Chapter 35: What are the Flyers?

"Ah?" The three looked at Qi Xia with shocked expressions. While the plan wasn't complicated, it sounded fraught with danger at every turn.

"You're just going to keep risking your life against them?" Lin Geng asked. "This sounds way too..."

"This is the current method to break through," Qi Xia said. "If you all agree... we can act immediately."

Qiao Jia Jin thought for a moment and said, "Deceiver, you're really not afraid of death?"

"I'm afraid," Qi Xia said. "But I have to get out."

Tian Tian sighed and suddenly said with a serious expression, "Qi Xia... you know I didn't join this team because I believe in you or want to rely on you. I came to 'here' because 'there' has no place for me."

"I know," Qi Xia nodded.

"So I find it hard to believe you'll fairly divide the 'Dao' with me in the end. I also don't think I can defeat you at the final moment and be the only one left alive."

"So what?"

"So my cooperation with you is only temporary. If I feel the situation is unfavorable to me, I'll betray you at any time." Tian Tian gave a bitter smile and said, "Although for me, surviving or dying here makes no difference, if there's hope, I'll fight for it. In short, I'm with you three just to get my share."

Qi Xia didn't show any unusual expression after hearing this; instead, he nodded reassuringly. "That's good."

"Good?" Tian Tian blinked. "Didn't I make myself clear? I'm only in it for the 'Dao'—you don't have to trust me too much."

"The most solid relationship in this world is an employment one," Qi Xia said. "I have no objections."

At that moment, Qiao Jia Jin and Lin Geng exchanged glances. Tian Tian had already been so blunt... could they really trust her?

"Since we've all sorted things out, let's head out."

Tian Tian hadn't expected Qi Xia to agree so readily, which made her feel a bit uneasy. But thinking it over, did she have any room left to be deceived?

The four of them pressed on deeper into the city, each lost in their own thoughts.

The silent city constantly exuded a dangerous aura. Qi Xia noticed they seemed to be steadily heading into more prosperous areas.

Here, they could vaguely see some "original residents," wandering the desolate streets like walking corpses.

"The people seem to have increased..." Qi Xia murmured to himself.

Not only were there various original residents, but they also occasionally spotted figures in animal masks standing in front of buildings. It felt like the deeper they went into the city, the more people they encountered.

As Qi Xia was speaking, he saw an "original resident" holding a stack of papers and walking straight toward the four of them.

The person's build was as gaunt as the female shop clerk's, like a skeleton.

Qiao Jia Jin furrowed his brow and stepped forward.

Expecting some danger, he was surprised when the person handed Qiao Jia Jin a sheet of paper and said, "Check out swimming and fitness."

Without waiting for Qiao Jia Jin to take it, the person let go like a zombie, and the flyer fell to the ground.

As if nothing had happened, he slowly walked away.

"Brave Sword God?" Qiao Jia Jin blinked. "What the heck is Brave Sword God..."

He picked up the paper and saw that the writing on it was almost worn away, looking very old.

"There's actually someone handing out flyers here?" Tian Tian found it somewhat unbelievable.

"Since there's a shop clerk in the convenience store, it's not surprising to have people handing out flyers on the street," Qi Xia said.

"What's a 'flyer'?" Lin Geng asked.

That single question made the other three pause slightly.

"What did you say?" Qi Xia thought he had misheard.

"I asked, what's a 'flyer'?" Lin Geng repeated clearly.

What's a 'flyer'?

The three of them gave Lin Geng strange looks.

Was that a question a normal person would ask?

"You don't know what a 'flyer' is?" Qi Xia asked.

"No," Lin Geng shook her head naturally. "Do you all know?"

None of them answered, but they were still puzzled inside.

Lin Geng had been acting strangely from the start—she liked covering her mouth and nose and insisted on following Qi Xia, and now she didn't even know basic common knowledge...

Was she... not human?

Or perhaps... she was one of the "organizers"?

That frightening idea began to swirl in Qi Xia's mind.

If she really wasn't human, what was her purpose?

"I say, Lin Geng..." Qi Xia finally spoke up. If he didn't clarify her identity, he couldn't relax. "'Flyers' are common knowledge items—how could you not know?"

"Common knowledge?" Lin Geng looked clearly confused. "Just because you three know it, does that make it 'common knowledge'?"

"This isn't about whether we three know it or not," Qiao Jia Jin interjected. "'Flyers' aren't rare—everyone should know them. Why don't you?"

"Yeah..." Tian Tian nodded. "Haven't you ever seen a flyer?"

"You're all so weird," Lin Geng said, getting a bit annoyed. "I don't know what a 'flyer' is—so what? Are you going to suspect me over this piece of paper?"

Qi Xia looked at the girl in front of him; her behavior was indeed hard to understand.

If she were one of the "organizers," she should at least lie to cover up such an obvious slip. But she didn't seem to be hiding anything; she was genuinely getting upset.

She didn't think not knowing what a 'flyer' was was a problem at all.

Was she innocent?

But what were the chances a normal person wouldn't know what a 'flyer' was?

Qi Xia thought about it... If he had to say, there was a slim possibility. For example, if Lin Geng was the daughter of a capitalist, growing up in elite circles with chauffeurs and never experiencing everyday life. Or maybe she had been studying abroad and only recently returned home.

Still, the odds were very low. Besides... she was just a psychological counselor.

"So-called 'flyers' are advertisements printed on paper," Qiao Jia Jin explained to Lin Geng. "You've never seen one?"

"No," Lin Geng nodded seriously.

Qi Xia didn't know how to proceed and just frowned in thought.

"Hey! Buddy!"

A shout suddenly came from across the street, startling the group.

They saw a shabby-looking man with glasses waving from the other side. "Over here! Buddy!"

This was the first time they had seen another normal person here, and they couldn't help feeling tense.

Was this newcomer a friend or foe?

"Are you calling me?" Qi Xia tried to engage.

"That's right! You're 'Liang Ren,' aren't you?" The glasses-wearing man laughed.

"'Liang Ren'?"

"You know, normal people," the man said. "Don't you call it that?"

Qi Xia paused and replied, "We don't exactly look like lunatics, do we?"

"Ha! I knew it!" The man laughed. "We've found a great game—want to join and earn some 'Dao'?"

The man kept his distance from Qi Xia and the others, seeming cautious.

Qi Xia and Qiao Jia Jin exchanged glances, unsure whether to trust him. But thinking it over, the rules here didn't allow stealing 'Dao,' so if he had ulterior motives, it would have to be through deception.

And when it came to deception, Qi Xia wasn't afraid of anyone.