Chapter 42: Avoiding Harm and Seeking Benefit

Cough, cough...

Qiao Jiajin lay on the ground, coughing incessantly, feeling as if his internal organs had been completely shattered.

Xiao Yanjing reacted quickly, immediately getting up and starting to reposition the iron plate.

"Hurry up and help!" he shouted to the women behind him. "If these two go down, we're all finished!"

Although the women were terrified, they knew the situation was critical, so they all bent down, gritted their teeth, and began moving the iron plate.

Qi Xia lay on the ground, his whole body dizzy.

Hei Xiong's strike seemed to have knocked his soul right out of him. He truly wondered how Qiao Jiajin had managed to withstand two attacks alone.

"I'm going to make that runaway fat guy pay..." Qiao Jiajin muttered through gritted teeth.

"Seeking profit and avoiding harm... it's human nature..." Qi Xia murmured from the ground. "As stated in 'Zou Ji Da Jiangjun Liang Shang': 'As for seeking profit and avoiding harm, fearing death and delighting in life, they are also equal.'"

"Have you lost your mind?" Qiao Jiajin struggled to open his eyes and look at Qi Xia. "What does that have to do with some general? If that Fen Chang hadn't suddenly abandoned us, the iron plate wouldn't have fallen like this..."

By now, the women had lifted the iron plate back up, and Xiao Yanjing bent down to pull Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin to their feet. "Bros, are you okay?"

The two men stood up shakily and leaned against the iron plate.

"I wouldn't say 'okay,' just 'not dead,'" Qiao Jiajin replied, glancing at Hei Xiong.

After that collision, the beast didn't look much better. Its massive body appeared disoriented, constantly shaking its head to stay alert.

"This time, let me handle it!" Xiao Yanjing said. "You two fall back and rest for a bit."

With that, he imitated Qiao Jiajin's stance, lowering his body and bracing his shoulder against the iron plate.

But Xiao Yanjing looked far too frail; just holding the plate made him struggle. His legs trembled nonstop, and veins bulged on his forehead.

"Damn... is this iron plate really this heavy..." He seemed to think his posture was off and adjusted his leg angle slightly, but the plate didn't feel any lighter.

"Bro, no offense," Qiao Jiajin said, shaking his head helplessly, "but if you're the one holding it, us standing back there won't make a difference. We're all doomed anyway."

"W-well, maybe you should take over..." Xiao Yanjing said with an awkward smile, stepping aside.

The group had now reformed their defensive line, and Qiao Jiajin resumed his position against the iron plate.

Hei Xiong was regaining its senses. It had been about to attack the plate again but noticed the lone middle-aged man standing off to the side.

"Oh no! Lao Lv!" Xiao Yanjing panicked. "Get over here quick!"

"Hmph," Qiao Jiajin snorted. "If that fat guy wants to go out and die, let him."

"No..." Xiao Yanjing's expression turned serious. "Lao Lv saved my life before. I can't just leave him."

"You're an idiot," Qiao Jiajin said.

Before Xiao Yanjing could figure out a way to save Lao Lv, Hei Xiong had already positioned itself between the group and him.

It seemed to realize that if Lao Lv made it back to the iron plate, it would lose any chance to kill him.

Xiao Yanjing looked extremely anxious. After hesitating for a while, he turned to Qi Xia and said, "Can you save Lao Lv?!"

Qi Xia's eyes turned cold. "Sure, you go save him. I won't stop you."

"I-I can't do it... that's why I'm asking you..." Xiao Yanjing said, trembling. "You seem like a really capable person. Can you help me...?"

"No," Qi Xia replied without hesitation. "If you want to go, go yourself."

Xiao Yanjing wanted to say more, but he realized he had no good reason to ask a stranger to risk their life.

After thinking it over, he finally gritted his teeth and said, "F-fine... then I'll go save him..."

He slowly let go of the hand gripping Qi Xia's clothes and stared at Hei Xiong.

Then, in a rather comical manner, Xiao Yanjing took three deep breaths, yelled to psych himself up, stamped his right foot on the ground, and charged toward Hei Xiong.

At the critical moment, Qi Xia reached out and stopped him.

"Whoa!" Xiao Yanjing jumped in fright, nearly twisting his waist. "What the hell?!"

"You're going to die. Aren't you afraid?" Qi Xia asked slowly.

"Of course I'm freaking afraid!" Xiao Yanjing was almost in tears. "But I can't just watch Lao Lv die!"

"In that case, let's make a deal," Qi Xia said, fixing his gaze on Hei Xiong in the distance. "If I can get you all out of this game alive, your 'Dao' belongs to me."

"Huh?" Xiao Yanjing hadn't expected Qi Xia to bring this up now and didn't know how to respond.

"Of course, if you don't agree, you can go save him yourself."

Qi Xia's tone brooked no argument, leaving Xiao Yanjing in a tough spot.

He and Lao Lv had risked their lives for this game, but if they ended up with nothing—not even a single 'Dao'—what was the point?

"I can only promise you my own 'Dao,' but Lao Lv's..." Xiao Yanjing said hesitantly, "I don't know if he'd agree."

"Then guarantee it for him," Qi Xia said. "You two are together, right?"

"I... I..." Xiao Yanjing thought it over and decided that survival was more important than 'Dao.' "Fine, I'll guarantee it. If we both make it out alive, our 'Dao' is yours."

"Good." Qi Xia nodded. "Take off your shoes and give them to me."

"What?"

"Your shoes," Qi Xia repeated.

Xiao Yanjing had no idea what he was planning but quickly removed his dirty sneakers and handed them over.

"The hunting principle—animals are naturally sensitive..." Qi Xia murmured to himself. "First taboo: attacking the back."

Qi Xia weighed one sneaker in his hand, then stepped forward and hurled it with force, hitting Hei Xiong squarely on the back.

The blow startled Hei Xiong; its entire body shuddered as it whipped around, looking everywhere.

"Second taboo: injuring the nose."

Qi Xia grabbed the other sneaker and threw it hard at Hei Xiong's face.

The shoe struck its nose, not with much power, but enough to make it stagger.

Enraged, Hei Xiong completely ignored Lao Lv and charged straight at Qi Xia.

Qi Xia reacted swiftly, tugging on Qiao Jiajin's clothes to adjust the iron plate's position.

Hei Xiong's attack this time was reckless, simply swatting at the plate with its front paws.

Once, twice, three times.

Though it roared wildly, these strikes were far weaker than before, and Qiao Jiajin blocked them all with the iron plate.

In the midst of the chaos, Lao Lv scrambled back and joined the group.