Chapter 982: The Commander

Officer Li sighed deeply after hearing that, then put the heart back into his pocket.

"Xiao Su... I know you're comforting me..." He shook his head and continued, "But it's okay... I just hope to get everyone out with my own abilities..."

"However, there are many people here who have committed crimes," Su Shan said. "Li Dui, as police officers, do you think these criminals deserve to be saved?"

"Yes," Li Jingguan replied without hesitation. "Even those who have committed crimes, I must get them out to face real legal punishment."

Seeing Li Jingguan's attitude, Su Shan realized she had indeed misunderstood him.

"Xiao Su, our duty as police officers is to uphold the law and enforce it," Li Jingguan said. "I can't tolerate the existence of a place like this... It makes a mockery of everyone who fights for the law and turns justice and goodness in this world into luxuries."

Su Shan sighed after listening. She didn't need to say it—Li Jingguan wasn't the only one; even she had once thought about killing her teammates in the Di Gou game.

She didn't have Li Jingguan's strong convictions, but she had to admit he was right.

"Although I've made mistakes myself..." Li Jingguan gave a bitter smile, "After coming to this place, I've realized I can't keep making the same errors. I need to face everything in my life head-on, so I can turn back soon and get a good night's sleep."

As the two were talking, they saw several people walking by outside the door. Looking closely, it was Qi Xia, Chen Junnan, and Qiao Jiajin, with a girl in white clothes following behind them.

"Qi Xia...?" Li Jingguan called out.

Hearing the sound, Qi Xia turned his head, and his gaze met that of the two inside the room.

Both of them furrowed their brows slightly. They felt Qi Xia's eyes looked strange—grayish-white with a hint of dark black, as if mixed with madness and a touch of illness.

"Li Jingguan, Su Shan," Qi Xia nodded.

After saying that, he glanced down at the bloodstains on Li Jingguan's clothes and then at his pocket. A few seconds later, he smiled and said, "Li Jingguan... I didn't expect you to do so well."

"You... what happened to you?" Li Jingguan asked.

"It's all good things," Qi Xia said, then turned to look into the distance and added, "You don't need to practice anymore. Go meet up with 'Mao' now."

"Meet up with 'Mao'...?" Li Jingguan didn't quite understand. "But Qian Wu isn't already..."

"Go," Qi Xia said. "Everyone else is alive; you're the only one left."

"Ah...?" Li Jingguan blinked, then looked down at the heart in his hand. "How is that possible...? Even this heart..."

"Believe me, go," Qi Xia said, then glanced at Su Shan and whispered, "I heard from Qin Dingdong that you're a 'Ling Shi'."

"Yes..." Su Shan nodded.

"You should go too," Qi Xia thought for a moment and said. "There might be a use for you."

"But... what exactly is 'Mao'...? I..." Su Shan hesitated.

"Let Li Jingguan explain on the way," Qi Xia said.

...

After bidding farewell to Li Jingguan and Su Shan, Qi Xia and his group of four continued along the road. Apart from Qi Xia, the others clearly noticed that the streets had become more crowded.

People were emerging from buildings, facing the "Chaoyang" and moving around to stretch their bodies.

Yan Zhichun seemed absent-minded; she was deep in thought about the "Ji Dao" matter the whole way.

Regardless of whether this Di Long game succeeded or not, the fate of "Ji Dao" would be decided today.

What she couldn't understand was the attitude of the remaining three men. The upcoming game was the most difficult "Long" among all the "Di Ji" games, yet they looked completely at ease, as if they were on a vacation.

"Lao Qi..." Chen Junnan walked for a while and finally couldn't hold back. "Shouldn't we wait for Xiao Chu? He doesn't have a map—will he know where the 'Di Long' is?"

"He will," Qi Xia said. "Chu Tianqiu has a deal with the 'Di Long'; he knows better than I do where to find it."

Sure enough, as Qi Xia said, when the four arrived at the location on the map, Chu Tianqiu, Jin Yuanxun, and Wen Qiaoyun were already waiting there.

The three of them seemed to have arrived early and were standing quietly on the empty street.

What puzzled everyone was that although they were at the spot indicated on the map, there was no sign of the "Di Long". The street didn't even have a proper building, let alone a game venue.

"Yo, Xiao Chu," Chen Junnan said. "Why so early? Couldn't sleep last night?"

Chu Tianqiu smiled and nodded at the four, his expression as calm as Qi Xia's.

"Is this the place...?" Yan Zhichun looked around the nearby streets in confusion. "I've been here many times before and don't remember any game venue here."

"Hiss..." Chen Junnan scratched his head. "Not only that, there's not even a decent courtyard here... I heard the 'Long' games are really eerie... Some 'Long' games don't even have a dedicated venue."

The expressions of everyone present were quite complex, each with their own thoughts. Just as Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu faced each other, a strange light flickered between them, gradually growing and forming a circular portal in mid-air.

A female Di Long, who appeared short in stature, stepped out from it. Her face was three parts human and seven parts lizard-like, resembling a half-human, half-beast monster.

She wore a grayish-white suit and had a very petite build.

Everyone turned to look, their moods tensing up slightly.

No matter how small her stature, she represented the pinnacle of the "Sheng Xiao"—the "Long".

"Greetings, everyone. I'm the 'Di Long'," the female Di Long said calmly. "I've received orders to escort you to the 'Cang Jie Qi'. Are you all prepared?"

Chen Junnan stared at the Di Long for a few seconds, then glanced at the light portal behind her, and asked, "What do you mean by 'escort'?"

"My game venue requires entering through the portal behind me," the Di Long explained. "It's a 'team confrontation' game. If you're ready, please have both 'main commanders' enter first, and the rest wait here."

After speaking, she lifted her eyes, which held a hint of sadness, and quietly looked at Qi Xia. Qi Xia responded with a subtle glance but said nothing.

Qiao Jiajin, seeing the light portal behind the Di Long, suddenly recalled the previous Ren Long game—"Qiu Ban".

That strange game had involved traveling to an extremely eerie space, where Tian Tian, Li Jingguan, Zhang Lvshi, and others had died.

But now, few remembered that incident.

"Chu Tianqiu," Qi Xia said softly, "Are you ready?"

Chu Tianqiu adjusted the heavy coat draped over his shoulders and replied, "Everything that needed preparing is done."