Chapter 290: The Cat's Reward

The bare-bottomed child looked around excitedly, then laughed and drooled.

"Hehe... something's about to happen..."

"Tian Ma, tell me, did I mishear?" Qian Wu slowly stepped forward. "You should know, if I lose my temper, it's enough to leave one of you behind."

All the members of the Mao Dui stared coldly at the two men in front of them, appearing ready to act at any moment.

"Tian Ma, I was just joking with you." Tian Ma said with a smile, "I know your capabilities. How could I be that impulsive?"

"That's good to hear, Tian Ma." Qian Wu waved a hand at the crowd, and the people in the corridor slowly returned to the cells.

"But I'm getting old, and my memory's a bit fuzzy..." Tian Ma said with a smile, "Exactly what is the remuneration that you 'Mao Dui' want?"

"Real gold and silver," Qian Wu replied. "As long as you give true gold and silver to our families in the real world, we'll risk our lives for you."

"Is that so..." Tian Ma narrowed his eyes slightly, his wrinkles gathering as he spoke. "So, you 'Mao Dui'... need the participants to go back to the real world and wire you the money...?"

"That's right." Qian Wu nodded. "The members of the Mao Dui are spread across forty years, so we can receive remittances from people of every era. Although our time is frozen, our families aren't. Once they get the money, they can head toward a better future."

He glanced again at Tian Ma and Tian Hu, his tone contemptuous as he asked, "But you 'Sheng Xiao' can't get out, so how exactly do you plan to do business with us?"

"So that's how it is..." Tian Ma pondered for a moment. "Isn't this just bullying us 'Sheng Xiao'...?"

"Sorry, but we can't host you today." Qian Wu turned to two men not far away and said, "Lao Liu and Lao Qi, help me see them out."

A man and a woman nearby nodded and slowly walked over.

"Sorry, you two." Song Qi gestured with his hand in a shooing motion. "Fifth Brother has spoken—please."

"Please." The other woman also gestured.

Tian Ma sighed softly and said, "Qian Wu, I'm really out of options. If you won't help... we might have to go on a rampage here."

"What...?" Qian Wu's face turned cold. "Tian Ma, my ears must be playing tricks on me again. We're not pushovers in the 'Mao Dui'. Do you really want to start a fight here?"

Tian Ma smiled faintly and reached out, piercing the chest of Liu Ershiyi standing beside him.

With a sickening "thud," blood splattered, and red spots landed on everyone's faces.

Liu Ershiyi coughed up blood, his expression changing as he waved both hands. In an instant, wooden sticks pierced the ground around Tian Ma and Tian Hu, forming a cage-like barrier that trapped the two.

After sealing their movements, Liu Ershiyi slowly closed his eyes.

Tian Ma withdrew his hand and pushed Liu Ershiyi to the ground. He looked up to see Qian Wu, Song Qi, Luo Shiyi, and the others with unchanged expressions, as if losing a teammate meant nothing to them.

Qian Wu wiped the blood from his face, his expression darkening. "Tian Ma... you've got some nerve... As a 'Tian Ji', how dare you casually kill participants?"

Tian Ma and Tian Hu exchanged a glance, then waved their hands, slicing through the wooden sticks around them.

"Yes, I killed him. So what?"

Qian Wu snorted coldly, and a massive bell toll echoed from afar. He reached out toward Tian Ma's arm.

Sensing danger, Tian Ma stepped back and shoved Tian Hu forward, right into Qian Wu's reach.

Tian Hu, confused, stared blankly at the dwarf in front of him, who was about the same height as him.

Tian Ma sighed helplessly and said, "Shuang Sheng Hua Qian Wu... your temper is still as quick as ever. What if this leads to deaths?"

"Ha!" Qian Wu laughed loudly. "How amusing! You killed my brother, and now you're talking about fearing deaths?"

"Qian Wu... I'm truly out of choices..." Tian Ma said with a forced smile. "Tian Long has given all 'Tian Ji' special privileges this time—we can kill any participant at will... And if we don't find that person, we can even initiate a 'Tian Ji' game. So, even if you fight us, it doesn't matter... You have to take this deal."

Upon hearing this, Qian Wu's tone softened.

"You're saying... all the current 'Tian Ji' are mobilized...?" He furrowed his brow in disbelief. "Just what kind of serious event happened?"

"I don't know." Tian Ma shook his head with a smile. "All I know is we have to find a special resonator. If we don't, we're all in trouble."

Qian Wu carefully weighed the pros and cons. He felt Tian Ma was going all in, and this was only the first day of the cycle. The 'Mao Dui' had too few people who had gained "Hui Xiang." If a fight broke out here, they might take down one 'Tian Ji', but the 'Mao Dui' would suffer heavy losses.

"Tian Ma, first tell me what this 'business' you mentioned really is."

"I said it already—finding someone." Tian Ma repeated. "Six days ago, a powerful 'Hui Xiang' was triggered. We need to find that person... Unfortunately, this resonator appeared at night, and none of the 'Sheng Xiao' saw it. To complete the task faster, we have to rely on the participants."

"Six days ago at night...?" Qian Wu paused and turned to look at Song Qi.

That night was when the 'Mao Dui' had been wiped out.

"That massive 'Hui Xiang'... I need you to do everything in your power to find that person..." Tian Ma said gravely. "Otherwise, all us 'Tian Ji' will be punished, and I won't let you off easy then."

"But business doesn't work like this." Qian Wu glanced at Liu Ershiyi's body on the ground and sneered. "You killed my brother and still want me to do your work? I have to get something out of this from you."

"What do you want...?" Tian Ma frowned. "I can't pay you, so name another condition, and I'll try to agree."

Qian Wu released his grip on Tian Hu and smiled again. "Tian Ma, I want a 'Ren Qing' from you. If there's ever a day I need your help, you'll do me a favor."

Tian Ma's wrinkles deepened as she rubbed her waist.

"In this 'Zhong Yan Zhi Di'... owing a 'Ren Qing' to you Qian Wu isn't a good thing." She hesitated. "This condition is way too valuable..."

"Don't worry, you should know we 'Mao Dui' don't want to leave or cause trouble." Qian Wu laughed. "Deal?"

He extended his right hand in goodwill, but Tian Ma didn't dare touch it.

Tian Ma thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, if you help me find that 'Hui Xiang Zhe', I'll agree to do something for you... But if it's too dangerous, I won't go through with it."

"No problem." Qian Wu nodded and withdrew his hand.