Chapter 265: Final Tactics

Qi Xia's words left everyone particularly puzzled.

At first glance, the statement was full of inconsistencies, and even Di Yang didn't quite understand what Qi Xia was thinking.

"What do you mean... you're not leaving?" Auntie asked.

"I'll leave last," Qi Xia said. "I have a few questions I want to ask Di Yang."

After hearing this, the group exchanged bewildered looks. Leaving last... wouldn't that mean being left alone?

Was this person out of his mind?

And besides... trading a fan for an "Ai"?

"Can we trade with you right now?" a woman asked.

"No, not now," Qi Xia shook his head. "As I said, it needs to happen after someone takes the 'Ai' from Di Yang's hand. That's when my exchange will begin."

"This..."

The group fell into a dilemma. Exchanging for Di Yang's "Ai" required three fans, but no one was willing to part with them.

"Everyone, you're a united group right now," Qi Xia said. "As long as someone secures the fan from Di Yang, I'll immediately give all the 'Ai' to you, and then you can escape. If you can't do it, I won't give any."

Qi Xia's words rang out firmly, leaving everyone stunned for a moment.

After a while, an older participant suggested, "How about... we pool our resources?"

"With sixteen of us, gathering three fans shouldn't be too hard, right...?" People in the crowd began to echo the idea.

Qi Xia paid no attention to how they were raising the funds; he simply stood quietly with his eyes closed, waiting.

In just a few minutes, they managed to collect three fans and exchanged them with Di Yang for an "Ai."

Now, everyone turned their eyes to Qi Xia.

Qi Xia nodded and said, "Good. Next, I want all of you to elect a leader."

"A leader...?"

"I don't want to deal with each of you individually—that would be too troublesome," Qi Xia shook his head. "I need an intermediary. This person can collect the fans from each group and trade with me, and I'll hand over the 'Ai' all at once to them."

To their own surprise, under Qi Xia's subtle influence, the participants began to gradually unite.

"How about letting this big brother be the leader!" a young woman suggested. "He was the one who just used a fan to exchange for the 'Ai' from Di Yang."

"Yeah, let's have the big brother lead!"

At that moment, a rather introverted man was pushed forward by the crowd, and he actually looked a bit embarrassed.

"Since... since everyone has chosen me as the 'leader,' I won't be modest," the big brother nodded to the group. "Please, everyone, organize by your small groups and give me one fan from each. I'll handle the exchange with this brother on your behalf."

Hearing this, the group no longer hesitated. After a quick discussion, each team handed over a fan. Qi Xia promptly pulled out all the "Ai" from his pocket.

He displayed each one to the group, confirming there were seven "Ai."

"Brother... shall we make the trade?" the big brother glanced at Qi Xia a little awkwardly, as the fans in his hand were mostly "Xi" and "Le."

"That's right. We'll exchange hand to hand, like a deal," Qi Xia said. "But not here—we need to go somewhere else."

"Somewhere else?"

"That's right," Qi Xia nodded. "Please, everyone, follow me."

Though still confused, the group had already handed over their fans and elected a leader, so they had no choice but to go along with the main group.

Di Yang watched as the crowd slowly moved away from him, his expression growing increasingly cautious.

He had no idea what Qi Xia stood to gain by trading all the "Ai" he had accumulated for so long on a one-to-one basis with the group.

He had been monopolizing them and could have made a big profit, getting at least twenty fans, but now it was just one for one?

Qi Xia gathered the group around him and quietly said a few words.

After listening, everyone showed strange expressions.

"Young man... have you lost your mind?" Auntie asked, trembling slightly.

"Of course not," Qi Xia nodded, then turned to the "leader" and said, "Let's make the exchange."

The leader hesitated for a moment, then nodded solemnly. He handed over the seven fans to Qi Xia, and Qi Xia gave all his "Ai" to the group.

Once the "leader" distributed the "Ai" to everyone, they glanced at each other and then scattered in their small groups.

Di Yang furrowed his brow slightly, sensing something was off, but at that moment, Qi Xia walked toward him.

"Di Yang," Qi Xia called.

Di Yang didn't respond; he just stared coldly at the man.

"You should still have a full set of 'Xi Nu Ai Le,' right?" Qi Xia asked.

"Haven't you seen? That's all I have on the table," Di Yang replied coldly.

"No," Qi Xia shook his head. "You had the initial three fans, and after you killed someone, you took their five fans as well. So, besides the six on the table, you have eight more."

Di Yang remained silent.

"To ensure you can escape no matter who you team up with at the end, I don't believe you left yourself without a single 'Ai'," Qi Xia continued. "So, you absolutely have a full set of 'Xi Nu Ai Le,' since you never know what kind of teammates you'll get."

"So what?"

"So, today, you've fallen into my hands," Qi Xia said.

Before Di Yang could react, the distant group that had been "pairing up" suddenly erupted in chaos.

"Pairing failed?! You bastard, you tricked me?!"

"Oh my god! Ours failed too!"

"What's going on?! Our fans got swallowed!!"

Di Yang frowned and glanced at the distant crowd but didn't make any extra moves. He knew that fraud was common in his territory.

When there were still a dozen or so people left in the game, the ugliest side of human nature would fully reveal itself.

At this stage, even without weapons, people might kill each other over a single fan.

In past games, by the final phase, the place was always littered with bodies.

The crowd was in utter disarray, everyone shouting as they converged in the center of the hall, seemingly on the verge of fighting.

Gradually, Di Yang realized something was wrong—all seven teams seemed to be fighting.

Even if fraud occurred... was it possible for seven groups to be scammed at the same time?

Before Di Yang could process it, all the participants bolted toward the exit.

It seemed they had been carefully positioning themselves from the start, just waiting for this moment to escape.

Di Yang's eyes widened in alarm, sensing trouble, and he immediately vaulted over the table to chase after them.

But he was too late. The seven teams fled like they were seeing ghosts, rushing out the door.

Only then did Di Yang look incredulously at the "pairing machines" beside him, each one displaying "Pairing successful."

He stared at the exit, his eyes growing wider, realizing he had been tricked.

At that moment, he had to stop that man!

He spun around and dashed toward Qi Xia, but once again, he was too late.

"Di Yang, I'm going to gamble my life against yours," Qi Xia said with a laugh.