Chapter 1181: The Mind Reader
The many "Participants" had initially planned to use their numerical advantage to gang up on the few individuals who were either proficient in "Echoes" or skilled in combat.
But they never expected to be surrounded in the blink of an eye.
And the things surrounding them were truly bizarre—they weren't "Participants" at all, but a seemingly endless sea of "Natives."
These Natives, scattered across every corner of the city, devoid of consciousness or intelligence, had now somehow organized themselves into a tight encirclement of this small battlefield.
"Damn..." Zhang Shan scratched his head. "I must be losing my mind... What the hell is going on?"
"It really does seem like the 'Natives'..." Glasses said, rubbing his arm thoughtfully. "Whose side are the 'Natives' on...?"
An old man with a cunning expression set down the handbell he was holding, slowly stepped forward, and surveyed the situation.
The "Participants" vaguely sensed that this old man had come to help, so they made way for him to face Chu Tianqiu directly.
"Ah..." He smiled faintly. "If I hadn't come... how would you youngsters have managed?"
"You..." Chu Tianqiu furrowed his brow as he looked at the man before him. Even after recognizing him, he still felt puzzled. "Wei Yang...?"
"Long time no see." Wei Yang chuckled.
Qin Dingdong also emerged from among the "Natives," grumbling as she walked forward. "Damn it, when I found you, you were calmly looking out the window at the scenery, acting all high and mighty now... No wonder I couldn't find Wei Yang anywhere—turns out he was putting on airs."
"Tch! Who's putting on airs?" Wei Yang seemed utterly helpless when it came to his own apprentice.
"You..." Chu Tianqiu was full of confusion, completely unable to grasp the positions of Wei Yang and Qin Dingdong. "What exactly are you two...?"
"What would you call this situation..." Qin Dingdong thought for a few seconds. "You're the 'King of the Righteous,' and this old bastard Wei Yang should probably count as the real 'King of the Mad.'"
"Don't add 'bastard' after 'King,'" Wei Yang said.
Chu Tianqiu felt like he could see traces of Chen Junnan in Qin Dingdong. Both of them gave him the same kind of untimely, laid-back vibe.
"How could anyone possibly achieve the status of 'King of the Mad'..." Chu Tianqiu said with a frown. "Those people can barely even communicate. It doesn't make any sense."
Wei Yang let out a cold laugh. "A certain reckless brat once told me, 'Old Wei, you can read minds, so you're the only one who can know what the Natives are thinking. If you can satisfy their desires, maybe they'll do your bidding.'"
"What...?" Chu Tianqiu was taken aback, as if he already knew who had said that.
"He said this had to be kept a secret," Wei Yang said. "But I didn't expect him to keep it a secret even from himself."
"So all these years, you've been capturing 'Natives' to torture and experiment on, all to hear the voices in their hearts...?"
"Exactly, isn't it?" Wei Yang said. "That kid told me I could tame the 'Natives' like 'animals,' so I moved my testing ground to the farm. He also taught me a trick called 'Pavlov's Dog,' using the simplest commands to control the 'Natives.' Turned out to be surprisingly effective."
Chu Tianqiu let out a bitter laugh after hearing this. "Ha... how terrifying... Not long ago, I foolishly thought I could stand shoulder to shoulder with him and reach the peak of this place."
"Who? With him?" Wei Yang laughed and waved his hand dismissively. "Cut it out. He can't even stand his past self. You think he'd look up to you?"
After saying this, Wei Yang turned his gaze to Gopher.
Gopher immediately looked away, bowed his head slightly, and gave a respectful salute.
"Pretentious dead rat," Wei Yang said. "Why lower your head? Look up at me."
"Boss, you flatter me. How would I dare look at you?" Gopher kept his head down, his tone unreadable. "I've told you before, I'm a 'fence-sitter.' When the time comes to betray you, I won't hesitate. I promised you that long ago. You can't hold that against me."
"Meaning I should thank you?" Wei Yang said. "No one sucks up to you more than I do, and no one kicks you harder when you're down than I do."
"Overpraise, overpraise," Gopher said. "If you were moved by my sweet talk, maybe it's just that you're old and can't see straight. I never expected to see you alive here, which means back then, I was too soft when I kicked you while you were down. You should know that feeling well. If I'd known I'd see you hopping around alive, I should've kicked you harder."
"Get lost." Wei Yang said impatiently. "If I hadn't had my 'Brute Strength' taken away from me, you'd be the first one I'd punch."
"Why so angry, boss?" Gopher smiled and took a step forward. "The biggest reason you were kicked out of 'Heavenly' rank wasn't the 'Liar' incident I snitched about—it was your own 'Mind Reading.' Why would they keep someone around who knows their true thoughts? Don't you think so?"
Wei Yang said nothing, just fiddling with the bell in his hand.
"Everyone's heart in this world is filthy and cannot withstand scrutiny," Gopher continued. "I'm like that, and so are you. Even those who call themselves 'Gods' are the same, right?"
"The only reason you're still alive is because of that silver tongue of yours," Wei Yang said. "But if you die one day, it'll be because of that same tongue."
"Overpraise, overpraise," Gopher nodded again, never once lifting his head to look at Wei Yang.
"What does this mean..." Chu Tianqiu immediately caught the key point from this exchange. "You were originally a 'Heaven'...?"
"What difference does it make?" Wei Yang said. "'Heaven' or 'human,' it's the same. Everyone here lives like a 'ghost.' Only the 'Natives' don't suffer."
Qin Dingdong picked up the bell and looked at Chu Tianqiu. "So what's the situation now? What are you going to do?"
Chu Tianqiu snapped back to reality and briefly told them what had just happened. Qin Dingdong nodded in response.
"In that case... I want to make a counteroffer," Qin Dingdong said.
Hearing this, Gopher frowned. "Boss, what counteroffer? I'm not doing business with you."
"Consider it a favor you owe Wei Yang," Qin Dingdong said. "If Chu Tianqiu survives, add one more person to the car. I want to go too. Deal?"
Gopher thought for a moment, then looked at the thousands of "Natives" behind the two of them. He could only sigh and say, "I don't have a choice but to agree."
After Qin Dingdong nodded, she seemed to think of something else and turned back to Wei Yang. "What about you? Want to come back?"
"I'd rather die than go back," Wei Yang shook his head.
"Alright." Qin Dingdong nodded. "Then... Chu Tianqiu, rest assured. Leave the rest to the 'King of the Mad.'"
"Don't add 'bastard' after 'King,'" Wei Yang said.