Chapter 1178: Heaven's Past
Chu Tianqiu gave Dishu a meaningful look, then returned to the ranks of Paradise Gate.
“What did he say…?” Wen Qiaoyun asked. “What’s the stance of that Earth-level?”
“Hard to describe,” Chu Tianqiu said expressionlessly. “Seems like he’s on the same side as ‘Heaven’.”
“Heaven…?”
“He said if ‘Heaven’s will’ lets us live, then he’ll step in to help,” Chu Tianqiu said with a frown, tossing the eyeball in his hand into his mouth.
“Only help if we survive… what’s the difference between that and not helping…?” Wen Qiaoyun murmured.
“There’s a difference,” Chu Tianqiu nodded. “He left us a faint glimmer of hope.”
Chu Tianqiu bit down on the eyeball, then summoned numerous withered trees scattered across the ground, immediately breaking the formation of the encirclement. But at that moment, Chu Tianqiu’s eyes began to redden.
Today was destined to be a day of madness for everyone.
Chu Tianqiu only remembered that from the moment they entered Cangjie Chess in the morning, everyone had been using Echoes heavily. Then came destroying the giant clock display screen and breaking through the encirclement. Almost all the survivors had fallen into a state of Echo depletion.
So, was it really that everyone had no way to use Echoes anymore?
No, to describe the feeling now… it was like a person knowing they were about to get drunk, so subconsciously rejecting all the alcohol on the table.
Because he knew that if he drank anymore, he would lose composure, become confused, lose his mind, and be full of flaws.
“But what if this is the last time in this life you get to drink?”
Zhang Shan, Kim Won-hoon, Little Glasses, and the others turned back to look at Chu Tianqiu upon hearing this.
“Mr. Chu, what did you say?” Little Glasses asked.
“Brother Chu…” Kim Won-hoon also looked at him.
The members of Paradise Gate also turned back at this moment, looking at their former leader.
“I’m sorry,” Chu Tianqiu replied with a smile. “In theory, I should be saying a lot of words to boost your morale right now, but I can’t say a single one, because we’re about to die.”
“Damn it…” Zhang Shan also laughed. “What’s there to be surprised about… who here hasn’t died before?”
“This time we really will die. We’re not just playing tricks in the game; we’re challenging the entire rule system,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Let Paradise Gate disband here. You all scatter and flee, and I’ll probe Heaven’s will alone.”
“Tianqiu…” Wen Qiaoyun frowned and tugged his arm. “You’re saying this now… Isn’t Paradise Gate your faith?”
“Paradise Gate is a faith I inherited,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Now that faith has almost reached its end. There’s no need for all of you to throw away your lives for nothing.”
“Inherited…?”
At this moment, Chu Tianqiu’s memory floated back to many years ago.
…
A man with tattooed arms stood in front of a rundown hotel, waving energetically at him.
“We meet again!” the man called out. “Tianqiu kid! Want to join our ‘Tangkou’ and give it a try? It was just established half an hour ago, pretty awesome!”
“Tangkou…?” At that time, Chu Tianqiu found the name laughable. “Weird name, sounds like a gang. Just like an organization you’d create.”
“What’s weird? ‘Temple Street’ or ‘Tangkou’, they all recruit underlings,” the tattooed man said. “Now that we’ve parted ways with ‘Calabash Brothers’, we have to grow strong on our own!”
“So what does this gang of yours mainly do?” Chu Tianqiu asked again.
“This… I haven’t figured it out yet,” the tattooed man shook his head. “Probably hang around with the ‘Zodiac’, take care of the underlings who come to us, and then oppose the ‘Calabash Brothers’. Most importantly, wait for the scammer kid to come back… forget it, that’s about it.”
“Sounds a bit absurd,” Chu Tianqiu pushed up his glasses. “Like a bunch of people with nothing better to do hanging out together.”
“Hey… mainly because I’m not very smart,” the tattooed man said. “You seem smarter, so I’m asking if you want to join?”
“I…” Chu Tianqiu clearly hesitated. “How many people are there now?”
“There are two now,” the tattooed man said confidently.
“…” Chu Tianqiu’s eyes instantly died. “One boss… and me as the one underling?”
“One day letting you be the big shot isn’t out of the question either,” the tattooed man pressed on. “With my brains, I might lose my memory and die on the street at any time. Then all the underlings will still need someone to take care of them. I’m planning to start recruiting in large numbers from today!”
“Interesting,” Chu Tianqiu nodded, looking up at the hotel behind the tattooed man. “If that’s the case… I suggest you don’t die.”
“How so?”
“If you die, this organization becomes mine,” Chu Tianqiu laughed. “I’ll definitely usurp, and then change this crappy name of yours right away.”
“Whether you usurp or not, it doesn’t matter,” the tattooed man shook his head. “There are too many people here who need care. It doesn’t matter who. I just want to provide them a place to stay.”
“You’re quite open-minded,” Chu Tianqiu said with a wry smile. “I’ve never seen anyone build an organization like this.”
“By the way, Tianqiu kid… don’t you think ‘Tangkou’ sounds bad?” the tattooed man scratched his head. “Maybe three characters would be better? Because many gangs have three-character names…”
Chu Tianqiu didn’t speak, and walked into the hotel.
The tattooed man continued to press from behind: “Tianqiu kid, what do you think of names like ‘Green Dragon Gang’ or ‘Heaven and Earth Society’? But then the organization seems too big, not like a ‘hall’… Hey! Tianqiu kid! Help me pick one!”
Chu Tianqiu still didn’t speak, only surveyed the size of the hotel.
This place looked like it could indeed house quite a few people. Although some rooms were dilapidated, it was more than enough to accommodate a dozen or twenty people.
“But if it’s called ‘Heaven and Earth Society’… how can people tell from the name that I want to help them?” the tattooed man seemed to have confused himself. “That name sounds like it’s about to go looking for trouble… Damn, the scammer kid and the handsome kid aren’t here… my brain…”
“Alright, alright, I get it,” Chu Tianqiu said. “Three characters, looks like a ‘hall’, helps all kinds of underlings—I’ll remember these features. One day when I really change the name, I’ll make sure you recognize it.”
“Ah, I’ve got it!” the tattooed man slapped his forehead. “Why not just name it after you? Damn, call it ‘Qiuqiu Tang’!”
“Say that again and I’m out.”
…
So, how could it not be considered an inherited ‘Paradise Gate’?
Later, that man no longer remembered ‘Tangkou’.
Later, he himself no longer remembered ‘Tangkou’.
But ‘Paradise Gate’ still existed. It remembered everything.
Was it waiting for someone, or was it saving someone?
It didn’t speak, just lingered on in the ‘Land of End’.
So those memories no longer mattered.
Because it would also disappear today.
“Heaven’s will has tilted in my favor many times,” Chu Tianqiu said to everyone. “I can take the gamble myself, but I don’t dare to gamble with all of you. Let’s stop here.”