Chapter 1225: Looking for a Fight
Zhang Shan paused after hearing that and couldn't help but blurt out five words—
"Catch the thief, catch the king first."
Chu Tianqiu nodded slightly after hearing this. "So you mean your target is either Tianlong or Qinglong? Looks like we're going the same way."
"But I still feel like this mission is a bit too difficult."
Zhang Shan lowered his head and clenched his fists, sensing that this was an extremely rare situation—the fight was already over, yet the "Tianxingjian" was still there.
Even back when they were fighting in the "Whirlpool City," the "Tianxingjian" had never lasted this long.
If even his own "Echo" could persist for such a long time, then as long as others obtained their "Echo," it should never dissipate either.
This was partly because the "Severance" in the sky had disappeared, and possibly also because the giant bell and the display screens had been destroyed.
In the days that passed, the people here had relied far too much on the prompts from the display screens and the giant bell.
When an "Echo" was obtained, the bell would ring; when an "Echo" was lost, the bell would ring too.
This convenient and clear method had allowed everyone to stabilize their "Echo," but it had also severely constrained the upper limit of their "Echo."
For something as elusive as "Echo," if a person kept thinking, "The bell will ring when the Echo disappears," that meant their will was wavering, and the bell would inevitably ring.
Now that the giant bell and the display screens were gone, no one could hear the sound "declaring the Echo's dissipation," so they had no idea when their "Echo" would vanish.
Zhang Shan explained the gist of his thoughts to Chu Tianqiu in a few words.
After all, if his own dull mind could already think this far, then Chu Tianqiu could naturally think even more.
Sure enough, after listening to Zhang Shan's train of thought, Chu Tianqiu began to digest it quickly, also trying to piece together some scattered clues in his mind.
"You said there was always a 'Severance' here...?"
If there was any important person who had died today due to someone's "scheme"—
It should only be Dilong, the referee of the "Cangjie Chess."
When they had met her earlier, Chu Tianqiu could vaguely sense a special aura about her. Now that he thought about it, that should have been the obsession of "being determined to die."
From the moment she appeared, Dilong had been ready to die.
Therefore, she was the one who had released the "Severance."
In the moment she was forced into a life-or-death gamble with the "participants," she chose suicide without hesitation and used that suicide as a wager to exchange Qinglong for the lives of Chu Tianqiu's entire team.
This death, which had caught Qinglong off guard, seemed to Chu Tianqiu to have immense tactical value—it had almost single-handedly changed the entire battle situation.
So the signal for the "rebellion" didn't start with the destruction of the giant bell and the display screens; it started with Dilong's death.
"Removing the 'Severance' can increase the intensity of the 'Echo,' and destroying the giant bell can extend the duration of the 'Echo,'" Chu Tianqiu murmured. "These two actions seem unrelated, but in reality, they comprehensively strengthen the remaining 'participants.'"
"But both actions are double-edged swords," Zhang Shan said. "Removing the 'Severance' not only strengthens the 'Echo' but might also drive people crazier. Destroying the giant bell makes it harder for the 'Echo' to dissipate, but it also makes it difficult for those with weak wills to obtain an 'Echo.'"
"Right now, there's hardly anyone with a 'weak will' left," Chu Tianqiu said. "Everyone who managed to board this 'train' is no ordinary person."
Zhang Shan paused after hearing this, then looked at Chu Tianqiu and Qin Dingdong with confusion.
"What's wrong?" Chu Tianqiu asked.
"A bit strange..." Zhang Shan scratched his head. "Everything we've been talking about is about 'influencing the participants,' but you two... haven't been affected at all?"
"These two changes might affect most people, but there are exceptions," Chu Tianqiu said, turning back to glance meaningfully at Qin Dingdong before speaking calmly. "That would be people who have preserved their memories long enough. Such people won't get confused by additional memories, and they themselves have sufficiently powerful 'Echoes.'"
"Is that so..." Zhang Shan nodded half-understandingly.
Chu Tianqiu let out a soft laugh before turning back to look at Qin Dingdong. "The powerful people I know all have different methods for preserving their memories. What method do you use?"
"Big sister isn't telling you," Qin Dingdong said with a pout. "All of you just keep asking and asking one after another. Am I hosting some kind of press conference?"
Chu Tianqiu shrugged at that and had no choice but to stop questioning Qin Dingdong. He turned back to Zhang Shan. "Zhang Shan, you said you wanted to 'catch the thief, catch the king first.' Is that your entire strategy?"
"Pretty much," Zhang Shan nodded. "I'm planning to have a fight with them."
"A one-on-one with Tianlong and Qinglong? That plan sounds too reckless. It's not something Qi Xia would do," Chu Tianqiu pondered for a moment. "At the very least, you need a helper on a similar level."
"Hey! Big guy!" A stilted Mandarin voice sounded from a distance. Two figures walked over from the far end of the corridor.
Chu Tianqiu looked at the two people. "That's more like it."
Zhang Shan turned his head and saw Qian Wu and Qiao Jiajin approaching.
"Tianqiu dude!" Qiao Jiajin came up and greeted everyone enthusiastically. "Wow, and Big Rat and Dingdong Jie too."
If not for the "Zodiacs" standing all around, one might even think they were running into acquaintances at a night market.
"Damn..." Zhang Shan looked Qiao Jiajin up and down. "You came up too?"
"Yeah." Qiao Jiajin nodded. "Big guy, you busy? Want to come with me to beat someone up?"
"I'm busy," Zhang Shan replied. "I'm planning to head to the 'front of the train' to look for a fight."
"What a coincidence?" Qiao Jiajin chuckled. "I was also planning to go to the 'front of the train' to look for a fight..."
After saying that, Qiao Jiajin froze and quickly asked, "Holy shit, you asshole, you're not looking for me, are you?"
"Damn, are you out of your mind?" Zhang Shan was baffled by Qiao Jiajin's logic and frowned. "I traveled all the way to the front of this 'train' just to pick a fight with you? Am I crazy, or are you crazy?"
"Oh, haha." Qiao Jiajin let out a dry laugh. "Good thing it's not me. I was afraid you held a grudge."
"A grudge...?"
"Ah, nothing, nothing." Qiao Jiajin waved his hand and walked over to put his arm around Zhang Shan's shoulder. "Now I'm relieved. Knowing the person I'm going to beat up isn't you, I feel a lot lighter haha. Fighting you again would really have worn me out."
"You're so weird..." Zhang Shan scratched his head and said, "So, is it just the two of us going?"
"There's also Creepy Guy." Qiao Jiajin stuck out his thumb and pointed at Qian Wu. "The three of us are going together."
"I'm not going," Qian Wu interrupted from the side. "And don't call me Creepy Guy."
"Eh?" Qiao Jiajin looked at him. "You're not going? Fraud dude said earlier that..."
"I'm not going. My task is to use 'Twin Flowers' to turn both of your bodies into 'Tianxingjian.'"
"Ah?"