Chapter 928: Extreme Path Hero

Yan Zhichun stared into Qi Xia's eyes for a long time before nodding seriously: "Yes... you're right... Yang Ge, I was being nosy."

"You know that now," Qi Xia said. "Yan Zhichun... you might not realize what kind of terrifying experiences I've been through to get to this point. I want to 'win' more than anyone else. Even if I'm the only one left here, I still want to 'win'."

"I understand..." Yan Zhichun nodded. "Yang Ge, we'll stick to the plan as is. I'll go arrange it right away."

As Yan Zhichun was about to leave, Qi Xia called out to stop her: "Wait."

"What...?"

"Don't trust Bai Yang too much," Qi Xia said.

His words left Yan Zhichun completely stunned.

"What do you mean by 'don't trust Bai Yang'..." Yan Zhichun clearly didn't understand. "Yang Ge... you... aren't you..."

"We're both me, but I don't trust myself," Qi Xia said. "Teaming up with someone I don't trust is bound to be full of uncertainties, no matter how you look at it."

Yan Zhichun stood there in silence for a long time, not because Qi Xia's words were hard to comprehend, but because Bai Yang had once said the exact same thing.

What an absurd situation...

Bai Yang was Qi Xia, and Qi Xia was Bai Yang.

It was supposed to be a collaboration across time and space, something that could only happen in the Zhong Yan Zhi Di and was grand enough to go down in history as an epic game...

Yet they didn't trust each other.

The reason seemed to be that they thought the other... wasn't as smart as themselves?

"This is ridiculous... Yang Ge..." Yan Zhichun said softly. "Do you even know what you're saying? That's you too... If neither of you trusts the other, how can you..."

"That's not the real me," Qi Xia interrupted. "I wouldn't look down on a smart person like that. His foolishness lies in his arrogance. You'd be better off trusting me than him. After all, he's not coming back, but I'm still here."

"I... I get it..."

After thinking it over for a while, Yan Zhichun finally left the room.

Qi Xia turned back to look out the window.

Not long after, a head poked into the room: "Yo!"

Qi Xia turned to see Chen Junnan walking in with a mischievous grin.

"Old Qi... did you bully that girl? Why did she look like that when she left?"

"Stop being ridiculous..." Qi Xia said. "Why would I bully her?"

"Well, she didn't look happy," Chen Junnan said. "That girl seems pretty capable. What's her background?"

"Ji Dao leader," Qi Xia replied.

"Whoa~~~~~"

Chen Junnan let out a loud shout, making Qi Xia frown repeatedly.

"Can you be serious for once?" Qi Xia said. "I actually have something to discuss with you."

"Alright, alright." Chen Junnan dropped his playful attitude and asked seriously, "What's the order, boss?"

"I need to know if 'Mao' has been reborn. Go check the prison for me."

"You..." Chen Junnan paused. "Old Qi... you're even going after 'Mao'...?"

"I need Qian Wu," Qi Xia said. "He shouldn't be dead; he's probably still in prison."

"Are you really okay, man..." Chen Junnan looked at Qi Xia with a hint of worry. "You've pulled this trick so many times in such a short period. Even 'Tian' couldn't do that."

"I don't have a choice," Qi Xia replied. "I want to rest too, but I can't right now."

"Sigh..." Chen Junnan sighed. "Fine, I'll go take a look. If it's a 'live Mao', what then? If it's a 'dead Mao', what should I do?"

"As long as Zhou Liu and Qian Wu are still there, it's not a 'dead Mao'," Qi Xia said. "Have Zhou Liu contact me."

"Got it, on my way." Chen Junnan waved his hand. "I'm heading out now. Don't save dinner for me."

Chen Junnan gave Qi Xia a quick goodbye and set off into the setting sun.

...

When Yan Zhichun returned to her classroom, she heard Jiang Ruoxue's voice coming from inside, as if she was talking to someone.

After standing at the door for a few seconds and realizing the other person seemed to be a child, Yan Zhichun pushed the door open with a puzzled expression.

Jiang Ruoxue was talking to a boy who looked about eight or nine years old, wearing a crown on his head and a dirty bedsheet draped over his shoulders.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here, Zhichun," Jiang Ruoxue said. "Come and talk some sense into him. I can't get through."

"Talk sense?" Yan Zhichun raised an eyebrow and looked at the boy.

Jiang Ruoxue gently touched the boy's head and directed his gaze toward Yan Zhichun. "Little guy, telling me won't help. This is my boss. Whatever you have to say, tell her."

Yan Zhichun said nothing and stared at the strange boy for a while, baffled by his outfit.

"What do you want?" she asked bluntly.

"Sister, are you the leader of Ji Dao?" the boy asked. "I'm Zheng Yingxiong, and I want to join Ji Dao."

"Impossible. Leave," Yan Zhichun said.

"Ah...?"

Jiang Ruoxue burst out laughing at Yan Zhichun's response. "Ha! Zhichun, what are you doing...?"

"What's wrong?" Yan Zhichun looked at her. "Isn't that what you meant?"

"Well, sort of, but..." Jiang Ruoxue shook her head. "You're being a bit too cold. What if you scare the kid?"

"Ji Dao isn't some charity organization," Yan Zhichun continued, her face stern as she spoke to Zheng Yingxiong. "What's the point of letting a child like you join? Don't waste our time. We have important things to discuss, so go."

"I'm not leaving." Zheng Yingxiong said firmly. "I have a reason I absolutely have to join Ji Dao... You can't just turn me away because I'm young! My memories go back further than most people's!"

"That doesn't matter." Yan Zhichun rejected him outright. "It's too bad you came at this time. Ji Dao is about to face a major event, and with the future uncertain, I'm not allowing anyone to join right now."

"A major event...?" Zheng Yingxiong was taken aback. "Sister, if there's a big event, that means I have to join even more."

"What?" Yan Zhichun sensed that this boy was indeed a bit unusual.

Zheng Yingxiong pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Yan Zhichun. On it was written:

"Zheng Yingxiong, go find 'Yin Guo'. The path she chooses is very likely the right one. No matter what happens in the future, never choose to become 'Sheng Xiao'. Goodbye."

Yan Zhichun read it and slowly furrowed her brow. "Whose handwriting is this?"

"My brother," Zheng Yingxiong said. "He's a 'Ren Hou' here. Do you know him?"