Chapter 682: Planned

"Knowing too much might make you wish you were dead," Yu Nian'an said. "Ask what you should ask, and don't ask what you shouldn't."

"Good... good..."

Xiao Cheng nodded frantically. Though Yu Nian'an hadn't given a direct answer, it was as good as confirming what he suspected.

But what on earth was going on?

How could "Zhongyan Zhidi" have so many people able to "Ru Meng"?!

Was "Hui Xiang" not the only one?

"You said he just waved his hand and wiped out an entire city...?"

Xiao Cheng turned his head in disbelief and glanced at Qi Xia, who was devouring his food in the living room.

"In other words, Qi Ge's state of mind isn't just cracked... it's completely collapsed..."

"No, the problem is indeed with that crack," Yu Nian'an said. "If it were only the city turning to nothingness, Qi Xia might still be somewhat lucid, but that crack is the main reason for his chaos. After all, this house is the last line of defense he built for himself."

"Then why don't you let me... or why don't you fix it yourself...?" Xiao Cheng paused before changing his words. "You can create items here so easily—patching that crack should be effortless for you!"

After realizing he had no hope of survival, Xiao Cheng shifted his focus to Qi Xia.

This man was incredibly powerful; if he could regain his senses, he could lead everyone through any dangers. Since death was inevitable anyway, they might as well do one last good deed before the end.

But the situation was still strange—Qi Xia's inner "guardian" refused to fix that crack and was letting him lose his mind.

What exactly was she protecting?

"Xiao Cheng, I've told you, everything is under Qi Xia's control, so don't worry," Yu Nian'an said with a smile. "You probably don't understand what kind of battle this is, so it's hard for you to make sense of things right now. It's like a three-year-old child wandering into a modern battlefield full of flying bullets—I really don't know where to start explaining."

Xiao Cheng lowered his head slowly after hearing this; he knew Yu Nian'an was right. If Qi Xia was someone who could battle "Tian Long", then barging into his psychological world was basically suicide.

"I've been desperately fighting just to get a 'Hui Xiang', but on this land, there are already people battling 'Tian Long'...?"

"Don't lose heart," Yu Nian'an comforted him. "There are many paths in this world, and everyone has their own. You've just chosen different ones, but that doesn't mean you can't reach the end."

Xiao Cheng seemed to draw some inspiration from those words and nodded slightly.

"If it's possible, I hope you can get out alive, but is that realistic?"

Yu Nian'an wiped her hands clean, then opened the kitchen drawer, took out a small mirror, and gently handed it to Xiao Cheng.

Xiao Cheng took it without understanding, and when he turned it over, he froze in place.

The reflection in the mirror had no face.

He reached out tremblingly and lightly touched his flat face; he could see, hear, and talk, but now he felt no features at all.

When had this happened...?

Was it because he'd been in this dream state too long, or did everyone who entered this space end up like this?

Xiao Cheng pondered for a long time before finally showing a look of resignation. He looked up and said, "Jie Yu, once Qi Ge wins this 'battle', we'll all be saved, right?"

"'We'—who do you mean?" Yu Nian'an raised an eyebrow, as if not quite grasping his point.

"I mean... all the 'Can Yu Zhe'. If 'Tian Long' is defeated, all of us 'Can Yu Zhe' who have been cycling through this place will be saved, right?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, an unusual silence filled the room.

Xiao Cheng had anticipated countless responses; he thought Yu Nian'an might agree, deny it, or flatly say that Qi Xia could never win against "Tian Long". But none of his expectations matched the strange reaction he got.

He hadn't imagined she'd respond like this.

Yu Nian'an raised a slender, pale finger to her lips and then burst out laughing with a "puchi".

Her smile was like hearing a joke from centuries ago, making her eyes curve beautifully. She laughed so hard she leaned forward, the sound echoing through the room.

And under that laughter, Xiao Cheng gradually felt a chill run through his body.

"Jie Yu..."

Watching Yu Nian'an's gentle smile, Xiao Cheng's pupils flickered slightly. Though she hadn't said anything, he felt enveloped by some kind of scheme: "What are you laughing at...?"

"Ah..."

After about ten seconds, Yu Nian'an shook her head with a lingering smile: "Xiao Cheng, oh Xiao Cheng... you're such an interesting person..."

"Interesting...?" Xiao Cheng's scalp tingled, sensing that things were happening on a level beyond his reach. "Jie Yu, what do you mean? Isn't Qi Ge fighting 'Tian Long' on behalf of the 'Can Yu Zhe'...? If he wins..."

Yu Nian'an didn't answer; instead, she pointed toward the window.

"Xiao Cheng, take a look."

Xiao Cheng slowly turned his head, his gaze passing through the kitchen door to the living room window.

Outside was still a vast expanse of dark red flesh and blood, with visible pulses throbbing in it all.

Above the flesh-walled sky, a massive pupil was scanning around.

Yu Nian'an stepped forward and slowly grasped the rope: "Xiao Cheng, you once caused turmoil in someone's mind by destroying a single blade of grass. But Qi Xia had an entire city in his mind destroyed—do you know what that means?"

Xiao Cheng said nothing, just stared blankly at the city of flesh and blood.

Yu Nian'an slipped the loop of the rope over Xiao Cheng's neck, adjusting it slightly to make it more comfortable.

"And I'm following Qi Xia's instructions, building a blood-soaked city in his mind, recreating every building with my own bones and blood," Yu Nian'an whispered. "Since you're 'Ru Meng', can you foresee what the future holds?"

"I..."

Xiao Cheng couldn't guess what would happen when a person's inner world was completely destroyed and then rebuilt with flesh and blood.

Could he accept a city like that in his own heart?

No... that question didn't seem right—Qi Xia already appeared to have accepted it fully.

To him, this city was no different from the real world.

"Xiao Cheng, do you really think a person like this would completely collapse because of that crack?"

"Jie Yu... what are you two plotting...?"

"Let me ask you again... do you think someone so ruthless to themselves would fight 'Tian Long' on behalf of all the 'Can Yu Zhe'?"

There was a sudden knocking at the door, making both Xiao Cheng and Yu Nian'an pause slightly.