Chapter 268: The Current Heaven's Gate

"Not entirely," Qi Xia shook his head. "Have you heard of 'Tian Tang Kou'?"

Song Qi stared at Qi Xia, suddenly feeling doubtful.

He had once massacred 'Tian Tang Kou', but he had never seen Qi Xia before.

After a moment of silence, Song Qi said:

"Brother, aren't you thinking of switching places?"

"Switching places?"

"'Tian Tang Kou' can accommodate you?"

"Oh, I see." Qi Xia shook his head. "No, brother, forget about 'Tian Tang Kou'—I feel like the entire 'Zhong Yan Zhi Di' can't accommodate me."

"Ha!" Song Qi laughed. "I think so too."

With that, he waved to someone behind him, and another man in a leather jacket came over.

The man had his hair in a braid, making it look very long.

"Qi Ge," the man called out.

"Stay here and protect this brother for me. If anyone tries to harm him, kill them on the spot."

"Got it." The long-haired man nodded.

Song Qi turned back to Qi Xia and said: "'Tian Tang Kou'—I'll be back soon. My brother will protect you in the meantime."

Qi Xia had never expected Song Qi's arrangements to be so thorough.

Song Qi took the IOU from Di Yang and left, while the other participants gradually dispersed after receiving their IOUs.

At that moment, a figure slowly approached Qi Xia—it was Qin Ding Dong.

Seeing someone approaching, the long-haired man instantly looked stern and stepped in front of Qi Xia.

This stance left both Qin Ding Dong and Qi Xia stunned.

After a long pause, Qin Ding Dong asked: "Qi classmate... have you been robbed?"

"I..." Qi Xia was momentarily at a loss for words and could only pat the long-haired man on the shoulder. "Brother, I know her."

The long-haired man hesitated for a moment before stepping aside.

"Qi classmate, what's going on?" Qin Ding Dong asked in confusion. "This is my first time receiving an IOU..."

"You're lucky to get an IOU at all," Qi Xia sighed. "It's a miracle you've survived this long with your deceptive tricks."

"You..." Qin Ding Dong was annoyed by Qi Xia's words. "What's wrong with my deceptive tricks? Didn't they work?"

"Yes." Qi Xia nodded. "But next time, be smarter about it."

"Then... would you be willing to teach me how to deceive people?" Qin Ding Dong stepped forward, trying to grab Qi Xia's hand, but he dodged away.

"No." Qi Xia said, "Qin Ding Dong, take the 'Dao' you've earned and find a way to survive. We're not the same kind of people."

"How do you know we're not the same?" Qin Ding Dong suddenly wore a meaningful expression. "Qi Xia, you've earned one thousand four hundred and seventy-six 'Dao' this time, and now you want to pretend you don't know me?"

"What...?"

Fortunately, the voice wasn't loud, but it still startled the long-haired man nearby.

Qi Xia slowly narrowed his eyes and said: "Qin Ding Dong... I really underestimated you."

Qin Ding Dong leaned in closer and whispered: "Qi Xia, there are two kinds of deceivers. One is like you—someone who doesn't look like a deceiver but is always using deception. The other is like me—someone everyone thinks is just a small-time con artist, so they let their guard down."

She reached out and touched Qi Xia's chest: "So, who do you think is more likely to succeed?"

Qi Xia pushed Qin Ding Dong away again, feeling uneasy.

Was this woman just bluffing?

But thinking it over, all her actions in the game seemed too "coincidental."

Right at the start, she had rallied everyone to isolate the burly man grabbing the fan.

When it was time to replenish the fans, she gave him three 'Dao'.

When he tried to monopolize, she provided a 'Ai'.

Once things stabilized, her appearance led to deaths.

It seemed she had been quietly guiding the game's developments all along—what was her goal?

An identity of 'Ji Dao'... or something else?

Or just a pure madman?

Countless dangerous scenarios swirled in Qi Xia's mind. He was glad this woman didn't seem malicious, or he might have fallen into her trap.

"Qin Ding Dong, what do you want?" he asked.

"I just want to help you."

Qi Xia still felt something was off: "Then what's your purpose...?"

"I know you probably don't remember me." Qin Ding Dong shook her head, then said with a wistful expression, "But that's okay. The person I'm looking for isn't you. Qi Xia... tell me where that bastard Chen Jun Nan is?"

"Eh...?!"

...

Not long after, Song Qi had arrived outside 'Tian Tang Kou', where Chu Tian Qiu was standing and looking around.

"You're...?" Chu Tian Qiu asked in confusion.

"Stop pretending," Song Qi sighed. "There's no one else here."

Chu Tian Qiu paused slightly and quickly corrected himself: "You, why are you here?"

"I've got a task." Song Qi rolled his neck and said, "After all these years, it's the first time someone's paid me with 'Dao' for a job. How interesting."

"Oh...?" Chu Tian Qiu didn't know what to say and just responded vaguely.

"But the guy's alright, so I'll help out." Song Qi glanced toward the school and asked, "Is there someone named 'Qiao Jia Jin' here? I need to see him."

"Qiao Jia Jin..." Chu Tian Qiu nodded. "Just a moment."

He instructed someone in the campus, and that person hurried into the teaching building.

Soon, a lazy-looking man with tattoos on his arms walked out.

Song Qi caught sight of him and nearly lost his balance in shock.

"Huh?" Qiao Jia Jin looked at Song Qi in confusion. "Aren't you that 'explosion guy'?"

"You..." Song Qi's voice trembled. "You... 'Bo Lan Jie A Jin'? You're Qiao Jia Jin?!"

"Yeah!" Qiao Jia Jin nodded. "What about it? Here to kill again?"

Song Qi felt a bit helpless.

Back then, twenty people had ganged up on Qiao Jia Jin alone, and after the fight, over thirty bodies lay on the ground.

Even 'Mao' had fought until the last one died without fully killing him.

This guy was terrifying.

Song Qi couldn't help but think... when did 'Tian Tang Kou' attract such formidable figures?

One without 'Hui Xiang' who wiped out an entire 'Mao' team, and another who single-handedly defeated Di Yang.

And... he had even seen 'Ji Dao Zhe Lin Geng' here...

When had Chu Tian Qiu become so powerful?!

"Lucky there are only two or three like this..." Song Qi thought to himself, but then he saw a fair-skinned man walk out of the teaching building.

The man stretched exaggeratedly, then slowly shifted his gaze until it landed on Song Qi.

He furrowed his brow and walked over step by step.

Song Qi had never seen this man before, but his aura was strangely off-putting.

"Who's this..." The fair-skinned man stroked his chin, sizing up Song Qi.

Song Qi, Chu Tian Qiu, and Qiao Jia Jin were all baffled and just stared at Chen Jun Nan.

"Ah..." Chen Jun Nan slapped his forehead. "I remember now! Song Ming Hui! Right?!"