standing behind Qi Xia.

"Qi Xia, listen, the bells are ringing," a familiar voice said slowly.

Qi Xia froze, then stiffly turned around.

That chilling face appeared before him.

It was Xiao Xiao.

The Xiao Xiao who had mercilessly killed Qiao Jia Jin and Tian Tian.

This face was Qi Xia's first impression of the End Place.

Madness.

Qi Xia glanced at the man and woman standing on either side of Xiao Xiao.

One was Jiang Ruoxue, whom he had met before, and the other was a stranger.

"Hmm? Strange..." Xiao Xiao stared into Qi Xia's eyes. "You look like you remember me... Have you really activated Hui Xiang?"

Qi Xia said nothing, just stared at her with hostility.

"In that case, communication will be easier. Qi Xia, have you understood what I said last time?" Xiao Xiao asked, fiddling with her oversized T-shirt as she slowly approached.

"Qi Xia... what's going on?" Zhao Yisheng stepped back slowly; he sensed something was off.

Qi Xia didn't answer. Instead, he swallowed and asked, "What exactly do you want?"

"I originally planned to sneak into Di Ji's game and kill people, but I ended up running into you." Xiao Xiao made a troubled face. "I don't want to do anything; it's just a 'chance encounter'."

Jiang Ruoxue smiled sweetly afterward and waved at Qi Xia. "Hi! Long time no see."

"Why did you three activate Hui Xiang if it's just a 'chance encounter'?" Qi Xia asked.

"Isn't it to win you over?" Xiao Xiao chuckled. "Last time, I told you that the people here aren't worth mourning. I think you've realized that by now, right? In a place like this, only those with Hui Xiang have the right to survive. The others will end up the same no matter how many times they die."

Qi Xia slowly stepped forward, standing face-to-face with Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao's expression didn't change; she still smiled. "We're activating Hui Xiang here to show you that we're much stronger than most people. Even so, don't you want to join us?"

"Xiao Xiao, listen to me." Qi Xia said coldly, "The thing I hate most in my life is anything that goes beyond my expectations. If you dare kill my teammates right in front of me, you'd better be prepared to be my enemy forever."

"Oh...?" Xiao Xiao paused, her smile fading. "Do you think I'm being too polite with you, so you're getting cocky?"

"My attitude toward you has always been like this." Qi Xia replied, "If you have any beef, come at me. No matter how many times you kill me, I won't back down."

"You think I won't?"

The atmosphere grew tense as everyone stood in confrontation, with Zhao Yisheng quietly plotting his escape route.

"What the heck?" The stranger behind Xiao Xiao suddenly broke the tension. "Xiao Jiang, what is all this?"

"Oh, don't rush." Jiang Ruoxue tugged at the stranger's sleeve and whispered, "Xiao Xiao probably has a plan."

"Can that even work?" The man said impatiently, glaring. "Don't go around bullying people."

"Lao Sun, when have I ever bullied anyone?" Xiao Xiao frowned and turned back. "Don't speak if you don't know the situation."

"Do I even need to know the situation?" The young man named Lao Sun stepped forward, positioning himself between Xiao Xiao and Qi Xia, looking displeased. "You've already killed his teammates—what situation is there? Why didn't you know when to hold back?"

"Lao Sun, you..."

"I can't believe I got tricked by Xiao Jiang into activating Hui Xiang just for this?" Lao Sun felt duped. "What kind of game is this? Am I just here to stand around with you two?"

The atmosphere turned awkward.

Xiao Xiao and Jiang Ruoxue exchanged helpless glances. "Lao Sun, we want to bring this guy named Qi Xia into our group."

"Then just talk to him properly!" Lao Sun glared at Xiao Xiao with a look of frustration. "Why did you have to kill people?"

"I've already talked to him properly." Xiao Xiao shrugged casually. "I said, 'These people aren't worth mourning,' but he doesn't believe it."

"How does that sound right to me?" Lao Sun turned to Qi Xia and said, "Buddy, don't listen to her nonsense. About your teammate, I'll apologize on her behalf and stand up for you."

Qi Xia and Zhao Yisheng exchanged bewildered looks.

What was this?

Some kind of act?