Chapter 976: The True Flock

After listening to Zhou Liu’s words, Yun Shijiu finally understood why Zhou Liu had been so troubled all along. What was troubling her wasn't the awkwardness of being caught between two factions, but the fear that both factions she knew well could be completely wiped out.

At that moment, Yun Shijiu felt even more unsettled.

If Qian Wu had known about Zhou Liu's identity all along, didn’t that mean he approved of what Zhou Liu was doing? Approved of having a "Ji Dao Zhe" in their team?

"I... I don't quite understand," Yun Shijiu said. "If Qian Wu knew about it... and he still went along with it... then isn't that..."

"Tsk, Shijiu," Zhou Liu called out. "Whether you believe it or not, Qian Wu's thoughts are deeper than yours."

"But... but our faction after all..."

"Sheep flock effect," Zhou Liu said. "Tsk, Shijiu, as soon as one person starts lying, the rest will all turn into lying sheep."

"Lying... sheep?"

Jiang Ruoxue nodded as well: "Little brother, our leader is like a 'sheep,' and everyone else will follow the lies that the 'sheep' tells. When necessary, we'll lie too. Your Qian Wu is exactly like that—this is what they call the 'Yangqun Xiaoying.'"

"But that doesn't seem right..." Yun Shijiu hesitated and looked at Zhou Liu. "Everyone who joins 'Mao' is a group of wrongdoers who don't want to leave. No matter what the big shots in this place are up to, 'Mao' should stay neutral..."

"Tsk..." Zhou Liu sighed and said, "Shijiu, that's why I say Qian Wu's ideas are deeper than yours."

"What do you mean...?"

"Tsk, you also know that the reason all the people in 'Mao' don't want to leave is because we've all committed serious wrongs." Zhou Liu continued, "Qian Wu agreed to cooperate with the various factions from the start to make sure that all of 'Mao' doesn't just lurk in the shadows. He wants to get all of us out into the open and stand in the sunlight, fair and square."

Yun Shijiu was slightly stunned and said in disbelief, "Are you kidding me, Liu Jie... In the real world, even you have blood on your hands. How do you think we can stand in the sunlight fair and square...?"

"Qian Wu has a way," Zhou Liu said gravely. "Shijiu... tsk, Qian Wu said he'll find a way to clear everyone's sins, so all of 'Mao' can step out of the shadows and return to a perfect, sin-free real world."

"That's ridiculous..." Yun Shijiu's emotions fluctuated. "This is totally ridiculous... It's even more far-fetched than 'Tianlong's lies..."

"Tsk, but I believe in Qian Wu—that's the true purpose of 'Mao's existence," Zhou Liu said. "Don't you really want to be 'neutral' here forever?"

Yun Shijiu knew deep down that being stuck in "neutral reincarnation" here forever wasn't the best choice. If they could clear their sins and return to the real world, who would want to stay?

But how could something so difficult ever be achieved?

"So neither 'Ji Dao Wansui' nor 'keeping neutral' is our final mission code," Jiang Ruoxue chimed in at that point. "'Yangqun Xiaoying' is."

Yun Shijiu fell silent for a few more seconds, then turned to Zhou Liu and said, "Liu Jie... can we really... return to a 'sin-free' world?"

"Three outcomes," Zhou Liu said, holding up three fingers. "We seize this opportunity to pull off something big—either everyone gets out, or everyone vanishes. As for the third choice... that's just maintaining the status quo. I don't even need to ask Qian Wu to know what he'd pick."

Yun Shijiu thought it over and finally nodded: "Okay... I get it..."

Chen Junan, who had been quiet for a while, jumped in: "Hey hey! Buddy! Since you know what the 'Ji Dao' is up to, why not spill it now so we can all get our plans straight?"

"That works..." Yun Shijiu nodded. "But I've heard this plan has two parts, and I only know the first one, so I'll just..."

"Wait." Zhou Liu and Jiang Ruoxue both called out to Yun Shijiu at the same time.

"Hmm...?"

"Don't say it now," Jiang Ruoxue said. "Since your 'Mao' has people in the know, wait until the mission is about to start tomorrow. Otherwise, with the long night ahead, who knows what could go wrong? If we run into 'Tianshe,' it'll be a mess."

Zhou Liu nodded: "That's exactly what I think."

"Okay..." Yun Shijiu nodded as well.

"So what are you 'Mao' people going to do?" Jiang Ruoxue asked, turning to Zhou Liu.

"Tsk, we..." Zhou Liu said, "are going to take down the 'Shen Shou.'"

After saying that, she gave Chen Junan a meaningful look and added: "'Mao's purpose from the beginning has been to kill the 'Shen Shou,' and that hasn't changed. Tsk, I don't know which crafty genius came up with that goal—it's damn clever."

"Cough cough..." Chen Junan cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject: "Mei Jie, didn't Qian Duoduo take us to try it once before... That 'Xuanwu' thing is unbeatable."

"That was just a test," Zhou Liu said. "Qian Wu knew all along that 'Xuanwu' had 'Bumie.' The failure last time was not only to gauge 'Xuanwu's abilities but also to make the other 'Shen Shou' let their guard down."

"Oh my god... Layers within layers?" Chen Junan was stunned.

"Qian Wu said that when the time is right, someone will come to 'Mao' and personally reveal how to break 'Xuanwu's 'Bumie.'"

"This is insane..." Chen Junan seemed to realize something. "Mei Jie... don't tell me... seriously, don't... I think I came here exactly for that... Damn it... I've been used as a pawn by Lao Qi again?"

"You came for this...?" Zhou Liu didn't quite get it. "Weren't you here as part of Qi Xia's faction to discuss plans with us?"

"I don't know jack about any plans!" Chen Junan felt wronged. "Do you know what that guy Lao Qi said to me? He said, 'Go check if it's a dead cat or a live one, then have Zhou Liu contact me.'"

"... And that's it?" Zhou Liu asked.

"Yeah, that's it!" Chen Junan said with a grievance. "I thought that was the whole reason I came today, but I didn't realize Lao Qi had it all figured out... He just couldn't say it out loud in 'Tian Tang Kou.'"

Zhou Liu was silent for a moment, then asked: "So you know 'Xuanwu's weakness...?"

"Damn..." Chen Junan swore. "More than just 'Xuanwu's— we ran into a white snake that spilled everything. We know the weaknesses of all the 'Shen Shou' now!"

After saying that, Chen Junan leaned forward, pointed to his eyes, and said: "'Eyes'—that's the weakness!"