Chapter 207: The Immortal
"You're asking me... if I lack women?" When Vermilion Bird heard this question, his brow twitched slightly, and he revealed a meaningful smile.
"I—I'll do whatever you want... big brother..." Xiao Ran's face twisted into an ugly grin, "I can provide any kind of service... Please don't kill me, okay?"
"Huh." Vermilion Bird let out a surprised, mirthless laugh. "Xiao Ran, you know what? I've killed countless people, but this is the first time I've heard such a plea for mercy."
Xiao Ran stretched out a trembling hand and grabbed Vermilion Bird's pale arm.
"Big brother... I—I'm not begging for mercy... I just want to become 'one of your own'..." Xiao Ran was uncertain whether she was crying or laughing. "I never knew there were rules for being a 'Shengxiao'... I—I just made a small mistake... there's no need for this..."
"Ah!!" Vermilion Bird suddenly shouted, startling everyone present.
Xiao Ran even collapsed onto the ground.
Vermilion Bird slowly broke into a grin and said, "Xiao Ran! I've got it!"
"Got—got what?"
"I can let you choose for yourself!" Vermilion Bird laughed. "Right now, I have two paths in my hands. One is 'life,' and the other is 'death.' Which one do you choose?!"
He slowly clenched his left and right hands into fists and raised them in front of Xiao Ran.
"Total death... and total life—which do you choose?" Vermilion Bird seemed extremely excited. He crouched down and looked at Xiao Ran with an expectant expression.
Upon hearing these words, Qi Xia's expression changed.
This was a death sentence.
He signaled to the others, and they all retreated.
The Vermilion Bird before them was clearly an existence that surpassed the "Shengxiao." Among the group, only Qi Xia had seen Vermilion Bird in his memories, and no one knew how to deal with him.
Zhang Shan frowned, calculating silently in his mind: if one day he were hunted by this freak... would "Echo" be effective against him?
"Total... life?" Xiao Ran asked tremblingly. "What does that mean?"
Hearing this, the smile on Vermilion Bird's face vanished instantly. "Xiao Ran, I told you to 'choose,' not to 'ask.'"
"Ah! Yes, yes, yes..." Xiao Ran nodded frantically. "I—I choose 'total life'..."
Qi Xia shook his head helplessly. "She lost."
"What?" Doctor Zhao beside him was startled.
Just then, Vermilion Bird's face lit up with joy. "Good! Good! Xiao Ran, I can make you live forever! But in exchange, I'll take your 'sanity'!"
With that, he waved his hand over Xiao Ran's forehead.
Xiao Ran's terrified expression gradually faded, replaced by an unusually indifferent face.
Soon, she stood up emotionlessly, glanced blankly at Qi Xia, and walked over to ask, "Big brother, do you want a woman? I'm a kindergarten teacher. Just pay me, and it's yours."
Qi Xia slowly took a step back.
He understood the meaning of "live forever." It meant this person would not be destroyed along with the "Finality." Instead, she would remain here permanently, becoming a thorough "native."
She had not only lost her chance to leave but also all her sanity.
She could not become a "god" nor turn into a "Shengxiao." She would just live here on instinct forever.
Seeing that Qi Xia ignored her, she walked over to Zhang Shan. "Big brother, you're so strong—it'll cost extra. Pay extra, and I'll go home with you."
Zhang Shan also stepped back.
Qi Xia sighed.
Perhaps for Xiao Ran, this was the just deserts she had brought upon herself.
"No one wants me..." Xiao Ran blinked. "Then I'll go back to the classroom. I'm a teacher, after all."
She slowly pushed past the crowd and walked off into the distance.
Doctor Zhao seemed about to say something to her, but the words died on his lips.
"Haha!" Vermilion Bird laughed loudly. "I've done a good deed today! Didn't kill a single person!"
Qi Xia looked at him slowly.
He was too insane.
Once the question of "total life" versus "total death" was posed, Xiao Ran's fate was sealed.
Whether as a native or a rule-breaking Shengxiao, she would never appear in the interview room again.
Qi Xia came back to his senses and asked Vermilion Bird, "Is this 'game' still valid now?"
"Oh? Oh!" Vermilion Bird nodded, then shook his head. "The 'game' is gone. The venue's abandoned."
"Go save them." Qi Xia said quietly to Zhang Shan.
Zhang Shan quickly nodded, ran to the door, and began ramming it.
But the room was full of water, creating immense resistance.
Just then, Vermilion Bird stared at Qi Xia, and his expression suddenly turned cold. "Ah... I just realized, isn't this Qi Xia?"
Qi Xia had anticipated that Vermilion Bird wouldn't let him off easily, so he stopped avoiding and asked directly, "And I just realized, isn't this Vermilion Bird?"
"Qi Xia... why are you here?" Vermilion Bird asked mockingly.
"I go where I please." Qi Xia replied. "Where do you want me to go?"
"How pathetic, Qi Xia. How pathetic." Vermilion Bird's face was smug. "You have no idea why you're here. A mere mortal who can't even 'Echo'—how pathetic."
"How do you know I can't 'Echo'?"
Qi Xia knew all too well that chances to converse with "Vermilion Bird" were rare. He had to extract as much information as possible.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Vermilion Bird was amused by Qi Xia. "What are you bluffing for?"
He walked over and patted Qi Xia's chest, asking, "Are you planning to face 'Tianlong' with this frail body? How many lives do you have to gamble with him?"
Qi Xia's mind raced through his next words. He only feared that one wrong step would lead to a cascade of errors. If the conversation veered off track, the other party might leave immediately.
"Then, according to you... how am I supposed to go see 'Tianlong'?"
Vermilion Bird's mocking grin returned. He pointed at the filthy "Human Rabbit" mask on the ground. "Put it on. Accumulate human lives step by step to strengthen your body. Only then can you reach the peak, my dear Qi Xia."
Qi Xia gritted his teeth upon hearing this.
"Are you messing with me? If I put on the 'Shengxiao' mask, my final fate would be nothing more than 'Tianlong's' dog." Qi Xia said aggressively. "Even the condition for strengthening the body is signing a contract with 'Tianlong.' How could I possibly reach the peak?"
"Pfft..." Vermilion Bird's pale face twisted into a manic grin. "Ha ha ha ha ha! Qi Xia, as expected of you! You've already fallen to this state, yet you're still putting on an act. But I'm Vermilion Bird! Can your deception fool me?"
Qi Xia frowned. This step had still gone wrong.
Vermilion Bird might be insane, but he wasn't stupid.
"Qi Xia, rot here." Under everyone's gaze, Vermilion Bird slowly floated into the sky. "Even if everyone else gets out, you will only rot here. Remember this: because you are Qi Xia, you can only die here."
Qi Xia had heard these words once before, but hearing them again now gave them new meaning.
"Vermilion Bird, who have I offended?" Qi Xia asked.
"Offended who?" Vermilion Bird floated higher, his voice growing ethereal. "Isn't offending 'Tianlong' enough?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished in an instant.
"I offended 'Tianlong'?"