Chapter 894: Multiple-Party Talks

This was the first time I had seen such a fierce girl. She didn't look tall, but she had an intimidating presence.

"That... I haven't even said who I'm looking for, and you say you don't know?" I asked.

"Tsk, no matter who you're looking for, I just don't know," the girl said. "I'm used to being on my own and don't know anyone."

"Ah... alright then..." I nodded, strangely feeling that this girl in front of me was a bit like me.

But she was way more assertive than I was.

Just then, a middle-aged man walked by, and I decided not to keep pestering the girl, letting her leave. I pulled the man aside and asked, "Big brother, do you know about a participant named Jiang Ruoxue?"

"Who...? Jiang Ruoxue?" The big brother paused slightly. "I think I've heard the name, but I'm not really familiar with her."

What intrigued me was that after I mentioned Jiang Ruoxue's name, the girl in the leather jacket walked a few steps and then stopped not far away.

"Well, okay then..." I smiled at the big brother. "I'll ask someone else."

After the big brother left, I curiously glanced at the leather jacket girl's back. Her head was lowered silently, as if she were saying something.

But there was no one else around, so what was she muttering to herself?

I shook my head, thinking that running into one or two oddballs in Zhong Yan Zhi Di was pretty normal anyway.

Just as I was about to leave, the leather jacket girl turned around and called out rudely, "Hey!"

"Hmm?"

She stepped up to me, her expression looking troubled. She hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "Tsk... This is a robbery. Hand over all your 'Dao'."

I was genuinely confused.

Was this sudden robbery for real?

From the girl's expression, it was obvious someone was forcing her to do it.

"Can you tell me the reason?" I said. "If you really wanted to rob me, you could've done it when we first met."

The girl didn't answer; she just lowered her head silently and muttered softly, "Tsk, stop nagging. How else am I supposed to handle this... You told me to hold her back, so what am I supposed to use to do that?"

"What...?" I suspected this girl might have some kind of personality disorder.

"Tsk, never mind. Just hand over the 'Dao' first. If you don't have any, I'll just detain you," the girl said, lifting her head again. "No rush, take your time."

"Take your time...?"

I hadn't encountered a situation like this in a long time. Adventuring alone really does have its fun moments. I slowly reached up to smooth my hair, and the girl in front of me involuntarily did the same with her dreadlocks.

The action startled her.

No need to say it—even if there were thirty people standing nearby, as long as I could still move, none of them could touch me.

"I think we should skip the robbery," I said. "You'd probably die before you even got to me."

"Impressive..." She looked up at me, then glanced into the distance. "Tsk, incredible. Not even the bell rang. Are you a senior 'Hui Xiang Zhe'?"

I didn't say anything, just shook my head.

"Let's shake hands," the girl said, extending her hand in front of me. "I'm Zhou Mo. Let's be friends."

The girl named Zhou Mo could say things like "senior 'Hui Xiang Zhe'," so she must be a 'Hui Xiang Zhe' herself. I wasn't planning to touch her.

After all, in many 'Hui Xiang' I've encountered, touching the other person is one of the activation conditions, like with Jiang Ruoxue or Tong Ayi. I couldn't risk touching a stranger who might carry 'Hui Xiang'.

Seeing that I didn't extend my hand, Zhou Mo lowered her head and muttered quietly, "Tsk, I really can't do it anymore. I'll have to figure out how to touch her. You can come or not, whatever."

She seemed to be in a precarious mental state... There was only me standing in front of her, yet she was acting like she was talking to two people at once.

"I don't want any trouble," I said. "Whatever forces are at play here have nothing to do with me. I just want to find someone."

"What's that supposed to mean, I have to figure it out myself?!" she shouted. "Tsk, don't be so unreasonable. I've helped out this much, and that's already pretty good, okay?"

"Ah...?"

Oh man, she was completely ignoring me now.

"That... Zhou Mo, are you okay?" I asked uncertainly.

"Tsk, you better hurry up!" the girl said. "That Gu Yu isn't anyone important. Let him get lost already."

I looked at Zhou Mo helplessly, not knowing what to do.

"Gu Yu, I'm talking to you. Did you hear that?" she said, still looking down.

Great, it seemed like more people were joining this conversation.

I should just say goodbye.

"Well... I still need to find someone, so I'll head out," I said. "You go ahead and get busy..."

"Tsk..." Zhou Mo finally looked up at me and sighed deeply. "Why are you leaving?"

"I..."

"Tsk, I can't keep this up anymore. I'll tell you the truth," Zhou Mo said. "That bitch Jiang Ruoxue and I came from the same room. Just now, she couldn't save face, so she told me to find a way to keep you here. This is such a pain in the ass."

"Ah?" I quickly thought back to what had just happened. "What do you mean... Can you communicate with Jiang Ruoxue remotely?"

"'Chuan Yin' Zhou Mo," she said, extending her hand. "Are you the 'Ji Dao Wang'?"

"I..."

Not many people know about the 'Ji Dao Wang' identity, since I never mentioned it when recruiting others. It must be that Jiang Ruoxue is the one calling me that.

Thinking about it, I reached out and shook hands with Zhou Mo.

"Yan Zhichun."

I have to say, the name "Zhou Mo" is quite memorable—just hearing it once sticks with you.

"Anyone I've touched, I can 'Chuan Yin' with," Zhou Mo said. "I just told Jiang Ruoxue about you coming here. That bitch wants to reconcile with you but also save face, so she's planning to pretend she doesn't know anything and 'accidentally' run into you. Wait here for a bit, watch her put on a show, and then play it by ear."

"Play it by ear...?"

Zhou Mo's words were packed with information; I didn't even know how to respond.

"Tsk, by the way, things have been pretty unstable around here lately," Zhou Mo said. "There's a new organization that's moved in and is going all out, gambling their lives against the 'Ren Ji Sheng Xiao'. You're fine just wandering around, but try not to get involved in 'Ren Ji You Xi', or you might get dragged into a life-or-death gamble."

I nodded, then looked her in the eyes and asked, "Zhou Mo, are you part of the 'Ji Dao'?"

"I..." Zhou Mo looked at me. "Does it even matter anymore..."

"Does it even matter...?"

"Tsk, in our interview room, there's a game that requires us to touch each other, so every time I respawn, I can 'Chuan Yin' with Jiang Ruoxue," Zhou Mo said helplessly, shaking her head. "That bitch unilaterally considered me part of the 'Ji Dao' even before it was properly established. I can't escape it no matter what."