Chapter 1030: Advisors and Bishops
“Yo...” Chen Junnan immediately grew alert. “And here I thought who it might be... How come it's you two again?”
Yan Zhichun was the first to step into the river channel, leaving Zhang Shan behind as she said softly, “After all, I'm from the Invasion team. Since the mission isn't completed yet, I've got no choice but to go back and start the fight.”
“Yo, then I'm not sticking around,” Chen Junnan said. “I'm from the Invasion team too. I'm heading over to your side now. How about we each invade our own side and don't bother each other?”
“I don't mind,” Yan Zhichun replied. “I'm not close to them anyway. Go ahead and trick whoever you want, kill whoever you want, attack whoever you want.”
“That's perfect,” Chen Junnan said. “Then let's swap grounds. What about you, big guy back there?”
“Sorry,” Zhang Shan said. “I still have some feelings for Chu Tianqiu and Jin Yuanxun. If you want to come over here and cause trouble, you'll have to get past me first.”
“Come on, why do you have to say it like that?” Chen Junnan said. “To be honest, don't let my laid-back attitude fool you. Your bro here is actually none other than Xu Liunian.”
Qiao Jiajin froze and stared blankly at Chen Junnan.
“Chu Tianqiu said that from now on, you can't trust any Xu Liunian,” Zhang Shan replied. “So you're not getting past.”
“Fine then, I'll be Chen Junnan,” Chen Junnan said with a pout. “If I'm Chen Junnan, you can trust me, right?”
Zhang Shan didn't say a word. He just stared at Qiao Jiajin. His figure was extremely large, almost filling the entire doorway, but he still didn't step forward.
“If you're Chen Junnan, I can barely trust you for now,” Zhang Shan said after a few seconds.
“Great. Since you trust me, I'll tell you the truth—your bro is actually Xu Liunian.”
“...?”
When Zhang Shan and Yan Zhichun heard this, all expression drained from their faces.
“You really are something, Jun Nan Zai. Is this what 'Heart Pierce' feels like?” Qiao Jiajin asked with a laugh.
“That's nothing yet,” Chen Junnan chuckled. “Your bro hasn't even started.”
“A guy like you is too dangerous,” Zhang Shan said. “If I let you through, this half will be in chaos.”
“So what do you want to do?” Chen Junnan said. “Why don't you, big guy, come on out? The river channel is wide open—come out and talk.”
Qiao Jiajin naturally knew why.
Once Zhang Shan officially stepped into the river channel, they would have to settle things here.
But the team on the other side was clearly unreliable. At this moment, Zhang Shan was like their most stable guardian.
If the guardian couldn't protect their territory and instead got into a fight with him in the river channel, things would be very unfavorable for them.
But Qiao Jiajin also understood this principle—the more unfavorable the situation was for the opponent, the more he needed to lure them into this trap.
“Big guy,” Qiao Jiajin said, “didn't we agree that if we meet in the river channel, we go straight to fighting? So what now? We've met, but you're pretending we haven't?”
Zhang Shan stared at Qiao Jiajin in silence, his expression far from pleasant.
“Are you trying to admit defeat?” Qiao Jiajin added. “Or should we just nullify our agreement?”
Seeing Zhang Shan hesitate, Qiao Jiajin took a step forward, pulled out the chain and the character from his pocket, and let it hang cleanly in front of the other man.
*Xiang*.
“I'm showing full sincerity here,” Qiao Jiajin said. “I've been standing here for a while, and I've even revealed my character. If you still refuse to fight me after this, then I don't have to stick to any agreement either.”
Staring at the *Xiang* character hanging from the chain beneath Qiao Jiajin's hand, spinning endlessly, Zhang Shan turned around and looked behind him.
There weren't many people in this team he could trust. Chu Tianqiu was one, and Jin Yuanxun was another.
If he got held up here and the other side launched a full-scale attack, both of the men behind him would be in danger.
But the other party had already said this much—was there any way to avoid the fight?
If he didn't hold back this tattooed man in front of him, his own team would also be in danger.
This was the hardest choice placed before him.
“I used to be a soldier,” Zhang Shan said. “So many years have passed, but I still remember four words: 'never retreat.'”
With that, he slowly lowered his head, let his tall frame clear the doorframe, and stepped into the river channel.
At that moment, Qiao Jiajin's face also turned cold. He slowly took off his shirt and tossed it aside on the ground.
“Oh...?” Zhang Shan stared at Qiao Jiajin's upper body for a moment. “Strange. You seem skinnier than I remember.”
“That's a long story,” Qiao Jiajin said. “The tattoos are still here, but my body has been reshaped.”
“Then am I not bullying you?” Zhang Shan slowly took off his own shirt as well. His physique was much larger than Qiao Jiajin's and looked extraordinarily strong.
“I've gotten used to this body over the past few days,” Qiao Jiajin said. “So it's not me bullying you either.”
The auras radiating from the two men began to spread outward. Chen Junnan and Yan Zhichun both felt something was off.
“Since that's the case... your bro will be on his way,” Chen Junnan said quietly to Qiao Jiajin. “Take care of yourself.”
“Don't worry.” Qiao Jiajin flexed his neck again, his eyes unusually serious.
Chen Junnan had seen that look before. Qiao Jiajin became a different person when he fought.
Yan Zhichun also looked at Zhang Shan. The two exchanged glances and then nodded to each other.
She brushed past Chen Junnan without acknowledging him and walked straight into the other side's territory.
Now, for Zhang Shan, holding off Qiao Jiajin was the only thing he could do.
Staring at the serious man before him, Zhang Shan felt a turmoil in his heart.
Both of them were climbing upward behind someone capable, but he always felt Chu Tianqiu was at least an order of magnitude more dangerous than Qi Xia.
He wasn't sure if Chu Tianqiu truly valued his loyalty, nor if Chu Tianqiu could really become the "master" of this place as he claimed.
But since fate had already decided he was on Chu Tianqiu's side, he could only win every battle he fought.
Thinking this, he spread his arms and stretched his body.
Having a one-on-one fight with Qiao Jiajin without any interference was a rare opportunity. This fight was completely different from an ordinary brawl—one small mistake could cost him everything.
“Big guy...” Qiao Jiajin twisted his waist and said softly, “We've both seen each other's Echo. Activating it at the same time and not activating it at all—there's no difference, right?”
“Right,” Zhang Shan nodded.
“Then I won't think about the Echo anymore,” Qiao Jiajin continued. “Let's just settle this right here.”