Chapter 197: Killing Intent

According to Lao Lv, he teamed up with Yun Yao today to tackle the Ren Ji Youxi.

As they passed through a game area called "Ren Tu," Yun Yao froze in place.

Because she clearly remembered that spot—supposedly, someone had gambled their life and died against that rabbit yesterday.

But the "Sheng Xiao" was standing right at the building entrance, as if nothing had happened at all.

"What is going on?" Yun Yao felt completely baffled. "How could a Sheng Xiao that died in a life-or-death gamble come back to life?"

Lao Lv went with her to ask about the Ren Tu game, and that Ren Tu had a horribly grating voice.

From the Ren Tu's description, Yun Yao realized the game rules hadn't changed at all—it was exactly as she had heard—except that the Sheng Xiao had come back to life.

Lao Lv said he couldn't understand why Yun Yao was so shocked. After all, they were just a bunch of murderous lunatics, so whether they were dead or alive, it was best to avoid them as much as possible. But Yun Yao was like she was possessed and refused to leave.

"Then what happened?" Chu Tianqiu asked.

"Later, she insisted on joining that game..." Lao Lv said, sounding panicked. "But from what I observed, that game has no way out at all!"

"What?" Qi Xia frowned at that moment. "Are you saying she stayed behind there?"

"Yeah..." Lao Lv nodded. "I was tied up in a fish tank, but I managed to escape... She couldn't get away, though!"

Qi Xia thought for a moment and asked, "Was she handcuffed to the side?"

"Yeah!"

"What about the handcuff key?"

"That's the problem!" Lao Lv was almost in tears. "There was no handcuff key in the room at all! Yun Yao's luck was really incredible—she kept throwing sticks to smash the fish tank, and each time the stick bounced right back to her hand. That's how she finally broke the tank... I could escape, but she couldn't!"

"Hmm?" Qi Xia's brows knitted together tightly—this whole thing sounded bizarre no matter how you looked at it. "So that Sheng Xiao just let you go?"

"Yeah!" Lao Lv nodded. "The Sheng Xiao said I had escaped, so I could leave... But what about Yun Yao? What happens to that girl?!"

Qi Xia was about to ask more, but Chu Tianqiu slowly said, "I understand. You go rest for now."

"Rest... rest?" Lao Lv was stunned. "What do you mean? You're not going to save her?"

"I'll handle it." Chu Tianqiu reached out and patted Lao Lv on the shoulder. "Head back first. I'll take care of the rest."

Lao Lv looked suspiciously at Chu Tianqiu, then at Qi Xia. "Don't think you're so clever and just let her die."

"Don't worry." Chu Tianqiu gave a refined smile. "Yun Yao is one of ours. We'll do our best."

After hearing that, Lao Lv nodded hesitantly, eyeing Chu Tianqiu again before leaving the classroom.

"Qi Xia..." Chu Tianqiu said, "There's something I've been hiding from you."

"What?"

"Yesterday morning, the 'Ren Tu' mask that your teammate brought back was stolen."

Qi Xia felt instantly angry upon hearing that.

"Xu Liunian, you're really not cut out to be a leader." Qi Xia said bluntly. "You never say what you should, and you're full of things you shouldn't say."

Why was Yun Yao so determined to investigate the "Ren Tu" game?

Why was she acting like she was possessed?

It was all because she had inherited the false will of "Tianguo Kou."

She truly wanted to gamble her life against all the "Sheng Xiao," but now one had revived right in front of her. If she didn't figure this out, her beliefs would completely collapse.

Qi Xia turned to push the door open and leave.

"Where are you going?!" Chu Tianqiu asked.

"To save her."

"There's no need!" Chu Tianqiu said. "You should know, right? That Ren Tu is one of our internal people in disguise. It's probably someone who has a grudge against Yun Yao pulling this stunt. How are you going to resolve personal grudges like that? Even if you bring both of them back, it won't solve anything."

Qi Xia paused for a moment, then turned back and said, "Xu Liunian, if you don't want Yun Yao, I do. Even if lives are just pawns in this game, you can't play it carelessly."

He pushed the door open and walked out, leaving Chu Tianqiu standing alone.

"Saying I'm not fit to be a leader...?" Chu Tianqiu's eyes gradually dimmed. "But these orders were clearly arranged by Chu Tianqiu..."

A thought kept swirling in Xu Liunian's mind.

Had Chu Tianqiu made a mistake?

With this disregard for teammates' lives... could they really escape?

Qi Xia ran into Lao Lv, who was pacing back and forth in the hallway.

"Lao Lv, come with me," Qi Xia called.

"Ah?" Lao Lv hurried over. "Qi Xia, do you guys have a plan now?"

"Yeah, come with me to save her."

As Qi Xia spoke, he led the way to the classroom for the injured. He pushed the door open and looked around. "Doctor Zhao, have you treated them?"

"Almost done." Doctor Zhao wiped the sweat from his forehead. "What is it?"

"Come out with me for a bit." Qi Xia then glanced at Zhang Shan. "Zhang Shan, you come too."

Qiao Jiajin, lying nearby, sensed something was off. He sat up and asked, "What's going on, Deceiver? Trouble?"

"Rest up." Qi Xia said. "It's nothing major. I'll handle it."

Qi Xia knew he couldn't bring Qiao Jiajin this time, or he might try to stop him.

Doctor Zhao and Zhang Shan exchanged glances before following Qi Xia out.

Qi Xia led the three of them quickly out of the school grounds.

"What's happening?" Doctor Zhao asked, puzzled. "Are we going to join a game?"

"No..." Qi Xia shook his head and asked, "Doctor Zhao, I have a question for you."

"What?"

"In your mind, what is Xiao Ran?"

The question left Doctor Zhao dumbfounded.

"What... what do you mean by asking that?"

"This cycle, you've been protecting Xiao Ran from the start. I want to know why." Qi Xia asked. "Do you like Xiao Ran?"

"I..." Doctor Zhao lowered his head, troubled, and said quietly, "Qi Xia, I feel like I owe her."

"Owe her?"

"Yes..." Doctor Zhao nodded. "Last time, you stopped me, but in the following days, I still 'did that' with Xiao Ran..."

"Yeah, I can imagine."

Doctor Zhao looked extremely uncomfortable. "That feeling... damn, it's hard to describe. It was like I was treating Xiao Ran as a tool, a stepping stone, using her to gain power for myself... Do you get that feeling?"

Qi Xia slowly stroked his chin and said, "But Xiao Ran agreed to it, right?"

"Huh?" Doctor Zhao was taken aback.

"From the way you two acted, it didn't seem like she was forced. She had her own motives too."

"Yes..." Doctor Zhao nodded. "Xiao Ran once said, 'Zhao Ge, I've always liked brain surgeons. Remember to stay in touch if we get out.' She did have her own agenda, but for me..."

"I get it." Qi Xia sighed. "I just wanted to know where you stand."

"But why are you suddenly asking this?"

Qi Xia stopped and turned to stare into Doctor Zhao's eyes. "Xiao Ran can't stay. I'm planning to get rid of her."