Chapter 209: Playing Chess

Zhang Shan hesitated for a long time before asking, "Impersonating? What do you mean?"

Yun Yao didn't say anything; she slowly walked out of the house, and the others followed.

"Hey, Yun Yao, say something," Zhang Shan called out.

Yun Yao walked three steps, then stopped and turned back. "Zhang Shan, why did you join 'Tian Tang Kou' this time?"

"I..." Zhang Shan thought for a moment and said, "Because Chu Tianqiu knows everything about me. He knows those secrets that only I know, so I believe he recognizes the person I used to be."

After hearing this, Yun Yao's expression grew even darker.

What did this mean?

It meant that the impersonating Chu Tianqiu was very likely acquainted with the original Chu Tianqiu.

In Yun Yao's memory, only one person could do that.

But why?

"Qi Xia, you knew about this already?" Yun Yao asked.

"I don't know," Qi Xia shook his head.

"I haven't even said what it is... and you're already saying you don't know?"

"You haven't said it, but I can guess," Qi Xia replied calmly. "So I don't know."

"Hmph... you liar," Yun Yao muttered without much conviction. "You people are truly terrifying. Things have gotten this absurd, and yet you're all acting like nothing's wrong."

"Absurd?" Qi Xia slowly looked up at the sky. "Yun Yao, do you think the sun is absurd?"

Everyone looked up, gazing at the strange, earthy-yellow sun.

"Do you think this sky, these buildings, these residents are absurd?" Qi Xia said with a bitter smile. "The most impossible absurd things have already started happening. Can the people trapped here still be normal?"

Yun Yao stared at the sky in silence for a long time before asking, "Qi Xia, do you have a way to escape?"

"I don't have a 'way' to escape, only the 'determination' to do so," Qi Xia answered.

"What's your method?" Yun Yao asked.

"'Ji Dao'," Qi Xia said. "After going through all this, I've realized that only 'Ji Dao' is the truth."

"'Ji Dao'?" The four others turned to Qi Xia with puzzled looks.

"Don't misunderstand," Qi Xia shook his head. "I'm talking about collecting three thousand six hundred 'Dao'. I'm not one of those lunatics."

Yun Yao was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."

...

By the time the five returned to Tian Tang Kou, it was already getting late, and Chu Tianqiu was still standing in the schoolyard, looking out.

Seeing Yun Yao return, he instantly smiled. "You're back?"

Yun Yao forced a smile. "Yes, I'm fine."

She ignored him and headed straight for the teaching building.

"What's wrong?" Chu Tianqiu asked the others. "Is Yun Yao hurt?"

"N-no..." Zhang Shan's face looked unnatural; he stared at Chu Tianqiu carefully but couldn't spot any flaws.

"Then let's all go back and rest."

The others nodded and left, but Qi Xia stayed behind.

"Qi Xia, did something happen?" Chu Tianqiu asked.

"Of course," Qi Xia nodded. "You abandoned Yun Yao, and they all know about it now."

"What?" Chu Tianqiu frowned. "Abandoned her...? That was only between you and me."

"Yes, and I told her," Qi Xia nodded. "You never asked me to keep it secret."

"Wh-what?" Chu Tianqiu's expression turned uneasy. "Qi Xia, what's your goal?"

"My goal is simple," Qi Xia scratched his head. "I want them to turn against you."

"You..." Chu Tianqiu had never expected Qi Xia to reveal his plan so openly. "You want them to turn against me?!"

"Keep it down," Qi Xia waved his hand. "We don't want others to hear."

Chu Tianqiu lowered his voice, his face full of anger. "Why are you doing this?!"

Qi Xia thought for a moment and said, "I don't have any fixed idea; I just want to test your capabilities."

"But aren't you cooperating with Chu Tianqiu?" Chu Tianqiu asked. "Is this how you cooperate?"

"Xu Liunian, the one I'm cooperating with is 'Chu Tianqiu', but you're you," Qi Xia said. "We're three independent people."

"But if you really make them turn against me, won't 'Tian Tang Kou' suffer a huge blow?" Chu Tianqiu asked. "What's in it for you? Since you want to collect 'Dao', you'd naturally need 'Tian Tang Kou's power..."

"No, no..." Qi Xia waved his hands quickly. "Xu Liunian, listen to me."

Chu Tianqiu paused. "Alright, go ahead."

"As I said, you, me, and Chu Tianqiu are three independent people," Qi Xia stroked his chin. "I can cooperate with 'Chu Tianqiu', so I can also cooperate with 'Xu Liunian'."

"What?"

"Xu Liunian, don't you feel wronged?" Qi Xia said. "Chu Tianqiu is behind the scenes, and you're out in front. No matter what you do, he's the one who benefits, and you're the one who takes the fall. If 'Tian Tang Kou' resents anyone, it's you; if 'Ji Dao' wants to kill anyone, it's you. In the end, he might not succeed, but you'll definitely be sacrificed."

"You..." Chu Tianqiu slowly furrowed his brow; he felt that Qi Xia's words, though clearly meant to sow discord, did have some truth to them.

"Those choices that got teammates killed... they were clearly Chu Tianqiu's ideas, but everyone's cursing you. I ask you, if it were up to you, how would you choose?" Qi Xia said. "Now, you're the true leader of 'Tian Tang Kou'. Do you want your teammates to die?"

"Qi Xia," Chu Tianqiu said, "you're a hard person to trust. I'm not as clever as you, so I don't dare believe you. I'm afraid you'll drag me into hell."

Qi Xia nodded. "You're right not to believe me. After all, I'm a liar; you can only believe half of what I say."

"In that case, how can I cooperate with you?" Chu Tianqiu asked.

"Our goals align," Qi Xia said. "My purpose is 'Ji Dao', so I don't want to lose teammates. The more 'Echoers' who survive, the closer I am to getting out."

"'Ji Dao'..." Chu Tianqiu lowered his head silently. "Do you know how difficult that path is? 'Tian Tang Kou' hasn't gathered three thousand six hundred 'Dao' yet..."

"That's because Chu Tianqiu's real goal isn't 'Ji Dao' at all; his mind isn't on it," Qi Xia said meaningfully. "He wants to become a god."

Chu Tianqiu lowered his head after hearing this; it seemed he already knew the answer.

"Based on what you know of him, if he becomes a 'god', will he let the people here go?" Qi Xia said. "Even before becoming a god, he disregards lives; after becoming one, how could he possibly value you all?"

"I... but I..." Chu Tianqiu wanted to say more, but his mind was in chaos.

"Xu Liunian, if you can handle the trouble I've created for you, I'll think more highly of you and cooperate with you to escape this place," Qi Xia said. "Even if lives are pawns, you can't play this game carelessly."

"You..."

"This game can only be played by me, Qi Xia."