Chapter 1044: A and B
"Huh...?" Han Yimo was slightly stunned.
This situation... was the plot triggering incorrectly?
But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't figure out what he had said wrong just now.
"No... Qi Xia, did you not hear me clearly just now?" Han Yimo said again. "I've already found the flaw in that Wen Qiaoyun. If I gamble with her again, I'm sure to win!"
"Found Wen Qiaoyun's flaw?" Qi Xia glanced at Han Yimo with a flat expression. "Tell me, what flaw would she reveal in front of you?"
"Uh, well..." Han Yimo blinked after hearing this, stumbling over his words. "I can't say just yet... but I really am confident I can beat her..."
"It's fine. No need." Qi Xia said. "Rest."
Now Han Yimo was in a bind. He had promised to bring the second 'Character' back... but he didn't have any 'Character' on him right now, so he couldn't even leave the 'Preparation Zone.'
Wait... why did Qi Xia ask earlier if he had been to the 'River Channel'?
Although his gambling venue with Wen Qiaoyun was right next to the 'River Channel,' there was no reason for him to take a detour to check it out.
Putting it all together... something had happened in the 'River Channel.'
Qi Xia didn't want him to go over there.
But why? Han Yimo kept mulling it over in his mind. Qi Xia didn't know he was a spy, so for him to stop him from going meant that danger was happening there.
Qi Xia wanted to protect him from harm.
Despite his ambition, he still had some of that 'savior' quality about him.
But he couldn't just let himself be manipulated. This bit of goodwill might just be a trap to lull him into complacency. He had more important things to do.
"Then how long do I have to rest here?"
"First, help me look after Qiao Jiajin." Qi Xia said. "I'm tied up for now and have other things to attend to."
"Look after... Qiao Jiajin?" Han Yimo turned his head and glanced at Qiao Jiajin lying on the ground. A man who looked like he was about to die... what was the point of looking after him?
Wouldn't it be better to just let him die and wait for rebirth in the next cycle?
"Fine..."
Unable to find a reason to refuse, Han Yimo walked over and slowly sat down beside Qiao Jiajin. He looked at the injuries on Qiao Jiajin's body and found them rather gruesome.
He had written many fight scenes before, but this was the first time he truly understood what it meant for skin to split open.
His cheeks, his torso, and the skin on his arms were all cracked. Much of the blood had already begun to clot, but it still looked extremely painful.
But there were no 'weapons' in this game. What had hurt Qiao Jiajin like this?
Fists?
Han Yimo shook his head with a bitter laugh, feeling like he was losing his mind. How could anyone's skin be broken by fists?
As he was lost in thought, he suddenly felt Qiao Jiajin's pants pocket. There seemed to be a 'Character' inside.
Wait... he had fallen into another misconception. Why did he have to wait for Qi Xia to give him a 'Character'? Couldn't he just steal one...?
"Think before you act." Qi Xia said in a deep voice without turning his head, staring at the words on the wall.
"Huh...?" Han Yimo was startled.
"Leave yourself a way out. Don't court death." Qi Xia said once again, his tone flat.
Although Han Yimo didn't understand the meaning behind Qi Xia's words, he felt as though he had been threatened.
What a strange feeling.
For the rest of the time, neither of them spoke. They just stayed quietly in the 'Preparation Zone.'
...
In a room marked with the character 'Si,' four people stood together, the atmosphere extremely strange.
These four people were Dr. Zhao, Kim Won-hoon, Chen Junnan, and Chen Junnan.
"Come on... I really am Xu Liunian!!!" one Chen Junnan said, his voice almost hoarse. "I've been saying it for so long. Why won't you believe me?!"
Let's call this one Chen Junnan A.
"Don't listen to his nonsense!" the other Chen Junnan's voice was even hoarser than the first. "I can even prove it by dying! Let me go see Tianqiu! He'll definitely be able to tell who the real one is!!"
Let's call this one Chen Junnan B.
"Haven't you caused enough trouble?!" Chen Junnan A said viciously to Chen Junnan B. "Do you think putting on an act will fool everyone? No matter how well you pretend, you're still fake!"
"Fake?!" Chen Junnan B seemed baffled. "I already said we could have Chu Tianqiu verify our identities. Why are you afraid to go?!"
Dr. Zhao and Kim Won-hoon just stood there in silence, dumbfounded. The situation was truly bizarre.
Both of them claimed to be 'Xu Liunian,' and both said the other was 'Chen Junnan.'
But hadn't they noticed that they both had Chen Junnan's face?
So, who was the fake one now?
And they actually wanted to find Chu Tianqiu to judge? Were they treating Chu Tianqiu like the Buddha?
"I..." Dr. Zhao gave a wry smile and said, "I have an immature suggestion... It doesn't matter which of you is fake and which is real... Can't the real Xu Liunian just change back?"
"I wish I could!" both Chen Junnans said at almost the same time.
"Huh?" Dr. Zhao was now at a loss.
Chen Junnan B: "I wanted to go back to the 'Preparation Zone' to find Tianqiu immediately, but the problem is, I don't want to go back looking like this disgusting thing. So I tried to control my belief in the room, but no matter what, I couldn't change back..."
Chen Junnan A: "Listen to him spouting nonsense! It's because the power of 'Echo' here is too weak to change back! You two, stop blocking the way. Let us go find Tianqiu directly!"
Dr. Zhao and Kim Won-hoon exchanged glances.
If they sent both of these people into the 'Preparation Zone,' they would definitely also let the real Chen Junnan in.
But if they didn't let them meet Chu Tianqiu... how could they tell who was real?
Kim Won-hoon thought for a moment and said, "How about this... Sister Xu Liunian, Doctor and I will go first. You two trigger the game here or something."
Dr. Zhao quickly nodded, feeling this was probably the best idea.
"No way!" both Chen Junnans shouted at the same time.
Dr. Zhao was taken aback: "Why not...?"
Chen Junnan A: "Are you idiots?! That guy is Chen Junnan! He can even disguise himself as me to trick you. Isn't that 'cunning' enough?! How am I supposed to win against him in this 'Si Snake' game?"
Chen Junnan B: "You stole my words again! Dr. Zhao, Kim Won-hoon, let me ask you... Even if the two of us settle this in the game arena... even if only one of us can walk out that door, would you then know who is real and who is fake?"
Dr. Zhao and Kim Won-hoon scratched their heads simultaneously, feeling like they were in a real mess.