Chapter 1078: Shouldering Half
Chu Tianqiu gazed at the room Chen Junnan had entered. The door was inscribed with the character "Zi."
A search-type game.
Had Chen Junnan done this intentionally, or was it mere coincidence? His own "Tianxingjian" was utterly useless in a "search-type" game. Even if he used his divine power to tear the venue apart, it wouldn't guarantee victory.
If he truly entered that room, Chen Junnan, with his reckless nature, would inevitably find a way to gamble with his life. Even if that didn't kill Chu Tianqiu, it would certainly buy Chen Junnan enough time to stall.
"Come on, little Chu," Chen Junnan said, swallowing hard. "Didn't you want to kill me?"
For Chen Junnan, this was equally a last-ditch effort. His own team's display screen had already been destroyed. How could he ensure victory in this game now?
"No... I can't say 'victory.' I have to find a way to 'not lose.'"
With that thought, Chen Junnan curled the corner of his mouth. Why not just go and smash the opposing team's display screen as well?
If both sides dragged things out until time ran out, the winner could only be determined by the points accumulated before the screens were destroyed.
Qi Xia had already earned nearly twenty points. Did Chu Tianqiu have as many?
Having settled on his strategy, Chen Junnan turned and ran back. But the moment he opened the door, he found Wen Qiaoyun blocking the room behind him. She didn't seem intent on moving forward; instead, she appeared to have received orders to guard this spot.
His heart sinking, he quickly turned left to leave the room and check the forward path. But the room leading to the "Riverway" was blocked by Doctor Zhao.
He didn't even need to guess; Chen Junnan knew that Xu Liunian and Yan Zhichun were surely blocking the other rooms as well.
"Damn... are you all here?!" Chen Junnan finally realized that the opposing side had launched a full-scale assault.
But where were his own people?
Where was Lawyer Zhang? Where was Tiantian? Where was Zheng Yingxiong?
Most importantly... where was Qi Xia?
Within moments, Chen Junnan roughly pieced it together. In the rooms he couldn't reach, Lawyer Zhang, Qi Xia, and Tiantian were likely trapped in games along with their opponents.
Whenever two people in this game were trapped in a game, all four "doors" in that room would lock, making it impossible to even pass through to the "Riverway." It was a veritable "dead end."
If the opposing side successfully built such a "defensive line" out of "dead ends" on his team's side, then this game didn't even have a one percent chance of victory.
"Smashing our display screen first and then blocking our people... not bad, you've got some skill," Chen Junnan bluffed. "But don't you think it's a little strange that Old Qi isn't here? Aren't you scared?"
"Unfortunately," Chu Tianqiu said, "Qi Xia is trapped in a game with Yan Zhichun. He can't do anything at this moment. I've already won this game."
"Little Chu... you're awfully cocky," Chen Junnan replied. "If it weren't for that kid Zhang Shan's ability shielding you, I'd have a go at you myself."
Hearing this, Chu Tianqiu reached up and touched the necklace on his chest, then shook the clothes draped over his shoulders. Countless drops of foul, stinking blood began to slowly drip down.
"Even without 'Tianxingjian,' what would change? The hundred-plus eyeballs I carry on me make me omnipotent. In this place, only a 'Madman' can truly approach the divine." Chu Tianqiu stared at Chen Junnan. "How exactly are you, a mere 'Scapegoat,' going to beat me here?"
Chen Junnan knew Chu Tianqiu wasn't lying. Matching him in "Resonance" was impossible, and he wasn't sure he could outsmart him either. To snatch the "character" from Chu Tianqiu's hands, the only option left was brute force.
But Chu Tianqiu had also activated "Tianxingjian," effectively sealing off every path.
Now, cornered with no way out, Chen Junnan could only do his best to solve the immediate problem and stall until Qi Xia returned to handle things.
But what could he do?
"Wait..." Chen Junnan suddenly squinted, recalling that after Qi Xia had explained the situation, he had said something.
'If that really happens, then just do whatever you want.'
"Isn't this exactly that situation...?" Chen Junnan's eyes went wide. "Old Qi... you mean..."
He knew Qi Xia understood him. What he wanted to do every day wasn't "walk through walls" or "pick fights."
It was "being the scapegoat."
"Then it's time for your young master to pull out a wild card..." Chen Junnan muttered to himself. "I'm just going to trust that kid Zheng Yingxiong this time... Maybe I've already 'Resonated'?"
Hearing this, Chu Tianqiu narrowed his eyes, wondering how on earth Chen Junnan planned to use "Scapegoat" to resolve the current situation.
But the next second, he saw Chen Junnan shift his gaze down to Qiao Jiajin, lying on the ground.
"Little Chu, watch closely today. My 'Resonance' is freaking 'Summon Old Qiao'!"
As he spoke, cracks suddenly split open on Chen Junnan's face, and blood splattered everywhere in an instant. He stifled a groan of pain.
"Old Qiao, I'm shouldering your injuries..."
In the span of just a few seconds, layers of wounds and bruises spread across Chen Junnan's body like fish scales. Soon after, a mouthful of blood sprayed onto the ground.
He felt it was a miracle Qiao Jiajin hadn't been beaten to death. Even before fully taking on all those injuries, he himself felt like he was about to leave this world.
"Holy crap..." Chen Junnan gritted his teeth. "Old Qiao, these wounds of yours... cough..."
Another gush of blood hit the floor. Chen Junnan's whole body swayed unsteadily, nearly collapsing.
Chu Tianqiu watched and couldn't help but smile. "Chen Junnnan... what's the difference between your 'Scapegoat' and 'suicide'? You've just saved me the trouble."
Only then did Chen Junnan realize he had been a bit rash. If he transferred all of Qiao Jiajin's injuries onto himself, he would definitely die.
For someone who didn't often get beaten up, even the piercing pain alone could knock him unconscious.
He had meant to have Qiao Jiajin get up and save him, but now he was about to kill himself before Qiao Jiajin even woke up.
And he'd already blustered so much... what could he do now?
"If I'd known you were this badly hurt, I wouldn't have tried to show off..." Chen Junnan coughed a few times and started thinking about his next move.
In a situation like this, where it's easy to get dazed, Old Qiao had Old Qiao's strategy, and Old Qi had Old Qi's strategy.
As for Chen Junnan, he quickly came up with his own.
Which was: this time, he'd only shoulder half. He'd take the rest next time.
"No... I can't..." Chen Junnan said. "Let's just stop here... I feel like I'm going to get killed just standing here... I've got a meeting to get to. Excuse me for a bit."
Chen Junnan tried to say more, but another wave of dizziness hit him and he plopped down onto the ground.
Chu Tianqiu watched Chen Junnan's 'Scapegoat' ability, so freely controlled at will, and for a moment didn't know what to make of it. Originally, it was a heavily injured Qiao Jiajin plus a lively Chen Junnan.
After activating 'Scapegoat,' it became two injured people who couldn't stand up. How exactly was he supposed to describe this ability?
"Well, that saves me the trouble." Chu Tianqiu pulled a chain from his pocket, balled it up, and suddenly hurled it at Chen Junnan.
Chen Junnan shouted in alarm and used all his strength to roll aside, barely dodging the meteor-like iron chain.
The chain slammed into the ground with a deafening clang, embedding itself deeply into the floor.